by Juno Plus on 20.02.2012 at 12:28pm
Recently we asked one of our favourite producers of recent years, FaltyDL, who he’d like to interview most. The answer – revered instrumental hip-hop artists Blockhead, aka Tony Simon – was ostensibly a surprise choice, but when you scratch the surface the similarities are abundant. Both are now alumni of venerable UK label Ninja Tune, and both have a grounding in making instrumental beats, although while Blockhead made his name as a hip-hop craftsman of considerable repute, FaltyDL (real name Drew Lustman) has veered into a sounds that touch on everything from house and garage to jungle.
Blockhead has released nine studio albums and a slew of singles over the past decade, mostly with Ninja Tune, and is perhaps best known for his production work for acts signed to the Definitive Jux imprint such as Aesop Rock. The FaltyDL discography contains two albums (2009’s Love Is A Liability and last tear’s You Stand Uncertain, both released on planet Mu), as well as killer 12″s for All City, Ninja Tune and Swamp 81 among others.
Late last year Drew popped by Tony’s Manhattan apartment for a wide-ranging chat (the initial transcription was in excess of 10,000 words and it was with some reluctance that we trimmed it). Beginning with a discussion about Simon’s production history, they sit down and listen to music from Earl Sweatshirt, DJ Rashad and Eugene McDaniels among others, and discuss touring, inevitable backlashes, the state of the record industry from a producer’s point of view and much more besides.
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by Juno Plus on 06.02.2012 at 11:28am
To say that Anthony Khan ― aka The Twilite Tone, Master Khan, Great Weekend, and Ynot―is a jack of all trades is both a little unfair (he pores himself into every endeavor he pursues) and inaccurate (he’s not as prolific as some of his peers, at least in terms of sheer number of releases), but it tends to be the simplest way to explain his career.
Starting off in the mid-80s as a house and hip-hop-obsessed Chicago teen, Khan quickly moved from casual observer and hobbyist to creator, shacking up with the likes of Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. (better known as Common), Dion Wilson (No I.D., often noted as Kanye West’s mentor), and others. As Ynot, Khan produced tracks on Common’s first three full-lengths and recently reconnected with his old friend to become, once again, his touring DJ as well as his production manager for live shows. Simultaneously, Khan ― who prefers to go simply by Tone ― was, and continues to be, deeply involved and embedded in the world of house music, from its early days in Chicago thanks to DJs and clubs like Ron Hardy and the Muzic Box and Frankie Knuckles of the Power Plant and the Warehouse, to its current state, putting out records on NYC labels like The Wurst Music Company and UNO, with further releases on Throne of Blood and L.I.E.S. slated for 2012.
Juno Plus scribe Nik Mercer sat down with Tone at the Ace hotel in New York City for an extended interview – it was nearly four hours in length – so settle in for what we consider to be one of the most―if not the most―definitive Q&As the man has ever offered up.
by Tony Poland on 30.01.2012 at 11:26am
The name Milo Smee will have registered on the radar of most electronic music consumers in one form or another in recent years, either consciously or unconsciously. Hidden beneath some bizarrely brilliant pseudonyms in Binary Chaffinch and Kruton, Smee contributed a sizeable portion of the Dissident back catalogue and it’s here where his work first became apparent to these ears. However, his production work stretches further back as part of 5 Mic Cluster with Mark Broom, Chris Baker and Fergus Purcell and preceding that, Kactus, a collaboration with his brother Leo.
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by Juno Plus on 23.01.2012 at 13:13pm
Pinch, otherwise known as Rob Ellis, occupies a position within the history of dubstep that has been oft recounted. After watching Kode9 DJing at FWD>> at London’s Plastic People in 2003, he returned to his hometown of Bristol with the desire to start a night that would capture some of the essence of FWD>>, resulting in the inception of Subloaded, the dubstep night that arguably made his name as a DJ and made a mark on Bristol’s musical psyche that still resonates today.
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by Juno Plus on 16.01.2012 at 11:52am
“I’m not into stuff that’s over-produced, it’s very uninteresting to me.” So states Al Green, the man behind some of the most distinctive, visceral electronic music to grace our ears in recent times. One listen to any of the plentiful Boddika tracks that have been released for labels such as [Naked Lunch], Swamp81 or his own Nonplus, and you can instantly feel where he’s coming from. The kickback against crisp and clean digital production that typified last year’s dance music output is no more apparent than on the raw, abrasive drums n’ synths that characterise the Boddika sound.
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by Juno Plus on 11.01.2012 at 12:50pm
Jason Letkiewicz’s Discogs page places him somewhere between Howard Marks and Lionel Hutz in the fake identities stakes. In addition to the Steve Summers, Confused House, Malvoeaux, Rhythm Based Lovers, Sensual Beings and Alan Hurst solo endeavours, there are the Innergaze, Two Dogs In A House and Manhunter collaborative projects. Although this has allowed the New York based producer to work unencumbered by the restraints of a single moniker, it also means it’s taken longer for people to appreciate Letkiewicz’s true talent; the same can indeed be said for fellow analogue house fetishist Danny Wolfers aka Legowelt.
He has a close affiliation with many of the most promising artists and labels emerging from across the US; Ron Morelli and his Long Island Electrical Systems imprint, Andrew Field-Pickering and Ari Goldman aka the Beautiful Swimmers, People’s Potential Unlimited chief Andrew Morgan and Daniel Martin-McCormick (aka Ital) are all friends, and in some cases, collaborators. With Letkiewicz finally starting to get his dues – especially with his work as Steve Summers – we thought it was time to send our man in NYC, Nik Mercer, to chat about the unexpectedly important role professional dog walking has played in his musical development, and much more besides.
(Scroll to the bottom of the article for a gallery of images taken around Jason’s apartment by photographer Shawn Brackbill).
by Juno Plus on 09.01.2012 at 15:15pm
In the middle of the summer a few years ago, a record by an act called Orphx was released on Sonic Groove. Orphx was not a household techno name, but the fact that Division was released on Adam X’s label and contained a remix by Surgeon brought them to the techno community’s attention.
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by Juno Plus on 28.11.2011 at 11:18am
Luke Slater is a techno survivor, one of the few UK producers to emerge during the early 90s whose contemporary output sounds relevant. While his back catalogue boasts music as diverse as the windswept ambience of 7th Plain, through the nosebleed severity of his X-Tront releases and the widescreen techno of his Morganistic project alongside his more recent dubby outings as LB Dub Corp, it’s Slater’s Planetary Assault Systems project where his creative genius is most pronounced.
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by Juno Plus on 18.11.2011 at 15:00pm
The music scene of 70s and 80s New York was one of the most active and tightly bound the world has ever seen―as well as, in hindsight, one of the most analyzed, assessed, discussed, and revered. That said, few members of the era are still living in the metropolis they made their mark on, and even fewer are still active members of the communities they helped launch into existence.
Liquid Liquid’s percussionist and vocalist, Sal P. is a rare exception. The man has been in Manhattan for over 30 years. Originally from New Jersey, he had a brief stint in San Francisco, and finally made his way out to NYC in ‘77, where he’s been ever since, first on the Upper West Side with the rest of the Liquids, and, eventually, in Greenwich Village, near Washington Square Park, where he’s been since the early 90s.
While Sal’s been a musician for the entirety of his adult life, he still holds on to the passion that came before it: cooking. In fact, the vegan amateur chef has honed his skills so well to the point where he started offering casual one-on-one cooking classes at his apartment. So, in an effort to chat with the legend in a slightly more intimate setting, we sent out New York based scribe Nik Mercer along with his girlfriend, Tiffany Bainbridge, for an evening of homemade pizza, gazpacho, plenty of wine, and enough time for a thorough, in-depth Q&A.
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by Juno Plus on 14.11.2011 at 15:51pm
Marc Kinchen occupies a singular space in electronic music lore; on one hand he is revered by two generations of producers and house music aficionados, and on the other he has carved a lucrative career as a producer for a cast of pop musicians ranging from the risible to the revered: Diane Warren, Snoop Dogg, Pitbull and Will Smith to name just four.
His early – and often overlooked – career in Detroit included collaborations with friend and mentor Kevin Saunderson, before a move to New York in the early 90s saw him rise to fame alongside Kerri Chandler and Masters At Work, pioneering the city’s house and garage sound. His underground pedigree is undeniable: Julio Bashmore is one of many DJs still dropping the MK dub of “Freakin You” to wild shrieks, and earlier this year Omar S reissued 1994 classic “Given” on FXHE.
Indeed it’s difficult to underestimate Kinchen’s influence: Todd Edwards, known to many as the godfather of garage and a hero for producers on both sides of the Atlantic, is quick to credit Kinchen as a key influence in developing his sound. A true innovator of the dub mix in house music, his distinctive basslines and mastering of the cut-up vocal melody ensure MK dubs still burn brightly in 2011. Following a recent DJ tour of Europe to promote his new label (launched in conjunction with his brother Scottie Deep), we thought now was the perfect time to catch up with a certified house music legend.
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by Juno Plus on 03.11.2011 at 09:48am
Certain events leave an indelible mark, and for this writer, one of those moments was in June, 2002 when Warp’s Magic Bus tour came to my hometown.
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by Juno Plus on 24.10.2011 at 14:58pm
“I think everyone’s got a folk music album in them.” So comments Jamie Teasdale, only half-jokingly, as we talk about his current musical guise and what else he or any other musician may be capable of. “Kuedo itself is still a project name and as much heart as I try and pour into it, it still has its own life and identity,” he continues. “People have a potentiality to work in different forms and musical devices. There are so many aspects to a human being and it’s ridiculous to turn it down to one or a couple of genres and say ‘that’s me’.”
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by Juno Plus on 17.10.2011 at 17:17pm
Techno has always been a medium that, in the right hands, offers both cerebral and visceral thrills. There is a long and distinguished list – the names Mills, Mike Banks, Drexciya and Regis immediately spring to mind – of artists who have imbued a deep sense of artistry into the brutalist leanings of concrete funk. At the coalface of the recent resurgence in abstract, concept-driven techno stands Luca Mortellaro – aka Lucy – and his Stroboscopic Artefacts imprint.
Since launching in 2009, the Berlin-based label has released material from the likes of Xhin, Dadub, Perc, Aoki Takamasa and Luca himself (who was also responsible for the label’s first full-length album, Wordplay For Working Bees, released earlier this year), and in the process has developed a formidable reputation. Wordplay For Working Bees stands as one of the finest techno LPs in a year seemingly flooded with them, and set a new benchmark in the fledgling label’s discography.
Mortellaro’s curatorial eye has been just as impressive as his studio nous – the digital-only Monad series has allowed a range of artists to explore their more esoteric side, with routinely jaw dropping results, and his open-mined approach to working with the label’s core artists is admirable. Juno Plus contributor James Manning caught up with Luca during his recent Australian tour for a lengthy chat about the inner workings of his label, his new live show, sampling koalas and much more.
by Juno Plus on 10.10.2011 at 14:29pm
Interview by Pablo Roman-Alcala
Some important people have taken notice of Axel Boman. His first big release was on DJ Koze’s Pampa label, Innervisions contacted him to distribute his limited edition loop 12”, Jesse Rose tapped him for an EP on Play it Down and the number of DJs who have played his music keeps growing. I doubt he cares much about that. Boman’s music is imbued with subtlety, a sense of humour, wit, and verve, sampling the obscure and the obvious in equal turns but converting them to shards of music that are his own. Deep house may be the flavor of the day, but what you normally hear tastes very different when it comes from Axel. He is the sweet mixed with umami to the the bland, unseasoned sounds around. I had a messy Skype chat with him to find out about art school, nuclear physics and family relations.
by Juno Plus on 03.10.2011 at 17:31pm
Most journalists will tell you they treasure face-to-face interviews above all else: being in the same room as someone invariably brings out more colourful quotes than a phone conversation or the dreaded email communique. Yet being on the other end of the phone line to Tim Sweeney feels entirely appropriate – after all, his languid, friendly drawl is his most instantly recognisable feature. For the past 12 years he has hosted the weekly Beats In Space radio show from the student-run WNYU studio in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, building his slot into one of the most respected in the world of electronic music.
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by Juno Plus on 21.09.2011 at 15:50pm
Upon meeting Ossie in a crowded North London tearoom, it’s quickly apparent that this young producer has been well served by the opportunity to make music from an early age. Intrigued by the sounds of the late 90s hip-hop and R&B’s most revered production outfits, Ossie grasped at the chance to emulate them at secondary school: “The period of Neptunes productions around ‘99-2000 was key for me. I was moving from primary to secondary school, listening to lots of their music and the new school had equipment I’d used on a music course I had attended, like a Cubase VST with a little MIDI controller.” Looking back at this chance, Ossie confidently remarks, “I feel like I know a lot for my age production-wise, simply because I’ve had so much practice.”
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by Juno Plus on 19.09.2011 at 16:02pm
Actress, real name Darren Cunningham, remains of the most elusive, singular, and, well, interesting characters in contemporary electronic music. His unique brand of muggy, heavily compressed electronica has graced two much-loved albums – one on his own Werk Discs imprint, the other via West London record emporium Honest Jon’s. There have also been EPs via Instra:mental’s Nonplus and Trus’me’s Prime Numbers labels, but it has been his relationship with Honest Jon’s (who released Spazsh, and will release his next album) that has given him his widest audience. His shadowy reputation has been fostered by an (at times) aloof attitude to self-promotion and a wonderfully baffling Twitter account, through which he’s been known to give away free tracks en masse. His live performance at the recent Field Day festival in London, although not quite attaining Zomby levels of capriciousness, served only to enhance his reputation: 25 minutes late for his scheduled slot, he arrived dressed in a black cape and proceeded to put on one of the most incendiary performances of the day.
He recently took part in the DRC project – on Oxfam initiative spearheaded by former Blur frontman Damon Albarn, which saw a troupe of UK based musicians travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo to record an album with local musicians. Albarn’s close association with Honest Jon’s no doubt alerted him to Cunningham’s production prowess, and he was joined on the voyage to Central Africa by a varied cast of musicians including XL boss Richard Russell, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Dan The Automator, Jneiro Jarel, Marc Antoine, Alwest, Remi Kabaka, Rodaidh McDonald and Kwes. The album, entitled Kinshasa One Two, was recorded in Kinshasa over a five day period in July this year and will see release via UK label Warp. We spoke to Cunningham about his time in the Congo, which he discussed in vivid detail, describing it as a “life changing” experience. Typically, he chose to take a slightly different approach to his peers, spending most of his time away from the studio interacting with local families, walking through the ghettos of Kinshasa and experiencing the city’s vibrant club scene.
by Juno Plus on 12.09.2011 at 12:03pm
Electronic music is inextricably linked to urban settings. From Detroit’s post-apocalyptic downtown to the tower blocks of London and Den Haag’s faceless monuments to Eurocracy, the city location is the natural habitat for bass, techno and even the irresistibly wry reapproximations of Italo and electro.
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by Juno Plus on 23.08.2011 at 09:28am
The John Talabot pseudonym first appeared in 2009, with a debut 12″ for Munich based label Permanent Vacation alongside remixes for Delorean, Zwicker, Glasser and, most memorably, Aufgang. A deep, slinky and richly melodic take on house immediately caught the ear, and so detailed and nuanced were Talabot’s productions that attempts to categorise his sound resulted in wildly differing interpretations. Some critics littered reviews with words like shimmering and summery; the producer himself believed his early material was actually dark and brooding. In a way, both opinions are correct, as Talabot managed to balance quirky instrumentation and beautiful thrift store samples with beefy club friendly drums – if the Avalanches made house music it would probably sound something like this.
Talabot’s rise to prominence continued last year, once again gracing Permanent Vacation with the breakthrough 12″ Matlida’s Dream, as well as a debut release for the Hivern Disc imprint he is closely associated with. As interest in his music grew, it became apparent the producer was working under an alias, determined to keep his face out of the media glare. As such his reputation has grown organically, and the visual connections to his music, left entirely up to the listener, are much nicer than any press picture – the baked brown hills of his home city, Barcelona, for example, or the artwork that adorns his records.
Both Talabot and Hivern are part of a pleasing trend of small labels and collectives operating outside recognised hubs like Berlin and London, such as Gothenburg’s Aniara, Stockholm’s Studio Barnhus and Dresden’s Uncanny Valley. These labels are bound by their strong visual direction and work unencumbered by the restraints of being attached to a particular style or scene. Talabot has also built a name as a DJ of some repute, securing festival slots in 2011 to compliment further recognition in a year that has also seen an EP release for UK imprint Young Turks (home to The xx among others) and news of a forthcoming debut album for Permanent Vacation. A few weeks back we announced that Talabot would be performing at our second birthday party at The Nest in London in September, and to mark the occasion we coaxed a rare interview out of one of electronic music’s most promising talents.
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by Juno Plus on 15.08.2011 at 10:52am
There’s been an analogue rumbling emanating from the north of England of late, with its ruminations reaching as far as Chicago before rippling back across the rest of the world. In terms of electronic music, Liverpool doesn’t have the same steady stream of artists that neighbouring Manchester or more southern cities have. Legendary club nights such as Voodoo still remain a part of 90s techno folklore, but the scene has tended to draft in its talent from elsewhere instead of nurturing locals, leaving the ‘Pool somewhat under-represented.
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