Desperate Measures / Fallen Angels is your debut release with Shogun Audio, how did that come about and what made you decide to go with Shogun? Was there anything in particular about these tracks that you thought suited the label?
I had been in contact with Ed Friction for a few years and he’d expressed an interest in me doing something for his label. I had this quite hard tune I thought might suit Shogun so I sent it over. Ed thought it had potential but needed work, I spent the next couple months firing versions at him and until he said yeah that’s the one, the tune (Desperate Measures) sounds completely different now to the first idea I sent him!!
For any newcomers to Interface, how would you describe your sound?
I have no blueprint or method to anything I do when I make tunes, I always approach every tune in a different way. My tracks range from main room party bangers to deep and minimal. I love music that’s emotive and soulful and I always try and bring an element of that to my music even if it is quite subtle sometimes.
Your last release, the Voodoo Science EP really showcased the diversity of your musical capabilities. This single also demonstrates your knack for both dancefloor-damaging basslines and soulful vocal cuts. Was that balance something you wanted to portray with this single?
I suppose so, after Desperate Measures was signed it needed another side, Shogun said it would be nice to have a vocal tune to complete the 12 and they loved Fallen Angels so it just fell together really.
How did you go about writing each track? Any particular starting points, inspiration, techniques or ideas?
I actually covered the process in which I made Fallen Angels in this month’s Computer
Music Magazine. Jay Wilcox had a big part in the production process of this tune, we started out just jamming in the studio with his keyboard. He put down a load of piano and string melodies and most of the vocal. Then I dropped him home and spent the next 14 hours turning it all into a tune!
I then spent the next two months or so fine tuning the arrangement, mix and the details until I was finally happy with it.
I do a lot of processing with my sounds, probably too much to be honest! I tend to go quite over the top with plug-ins. See the Computer Music DVD for more info on this.
It’s been a while since we last caught up with you, what have you been up to? (We saw you at a few festivals over the summer, what was the highlight of the season for you?)
I had a wicked summer playing a few good festivals. One of the highlights was playing a festival called ‘We, The People’ in Bristol. I found out 5 days before I was going to play on the main stage, going on after Example, in front of probably 6000 people! I thought I had better put something special together for it so I got William Cartwright, Jay Wilcox and MC Mistafire in a rehearsal room and put together a kind of DJ set/live show hybrid! It was really stressful getting it together but it was really worth it, the show went down really well and inspired me to think what could be possible if we had more than 5 days to plan it!
Secret Garden Party was another highlight, I love playing those kind of festivals because I can get away with playing a bit more eclectically. The vibe in that tent was incredible.
What is going down over in Bristol right now? Any up-and-coming local talent you can tip us off on?
In D&B right now Critical Impact is smashing it for me, I love a good old Bristol style roller and he has got them coming out of his ears right now!!
As for young producers to watch out for I would say keep an eye out for Minus and OH91.
The House scene is killing it in Bristol right now, I’m really enjoying the stuff that’s coming from Futureboogie Records. So if you haven’t heard any of that go check all their artists.
Also my good mates Javeon McCarthy, Jay Wilcox and William Cartwright are all hopefully gonna do big things this year on the futuristic RnB/soul tip.
What are your plans for 2012?
Just to continue the momentum with the tunes and lots of DJing hopefully. I’ve been keeping my head down for the last few years studying my craft and making beats and I think now is the time for me to get out there and start playing more (all enquires contact interfacebookings@hotmail.co.uk). I would like to continue doing shows with live vocalists and I’ve already got lots of ideas in my head about going completely live one day, who knows maybe quite soon?!
Listen & Download: Interface – Desperate Measures / Fallen Angels Ft. Jay Wilcox