Ali Herron aka OOFT! Music has been doing the rounds for years with his rock solid original productions and numerous edits. Releasing on Instruments of Rapture, Delusions of Grandeur and Wolf Music, he’s been a long-running regular at Glasgow’s Berkeley Suite, with a former residency at the notorious The Sub Club. Ali also ran the L.E.S.S. Productions imprint alongside The Revenge. Shortly to release his ‘Reclaim Landscape’ EP on Leeds label Clandestino, he has a little chat with Bolting Bits.

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INTERVIEW

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Can you tell us a little bit about where you’re from and about the scene in your city?
I’m from Glasgow in Scotland, and we have a very strong nightlife scene up here. Considering the population is only around 600,00 we have several truly great club spaces alongside bigger event locations and numerous bars which should really belong to a major capital city. We also have a whole heap of local talent musically, and I’m very glad to be part of it.

Is Sub Club still the best club in Glasgow? What is it that’s so special about that place?
The Sub is definitely still the benchmark for clubs here (and far beyond) and as a purpose-built space still has the edge. However we’re also lucky to have both The Berkeley Suite and La Cheetah which also have world-class sound systems and great regular crowds. A few years back when I was touring around more regularly one of the biggest things that struck me heading to Europe etc is that the atmosphere is really unmatched when it comes to clubs back home.

OOFT! Is it a feeling? Where does that comes from?
It’s a bit of a stupid name for sure! However it’s probably a bit late to change it now. It has a similar meaning to “Whoa” etc, and certainly befits a man of my increasing age and hair loss. Not.

You’ve been playing the good stuff since 2002. Were you a DJ before a producer?
Yes, I’ve always thought of myself as a DJ first and producer second – I was DJing locally for about 5 years before I went anywhere near the production side of things.

How would you describe your style when you play out?
I like a lot of different styles of music, but the foundation has always been house and disco, and that’s reflected in the way I select and mix records I think. I don’t like to hear too much of one thing all the time though.

Is your taste the same for your productions?
I’ve always made loads of edits for DJ use which could be any style really, but for original material I veer towards the slow-ish end of deep house with a fairly electronic slant.

Have you got a process when you start to produce?
Not really, I generally fire up Ableton and some pieces of hardware and see if anything decent arrives. Or I could start from having a record I want to sample. I have a blank Ableton template set I always start from which has some delays and reverbs etc set up but after that every time is different.

What was the first record you made?
According to Discogs the first proper thing released on vinyl was “This Sound” which was made whilst I was still learning the ropes and had The Revenge guiding me through the production process.

The first one which was all my own work would’ve probably been “Ride In To The Red Zone”

Do you still buy records? What’s the last record you bought?
Yes definitely, although it tends to be old stuff from discogs. I only really buy new vinyl releases if I can’t get a digital version, or if I think something is exceptional. Having said that I got a couple of new-ish things this week, a couple of V/A’s with this as my favourite track:

Groove Magazin · Donald’s House – 3 A.M.

What’s the hidden spot to buy in Glasgow?
I’m not a massive digger, but I have to say the Palais De Danse shop is sometimes a bit overlooked and always seems to have a nice selection of old and new 12″s.

Are you precious about what format you play?
Not at all. I play both vinyl and digital these days, coming off the back of being solidly digital for about 10 years before that and vinyl only when I started out (that wasn’t a format choice – it was the only way to get the music back then).

If you could change something about the music industry what would it be?
I have no idea, maybe push it towards having talent and creativity rather than making massive successes out of mediocre acts because they’re perceived as “cool”. But I’ve never really thought of myself as actually part of the industry seeing as I operate on such a small level.

Who do you think is hot right now?
I’ve been digging a lot of the stuff Romain Wax has been doing over the last year or so, from rare edits to original productions. Here’s one of my faves:

Is there a female producer that you rate?
Cinthie has been super solid recently, excellent tunes accompanied by tight production. As I said above we have a lot of local talent here in Glasgow so it would be rude not to also mention both Rebecca Vasmant and Nightwave who are making excellent music.

How did you hook up with Clandestino?
They were actually one of the first crews to book me to DJ outside of Glasgow, must be over 10 years ago now. Since then we’ve kept in irregular contact on Facebook etc. and I sent them some tunes which they ended up liking and signed from there!

Tell us about your new release?
I’m pretty happy with all of the tracks on this EP (which is a rare thing for me to say). The lead track channels some late 80s balearic/house vibes and I managed to get that sound across in the production. I also used some of my own vocals in there which is a bizarre thing to listen back but I’m happy with the way it all turned out. The other tracks are probably more current sounding but still have that OOFT! stamp I think.

The past few months have been colourful. From ridiculous storms, to the passing of Weatherall, from a global pandemic, to the death of Floyd George. What is your message?
Be kind, be nice. Help each other. Don’t be a dick.

What’s up next for OOFT!?
Erm, sitting at home for the foreseeable :( Although whilst we’re still locked out of bars and clubs I’ll be doing a weekly live stream from my studio every Friday from 5-7pm BST to remind me that it’s actually the weekend haha.

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Cet article Times & Tunes with OOFT! est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Founded in 1989 as a small record shop in London, Mr Bongo expanded into a record label, publisher and DJ collective currently comprised of David Buttle, Graham Luckhurst, Gareth Stephens and Gary Johnson. Closing the shop in the early 2000’s due to declining record sales and major changes in the industry, they were able to switch their main focus to releasing records as well as occasionally presenting classic arthouse films from all over the world.

Digging up lost and hard to find gems from around the globe is their ethos and it has not changed since their opening day three decades ago. Mr Bongo’s main area of concentration started with Latin music and then a particular emphasis on Brazil. Since then, they’ve expanded to a wider range of genres such as reggae, soul, funk & jazz. Their widely successful 45s series (which includes Brazil, Africa and Latin) is a testament to their hard work in finding and re-releasing old records to a modern audience. We recently got the opportunity to chat with David and Graham from the collective and ask them a few questions. Ahead of their 30th (yes you read that right.. 30th!) anniversary, they’ve also put together this fantastic 2hr mix full of Brazilian gems cooked by Gareth Stephens and Gary Johnson.

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/mixed-by-mr-bongo/” /]

INTERVIEW

Thanks for taking the time to chat! Let’s start off by discussing the fantastic compilation you released “The Original Sound of Mali”. Can you tell us a little bit about how that came about and how long it was in the works for?

I’d been working on it for around 3 years. In 2015 I happened upon the Soul Bonanza blog – a treasure chest of rare finds from around the world! One mix in particular stood out, Le Monde à Change: A Tribute To Mali 1970-1991. I have always loved Malian music, from my days at working at the record label, World Circuit. I already knew of Malian legends such as the Rail Band, Salif Keita, & Les Ambassadeurs du Motel de Bamako, but this mix was something else. Deep cuts from the collections of some of the heaviest African music collectors in the world; legends like Vik Sohonie, Hidehito Morimoto, Philippe Noel, Gregoire Villanova, and Rickard Masip. I immediately contacted Vik and a journey of discovery tracking down the rights-holders began. I also turned to the font of Malian music knowledge; Florent Mazzoleni. Florent has written the definitive book about Malian music – ‘Musiques modernes et traditionnelles du Mali’. He proposed some incredible tracks to include and provided the back bone of the sleeve notes and photos that are used in the album.

How do you usually go about looking and finding older music to re-issue, is it a whole lot of digging?

Digging is important, but you have to consider records that people want too. It’s harder to push a record no one has heard of, but we do do that if we are especially passionate about it. A good example is our Hareton Salvanini reissues. We also reissue a lot of records from our own collections.

What are some of the usual obstacles you have to overcome when trying to license and distribute music for re-release?

The main issue is finding out who owns the rights and making sure all rights-holders, labels and artists are on the same page and all are getting paid. This can take many years.

It took 14 years to get the rights to the Orson Welles film, ‘Chimes At Midnight’. Was that the longest you’ve spent on trying to acquire the rights to either a song or movie? Are the movies more of a passion project or what was the idea behind that when you first started releasing them?

Orson Welles was the longest one, but it’s been very rewarding. It’s not everyday you release what Orson thought was his greatest film. The reissue of Pedro Santos’ ‘Krishnanda’ and Arthur Verocai also took a considerable amount of time, 5-10 years.

You re-opened a physical shop in Brighton after almost 15 years. How does it feel to come full circle after such a long period of time?

It feels different. It’s smaller and a more friendly local vibe, whereas London was bigger and grew very fast. We aim to keep the Brighton store small and niche, only stocking records we love.

It seems the recent vinyl resurgence has definitely worked in your favour. Are you releasing and selling more music at the moment than you have in the last decade and a half or so?

Yes, and what’s great is that there are so many young people getting into it. We made a concerted effort to hit the radio shows, websites, press and clubs to reach out to them saying look there is other music you can play – African, Brazilian etc, helped by the fact that people such as Floating Points, Jeremy Underground and co are also very passionate about these styles and spin them. We also now see a lot more women buying records which is a significant change compared to the shop days in London in 1990’s and 2000’s.

I must add that whilst vinyl is selling well now, way back in the days we sold a lot more. Maybe 5/10 times more than now.

Would it be fair to ask you to pick a few of your personal favourite releases from records that you’ve put out?

Pedro Santos ‘Krishnanda’, as this took a long time to make happen, maybe 10 years. Arthur Verocai ‘Arthur Verocai’ is such a classic and needed a proper high quality release. Protoje’s ‘Ancient Future’ as he is such a great international talent.

Tell us about the Mr. Bongo ‘sound system’. How long have you all known each other and when did you start gigging together as a single entity?

We have known each other for the best part of 10 years now. We buy records together all over the world, spin records, travel – Brazil, Paris, Germany, USA – always good times. We met in Brighton through a shared passion for the same music.

Finally, we’d love to hear about any future planned releases or ventures that you’re looking to undertake.

It’s our 30th anniversary this year, so a lot happening! New music from The Skints, Jungle Brown, Kit Sebastian and Bedouin Soundclash forthcoming in 2019, plus loads of events to celebrate including a huge party at Brighton Dome on 5th May with The Skints, Hollie Cook, Jungle Brown, Moses Boyd Exodus, DJ Format, Mr Thing and Huw Bowles. Mr Bongo Record Club Volume Three will be out in May, plus reissues from Azymuth, Os Novos Bahianos, Archie Shepp, Minoru Muraoka, Gyedu Blay Ambolley and many more.

Interview by Igor

Cet article MIXED BY/ Mr. Bongo est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

A-Z is a record label run by Al Zanders out of London. It is mainly a platform for his own productions but has also introduced the world to the likes of JVXTA, who he recently teamed up with for their forthcoming record Love Sensations to profess their love of classic Chicago house. This one’s a split EP with the newcomer – who’s proven himself through his EPs on Homage and Distant Hawaii – & Al Zanders under his resurfaced AZ alias. We were lucky to catch up with both of them ahead of the release on Valentine’s Day, February 14th. Check out the interview below, where you can get to learn a lot more about the guys while listening to a love-themed playlist from Al himself! Hope you enjoy!

INTERVIEW

Hey how is everything going guys? From our perspective, it seems like 2018 was a particularly good year for you both – having come with records that have put the industry on notice of what you’re capable of. As many aspiring producers follow the blog, could you share how you two have been able to make a name for yourselves in such a short amount of time? What were some of the biggest hurdles you’ve had to overcome to get to this point?

We’re good thank you, both busy with different projects this month. In terms of making a name for ourselves, it actually feels quite slow as we’ve been DJing and producing for years, but it was nice to get some more exposure last year with various EPs. Hurdle wise, the hardest thing for us has been finding the right contacts in the industry and who to send tracks to, there are a lot of unwritten dos and don’ts. Further, it can be tricky to do business in such a personal industry where having the right friends counts most.

You two are set to come out with a joint EP titled “Love Sensations” on February 14th. Before we get into discussing the inspiration behind the record, can you tell us how you two began working together in the first place?

JVXTA: Al just messaged me out of the blue on Soundcloud actually. He kindly said he had enjoyed my past two EPs and wondered if I had any unsigned music to send for his label. After a couple pub meetups we realized we had a lot in common (mainly Chicago house and cheese) and found a combination of tracks that seemed to fit together for a varied but consistent record.

What was the primary influence in making “Love Sensations?” What were you hoping to accomplish by putting it out there?

At the time we made these tracks we were both listening to a lot of 90s house records, from some of our favourite producers like Jovonn, Boo Williams and Glenn Underground. The JVXTA tracks were influenced by more of a stripped back sound, whereas the Al Zanders ones were a homage to the disco house of Chicago. By releasing these two different styles together we were hoping to give DJs a few different sounds palettes to choose from.

Since you two both run your own labels, how did you determine who would release your joint record? Did Al win a coin toss?

Alex asked first, early bird gets the worm I guess?

If you had to name any other artists out right now that you have been itching to work with, but haven’t yet, who would they be?

JVXTA: Glenn Underground, Akufen (Horror Inc) and Shinichiro Yokota. They are all pioneers of a truly singular sound and seem to channel so much positivity into their music and performances.

AZ: Boo Williams. Also, some instrumentalists and singers

Al, we noticed that in many of your productions, strings tend to play a significant role in your songs – from “Guidance” to the two latest “The Strings” and “Strings II.” Why do you enjoy working with them in the records you make?

AZ: Strings are a match in heaven with house music, which it’s been done so much I think. With sampling it’s just about trying things out, and I guess for these two tracks the strings worked best. Would be cool if all of us producers tried something a bit different, but there isn’t really much of a market for oboes in house music…

As artists who often utilize samples in the music you make, what guidelines (if any) do you follow when trying to be respectful in the material that you chose to edit? Is there a right or wrong way to go about sampling?

I don’t think either of us have very strict guidelines, but as a general rule it should be respectful to the original culture. Further, both of us agree that it’s best to take a small part of an orignal track and expand on it, especially if it’s not the most obvious or well known part. Sampling can get lazy when extremely well known hits are taken and the best known part of the song is looped with a kick drum. For us, people like Soundstream, Akufen, Dilla and DJ Shadow are people to look up to when it comes to being respectful about taking other’s music and using it as your own.

What are some of your favourite samples you have worked in the past and why?

JVXTA: I have seemingly endless libraries of recordings from classic synths and keyboards and have a particular love for the Waldorf wave. I have used many emulations extensively but there is nothing quite like the depth and complexity of those original wavetable pad samples.

AZ: Personally, I’ve enjoyed working with stems from real bands as it gives you more options and is often more of a challenge. My Penya remix from last year was especially fun to work on.

JVXTA you’re quite the mysterious man it seems. There is not much information circulating on the internet about you and your background. We have seen some sites say you are based everywhere from Dubai to London. Do you mind telling us where you’re from and how you got into producing?

Haha yes, I have been moving around quite a lot and I think those are artifacts of my recent locations. I am originally from London and am now based here but I grew up in a variety of places around the world ending up spending most of my childhood on the small island of Bermuda. That is where I first started properly producing.

I had been DJing school parties and small events for a few years and had been yearning for the tools to make my own tunes. My best friends, Damani and Sondai, had just got their hands on their first DAW and after I tried my hand with it, I was hooked. We spent most of our time together listening to garage and breakbeat and were always trying to emulate synths and sound design from our favourite artists. Since then I have spent most of my free time producing and still do today.

Al, can you walk us through your playlist? What are the sort of sounds and artists we’ll be listening to?

I took the theme quite literally and did a mix where every song has the word ‘love’ in it. It ended up being a fun way to go through my records and find music, it makes you string together things you wouldn’t usually do. At 40 minutes, it was intended to be a commuter playlist, something I might like to listen to on the way to work to pass the time.

What do you guys have on the horizon for 2019 after this record comes out? Anything you’d like to notify our readers about?

JVXTA: I have quite a busy release schedule this year with several forthcoming VAs and solo EPs. I am particularly excited about the next record on my label Hardmatter which we have been sitting on for quite some time now. It will be a split EP with co-founder, Zapata, and is filled with jazzy peaktime grooves.

AZ: hopefully some music coming out soon on UTM, and then I need to do some label fishing.

PLAYLIST

A bunch of my favourite tracks with the word ‘Love’ in it:

DD Sound – Burning Love

An italo classic that I heard first when checking the whosampled page for Bjotn Torske’s ‘Sexy Disco’ – and I’ve loved it ever since!

Sylvia Striplin – Give Me Your Love

A lovely tune from Roy Ayer’s Uno Melodic label, I got into this a few years ago in Sheffield, they used to play this at Bat Makumba parties.

Cela – I’m In Love

I’ve always really liked this track, but only recently discovered it was made by Italians. (The recent reissue on Best Italy says ‘Italian Version’…)

Tiger & Woods – Love In Cambogdia

My girlfriend showed me this one, it’s taken me too long to appreciate the edits genius of Tiger & Woods.

Gong Gang – Gimme Your Love

My friend Ali has gotten me heavily into Italo disco (as you can tell from the rest of this list…) and this one is a new addition. Tony Carrasco is one of my favourite producers of the genre, having been part of Klein + MBO and a host of other aliases.

Disco Dub Band – For The Love Of Money

Just thought I’d throw something a little different from the other love themed songs, this one’s for the love of money!

LTD – Love To The World

There have been multiple attempts to edit this one, but for me the original Mizell Brothers version is still the best. It’s very dramatic but the subtlety of the chords and instrumentation stops it from being cheesy or over the top.

KIC – You Don’t Want My Love

One of my all time favourite disco tracks, that my friend Sam showed me in Sheffield. Sometimes I like to end my sets on it.

Alice Smith – Love Endeavor (Maurice Fulton Remix)

Thanks Stu (of the labels Wolf & South Street) for reissuing this great track. I like the way Maurice Fulton’s remixes often use little of the original and he takes the time to make something completely different. He’s also my favourite DJ.

Brooklyn Express – Love Is The Message

How many drugs were they on when they made this?

Boo Williams – Summer Love

Probably my favourite house producer, this one I found by googling his name then ‘love’ after to see if I could put anything in this list of his. I got lucky!

Interview by Yassin

Cet article INTERVIEW/ Al Zanders & JVXTA with a special love-themed playlist est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/mixed-by-roberto” /]
This is someone you should definitely be keeping an eye on, as we have been, and this is why we’ve invited him to play at our Piknic Electronik stage. Ahead of the event, we’ve asked him to put an assortment of tunes together for us while also letting us dig a little into his background. Find out more about Roberto and his influences in the interview below. You can catch Roberto alongside Silktits and Seb Wildblood at our Piknic Electronik stage on June 10th.

INTERVIEW

Let’s start with the usual – beginnings. Where’d you get your musical start, what or who pushed your influences into house/disco/beyond growing up?

I don’t know about the very start but in terms of dance music specifically, without a doubt Eddie C was the one who introduced me to it. We went to the same high school and became friends around ’92 or ’93 I think. At the time I thought dance music was pretty cheesy, but he’d play me these hardcore breakbeat records, you know like early jungle stuff and it just blew my mind. I was already heavily into punk and industrial etc., but yeah that was pivotal for me… I mean I’m still into it all this time later! We’re still buds too.

As you’ve been a local DJ in the Toronto scene for quite some time, we’d like to know what your first major breakthrough was in terms of DJing?

My first regular gig in Toronto was at this bar called Babylon in the gay village. It was pretty small but had great sound and a great DJ booth that looked out onto Church Street from the third floor. Some friends and I did a Thursday night there called Dub Poetics for I think 3 years or so. We had a lot of great local and regional DJs play with us and it really was a breakthrough for me in terms of finding my place in the community. The scene in Toronto was so vibrant then! I already knew many of the DJs and promoters, but that was a place where I could be myself and show that I wasn’t shit, haha. That started in I think ’98.

How about your first breakthrough on the production front? When did that take place and prior to Roberto/Conga Radio, were you doing something else?

I’ve put a few things out over the years under various names but when Jex and I did the first Conga Radio record that was a big boost for me. Certainly more interest in my own work came out of that.

When did Conga Radio start, how did your close relationship with Jex Opolis come to be?

I actually met Jex buying the first Good Timin’ record off him! I saw that he was based in Toronto so I messaged him on Discogs because I wanted to save on the shipping, haha. We met up at a subway station and figured out that we knew a bunch of the same people and were into a lot of the same records. Anyway we started chatting and hanging out a fair bit and eventually got together to try making music. I think we got 2 or 3 tunes written that first session and realized we worked well together.

2016 was a pretty big year for you with quite a few solo releases coming out with EPs on Good Timin’, No Bad Days and a couple of solo releases as well on Superior Elevation and Red Motorbike. How did those come about? Were you sitting on a bunch of material and things just sort of fell into place?

Those releases came on the heels of a fairly productive stretch, yeah. At the time I was buying and selling lots of synths and studio hardware and just having fun learning new gear and experimenting. So yes, I was sitting on handful of decent demos that I polished up for the releases.

I knew Tom Noble from playing a couple gigs together and obviously I knew Eddie and Jex very well, so basically those releases just came from sharing tunes with buddies. I connected with Jake and Gabriel from No Bad Days over the internet and that was just a great fit musically that came together really quickly. That’s a couple of real nice guys there.

Do you feel like you’ve received more local and possibly international attention within the past year or so? You’ve recently had a gig lined up in Brooklyn and of course the one in Montreal at Piknic, which we are promoting here, so it seems like your production and DJing path is starting to take you to new surroundings.

A bit more, yeah. Jex organized a tour to celebrate the 5th anniversary of Good Timin’ earlier this year. We played NYC, Montreal and Toronto together which was a lot of fun. I played a show in Quebec City as well this winter which was excellent. Honestly any time someone reaches out and wants me to come play their show because they like my records or mixes, I mean, that is about as good as it gets. I’d love to travel more but I’m not really out there chasing it like a lot of other cats are. I am very fortunate I get to play in Toronto pretty often, then a few little trips each year spice things up nicely. But hey, anybody reading this who wants to party gimme a ring! haha

And yes, I’m really, really looking forward to Piknic! I’ve attended numerous times over the years as a patron so I’m stoked to be on the other side of the stage for this one.

Are you regularly continuing your work in the studio or are you finding it hard to balance “real” life with that of music? Have you got something lined up coming out in the near future that you can share with us?

Every day I try to work in the studio for at least a bit, but yeah it’s tough. I have a fairly demanding full time job and the remaining few hours in the day often just isn’t quality creative time. It makes completing new material a pretty slow process for me. That said, I am working on some new stuff that I’m excited about. I just finished an EP that will be coming out later this year on the label Pulp out of Spain. Also working on collaborations with Eddie C and Ciel that I’m super pumped about.

We touched upon you being a regular in the Toronto scene, as you’re very active in helping to promote both your own records, gigs and those of friends as well. How are you finding it is evolving over the past several years? Any special shout outs to people in Toronto or beyond that you think deserve some more recognition?

It is definitely blooming! The scene in Toronto, or at least the little corner of it that I hang around is a really great community. There is a lot of new talent coming up and it seems like a lot of younger people are genuinely interested in dance music which I feel hasn’t been the case for quite a while. People are supporting each other’s efforts and collaborating all the time. It’s a really exciting time and there is an abundance of excellent music happening every week despite a relative scarcity of venues.

I could fill a whole page with Torontonians deserving of more recognition but I’d like to give a shout to some of the badass femmes that are working hard and making waves in Toronto right now; Ciel and her Work In Progress radio show and parties, Kehdo, Efemmera & Ceremonies and their On Earth parties, Milch from the Invisible City team, Korea Town Acid who just put out an amazing EP, Babygirl, Jaime Sin, Diana McNally, Club Fitness and Stacey Sexton are all super talented, knowledgeable DJs that you will be hearing more about soon if you haven’t already.

Any particular music you’re feeling at the moment? Could you highlight some tracks you just can’t put down?

Well, I think I have every record Roza Terenzi has put out. She is definitely one of my fave producers at the moment. Also Khotin has been on fire lately, I’m picking up everything he’s putting down. The new Benedek is serious top shelf stuff, pure class. And I’m enjoying the recent Darling releases as well, stoked to check his new LP.

How and where was the mix recorded and anything you want to add about it?

It was recorded live in my attic studio with two turntables, two XDJs, my little rotary mixer and a delay pedal. I did two takes and was happy with the second pass. I wanted it to have a nice summery vibe but still have a bit of toughness which I think comes through. Hope you guys like it!

Interview by Igor

Cet article MIXED BY/ Roberto est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Our next local MIXED BY/ comes from Silktits (soundcloud) – a DJ, radio-host, and community-organizer who’s been persistently blessing our ville de Montreal, known for her ever-eclectic digs and ability to work any dancefloor.

We had a chat with Silktits prior to her Piknic Electronik show on Sunday June 10th, where she’ll be playing alongside Roberto and Seb Wildblood for the Bolting Bits stage! Listen to her mix and have a read below ~

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/mixed-by-silktits” /]

INTERVIEW

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us today Alexis! Let’s start at the start — how and when did you start getting into DJing, and music in general? Did you play any instruments as a kid?

I’ve been infatuated with music my whole life, but it’s taken me some time to focus that admiration, and even still learning how to expand that horizon. I played multiple instruments as a kid – switching to new instruments as I discovered them due to curiosity and lack of discipline I suppose haha. I realise now that I kind of operate this way in my adult life, trying to soak up everything I can, manically needing to collect sounds (which I guess is why I started DJing!) I was also obsessed with dancing, which I did semi-professionally growing up – mostly in high school. When I was super young, I did musical theatre (nerd alert) to be closer to my mom in some ways, who is an actress/singer in musical theatre.

Were there any particular influences or people that facilitated or inspired your entry into DJing?

I’d have to say friends who were also interested in learning how to DJ around the same time as I was, who have since been working and killing it in music production: Jaclyn Kendall, Zoe Christmas, Christina Bell, as well as a plethora of other DJs starting shows on N10.AS radio not too long ago. I was able to meet so many amazing local DJs and learn from them. I’ve only been DJing for 2~ years but I’ve learned so much about trusting my ear and on a technical level, overcoming the fear of it being daunting.

Since then, have there been any formative moments that influenced your journey to how you are as a selector today? Maybe any special gigs? Proudest moments? Or else just influences to music taste?

The invitations to play at Datcha alongside some very talented artists have been formative moments. Blue Hawaii’s Raphaelle Standell-Preston and I DJ’d together a night at Datcha last November having only met the night before, and it felt like we’d been a duo for years! Donald Dust from the UK is another producer who gave me a shot at sharing the decks without meeting me beforehand. That was so incredible!

I have to give a huge shout-out to the crew I’ve been throwing monthly parties with (DJ name, DJ Frog, Original Recipe) at Blizzarts called ‘Hungry 4.’ If we hadn’t started ‘seshing’ together on vinyl I probably wouldn’t have improved so much over this year. They’re a group of women who are truly inspiring to me. Lastly, I need to give some major credit to my best friend Kevin, an outstanding drummer, who is always showing me the most amazing tunes.

Speaking of vinyl seshing, do you find you have any preference over vinyl or digital?

Right now I think I prefer vinyl as a challenge. I only started mixing with vinyl this year, and each environment I play in seems to affect my selection & approach. Because it’s all about ear, the satisfaction that comes with getting a perfect mix with vinyl isn’t quite the same with CDJS (digital). For my radio shows, I like to stick to digital since the recordings are geared more toward precision in the mix, if you were to hear it at a cafe while you’re doing work it would have better levels and less skips, etc.

You’ve talked about differences in mixing between physical and digital, would you also say you find there are differences in the manner in which you prefer to dig for each medium also?

Digging for vinyl is so much fun, but I only really do that at one place in Montreal: Death of Vinyl. I guess I find the majority of my music online/through other musicians/music enthusiasts in my social circle. Shout-out to discogs & Youtube!  Sometimes I reach out to DJs who have put out mixes to find specific tracks, but if I’m going to be including it in my mix I want to be sure that it’s a whole new ‘story.’ I like thinking of mixes as stories.

Cool! And are there any elements you usually look for in selecting your tracks to make up these stories?

For my show ‘Tender Grooves,’ I search for diversity in voices and perspectives, and overall gentle instrumentation. I’m mindful of gender roles when using love songs with lyrics, especially if they’re 20+ years old. Female vocals have a special place in my heart and in my mixes, so I carefully choose ones that I feel I can most relate to or present more progressive ideas. This is not to say that certain songs don’t still make it into my library, for example, the song ‘Where Is My Man’ by Ertha Kitt. I love cheeky lyrics and songs about being independent & fed up. On the other hand, I don’t mind songs about true love because it’s fun to think of love as magical and undying, which is not ‘me’ at all. Fun fact: I am not romantic. For electronic dance music (ie. House, Techno, Jungle, etc.) I look for anything funky or unique in the production. I’m pretty open minded when it comes to genre, I love to play everything.

So ‘Tender Grooves’ is your regular radio show on n10.as (where you also work!). Would you say the idea behind your show, your mixing style, or your taste has developed over time throughout the course of this show? And how?

The idea behind Tender Grooves on the surface is love I suppose, the songs aren’t always about romance. The direction I take the show each month is affected by the genres I’m feeling at that point, and I’ve been moving more into 80s & 90s genres, rather than my original Disco. My mixing style has definitely developed over two years, moving from fading in and out to blending as many tracks as I can. I think for radio it’s appropriate to fade in and out, but I just love to mix & practice, so that’s been my approach.

Apart from radio, your presence around Montreal as a DJ could definitely be described as prolific. On an average weekend you could be found working your way round town, stirring up the dance-floors of Datcha, Bar Le Ritz, or else late-night DIY rave spaces… and that’s on top of your regular nights at numerous Montreal venues such as Blizzarts and Sparrow! What do you do to keep inspired as a DJ? Also what do you usually do to prepare before a show — any mental/emotional prep, as well as practical music prepping?

Prolific!!! I’m blushing. I love doing recurring DJ nights because it forces me to grab new material every week/month and keep up the Good Search. I am incredibly inspired by artists from around the world, not to mention the people I surround myself with in Montreal. The amount of talent growing and changing here is mind-blowing. I don’t usually do much to prepare before events other than making sure new finds are on my USB! Or that I’ve packed my bag with the appropriate accoutrements. I live with my best friend, so we hang out and watch TV before I head to a gig.

As a community organizer who throws DIY shows in our city, what aspects do you value and also what do you think needs work in the ‘scene’ in Montreal, or worldwide? Are there any changes you wish could be made to the social infrastructures, venues and spaces?

I appreciate all the hard work & money out of pocket promoters/organizers puts into their events, because it can be a stressful endeavour. The focus of organizing our night at Blizzarts are twofold: for us to practice new sets or try out mixing new genres without judgement, and for anyone from outside of our ‘scene’ to come in and enjoy themselves. It’s very special to be able to share that with people and have it be a welcome and safe space to anyone.  

Socially, and I suppose more generally, I think we could continue to broaden & diversify our line-ups, which is already happening. If we want to be affecting party-goers or listeners in new ways, we need to continue on that path. Diverse lineups mean being exposed to new music and as many new styles of mixing/performing which is ultimately why we put these parties on in the first place! This also means teaming up with new DJs, who may not have had as many opportunities to play or are just starting out. Also, dancers are so important and should be given a huge amount of credit. Keep doing your thing, dancers, because I am obsessed with you! You make the party.

You’ve recorded this mix for Bolting Bits leading up to playing our stage with Roberto and Seb Wildblood, exciting! Can you tell us a little bit about this mix, and also give us a little teaser as to what you have in store for us for Piknic Electronik?

Ou, yeah this one is really is a mixed bag, moving from soft jazzy strings to boogie to fast tempo new wave. I can’t wait to play Piknic! My set will be roughly around the same vibe, so if you’re into this one hopefully you’ll like the relaxing day-sway action I have planned.

Interview by Maria

Cet article MIXED BY/ Silktits est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Following up on yesterday’s premiere of Lokier & The Machine’s track Stained Glass, we’ve caught up with the Mexican producer who is also known as She Made Monster. We’ve asked her five quick questions in this new feature, which will be a quick way to get to know some of your favourite artists. From their wacky travel stories to music they’re feeling in the moment, tune in to find out more.

1. What 3 tracks are you listening to right now?
   Heidi Sabertooth- Crack on the D
   Rotterdam Electronix- Drivers License
   Lake Haze- The Nexus Of Man To Man

2. Best club or party in the world you’ve played at?
   There’s been several I really liked but if I have to choose one right now i’d say “La Kidnapping” party in Paris. It was sweaty and wild.

3. Best tacos in Mexico City or beyond ?
   I’m sure there are new good places in Mexico since I left but I remember I really liked “El Parnita”. You can easily find good tacos in Mexico, specially the ones that open 24 hours. A drunk late night taco dinner is the best!
4. Worst travel story while working.?
   I think most bad experiences have been at airports. One day Morgan Hammer and me almost got banned from an airline because we had a fight with one of the attendants. Morgan took a photo of her and she followed us and grabbed the phone and my passport and was shouting. We had to pay an extra fee of 100 euros and then she deleted it from the system so they would charge us again. Luckily I saved the receipt. It was also Morgan’s birthday that day haha. 
   I also got caught in a small tornado once in Mexico while driving to a gig. Trees fell and a truck was rolling around… crazy.

5.  What’s your worst moment behind the decks?
   Most weird experiences have been with Morgan. One time we were playing and one of the stage lights fell and was hanging inches from my face. Happened twice that night. 

Cet article 5 Quick Questions With Lokier est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/mixed-by-neue-grafik” /]Neue Grafik now preps his latest outing for the ever-promising Rhythm Section label based out of Peckham. Titled Innervisions, the record is already revealing itself to be one of Neue Grafik’s most complete and assured efforts yet. With the release imminent (came out last Friday, also available in digital), we took some time to pull the parisian savant aside, and poke around his world to see what makes him tick, and gain a bit more insight into his synergistic process.

INTERVIEW

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Thanks for sitting down with us Neue Grafik; how’s your day going so far?
Nice, just woke up, washed dishes, and now taking the time to answer your questions!

Your work comes across as a masterful blend of strands from all over the spectrum: acid, soul, lofi, funk, jazz, UK bass, hip-hop……the list of boxes goes on. How do you manage to keep each of your projects focused having so many disparate influences to pull from? It seems having an overarching concept for each is very important…
In my opinion, in music, the most important is to keep your mind (and your ears) open and try to do what you want to do. When I make music my purpose is to be close to a feeling, an emotion. Sometimes an idea or a title can inspire me, sometimes I finish a beat or a song and the name comes from a moment I’ve lived, a focus on our society, a thought or whatever. I guess the consistency of my work comes from my own vision of the world. Trying to embrace the movement, the struggles of our world, our inner struggles and our personal journey on earth.

It’s hard to ignore the polyrhythms and free-spirited synthesis in your music that, in reading about of your influences, must’ve drawn from the prolific and fertile territory that labels like Hessle and Hotflush were mapping out back at the turn of the 2010s. What about that scene sparked your curiosity to the point of no return? Seems from the press you’re a massive James Blake fan—i caught him DJ in a bathrobe once.
Hahaha props to Mister Blake.  Honestly any rhythm can be a big inspiration for me. When you think about it, I truly believe you can create a new genre when you create a new kind of rhythmic signature associated with a sonority or a specific sound. James Blake kinda did it and changed my way to think and make music. I felt a lot of influences in his music but that was his taste, his sensibility, his love for silence and accuracy of melodic ideas that totally blew my mind from the very beginning (the first time I heared CMYK on Youtube with a friend in a weird after party, 8 years ago, I freaked out). It was after this big slap in my face that I started playing my first chords on a piano! At this period I discovered a lot of different things in the electronic music from DMZ to No Hats No Hoods passing by Planet Mu, People or Mainsqueeze and obviously Ramadanman/Pearson Sound and Hessle Audio and Hemlock. All that scene perpetually challenged rhythm in the electronic music world, like few grime artists (Crazy Titch, Wiley, Ruff Sqwad, Maxsta, Wariko, Skepta, Newham Generals and too many others). I was obsessed by that. Back in 2010, I was in a experimental pop band, and I didn’t expect to discover this new world.

What about the Beat X Changers crew attracted you to release a 2 of a planned 3-EP series with them? I became familiar with Beat X Changers when I heard Leon Vynehall play a track off X_1’s first EP for the label and was swayed immediately by the wholeness of the atmosphere and rhythms they were putting out.
I became familiar with Beat X Changers, and all the community of DJs/dancers/producers around the label back in 2013. At that time (and it’s still the case), I was obsessed by the concept of movement in dance music. I explored and rediscovered house music with dancers, in particular, at a big party called Tap Water Jam. When you see the dancers vibing on a track, you can understand the trance and repetition. They use it like a shape to build their own score or improvisation and variations. Around that time, I met two producers who were at the core of this new incredible and simple energy: X_1 and Monomite. We discovered how to structure and make our own house style tracks at the same period (their Pulkone duo is one of the most intense electronic live in Paris). It was just about vibes, positive energy and people who loves to practice their art. The first release from Beat X was actually from X_1, he killed it. That track called “Du Souffle” is a real gem. My « Pris » EP came out a little after as the label’s second release. And then « Roy » in 2016. Shout out to all the peeps behind this amazing label DJ Rafiki, Matthieu Weber, Mab’ish, Fred Gie and many others, thanks for being alive. Bless.

 

Can you spill any beans on the final piece of the triptych, as well as the upcoming release for the Peckham folk?
I’m actually working as we speak. It’s about the Replicants in the original Blade Runner movie. The first record was about the replicant Pris, the second one on the son who killed his father/creator Roy, and the last will be on Rachael.

As for the Rhythm Section release, it represents a period of doubt, and the back and forth between two really important cities for me (Paris and London). It represents love and hate, the observation of what surrounds us. A period of Brexit and French elections… Back in early 2017, I rent a house for few days at Brockley with my girlfriend and we used take the bus to Peckham Rye or the overground to Dalston, we loved it. This release is like a picture of my first real physical connection with these two countries. It’s also the next step after the “Soul Conspiracy” release on 22a.

It seems that more than ever, labels that started as regional affairs are turning to talent outside their backyards (Innervision, your looming release for Rhythm Section case in point); what effects have this heighted cooperation across borders had on your productions and career?
Honestly I’ve worked with UK-based label from the very beginning. My first release under the name NG was actually on Slime Recordings (a label from Bristol) back in 2013. Nowadays, the big difference for me is just my way to grow up and digest different influences. I think you can definitely hear the impact London has on my music. But for me this release is more a collaboration with a good friend and incredible tastemaker/DJ Bradley Zero, and folks behind this lovely RS label: Mali, Anu, Emily… I’m really glad to see people can work together, whatever their roots are or where they are based.Nowadays you’re not just making music, but releasing it as well under the VERTV label; how is that endeavor getting along as 2018 gets well underway?
I started this label in 2016 with 2 other friends, Hybu and Ev4ns. As my schedule is getting a bit hectic, I don’t have time to do things properly anymore. That’s why I’m going to let them lead the whole thing this year, after our VA, Icone #1.

Noting that your creativity is impacted by all forms of media (fellow One Punch Man fan reporting for duty), what’s peaking your creative interests outside the world of dance music these days?
Wow man a ton of things! But let’s try to be simple. Outside the dance music world, well, obviously, the new UK jazz scene: Nubya Garcia, Joe Armon Jones, The Colour That Rise, Ruby Rushton, Emma Jean F*CK*** Thackray, Vels Trio, Comet Is Coming, Shabaka… Outside that music world, artists from other areas, like plasticians, painters, writers, the Japanese and Brazilian cultures, Angela Davis, James Baldwin, Daniela Johannes (the incredible artist who made the artwork of my Roy EP)… I’m also a big fan of Etienne Klein, a French scientist specialized in physics and philosophy. Oh and and yes, the « Flat Earth », the fake news and more than that the questions of conspiracy, lies, truth and manipulations, I find all that quite fascinating creative wise.

And now the requisite opposite question—any peers you’d like to turn our amazing reader’s attentions toward?
The renew of the broken beat scene of course! IG Culture is one of my big heroes in music, and so glad to see him recruiting new team, with new inspirations and the wicked Alex Phountzi who helps him. Wonky Logic, Danvers, EVM, James Rudie, Cengiz… And my big partner Entek! So glad to see this genre going on in 2018, take proper time to listen Selectors Assemble Vol. Two! And obviously keep an eye on Total Refreshment Centre, the Dalston venue and the label. Bless my dudes who run this beautiful thing, Lexus Blondin and Fabrice Bourgelle in particular.

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Interview by Dan

Cet article MIXED BY / Neue Grafik est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Cet article MIXED BY/ Nicholas est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Recently celebrating our 10 000th subscribtion to our Soundcloud page, we got a very special guest who generously accepted to make a very special mix for our listening pleasure. We’ve got the man with one of the most appropriate monikers out there for his craft , Sampling As An Art (aka S3A) (soundcloud), dropping a new mix for our MIXED BY/ series. With the goal of communicating his love for house and soul and the influence these and others genres have on his work, his productions have made people lose their mind on dancefloors all over there world. If it wasn’t enough, Max (S3A) also travels the globe performing live shows where he gets to make his audiences dance till the break of dawn. With a high energetic style using sampling as a core of his work, S3A has the unique ability to energize crowds quickly and effectively, almost getting them into a state of trance, where he controls his audiences and makes them experience what he wishes them to experience. In this mix, the Concrete resident and label owner of Sampling As An Art Records makes us take a journey into ambient, jazz, soul and neosoul, disco, funk and obviously, house music.

While enjoying the journey, you may want to read what S3A had to tell us. We had a few questions on our notepad for him, which he kindly accepted to entertain.

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/mixed-by-s3a” /]

INTERVIEW

Could you tell us about your beginnings with electronic music production? (and your introduction to the genre).

I’ve always loved electronic music. Even when I was young, I recorded music on my Amstrad, or on other consoles in order to record them on cassette. So, when I started listening to electronic music, of course I wanted to make electronic music … It was instantaneous. On the other hand to arrive to a natural result took me a lot of time. I started on Cubase, with rather technological sounding productions, I had to start by mastering the all in the box, before getting to the machines. So today I feel the most comfortable with a mix between machines and computer, I think my favourite thing is to make them all work at the same time, and that all of it gives a coherent and synchronized ensemble. Kind of like a magician a bit.

You already had a strong knowledge of different genres on which you based your music production on. Who were the artists that you loved (or still love) picking in their discography to do sampling?

It’s true that I started with more aggressive music, like hardcore or techno. But even in those times I bought a lot of Masters At Work or Todd Edwards for example. For me, techno is the sound, and house is the notes … And with age, I think I was naturally orienting myself to the notes. So it’s sure that artists like Akufen are references for me: Combining technique and musicality with something that we often forget in electronic music: Emotion.

How did your time in Paris with Zadig go? (Tell us about your collaboration and experience)

I am from the Rouen region at the base and I spent my first twenty years there. Zadig was a DJ already known in the area, and I spent my time going to see him play with my little scooter . We became friends, and we developed our relationship around music. So when I went to Paris in 2005, Zadig and I took a recording studio right next to that of Matthieu Berthet (the person who masters and puts vinyl into compliance with much of the current French electronic production). This place was where a lot of experimentation and very good moments took place between Zadig and me. For example, we made a disc: Friendship Connection (Paname 01), and we really spent a lot of time combining the sound of machines with the practicality of the computer. I keep a lot of tenderness of this period, and I would never have done S3A If I hadn’t gone through this studio.

What piece of equipment can we find in your studio now?

In terms of drum machines, the classics are of course there: 606, 707, 808, 909. In terms of samplers, the MPC3000 is there, and for the synthesizer I buy and sell a lot to test. But what I have always with me: the Juno 2 Alpha, TX 802 Yamaha, and especially the M1 that I particularly like. I could add sound expanders that often serve as U220 Roland. Though I admit to being really a fan of the Roland boutique series, I think I have them all (laughter). I like the transportable, transport friendly aspect and the simple concept of something that does a specific thing very well.

Favorite piece of equipment? Why?

For live sets, I do as when I’m in the studio, that is that I keep the computer to do the role of conductor, it sends the MIDI clicks to the drum machine and other synthesizers.
So I often take the 303 in Rolland’s shop, the 909 in the same format (I was tired of having my real 909 repaired).
The computer also has another function . Something that the 3000 cant do for example: it reads the long and “tuned” samples. To keep a dynamic on the short samples I always have an SP 404 too.

What is the advice you would give someone who’s looking to take their first steps in music production?

Unfortunately it may be advice that seem a little vague . First we must know what we want to do. Either we want to move towards a style and at that moment the codes are not the same, or we will simply make his music and start from a blank sheet where everything is allowed. The important thing is to arrive at a mature sound, and not forget that the electronic music is principally studio music, where the sound counts as much as the notes or the harmonies.

Do you like keeping tabs on what else is going on in the electronic music scene? Does it influence your work? Which artists do you follow with interest?

Indeed I still listen to a lot of electronic music from all styles. I may have dropped techno a little, because honestly since 2006 I think its biting its own tail a little. I really like what Antigone does, and also Abdullah Rashim, But I confess I’m not running after the newcomers … On the other hand I inevitably keep myself informed about the House scene and quite a lot. Mostly now the ambiant/drone scene, jazz and neosoul.
So the artists that I am into a lot right now are Moonchild, K15, Ruby Rushton, Dimlite or Altus (last piece of the podcast).

What are your expectations regarding the North-American public this time around? Also, what aspects of your public do you take notice and allow you to draw nuances or differences between public/audiences through the regions of the world you visit?

My goal on the North American continent is to make myself more known. For example, I remember seeing Josh Wink in New York in a half-full venue (which shocked me). I think this culture is more European and not necessarily represented here …
It’s totally different from Japan, for example, who really has a jazz disco base, who’s very attentive to House music.
Yes there are clearly differences between countries, and I am very attentive when I play certain titles, to see how the audience reacts. According to their response, I adapt myself and stay very reactive. The goal is that everyone has fun, with a colour of sound that I want to convey. Anyway, for me Canada is a little different from the United States, because depending on the city, there is a real craze for this music, and all the better !!!

Your three favourite nights where you were performing and why?

First one I think I can say was my first live show at the weather festival in 2015, Second, my back-to-backs with Laurent Garnier (Rex / Concrete), And then I have a lot of very good memories on the decks at Concrete.

Your three favorite songs and why?

(Laughs) It’s not easy to get out just three songs …
So here are four tracks I currently listen to often in my walkman:

Horror Inc – Briefly Eternal (entire album)
Stellar Eider – wave (2nd title of the album “1”)
Fink – Resurgam
Altus – Session 7

How is it going with the Canadian cold?

Honestly, the weather is really more enjoyable than the weather in France right now. In Paris we have a kind of autumn thats been lasting for months, strewn with small descents of temperature. In Canada things are much clearer, we have felt for example here -24 (celsius) these few last days, and I liked discovering Montreal with this temperature and this weather. The last time I came to play in Canada, it was in November if my memory serves my right and It was a beautiful 22 degrees with full sun. I hardly recognized the city when I arrived here a few days ago! (laughs)

Shout outs?

I would of course like to thank Adrien and Erwan from Kizi Garden Records (Montreal based) who invited me to play at their night here, and I would also like to thank Florent from Bolting Bits. We had been talking for a very long time and finally recently met.
I would also like to thank the people who came to see me at Groove Nation (Montreal venue). It was a really nice evening!

In any case, the Canadian experience is always very enjoyable, and I cannot wait to come back and play here again!

Cet article MIXED BY/ S3A est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

As you may have guessed, no fixed long term plans at RS HQ, but we look forward to discovering more new talent and continuing to nurture those already close to us. We’re moving towards a label management deal which means less time can be spent on admin and more time on creation. We have the studio now next to the office and we’ll continue to expand it’s reach, getting more people in from an as wide array of backgrounds as possible, enabling the next generation of producers and providing an in house platform for our existing roster.
The parties are at the core of what we do and will continue throughout 2018, alongside a series of concerts at the Jazz cafe. Now that we’ve established our aesthetic we’re more and more keen to work with different artists and designers to expand the vision. Recent collaborations with Patrick Saville and Mason London really added something special to the events.
We already have a few really exciting records lined up for next year with some really strong visual identities – we’re working with some great filmmakers to expand the scope of each release.
With the label management deal around the corner which should swallow up a large amount of day to day admin, I want to expand and rediscover my own creativity – I’m diving back into painting ( I graduated from the slade school of fine art in 2010 but have had little time to maintain an art practice up until now), and It’s about time I had a little play around in the studio!
I enjoy touring and playing gigs so much, but I think there’s a fine balance and in 2018 I want to be careful not to do too much and burn out – dates can all too easily stack up – and the paradox of doing too much of what you love (and getting paid for it!) is one to be aware of. Sometimes it’s good to say no. Space to do nothing is really important, and that’s something I’ll be taking into account going into next year. Allowing for that gap in mind for the creativity to flow from.

Interview by Igor & JJ

Cet article Interview with Bradley Zero est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.