Damian Lazarus

Damian Lazarus – Moment In The Dark EP – Crosstown Rebels

What does music mean to you? Is it a collection of sounds signifying a certain feeling, or a location in time? Or perhaps it’s the distortion of reality you find all the more appealing? Whatever it does, it does have to transcend time. It has to feel the same way then as now. Afterall, that’s how good music lasts as seconds decay. Smoke The Monster Out was first released in 2009 on Get Physical and listening again to the two title tracks sparks the imagination all over again. Moment, regenerates that fuzzy, buzzy sense of probing uncertainty which excites as its intro builds, minus drums, into a joyous expectation soon to be offset by darker percussive, synthesized moods. New versions now also appear from Adam Port who transports it via heavier beats, while retaining the delicate piano and voiced melodies. And from Satori whose punctuating rhythms shuffle off into eastern climes care off sumptuous stringed instrumentation. Next, the short blast of Diamond In The Dark chimes acoustically like Pink Floyd mangled, and is now accompanied by Tibi Dabo’s future reaching, tougher interpretation exploring the rigorous imagination posed by the original recording. And somewhat beautifully too.

Release: August 30

http://damianlazarus.com
http://www.crosstownrebels.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKMEOidRiCw
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Yulia Niko Q&A

Hello and welcome to Magazine Sixty, Yulia. Let’s start by asking how living in and then moving between Russia, America, and Berlin has informed what you do in terms of sound and also your approach to life?

Hello Sixty, and thank you so much for having me. Always cool when a DJ can talk to people instead of just sharing music.

My favorite approach is thinking, “If you want be creative, you need to forget about all fears.” Meaning, fears about moving from place to place, or not being supported by people, or that your art is just not good enough. Just forget about all of it and try to do something. Sometimes it actually might not be good, but there is always time to improve, study, and learn from mistakes.

I’m girl from a very small town in the South of Russia, and somehow I was born with the brain of an international traveler. When I was seven years old and went to school, we had French class, and I loved it when the teacher would call me Juli, because I knew I’d become an adult and go travel around the world someday.

Anyway, music became a lever for my traveling and I made the decision to leave Russia after five years of DJ experience there. With very bad English and almost no savings in my account, I traveled across the ocean to New York, where I started to make serious changes in my life. I went to music production school and met the best artists and people from the industry.  Now I’m in Berlin and all of it is hitting me more and more. I always keep my funky housey sound, but I’m improving it with every move I make from country to country, because each has its own music history, which I study and learn a lot from.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-7I8vMg9o0

Your excellent new single: Casa en el Agua for Rebellion (Crosstown Rebels) feels like an amalgamation of creative processes. Can you talk us through where the initial ideas came from and about how you then produced them as music, including any favourite pieces of software / hardware you like to refer to?

“Casa en el Agua” is actually a real place that exists in the middle of the Caribbean off of Colombia. It’s an incredibly unique place. I had the chance to be part of an evening with Archie Hamilton, Niklas Stadler, Serdal and many more DJs. We had to travel for three days to get there. I just recorded some sounds of birds during the night on my phone. I record a lot of stuff on my phone that I can sample afterwards and use as inspiration in my music. After almost a year I found this recording and was just playing around with it and some other samples I recorded from machines. It was all super quick. Maybe two hours and the track was finished. I’ve learned that if you sit down and make something quickly, it’s always the best idea. If you spend a lot of time and go back to process again and again, the track will never sound good or be released.

I’m very happy now about the new Ableton 10, still using a lot of Minilogue by Korg, Electron MKII, along with the perfect work of the Apollo interface — it all makes it sound very nice.

Yulia Niko – Casa En El Agua: Buy link https://lnk.to/RBL057

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owI4ys-cGT0

Who are your main influences both within and outside of the world of electronic music? Any particular writers, musicians, painters you admire?

I can’t mention artists like Michael Jackson or Madonna, actually inspiration for all the last tracks I’ve made for Crosstown and Hottrax. I really like to read Paulo Coelho, I do like modern, trippy art, but I can’t point to anyone in particular.

Listening to you DJ, you touch upon many different styles. Can you choose three tracks which highlight that variation for us?

Absolutely. These are three tracks I play all the time. You can see the transaction between disco, techno, and acid minimal. How about that?

  • Nick Minieri – Heat Index (Original Mix) [Soul Clap Records]
  • Moby – Porcelain (Alan Fitzpatrick Remix) [Drumcode]
  • Drose – Acid City [Cosenza]

https://soundcloud.com/wearesoundspace/mix196-yulia-niko

How important do you think it is for a DJ to keep moving forward with new sounds? And how would you describe the way in which instrumentation is so prevalent now (and how people react to rhythms), as opposed to the song-based sets of the past?

Creating something new has always been important. Our ears react right away to new sounds. I think right now this is the main purpose of the DJ/producer. Before, we were only focused on new records, and making a perfect transition during the set. Now, we’re spending days at the studio trying to create something unique that will make us different from all the others and give us our own sound. Just now a Ukrainian producer, iO (Mulen), comes to mind. I’m so proud of Eastern European artists, and how many quality projects have been released in the last few years. This guy created his own sound and I’m sure everyone can recognize him right away.

You also have a track: Cheap Story forthcoming on Jamie Jones’ Hottrax. How important has it been for you to have music released on such prestigious labels? And can you tell us about how the track came to be signed, and about the Acid influence in there?

It was made together with “Casa en el Agua.” I had a break in January from everything and was just making a little album. Honestly, I sat down and asked myself who I wanted to send tracks to first, after I was done with it all. I was focused on Jamie and his sound, so in the end it was easy. I sent tracks to him and he picked two of them right away. I guess the key is to always focus on something and believe you can get it, no matter what.

I think now’s a time of a new wave of Acid basslines on tracks. I’m really enjoying it and just trying to use it as much as I can.

And finally, besides your busy touring schedule, what are you looking forward to for the remainder of this year and into next?

I’m excited for the little tour with Damian Lazarus for the Spirits 2 album on Crosstown Rebels in November. It will be my debut at Watergate and couple of places around Europe. Very nice EP “Acid Meow” on Get Physical by the end of the year. And I’m just going to spend most of my time at the studio in Berlin after a very intense summer season at Ibiza. Let’s see what happens for me and where my destiny brings me in the end.

https://www.facebook.com/yulianikomusic

https://twitter.com/julianikomusic

https://www.instagram.com/yulianiko

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Made By Pete Q&A

Hello and welcome to Magazine Sixty, James. There’s a great picture of you holding a copy of your latest release: So Long (Crosstown Rebels) outside of Phonica Records. How did it feel to have in your hands your first release on vinyl and why for you has the format remained such a potent force?

Hi. Thanks for having me. That was a very special moment for me. Not necessarily because it’s a ‘vinyl’, I’m not a purist in any way and I embrace all formats. It was more the fact that when I started DJing as teenager, I went to record stores to buy music. The guys making those records were heroes to me and inspired me to start making music. To walk into a shop like Phonica and buy my own record bought all those memories back and that was a really nice feeling.

Pete Tong recently premiered the Solomun remix of ‘So Long’. Can you tell us about how the choices for the remixers where made: Solomun and Audiojack?

That was all down to Damian Lazarus. He’s an A&R guru! From FFRR to City Rockers, and now celebrating a landmark 15 years of Crosstown Rebels, he has created such an iconic brand through his musical vision. When I first sent him the original for ‘So Long’, he was very excited by it. That prompted him to invite the likes of Solomun and Audiojack to add their take and the EP took it’s form.

https://soundcloud.com/crosstownrebels/sets/made-by-pete-so-long

 

And what is it about Pete Tong which has made him such an influential voice on radio for the past three decades?

Well if there was a definitive answer to that then there would be hundred’s of ‘Pete Tong’s’. Who knows? It probably has something to do with the fact that he’s been able to pioneer underground music on a commercial stage, giving a platform to young up and coming artists as well as showcasing the industries most accomplished acts. I think that’s where the longevity comes from.

Can you talk us through how you created So Long. Where the initial ideas came from and how you then produced them as music, your decision on creating a song rather than an instrumental, plus working with Jem Cooke again who delivers such a smouldering vocal.

The initial idea was a to create a track that would work in a club but also translate to something you could add to a playlist and listen to in the car or at work. The track went through many versions. When I sent it to Jem it sounded completely different. Some of the elements were there but it was a different track. When she sent it back to me I loved what she had done but realized the track needed to change to really combine with the vocals. I had another few days on it and the lead pad that comes in from the start pushed forward into the mix, setting the tone for the arrangement. It’s always a pleasure to work with Jem. She’s a pro, and she’s from Twickenham where I grew up.

Who are your main influences both within and outside of electronic music? Any particular artists, painters, writers etc that you like to refer to for inspiration?

I don’t have one in particular. I’m influenced by all sorts of sounds and music. Sometimes it’s house, sometimes it’s rock, hip-hop or electronica. I try to keep my ears open all the time for inspiration. It really can come from anywhere. Then I take those inspirations and try to interpret them in my own way.

https://soundcloud.com/madebypete/sets/remember-36

How have sounds evolved for you in Dance Music since you started producing. Do you think it is important for the music to keep moving forward rather than revisit the past too much for inspiration?

Music is always changing. It has to otherwise it gets boring. I’m not a huge fan of remixes of classics from years gone by. I think a classic is a classic because it emerged at the right time in the right place. It’s very rare to find a remix that delivers the same emotions as the original, probably because that original conjures up memories of good times. On the other hand, having a good knowledge of what has shaped the scene before you is vital. I like to hear sounds being recycled and reinvented in a new way. If you can combine that with your own unique sound then that, for me, is very exciting.

https://soundcloud.com/madebypete/made-by-pete-march-2018-mix

You have a busy touring schedule as a DJ too. How have you found time on the road? Have you read The Secret DJ?

No I haven’t read that yet but I have been meaning to. I have traveled and toured as a DJ to places like Ibiza, Australia and Asia as well as around the UK, but not to the extent that I would like. Hopefully with continued dedication and a bit of luck that will come, but managing to fit everything else in is hard. You have to be dedicated and also have a good balance between work life and downtime with family and friends.

Can you talk us through your studio set-up? And tell us about any particular favourite piece of software/ hardware you like best?

My studio set up is quite simple. I’m not a huge tech-head. I like to mix organic natural sounds with analogue synthetic elements and I have found Omnisphere to be perfect for that. I like to use U-he Diva as my main synth. I think it’s better to master one or 2 instruments at a time than to fill your hard drive with hundreds of plug-ins that you don’t know how to use. I’m a big fan of the Fabfilter pro bundle. I’m getting great results using their EQ and compressor on my group busses to add an extra punch during the mixing process. Last year I upgrade my monitors to EVE SC207’s and they are really fun to work on whilst staying transparent. I haven’t ventured into the world of hardware much but I have just bought the Moog Sub 37 and can’t wait to get stuck into it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfEoaaXtHRk

And finally. What are your plans for the remainder of the year?

To keep making music as much as I can. I have signed an EP to Audiojack’s label Gruuv Records which I have been a fan of for years. The lead track featureds my good friend Penny Foster who I have worked with many times before. I’m working on a collaboration with Habischman, who’s music I really respect. I also have another EP for Crosstown Rebels on the go which is a work in progress but we’re getting there. ☺

Buy: So Long http://classic.beatport.com/release/so-long/2335420

https://twitter.com/_madebypete

https://www.facebook.com/madebypeteofficial

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Solarc Q&A

Hello and welcome to Magazine Sixty, Carlos. Let’s start with the alias, Solarc. Can you tell us the meaning behind the name?

Hello, thanks for the invite and for the interview!
About my alias Solarc it comes from a crazy idea I think, actually its an anagram of my name (which is Carlos) besides a secret meaning that I can’t tell you haha.

Your new single for Crosstown Rebels sub-label Rebellion: Dark Wings sounds smoky and hot. Can you talk us through how you produced the track, from where the initial idea came from to any particular pieces of favourite software/ hardware you like to use?

Well actually I never know what will come out from my studio. I try to set up all my ideas but sometimes I get lost in the middle and finish in another way, but this time I can say that I have been focused to produce something deep, dark and modern. I used to work on Studio One but nowadays I am more on Ableton and use hardware like Moog Voyager or Supernova also the access Virus, which for me is an amazing synthesizer.

Buy Dark Wings https://lnk.to/RBL054

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikQQ2pci_K4

Tell us about your relationship with the label and how getting the track signed happened?

I think we have developed a great relationship, I have worked with many labels and I can say that Crosstown Rebels works in a different way and they support the artist in a very special way. I feel really honoured to be part of this family and to get my music signed with them.

How has your Central America / North America tour been going? Any standout moments you would care to share?

Well the tour was great, I went to Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico besides Panama where I am staying part time nowadays. I can say the parties were amazing in every single country, specially in Guatemala, the energy and the crowd there was so special. Unfortunately we’ve experienced a very sad moment in Guatemala Antigua City as I was there when the “Volcan de Fuego” erupted some days ago. It was crazy, I was DJing in the city at an after hour right in front the Volcano that morning and it was magical and beautiful, then a couple of hours later we had to evacuate the city. Unbelievable.

Outside of the world of electronic music who are your biggest influences? Have any artists, authors, poets etc inspired you in relation to creating music?

Of course, I like every single expression of art, I’m a big fan of DaVinci, Salvador Dali, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Michael Murphy to name a few.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh2y58m6ETc

You have had music released on a number of major labels including: Toolroom and VIVA Music. How would you describe your journey to that status? And do you think that music is in a good place at the moment regarding how artists can support themselves in today’s climate?

Well it’s difficult, I think the industry goes so fast nowadays and it’s not easy to be on top of the wave full time. It’s not only about music I’m afraid, now you need to take care on your social media and profile, and need to get exposure in different ways. There are lots of tools but for me at the end is your music that matters, you know, that’s why is good to earn attention from big labels that’s the most important thing for me.

You have said that Club Vertigo is one of your favourite clubs in the world. Why?

Well I’ve got a nice connection with the club, starting with the sound system design which is Gary Stewart Audio, and where it’s located. I always enjoy when I play there.

And finally. Can you tell us about any forthcoming plans?

Well I’ve got some important releases coming out after this one on Rebellion, as you said VIVA Music, Toolroom and I am working on some new stuff for Crosstown Rebels and Hot Creations too. Also I am working on my Sample Tools Album and VA mixed Album that will be released before 2019, and hopefully ill keep touring taking my music worldwide.

https://www.facebook.com/SolarcMusic

https://twitter.com/solarcmusic

https://soundcloud.com/solarc/coiba-original-mix

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Audiofly and Patrice Bäumel – Atacama – Crosstown Rebels

Fuelled by a bewildering sense of stereo Atacama does nothing short of stun the listener i.e. you and me into a challenged state of being. It’s no day at the beach either as emotions are engaged, lifted and bounced around the room with forceful release as abrasive bass notes hit you, yet the stream of emotive arpeggios soothingly reassures. The subsequent Damian Lazarus Re-Shape does precisely that introducing the human touch of vocals amid a swirl of atmospherically rewarding pads, punctuated by insistent percussion alongside a timely arrangement of lifts and drops realising each second.

Buy https://www.beatport.com/release/atacama/2098112

https://www.facebook.com/AudioflyOfficial
https://www.facebook.com/patrice.baumel
http://www.crosstownrebels.com

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Paris Green Q&A

Hello and welcome to Magazine Sixty. How and where did you both meet and what inspired you to start making music together?

Mitchel is a longtime friend of Thijs’s brother Bram since they started DJ’ing together. Later on the two started producing together and through that the two of us got to know each other and felt a sweet spot for each other in our vision about making music.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tell us the story behind your stunning new single: You Got To Try and how it was then created in the studio?

“You Got To Try” is created during a session with David Stolk. David is a friend of us who we work regularly with. He is an insanely creative and fun guy to hang around with and he has an impeccable knack for catchy hooks. We wrote it as a song, just from a chord progression on the piano. David transposed it and from then on it was ‘instant magic’. The basis of the song felt so good and special that the Paris Green production grew around it effortlessly.

Buy https://www.beatport.com/release/you-got-to-try/2016485

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u9ZLNX66a4

Your music resonates with many influences. Could you tell us about some of them both within and outside of electronic music?

We hardly ever listen to electronic music when we’re working in the studio. We try to find our inspiration from very diverse corners. Mitchel has a sweet spot for hiphop and soul music, while Thijs has checked out a lot of modern and indie jazz. We’re exchanging a lot of music.
So we end up listening together to artists like Frank Ocean, Radiohead, Robert Glasper and Mark Schilders. In electronic music we really dig music from artists like Floating Points, Nathan Fake, Luke Abbott and Kowton. But we’re also checking out upcoming cats such as Henry Wu, Neinzer, Ploy and Simo Cell.
Outside of the musical inspirations there’s also a very strong visual aspect that resonates with our music. We’ve got a natural interest in art, design, architecture and fashion. Because just as music, it uses textures and expresses a certain period too. We love clean, spacious designs that fit to our music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrC8hDumQek

What is your favourite synthesizer? Do you own one?

We have our go-to virtual synthesizers, but recently we also are experimenting with hardware synths, such as modular synths like the Roland System 100m and some synths that Thijs owns. The one we’re getting the most heat out of lately is the Roland Alpha Juno-1.

How would you place the importance of musicianship and musicality in today’s Dance Music?

We can’t speak for everybody else but for us it’s everything, it’s definitely the fundament of our music and where we try to make a difference. Without it our music wouldn’t sound even close to what it sound like right now.

Can you tell us about how you got the tracks signed to Rebellion, and also the choice of Steve Bug to do the remixes?

I think it all started with Kölsch who played our track in his BBC 1 Residency. Maybe before that, when we spoke to George Fitzgerald at a festival in Amsterdam and asked if we could send him some music. He responded that he really liked “You Got To Try”. That’s when we started to believe in the track. But the BBC Radio 1 play is where we gained a lot of interests from all kinds of parties. It was a bit of a rollercoaster because suddenly you have to make decisions which affect our career in the long term and we have a tendency to overthink everything. From all the offers we got, Rebellion just felt right. And from that decision we also got the opportunity to get Steve to remix our track and to us it’s just insane to have him on board of our first release!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2Y89eiAP20

What influence does living in Amsterdam have on your making music? Do you have any favourite bars or clubs that you would like to recommend – past or present?

(Mitchel:) there’s just so much happening here, it’s a city of many faces. Depending on the evening, my favourite venue is the Paradiso. It’s a very unique place where artists like Kurt Cobain and James Brown performed.
This is probably the most geeky answer that I can give but I like to hang out in the public library. I love the space and that it’s really calm. Sorry.
(Thijs:) there are a lot of cool spots to visit in Amsterdam. Such as the jazz sessions at De Kring, new clubs like De School, Shelter and Claire. And way too many nice bars, record stores, museums and parks to mention just here.

What plans do you have for the rest of 2017 and into beyond?

We really have a huge pile of new music just from 2017.
We’re still working on new music almost every day of the week. There’s material for a new EP, but first we have to see how our first release will work out, before we make our next move.
We’re really eager and ambitious, but we also know that we’re just getting started. We’re just gonna have to look at it step by step and I think that’s a really clear and realistic view on the situation right now.

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Rowee aka Leonardo Gonnelli Q&A

2017 sees the launch of your new alias: Rowee with a single for Rebellion. What’s the story behind the name and why have you chosen to use an alias?

Rowee comes from a story based on a profound feeling for music, representing an alter ego; it is the darkest part of me, and at the same time the hypnotic and mental part, music with a soul.  Artists often have several different faces, and the decision to hide a side of myself in Rowee was immediately the right choice. I needed to somehow express a part of me that I hadn’t yet revealed.

The release ‘Disguise EP’ features collaborations with Thomas Gandey, KnowKontrol and Simon Wish. Tell us about how your working relationship came about with these artists? And with label itself?

I met Damian Lazarus at a party in Tuscany, where we talked about some demos I had tucked away in a drawer… I always thought that the best “home” for Rowee would be Crosstown Rebels / Rebellion. Damian Lazarus is a great artist whom I hold in the highest esteem, both for his musical choices as a DJ, as well as for the high quality of his labels.  The Disguise EP represents a “voyage” divided into three different sections; “Earth To You” created together with our friend Thomas Gandey describes sensuality and essentiality through music. We created a minimal environment that serves as a background for a sensual, cutting edge voice. We got to know Thomas a few years ago, sharing the console at a well-known Italian club. We started collaborating on that day and have since cultivated a valuable friendship and in-tune relationship. The second track that gives the EP its name is “Disguise”, a collaboration with the singer KnowKontrol, a profound track with an authentic soul, “a lost sense of complicity hidden behind the guise of two people pretending that their relationship is OK”. I have always admired the vocals by KnowKontrol on tracks like “After Dark” by &ME on “KeineMusik” or “Shadows” on “Saved”, so the decision to collaborate with him was easy. The voyage concludes with “It Shows You”, a collaboration with our friend from New York, Simon Wish. We developed the track with an acidic sound and the right energy for the dancefloor, a perfect conclusion for this 3-Track EP.

buy/ listen https://www.beatport.com/release/disguise-ep/1932343

http://www.junodownload.com/products/rowee-disguise-ep/3314048-02

Can you talk us through how you created one of the tracks from the initial inspiration to the final production? How would you describe the studio that you like to use?

Work in the studio is usually very fast and straightforward. I try to convey my concept based on inspiration from past artists and sounds that are often beyond just the dancefloor, to then go into the studio and work on all the ideas together and develop the album. I really like using Moog, Modular, Minimonsta systems; they are often a source of great inspiration for creating an album. In the case of the single “Disguise”, the entire concept was born from the vocals and the feeling they expressed; I just needed to create the right costume to perfectly fit the meaning conveyed by the voice.  So with an ever-present and essential groove, a hypnotic riff and a moog synth that gives the perfect energy behind the vocals. The result was exactly what I was looking for, the right balance between groove and synths, emphasizing the vox to their maximum.

You’re playing at the BPM Festival in January. How do you prepare for such an event? And what are your feelings on the rise of festival culture (as opposed to having a residency in a Club)?

I think the BPM Festival today represents one of the top festivals in the world, with an enviable line up and the incredible backdrop of Playa Del Carmen. I am much honored to be part of the official line up. I love festivals that take place under the sun, giving the atmosphere positive vibes, plenty of smiles and energy. I don’t think it’s possible to compare a club and a festival, because they each give you a different sensation… a club makes you feel “at home” with the contact among the people immediate creating a great feeling on the dancefloor, with the “detachment” between the console and the public is totally cancelled out in a club.  In contrast, a festival does not really have this aspect, because detachment is unavoidable, but the energy of a big crowd gives you a one of a kind, amazing sensation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avLJpY_po-0
 
Tell us about your choice of music for the forthcoming BPM2017 compilation? What for you makes the perfect club track?

I usually don’t choose the music before the event, and I always try to let myself be transported by the emotions that are generated by the dancefloor as I am playing; that’s when I select the tracks for my set, often alternating my works with those from other artists. I don’t think a perfect track exists, but I do think that a DJ’s approach to the dancefloor makes any track the perfect one.

What’s the scene like in Florence at the moment? What are your favourite Bars & Clubs?

Florence is an incredible city, full of beautiful places for organizing parties, and the underground scene is very interesting. There are many talented people and interesting parties happening, like Nobody’s Perfect at Tenax, the Next Tech Festival (for the techno scene) and many others, like the Tropical Animals, who represent the essence of the Florentine underground scene.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIxyIGbYXHU

How did you first get into producing music and where did you learn about it?

I began producing about 10 years ago, but my first real approach to music was when I was young and I studied how to read a stave and understand the notes, as well as studying acoustic guitar. I have always thought that studying is important, but I think it is just as important to learn from people who have a lot of experience. For example, Fabrizio Giovannozzi (a well-known engineer who passed away a few years ago) is one of those people I always admired for his body of knowledge and experience in the world of sound mixing. I learned a lot from him and I began to understand many aspects that cannot always be found in books. It is important to listen to and capture what you can from everyone, to then reinvent it within your own mind.

What are your plans for 2017?

2017 is just the beginning. Rowee debuts in the month of January with two very important EPs, one on the Steve Bug label and the other on the Damian Lazarus label. I am very happy to be part of an important crew like the “Crosstown Rebels / Rebellion”. I am already working on new tracks, and why not, maybe a new album? So stay tuned!

http://www.roweemood.com

http://www.leonardogonnelli.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCS0IP4jG8U

https://soundcloud.com/deeperfect-records/time-to-wake-up-original-mix

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Him_Self_Her Q&A

box bored B&WTell us about how you teamed up to form Him_Self_Her?

We had been working in the industry for more than 10 years individually before we decided to form a duo. We both started out playing vinyl, and spent over a decade playing a range of different styles and working really hard on the Midlands house scene as DJs and event promoters, just trying to build a name for ourselves as solo artists.
Over the years we often got booked to play the same events and we started to notice that we were quite similar in style and energy. Eventually we decided to get in the studio just to have fun and make some music, but the results we got were pretty good, so we decided to officially become Him_Self_Her.

Your new single Gone Too Long has just been released on Crosstown Rebels. How did your relationship with label happen?

It was actually a bit of good luck that led to this.. being in the right place at the right time as they say. We first signed the track to Cream Couture back in 2012 and the guys did such a great job of promoting it, despite being a small label, that it went to number one in the Beatport nu-disco chart and got into the hands of some big names, such as Lee Foss and Solomun. One day a random message from Damian Lazarus popped up in our inbox.. saying that he had heard the track and loved it. We sent it over to him, really just hoping he would play it at some major events, and then before we knew it, we were signed to Crosstown Rebels, with a vinyl release of Gone Too Long and a follow up track coming out next year!

 The track has a very distinctive sound and also features vocalist Kieran Fowkes. Can you describe the process of producing it and about your studio?

We were so lucky to have discovered Kieran, as his voice is just perfect for our style. We use the same process with all the vocal tracks we produce – which is to write a vocal part over a rough loop or simple chord progression, record, edit and produce it and then use the acapella to write a whole new backing track. It might seem backwards but it works for us!

https://soundcloud.com/him_self_her/him_self_her-gone-too-long-1

What are your musical/ artistic influences?

We both have different musical backgrounds, which is actually really helpful as it means we both contribute different ideas in the studio. We do take influences from the past and this includes all genres of music from drum’n’bass to classical! However we like to keep a strong focus on the present and the future as there is so much great music out there and new genres are evolving so quickly. At the moment we are listening to a lot of material by producers like German Brigante, Samu.l, Francesca Lombardo, Siopis and Santé.

her

Tell us about your plans for an album and what can we expect to hear on it?

Having the opportunity to put an album together is such an exciting prospect, as it means we get to go a little deeper and experiment with new sounds. We are working on album material on an ongoing basis, but we are trying to work this around our remix and release schedule, so it is something we are really taking our time with and just enjoying.

How would you describe yourselves as Dj’s and the sounds you like to play?

Right at the start of our career someone described our sound as “house music with feeling” and we thought this was such a good description of our music that we decided to steal it and use it as our catch phrase!
We don’t want to be pigeon holed into a particular genre, so we play and produce across all styles of house, as long as it has feeling. We just want people to feel emotion from listening to the tracks that we play or make, and to connect and be moved by them.

https://soundcloud.com/him_self_her/sets/mixes-and-podcasts-5

Where are you particularly looking forward to playing at over the coming months?

As we are getting closer to the crazy festive period we are getting more and more excited about our winter gigs. Especially as we are flying off to the Dubai sunshine in the middle of December to play for Electric Days, which is an amazing party!
In the next few weeks we are also playing in Leeds, London, Sheffield and Lyon and then in Manchester on Boxing Day.
In January next year we continue our residency for Night Train at Egg London, where we will be showcasing our live PA, featuring Kieran Fowkes on vocals, which we are super excited about.

Thanks to Magazine Sixty for taking the time to chat to us, and a big thankyou for everyone that has supported us so far! HSH x

https://www.facebook.com/HimSelfHer
https://twitter.com/him_self_her
http://www.beatport.com/artist/him-self-her/279671

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Aidan Lavelle interview

aidan

 

Can you tell us about your relationship with Crosstown Rebels and how that originally came about?

After I left composing and producing full time for UNKLE my game plan was to concentrate on the film score/advertising stuff I do under my own name, and also to relaunch my solo music career. One avenue of this was the Dance stuff I had been doing prior to UNKLE and also for the UNKLE ‘Surrender Sounds’ remixes that I was involved in. I wanted to start writing some new tracks that were reflective of what I was into now and what has inspired me around the electronic music front. The Crosstown Rebels camp was the only option I was interested in really. It was as simple as introducing myself and emailing my tracks, and the rest came out of that. It’s funny really as I didn’t have a history with Damian prior to this yet we share countless mutual friends. The relationship has grown out of that.

 

Can you talk us through the production process involved with creating your second single for the label ‘Get Yourself EP’?

I think it always starts with ideas going on in your head from other stuff you have been listening to. You start building a patchwork of ideas from things you like from other peoples records. You start to write the record and your ideas come from that initial patchwork, and the track grows into its own. I sent the record to Damian and we both agreed that it had the potential to be bigger with vocals, and so I decided to come up with some ideas. I have a classical and singing background from my education so I wanted to develop my own ideas for the first time in that context. On a technical level everything was done on a modest studio in my house.

 

 

You’re Dj’ing at the Crosstown Rebels event at The Warehouse Project in Manchester December 15. How would you define your style of Dj’ing? What for you makes a good DJ?

aidan djI started collecting vinyl in the early 90’s and that’s when I began Dj’ing, but for me now I personally like the opportunities that technology has provided to get more involved. I’m very much from the camp that believes that a great set is not defined by the technology or equipment, or methods you use, but how the finished product sounds and how the crowd reacts. There is no right or wrong just how it sounds.

Most decent DJ’s would agree I’m sure that being able to beat match is a pretty basic ability that’s far outweighed by the art of track selection and order. I mean, the BPM is staring you in the face on CDJ’s as it is anyway, so turning off a sync button doesn’t really make you a god these days. Richie Hawtin’s sets are synced but the things he does with that are amazing, especially with effects. I had a period where I used Ableton, which I loved for the flexibility, but got a bit stale and seems more suited to an actual live setup. The meet half way for me is Traktor. I am absolutely loving the new Remix Decks. They give me the flexibility to introduce other ideas into the mix in a really creative way.

http://www.thewarehouseproject.com/eventProfile.php?eid=25

 

How would you describe the differences between the music you produced as part of UNKLE and what you are currently involved in producing – what elements are most important to you in making music?

There is not a huge amount of difference to be honest other than that the music I write, and its style, is now in my control. UNKLE had a lot of different things going on under that roof that people might not really be aware of: Advert Pitches, Film Scores, Albums, and Remixes. UNKLE is best known for the sound of its Albums, but that isn’t exactly for instance what James DJ’s as a rule, or how his remixes sound etc. I still do a lot of the same sorts of things just under Aidan Lavelle now.

As far as new projects I’m currently starting a library album for De Wolfe Publishing, writing a score and sound design for a short film, and a feature length film, plus also working on more Dance stuff as well as trying to get my album finished!

 

 

When did you begin to DJ and who inspired you to do so?

I actually started producing first and Djing naturally came out of that. I had an Atari based midi setup when I was 8 in the mid eighties!!!!
My main thing when I was younger though was Detroit Techno so: Juan Atkins, Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, Carl Craig, Eddie Flashin Fowlkes, Robin Hood, Stacey Pullen, Kenny Larkin, Blake Baxter, Drexciya, Mad Mike, Red Planet etc. etc.

 

Do you have any particular favourite pieces of software/ hardware that you like to use in creating music?

My Mac, my Andromeda, and my Moog Voyager are my favourites and the most used but I have lots of other tasty bits too.

 

From the wide range of music that you have released you must have a very diverse set of influences. Where did these come from and who have you been listening to for inspiration recently?

My first influence for music had to be my Granny and my Dad. My Granny taught me the piano (a concert cellist and pianist herself) and my Dad used to play me a lot of music growing up. He took me to Ronnie Scotts for the first time when I was twelve! He was desperate for me to hear Dizzy Gillespie’s Cuban prodigy Arturo Sandoval. My brother James was also naturally a big influence.

 

aidan coverWhat are your plans for 2013?

Watch this space 😉

 

http://www.aidan-lavelle.com

https://www.facebook.com/aidanlavellemusic

https://soundcloud.com/aidanlavelle

http://www.mixcloud.com/aidanlavelle

 

 

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reviews:71

ReKreation & Saytek
Dub Poetry EP
Deep Edition Recordings

It’s always reassuring to hear the voice from Bobby Konders ‘The Poem’ feature on a track and this excellent production from ReKreation & Saytek is no exception. Driven forwards by sizzling hi-hats and throbbing beats this has a timely quality that transcends the House Music timeline by taking its inspiration from such a classic, and then transforming the nostalgia into something completely contemporary. Love the demanding sequence of creative stabs and organ pulses that join themselves together here to make this such an exciting and thoughtful ride – this is first rate coming with such an apt title. The Patrick Podage & Nikola Kotevski Remix continues the excellence with funkier, fuzzy bass as the Pretty Criminals Remix gets deeper again. Second track, Experiments in Kaya is tougher in ways with striking configurations of undulating chords and staccato bass, although Poetry is always best.
 
Release: December 3 Beatport exclusive. All other stores December 17

https://soundcloud.com/deep-edition-recordings/rekreation-saytek-dub-poetry

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/reKreation/133637977148?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/#!/SAYTEKMUSIC?fref=ts

https://soundcloud.com/deep-edition-recordings

 

DhARMA
The Hatch Series
DhARMA

Music can be beautiful just like it can get ugly and cynical. This latest collection from Irish imprint DhARMA begins by reclining gently into the former with moods pitched somewhere between relaxed ambience and cinematic cool. So if you like music to project itself imaginatively across your line of vision then both Kyson’s beautifully bluesy ‘Drifting On By’ and Akito Misaki’s exquisite ‘Do You Remember Me’ are pretty much essential listening. Tibalt’s ‘Midnight Travellers’ sparks the ignition with fast beats and European synthesisers galore, leaving Silly Rabit ‘Subsonic Sunset’ with fizzy electronic atmospheres and Skai Nine’s energised ‘Beta’ to complete the picture.

http://soundcloud.com/dharma-the-label/sets/dharma006/

http://dharmalabel.com/Label/Home.html

 

Victor Ibarrola
106 Miles to the Matrix EP
hi-life!

If you’re a sucker for break beats then this is most definitely for you. As with the other current release from hi-life! this percussion fuelled gem is all about energy packed rhythm that simply feels irresistible. In this instance 106 Miles has been produced by Mexico City’s Victor Ibarrola and if this is anything to go by you’ll be hearing a lot more from him in the very near future. Second track, The Matrix also features a sampled voice over, although this time the music feels less frantic exploring deeper bass and imaginative soundscapes  leading eventually to deliciously dark pads and a breathtaking breakdown.

http://www.beatport.com/release/106-miles-to-the-matrix/987840

http://hi-liferecords.com/?p=1101

 

Midicult
Who Am I?
22 Digit Records

Returning to 22 Digit Records for his second release Newcastle based producer Midicult has produced a distinctive and unique piece of music in ‘Who Am I’. Spanning the breadth of almost ten minutes of low-slung bass action this may deceptively come across as minimal programming, but listen closer and it reveals itself to be intricate funk of the highest degree. It’s all contained within the frisky drum editing, which alongside the rumbling bassline and jolting stabs, provide the basis for the disconcerting voice to weave its coda. Tom Ellis then highlights that vocal and funks up the bass, while Jerico adds a more progressive feel, leaving Steve Legget’s shuffling Techno to finish off.

http://www.beatport.com/#release/who-am-i/992046

http://22digit.com

 

Damian Lazarus
Day Zero Sound Of The Mayan Spirit
Crosstown Rebels

Damian Lazarus is ambitiously staging the Day Zero festival (as decreed by the ancient Mayan civilisation) on December 20/ 21 of this year at Playa del Carmen, Mexico. For further details check the link www.dayzerofestival.com

And so to the music which comprises of thirteen new compositions, and as you would imagine is all about serious intent. Ranging from artists such as Jay Haze, Acid Pauli, to Mathew Jonson the resulting album plays out across the full spectrum of sound and light, and is undoubtably a reverential experience. What I really like about the way the album flows is the fact that each contribution is excellent in its own right, this isn’t really about standouts taking priority, although I am slightly tempted to point out Francesca Lombardo’s sublime ‘Cosmic Dancer ‘ as well as Fur Coat’s  ‘Greed, Insanity’ which in essence spells it all out to you loud and clear. I also suspect that you could listen to this almost anywhere, and I do mean that literally, while still receiving the same level of satisfaction in doing so. The message is in the music.

release:  December 3

http://soundcloud.com/crosstownrebels/day-zero-sound-of-the-mayan-1

http://www.crosstownrebels.com

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