Your excellent new album On My Way for BBE Records features both songs and instrumentals. How do you feel about the state of song writing in 2013?
I think it really depends on the genre and market of music. Top 40 is really cheesy these days, and hip hop seems to be stuck at the club. Everyone is afraid of being vulnerable, not much love in those songs at the moment.
On the flip side, underground dance music is a bit freeing, lots of emo vibes happening. Though nothing will compare to the 70s singer songwriter era.
The album begins with ‘All Night (Everybody) featuring Amy Douglas on vocals. Can you talk us through the process of producing that track?
Amy lives in Boston and is from NYC, She is an incredibly gifted singer songwriter. I had the track, gave it to her and she wrote to it rather quickly. She nailed the vibe right on for where I wanted to take this, vision wise and I arranged her vocals after she cut them at her house.
Album review: http://www.dmcworld.net/reviews/entry/house/kon-on-my-way-bbe-records.html
On My Way plays with different moods and tempo’s. I was wondering about which artists/ records have influenced you most when making the album?
It’s such a broad spectrum. Everything from Salsoul, Prelude, West End to underground disco labels… Chaka Khan, Phyllis Hyman, to House production.
How would you describe yourself as a DJ. What can people expect to hear from you when you play?
I’m extremely versatile, I can jump genres pretty easily and have it all make sense…. so for me there’s only 2 kinds of music, good and bad. I may play a Diana Ross record into a record by mcde, into a rock song…who knows. I feel sets that are based on 1 kind of music and 1 tempo all night are really boring and mechanical.
How did you learn to mix and who first inspired you as a DJ?
I taught myself to mix after seeing Grandmaster Flash in the kitchen scene from style wars. Prior to that I had just been playing records, segueing if you will. Making mixtapes as a boy with my father’s records and my own.
Where did your love of vinyl come originally come from? Do you think it will ever become a redundant medium?
My parents. They had tons of vinyl, my father was in a band and played drums. I grew up around musicians and music lovers. Vinyl is the best and coolest medium to store music. I buy it all the time, but its not the format I play when traveling. It just isn’t practical and most venues aren’t set up to play vinyl properly. I don’t think it’ll ever be redundant. I do think people have it all wrong when they think just because they play vinyl some magical thing is happening…. if its not analog to begin with, all you are doing is playing a wav. Pressed on a piece of plastic. Big deal.
Your new single, All About Youx has just been released on Soul Clap. How did your relationship with the label come about? And can you tell us about what the tracks mean to you?
I’ve known Charlie and Eli for over a decade now, they used to open up for me and we always got along well. The songs are about my ex girlfriend, so they are very personal.
https://soundcloud.com/soulclap/sets/kon-all-about-youx-ep-scr04/
Buy: http://www.beatport.com/release/all-about-youx-ep/1098650
Where can people hear you play this summer?
I’ve got dates in the states in Philly, NYC, Miami, and slated to do the Lovebox fest. in London.
Buy the album: http://www.bbemusic.com/releases/BBE241ADG/Kon%20-%20On%20My%20Way%20%28Coming%20Soon%29#.UfENnKytjTo
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