For a lot of people, it’d feel like yesterday since our interview guest found his feet at the footsteps of Amnesia, Ibiza.  Though as techno and electronica developed over the years and time marched on accordingly, he’s not only participated in the movement, he’s been a pivotal catalyst.  Furthermore, it’s given birth to a procession of heavily fortified releases which more than justified his inclusion on Cocoon’s booking roster.  Now some would argue to themselves, and rightly so, that taking a breath and finding contentment in such an achievement would put their aspirations at ease, though it only served as a direct mandate to continue a digital altercation.
 
Paco Osuna’s words and performances have never fallen on deaf ears, so it comes as no surprise our interview allocation shuts doors and sheds a glimpse of light on fresh projects.

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Kn:  Your early days playing as a resident at Amnesia in Ibiza must of been very exciting times for you as an emerging artist.  Where do you draw most of you inspiration from these days?

PO:  Day to day I was looking at what the other djs played, it did’t matter what style of music, each dj that was spinning showed me something.  It was a great experience to be part of Amnesia during that period, because I learned how to make people dance and also I learned a lot about different styles of music.

Kn:  You’ve had some big releases on labels such as Plus 8 along with the growing success of your own Mindshake imprint.  What’s coming up next in your release schedule and what plans do you have for developing the label?

PO:  Well, the schedule depends on the gigs.  I am the kind of person that needs to be seated in the studio and relaxed to produce and right now I have so many gigs that once I arrive home I don’t feel like going to the studio to produce.  But as soon as I have had a couple of days to relax I work on it;  hopefully soon I will be focused again on studio time. 

About Mindshake, the idea is to develop the label as much as possible, with parties, new artist, etc… Mindshake is like my little son and as I say before it has to grow up.

Kn:  Any plans for a Paco Osuna Album?

PO:  Yes, very soon I have in mind to work on that, probably after the break I am going to have in January and in February I will be producing a lot and I hope what I do will be good enough to release an album, but what I can say is my album is not going to be for dancefloor, maybe 1-2 tracks but not more, it will be more for listen.

Kn:  Technology has made it possible to stretch ideas without limiting one’s imagination.  Tell us about your new hybrid DJ/Live set up and how it allows you to translate your ideas to produce dynamic sets?

PO:  I dont know, my dj sets always depend on the crowd and the atmosphere.  Sometimes I do sets where I focus more on the music than on the effects and sometimes I do sets creating crazy effects all the time.  It depends on the crowd but I always try to use the technology for the maximum possibilities, because for that it was created and I like not to be obvious and to surprise people with new things.

Kn:  You had quite a busy touring schedule with your Mindshake fall tour.  Tell us why this tour was so special for you?

PO:  It was very special because I had a few people with me recording on video at all times, all the nights and all the gigs, for a project I have in mind for 2012. I will announce this soon!!

Also, every time I am in US it is very special for me, I love that country and the scene there.

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Links:

Paco Osuna  /  Beatport  /  Facebook
Mindshake Records  /  Beatport  /  B4 Bookings  /  Facebook

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Tour Dates December 2011: 

07.12.11 | BCM, Mallorca. Spain
10.12.11 | Kama Kama, Tuscany. Italy
16.12.11 | Proyecto, Guimaraes. Portugal
22.12.11 | Goa, Rome. Italy
23.12.11 | Kristal Club, Bucharest. Hungary
24.12.11 | Eventual Music 2011, Mallaga. Spain
25.12.11 | Memento Night at Refresh, Padova. Italy
26.12.11 | Pygmalio, Dublin. Ireland
31.12.11 | Paco Osuna 5hr Set at Club 4, Barcelona. Spain

 
It’s been a calculated campaign that’s defined the lead up to Australia’s Subsonic festival, and one of it’s headline artists has spent a few moments with us to discuss his own relentless pursuit of electronic fulfilment.  It’s perhaps this focus that places his perspective in a more realistic space that insists on originative reconnaissance, rather than a dilute solution that often others find comfort in.

These traits played an imperative role in securing consistent releases at Laurent Garnier’s F Communication’s imprint – a reassuring sense of purpose, surely.  Now, as we move forwards from those earlier successes he’s broadened his own expectations, that he’s solely placed on himself, leading to an eclectic foray working alongside the likes of Spencer Parker, Phonique and Pig & Dan.

This weeks interview guest, Alexkid, will provide further elaboration.

 
Kn:  It’s been some 14 years since your first release “Playground”, and having the backing of Laurent Garnier would have fortified your own confidence.  How did that moment eventuate and what did you immediately take away from it?

A:  The immediate effect was that my family understood I was being serious about making music.  Before releasing a record, your family always thinks you’re daydreaming and don’t really understand.  On top of that, the release was on Laurent Garnier’s [label] who was already widely known in France.  It is funny how your music materialized as an object suddenly makes people understand you’re serious about it.  I have to admit that my mother always supported me in my choices, but this made her feel secure about what I was doing.

Now, if we talk about confidence, I never had an approach to music as being someone who was doing the right thing.  Confidence is when you know what you’re doing but I don’t think that the opinion of someone else validates your choices.  I never ask my friends if the music I do is good.  Either they do like it, either they don’t… so, to make it short, releasing on FCom helped me, and of course it proved me and my family that I could be doing this “for a living”, but it never made me feel my music was better than someone else’s.  As an artist, I believe it is good to have doubts, and the fact that I’m never 100% happy keeps me going.  We’re all in search of the perfect beat.

Kn: …and no doubt you were heavily involved within a fresh movement in the French scene back then. How do you feel the French music environment is proceeding at the moment?

A:  Here in Australia, the french scene is mostly represented by the likes of Daft Punk, Ed Bangers, and Institubes.  I feel this is not really good.  It’s been shadowing other artists who truly want to defend electronic music.  I’m friends with some of the before mentioned guys, but I never did relate to their music.  I think it is pop, not electronic.  At the moment there’s a little crew in Paris doing amazing stuff, and also being great djs.  I would name all the people from Lola Ed (Dyed Soundorom, Shonky , Yakine, Seuil, Okain) and also people like Varoslav, Mlle Caro, Molly, who bring a fresh vision on the music and are passionate about it.  There is a bit of a Renaissance and I hope it will last.  The scene at the moment in Paris is much more interesting than when I left Paris to Berlin about 3 years a go.

Kn:  Earlier forays into Drum ‘n’ Bass and Nu Acid would have aided in a diverse outlook, surely.  How did you create a cohesive assortment of ideas amongst the deafening noise of the electronic music fulmination?

A:  Ha… good question.  I actually just do what I like, I don’t know if I am cohesive or not.  I always felt I wasn’t making much sense!  I grew up with House and Techno but started with Downtempo and Drum and Bass…  I did so because I play guitar and it felt more right to include these elements in this genre.  Now that I barely ever put any live instruments in my songs, I feel like doing house and techno.

Kn:  On a similar note, you’ve worked with a range of artists and vocalists.  How do these projects take form?  Are you proactive or is it something that mutually solidifies as you cross paths with others in your life and are there any examples in particular that have redefined your perspective?

A:  I work only with people I have a good feeling with and I leave a certain amount of freedom as I believe good music appears from collaborations.  I like being surprised and being put in danger, artistically, so I’m always keen on hearing something I didn’t expect. Though, it has happened that I didn’t like some of the results and asked to restart again.  It is important to keep in mind that an artist needs a certain margin of freedom to feel comfortable in doing something, that’s what I try to give to the people I work with.

Kn:  F Communications was your prominent base for sometime – how do you work with labels these days given the fact your work has appeared on various platforms that have their own direction?

A:  My latest stuff was with Cadenza, Freerange, Rekids, Cabin Fever, NRK, and now Desolat.  I feel that all of these have a link in common.  It is some kind of leftfield House, beat driven but a bit edgy too.  I feel this mash up represents me.  F Com at the end had too many expectations regarding what I should do and it eventually led me to release a third album (Caracol) that to me is a bit in between two worlds but not in a right way.  They would have loved me to release more “Come with Me”‘s and “Don’t Hide it”s but I didn’t want to go that way.  I always compare electronic [music] to jazz and we, as electronic musicians, are supposed to explore.  I like pop but that’s definitely not what I want to do as Alexkid.  I love putting vocal tracks in an album but I dislike that they’re the ones becoming club singles… they should be aimed at radio play.

Kn:  As mentioned, many labels harbour their own visions but those that approach it from the angle of constructing a family certainly allure intrigue.  What are your thoughts on the over all approach of newly erected labels today?  What sets some aside from others?

A:  Hmmm… difficult.  In my opinion, very few succeed to have a real image at the moment and some of them had it but lost it trying to follow a trend.  Also, and Alas, the whole digital era has brought a lot of confusion to the situation and people have lost perspective of what they should really do, and most of all why they should do it.  Less and less people are passionate about it.  A big part of the young generation of dj’s do it because it is cool to be a dj but they don’t wake up with that thing in their guts that keep them going.  You can also apply that to producers and labels.  Everything is diluted, now that it is so easy to come up with something semi-decent.  We have semi-decent-tracks- released by semi-decent labels, played by semi-decent dj’s and all the good stuff is lost in this tsunami of half-decent, generic music (not to say that most of it is pointless).

Before, if you wanted to make electronic music you had to buy hardware, spend a lot of time learning; the labels would be more picky to release you music because vinyl has a cost and djs would be more picky  because a vinyl was 8 or 10 euros.  Now, the value of music is lost.  Why would a young kid try to put value in his music and have people feel the compulsive need to buy it when they themselves download the music for free on the internet?

I would like people to do it with Love.  Thank god there’s people doing so.  Maybe some should just stop making music, if they do it for Fame.

Kn:  The Subsonic festival here in Australia that you’re participating in this weekend is going to be a defining moment on the summer calender and you’ll also be joined by other well respected artists. How are you approaching the lead up to this festival as opposed to a standard tour or club event?

A:  I’m really looking forward to this.  I’ve only heard amazing feedback about it as being a first class festival as a matter of comfort and vibe.  I have played a few times already for the guys, and they’re lovely, so I can’t wait for the fun times ahead.  I really do not know how I’m going to approach this but I will do my best to bring something maybe a bit different.  It is always a connection to the audience.  Sometimes there’s a great connection, and you can go far, sometimes it is a bit more tricky and you don’t have the exact same freedom.  I’m sure it will be a blast.

Kn:  All the effort and prolific work in the past sets a precedence – where to from here?  Talk us through what’s going on in your head space that’s dedicated to tomorrow?

A:  If I only knew where I’m headed, I most likely would be able to get there…  but I like taking unusual paths.  Maybe I will end up doing arty installations, who knows…

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Alexkid plays Subsonic Festival this weekend in NSW, Australia.  Tickets available directly from Subsonic Music

Links:  Alexkid  /  Faceboook

Kn:  There’s a number of fantastic techno artists who call Glasgow home.  How did you find your place in the thick of it all and how did you adapt along the way to ensure your own perspective moved forwards with a distinctive sound?

GB:  It was very tough to break through in the Glasgow scene.  I remember going to listen to guys like Silicone Soul and Slam and thinking the quality was so good.  I had an idea of what kind of sound I was after and I just stuck with it.  I sent many demos away to the Glasgow labels but nothing really happened.  I guess the ‘never give up’ phrase comes to mind and eventually I was recognized.

Kn:  Moving the time line forwards from those earlier days to 2008 , being picked up by Richie Hawtin on Minus certainly had an impact on your direction.  How did you adjust from a point of obscurity to the spotlight?

GB:  It was a massive surprise for me when this happened, as I was only really releasing on small digital labels at the time.  It gave me extra confidence in the musical direction I had chosen.  I was only inspired even more to produce and I wanted to prove that there was much more in me than just one record on Minus.

Kn:  From that point onwards you’ve been featured on respected labels such as Soma Records, Perc Trax and of course Drumcode.  Some producers work with a strategy of consultation which eventuates in the final product, how do you approach your relationships with varied labels as they no doubt have their own superintendence?

GB:  There were a group of labels in which I have always admired, however I never set out to make a record for a particular label.  I like to change my styles quite a lot so once the track is finished, only then will I decide where it might fit.  I set up my label BEK Audio in 2009 as a platform to release my music.  It’s really starting to grow and we have some amazing artists on board such as Mark Broom, Speedy J and Mr. G.

Kn:  You’ve had a busy schedule this summer in Europe.  A lot of artists manage their time differently, but for you, what tactics do you incorporate to ensure that not only your own studio work has sufficient allocation, but also the performances out?

GB:  Yes it’s been very busy!  On my return from travelling (usually on a Sunday night), I will take time to chill and organize my studio ready for Monday.  I will always work from 9-5 in the studio, as this is the same hours my girlfriend works.  So when I finish at 5, I can switch off, and do things completely unrelated to music.  I love this approach and it’s working for me very well.

Kn:  …we just touched on production, and with so many standardised digital tools and tutorials (I.e. YouTube) available to the producers of tomorrow.  Do you feel it breeds a sense of mediocrity or is it something that should be encouraged more often?

GB:  I like to use lots of hardware in the studio!  I feel that technology is becoming too advanced which is ripping a chunk out of the soul in music, not just in the techno scene, but everywhere.

Of course there are producers who are making great music with the new technology, however I’m a lover of rawness & unclean music.  I still use programs and keyboards which are at least 10 years old!

Kn:  There have been a lot of techno artists of late that have done, and also hinted at a foray into other artistic mediums that intertwine with their music.  Have you contemplated the idea?  How would you subsume the concept so it reflected your own work appropriately?

GB:  Absolutely.  I played in an orchestra in my youth and this kind of music means a lot to me. I’m currently working on an album for Soma Records which will showcase some of the other styles of music I like.  In each track I have tried to get my sound to come across to the listener, except in a completely different genre!

Kn:  There’s a lot of deep thinking that’s associated with electronic music for some and for someone like yourself the music has led to a successful path that’s shaped who you are.  Do feel there’s too much or even not enough analysis, not just from those who fill the dance floor, but also in your own discourse?

GB:  Never think too much about things, it will only get you into a pickle.

Kn:  Life plays tricks on all of us so I guess it’d be presumptuous to some extent to get a clear picture on where it’s all going, but are there any goals and aspirations you’d like to share with us regardless of the time frame?
GB:  I would love to continue what I’m doing for as long as possible.  I love to travel and meet different people and that is one of the most special things to me in this career.  I’m also really looking to move my label BEK Audio forward over the forthcoming years.  It’s an exciting project with many amazing releases to come.

Our interview guest who recently provided an eclectic variation of sounds across Kana Broadcast 015, has taken some time to reflect on his own ascension over recent years.  His home town of Glasgow no doubt served as a source of inspiration, primarily via industrial submergence but he’s found further cause for cementing his position as a caretaker of electronica’s interest – the move to London has opened fresh doors on both his music and personal anterior.

With a foray into film scores, nurturing upcoming artists and branching into foreign creative avenues, Andy Graham, Aka: Sei A, has no doubt induced a demanding schedule upon himself, but one he’s more than satisfied to undertake.

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Kn:  Growing up in Glasgow certainly would have given you an opportunity to being exposed to the electronic movement.  What role did it play in defining not just your sound, but yourself as a person?

T:  Glasgow growing up is a privilege for someone into electronic music.  For a city so small, the amount of great club nights that have kept on top of it is amazing.  As a producer and with the surroundings of the Sub Club and The Arches in particular, these have been regular places to listen to the very best DJ’s and producers.  I’ve always said – Sub Club is somewhere special for House & Techno.  Every week there would be a new guest and while being a lot younger you could take so many ideas and inspiration without really noticing.  With Glasgow the City itself, portrays a very industrial feel, which I think this helps a Techno/Electronic producer as well.

Kn:  It’s been a few years now since your debut album ‘Editing Shadows’, a great record that proceeded a few earlier EP’s.  A turning point without a doubt – what approach did you take to the album and what had you learnt about yourself after its release?

T:  Editing Shadows is a funny one.  It just happened.  It was easy, no real thought went into it.  It was like everything I was doing at one point just seemed to click.  The Missive crew were great to work with because they loved everything I sent so it was really easy to just do an album without much thought to it.  When it comes to the whole ‘Album’ idea, at the time it was a little daunting, but after you realise you have 12 or more tracks ready after only a few months, then there’s nothing to hold anything back.

Now, I would love to go back to that way of thinking but as I’ve grown older I’ve started to scrutinise certain sounds I’ve been working on.  I guess as well with so much amazing music out there you have to grab a space and try to be recognised but it’s getting harder without a doubt.  The hard thing about releasing music now is that everything is there one week and gone the next, so you really have to think about the structure – what product you want at the end, whether it’s vinyl or digital only and how it will be marketed and PR’d.  Taking yourself out of the producing world and stepping into the business – you can get completely lost with it all.

Kn:  Whilst we’re on the topic of your time in the studio and production, it’s been some time since you’ve collaborated with another artist straight up, Milton Jackson would of been the last?  Being in your own space without compromising is a prevalent tactic you’ve employed, have you entertained other ideas of late that could lead to projects with others and how do you personally function in such an environment?

T:  With Barry (Milton Jackson) it was quite easy.  We both lived in Glasgow so would hook up for a pint and listen to new ideas and speak about what we had planned.  After that we would both start a track and then just share ideas through iChat.  It was really simple and really effective as we were in our own environment.  We’ve got so many tracks lying about when I think about it!

With other projects and if I’m honest I have a few alias’ but with that I cannot say who… I’m doing another collaboration or ‘collective’ with 2 well known DJ’s/Producers but that is something that’s ‘unknown’ (for the time being).  There’s other collabs in the pipeline with Jacques Greene which we’ve been trying to finish for a while now but I guess pinning him down at the moment has been slightly hard.

Kn:  The move to London from Glasgow took place a year ago.  Many artists have done similar things so was it a strategic move to further your own goals?  If so what was your reasoning and how have things developed since the relocation?

T:  It wasn’t completely a strategic move but it definitely has helped.  My girlfriend was staying in London but there was also a small incline to make my way down to see what sound I could grow attached to as well.

Without a doubt it has progressed my sound in so many ways.  With everything that comes out of London, it makes you really try and create something that is different.  It’s hard to find the right balance as I want to try and cross certain genres, hoping it will all tie in at some point.  For this to happen, London is definitely the best place for me at the moment.

Kn:  So much has happened this year alone.  Looking onwards, whether it be in the imminent future on the news front or in the many years to come as aspirations develop, is there anything else you’d like to add about your thoughts on where you’d like to be?

T:  My aspirations have definitely fallen more and more towards music for film.  This along-side Electronic music is where I want to be.  I’ve written music to a couple of scripts and waiting for a full feature length to begin.  This keeps everything fresh for me as a producer.  Developing younger artists is also an aspiration and something that feels rewarding.  On top of the techno I want to have my own take on ‘Pop’ and see where that goes.  There’s so much to do with music on a whole which is why it makes it so exciting and the best thing is, I’m always learning.

Having left his Philosophy PhD studies some time ago, circa when he was submerged by a fresh movement of punk rock, our interview guest has crafted his own articulate circuitry thoroughfare which has seen his releases featured on the likes of Clink, Poker Flat and Audiomatique.

We wind the clock forward to September 2011, and as the hand rolls over midday in New York City, we’ve taken some time with one of the most innovative purveyors of minimal and house on the global touring scene.   With an imminent Australian tour on the door step as well as further releases and progress on Scissor & Thread, all the furtherance in recent years appears to be nothing more than an introduction.   Deep thinking, an eclectic venture into other musical vices and electronica paves the way for this weeks spotlight to be firmly placed on Francis Harris, aka: Adultnapper.

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Kn:   It’s been some years since your foray into punk rock and a higher educational venture into philosophy, but you now call the electronic world home – a complex mix that you’ve reflected on surely?

A:   I guess I mean life is kind of strange like that.   The funny thing is, is that a lot of people I knew that used to be into more hardcore music and indie rock ended up in electronic music.   Its just that punk rock became really commercialised in a lot of ways, with every single teen movie having a punk rock soundtrack to it.   It sort of became something that really wasn’t reflective of an alternative lifestyle or culture which is really what always attracted me to, you know, whether it be literature or philosophy or music or a different way to live or some sort of subversive culture which is something that I’ve always been attracted to for whatever reason that might be.

Now a lot of club music isn’t subversive at all.   I’d say 99.9% of it is quite trite and superficial and a duplication of a high school popularity contest, without having to do your homework.   Lots of people getting A’s without actually doing the work for it.   But there are those really special moments that are the reason that you keep doing it.   There’s something quite primal and real about it in a world that doesn’t have much in it other than mediated feelings and mediated experiences.   I would say that when a dance floor is right and a groove is really tight, there’s something somewhat pure about it.

Kn:   The move to the Adultnapper alias would no doubt have meant something to you and the direction you’ve proceeded into.   What’s the moniker’s purpose and why was it created?

A:   I used the moniker before with a couple of art projects when I was in college.   The first one was an installation piece that I did where I took a bunch of guitars and took the pick-ups out of them and put transistor radios and created this feedback loop with radio signals and delay pedals.   I would sing the top ten music videos from MTV one step out of key and it was called ‘Adultnapper’.   It was kind of a joke.

I’ve always been attracted to graphic novels and Adultnapper was meant to be sort of like a joke, a graphic novel character with this sort of dystopian piss-take on post-modernism.   Which I think a lot of people take as really dark, because the music is really dark but there’s always something kind of funny and strange about the music.   I’ve always had a sense of humor about it.   Mostly Americans get the joke and that’s why my popularity in America has been more prominent than what it has been in Europe.   Adultnapper was meant to be somewhat of a humorous jab at post modernism.

Kn: On the subject of concepts, lets talk about the concept behind the Ransom Note label and the art and literature associated with it?

A:   Ultimately Ransom Note was meant to be a part of a graphic novel.   Really what it is, is making fun of postmodern literature.   The language is extremely verbose and it’s written in this dystopian philosophic language.   It’s not meant to be serious.

Kn:   Well there’s a direct correlation with your music there.   There’s always been an element of quirkiness and playfulness in the Adultnapper sound.

A:   Yeah, I’ve always attempted to do that.   I think that any kind of one-dimensional music can be a bit of a downer to me.   I always try and have the music and the compositions to be multi dimensional.   It’s always good to have any kind of humor in any project that’s somewhat serious.   It’s the balance that makes the message all the more clear.   That’s what we were attempting to do with Ransom Note – was create this comic book figure.   It was supposed to be a full concept.   I’ve always appreciated record labels that were ‘full’ concepts, both from artwork design, conceptually, artistically, where every element of it is important.   It’s not just putting out records.   So that’s where we were going with Ransom Note.   Then things started to change for me and its pretty much come to a close.

Kn:   How do you go about tailoring each production to each label you work with?   This must be quite an involved and rewarding process?

A:   Well at this point I’m working with very few labels.   Now that I have a new imprint, I feel like I’ve started developing and honing in on a sound that I’ve been looking for.   The only other labels other than my own that I’m working with are Get Physical and Poker Flat.   Get Physical, mostly collaborations, and Poker Flat because Steve and Tobias – the managing director of superstition – are good friends of mine and I trust them wholeheartedly with pretty much everything that they do.   I can always trust that the choices Steve is making has nothing to do with trends and nothing to do with trying to remain hip.   He’s just releasing music that he loves.   They do it the right way and they take care of the artist.   The business is right, contracts are done right and I can trust them.   The older you get the more you want to feel somewhat grounded in a career.   I just want to work with people that I trust, that really have my best interests and their own interests in mind, working together where we cover mutual interests.

Kn:   You’ve mentioned in the past that you like working with an A&R strategy, how have you developed personally as an artist from this process?

A:   I think I’ve developed a great deal, not only in the A&R process.   I think in any artists’ life there are two developments that get you over the hump and to becoming confident enough to start creating things that have significance.   In terms of developing yourself, I think the biggest developmental aspect of it, is firstly, understanding that not everyone is going to like what you do and being ok with that – not being swayed by that.   And number two, being able to take criticism from people who matter – who know what they’re talking about, without being personally offended or hurt by it.   And lastly, being able to let go when you’re finished with something and move on, and understand that its not going to be the last piece your going to do.   I think when you’re first starting out, you hold onto the music that you’ve made like it’s the most important thing.   But as you go along you begin to realize that there’s different stages and you are always going to be developing and moving in a different direction.   If you’re stuck on one thing then you really not going to go anywhere.   That was a big step for me.   Being able to swallow my pride and not be paranoid about what people think – and I really just don’t care what people think, at this point.   I just do what I do.   They can take it or leave it.

Kn:   Staying with production, your new album ‘Leland’ on Scissor and Thread should see the light of day shortly.   Tell us about the idea behind the album?

A:   The album is a requiem for my father who past away in February of 2010.   It was written almost immediately.   The music was written within two to three months after he passed away.   I recorded all the instruments for it, recorded all the players on it, and it was mixed over the course of last summer, over a course of three months on 48-channel SSL board – all very organic, in a style that is the exact opposite of the trends in dance music – and the trend in dance music is ‘volume’ or I should say ‘loudness’, not ‘volume’.   I don’t think a lot of producers understand the difference between loudness and volume – “a limiter is not volume, its loudness” or the perception of volume.   We mixed everything very low, very soft and organic.  We did an experiment and did everything very soft and didn’t sacrifice dynamics for any aspect, so the album took a long time to mix.  

It went through a few different stages of possibly working with labels, but I really wasn’t willing to compromise.   In the end, the guy who helped mix the album with me ended up being the main artist on our label – Black Light Smoke – who is a guy named Jordan Lieb.   We realized we have a sound here and a concept and an idea of how we want to do things – “so lets do it ourselves”.  

We’re starting out as vinyl only format and eventually we’ll do digital.   The Album is being released as a triple pack vinyl.   Because the music that we’re making for the label is format specific.   Meaning – we’re making it analogue; we’re making it for vinyl.   That’s one of the things that I think is left out of the debate between vinyl and digital.   Music that is made for vinyl should come out on vinyl, and music that is made inside of a computer, release it as digital.   Why would you make something completely in a computer that never leaves the box and then put it on vinyl?   It doesn’t make any sense to me.   It’s not format specific.   This isn’t a judgment.   There’s great digital music out there and great producers producing on laptops for electronic music and just because it sounds digital doesn’t mean its bad.   You know, Richie Hawtin’s music is digital and its great, it’s just not the kind of music that I want to do.   A lot of the former Adultnapper stuff was digital, but now its become more and more organic and that’s an aesthetic choice, its not right or wrong.   The only criticism I would make of the digital industry is that there’s too much amateur music being made and being released because nobody wants to invest – neither in A&R or in an artist.   That’s a big element of our label, we’re not signing EP’s, we’re signing artists and album deals and investing in an artist.

Kn:   The Scissor & Thread label is New York based and you’ve expressed your love for the city in the past. Places and their space have, and will always have, an impact on people – how has it affected both your life and the evolution of your sound?

A:   I love New York!   It’s a love hate thing with New York.   The New York vibe is the fact that you always have to hustle and work and there’s a consequence to all the actions that you have.  

No decision that you make in this city comes without a price, so you get some true artists that come out of this city.   You have to work really hard, there’s no laziness, you know.   There’s no cheap rent, and hanging out, and going to parties if you want to get something accomplished.   You have to make a lot of sacrifices, but there’s no greater city in the world for musicians in my mind.   The multicultural vibe and its economic diversity produce an energy in the city that is unmatchable.

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Adultnapper plays the Subsonic Festival Launch at Brews Brothers, Woolloongabba, Brisbane on Saturday October 1st hosted by the LGM crew.

Links:   Halcyon Online  / Adultnapper / Facebook / Scissor & Thread

Last week Secret Cinema treated us to an exclusive hour of straight up Techno.  If you haven’t heard this great mix yet be sure to check it out here.  

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Kn:  Few techno artists have maintained their presence on the global techno scene for a prolonged period of time, yourself being one of them.  I guess everything comes and waves, how have you adapted over the years?

SC:  By continuously re-inventing your self.  Also I always have the feeling I can do better, which keeps the energy flowing.  Now with my label Gem Records and the change from playing only live to DJ-sets a few years back, I can reach more and more people.  And having a lot of talented producers around me helps as well raising the bar production wise….

Kn:   On the topic on ups and downs, and regardless of what creative industry you’re in, some artists deal with the concept better than others.  What do you do to pull yourself out of a “block” or what do you do to best deal with it?

SC:  Breathing is all you can do.  After I finished my album there was complete emptiness…  It took me a while to come back from that, but now with the remixes doing well and all the good music coming out, it all came back!  I realised I need to trigger my senses a lot to keep myself on top all the time.  So good feedback and people liking your music helps to keep me going!

Kn:  You’ve got some big gigs coming up, but you’ve also had time to put out some great releases of late, the Minerals LP is definitely one of the standouts.  You’ve collaborated with a few different artists on that album – how do you survive and achieve results when you’ve got different ideas being thrown around in the studio working with others?

SC:  The ‘Minerals’ idea had already been in my head for two years but I never really got it started. The best thing for me at the time was to give myself a deadline.  So I ended up having only eight weeks to make the album.  Therefore I checked my computer for unfinished tracks which I liked and also asked my friends and favourite producers to do collaborations with me.  Kalden Bess sent over some files and I finished them as I also did with Egbert.  The Ramon Tapia and Cosima tracks we worked on together and were almost finished so that was that.  The Ambient CD was done afterwards and I directed Mental Youth and myself to the deeper side of sound utilizing what we already had prepared on our hard drives.  The pressure helped to make things work between friends, otherwise it’s easy to say ‘let’s do it later’, haha!

Kn:  Gem Records has gone from strength to strength since you founded it, the most recent release SELECTED GEMS is killer.  What sort of direction is the label heading in and how do you tie it in with your own work?  Are they one in the same?

SC:  The tracks on Gem are tracks I have to like in the first place.  It’s really my taste in (dance) music.  Also all of our artists have something special that separates them from other artists in my opinion.  It’s always something I care about as well, doing something different every time within the limits of my own taste.  In that way things are similar you could say.  I can only be happy others recognize something special.  That way you communicate without using words.  That’s the great thing about our music!

Kn:  Where to from here Jeroen?  Any ideas and/or concepts you’ve been throwing around inside that you’d like to touch on?

SC:  I have a lot of ideas all the time.  The online platform will be bigger and better.  Also I’m about to start a vinyl only label with no print and handwritten numbers on it with the Gem artists.  We’re looking for opportunities to host Gem nights in clubs around the globe and give all the Gem artists the attention they deserve.  Making video’s, albums, t-shirts, tours, etc, etc.  All for the love of music and each other here at Gem HQ!!!

Kn:  Thanks for the interview and hope fully see you around somewhere soon!  Don’t forget to follow Secret Cinema on facebook / soundcloud / residentadvisor / whatpeopleplay

With the ever changing world of electronic music, from it’s production, to it’s distribution, to the club and festival mediums it’s heard in, we’ve taken some time with Alex Smoke to grab his thoughts on the status quo of digital life.

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Kn:  The sound you’ve focused on of late is definitely pushing things in a more challenging direction, as opposed to some of your peers, more so than ever after the Lux release.  A natural progression you’ve been conscientious of?

AS:  I think it’s down to your approach to music, whether it’s something that you do for a living or whether it’s something you do because you feel you have something to express.  So for me it’s just a question of pushing at the boundaries of my own musical interests and moving forward.  For others, particularly in a shrinking music market, it’s about consolidating your career and maintaining a particular musical style.  I understand both points of view, but I care much more about music than money.  I’m maybe also a little restless, and the idea of making just the one style of music ad nauseam would kill me.

Kn:  There’s a lot of music out there at the moment, some great, but the majority could be categorised as an ‘electronic faux pas’.  It’s been a while since the introduction of Beatport and it’s brought a lot of quality music to the world that otherwise would have been missed.  However, do you think the online electronic vicissitude of recent years should have proceeded differently?

AS:  Ultimately I think these things simply develop the way they can, organically and as influenced by the market and the technology at the time.  I love physical music formats because of how we interact with them, but I don’t have anything against digital distribution and all its associated repercussions.  The digital music world has led to a massive increase in people making music and people having a much wider knowledge which is why I think we now have so much music blurring the boundaries of disparate styles.  People are downloading dubstep and jazz and afro-beat and techno and then making music which contains elements of all of them.  This is exciting.  It all comes down to artistic integrity and talent, and if you have these I think you can still make an impact, but you have to be prepared to fall in and out of fashion as you make your way because the media and the public are not so patient in following one career amongst so many other new ones.

Kn:  On a similar note, there’s a strong global sentiment that retail DJ charts and the like often harbour a clique culture….?

AS:  Ultimately it is a clique culture I guess, but I think DJ charts have probably always expressed the DJ’s personal relationships with labels and artists.  In the case of Beatport charts, I don’t entirely see the point as by its nature it is limiting you to tracks on Beatport, and that cuts out about 80% of new music, particularly in other genres than just straight dance floor stuff.  There are still DJ charts out there that are informative and illuminating, but you have to track down the individuals whose charts aren’t just a list of the 10 best promos of the month and their own releases.

Kn:  Anyone with a laptop and pirated software can contribute to the world of electronic music production which has changed so much in the past 10 years.  The debate of analogue/outboard gear as opposed to the exclusively digital approach has been thrown around more times than we’ve both taken breaths.  How have you adjusted over the years and where are you now?

AS:  Electronic music as far as I’m concerned is an expression of whatever technology is around, so really I’m open to everything on an equal footing.  I’m no analogue purist, that’s for sure, and I suspect that most people ultimately feel pretty similar.  It’s all about ideas and whether you make hip hop on fruity loops with tracks you got off bit torrent, or techno with a studio full of analogue modulars, most people listening won’t give a shit if it sounds good.  Technology allows us to push forward and do new things which is important in electronic music I think so I wouldn’t want to limit  myself by only using equipment that’s 20 years old.

Kn:  There is a growing trend of digital retailers inflating costs of songs, especially high quality versions such as .Wav and .Flac files.  In some cases, these come in at half the price of a Vinyl for a single track.  How do you feel about this new music commerce?

AS:  Utter, utter bollocks.  The reason vinyl was and is expensive, is that it’s fucking expensive to make and distribute.  Once you take that out of the equation, then the cost should reflect that.  The artist will benefit very little from vastly inflated format prices, and really I think it’s just profiteering on the part of certain online retailers.  All music should really be sold as WAV/FLAC now that storage costs are so low.  MP3 was created to solve a problem that largely doesn’t exist now so I think we should start to be more vocal about demanding full quality music.

Kn:  Do you think this has had a negative impact on the volume of sales, pushing more consumers to find an alternate, albeit more affordable medium to access their music?  And, going one step further, if you were to set up a digital shop yourself how would you do things differently to attract more sales; would you set a lower price point (mp3 320 kbps vs high-quality Wav/Flac), or focus on ‘added value’ items such as gig tickets, merchandise, composition stems and exclusives?

AS:  All music now should be full quality, although if people still demand small downloads then distributors will ask for it and shops will provide it.  At the least, you should be able to get access to both for the one price.  I think it’s more interesting to provide extras, but it takes imagination to implement it.  Good music won’t need extras anyway.

Kn:  This leads us to the question of direct artist to consumer exposure where online music retailers are bypassed.  What are your thoughts on that and do you see it as a viable solution for artists/labels at all levels?

AS:  It’s a very viable option, especially for labels, where the label’s job is to sell the product.  For artists, it’s much less appealing, certainly for me.  I don’t want to have to spend more of my time fucking about online when I should be making music, so I’d always want someone else to handle selling it for me.

Kn:  You’re playing a club gig in Brisbane for the Auditree crew at an intimate venue, which is lining up to be a killer show.  Club culture has taken a big hit in Australia which can mainly be attributed to the over saturation of music festivals.  Is it a feeling you’ve picked up on elsewhere; if so, do you see it declining?

AS:  Festivals in Europe have also blown up over the last few years, but many have also gone bust more recently due to over-saturation.  A club is not a festival and as long as it can accent the difference and make it appealing, club culture will be fine.  Personally I like both things, but if I really want to get the full music experience I go to a club.  At a festival it’s more dilute, although the distractions are fun.  There’s also the fact of attracting musicians and festivals can pay more so if Australians want to continue seeing good acts, then support them at clubs when they’re in town.  I’m not being entirely self-serving when I say that! It’s just that having a healthy club scene in a town is part of what makes it alive.

Kn:  Anything else you’d like to add, Alex?  Any thoughts on your own direction and the ever changing world of electronic music?

AS:  I like to take the long view.  If you get too caught up in the ephemera of any current situation, you lose sight of the general lay of the land.  The best thing anyone can do is to stay open-minded and inquisitive.  There’s too much analysis and too much looking backwards.  Personally, I’m going to make weird pop music, bang out straight techno and compose modern classical and see what happens.

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Many thanks to Alex for putting the time aside for us.  Full respect.  You’ll be able to catch Alex Smoke at Barsoma, Saturday August 20, which will be run by Brisbane’s Auditree crew.

Support Alex by sharing this article and following the links below:

Buy his new music from What People Play

Alex’s Label: Hum + Haw

Follow him on Twitter

Link up on Soundcloud

And if you still use Myspace…

Joris Voorn Interview – Balance 14 Tour – Brisbane 2009

After the success of Voorn’s Easter Saturday appearance in 2008, Logic & Kana were quick to get the Brisbane leg of the Balance 14 tour nailed down and after a heavy dose of everything from disco, house and tech from Mike Redfern, bpm, Elliot Clarke and Fuzion, Voorn’s return appearance was set for something fairly monster.  Kicking things off with some of the quality deeper music he’s been throwing around for sometime the afternoon dynamics shifted seamlessly in to the darkness of sunset.

Three hours later we were left floorless.  The comments being thrown around and the intensity of the party rattled from one wall to the other, long after we left the venue.  There’s no doubt in our minds it was one of the best parties we’ve all been a part of so a huge thanks to Joris and most of all those who turned up!

Post-Party, Joris was kind enough to have a few words with Kris Swales, chief editor for Time Off, and we’ve attached it to the footage from the event.  Australia’s Techno and House scene definitely has something to be proud of and it’s only getting better.

See you all at the next party – thanks and all the best

Kana

Adam

Elliot Clarke might be best known to the club fraternity of Brisbane as the fresh-faced young gun who’s found regularly gracing the decks in some of the Valley’s best venues. Is there more to him than meets the eye, you ask? Absolutely! With many high-profile gigs over the past two years, Elliot has been making a name for himself in the underground dance music community, and all before the age of 23! There’s no doubt that talent, hard work and determination have been contributing factors, but others may simply attribute his success to plain and simple good luck. However, I was a little curious as to how he managed to hold down his residencies, as well as donning the hat as promoter for both Colours and Kana, alongside the additional pressure of a demanding day job.

Anyone who has experienced one of Elliot’s sets will agree with me when I say they’re always impressive. Expect them to be full of energy, featuring the freshest and funkiest tracks around (that mere laymen simply cannot find) and Elliot will keep you guessing throughout, as his style is very left of centre and far from predictable. I guess I looked up to those older guys like Aphex, Mills and Claude Young for inspiration. They played a big part when I initially kicked off. I never compromise on the quality of the music. I’ve definitely been getting in to some of the more left field deep house sounds getting around which venues seem more than happy with,” says Elliot. Bypassing vinyl and going straight to CD, Elliot’s experience behind the CDJs and subsequently Ableton has allowed him to play the music he loves exactly as he wants it to be heard. Unable to make up his mind about whether his greater love is techno, minimal or left-field house, you’re likely to hear tunes from all schools of thoughts.

As Elliot grew in confidence and skill early In his career, so did his ability to read a crowd and know what was expected. What better way to give the punters what they want than to bringing in sought-after Internationals? Not to mention bringing In a little bit of creativity to the dance scene by promoting the sort of unique gigs that hadn’t otherwise been seen In Brisbane. Elliott knows he’s onto a good thing! “Promoting has always been another dimension, creating a fresh outlook on what’s happening around us. I can definitely speak on behalf of anyone who’s promoting quality house and techno in Brisbane that we definitely get a rush off looking around seeing people having a great time. That definitely makes the effort of promoting worth it”.

In the two years Elliot has been in the driver seat as a promoter, big things have happened in Brisbane. Colours parties kicked off at Empire early In 2008, featuring some of the best music on Brisbane’s techno and progressive scene. Under the Colours blanket, Elliot claims that pulling off a gig with the likes of Dave Pham and Mike Callander was one of the best nights of the year for him. Colours also co/hosted Alex Smoke, Pig & Dan and Supermayer earlier on in the year which proved to be so popular that the Empire reached capacity very early on in the day.

More recently Elliot co-founded The Kana Corporation. The name Kana doesn’t have any underlying meaning, Instead It’s a blanket term for different types of Japanese script. Elliot launched the ‘OK Kana’ parties In September last year alongside Adam Gillett who is now based in London and pushing the brand over there. The underground parties are at secretively chosen locations, disclosed to the attendants via SMS only a couple of hours before they take place. The parties themselves give people a chance to sit back and smile about something unique every now and then, as opposed to being stuck in a club so often. The details of the party are kept pretty tight to prevent over saturation. As romantic as it might sound, for a short few hours you feel like you’re part of something that no one else has experienced. Lugging so much through the inner city of Brisbane has its disadvantages though. “I’m never pushing a bass bin with a broken wheel on to the Riverside walkway again though”, he says with a laugh.

As for what lies in store for the future, Elliot has already been a very busy beaver working alongside good friend Mike Redfern for Logic Events to plan an event – not only with a renowned artist but also creating a venue with a delightful twist. “First and foremost for Kana is Joris Voorn’s Balance 014 Launch from midday on Sunday 4th February. Bar Soma will play the host, however we’ll be creating something very different to a close crowd of no more than 200-250 people in the venue’s courtyard which will be completely transformed to accommodate this special event”. The prodigious Dutch guest Is the object of much affection on the ITM forums, especially after his last Brisbane gig. “Voorn’s energy behind the decks is brilliant,” Elliott asserts.”Having someone who can capture that rhythm without faulting is one in a million, Joris Voorn is one of those people. Having him tour on the back of aBalance release makes the event more intimate and special than what it might otherwise have been, which even then would be ridiculously hard to compete against.” As for Colours, the wait is only a week later on Friday February 13 for Colours’ first birthday! To indulge their loyal fans, Elliot and Fusion will present the musical treat of John Selway from the USA. On top of that, Elliot promises SCSI-9 on March 13 as another big party to not miss out on.

Elliot displays the passion of someone who wants to go places within the music industry. He loves his music and delivering a set to invoke similar feelings in his audience is paramount. But he acknowledges that he has reached this point with plenty of support. “Whether it’s Colours, Kana, Drop, Logic, Subtrakt or even Birdees on a Saturday afternoon, we’re being spoiled at the moment – make the most of it people!”

Interview conducted by Katie Dawson on behalf of InTheMix