Skopje, Marcedonia has played host to some of Europes most infamous clandestine music assaults in recent years, effortlessly fullfilling the criteria thats required to manufacture precocious artists and this weeks guest is direct evidence of it. From actively absorbing the foundations of music theory from a young age, hes engineered an ecclectic acoustic artery thats been integral to the succeses of the Djibouti EP in 2009, in turn cementing his position firmly amoungst the Dogmatik dynasty. This event transpired concurrently with the founding of his own imprint, Argumento Music Group, alongside Aleksandar & Darko.

Pausing to reflect, the majority of the electronic populace would feel as though they were nearing consummation, though its his approach to personal development and an impetus thats aligned with acidic progress thats directly facilitated the forthcoming material on Tangible Assets – an introduction to the chaotic summer thats now on Europes doorstep.

Stojche orchestrates the illustration we’ve conceptualised that doubles as this weeks broadcast.

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Kn:  Lets start by reflecting back to your late teenage years growing up within the music scene of Skopje.  What defining moments inspired you during that period that directly impacted and shaped the artist you’ve become today?

S:  Definitely the underground techno scene in Skopje initiated my inspiration.  There were countless parties back in the day happening every week in different venues.  The godfathers of Techno like Derrick May, KMS, Carl Craig were regular guests here.  I was impressed by the fact of how the dj art can control the senses and the emotions of such a large group of people.  I guess that fact had a major impact on what I’m doing today.

Kn:  The production quality of your records suggests an approach to sound design that is meticulous.  Was there a defining moment when things catalysed for you in the studio?

S:  When I started learning how to produce, it took me a lot of time, and I’m still learning new things and sharing experiences with friends everyday.  My friend Darko introduced me to the basics and from there on I had to invest more in the learning process of the actual music theory.  My uncle is a professional musician, so I took some time with him in the process of learning the scales, harmony and chord progressions until I was confident enough with the process.  I then began the process of sending out demos to record labels, once I was happy with the level of maturity contained in my records.

Kn:  Looking back, the release of your Djibouti EP in 2009 on Dogmatik presented an undeniable magic.  It also marked another turning point in your career.  Can you tell us how that particular release effected your own evolution, and what have you taken from it and adapted to your approach today?

S:  Dogmatik records definitely opened a new chapter in my career and I’m glad that I’m a member of the Dogmatik family.  My 1st record on the label received a tremendous amount of support and was a regular spin-out in the boxes of a lot of djs.  From there, the relationship has been constant and as a result of my releases on Dogmatik, I have received extra work for many other projects.

Kn:  Argumento Music Group was also cofounded in the same year, and represents a number of strong releases.  Tell us how the opportunity came about and the importance that Argumento has to the region and the local music scene?

S:  My partners and I (Aleksandar & Darko) came up with the idea of building up a platform that is going to give us the opportunity to spread the music that we believe is worth being heard and played.  We started to collaborate with people from the region (Kink, Regen, Marko Nastic, Subotic) that already gave their contributions for the label and also guys like Franklin De Costa, Alex Arnout, Ryo Murakami, Bearweasel, Anton Zap etc; all artist’s who’s music we respect, and who we believe have impressive catalogues to date.  We keep searching for new music and new artists to bring on board in the future.

Kn:  Artist’s have something more to say than the music they’re making. ‘Tangible Assets’ is your latest endeavor as a label owner.  What was the impetus in setting up a new ‘vinyl only’ platform and what vision do you have for the labels future development?

S:  The idea came out spontaneously.  I felt that I needed a solo platform to express myself deeper.  I didn’t want to compromise on sound anymore and I wanted to share those ideas with people that are still playing the vinyl format and have enormous amount of passion and love for it.  Tangible Assets works without any kind of promotion.  There is a limited amount of pressed records, so being vinyl only (as with most of the music I buy) it’s a fresh and interesting method for me.  Somehow I’m more emotionally linked to my records than the digital stuff.  And I’m really doing this just for the love of music.

Kn:  The forthcoming release on Tangible Assets showcases another extension and sound of your persona.  Is your production approach toward each project/label one that requires a change of mindset or does it all distill into one subconscious move?  And what does this second release represent for you, both musically and personally?

S:  My production approach is the same for each project.  There is no specific criteria.  I want to keep pushing my sound with every opportunity.  Yeah, the second release on Tangible Assets was a similar process as the first release; distilled from a subconscious move.  I’m always keen on bringing various moods, themes, drums and melodies to one piece of vinyl.  I’m driven by the feeling in any given moment in time.  By listening and playing this release over and over it’s obvious where my influences are coming from.  I was always influenced by the Detroit Techno, Chicago House, the Dub Techno etc.  I’m always trying to combine all these various influences in my personal creative manner.

Kn:  Culminating all your prior experiences, what stands out as the most valuable piece of advice that anyone has gifted you?

S:  Be yourself, follow your heart, do what you feel is right.  Don’t ever try to steal or copy someone else’s work, because it is going to turn out that you are just a cheap copy without any proper value!

Kn:  As the electronic music world broadens, so too does the ecosystem in which it operates.  As a label owner, what exciting possibilities or opportunities do you see emerging in the future for our music?

S:  It is a great phenomenon that a lot of new young guys are getting involved.  Also some of my heroes from the start when I got involved are still doing a great job.  I think that the hyper production of tracks today is setting up higher norms in terms of quality of music, that is, if someone wants to breakthrough.  The industry is craving hard work, uniqueness, personality, timeless tracks and soul rather than just bongos and loops.  So, I like it this way because I see a bigger challenge when I’m in the studio.  The same for Argumento, we’ve created a network of people that we believe is a strong team behind the label to contribute in reaching our objectives.

Kn:  As we move forward toward the European summer, whats on the horizon in terms of releases, studio time, the labels and events?…and stepping away from music momentarily, are there any burning ambitions that need to be satisfied along the way?

S:  Big studio action will be going on during the summer, I’ll be working on new material for Tangible Assets, preparing the new Argumento releases, and will be playing again at Exit Festival, some european gigs, some local gigs……and when we step away from music, I’m a big football fan.  I want to see a much stronger Manchester United next season.  I’m a huge fan of Man Utd.  This week I saw the title ambitions fading away for United.  My booking agent Tom Craven (Illusion Recordings) is from Manchester, also a UTD fella, I want to celebrate the 20th title at Old Trafford together with him and the rest of the Red devils.

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Links:

Soundcloud  //  Facebook  // Juno

Bookings:

info [at] theillusionagency.com

 
This weeks interview guest has been redefining and envisaging his own take on this scene for some 15 years and it has taken an unorthodox methodology in both the visual and sonic worlds to make a difference. It is these risks and digressions that excogitate work as opposed to linear approaches. It’s been this source of afflatus, and a lifetime of musical exposure, from minimal psychedelic house to classical piano and percussions, which has seen him assume the role as founder of Mean Records and Serialism.

Most artists would probably be content with their achievements if they were to claim the aforementioned paragraph as their own, though it’s only a prelude to varying expansive projects – entertaining a correlation between cultural distinctions in said affair will most certainly resonate in our own pursuits. His touring life seems far from finite so grabbing him from his schedule has been a success in itself.

The year ahead for Cesare Marchese (aka Cesare vs Disorder) will surely surpass expectations.

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Kn:  You established the ‘Mean’ label in 2006 as an outlet for intelligent, boundary pushing house and techno.  Its sister label, ‘Serialism’ was brought to life a year later.  What initially fuelled you to start each label respectively?  And looking back now, would you say both labels are comfortably traveling along their paths as initially intended?

Cvd:  The idea behind Mean records started in 2005; I was playing at local East London club alongside my partner Alejandro Ross (aka Rudolf).  Our sound was pretty different from the main hype at the time especially in the UK capital where Electro House, Progressive and Breakbeat were much more common.  We were experimenting, going more for mind psychedelic journeys inspired by labels like Perlon, Contexterrior, Vakant, Spectral, Dumb Unit, Cadenza, Musik Krause, that at that time weren’t so popular yet..

After years of studying and working on music, I decided it was the right moment to release some of my work (followed by Rudolf’s and then by other talented close friends like Ollie Silva aka Canary Fontaine), but I wasn’t yet confident enough to send my music to the labels I was in love with, and Mean was born.  I didn’t have a precise direction in mind, it was just all very natural, going alongside with my productions that were developing slowly with no pressure behind.

Serialism followed a couple of years later (when I met Stefano Pellegrini who is now actually living in Sydney) with a totally different goal… to seduce the dancefloor with slightly more classic sounds of Techno, House and Deep House, with a more dj-friendly structure, but leaving the door opened to experimentation and uniqueness…

I would say that now the labels are travelling on a next level since then, thanks to my accumulated experience and the help of friends and colleagues along the path.

Kn:  Serialism combines the use of visual arts with each release in the form of a video clip.  Tell us about the ideology and importance of having a visual reference to the product?  As you project yourself into the future, what further aspirations do you hold?

Cvd:  I’m a visual artist myself.  I’ve also studied Fine Arts, Design and Moving image (working also with video games and 3d design at a certain point in my life), apart from music, of course.  I was always intrigued by the strong connection between sound and image.  And it is no coincidence that my sister Federica and my girlfriend Fernanda are also very talented artists.  The fact that they become very good friends and started to work together on the image of my labels was instead a kind of luck for me, not having the time to follow full time the branding of the projects.

After months of preparation and brainstorming we started to create together videos for each release, False Manners was born and together with Mean and Serialism (and other artists friends) we created a series of pieces that helped to build up the whole image of the projects.

At the moment I’m travelling a lot worldwide and the new idea is to incorporate footage and experiences of my journeys into the main plan of the labels, keeping the concept of Art behind the projects that sure makes it more interesting and unique, and not only for a “Electronic music following” but also for a wider public that wouldn’t necessary buy the music itself.

Kn:  …as mentioned you place an emphasise on drawing a direct correlation between the art work and the music.  What’s your thoughts on further expeditions into other media that reflect your work cohesively?

Cvd:  We’ll try to optimise the whole package.  Our next step, for instance, after my Asia/Australian tour is to produce a kind of Music video/documentaries where we’ll unite the magic and uniqueness of oriental cultures with the futuristic sound scheduled for the next releases, making the connection between 2 totally different worlds coming together in a special way to coexist in a new dimension that is the multimedia, not thought in a classic way but in a more “exotic” way.  Let’s say like the way Brazilians treat and make Sushi.

Kn:  Combining a high creative production output with the ever demanding schedule of running two of your own labels, and constant touring, must pose its challenges and constantly test your limits.  How do you manage to meet the demands across so many platforms and if there’s any room for improvement you’ve picked on along the way, what’s the best example?

Cvd:  It is actually quite demanding to combine a high creative production with the incessant travelling during the weekends, long tours, the nightlife in clubs around the world and the office work that is behind running a label, and I’m actually dealing with two labels, that have a totally different sound, therefore need a different kind of attention, but yes, it is a challenge for me and the team.  It keeps my mind fresh all the time and I always find room for improvement; when we brainstorm with the girls for the videos, when I work in studio with collegues that have big experience, when, together with my present partner Federico (aka Onirik) we try to follow special marketing ways to come out as catchy (but no cheesy) as possible, experimenting with new ways to brand our projects. There’s always room for learnin’.

Kn:  What projects are you currently working on and what do you have coming up for your current aliases, Cesare Vs Disorder, Cesare Marchese and Queen Atom?  Any release dates planned for your long awaited Cesare Vs Disorder full length album and how are you laying foundations for it?

Cvd:  At the moment I will be touring until end of march.  Now Asia (coming back from Japan, now I’m writing from Vietnam) next step is Australia, Noumea, New Zealand, then a quick come back to Berlin for my bday special party @ weekend club after some holidays in Thailand.  Then out again for USA tour during the WMC month.

In the last few months I was working hard on few musical projects knowing I was gonna tour hard in start of 2012.  I’ve produced a few EP’s here and there as solo (my 4th ep on Stock5 that will be out in March/April), one with Jeremy P.Caulfield (out these days on Dumb Unit as Dynasty ep part2), one for Vakant and some very strong collaboration material with Inxec, with Konrad Black, with Sierra Sam (our new alias “Strangers in Heaven” that you’ll see a lot around in 2012), a couple of EP’s with Mikael Stavostrand, a EP with Walker Barnard. some tunes in compilations and a couple of remixes.  And a project I started a long time ago with Cesar Merveille that will be released by Jin Choi’s Private Gold next month with remixes by Bruno Pronsato and Jin himself.

I’ve also finally finished my debut album.  I’ve been working on it for the past 2 years and if everything goes by plans it will be out by autumn this year.  I already have a lot of proposition and ideas for it, but won’t go in details until I have a final schedule, and don’t expect the usual Cesare vs Disorder sound.

Kn:  You last toured Australia in 2009.  What has changed since then in your sound and approach to DJ’ing?  What can we expect from you this time round?

Cvd:  Some would say that my sound is more complete now, maybe more friendly as my public grows daily you can imagine that 3 years are a long time.  I’ve learned a lot by playing all over the world during this time, mixing genres up in a smoother way and creating journeys that are less uni-directional and more sophisticated from different sides. I will follow the flow naturally, choosing from my box what I think will make the people and myself have a blast.

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Links:  Cesare vs Disorder Facebook  / Discogs  /  Serialism Records  /  On Facebook

Booking:  Harry Klein Booking

Tour Dates:

Sat 25th Feb :: Mean Show/ Cesare Vs Disorder Bday Bash, Weekend Club, Berlin, Germany
Fri 2nd Mar :: Electric Pickle, Miami, US
Sat 3rd Mar :: Kontrol, San Fransisco, US
Fri 9th Mar :: 813, Dallas, US
Fri 30th Mar :: Mean Show, Basing House, London, UK
Wed 25th Apr :: Meet: Surealism, Watergate, Berlin, Germany

We’re taking an unpredictable though calculated tangent this week that runs parallel to the cogent house scene our guest this week has helped establish.  From his younger years studying film in France, Anthony Collins commenced an acclivity at a critical intersection in his life, where as the majority of the populace would arguably have adopted a more cautious approach.  It’s these defining moments that characterise our creative composition and it comes as no surprise that after several successful projects, Rabouine House and Doubts & Shouts to name some the finer examples, he’s now found himself cooperatively working to further a new institution in electronica – Scissor & Thread.

Now whilst routine coordinates a passive standard that can be detrimental to progress, it’s clear he’s constructed a focus that’s acting as a catalyst in dissolving said state as far as the broader community is concerned and we’re still many years from a conclusive summary in his advance.  As a substitute, we’ll leave you with this weeks broadcast to conspire against any diplomatic interference regarding your own judgements. 

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Kn:  Growing up between New York & Paris certainly would have exposed you to two very diverse and influential musical cultures.  Were there any particular pivotal or influencing moments when you decided you wanted to become part of the electronic music world?

AC:  It happened randomly actually.  I was about 18 and had just moved out my parents house and had my own first flat in Nice, a city where I knew no one, as was over there to do film school.  I had some money set aside and purchased a pair of decks for my flat.  I started spending hours DJ’ing and dropped out of school haha… and then I discovered after-hours and the more underground house that went with it and I was hooked!!

Kn:  Your father had a Jazz Studio in LA while you were growing up.  Has that influenced the way in which you approach music production?

AC:  I was a baby when he had that studio, I have some cool pics of little me on this giant mixing desk.  But by the time I got into music myself my father had been out of the music industry for years…

Kn:  You’ve managed to release a staggering number of quality records in the past 5 years, and show no sign of resting on past achievements.  Was that your plan from the beginning or did things just evolve organically over that period of time?

AC:  There was no plan at all.  I am just spending loads of time making music, so have produced lots of new material.  Lucky for me cool labels liked the music and wanted to release it… simple as that!

Kn:  The Freak n Chic era must of been quite an influential period in your life as an artist whilst being surrounded with a crew of like minded friends in Dan Ghenacia, Shonky & Dyed Soundorom and releasing career changing material such as ‘Rabouine House’ and ‘Doubts & Shouts’.  However, things for you have developed and you have created your own imprint with Adultnapper under the title, Scissor & Thread.  What did that particular period teach you as an artist that you’ve employed into the philosophy and spirit of your new label?

AC:  The main point that I learned is creating a family relationship with all the members of the label, so that means being very selective.  That was the strength of Freak n’Chic and it will be our strength as well with Scissor & Thread.  The first two releases were by a New York based artist called Black Light Smoke, who will also be releasing an album in 2012 for us.  The 3rd and 4th releases are tracks from the upcoming album of Francis Harris on the label, with amazing remixes by Matthew Herbert, NSI and Black Light Smoke.  In 2012 we will be developing new talented artists that we have discovered, very excited to get all this music out, you can’t imagine!

Kn:  In an ever-expanding market, musical longevity and producing a timeless product is something that’s difficult to achieve, yet these characteristics can be attributed to your work.  Do you ever look back and draw inspiration from your own accomplishments?  And does this influence you in terms of how you decide to move forward?

AC:  I just think the way to go is really to try to create your own style.  Follow the trends and take some inspiration from it, then blend it with your own personal background so you’re always evolving and it does not get boring.

Kn:  We’ve seen new studio collaborations with the like of Ricardo Villalobos, Los Updates and Kate Simko.  Each project naturally has its own unique approach, and you obviously enjoy the collaboration process.  What new projects/releases do you have coming up?

AC:  Yeah I love collabs, as the people I choose to work with are people that I’m big fans of production wise.  As for future projects, I’ve got some projects in the works with Daze Maxim, Dj Melon, Francis Harris aka Adultnapper…

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Links:  Facebook  /  Discogs  /  Beatport  /  Juno  /  Scissor & Thread + Facebook

A condensed pulchritudinous outlook on anyones inhibitions arguably sets a scene for an anarchical foray into futurity, and it’s this idea that presents every artist with the ominous prospect of making a difference. It’s the lifeline that we attach ourselves to, one that we find within ourselves that ultimately results in self-procurance – this weeks guest, David Brown, effortlessly acknowledges it. If you had the opportunity to attend Fabric on the fifth of November this year, you would have witnessed James Taylor’s final performance alongside Brown, though it stands to reason that both will fulfill their reverie.

It’s been years of commitment and achievement that commenced with the EP “Bueno” [Swayzak Recordings, 1997] which brings us to this time and place. Since then, the releases of ‘Loops From The Bergerie’, ‘Some Other Country’ and ‘Snowboarding In Argentina’ have been featured prominently throughout the past decade and rightly so. The live exploits that ensued only reinforced the denudation.

This weeks special broadcast will put things right, in your own place. You’re with Swayzak.

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Kn:  You guys mentioned in the past that your friends had to give you a subtle push to release your first work back in ’97.  What were you playing around with in those years and what was going through your heads that made you slightly apprehensive about taking the next step?

S:  Mainly playing around with samplers, beer and drug types – the results were our first album + a series of 12″s but lack of confidence I guess, we weren’t the networking types and we didn’t really fit in anywhere with our sound, we weren’t hipster dj’s and didn’t frequent clubs.  We ended up being lumped in with the british tech house scene something that we were never part of, only we were british and made interesting music!  We never tried to push our music on anyone, it was a series of lucky breaks that got our music out.  Mind you, we financed ourselves and very nervously waited for the results.  We had no clue and you can see this in our first EP artwork – it’s a mess!  We mailed a copy to Laurent Garnier, he phoned up and left a message along the lines ” beautiful and moody” things started to get exciting…

Kn:  Fusing different musical interests that the both of you had would of created an interesting dynamic while you both found common ground.  Was there any particular trait that allowed everything to fall into place and is it something that’s constantly evolving?

S:  At the start our styles were different, James was into deep house and hip hop, I was into ambient and Joy Division, but we worked well together – he brought the funk I brought the darkness.  We both went to the same gigs and drank in the same pubs, we were best mates really linked by our music work.  He would be cutting up beats, I would drop the basslines but after a while the roles reversed.  I used to sample Cocteau Twins, he would sample Bob James so it was an odd mix!

Kn:  …and on that note you’ve incorporated the use of vocals more than once or twice, something others perhaps shy away from.  You both seem to know how to do it right, so where do you think this originated from and what thought processes are involved as opposed to that natural instrument being absent?

S:  Listening to pop music since we were kids, Top Of The Pops etc.  We got a bit bored doing instrumental stuff and chance meetings with a couple of singers got us thinking.  Kirsty Hawkshaw was great, Cassy too, Klaus Kotai, a Berlin legend but I don’t know where he is now!  Richard Davis is “the” voice!  We just told them all – do what you like, we don’t produce that way…

Kn:  On the topic of evolution, how do you feel things have panned out as far as your personal growth is concerned?  If you could reflect on one or two things for us that played a part in who you are now, what would it/they be?  (It’s a pretty broad and deep concept so feel free to go off on your own tangent, that’d be great!)

S:  My belly has grown, my face has fattened, I think I am a better producer and have a good ear for a tune and a ear full of tinnitus too, a better knowledge of music.  I learned a lot not from magazines or youtube but from experience on the road and in the studio and that is important, it’s vital to gain experience.  I didn’t know how to mix records, some would say I still don’t, but fuck em it’s about the music you play and the feeling you create!  That’s not something you learn out of a magazine.  I don’t really listen to digital releases which I could get for free but prefer to support the artist / label by buying their records.  I shop and this is an important point – we need records, we need shops.  I don’t mind others playing digital, that’s just progress but I love vinyl so if it’s not on vinyl I don’t play!  Production wise, I have been taking my time to come back with some strong music, and that’s what it’s about…

Kn:  Not many artists have released several quality long players over the years so it must always be a challenge conjuring up the next project.  What’s in the pipeline, or perhaps more importantly, what would you like to venture into that isn’t a realisation as of yet?

S:  2 new albums next year I think but its been 5 years since our last so in fact this is a new dawn for Swayzak.  My partner quit the music industry so I am solo now but not afraid.  I have been taking time over this, it’s about interesting people with good music, not fodder that is big for 5 minutes.  Some killer new tracks with my friend Richard Davis coming too…

 
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Links: Facebook / Beatport / Construct Industries

 
After headlining one of Australia’s more successful festivals in the form of Subsonic, our interview guests have left a lasting impression we’d like to think, one that’s naturally mutated from the earlier incarnations of Son Kite and Trimatic.  Key components of improvisation, meditation and consistent faith have been integral in their successes – appearances on Cocoon, KNM and mule electronic is more than reasonable evidence.  That’s of course all prior to their upcoming 12″ on Traum as well as the heavily anticipated relapses into the discourse of an aforementioned alias.

Their perspective on life should be something that’s admired, and in their own words, life should most certainly dance through you.  We couldn’t agree more.  Sebastian Mullaert and Marcus Henriksson are the clandestine soliders that configure the front that is Minilogue.

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Kn:  You’ve previously mentioned that you draw influences from both the techno and trance scenes alike.  What in particular influences the Minilogue sound, and in retrospect have there been any special moments that have played a major role in influencing the development of your sound to date?

M:  We might have mentioned that we draw influence from trance and techno.  But that was before… and everything is changing and developing.  We get older and grow as human beings so I would now answer that life and this universe is inspiring us now. A major change in influence and development was when we started to feel more and think less… we started to “jam” and improvise everything instead of planning what to do.  Our daily meditation has made a big difference in our music as well.

Kn:  You’re currently managing two very different projects; Imps and Minilogue.  Would you care to explain the differences for those who don’t know and how does the production process vary for both projects?  What’s coming up in the future for these two projects?

M:  IMPS was a project we started together with two friends from Melbourne, Ian and Phillip alias Decoy.  They came to Sweden a few years ago and we had a jam session together.  We made an album out of the session and released it on Mule records.  Very improvised and jazzy sound to it… with no goals in mind.  We don’t have anything new coming with this project… yet… but who knows! Minilogue is our own main project (Sebastian and Marcus) and we make everything under this name… techno, house, ambient, jazz… well… music.  We’re releasing a new album with Minilogue next year… hopefully beginning of next year.  We also have a new 12″ release on Traum Schallplatten in January.

Kn:  Minilogue encompasses a depth in musical ideas that seem creatively free, as displayed on the Animals album released on Cocoon in 2008.  From dance floor oriented organic techno to lush ambient electronica, how do these very different sounds intertwine with your own thoughts on the ongoing mission as a single entity?

M:  Nowadays we’re trying not to think so much and feel and experience things instead.  So when we feel inspired and creative we sometimes use this creative energy and put it into music without thinking what to do with it… just letting the energy flow through us! In this way we never really know what is coming out… and that’s soooo nice!!!  It’s still us as an single entity but with a more diverse outcome.

Kn:  Your own imprint under the same name was set up as a concept label where you freely release your own material.  So far we’ve seen great releases from the label which adopts a pre digital philosophy, whereby labels used to release both A side and a deeper B side track.  Tell us about the decision to stick to such a risky format?  Any new releases we should be looking out for?

M:  It is like you say… a concept label where we’re free to release whatever we like without thinking of sales and profit.  We only print a limited amount and make it more of an art thing than a traditional label thing.  In this way we don’t feel any risk since we’re not looking for profit.  If we’re not looking for gain there will be no pain.  At the moment we don’t have any new release planned… we’re putting all our energy into the new album.

Kn:  You’ll be returning to a European winter after leaving Australia.  Is the quieter period of this season a time where you focus on different aspects of your lives and sound and is there anything in particular that you want to accomplish before the curtains of summer 2012 are drawn?

M:  We’re moving away from the future driven way of living since we believe this is something that distances us from life, what is now is never away and we believe our purpose is to meet what is now as honest as we can.  When we get back home we’ll share some time in the studio together and finalize the last parts of our new Minilogue and Son Kite album, after that we don’t really know.

Kn:  You’ve just played the Subsonic Music Festival, just north of Sydney.  An outdoor event that’s perfectly conducive to the deep hypnotic techno sound of Minilogue.  How did you perform in terms of the live construct?  Surely there must be a level of improvisation going on between the both of you when you play live? Are you showcasing any new material for your Australian tour?

M:  It was an amazing festival and we had a super great time while playing.  Our liveset is pure improvisations, we have prepared a way of playing that enables us to create new soundscapes and rhythms while we’re playing, working to get into this very moment; creating a possibility for the people dancing to the music to move into the present moment; the only place where a deep experience can take place.  This is the main reason why we play live.

Let life dance thru you!

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Links:  Minilogue  /  Beatport  /  Facebook

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A few more words worth hearing from Minilogue at Mutek 2010…

We’ve always found a sort of comfort in confiding in electronic assassins and the silent requiems that are a result of their pursuits, perhaps none more so than our broadcast host this week. The birth of his path dates back to the vibrant cultural paroxysm that was Detroit in the mid to late 80′s which choreographed a timeless blueprint thats true soul is easily recognisable in any performance or release that’s made its way from his world.

Now even though he’s confessed that much of that segment in his life has been pseudo-erased, unintentionally or otherwise, it delivered the infrastructure that supported the exposure for ‘The Autonomous Music Project’, sub explorations with Echospace/CV313 and one of the standout records of 2011 ‘Hash-Bar Loops’ on Soma – that’s all without even grasping the  alias’ and back catalogues that encompass various tangents.

We’ll terminate any further projections as it’d only derail the exercise of deploying the decoys that entrench themselves in an ethereal saga. You’re with Rod Modell, aka: Deepchord.

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Track List:

01. Rod Modell “Pressure Drop” (Unreleased)
02. Gez Varley “Soul Gate” (Force Inc)
03. Ghislain Poirier “Orange Brûle” (12k)
04. Giriu Dvasios “Vesu – Quantic Mix” (Cold Tear Records)
05. Grit “Ride” (mnml ssgs)
06. Glimpse & Alex Jones “True Friends” (Kindisch)
07. Itmar Sagi “Mr Bandi – Original Mix” (Drumcode)
08. Phillipe Cam “Karine” (Kompakt)
09. Merv “Melted Vein” (Dancecop)
10. Pacou “All It Takes” (Cache)
11. Female “Viva” (Downwards)
12. Mike Dehnert “Without” (Fachwerk)
13. Murmur “Mesh” (Meanwhile)
14. Scuba “Aesaunic” (Hotflush Recordings)
15. The Juan MacLean “A Human Disaster – House of House Mix” (DFA)
16. Octal “Heavy Petting” (Thule Musik)
17. Haiko Laux “101/106″ (Tresor)
18. Pacou “Minus – MLZ Remix” (cache)
19. Pacou “All It Takes – Huckaby SYNTH Mix” (Cache)
20. Orlando Voorn “Planet Ultra” (Cache)
21. Mark Ernestus “Meets BBC” (Honest Jon’s)
22. GoGooo “Dérive” (mOAR)

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Kn:  Being from Detroit, you wouldn’t of had to look far to find inspiration around you and get caught up in a revolutionary movement developing.  How did things play out in those years for yourself and what did you take away from the relationships you forged?

DC:  It’s funny… I think I’ve blocked out much of this period.  I grew up in Detroit.  I went to school there and made friends there.  I was at the epicenter of the “techno-revolution” there.  I graduated from high-school in 1987, and went into art school after, so I was living in the midst of it all in the late 80’s and early 90’s, and it was influential.  However… not much has happened since.  It’s sad for me.  It seems like many European scenes took over the development of this music, and they have been working it since.  Detroit could have been like Berlin.  People from Berlin were traveling to Detroit in those years to study the model.  They went back with their notes and started vibrant scenes.

Why couldn’t Detroit grow the seed it planted?  I think there was too much ego and people trying to run with the ball, and score by themselves and consequently ignoring the rest of the team.  I think all the successful techno scenes were developed by teams rather than individuals.  If the Detroit techno musicians viewed themselves as part of a team, rather than one guy trying to outdo the other…. we’d have something special today.  I really think Mike at Submerge understood this, and tried this, and it looked like it was going to work for a minute, but then it seemed to unfocus.

Photo by Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre

I learned allot there, and made many friends.  Since the 1980’s, Detroit has cleaned up considerably.  Lots of face-lifts, and government grants to clean up the urban decay and blight.  It looks prettier driving through, but I think it’s more dead than ever.  In the midst of “1980’s filthy Detroit”, there was a vibrant art-community drawing from the aesthetic of the city back then.  Great things were coming out of there that were fuelled by the gotham-city darkness.  Now it’s allot more appealing to national chains and developers, but that inner glow is weaker.  I find myself wanting to go there less than ever, and hardly do anymore. Detroit’s soul has been sold.  Berlin may be there in 5-7 years too.  The club scene there that’s making it so vibrant will be the first thing to go once big-money and developers invest more in the city.

Kn:  Like your peers, there would of been one or two defining moments where you felt as though everything clicked and you never looked back.  Anything that still stays with you to this day that makes you smile and keeps true to your own perspective on music?

DC:  I think that viewing my sound outside of a musical context was profound and liberating.  I don’t consider what I do music.  Maybe more sound design.  I really never wanted to create music.  In fact… I always pondered if I was a music hater, or a music lover.  Probably a music hater.  I view what I do as creating soundscapes for stimulating higher thinking.

20 years ago, I was involved with the Hare Krishna’s.  I would chant at the temple everyday.  I loved this and looked forward to it.  It’s all I wanted to do.  I would go into the temple, and start chanting the mantra, and about 10-15 minutes into it, something would snap in my brain.  Chanting this loop over and over caused a profound positive change in my head.  My system was flooded with endorphins, and I had a euphoric sensation like floating in space.

Later, I moved away from the Krishna’s and wanted to recreate this sensation.  I found I could do it by making these loops in my studio.  A similar effect was obtained.  The looks on peoples faces in a crowded club at 4am is extremely similar to the faces at 4pm in the Krishna temple.  The Krishna’s mantra is causing the same psychological effect as a club’s sound system.  My job is to make new software to run on the club’s hardware.  This is how I view it.  I think understanding this loop-aesthetic via my association with the Krishna’s was profound for me.  I like repetition.  I remember I didn’t listen to anything but “Music For 18 Musicians” by Steve Reich for about a year.  Listening to that record intensely for a year was also profound.  But interestingly, for inspiration… I look to artists outside of the musical world.  I’m more inspired by people like David Lynch and Andy Warhol.  Not necessarily by the art they’ve created, but more by their pioneering spirit, and focus.

Kn:  You’ve now moved on from Detroit – was the relocation merely a convenience or was it the result of wanting to expand your own aspirations and vista on where you wanted to proceed?

DC:  Some people are highly influenced by their surroundings.  Others can live anywhere and it has no effect.  I’m the type that’s influenced by surroundings, and found Detroit uninspiring.  The city felt overwhelmingly dreadful.  It was really a downer.  I felt like I needed to get out before I was suffocated.  It wasn’t out of convenience really.  It may actually be more convenient to be there.  As time goes on… I actually would like to be more isolated from a metropolis.  I think a small community in Estonia sounds good right now.  Or Suomenlinna Island near Helsinki.  Actually, in recent years, I’ve become fond of Holland.  Personally, I find the people there to be most “normal” to me.  Their mannerisms and overall way of life seem most similar to mine.  I feel less like a tourist there than anywhere else.  I actually feel (considerably) more like a tourist when I’m in Detroit.  I never felt more like I was home then when in Holland.

Kn:  On the production front, understandably, you have a close affinity with analogue gear.  What’s the situation like today if we take a virtual tour of your own studio space, and what gear is still getting a work out and why?

DC:  I’m actually breaking away from hardware in favor of a more computer-driven approach.  It’s funny… many people make a big deal of the analog gear.  The truth of the matter is… I only used hardware because I didn’t have a computer.  I got my first computer 4-5 years ago.  I was never a computer person.  I bought a Prophet 5 in 1989 for $350, and the only reason it was that expensive was because it was mint condition.  If it was a little beat up, it would have been $250-$300.  That was the going price for a Prophet 5 in the late 80’s.  Back then, I bought three TB-303’s for $120.  I went into a pawn shop, and they had 3 of them.  I asked “how much”, and the guy said “if you take all 3, I’ll do $40 each”.  Nobody wanted this stuff back then.  Back then an Ensoniq Mirage was $2500 (and there was a waiting list at that price…. when the music store got them in, the whole load was gone same day).  Digital was the future.  Everyone was dumping Prophet 5’s for DX7’s.  So I had a load of this stuff because it was cheap.  It only became insanely priced in later years.  Then when all the analog gear became expensive… I started stocking up on Linn-Forat 9000’s and SCI Studio 440’s because now, those were cheap.

So anyway…. it wasn’t really a conscious decision to use analog gear.  It was just because it’s what I had.  I think if I had a computer at the time, I would have used that instead.  In the late 80’s, if I could have afforded to dump all the analog stuff and buy a Mac + Samplecell cards / Sound Designer II / Turbosynth, I would have, but that cost $5000 at the time.  So I stuck with the “junk”… TR808/909, Prophet 5’s, Oberheims etc.  In the future, I would like a studio space, that looks like a white cube, with no gear in site.  Then I decide to work on music, and take a computer out of a hidden drawer.  It’s about Zen.

Honestly, the computer-route IS sonically crappier.  It’s true.  However…. when you consider all the pluses / minuses of hardware vs. software, the plus list is 2 pages long for software, and one sentence long for hardware (sounds good & fun).  That being said… I’ve only used a software synth in one song ever (SYNTH 01 Electromagnetic Dowsing – FM7 test driven by my SND SAM-16 sequencer).  But I do plan on more VSTi experiments in the future.  But for now, I do like the computer environment for recording, wav editing and FX.  I think a computer is the ultimate sampler.  I’ve been porting my old Linn 9000, Studio 440, Fairlight IIx, and EIII libraries into the computer over the past few years.

Kn:  You’ve undertaken several projects in the past, notably conjuring up various alias’, some of which have now been terminated.  What changed on the concept front – allocating the vast sounds of your back catalogue would of meant something to you, a meaning you no longer felt relevant or..?

DC:  I guess it’s just different names for different moods / styles.  For instance… I did a post-industrial ambient project on Kim Cascone’s Silent label in the mid 90’s.  It was processed shortwave radio and MS20 growls.  This would never fit on DC.  So I guess it was more to delineate between different sounds.  I would actually like to revisit some of these side projects.  I feel like some of theme weren’t fully realized conceptually, and would like to go back and complete the original vision.

Honestly, right now I’m most into field recordings.  It’s almost all I play in my home.  I carry a small wav recorder with me everywhere, and record whenever I can.  I like playing these all day around the house while doing other things.  Like the Tokyo recordings in Liumin and the Amsterdam recordings in Hash Bar Loops.  It’s better than photos for recalling a place.  But it’s an acquired taste.  When I play these recording for friends, they don’t get it.  But if you do get it, and can start to enjoy field recordings… you really learn to listen deeply, and this is a skill needed for any musical / sound production.  So listening to field recordings can be a great training for all musicians.

Kn:  The question begs – where to from here in the broader scheme of life?  If we get the chance to cross paths in some years, which I hope we will, what world do you envisage for yourself?

DC:  I would say submerged in the art world more than the music world.  I actually always hated being considered a musician.  I thought it was way too limited to describe what I do.  I like to create conceptual sound worlds.  Massive environments.  Enveloping audio fields.  Without much regard to melody, measure, etc.  My audience has been clubs over the years, but honestly… I feel like it belongs more in an art gallery.  I love how at Sonar Festival (in Barcelona), how the event takes over local art museums.  When I go to Sonar, I never spend any time watching musical acts.  I spend all my time absorbing installations in museums.

I think as I get older, I’ll probably become more of a hermit, living in the countryside and working on music, photography and video in equal measure.  Maybe Netherlands since it’s the place where I feel the most “in place”.  I guess life is an adventure full of possibility.  We’ll see how it unfolds.  I know, thought, that I’ll always be creating, because to me… it’s the key to self-fulfilment.  It’s a purpose for being here.  It’s my contribution to society.  So I can’t stop, or there would be no reason to go on.

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Links:  Beatport  /  Booking via Apelago

 
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

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Kn:   Christian you’ve just come back from a good stint over in Europe playing at some of the most respected clubs on the planet.   Some solid achievements in such a short time. Highlights? Anything you’ve learnt that you’ll incorporate here?

CV:   Wow… where to begin?   All the gigs were super.   Thanks in particular to my lovely hosts in Rotterdam, Cologne and of course Berlin.   It was such a great time.   I met some great new people which is always a beautiful experience.   I’ve learned that music and modern travel make the world a small place and that when you truly feel what you do,  it’s a really special thing.   We’re all global citizens and Australian artists should be getting more recognition from a wider audience in our own great southern land.   Something I’ve always observed in Berlin is how we should incorporate all night take-away stores on every street corner that sell doner kebabs and cheap drinks.   They can really help an artist.   Playing gigs can make you hungry.

Kn:   How does the scene over there juxtapose with not just Melbourne’s status quo, but also Australia’s in the context of direction?

CV:   On the topic of globalism, we are now really experiencing the era of techno tourism and easyjet raving.   I had Aussies come and high five me at the gig in Berlin for example.   Event listings on the internet are a wonderful thing but they made me realise…  where are these people back home?   It wouldn’t surprise me that many Aussies partying in Berlin or Ibiza ever go to the local event, club night or follow any artists or djs back home.   This is not just common to our country though.   It’s quite normal for artists to play all over the planet and rarely get a gig back home.   The grass is always greener to the consumer if we live in the age of branding and hype.   Some things you cannot change.   Festival flyers have logos of all the artists emblazoned over the whole thing- perpetual fighting for space really.   Sign of the times.

I understand all this explicitly but we have a choice back home and our scene is still removed geographically which really does give us the opportunity to observe and improve.   Why do we pander to foreign artists and trends so slavishly and so belatedly?   The promising young guys right now learning how to make records from youtube tutorials and how to dig for music on fashionable blogs will all ultimately head overseas if we don’t fix the basic problems here.   I really feel that there needs to be a concerted effort by everyone involved in dance and electronic music to provide the space for emerging artists in this industry to earn some coin and make their mark a little easier.   Culturally we are just not as open to new music, ideas and ways to enjoy them as Western Europe and it is that ethos we should be slavishly following.   Not just their branded, logo waving artists.   Just a thought for the festival promoters.

Kn:   Leading on from that, the Australian scene has moved towards an attitude of “if there’s not an international playing, I’m staying in” from the majority of clubbing punters.   Australia’s DJ’s and producers are some of the best in the world which begs the question – why does this sentiment exist and how can it be rectified?

CV:   Ha… looks like we’re on the same page here. It’s almost as if this question pre-empted the last answer!   I really believe there are several things at play here.   The general attitude towards electronic music by the Australian public, the tyranny of distance, the exotic scene that has emerged in Australia for electronic music and the ability of finding it’s place in the greater context of the world…. Without getting wrapped up in the super-global-branded dance music machine.   It’s a tough one.   We could rap about this for hours.   I think the key may lie in the hands of local artists and labels transcending that sentiment.

Kn:   There’s a lot of clubs that are making a public point that fashion and music go hand in hand, and I’m not talking about dress codes at the door.   I guess even the rave scene of old has always had a “common attire” associated with it, but wasn’t enforced ostentatious manner.   Is it just a derivative of societies expectations?

CV:   These things come and go.   I just recently read an article about the scene’s history in Glasgow.   Apparently the original Sub Club was apparently the hip joint for the wealthy youngsters in the 80s.   The scene in Detroit around the birth of techno was also very preppy and was a really stylized place for the middle class to dance and emulate European fashionistas.   How times have changed!   Now you get freaky messages on social media from spectacled dudes in anoraks when you talk about Detroit Techno.   When I was younger you should have seen some of the get-ups I used to throw on to get into the cooler venues in Melbourne…  heady days.   That said, when there’s a queue of people in shiny bullshit trying to get into a place blaring horrid music you have to have a giggle.   If your favourite act is playing and you can’t get in because you’re not wearing a collared short…  well that’s plain stupid.   Just like journalists need genres, clubs need trends.   Sometimes we just have to grin and bear it. Time heals all wounds they say;)

Following mixes from Joris Voorn, Pig & Dan, and Kazu Kimura, we’ve scored Kana 004 from one of the worlds best house and techno DJ’s – Dan Curtin.

A little about Dan Curtin…

Born
Some years past…
Discovered House Music
Couple more years…
Got a cat
Couple more years…
Got married
Still married
Moved to Berlin
Still there…
Making beats.

Thanks Dan!

Kana

PS. Apologies, we were unable to provide a track list for this set.