Mutant Disco Q&A

Can we start by asking what is Mutant Disco?

Mutant Disco is an artist name which we were using a few years ago for some disco releases. We decided to reuse the name because it sums up what our sound is about, our brand of Lo-Fi House veers more towards the disco end of Lo-Fi.

Your single: My Donut is due out on Chill Records. Talk us through the story of how it all happened?

We are big fans of early Chicago house, especially the raw stuff – things like Mr Fingers, Fingers Inc, Master C & J as well as the early rave scene. We’re aware of Chill as it was a pioneering early UK house label that followed on from Jack Trax and was fronted by Tim Raidl (who mixed the UK 12” version of Fingers Inc – Can You Feel It). It was only when we contacted Tim about tracking down a couple of releases and sent him some of the tracks we’ve done in the past that we realised we had so much in common and Tim told us he was re-starting Chill with a view to releasing Lo-Fi House and Lo-Fi Disco, that’s how we ended up signing this particular track.

Can you describe the process of producing the single? Any particular favourite pieces of software/ hardware you like to use to achieve your sound?

For this track some of D16 Decimorts’ effect plugins, really achieved that lo-fi sound we were striving for in this track. Can never beat a 303 for bass either. But this sound can be achieved on almost any equipment or DAW if you know what you’re doing with it.

The term Lo-Fi has been applied for a while now. What are you feelings on the genre, and do you think that people applying labels can be creatively restrictive?

Dance music has always had labels, often to help shops, journalists and the end user know what they are buying, which can both help and hinder the producers. Currently listeners/clubbers are fairly open-minded when it comes to music and the term Lo-Fi can relate to everything from left-field electronic hip-hop through to raw, lo-fi house and disco – which is what we do. The term Lo-Fi really sums up the sound that has become so big and perhaps is something that’s developed organically as an antidote to the tech house and commercial house that’s dominated the charts for years a return to the more rebellious side of Dance Music as well as being fun again. Young people want a more raw sound and at the same time are exploring the more melodic sound of early house with strings, textured chords and nice keyboard riffs coupled with rugged beats and often unusual dialogue which makes it so exciting.

How do you feel about nostalgia being so persuasive in our culture?

A lot of the videos for Lo-Fi material are depicting scenes from 90s raves and 80s fashion, younger people don’t remember those times and as such a fascination has grown with everything old-skool. This new brand of Lo-Fi house and disco works brilliantly with those visuals and while the older generation call it nostalgia, for those in their late teens and early 20s, the sound is completely new, so it appeals to people who loved the very early Chicago house scene the first time around as well as the younger generation.

What artists have inspired you both inside and outside of electronic music?

As well as people from the early house scene, there has been countless modern Artist’s popping up in this genre that are pushing boundaries in this tight nit scene, PADDY, Lemin, SHEE, REES and Karl Guest to name a few. All of them have a similar sort of style but are unique in their own way. Some people to look forward towards whenever they release tracks.

Do you think music has, or should have, a political relevance?

It can have – generally dance music is to be enjoyed and is often a way of escaping real life for an evening or while listening for a couple of hours, it always has been. If you look back, notice that certainly in the UK whenever there has been turmoil or political changes, new genres (especially of dance music) have sprung up. It seems people are at their most creative during troubled times.

Moving forward into 2018. What are your plans?

Just to keep doing what we love, producing new music, having fun and getting our music enjoyed by more people.

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