In the early Nineteen Nineties, a rising nightclub and outside occasion tradition gave delivery to new genres within the rave scene, together with breakbeat, hardcore, darkcore, and hardcore jungle. The music mixed sampled breakbeats, and samples from a variety of music genres together with reggae, jazz, funk, soul, home, techno, hip hop, electronica and even movie scores; mainly, any sounds that supplied the appropriate vibe when it was underpinned with a heavy rumbling bassline and rolling breakbeats. From the early ’90s, tracks have been starting to strip away among the heavier sampling and “hardcore sounding noises” to create extra bassline and breakbeat-led tracks. Some tracks more and more took their affect from reggae and this type would grow to be often known as hardcore jungle (later to grow to be merely jungle), while darkcore (producers resembling Goldie, Doc Scott, 4hero, and a couple of Bad Mice) have been experimenting with sounds and making a blueprint for drum and bass, particularly noticeable by late 1993. The shift in sounds and kinds was all a part of the fragmentation of the rave scene as we knew it, the place sides have been being decided by those that nonetheless beloved the uplifting piano-led sounds (what we now know as comfortable hardcore) and those that favoured the extra forward-thinking and darker sounds of what was known as “jungle techno” and “hardcore jungle”. Both phrases proliferated to explain that shift of the music from breakbeat hardcore to jungle.
By 1994, jungle had begun to achieve mainstream recognition, and followers of the music (also known as junglists) grew to become a extra recognisable a part of the youth subculture. The style additional developed, incorporating and fusing parts from a variety of present musical genres, together with dancehall, MC chants, dub basslines, and more and more complicated, closely edited breakbeat percussion. Although jungle might be outlined by the tempo of the music and using breakbeats, figuring out the first-ever jungle file shouldn’t be a simple job by any means. Some excellent contenders would definitely be the likes of early Shut Up & Dance, Lennie De Ice, and Rebel MCs. Despite the affiliation with the ecstasy-fuelled rave scene, jungle additionally inherited associations with violence and prison exercise, each from the gang tradition that had affected the UK’s hip-hop scene and as a consequence of jungle’s typically aggressive or menacing sound and themes of violence which have been often mirrored within the alternative of samples used on the tracks. However, this was developed in tandem with the customarily optimistic repute of the music, as a part of the broader rave scene and dancehall-based Jamaican music tradition prevalent in London. By 1995, some jungle producers started to maneuver away from the ragga-influenced type and create what would grow to be collectively labelled drum and bass.
As the style grew to become usually extra polished and technically refined, it started to broaden its attain from pirate radio to industrial stations and gained widespread acceptance across the mid-’90s. It additionally started to separate into recognisable subgenres resembling hardstep, soar up, ragga, techstep, and what was identified on the time as clever. As extra melodic and sometimes jazz-influenced subgenres of drum and bass known as atmospheric or clever (Blame and Blu Mar Ten) and jazzstep (4Hero, London Elektricity, Roni Size) gained mainstream attraction, further subgenres emerged together with techstep in 1996, drawing affect from techno.
The emergence of associated kinds resembling liquid funk introduced a wave of latest artists incorporating new concepts and methods, supporting the continuous evolution of the style. To this present day, drum and bass music makes frequent appearances in mainstream media and widespread tradition together with on tv, in addition to being a serious reference level for subsequent genres resembling grime and dubstep, and producing profitable artists together with Chase & Status, Netsky, Metrik, and Pendulum. it’s not actually an unreasonable opinion that drum & bass has modified the notion of what could possibly be completed with dance music eternally. As a style, it has actually developed through the years with quite a lot of tendencies and sub-genres coming and going, however it’s a style that also holds big attraction for these clubbers and music collectors in search of one thing very totally different from the norm. Once you’ve gotten the bug for this music, it by no means actually goes away… as soon as a junglist, at all times a junglist.
We have a look again at among the most influential drum & bass tracks through the years, in addition to the sounds that influenced the very sound everyone knows and love at present.
We stay in a hyper-speed world the place every thing modifications so rapidly. So a lot in order that it’s unattainable to even sustain with real-world occasions, not to mention the tempo at which know-how evolves. As quickly as we start to seek out our ft with anybody factor, one thing new presents itself. Technology dictates an enormous a part of the development and trending of music; new portals emerge offering a number of methods of selling music, together with the brand new sizzling subject within the music enterprise, NFTs, in addition to the metaverse bringing VR occasions to the forefront of music promotion and leisure.
Sometimes it’s a neighborhood spirit and uncooked genuine strategy that drives the music ahead. A much less marketed underground strategy that’s making a gulf between digital music genres and the audiences of such genres. Something that appeals to a youthful technology and brings a contact of the previous to the current with objective. An enormous a part of being concerned in music initiatives and file labels is analysis and understanding what’s in style and why. Whilst all of us love sure types of music, as a desire, we even have to take a look at the larger image of what’s going on and attempt to make sense of it. Maybe this can be a conventional mind-set about music releases just like the traditional label enterprise mannequin the place A&R is vital, but it surely’s additionally survival in an ever-changing, fast-paced world.
We are starting to see impartial artists and underground outfits excelling at hyper velocity with seen music assist within the tons of to hundreds, on digital releases, but typically the extra acquainted music manufacturers or labels are struggling on the identical time. It’s one thing that’s evident with sure genres of music whereas urban-based music like Drum & Bass, Hip-Hop, Electro, House music, and Detroit-style techno hit optimistic highs. Could this be purely accredited to youth tradition, or may it’s different components just like the mass promotional giveaways in particular genres, over-marketed music shedding its attraction, or a fan base that helps DJs greater than the creators of the music?
Is there a shift in viewers age teams for some genres of digital music, primarily interesting to an older technology of clubbers who had been there within the 90s plus, or do some audiences mature into particular genres of music at a later date and depart the power fuelled behind for the youthful technology? DJs like Carl Cox are exceptions. He is a big artist that has maintained each a youthful and older fanbase demographic. He is a universally well-liked artist and a DJ’s DJ. Then the yearly DJ Mag polls (that everyone knows and love) are additionally exhibiting an enormous shift in DJ traits and music genres. A transfer away from sounds that had been enormous within the 90s and 00s corresponding to Trance and Progressive House. If we ignore the extra EDM-based artists for the sake of this text, there has actually been a shift within the DJs which can be supported and the sounds they push. There are at all times going to be loyal followers regardless, however these followers or folks concerned within the scene don’t essentially have any understanding of the numbers or how sure artists or different genres are evolving.
I’ve personally spent plenty of time across the schooling sector with college students finding out music manufacturing and music enterprise, between the ages of 20 and 30. If you requested any of the scholars what digital artists/music they appreciated, aside from names like The Chemical Brothers and Orbital, I wasn’t very aware of any of the others they talked about, so perhaps I’m the one out of contact, or they don’t actually join with what I’m aware of. I do think about myself to have a broad style in digital music each new, and previous, and I spend plenty of time digging for brand new music. However, it will seem as we speak that Drum & Bass, Hip Hop, Trap, and Breaks are widespread go-to genres round this age group.
Taking recommendation from some corporations that appeal to enormous numbers of music streams, you start to know that streaming portals play an enormous half, as it’s massively accessible. Lots of music followers use them and are comparatively low-cost subscription fashions. However, they don’t seem to be actually the most effective platforms for listening to tracks in a single format, particularly straight 4/4 DJ-originated music. The larger stream-based portals/labels are additionally much less involved with these types of music as they give attention to what favours larger numbers, algorithms, radio variations, and crossover. Yet, that doesn’t account for some underground music on portals like Bandcamp, attaining tons of to hundreds of supporters in comparison with some recognized labels/acts with decrease supporters. It doesn’t make plenty of sense and perhaps it may very well be accredited the recognized label/artist music is bought elsewhere corresponding to Beatport, however then we’d see these music titles/labels topping the charts on these portals again and again.
In 2019 I and Enrico Ponti achieved Traxsource techno no 1, with our EP titled Fascinated / Surreal Deal (Radiate), while additionally attaining excessive charting in the identical style through Beatport. Whilst it was nice to visibly obtain a primary amongst different nice labels/artists, the gross sales numbers had been within the area on 85 copies throughout each shops mixed. This is likely to be fairly shocking from an out of doors perspective, however it is extremely widespread and it’s constantly shifting to decrease numbers, this was a continued theme on our different label/artist releases that additionally achieved primary.
Yet, on Bandcamp, it’s very seen how many individuals assist/purchase one thing. Bandcamp lists the vast majority of the supporters/purchasers on its web site.
It may be very intriguing and a pattern that many people would love to higher perceive for the great of what all of us do. Some say that it’s a cultural factor, whereas sure genres of digital music have a greater heritage and are extra genuine, versus genres which can be derivatives of them, the originators traditionally stamped. This will be mentioned for House music in its authentic format; it’s nonetheless enormous when it comes to numbers and closely supported. Something else we see is that genre-specific music fan bases are sometimes healthily supporters of label merch like T-shirts, and DJ occasions, versus music purchases, because the DJs present a lot of the music they prefer to hearken to.
Whilst some genres like Progressive House are hyper-played, it’s not bought by DJs in wholesome quantities in comparison with another genres. This may level to too many promos circulating which causes the music to change into devalued by nature. Some artists will favour promo over precise gross sales and monetary assist. I personally obtain as much as 300 music promos in a single week, and I’m certain it’s tenfold with chosen big-name DJs. We are beginning to see artists focus much less on the precise digital genres with the intention to pursue different areas of music. This is nice for music range but additionally about survival in a saturated market. From a label perspective, it’s one thing I’ve to contemplate loads, as range is vital to surviving and in addition sustaining an thrilling music area for all.
I not too long ago spoke with Renaat Vandepapeliere who’s the CEO and located of the long-lasting R&S Records. When you consider R&S Records it’s exhausting not to consider the traditional sounds of CJ Bolland, Jam & Spoon, Aphex Twin, and Joey Beltram. Whilst the artists talked about above are apparent hitters, the label has change into way more multi-genre through the years together with labels together with Warp Records and Mute. The imaginative and prescient behind R&S Records has been incomparable while taking sound design to the acute, range in artwork and tradition, a no holds barred strategy to releasing music, and supporting creative output uniquely.
Whilst talking with Renaat I requested if the variety of the label was deliberate, and the way does the label differ from modern-day techno-centric labels?
Renaat answered, “I don’t perceive what techno is within the modern-day, what’s it now? It is tough to elucidate. Some have discovered a path, a sound, massive breakdowns, and large drum rolls and so they observe that path, but it surely turns into repetitive. Sometimes it is sort of a film we have now seen 400 instances over and once more, however perhaps that is one thing that individuals need and that’s okay.For me, I by no means wished this for R&S records, I might personally get bored and lose power for the label. The label carries the slogan “In order to Dance”, however you may dance to something, jazz music you may dance to as nicely, it’s simply completely different to say techno.”
Renaat continued, “I don’t think about R&S an experimental Label, I’ve at all times been prepared to take dangers and I search for power in music. I hold reverting to Drum & Bass and Hip-hop music as a result of now it’s the place I discover essentially the most power. If I like one thing and imagine in it, I’ll do it and provides it every thing, I’m not an accounting-type particular person. Anyone now could be a label and launch one other techno or membership file, there may be nothing distinctive in that anymore.”
I requested Renaat if the various outlook of signing music was ever met with any resistance through the years? Renaat answered, “sure, in fact after I first signed and launched Aphex Twin, everybody thought I used to be loopy and anticipated me to proceed with solely the larger membership bangers. The first Aphex Twin observe we launched solely bought 20 copies within the first 12 months, however we continued. Artists like Aphex Twin and Jeremey Blake are the kind of artists that solely come round as soon as each 10 years. I don’t overthink the releases, I say okay let’s do that and let the general public resolve in the event that they prefer it. Many suppose you may manipulate music recognition, however you may’t.”
We moved on to speak concerning the impression of Bandcamp on the digital music scene,
“Bandcamp got here round at simply the precise time for independents. For me, it’s like I’ve a file store that I can entry in my own residence. You discover essentially the most superb music on Bandcamp, every thing from techno to jazz, pop, disco, it’s bought every thing. I spend hours on Bandcamp shopping for and gathering music, it’s the portal the place true music followers and collectors will go. We observed in the course of the pandemic that individuals had been listening extra on Bandcamp and we shouldn’t underestimate the ability of individuals listening. This has additionally continued because the pandemic and serving to indies develop.”
Renaat went on to speak concerning the significance of DJs breaking new music in golf equipment…
“DJs are 100 % necessary to music releases, does an enormous DJ enjoying your file now have the identical impression because the previous, no, this has gone however DJs are necessary.I don’t need to go to golf equipment as a lot anymore, I believe it’s change into too condensed with too many DJs on the massive festivals and main golf equipment. Everybody is rushed into becoming in as many massive records as they will inside two hours. There can also be a vacationer aspect to the massive golf equipment and festivals but it surely’s a stability, but when that is what folks need, then that is what it’s.
I believe what must occur is smaller venues and golf equipment begin once more with fewer DJs and the music will be labored higher for an area viewers. DJs play for much longer units and perceive the folks listening and dancing higher. New music will be damaged higher below these situations and extra room for brand new artists. If this had been to occur, I might exit to golf equipment once more and it will assist underground music develop additional.”
“Sven Vath, CJ Bolland, Speedy J, they weren’t as well-known within the early ’90s like now, you needed to be prepared to find. If we will be ready to find then the scene will change into alive once more.“
Renaat Vandepapeliere
I went on to talk with Renaat about launch cycles and whether or not the is a scarcity of artist nurturing and if artists now change into suppressed. Renaat answered,
“What is a launch cycle now, 10 days then transfer on to the following? Artists are feeling suppressed as a result of they will’t see a future, we simply had a pandemic, after which additionally their music is on this 10-day launch cycle. 100% there’s a lack of artist growth and nurturing proper now. When you construct a home, it’s important to care for it and keep it, in case you have a canine you might be dedicated to elevating the canine and taking good care of the canine. Music is identical, artists are the identical you’ll want to work with them and never attempt to power them to be one thing they don’t seem to be. Then, additionally some artists need to be well-known and profitable in a single day, as rapidly as doable. If we take a look at essentially the most profitable artists, it took them a few years of exhausting work and adversity.“
“I might advocate to any younger artist or label to watch documentaries about profitable musicians and others to attempt to perceive what it has taken them and to take inspiration from them. Also, not all music recorded must be thought-about prepared for launch, some music must be curated by the label or artists as not appropriate and extra selective of what’s remaining. This can also be missing in fashionable music, a few of the finest songwriters on the planet do that and track writing isn’t a straightforward factor to grasp. Labels and artists can think about this with their output.”
My remaining query for Renaat; what do you suppose it takes for a label to maintain longevity and can we be speaking about one other R&S Records in 20 years?
Renaat answered, “A severe label invests of their artists, invests time with them and creates long run plans alongside them. All the longstanding labels have carried out this and proceed to, you talked about warp records, a few of their artists have been there because the label began. This is changing into uncommon however is necessary that the label and artists develop along with understanding. It’s troublesome for brand new labels when we have now stream royalties that even with 1 million streams don’t quantity to a lot, however 100% there can be extra tales like R&S records, or one other Depeche Mode, it won’t be in the identical means we have now carried out issues, however it will probably and can occur. Maybe it will occur through NFT, I don’t know however in case you have the drive and can to do it, it will probably occur and there’s a means.
As nicely as talking with Renaat, I additionally had the chance to talk with an absolute stalwart of the digital music scene, Robert Babicz. He is an artist that has redefined the boundaries of digital music because the early Nineties. His distinctive sound/imaginative and prescient, emotion, artistry, and spirituality embody one thing particular. His early introduction was below the moniker of Rob Acid, a inventive output that took the 303 morphed sound to the worldwide stage and adopted a string of crafted releases. He’s, featured on the who’s who of digital music imprints over a few years, is far a music fan and DJ favorite, hosts his label Babiczstyle, and is an audio/studio mastering mastermind.
I requested Robert about his expertise of self-releasing music versus label releases and whether or not it had been a optimistic expertise. Robert answered, “I believe instances modified loads, and we at the moment are in a part the place labels are usually not so necessary anymore. When you go on Spotify the music just isn’t listed by labels, it’s listed by artists. So, no one cares the way you launch the music, provided that you may make folks concerned about your music. My tip for each newcomer today is to create their very own label and perhaps solely work with a label in the event that they actually show you how to.”
There is the concept that releasing through sure portals or imprints will improve an artist’s touring alternative. I requested Robert about his ideas on this… “To be sincere, I don’t know if this actually makes any distinction. For me, it’s solely necessary to offer the folks entry to my music, and share my love.”
We went on to discuss artists diversifying from their nicely know the sound. Robert went on to say, “Ohh babiczstyle is all about exploring feelings and sounds, it will be tremendous mega unhappy if I might do just one type. I’m means too curious and need to study a lot. And btw I like any form of music with plenty of bass!”
My remaining dialog with Robert was round NFTs, as they’re one thing that’s going to impression many throughout the digital music scene… “It’s a extremely new technique to launch music, I hold myself within the loop with each new know-how in fact. So, I might say, sure, there may be extra to return.”
Music appears to be changing into much less about manufacturers and fewer genre-specific once more. There is a rising pool of DJs who will select to find, push the boundaries, purchase music, and assist labels, somewhat than obtain promos. I additionally fall into that class, and would a lot favor to supply music on Bandcamp, through NFT, or different means, than obtain overhyped promos through e-mail. More music followers are persevering with to hunt out the unknown, listening to extra, somewhat than sticking to the acquainted and serving to impartial underground music development. Limited editions through the brand new NFT portals have gotten thrilling, and extra accessible, aiding discovery, and providing longer-term worth for each music followers and creators.
“I believe instances modified loads, and we at the moment are in a part the place labels are usually not so necessary anymore“
Robert Babicz
The NFT Portals like Blockparty, RCRDSHP, Pianity, Voice, Mintsongs (and there’s extra on route) are offering impartial artists and labels a platform for higher sustainability and with out being as pigeonholed. Like Bandcamp, the NFT portals present the variety of editions bought, and the quantities paid. Transparency may be very helpful data for all concerned. These strategies of outputting music favour a extra reasonable output for independents with concrete proof of assist. Is NFT the brand new indie underground?
It’s evident that extra recognized artists/labels are taking onboard the strategy of independents that prosper on the likes of Bandcamp. A give attention to constructing a agency fan base and real assist with direct hyperlinks to music supporters. Labels like R&S are shining examples of this longevity strategy with out being style primarily based or at all times a principal media focus. Many are beginning their very own distinctive subscription fashions, NFT solely, restricted releases, and different out-of-the-box considering approaches. Again, that is changing into extra seen with Drum & Bass artists like DJ Rap who has her personal subscription mannequin, NFT releases as nicely restricted vinyl through an impartial on-line retailer. Whilst there’s a concern that focusing much less on the acquainted strategies will lower publicity, it’s questionable what that publicity equals and who advantages from it? In the principle it’s evidently not the artists!
The former “The Prodigy” member, Leeroy Thornhill is a part of a brand new platform known as “Metabeats”, Metabeats is a mission that includes 54 producers and releases distinctive 1 of 1 piece of music through NFT. Their message is about reclaiming and bringing the digital music scene again to its origins and homeowners. Each week I attend on-line classes with new portal builders who’re actually pushing for brand new avenues that can shift the underground digital area in a optimistic means.
Part of the music style shifts we’re seeing may be accredited to lots of the DJs which can be pushing to change into a multi-music output. This is implausible for digital music listening, creativity, and selling the music as an artwork type, somewhat than blindly following a style. There are at all times new traits that develop exterior of the principle scope of visibility. Trap music was an instance of this and the way it change into in style amongst impartial younger artists following rising from SoundCloud uploads or utilizing different strategies of social media.
Apart from the youthful technology, there is a rise in additional music followers of various ages concerned about undergrounds gigs, the place a warehouse becoming is extra interesting than a pre-designed membership or pageant. Besides the plain massive sell-out festivals, we have now seen numerous smaller festivals get cancelled or wrestle to get the ticket numbers over current weeks. This is in fact a mirrored image of the present economic system but additionally a mirrored image of what folks need to assist. There is not any higher time to guide folks down a selection route than when issues change into about making an actual selection on account of monetary constraints. VR occasions may appear a novelty however, what number of youthful folks will embrace them over costly clubbing occasions?
There have been many hints at shifts within the digital music scene for years, however perhaps with out as a lot direct motion or visibility, as we’re seeing now. It actually feels (as a lot because it may appear a bit fragmented proper now) that will probably be loads more healthy for our music pallets going ahead, and thrilling new paths for leisure. A site the place music followers and what they need to assist has change into extra necessary than advertising. There may very well be an awesome future for the brand new technology of music artists. One the place music producers create music with the phrase “longevity” in thoughts when in their very own inventive area.
Spatial audio is creating waves in the electronic music scene right now, particularly after Apple’s decision to adopt the format for its platform and Logic Pro adding spatial mixing to its list of native plug-ins. However, with Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich recently dismissing the format as “rubbish”, the jury is out on whether spatial audio can transform the scene in revolutionary new ways or whether it is just another gimmick destined to eventually be consigned to the scrapheap of technological fads.
In defining spatial audio we should perhaps make clear that the various guises and names it has gone under over the years are all the same thing. Whether we call it spatial audio, three-dimensional sound, binaural sound or even Dolby Atmos (the latter of which is in actual fact one particular brand’s name for it), we are effectively talking about a move away from traditional stereo recordings and into an immersive three dimensional sound experience that represents more realistically the impression of different instruments in a room or sound coming from different angles. The process essentially revolves around placing ‘objects’ (which we might think of as musical stems) virtually into different positions in the room thus recreating the experience of hearing a band with players in different positions and therefore adding an extra dimension of space.
While this sounds exciting it should be noted that it is not a particularly new concept. The electronic music scene is lagging behind other areas such as gaming where this technology is already widely used. As early as 2004 there were efforts to bring the technology to the scene but for some time it was felt that the sound could not translate to club environments. However, more recently the likes of Yousef and John Monkman have been involved in Dolby Atmos projects in various clubs. Add to this the work of Max Cooper (whose spatial experiments started as early as 2010) and who after releasing his seminal album ‘Emergence’ in Dolby Audio in 2016, has gone on to consistently deliver some of the most innovative live audio-visual and fully immersive sound experiences around. Whilst Cooper has always been on the cutting edge of spatial audio technology, working in collaboration with the Spatial Sound Institute, it is clear that the tide is now turning for the mainstream. Apple’s decision to only accept mixes with an accompanying spatial audio mix is driving change from the bottom up and consumer demand is growing as we seek ever more engaging immersive experiences. This along with healthy competition between companies on the cutting edge of technology has combined to propel the format forward. This progress has seen plug-in manufacturers and monitor makers scrambling to future-proof their systems by jumping on board the spatial audio bandwagon.
Nevertheless, the naysayers remain with some veteran producers dismissing the longevity of the format. To get a deeper insight into just how spatial audio may begin to permeate electronic music and the potential implications for the scene, I spoke to Bedrock producer Paul Nolan who has been working in a consultancy capacity with d&b audiotechnik. The German company have been pushing forward their own flexible spatial audio system targeted at a wide range of live environments and he recently sound tested their Soundscape rig at the Brixton Academy leg of Groove Armada’s recent tour. Having witnessed the impact of the Soundscape system on the audience Nolan is convinced by its potential to create a more engaging experience. “There was not one audience member on their mobile phone”, he grins. Having collaborated with the company since 2018 he says he has seen the technology mature recently as companies like d&b have focussed on making it work practically for music producers and performers.
“It is reminiscent of music production before midi when we have lots of different systems not necessarily speaking a common language” – Paul Nolan
He acknowledges that the tech has been around for some time (with clubs like Ministry having already had Dolby Atmos systems installed for years) but notes that d&b has cut pre-production times down from six weeks to zero making it now possible to just turn up and play a spatial audio gig. This opens up such systems as a tool for maximising emotional impact and dynamics on the dancefloor with the potential to envelope the crowd at certain key moments and play with the spatial mix on the fly. It seems that the spatial audio road test went down a storm with both the audience and DJs PBR Streetgang (who used the system for their set). However, Nolan is quick to point out that we are some way off the format completely taking over. “It is reminiscent of music production before midi when we have lots of different systems not necessarily speaking a common language” but predicts that within five years these issues will be ironed out and that we will see spatial seeping into all aspects of everyday life from music to facetime calls.
Nolan goes on to predict that all streaming platforms will soon follow the likes of Apple, Tidal and Amazon by offering spatial audio streaming and that the ramifications for music producers can already be felt. Plug-in and music tech companies are rapidly launching new product lines and he suggests this will bring “big changes not only in the way we mixdown but also in how we create music as we head towards being able to create music natively in these formats”.
“Technology should be seen as a powerful tool in the recovery of the live events industry” – Paul Nolan
While cost may be an issue right now for bedroom producers, the spatial audio wave is cascading across the music industry with venues from the Royal Albert Hall to Pacha already having d&b systems in place and the UK’s first permanent system due to launch in December. Nolan is buzzing about the impact the technology could have on the electronic music scene. He elaborates by saying that “technology should be seen as a powerful tool in the recovery of the live events industry” and that the “immersive experience” is the tonic needed to engage modern audiences. It’s hard to argue with his enthusiasm and whilst the jury may still be out on certain aspects of spatial audio, it seems that it could offer much-needed innovation in a scene that has threatened to stagnate over recent years. With any big change there is inevitably resistance but let’s just hope the format can help reignite the raw visceral experience that dance music once provided and drive people back onto the dancefloor and away from their addictions to mobile devices.
20 years that changed our lives: Presenting a feature-length documentary – Drum & Bass: The Movement – capturing a specific and intense slice of drum & bass culture’s rapid acceleration from 1996 – 2016. Brought to you by Drum&BassArena, featuring Goldie, Andy C, Roni Size, DJ Flight, Grooverider, Ed Rush & Optical, Mefjus, Friction, El Hornet, Chase & Status and many more, as well as exclusive unseen footage from our scene’s rich history.
Drum & Bass: The Movement explores how a unique UK club culture rose from the underground to become a global phenomenon infiltrating and influencing disciplines from mainstream pop music to video games.
From dubplates to mainstream crossovers, to some of the labels, tracks and clubs that helped shape the scene, Drum & Bass: The Movement is a snapshot of D&B and how it’s always been much more than a genre of dance music: it’s a lifestyle.
It’s been a decade since Ian O’Donovan truly announced his arrival on the scene with his sublime Aurora Borealis EP on Bedrock. Undoubtedly a pivotal moment in the Irish producer’s career, his rich melodies immediately caught the ear offering something distinctly different from many of his contemporaries in the techno mainstream. It is not a stretch to say his reputation for being a master of emotive melodies and soaring strings is now probably second to none in the industry. With his inimitable sounds having found homes on major labels as varied as Drumcode, KMS and Last Night On Earth. Ten years on and with O’Donovan firmly established within the electronic community he releases his first long player on the excellent XYZ label. I decided it was finally time to catch up with the Irish producer to find out more about the inspiration behind this masterful album.
I began by congratulating him on the album and asking about how he approached the long player format. “It is definitely different to making club tracks,” he says confirming that he didn’t see the point in making a ten track techno or ‘dancefloor’ album. “I started out with an idea to make a mostly deep, string lead project but I realised after a while that a more eclectic project might be more exciting to showcase different sides of my sound”. He expands on the process pinpointing the collaborative role of the label as a helpful factor “I had planned on releasing the album myself and had most of the tracks made but it was a daunting task. After working on the EP with them (XYZ), I thought it could be a good platform for this project and I felt they could help add to it”. It seems the collaboration proved effective at shaping the album into a more coherent whole “It was good to get input and other ideas on the direction of the album from enthusiastic outsiders and I’m really happy with how it turned out”.
And so he should be ‘Still Waters’ is an accomplished and well balanced album that is at turns both evocative, introspective, and upbeat. The trademark melancholic strings are there on cue sweeping dramatically into tracks such as the brooding and magnificent ‘Run Deep’ before segueing seamlessly into the deeper house melodics of tracks like ‘Sakura’. The LP is at times cinematic and expansive but equally able to shift gears and head to the dancefloor for adrenaline fuelled peak time euphoria. It hangs as a complete picture of an artist who has mastered his craft, the content brilliantly bookended by two slices of immersive ambience in the ocean wash of ‘Landfall’ and icy fm drift of ‘World Away (Exit)’
Curiously there is a strand of natural imagery which seems to permeate the album both in many of the titles and also in rich organic textures and forays into found sounds. Whilst many techno works seem content to explore dystopian themes, ‘Still Waters’ seems to draw on other influences to feed it’s sonic palette. We continued by talking about the inspirations at play behind the album and discussed whether ‘nature’ was a deliberate concept being explored. “Yes. I’m glad you recognised from the titles and feel of the tracks. I tried to keep to a general earth theme and adventures within that”. However, it seems that the power and beauty of the natural world was not the only influence with O’Donovan revealing that a period of binging on spy novels had inspired the moody widescreen atmospherics of tracks such as ‘Sentient City’ ‘the Aftermath’ ‘Fallen Reign’ and ‘Run Deep’.
We move on to discuss the process of the making of the latter track, whose cinematic soundscape, staccato strings and live drum stylings see him exploring some new musical territory as a producer. I ask him if this was a conscious decision.
“I wanted the album to show different sides of my production…electronica, breakbeat and ambient tracks to give an ebb and flow throughout.”
He goes on to reveal that those prominent live drums are not actually live at all “I used Logic’s Drummer feature. I then cut loads of these up with some other samples to create an organic feel”. O’Donovan successfully creates this warm almost jazzy breaks feel on a number of the key pieces and it’s a sound that no doubt a certain Laurent Garnier would be nodding his head in approval of. The Irish producer is quick to acknowledge his influence and support over the years “Laurent was probably the biggest influence on my sound both as a DJ and producer so when he started playing my tracks regularly before I had anything even signed, that was the ultimate gratification for me”. He describes contacting Garnier back in 2009 on a new platform ‘Soundcloud’ and how within weeks Garnier was playing and tweeting about his tracks ultimately creating a domino of connections and conversations leading to his signing to Bedrock.
Digging deeper into his musical history he reveals that his early adventures in DJing and producing starting out with him playing with his Dad’s “double tape deck on this ‘cool’ Sony system’ then layering it with ‘guitars and playing drums on a lunchbox”. He singles out The Prodigy as having a transformative effect in his teenage years “it was probably the whole Prodigy sound that was a segue for me and many others I know”. I quiz him on whether his ear for melodies is the result of classical training but he places the emphasis on experimentation rather than any in depth musical knowledge “I played the guitar a bit when I was younger. I also did a course in music for film and games a few years ago”. However, he concedes that music theory “still bores me to tears” and that it is all done by ear and experimentation running sequences through his hybrid set up of software and hardware. “I try to make a simple, more stripped back track and then I try a synth and think oh that sounds good and can’t help myself” he laughs.
“I can’t stop myself trying different loops through different synths and seeing where it takes me!”
Nowadays, he considers himself primarily as a producer but his Proton radio shows still deliver consistently, showcasing his ability as a DJ to effortlessly straddle genres as he journeys through progressive melodic builders, deep Detroit numbers and raw techno jackers. Despite his focus on production he has had time to hook up with the Kepler crew for a live DJ stream an experience he describes as “cool” and format that “could be a more popular platform now that people have got used to the idea of seeing Djs regularly play online”. However he goes on to add that “nothing compares to getting together with other people and experiencing music collectively” and believes that a post Covid scene may involve more “open air events, limiting capacity in venues, live streaming of DJ sets to venues for those that can’t travel. I guess we just have to get more creative!” Despite the doom and gloom cast over the scene by the current situation, he is hopeful that it may allow the industry to take stock. He is quick to speak out in support of John Digweed’s recent comments on streaming services.
“I agree that artists should be paid more from streaming and video play as their whole service is based on artist output so without artists they have no service. It definitely should be a fairer more symbiotic relationship…”
He goes on to explain how he hopes artists will continue to dig deep to find “innovative” ways to get their sound out there and “rethink how we experience music”.
He ends with a few wise words for emerging producers telling them not to even think about the labels but rather to…
“…be authentic, start small, and realise you can make good music even with just a few good samples.”
He says that he is currently “flat out” with production partnerships coming not only with Luca Gaeta and an album remix package but also with two of his favourite major artists. It’s O’Donovan’s own distinct and melodic style that has seen him stand out from the crowd over the years and in ‘Still Waters’ he delivers a masterclass in how to evoke emotions and warmth from his machines. The shimmering chords and ever-fluctuating arps of the album prove a rewarding home listening experience tied together fluently as a conceptual whole. No mean feat to accomplish when you consider the long player form is arguably a dying breed in modern music culture where tracks seemingly have such a finite shelf life. ‘Still Waters’ draws on inspiration from the powerful yet fragile world around us, a lesson we should all take heed of. It is techno with heart and soul and that is exactly what we need is these dark and uncertain days.
Still Waters Remixes is out now on When We Dip XYZ – Buy here
Stars from the UK’s Dance Music sector, alongside festivals, nightclubs, and industry figures are today issuing an urgent plea for support from the UK Government that the dance music clubs & events sector must be protected and recognised as an important part of the nation’s art and culture in parity with the wider Live Music sector, to ensure equal access to support.
The call to the government comes since the announcement of a £1.57bn support package for Britain’s arts and culture sector. However, the government narrative to-date on the allocation of this support has not included nightclubs, dance music events and festivals to receive funding from this package for the arts.
The campaign is supported by a host of artists who are standing up for their art including; Adam Beyer, Andy C, Caribou, Charlotte De Witte, Daniel Avery, Eats Everything, Fatboy Slim, Four Tet, Danny Rampling, Irvine Welsh, Maya Jane Coles, Massive Attack, Mistajam, Norman Jay OBE, Pete Tong, Roni Size, Simone Butler (Primal Scream), Thom Yorke.
Michael Kill CEO, Night Time Industries Association (NTIA): “The NTIA warmly welcomes the announcement last week by the Government that £1.57bn will provide a lifeline to vital cultural and heritage organisations. But we are keen to gain assurances from DCMS and Government that dance music venues and nightclubs will be eligible to apply for the funding and that it will not be reserved purely for venues like the Royal Albert Hall and the West End. The UK is home to a rich and diverse range of institutions, all of whom should be fairly entitled to this investment.”
Greg Marshall, General Manager, Association For Electronic Music (AFEM): “Nightclubs and festivals are the beating heart of the UK dance scene; providing collective joy to millions of fans each year, providing employment and incomes for an interdependent network of hundreds of thousands of people, while contributing hundreds of millions to the economy. We call on the government to recognise this sector as a significant part of the nation’s art and culture, and ensure fair & equal access to the support offered to the wider live music sector.”
Amy Lamé, Night Czar, London: “London’s dance venues and nightclubs are the envy of the world. They are a social hub for so many communities and a key part of our economy at night, but the Government has failed to provide them with specific support or give an indication of when they can open their doors again.
“Like so many night-time venues, they have been hit hard by the impact of months of closure due to Covid-19 and are in urgent need of help. The Government must make clear its commitment to protecting jobs in this vibrant sector to ensure that London’s nightclubs not only survive this pandemic, but thrive beyond it.
Sacha Lord, Nightlife Advisor Greater Manchester: “Last week’s recognition and rescue package for Arts and Culture by the Government was very much welcomed. However, I am astounded and confused that they do not recognize the UK Dance music industry as a part of this. There has always been an elitist snobbery towards Electronic and Dance Music, however, I would argue that this sector reaches more people in terms of culture, as some of our theatres do. I call out the government, not only to recognize this part of the industry, but also put in place guidance and support to protect our venues, festivals, artists, freelancers, and supply chain. That is why today, I’m fully backing the #LetUsDance Campaign.”
Nick Sabine, Co-Founder/CEO, Resident Advisor: “The UK’s electronic music’s ecosystem is unique and wide ranging, built from a deeply interdependent network of organisations, large and mid-sized companies and thousands of micro-companies, freelancers, contract workers and the self-employed. At the centre of this environment are live events. Without significant government intervention to support nightlife and festival events one of the country’s most important cultural, social and economic sectors will be decimated forever. Looking further ahead, in a post-Brexit UK it is impossible to overstate how important a vibrant nightlife and festival culture will be for Britain to try and maintain a position of international cultural relevance in decades to come.”
Irvine Welsh, novelist & playwright: “Without the dance there’s only the drab and the dark. We were made to move to the groove. They ought to have started the funding at dance music and worked their way down from there. #letusdance”
Andy C, DJ/Producer: “Please support #LetUsDance. We need the UK Government to recognise the value of dance clubs and electronic music festivals and give them an equal opportunity to access the Arts and Culture funding available.”
Maya Jayne Coles, DJ/Producer: “The UK is renowned internationally for its Dance Music Clubs and Festival culture, if it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t have my career, it must get the recognition it deserves and be given an equal opportunity to apply for the Arts & Culture funding, in line with Live Music and Classic arts sector. This also goes beyond just a love of music, for example, with the LGBTQIA+ family, for many people these are the only spaces where they can be entirely themselves and meet people like themselves without a threat of violence and hate.”
Roni Size, UK – Drum & Bass Artist: “We have to make sure that the UK Government includes our nightclub venues, dance festivals (and all the businesses & artists involved) in its financial support plans. Clubs are being forgotten and the discussion on festivals remains unclear. WE NEED YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT! I want to see you back on the dance floor soon.”
Supporting Info and Stats: The Culture Secretary has previously said he “would not let the arts down” as the creative industry recovers from the impact of Covid-19 but, when asked about potential support for music venues and festivals on the 9th July within Parliament, suggested funding would “cover grassroots music venues, concert halls and indoor arenas……those wholly or mainly used for performance of live music for the purposes of entertaining an audience”, with no mention of nightclubs or festivals.
Dance music clubs and festival culture are a vital part of the British heritage as well as generating millions of pounds in revenue for the economy, it adds to the ever-growing nightlife tourism figures boasting 300 million visits a year across the UK. There are over 1600 nightclubs across the UK which play a significant role in supporting the wider The Night Time economy which generates 66 billion in revenue per annum (6% of the UK’s total). Festivals (across all genres) contribute £1.75bn GVA to the UK Economy annually and support 85,000 jobs.
But, because businesses are unable to operate under the current social distancing measures, dance festivals, events, and nightclubs are unlikely to take place again in the UK for the foreseeable future. Thousands of redundancies have already been made, with the potential for tens of thousands to follow this year. Until these businesses can operate again, government clarity on the roadmap for reopening safely and access to support for the arts will be crucial to prevent mass insolvencies and potential demise of this world-leading industry.
The entire dance music community, from world famous DJs to sound engineers, festivals, nightclubs and dance music fans across the industry are being asked to post photos of the last dance festival, dance event, or nightclub they attended under the banner #LetUsDance on Thursday 23rd July in a show of support for the UK’s world-leading dance music industry and its contribution to arts & culture.
Dance Music is the world’s third most popular music genre, with an estimated audience of over 1.5 Billion according to the IFPI. But, despite the global influence and economic importance of British dance music, government support and clarity on the future of the sector has been very limited.
GIGEE is a name that you may not be familiar with but it is a name you are going to get used to hearing a lot about. She is a DJ that recently stepped up to close the impressive Colosseum nightclub, Jakarta, and fresh back from a tour of Asia which saw her play at venues across Thailand and Singapore. In regards to her productions, her debut EP, ‘Reborn Pulse’ was released on Berlin’s favourite Katermukke label and shot into the Beatport Melodic House and Techno top 100 charts within days of release. GIGEE also recently released the beautiful ‘Lullaby’ EP on mobilee which soon gained some massive support from the big hitters. With lots more superb music on the horizon including another release on Katermukke it looks like this talented young artist is set for some big things in 2020/21. We caught up with GIGEE whilst still in this mad crazy lockdown world for a little chat about her latest release, what she has been up to whilst at home, and ask her a little about how she fell in love with electronic music and the scene…
When I sat and spoke to GIGEE she was catching up with her family in Warsaw, working on some new tracks, reading books and catching up with her mates on FaceTime. So I am sure GIGEE was really enjoying me interrupting her day but I thought I would begin by asking her about how she first got the electronic music bug… I asked her what was is that first grabbed her attention… “I guess that I was in high school. I was listening to electro house, finding new music on the numerous blogs online and visiting vinyl shops, digging through some stuff from Boys Noize, Diplo, Bloody Beetroots, Crookers and so on. I was always kinda different from my friends or classmates with my music taste, I was looking for something extraordinary which you couldn’t find on major radio stations or on TV. That’s how my curiosity works”. I went on to ask GIGEE if she came from any sort of musical background or if any of her family members were involved in music in any way… “Not at all. Although my parents do love music and have always had great taste, mostly jazz music, they have never been involved in any music industry sector”.
Skipping forward to the present day, GIGEE has just released the beautiful ‘Lullaby’ EP on Mobilee Recordings which also includes some rather tasty remixes. I asked GIGEE to tell us a little about the release and how it came about… “Thank you. The mobilee repertoire has been a regular participant in my sets. It’s a well-known, legendary label created by Ralf Kollmann and Anja Schneider, with massive names onboard. So it actually speaks for itself. It is such an honour to be part of this musical family, but yeah… I didn’t see that coming so fast, but I’m really grateful for the opportunity that I’ve been given”. I went on to ask GIGEE about the story behind the release, as there is quite an emotional story behind it… “Oh yeah, I didn’t see that coming as well. I have been in Asia many times before and never struggled with anything that serious. I probably got bitten by a mosquito in Jakarta, when I was touring. I’d started writing “Lullaby” just before I flew in. I ended up getting really sick and went to hospital seriously dehydrated, high fever etc. It turned out to be malaria, and I was unable to finish my tour. It made me really upset as it was my first time touring in Asia and getting collaborations with such amazing names over there. Anyway, after I left the hospital I looked deeper into the track and rewrote it. There is both sadness and happiness in it, the exact mixture of my feelings that day. I thought, I was lucky enough to recover, and that it was a sign to look deeper into what we’re all doing”.
“Do not rush things that much, try to get enough sleep, eat healthily and appreciate what you have. After all, I wanted ‘Lullaby’ to be really different from my other tracks, I wanted it to be more like a composition.”
Whilst discussing GIGEE’s productions I asked if she had a style or method when she is in the studio and working on a track… “Most of the time it comes spontaneously and depends on the track and whether I have a special brief while remixing or not. One day I feel like I have to record something that is looping in my head, another day I feel empty, and unable to develop anything special or maybe nothing that I want to share with the world. So it’s something that couldn’t have been really planned in my case”. I went on to ask GIGEE if there was a track that she really struggled to complete… “There is! I started writing it about 2 years ago and it’s still not 100% complete. It’s one of my unreleased tracks called ‘Exodus’. I don’t really know what’s happening with this one, maybe this is also a sign to consider but every time I approached it, I got a different vibe and idea of how I want it to sound but I’ve finally found a decent idea and will finish it within the next weeks”. One to look out for folks I feel! Hopefully won’t be too long until it sees the light of day.
I asked GIGEE to tell me a little about her studio space and whether she was a hardware or software lover… “Suuure! I have my 2 favourite studios where I mostly finish my tracks, one in Paris (St.Germain district) and the second one in Warsaw. I’m a big fan of Moog and Arturia gear, as well as 303 TB Roland for some techno bassline parts”. I feel many artists would agree with GIGEE on this one… she continued… “I’m mostly using Logic Pro X as a DAW, but sometimes Ableton as well. Depends what I’m currently recording. I keep saying that it doesn’t matter how massive a studio or tons of gear you have if you don’t really know how to use all the features and so on. So it’s more about your abilities and creation process rather than simply the gear”.
“Use your imagination and try to find the sound that is resonating in your head. Know your current tools and hardware to the fullest before you buy another one.”
GIGEE added… “I’m still in the process of completing my own studio but as long as I can come up with new tunes or remixes with my current midi keyboard, a few synthesizers, pioneer nexus decks and DAW software – I’m not that worried!”
I quickly snook in a question about what’s on the horizon in terms of new releases for GIGEE and thought she may give me a little exclusive but she gave nothing away but it certainly does sound like lots more music is on the horizon… “We have a few new releases coming up this summer and also both new tracks and remixes from my side planned for the autumn season. So there will be a lot of new music!”
I am sure like me, many of you are sick of hearing the words COVID-19 or Coronavirus but as we were chatting it felt right to ask GIGEE how she is coping with lockdown and what she has been up to… “Well, I got stuck in Warsaw just before I was about to move to Paris but as I mentioned before I cannot complain, I’ve got everything I need right now and the company of my family and my dog. I also have some studio gear with me so I’m trying to spend my time on the creative process and all of that, which I was postponing while touring. Maybe we all needed to slow down a bit and reconsider what is most important out there and when we should focus our attention. Maybe 2020 is one of the most important years in this process in our world… I hope it is, that some good comes out of all the sadness”. It can be easy to focus the negatives during this crazy mad time but I asked GIGEE what some of the positives have been for her over recent weeks during lockdown… “I hope the second half of the year will be much better. Anyway, yes I’m trying to stay positive and spend time in a productive way, producing new tracks and doing the legwork. We all should stay positive to keep good energy inside us, take care of our loved ones and hopefully get back to some new version of normal pretty soon”.
Whilst on the lockdown subject we have all witnessed the number of DJ live stream across the various social media platforms. I asked GIGEE her thoughts on the live stream and platforms being used for them… I think she thought I was leading her to an answer when she commented… “I’m not sure if you have anything particular on your mind or just a ‘live stream boom’ that we are all experiencing around the globe, not only regarding music and DJs”. I am a grumpy old raver so I am allowed to have a moan about the number of DJ live streams especially from some guys kitchen when he has not washed the dishes… anyway, GIGEE continued… “I’ve seen live streams EVERYWHERE, whether it was a public figure’s page or some cooking pages, fashion sites, my friends’ Instagram or anything else. I feel a bit overwhelmed by tons of it and honestly speaking, I’m no longer that much excited about any of them. It’s just too much. Even your favourite pizza loses its taste when you eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day”. I couldn’t agree more and feel many are on the same page, although I reckon I could live on pizza but GIGEE makes a great point, maybe not every day!
Social media is a huge part of any artist’s life these days, and even more so during the lockdown. I asked GIGEE what some of the biggest positives and negatives are of social media are for her… “I don’t really like managing my own social media, it’s killing me haha! I try to stay in touch with my audience and fans as much as I can and give them backstage and private stuff to keep reminding them that we’re all only humans at the end of the day. The positive side is that we all can stay in touch and updated via social media, the negative is probably the ‘perfect life’ bubble most of us are showing, focusing on the best of it and skipping the everyday problems so it may cause the impression that everything is ideal over here when it’s actually not. Lots of people are getting depressed by seeing all that, and not meeting all of the high standards which social media’s putting on us all”.
As we can see the lights at the end of the tunnel in terms of lockdown (for some of us anyway), I asked GIGEE what she is most looking forward to after all this mess is over (if it ever will be)… “Hmmm, I’m gonna meet and hug my friends and family, all of them, go to my favourite spots and venues, grab my fave food over there, just live a normal life. And I’m really looking forward to touring again, I miss my gigs and the energy that comes with it, sleepless nights, meeting new people, exploring new cultures and so on…”
It was an absolute pleasure to chat with GIGEE and we at Decoded Magazine wish her well for the rest of 2020 and into the future of what I am sure will be a very fruitful career in the industry. Get used to this lady’s work, it is going to be on the playlists of a lot of artists over the coming months!
GIGEE’s ‘Lullaby’ EP is out now on mobile and you can grab it here. Look out for her Katermukke release ‘Minotaur’ which is out on July 17th!
GIGEE is a name that you may not be familiar with but it is a name you are going to get used to hearing a lot about. She is a DJ that recently stepped up to close the impressive Colosseum nightclub, Jakarta, and fresh back from a tour of Asia which saw her play at venues across Thailand and Singapore. In regards to her productions, her debut EP, ‘Reborn Pulse’ was released on Berlin’s favourite Katermukke label and shot into the Beatport Melodic House and Techno top 100 charts within days of release. GIGEE also recently released the beautiful ‘Lullaby’ EP on mobilee which soon gained some massive support from the big hitters. With lots more superb music on the horizon including another release on Katermukke it looks like this talented young artist is set for some big things in 2020/21. We caught up with GIGEE whilst still in this mad crazy lockdown world for a little chat about her latest release, what she has been up to whilst at home, and ask her a little about how she fell in love with electronic music and the scene…
When I sat and spoke to GIGEE she was catching up with her family in Warsaw, working on some new tracks, reading books and catching up with her mates on FaceTime. So I am sure GIGEE was really enjoying me interrupting her day but I thought I would begin by asking her about how she first got the electronic music bug… I asked her what was is that first grabbed her attention… “I guess that I was in high school. I was listening to electro house, finding new music on the numerous blogs online and visiting vinyl shops, digging through some stuff from Boys Noize, Diplo, Bloody Beetroots, Crookers and so on. I was always kinda different from my friends or classmates with my music taste, I was looking for something extraordinary which you couldn’t find on major radio stations or on TV. That’s how my curiosity works”. I went on to ask GIGEE if she came from any sort of musical background or if any of her family members were involved in music in any way… “Not at all. Although my parents do love music and have always had great taste, mostly jazz music, they have never been involved in any music industry sector”.
Skipping forward to the present day, GIGEE has just released the beautiful ‘Lullaby’ EP on Mobilee Recordings which also includes some rather tasty remixes. I asked GIGEE to tell us a little about the release and how it came about… “Thank you. The mobilee repertoire has been a regular participant in my sets. It’s a well-known, legendary label created by Ralf Kollmann and Anja Schneider, with massive names onboard. So it actually speaks for itself. It is such an honour to be part of this musical family, but yeah… I didn’t see that coming so fast, but I’m really grateful for the opportunity that I’ve been given”. I went on to ask GIGEE about the story behind the release, as there is quite an emotional story behind it… “Oh yeah, I didn’t see that coming as well. I have been in Asia many times before and never struggled with anything that serious. I probably got bitten by a mosquito in Jakarta, when I was touring. I’d started writing “Lullaby” just before I flew in. I ended up getting really sick and went to hospital seriously dehydrated, high fever etc. It turned out to be malaria, and I was unable to finish my tour. It made me really upset as it was my first time touring in Asia and getting collaborations with such amazing names over there. Anyway, after I left the hospital I looked deeper into the track and rewrote it. There is both sadness and happiness in it, the exact mixture of my feelings that day. I thought, I was lucky enough to recover, and that it was a sign to look deeper into what we’re all doing”.
“Do not rush things that much, try to get enough sleep, eat healthily and appreciate what you have. After all, I wanted ‘Lullaby’ to be really different from my other tracks, I wanted it to be more like a composition.”
Whilst discussing GIGEE’s productions I asked if she had a style or method when she is in the studio and working on a track… “Most of the time it comes spontaneously and depends on the track and whether I have a special brief while remixing or not. One day I feel like I have to record something that is looping in my head, another day I feel empty, and unable to develop anything special or maybe nothing that I want to share with the world. So it’s something that couldn’t have been really planned in my case”. I went on to ask GIGEE if there was a track that she really struggled to complete… “There is! I started writing it about 2 years ago and it’s still not 100% complete. It’s one of my unreleased tracks called ‘Exodus’. I don’t really know what’s happening with this one, maybe this is also a sign to consider but every time I approached it, I got a different vibe and idea of how I want it to sound but I’ve finally found a decent idea and will finish it within the next weeks”. One to look out for folks I feel! Hopefully won’t be too long until it sees the light of day.
I asked GIGEE to tell me a little about her studio space and whether she was a hardware or software lover… “Suuure! I have my 2 favourite studios where I mostly finish my tracks, one in Paris (St.Germain district) and the second one in Warsaw. I’m a big fan of Moog and Arturia gear, as well as 303 TB Roland for some techno bassline parts”. I feel many artists would agree with GIGEE on this one… she continued… “I’m mostly using Logic Pro X as a DAW, but sometimes Ableton as well. Depends what I’m currently recording. I keep saying that it doesn’t matter how massive a studio or tons of gear you have if you don’t really know how to use all the features and so on. So it’s more about your abilities and creation process rather than simply the gear”.
“Use your imagination and try to find the sound that is resonating in your head. Know your current tools and hardware to the fullest before you buy another one.”
GIGEE added… “I’m still in the process of completing my own studio but as long as I can come up with new tunes or remixes with my current midi keyboard, a few synthesizers, pioneer nexus decks and DAW software – I’m not that worried!”
I quickly snook in a question about what’s on the horizon in terms of new releases for GIGEE and thought she may give me a little exclusive but she gave nothing away but it certainly does sound like lots more music is on the horizon… “We have a few new releases coming up this summer and also both new tracks and remixes from my side planned for the autumn season. So there will be a lot of new music!”
I am sure like me, many of you are sick of hearing the words COVID-19 or Coronavirus but as we were chatting it felt right to ask GIGEE how she is coping with lockdown and what she has been up to… “Well, I got stuck in Warsaw just before I was about to move to Paris but as I mentioned before I cannot complain, I’ve got everything I need right now and the company of my family and my dog. I also have some studio gear with me so I’m trying to spend my time on the creative process and all of that, which I was postponing while touring. Maybe we all needed to slow down a bit and reconsider what is most important out there and when we should focus our attention. Maybe 2020 is one of the most important years in this process in our world… I hope it is, that some good comes out of all the sadness”. It can be easy to focus the negatives during this crazy mad time but I asked GIGEE what some of the positives have been for her over recent weeks during lockdown… “I hope the second half of the year will be much better. Anyway, yes I’m trying to stay positive and spend time in a productive way, producing new tracks and doing the legwork. We all should stay positive to keep good energy inside us, take care of our loved ones and hopefully get back to some new version of normal pretty soon”.
Whilst on the lockdown subject we have all witnessed the number of DJ live stream across the various social media platforms. I asked GIGEE her thoughts on the live stream and platforms being used for them… I think she thought I was leading her to an answer when she commented… “I’m not sure if you have anything particular on your mind or just a ‘live stream boom’ that we are all experiencing around the globe, not only regarding music and DJs”. I am a grumpy old raver so I am allowed to have a moan about the number of DJ live streams especially from some guys kitchen when he has not washed the dishes… anyway, GIGEE continued… “I’ve seen live streams EVERYWHERE, whether it was a public figure’s page or some cooking pages, fashion sites, my friends’ Instagram or anything else. I feel a bit overwhelmed by tons of it and honestly speaking, I’m no longer that much excited about any of them. It’s just too much. Even your favourite pizza loses its taste when you eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day”. I couldn’t agree more and feel many are on the same page, although I reckon I could live on pizza but GIGEE makes a great point, maybe not every day!
Social media is a huge part of any artist’s life these days, and even more so during the lockdown. I asked GIGEE what some of the biggest positives and negatives are of social media are for her… “I don’t really like managing my own social media, it’s killing me haha! I try to stay in touch with my audience and fans as much as I can and give them backstage and private stuff to keep reminding them that we’re all only humans at the end of the day. The positive side is that we all can stay in touch and updated via social media, the negative is probably the ‘perfect life’ bubble most of us are showing, focusing on the best of it and skipping the everyday problems so it may cause the impression that everything is ideal over here when it’s actually not. Lots of people are getting depressed by seeing all that, and not meeting all of the high standards which social media’s putting on us all”.
As we can see the lights at the end of the tunnel in terms of lockdown (for some of us anyway), I asked GIGEE what she is most looking forward to after all this mess is over (if it ever will be)… “Hmmm, I’m gonna meet and hug my friends and family, all of them, go to my favourite spots and venues, grab my fave food over there, just live a normal life. And I’m really looking forward to touring again, I miss my gigs and the energy that comes with it, sleepless nights, meeting new people, exploring new cultures and so on…”
It was an absolute pleasure to chat with GIGEE and we at Decoded Magazine wish her well for the rest of 2020 and into the future of what I am sure will be a very fruitful career in the industry. Get used to this lady’s work, it is going to be on the playlists of a lot of artists over the coming months!
GIGEE’s ‘Lullaby’ EP is out now on mobile and you can grab it here. Look out for her Katermukke release ‘Minotaur’ which is out on July 17th!
Tim Green’s ability to effortlessly manoeuvre and experiment across the spectrum of electronic music has never been more evident than it is today when he is not only an artist that has found comfort in his own sound but he also delivers that sound with a consistent and devastating accuracy. Whether putting out reverberating house and techno that sends dance floors into a frenzy or writing radio-friendly alternative pop music under the moniker Invisible Minds, his work is always stamped with fearlessness and undeniable quality.
I was lucky enough to grab some time with Tim Green whilst he was on lockdown. When I spoke to Tim he had just finished cooking in the kitchen and informed me he was very far into a remix for Fur Coat which is something I know fans of Tim Green will be very happy to hear, me being one of those very fans. I asked Tim what was it that first got his attention in regards to electronic music? “Daft Punk! Their Discovery album had just come out and it completely blew me away. I was never listening to electronic music before this, mainly Rock, Jazz, Folk, Pop, Classical – but mostly guitar based music I suppose as I have played guitar most of my life. But within Daft Punk’s music, I recognised a lot of the samples they used and knew the original songs. So it got my mind completely intrigued and hooked on how they managed to sample music and make it their own in such interesting ways”. Whilst Tim tipped into the topic of music production I asked him about his approach to making a new track and asked if he had some kind of preferred workflow… “I treat every project differently really. But most of the time I will really think a lot about what I want a song or remix to achieve, plus the direction and sound I want it to go in. Usually, I do this before I even start the project or remix. Sometimes it goes in the direction I planned, but sometimes it doesn’t. With sometimes better or worst results”.
Tim and I went on to talk about his studio and I was intrigued to know if he what his preferred studio gear was, and if he had an “if all else fails” option? “It’s so hard to pick favourites, as I honestly don’t have a really huge amount of gear. I am very conservative in buying gear, I only buy exactly what I need or want. But I guess for hardware, my original MiniMoog Synthesiser from the ’70s is up there. Plus my compressor, the Looptrotter Monster Compressor is also a firm favourite I always use and love”. I asked Tim how has his studio evolved over the years and whether he was a software or a hardware man… “Yeah, its evolved, but slowly. I really use my equipment specifically. What I own is always for a certain purpose. For example, I don’t have hundreds of synths. I just own the ones I love and always can get good results from in many different applications. I think too many people just buy loads of gear and use it for one sound, or one type of thing. Whereas I prefer to really spend years getting the most out of my equipment and see how varied I can make it produce sounds”. It was really interesting to hear Tim’s opinions on buying hardware and is certainly a good way to work by getting the most out of very little but very good hardware.
For those of you who are followers of Tim Green and his music, you will know he is a man that likes a pseudonym. His Apir alias is a very different sound to that of his releases under Tim Green and I was keen to know if we see a few more tracks under the Apir name in the near future… “Yeah, I will definitely be doing some more music under this alias. It’s an avenue for when I’m wanting to write some darker or heavier music. I have a lot of unfinished music for this project, I just have to get round to finishing them”. Hopefully, we will be hearing some of those completed tracks in the not too distant future! Whilst on the subject of Tim’s other projects I had to ask about Invisible Minds and whether anything is in the pipeline… “This project I definitely will also be picking up again in the future. For now, nothing new will come out for a while though I’m afraid. It’s always a big project to jump into. As I write and record all of the music myself. So I need to block off a lot of time to do it. But I will definitely be doing a second album or something similar”.
Tim Green’s music has evolved considerably over the years as it does with any good producer. I was intrigued to know Tim’s thoughts on how his sound had changed and also what he had learned about himself as a producer throughout the years… “I think firstly my sound and music reflect me much more now than it used to…”
“I’ve finally found a sound I feel most comfortable with and I can be very expressive now within my music… very melodic, but not just for the sake of being melodic. Using melodic ideas to really convey different emotions and feelings. As for what I have learned, I think its that I have learned to only write music that I am really proud of…”
Tim continued… “This might sound strange, but it’s, I guess, similar to what I said before. I wasn’t always happy with the music I was writing many years ago. I was a good producer and I could finish songs no problem. But they weren’t really in a sound or style that worked for me. So I wasn’t always happy or proud of those songs. Whereas now I will only write music that I’m really proud to release and put out into the world”.
Tim has just released a superb new EP on Sébastien Léger’s label, Lost Miracle. I asked Tim to tell me a little about the release and how the tracks on the EP came about… “So as you might know, I remixed Sébastien’s first release on his label Lost Miracle. He spoke to me before the label launched and wanted me to get involved on the label, for some original music and/or a remix. I didn’t have any new music to send him at that time, so I was very happy to remix the first release and help start the label with him”. Tim continued… “So I’m happy now to release some original music with him also. The a-side track is called ‘Moho’, which I wrote myself. Sebastien heard me play this in Ibiza when we were together and asked me to send it to him. He really loved it and I was more than happy for him to release it. The b-side is a collaboration we did together, called ‘Embre’. This track started with maybe a 3 min unfinished song I wrote initially, which had the main synth line lead hook you hear in the song, plus some of the drum patterns. Seb and I were sending back and forth unfinished ideas like this, so the other could maybe write other ideas to it. Then one day Seb came back to me and had basically finished the rest of the song! It was so great, as I was stuck on my original idea, and he completely filled out the song and make it a dancefloor machine”.
Over the years every producer has those tracks that are just a nightmare to complete. I asked Tim if there was any track he really struggled to complete… “Wow there were a lot of hard ones to finish over the years, to be honest, but I try to forget the hard parts and move on! I think though, recently a lot of the songs on my album ‘Her Future Ghost’ were hard to finish. I had very specific ideas and directions for the songs, so it was hard to execute them correctly. In the end, I was really happy, but it took a lot of work!”
During these lockdown times (whatever stage your country is at now) I always feel it is right to ask artists how they and their family are coping with things… so I did just that and asked Tim… “For me, it’s totally fine. I live with my girlfriend and our cat! We are both used to working from home all the time anyway. So it’s not a big shift for me. I just miss friends and family. Plus the weekends of touring and playing gigs. Its the longest I haven’t been on a plane in so many years now”. I went on to ask Tim if lockdown is helping him to write a lot more music or if he is just enjoying some nice downtime to relax… “Yeah, I’m getting loads of music finished. I really love to have time on my side. I don’t like deadlines or other things getting in the way. Sometimes the weekends and traveling for gigs gets in the way of me writing in the studio, as every weekend it breaks up the momentum of just day after day doing music. So right now I like being a mad scientist locked in my studio”. I am sure there are some monstrous creations in development in that laboratory!!!
Tim recently compiled a rather delightful mix for “ADID with Deeper Sounds / BA In-Flight Radio Show”. I asked Tim, when asked to compile the mix, what did he try to capture in the mix in terms of journey and sound… “Mainly something for people to relax to and have on in the background if they like. But equally to have playing loud and get the rhythm flowing through them! I really did intend for people to enjoy it whilst up in the air traveling somewhere. I like to have that perspective in mind whilst doing the mix”. You can check out the mix below…
Those of you that have listened to the mix about will have heard a track Tim played which is a collaboration with Gorje Hewek & Izhevski. I asked Tim when we can expect to see this track released… “It will be out a little later this year! It will be released with another song and collaboration between the three of us also. Not sure of the specific date yet, but it will be out on their wonderful new label called Ruvenzori”. Keep your eye out for this release folks, it is a stunner! If we include this and a few that we have not mentioned, Tim has a number of collabs due out over 2020. I asked Tim if collaborations are something he loves to do? “Yeah, I love doing this! Now more than ever, because I’m collaborating now with people who’s music inspires me and makes my music better! It’s also a lovely blend of sounds when different styles and moods go together and blend into something new and original”.
As I drew the interview to a close with Tim I asked him about what he is most looking forward to when this lockdown ends and his answer is one I think we can all relate to… “Drinking outside with my friends again!!”
Before we parted ways Tim left me with a little gem of a quote from Stewart Copland of The Police… “When you get where you are going, the ride is over”. Tim added, “so remember to enjoy the ride. For me, it is some great advice which I always try to remember for myself and to give to others as well”.
For now, this ride with Tim has come to an end and it certainly was great to chat with him about his music. I would like to wish Tim all the best for 2020 and I cannot wait to hear lots more music from the Tim Green studio.
I hope you all enjoyed the interview and I would like to thank you for taking to time to read it.
You can buy Sébastien Léger & Tim Green’s ‘Moho’ EP on Lost Miracle here.
