Manchester resident Dub Phizix is a man in the process of building himself one serious reputation. With releases for labels like Soul:r, Critical, Ingredients, Commercial Suicide, Dispatch singing his praises and one of the most talked about tracks of the summer doing the rounds, his new The Editor EP was always going to make waves, and that it did.
We asked a few words from Mr Dub Phizix and got something like a Marka lyrics transcript. Enjoy.
Dub Phizix, how’s your summer been?
Yeah it’s been good. Seems to have gone quite fast with hardly any sunshine though.
Just so we can imagine the scene, can you describe your tech set up please.
Yeah I use Logic on a Mac pro with an RME interface. I have Adam S3a monitors and the room is purpose built so its really good acoustically. I mainly work in digital with plugins but I’ve got a Studer tape machine which I run stuff through and occasionally mix down to. I also use a Neve 1084 preamp for recording and processing.
Your new EP out on Soul:R has an almost disgustingly rude and intense sound to it, do you have to get yourself in a certain kind of mood to produce this kind of music or does it just flow naturally?
Nah I try and just let it happen. I think you can always tell when music is forced, it should be a natural process. I suppose the mood I’m in does have an effect on some level but I never think “I’m in a bad mood, lets make something dark”.
Your track with Skeptical ‘Marka’ was officially the most dropped tune of Sun & Bass. Did you guys expect this kind of reaction when you wrapped up the track?
Not at all. It’s been mad! When we made it, we were happy with it but honestly thought most people would just think that it’s weird. We’re really grateful for the response from people on it though.
Can you give us a transcript of Strategy’s lyrics please? And heard Marka is coming around November on Exit… is this correct?
Yeah thats right, we just made a B-side and we’re sorting it all out with Exit now.
The lyrics are:
his face is mash up, looks like pirhanna
he plays rounders get used as marker
he’s the kind of guy who goes town in pyjama
his favourite tv is panorama
this guys name is barrack obama
barracka obama bama bamaIt’s a political protest song about the archaic imbalance of world power.You make superb use of your vocalists, do you think drum & bass production could benefit from more lyrics in the studio?
Yeah I think so, but it all depends on who does them as it’s easy to ruin a tune. I’m lucky that I know and work with some great vocalist like Strategy, Fox, DRS etc… My use of vocals is all down to their talent really. They make it easy.
Your music is entwined with innovative labels like Ingredients, Critical, Soul:R, Dispatch, do you ever get the urge to make something on a completely different side of things to what your fans expect?
Yeah definitely, and at some point people will hear it. I’ve already started on some other styles but I’m not going to say much yet.
Was it difficult pulling together these 4 tracks to make an EP you were happy with, or did they all come together at the right place at the right time? You’ve kept people waiting 2 years for The Editor I believe..
Ha ha well I’m not sure you can blame me for that but yeah we made Editor two years ago and Marcus took it straight away. Since then, there were various tunes which were looking like they might be a B-side. Eventually he just said let’s do an EP with these 4. I’ve wanted to be on Soul:r since it was just a rumour so having an EP on there is something I’m really proud of.
What releases have you got coming up that we can look forward to? And have you started thinking about an LP yet?
Yeah I have been thinking about the album thing and had a few offers but I’ve not really made a decision yet. There’s one or two bits I’ve got knocking around which I would probably use for it though.
Next up is a 12″ on Commercial suicide. That will be ‘Scum/Polar’ in October. After that is ‘Marka’ on Exit in November. In the new year I’ve got more stuff coming on Soul:r, Ingredients and Dispatch plus tunes on Samurai, Innerground and Mars.
Now to the serious questions:
If you could be anything other than a drum & bass producer what would it be?
Rich.
Whose music taste do you rate the most in the world other than yours?
Thats a difficult one. DRS has introduced me to some great music so probably him.
Finally, can you pick your favourite 3 dnb tracks of the moment?
Skeptical – Dub Sequence
Jekyll – Disperse
DBR – Fortress VIP
Thanks Dub Phizix.
