Music Interviews

Where are you currently based?

West Leederville in Perth. I have a small home studio where I write and record and the band rehearse there. 

What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far?

Well we’ve just started to rehearse more because shows are happening again over here so we’ve just been dusting off the saddles. The covid thing didn’t really affect me that much because I don’t really have a life anyway. I’m always in my music room. Business as usual really. 

Your new single ‘The Reason’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

The funny thing is when you release a song it takes ages to get to that point and was usually written years ago. So I don’t recall what influenced that particular song. I don’t think it would have been anything specific. 

How did you go about writing the track?

I think I had the main synth hook and chord progression laying around for a little while and then I kinda had a breakthrough with the vocal delivery and then it all just flowed after that. I don’t remember it being a hard song to work out. 

Where and when did you record and who with?

It was recorded at the start of the year at Blackbird Studios with Dave Parkin. I also recorded some parts at my place. 

What programs/equipment did you use?

I use Logic. So I will usually have a demo done and then we go into the studio and redo some, or all of it again. I programmed the drum beat you hear at the start in Logic. Then Jamie came in and laid down the live drums. I think the synths were combination of soft synths and a Roland Juno. I used my Telecaster guitar but I can’t remember the amp we used. We use all sorts of equipment I can’t keep track. 

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Bob Dylan 

What do you like to do away from music?

I like to play tennis 

What’s planned for 2020? 

More live shows. We will have a video for The Reason coming out soon that we’ve been recording at my place also. I think we might go back into the studio before the end of the year to record more songs that will probably come out in two years time where I get asked questions about them that I can’t remember the answers for. I have a Christmas song that I’ve had around for a long time that I wanna record. Maybe get around to doing that. 

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Probably Mexican food. The Bird which is a small live music venue where Emma works. 

https://open.spotify.com/artist/06dE3zZujjtXjLRhXEVYsx?si=3FLbRV9WQxyN46xegPy56g

https://www.instagram.com/bigorangetheband/

https://www.facebook.com/bigorangeband.perth/

https://bigorange.bandcamp.com/

https://twitter.com/wearebigorange

What is your name and role within Suit of Lights?

My name is Joe Darone. Suit of Lights is the name I’ve recorded under for the last 15 years, with various friends. I write and sing the songs, and play keys.

Where are you currently based?

New York City

What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been so far?

This year I was focused on getting the record out – come hell or high water – but I realized that trying to release an album during a pandemic is a bit absurd, right?

Like, let’s keep this in the proper perspective. It’s not that important in the overall scheme of things.

It’s Suit of Lights 15th anniversary, how does it feel to hit this milestone and how has SOL evolved over the years?

It’s an odd feeling, the records are a kind of cataloguing of ideas and emotions and it’s interesting to look back and see – not everything is pretty! But I’d say the main evolution from the first album to the latest album is the level of sophistication in writing and arrangements.

Your new album ‘Hide and Seek’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

Well, the idea is that it’s an album of games. From the birth song “Tag!” to the death song “Ring of Roses” and various adventures and follies in-between. I like adventurous music, so groups like Sparks and Cardiacs are heavy influences.

How did you go about writing the album?

“Hide and Seek” was the first song I wrote, about the nature of existence. It seemed like adventure theme-music, the beginning of something.

I started thinking about the overlap in games we play as both children and adults. Titles like “Rock Paper Scissors” and “Tug of War” were just begging to be written.

Where and when did you record/produce and who with?

I produced the album, and it was recorded in several locations.

We recorded Chris Connors’ guitars, plus bass and horns at Concrete Sound, his studio in Brooklyn. Arun’s guitars were done at Rebirth Music, his studio in Austin, TX. Vocals and keys were done at my place in Hoboken, NJ. and we tracked drums and mixed with Jeff Aderman at Big Blue North in Utica, NY.

Oh, and we have an Australia connection – It was mastered at Surgical Sound in Tasmania by Dr. Timo G. Less!

How did you approach the recording process and what did you find most challenging and rewarding?

I aways start with home demos, which become the foundation to record all the real tracks in the studio, but in the past I was always on a budget and watching the clock, so there were always ideas that didn’t make it onto the album. This time, I bought a Neumann U87ai microphone and a Neve Portico 5017, and I went to town on vocal harmonies, doing my best Beach Boys impression.

What programs/instruments did you use?

The drums were recorded in analog using the CLASP system, which stands for Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor. Basically you’re hitting analog tape in real time. Vocals, guitar, bass, drums, keys, and trumpet were done in Logic Pro X.

The album is available for $1.50, where can we listen/purchase?

Limited edition LP, CD and downloads are at www.suitoflights.com

It’s also available on Apple Music, Amazon, Spotify, Tidal, and YouTube

Who are you listening to at the moment?

New Lemon Twigs album, Weyes Blood, Ruby Roses, and I just discovered a band called A Formal Horse.

What do you like to do away from music?

I’ve actually been catching up on reading. Just read autobiographies by Elvis Costello, Christopher Hitchens and Bob Lazar. I’d like to get back to drawing and painting at some point.

Trevor Dunn, Steve Pedulla, and Jamie Egan have all played on previous albums, how do you decide who you are going to work with and how does the collaborative process usually take place?

It’s usually just by chance. From the beginning, there was no set lineup or anything, Arun and I were splitting up everything between the two of us. Then, we started bringing in some of our friends. I didn’t know Trevor personally, I was just a huge Mr. Bungle fan, so I sent him some demos and he was interested.

Everyone on Hide and Seek has played on previous SOL albums, except the trumpet player David Levy (Norah Jones, Deep Purple), he was a friend of Chris Connors. Oh, and Evan Hooker from Ruby Roses and Arun’s kids Ruby and Hugo sang some backups.

You were in the band The Fiendz, how have you developed as a musician and person since?

Well, the first Fiendz single came out when I was 15. So we were literally growing up in that band, immature and not great with communication. Add in a little bit of success and failure and it eventually became toxic. I’d like to think that I’ve matured in the decades since then.

Musically, I’ve always played by ear so in terms of learning actual music theory, it’s been a very slow process. You can play punk rock drums without knowing any theory, but playing keys kinda forces you into it.

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?

Our record has just hit radio and debuted at #30 most added on the NACC charts, which is pretty great. I’m really curious to see how COVID plays out in the states, it’s an embarrassing mess and tough to make plans too far ahead.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

I love spicy food! Indian, Nashville hot chicken, and Jamaican Jerk. I have about 20 different hot sauces in my fridge.

I like hanging out in coffee shops.

Listen/Buy: https://suitoflights.com/album/hide-and-seek

 www.suitoflights.com

Where are you currently based?

We’re sort of interspersed across the Central Belt of Scotland – from Glasgow to Edinburgh

What is your name and role within Stanley Odd?

I’m Solareye. I rap, record, some production and jump about.

How did you first start playing music?

Sheesht. My Dad had a good record collection and a guitar, so I started mucking about with that when I was about 12 or 13. Got into bands in my teens but was always really into hip-hop and rap so started adding little raps into the songs. That gradually morphed into a live hip-hop group with ma pals that I grew up with. We started touring round Scotland and it sort of grew from there.

How did Stanley Odd form?

Well – me and Veronika Electronika were meant to be playing a DJ/Emcee-type set and the DJ couldn’t make the show. A couple of pals joined us on guitar and drums. That was the organic start of the live hip-hop group. We’re now a six piece – Samson on kit and production, AdMack – bass and synths, Thilo – keys and more synths, Scruff Lee on guitar, Veronika singing and me rapping.

What’s been happening recently and how has your COVID19 experience been up until now?

We were meant to do a small venue UK tour April and May, then festivals for the summer, then a bigger tour and album launch in autumn. None of that transpired. BUT. Instead we finished the record in the first couple of months of lock-down – all recording individually then sending bits back and forth. Samson produced and mixed it. The record is finished and we’re mad happy with it. We’re none releasing a new single and video every six weeks for the rest of the year and putting the album out in March 2021. Change and adapt eh. It’s dead exciting to be able to focus on so many different songs off the record in six-week blocks. And we’re working with a bunch of great folks to make the videos, so every cloud has a silver lining.

Your new single ‘Night Rip’ is out on August 14, 2020, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

‘Night Rip’ is an example of how we’ve approached the whole record this time round. It’s about making music, not even thinking about what style or genre folks might want to box it in. It’s on some dark-pop analogue synth electro with breakbeats vibes – with no raps, which is a first for us. Just Veronika and me in a melancholy duet about breaking up.

How was Night Rip written?

We wrote it in the studio – before lockdown. We’ve been booking 4 or 5-day blocks of studio time and working on a bunch of demo ideas each time – everyone makes beats, instros and ideas them uploads them to DropBox. So we pick a few then develop them in the studio. The guys filled the studio up with analogue synths – Korg MS-20, Roland Juno, SH-101, Moog Sub Phatty, 808s – then start replacing sounds in the demos and building the song.

This one, I remember we’d been working on stuff all day and the band all went out for food quite late at night. Veronika had this line ‘Oh I’m restless, yes I’m restless’ and we stayed at the studio and wrote the story of a moonlight flit – somebody leaving everything behind in the middle of the night, or sort of chasing the daylight of dawn and disappearing. Then we sang it together so that the situation could be that both people in the relationship were feeling the same but not telling the other.

We tracked the drums another day me and Samson. Then Samson produced and mixed it during lockdown.

Where and when did you record, produce and master and who with?

We do everything ourselves. We’ve almost always recorded, mixed and mastered ourselves. I think we’re just too attached to stuff and don’t want to let it go. We have done some great work with other people occasionally but generally prefer to keep it all in house. This record, we tracked a bunch of it together with sometimes everyone actually recording their own parts. Samson mixed it and produced it with production elements again from everyone. It’s funny – because we’re a live band and have such a hip-hop production ethic, we always end up recording, then sampling the recordings and rebuilding them. That kind of lends itself to just getting on and doing it all yirsel.

What programs/instruments you use?

OK

Ableton for ideas, production, development and live stuff. We also use Push for live (sometimes 2 or 3 between us)

Pro Tools for mixing and mastering

Moog Sub Phatty

Microkorg (still!)

Roland Juno-6

Roland SPD-SX

Novation Bass Station

A beat up SM58 or Electro Voice ND967

Fender Tele

Fender/ Musicman basses

Ampeg amps

Korg MS20

What do you like to do away from music?

Make more music.

Sulk about not getting to play live the noo.

Go for a run I suppose.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

For unapologetic DIY pop: Carla J Easton

New production: Dunt, SHEARS

Podcast/ video stream: You Call That Radio

Scottish rap: Spawn Zero, Empress, Steg G & Freestyle Master, CCTV, Shogun, Togo Fam +++

Always: MF Doom, Pharoahe Monch, Aesop Rock

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020?

A new single and video every 6 weeks. Next one – KILLSWITCH – is out 25/09

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Lockdown has been all about get those home cooking skills up. Now we’re making homemade bhuna and naan bread so I feel like I’m all set here thanks.

https://www.facebook.com/stanleyodd

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Braxton keeps up his run of remarkable releases with his brilliant remix of Matt Fax feat. RBBTS ‘Set Your Sails’ on Colorize, out now. The label invited him to choose any track from Fax’ album ‘Progressions’ to rework, a vote of confidence fully justified by the result.

The Brighton-based producer is a by-word for quality and thoughtful composition, finding favour as a regular with imprints including Anjunadeep and Colorize. He has put lockdown to best possible use already, with his recent double A side ‘Torn/Chiaroscuro’ (Anjunadeep) gaining attention from Phil Taggart, Jaguar’s BBC Introducing Dance Show, and more.

His entrancing rework of the driving dance-led cut from French DJ/producer Matt Fax adds dreamy synth chords and a breakbeat element, giving full rein to the haunting, sumptuous vocals of European duo Anne Kalstrup and Hendrik Burkhard aka RBBTS.

‘Set Your Sails’ (Braxton Remix) is Out Now. Get it here: https://colorize.ffm.to/0227r1

Hey Braxton, thanks for speaking with us! Congrats on your new release, the absolutely stellar remix of Matt Fax ‘Set Your Sails’. Can you tell us how this remix came about? 

Thank you for having me! Well Colorize got in touch with Matt’s new album and let me choose a track to remix, there were a couple on there I liked but this one really stood out. 

Have you got much of a relationship with Matt Fax too, or is it more the label? How did you pick this song as the one you wanted to remix, what swayed you? 

I think it was the vocals mainly, I prefer to remix tracks with vocals because it gives me more flexibility to bring something different to the track. I had a go at remixing another track but I struggled to do something meaningful with it, then this one came along and I could really get stuck in.  

A lot of the tracks you’ve released have these really special vocals. Is this something you look for in a track you want to remix, is it one of the key components that grabs you? 

Yeah absolutely, a lot of the music I make has a kinda anthemic quality, sometimes it’s subtle and sometimes it’s really in your face. I like my tracks to sit somewhere between the club and headphones, and vocals really help me to get that balance across.

And when it comes to making an original track, what is it that you tackle first? Do you pick or write a vocal, then create the track around it, or the opposite? 

It’s usually the opposite, but there’s never a right or wrong way really, the most important thing I’ve found is to let the track develop as naturally as possible. Sometimes vocals it will happen early on in the writing process, and it’ll involve humming along some sort of topline idea before getting the vocals down properly. Other times I’ve gotten to the ‘end’ of the process with a track before deciding I want vocals on it. I try and keep all options open at every stage as it allows much more freedom to experiment during the writing process. 

What can we expect from you in the rest of 2020? You’re an Anjunadeep favourite, will we be seeing your name on the label again this year? 

I very much hope so, it’s a label I’ve admired for such a long time now and to be working with them is still a little bit mind-blowing 🙂 

And on a more personal note to finish – what has this time in lockdown taught you? 

I learned that people deal with complex situations in completely different ways and we all need to show a lot more empathy in order to better understand each other.

Thanks for your time! 

No, no……Thank YOU! x

Where are you currently based?

London

How did you first start producing and mixing?

I came from a rock and metal background originally. I was never into actual instruments myself but my friends were and I loved being around that environment. I was lucky enough to have a computer at the time, and managed to start teaching myself how to produce. I was then introduced to Pendulum who were obviously the only people doing rock and drum and bass at that time, and it sort of stemmed from there.

How did your career start?

I got in with Monstercat when they just started, around 2010. I put out a few beat sample packs with them, but then Mike Darlington really encouraged me to go farther and that’s when I put out my first EP, The Takeover.

How has your COVID experience been so far?

It’s given me more time to work on music that’s for sure. I probably wouldn’t have finished the album as quick as I did if I had still been touring. It’s been rough not being able to test my songs live though!

What influenced the sound and songwriting for your epic new album ‘The Promised Land’?

The whole album was inspired by a lot of different themes, mainly how nature and technology clash and interact. There wasn’t any particular moment that inspired the entire album but I went on a journey of discovery for the past couple of years, listening to a broader range of music and tying my vast range of influences into the album.

What did you find most challenging and rewarding through the process of creating this album?

This is my debut album so the finished product was the most rewarding. The most challenging was probably admitting that it was done, because I’m always looking to keep improving the tracks!

Your sound has evolved from the stereotypical Drum ‘n Bass sound to a more mature and cross-genre sound, please tell us about how and why this has come about:

The main thing that I wanted to do with the album was start expanding from drum ‘n’ bass and start doing other genres. People have this impression of me, because I make drum ‘n’ bass all the time, that I only listen to drum ‘n’ bass and that’s completely untrue. People who know me know I listen to and love literally all kinds of music.

I love everything from, as I say, film and video game scores to screamo to french house to electro house to old school garage to whatever. You name it! I listen to everything. I really tried to hone that in when I pulled influences for the album, just to show people that it doesn’t have to come from drum ‘n’ bass at all. A lot of them don’t even come from dance music. Very rarely, except maybe some sound design and mixdown things.

The main goal with it was to start introducing MUZZ as a multigenre brand and artist rather than drum ‘n’ bass only. 

Where do you see Drum ‘n Bass progressing in the coming years?

The future of any genre is to evolve it and mash it with other styles and new sounds, which is what I’ve always done since I started making music, and this album explores those new territories. I love the genre, and always will, but I also love many other genres and don’t want to close those doors. 

What do you like to do outside of music?

Gaming, food, traveling! 

Which artists are you listening to at the moment?

Grimes, Rezz, Charli XCX, Fade Black, Oakwite, Loathe, G Jones are currently on repeat for me.

What is planned for the remainder of 2020?

Just to continue promoting this album as much as possible. It’s been such a process having it come together, I’m so happy it’s finally out!

Favourite food and place to hangout?

You can’t beat Middle Eastern food, and I honestly just love being in my studio in my own world.

Twitch: twitch.tv/monstercat

YouTube: youtube.com/UKFDrumandBass

Facebook: facebook.com/MUZZHQ

Interviewer: Anthony Huttley

So, Danny, you’ve got a few aliases, DNYO, Danny Olivera, Danny Loko… any more we should be aware of? Or just the 3? 

There are a few more. These I like to keep hidden from the public. DNYO and Danny Oliveira already confuses people, imagine if they knew the other ones 🙂 

Tell me about São Paulo. What’s the music scene like there? 

Big metropolis. Lot’s of everything really. My fav city in Brazil for sure, great night life, best food, best service. Culture speaks very loud in São Paulo, so the music is always kicking. 

How did you get involved in the scene there? 

I started making my own little parties, soon enough I started spinning at local clubs. But after living abroad I had a much better experience when coming back. Times were good. This was 2005 I think. There were lots of groups of different tribes making the night of the city back then. I miss how simple it was and the effect it made on so many. 

Have you always been into electronic music? 

Pretty much since I was 14. I got into my first club night when I was 15. I used to sneak into a few clubs at that point back in Miami. By 16 I was already hooked on Oakenfold, PVD, Tenaglia, Sanches, Calr Cox, all of the ones that came to South Florida, I was there. 

How would you describe your sound/the music that you play? 

If I’m spinning straight up techno Danny Oliveira night, that sound is not the typical Pop “Business” Techno you hear these days, as I don’t like the usual, never did, so the sound is considered to be designed differently, when there’s time for “loops” they will be there, when there’s time for serious arrangements and progressions, they will be there as well. If I’m spinning as DNYO, then it’s a whole different world. It’s deeper, sometimes melodic, but mostly hypnotic. I go through big chunks of House and Techno as a base and DNYO comes out. It’s a mixture of a lot of things put into one, there are no rules for DNYO, but it does concentrate more fans alike around the Progressive House styles. 

What’s been happening recently? Any releases that we should keep our ears out for? 

Lately I’ve been working on a few ideas with some friends. These, consist of making a move towards some new ground for music here in Brazil, it’s a slow process due to our current situation in the world. I have some music due to come out on Juicebox India and Timeless Moment still this year but we’ll have to wait and see. 

What have been your most memorable gigs over the last couple of years?

Hmmm, Hyderabad last October. I get the chills just thinking about it. Forest Peak 2 years ago, it’s an intimate techno experience up in the mountains of Rio, that was something to remember. Spun at D.edge with a couple of friends, very close and intimate night, lots of friends came out, special night. 

What are the best clubs for underground tunes in Sao Paulo? 

Probably D.edge is the only place to go as a club with an underground agenda. 

Where can we hear you DJ? 

Really underground parties when I spin techno. DNYO gets way more exposure and dates outside of Brazil. We will have to wait for this pandemic to pass and see what holds for the industry, so that many of us can start planning again. 

Are you on the streaming bandwagon like the rest of the world? Or will we have to wait until this whole thing blows over? 

I’m not on that wagon, I’m outside, like a drone. Just flying through, watching and consequentially waiting for that wagon to crash and eventually die. The Napster People. It’s unbelievable how millions of artists and musicians simply let these smart guys take away their rights. Pull it from the inside out and drain it for 14% of 1 cent on the Dollar. No wonder the world is at where it is these days. 

Can you give us your top 3 plugs in the studio at the moment? 

Ovox from Waves is really good. Parallels from Softube and Thermal by Output. 

Any advice for budding producers looking to go down the rabbit hole? 

They can dive in and fight their way through, hopefully they can come in with some history in their heads cause this, where we are right now, is far from being the best model of an industry. Or they can stay in wonderland. This is the worst time to be a musician/ producer/ let alone a DJ. It has been for a couple of long years. I’m doing it because I still have some fuel left in me. Not everybody does. That fuel comes from a lot of things put together, a certain structure that is extremely hard to come by and that in the days of today, it’s just not possible, I don’t see it any other way. 

What do you like to do away from music? 

When I’m away from music I race. Unfortunately I don’t live in Germany, but I do my best to drive as fast as I can, anywhere I can. Gives me an edge. When I can’t, you can always find me racing in my favorite Simulators in an online lobby somewhere. 

Who are you listening to at the moment? Any artists standing out for you right now? 

Mostly, these days, Ambient. Sound healing. Apart from that, any thing that sounds new, futuristic, “fresh”. Forest Drive West. Barker, BAILE, John Gurd, Altus and Poemme, put these one and take a deep dive. 

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020? 

No idea man. My releases are on pause due to this pandemic. Right now the plan is to stay sane and persist the inevitable. 

Favourite food and place to hangout? 

Grandma food is my favorite. There are a few places, but I’ll mention one that I’ve been going since I was a teenager, It’s called “Casa da Pizza” in São Paulo. It’s in front the Repreza do Guarapiranga – the main body of water the state. It’s a pizzaria. Best Pizza in town, best service in town. I usually grab a big table and make a lot of noise with friends, extremely friendly place, feels like home to me. 

LINKS: https://linktr.ee/dannyoliveira

What is your name and role within dave the band?

Noah is my name and singing and playing guitar is my role within dave the band.

Where are you currently based?

Newcastle, Australia

How did the band form?

We formed in high school when Gabe and I were in year 7. Max joined us after school and we’ve been happily dave ever since.

What’s been happening recently and how has your COVID experience been?

We’ve been gearing up for our album release. Lots of online stuff thanks to COVID. Our experience in Newcastle hasn’t been too bad. I’ve been surfing a lot and writing lots of songs.

Your debut album will be out August 28, 2020 – what influenced the sound and songwriting?

The sound is influenced by the energy and feeling we’ve cultivated over the years jamming and playing together as much as we can. The songwriting was influenced by nightclubs, coffee, footy, hot summers, cold winters and being an all-round Sadsack.

How did you go about writing the music?

With a guitar. It was easy.

Where and when did you record/produce/master?

We recorded in Chicago with Steve Albini. He’s a sound engineer, not a producer. We aren’t interested in anyone else telling us how to play our songs. Steve was just there to capture what we were playing. It was mastered by Steve’s Shellac bandmate Bob Weston.

What programs/instruments did you use?

Guitar, bass and drums. What’s a program? I also played Steve’s Wurlitzer on Brave and Sadsack.

Please tell us about how you came to work with Steve Albini and the experience you had:

We emailed his studio and booked it. It was as easy as writing the music.

The experience was awesome. I had mentally prepared for there to be some hitches and not have everything turn out as I would have liked, but the whole experience at Steve’s studio was like a dream.

Your new single ‘Where Are You’ is out now, what influenced this track and what does it mean to you?

I’m still working out what this song means to me. I can’t really remember writing it but it was one of the first we started working on for Slob Stories. Steve wouldn’t let me double the vocals on this song for some reason.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Household Item One, Lovedavid, De La Soul, Vex Ruffin, Andy Shauf, Purple Mountains, Frances Quinlan, Wes Montgomery, Jason Molina, Bill Frisell, Yo La Tengo

What do you like to do away from music?

I don’t like to be away from music but I like surfing.

How’s the time been supporting and playing with bands from Newcastle?

It’s been awesome. We’ve got a special scene here with lots of great artists. It’s a big city vibe without the wank.

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?

Recording another album!

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Coffee and bagels at Frothers Espresso. Beers and pizza at The Ori.

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/davebandnewcastle

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/davetheband_/

Summer is an exciting season for artists and audiences alike, with an increased demand for new music to fuel outdoor activities, summer flirtation and the general highlife that comes with it. Tiahi’s new single “Get Loving On” does exactly that and after the success of his previous release “Free” we reached out to the Berlin-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist to chat about the story behind “Get Loving On”.

Tiahi, Get Loving On is definitely a love song with a creative storyline but at the same time also a true summer song  – what was the inspiration behind it, where did you write it and is it based on a true story?

Yes and no (laughs), it went like this: I was in Vienna for a workshop and one night we went out to party. We were all buzzing from the day and then there was this beautiful girl that I just had to get to know. We really hit it off and I guess it was a bit of love at first sight, if that still exists.

And then you got your loving on?

No, actually we didn’t (laughs again). As if the distance Berlin-Vienna wasn’t enough, I was flying to Costa Rica for 3 months the following week and I found myself on the beach, thinking about all the things I’d want to do with her if we were closer and that’s how I wrote the song basically.

Wow, that’s an amazing story. But with a bit of a bittersweet ending I guess.. Sounds like you didn’t get to do the things you are singing about after all, so how does performing the song now make you feel?

Oh I feel great about it, I’m thankful for the feeling she gave me, the inspiration and the buzz. Takes me right back to Costa Rica and reminds me that there is more love waiting out there..

No doubt about that. One last question that I just have to ask: how do you come up with a line like “Water so clear you see right through / Jump off a plane in Tuvalu”? Have you been?

That’s a good question (laughs). I was traveling in the South Pacific, 10h ferry ride in Tonga where I met this guy from France who’d been in the area for ages and he told me a lot of stories and one of them was about him jumping off a plane in Tuvalu, skydiving. I never forgot about it and when I was writing the song it popped up in my head and I was like ‘yep, that’s it’.

Fantastic, Tiahi, thank you for your time and all the best for your upcoming releases..

Likewise, thank you for having me! 

Listen to “Get Loving On” on your platform: http://smarturl.it/88gq0i 

Find Tiahi on Facebook: www.facebook.com/tiahiofficial

Find Tiahi on Instagram: www.instagram.com/tiahi.music 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/7hs-mZpFetM

What is your name and role within the band?

My name is Geoff Rana and I’m the singer, songwriter, guitarist and keys player in Crystal Cities. Plus, I’ve recently added producer and engineer to my resume’.

How did Crystal Cities form?

It was formed by 3 scientists, Geoff, Dan and Jared, who, after years of experimenting, finally tweaked the fibonacci sequence to complete the first ever rock n roll time machine. We then transported ourselves a 1000 years into the future and have since returned to try and save the future of Rock music.

What’s been happening recently and how has your COVID experience been?

Covid hasn’t been too kind to musicians… But it has allowed us to finish the album a bit quicker than what we normally would have.

Please tell us about your upcoming album:

It’s called Hold Me Close Hold Me Tight and it’s way more loud and guitar-driven than our previous stuff. There’s lots of energy in these new songs which I think people are going to really dig.

Your new single ‘Don’t Speak Too Soon’ is out now, where and when did you record/produce?

We recorded this in Studio A, aka My bedroom which was fitted with all the latest gear and equipment to create the unique sounds we were after. Such gear included:
– Set of clothes draws
– Cupboard
– Fold out bed
– Guitar
– Microphone, and
– An audio interface

If you listen carefully you will be able to hear cars, planes, kids screaming, and vacuum cleaners in the background of the track.

What influenced the sound and songwriting?

I always try to write songs that are going to sound good live. So, that was one aspect…

How did you go about writing Don’t Speak Too Soon?

Well, it’s a classic story that seems to repeat for me… I picked up the guitar, strummed it and then thought “no that’s rubbish”, waited another hour, tried again, and boom it worked! Don’t Speak To Soon was born.

Who did you work with during the creation of the album?

Myself and the other two scientists, Dr Jared King and Professor Daniel Conte ,both outstanding in their field. But it was myself that I worked on the most since I had a lot of issues that needed resolving…

How did you approach the recording process?

From behind. Scared the living shit out of it I did.

What did you find most challenging and rewarding?

Wearing clothes and not wearing clothes.

What do you like to do away from music?

Listen to music.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

My wife.

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020?

Releasing more tunes and (hopefully) playing some shows…

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Bananas. In trees.

Website
https://www.crystalcities.co

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/crystalcitiesmusic

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/crystalcitiesmusic

Twitter
https://twitter.com/CrystalCities

Spotify

http://bit.ly/Crystal_Cities_Spotify

YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/crystalcities

Soundcloud
https://soundcloud.com/crystalcities

Triple j Unearthed
https://www.triplejunearthed.com/artist/crystal-cities

Bandcamp
https://crystalcities.bandcamp.com

Apple Music

http://bit.ly/Crystal_Cities_Apple_Music

Where are you currently based?

At the moment I’m based in Woking, just south of London. Not much going on here unfortunately compared to Brighton where I’d previously lived for 4 years before that. Currently looking to move further into London or maybe up north to Manchester!

How did you first start playing music?

I mean I first stared DJ’ing and playing out in early 2017, because up until then I had no clue how to mix and was solely a producer. I was aware of how important it is to be able to DJ as well as make bangers if you wanted to make a living out of all of it, and my music started to get some attention around that time so it was only natural. 

What’s been happening recently?

Not a lot haha. Same for everyone I suppose. I’ve been keeping myself really busy though and have been crazy productive over the last 4 months or whatever it’s been now. Lost count at this point. I’ve made a silly amount of music, a lot of which with vocalists and features which previously I hadn’t delved too much into. So overall my production has improved massively I feel and I reckon I’m easily making the best music I’ve ever made atm. 

You’ve been a main stayer and champion of UK Bassline for years, how did you first become involved and what do you attribute to your success?

I first broke into the scene through this competition in the summer of 2016. This group called bass music group on Facebook called Lengoland hosted the first-ever ‘war dubs’, a knockout competition where producers basically went head to head with each other to see who could make the better/crazier tune, which then went down to a vote. There were a few spaces left so I thought fuck it what’s the worst that can happen, I’ve not got anything else going on. I’d only ever made like 2 bass tunes before this so was a bit sceptical but ended up getting to the semi-finals and having 3 of the 4 tunes I made released as free downloads, which is where it all kicked off really! Quite lucky to be honest as if it wasn’t for me just going for it and that group even existing, I don’t think I’d be doing what I’m doing now to be honest. 

Please tell us about how your sound is progressing through experimentation:

You’ve basically answered the question yourself there! That is exactly how my sound is progressing and evolving. Through experimentation and the intent to try make stuff that sounds different to everyone else. That’s always what I’ve tried to do. Whilst of course keeping things familiar to the UK bass sound and genre so it can appeal to a wider audience as well. 

Where and when did you produce and what programs/instruments did you use?

I actually made the main melody that the whole track is based around in Skepsis’ studio whilst we were trying to come up with a 2nd tune. We’d finished Hijack and were tryna work separately just to get ideas going and I made that riff sitting on his couch. We didn’t manage to do anything with it so he just told me to use it myself, and I’d already wrote the lyrics for 1 more a weeks before so I just thought alright let’s try get these to work together, and they did! I produce on Logic and have done since day 1 so that’s what I used. Mainly use Serum for all my bases and then just a whole range of different sounds, plugins, instruments and samples to make the rest of the track. 

Who are you listening to at the moment?

No one in particular to be fair, but if i were to pick my favourite 3 tracks atm they’d be: 

Shaun Dean & Harry Tremlett – The Sound (did you know)

Alcemist & EJ Kitto – The Plan

Mella Dee – Dev Green

Please tell us about your new single ‘1 More’ Feat EJ Kitto, what influenced the sound and songwriting and how did you come to work with EJ Kitto?

I’ve been working on it since January and it’s been a right pain to mix down, so now it’s done and is getting released I am buzzing. The track is supposed to be from a ravers point of view, early in the morning deep into the crowd surrounded by his/her mates, in what feels like a complete haze of tunes, drinks, smoke and lasers. The lyrics are supposed to just encapsulate what it’s like to go to a UK bass music event. They all finally decide to leave and go back to their mate’s house to continue the party. Me and Emma actually chat loads before without me even realising as she used to run a UK Bass promo page on Instagram where I’d send her videos to upload. It was only when I put out a Facebook status asking for a female vocalist with a London accent that my mate told me she was looking for features and would be ideal for the tune, which she was. She brings exactly what I asked for which is amazing. A spoken word kind of London accent – the main inspiration being Redlight and how he usually has similar female vocal lines on his tracks.Where and when did you produce and what programs/instruments did you use?

You’ve got some big records coming up in the next few months, please tell us more:

I can’t give too much away, but some of my next releases for the rest of the year include a tune with Bru-C, and one with Window Kid, a single release on Dr Fresch’s label, a single release on Chris Lorenzo’s label, and a 2 track dnb release. Its gonna be a wicked few months in terms of music.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Steak and chips with stupid amounts of peppercorn sauce. Can’t beat it. Favourite place to hangout has got to be Brighton. Got so much love for that city as its basically where the whole Zero project started and grew in the early days. Best city in the UK, especially in the summer. 

https://soundcloud.com/zero_uk

https://www.facebook.com/zero.uk

https://twitter.com/zero_ukb

https://www.instagram.com/zero_uk

Interviewer: Anthony Huttley

Rich, you’ve been one of the more recognisable names in Australian progressive house for a while now, can you tell us a bit about how you became a part of the scene? Were you always into electronic music?

I only began delving into underground electronic music at around 2003 when I was sharing a house with someone who collected vinyl records and liked to play them most afternoons after work. Prior to that I was 100% into heavy metal and guitar bands (which I’ve recently started to return to, just for some added inspiration!). Becoming part of any music scene in a town as small as Brisbane is definitely a challenge but when I first decided to give it a go I wasn’t aware of that nor had any set goals to strive for, I just knew I wanted to a) get behind a DJ booth in public, b) run my own night-club events, and c) host and meet as many international touring DJ/producers as possible without going completely broke. Looking back at the progression (pardon the pun) of the last 14 odd years I guess it has worked out rather seamlessly and sequentially, but it’s been a great learning experience and regardless of any musical or artistic benefits I feel being involved in the underground music scene has completely revealed my inner self in ways I doubt would have been possible otherwise.

I’ve heard a couple of people say that the scene in Brisbane, where you’re based, is a bit unique. How would you describe the music scene there these days? Is there much room for progressive house or the more underground genres of electronic music?

As I alluded to with the earlier question, yes it’s tough getting a foothold and staying relevant in such a small scene but there are definitely as many positives as negatives. These days the Brisbane nightclub world is very regimented, structured and defined in terms of not only musical genres but desired clientele, fashion trends and most definitely age demographics. Unless a promoter is happy to host events outside of the dedicated entertainment precincts, and rely more heavily on their own promotional skills or focus 100% on building their own fan network, they’re very restricted in the choices they have when running those events. I guess that’s not necessarily entirely a bad thing as it allows the crowd to be more informed and discerning, but there are only so many nights per year for events to take place and only so many dancefloors available. Put it this way – I’m glad I no longer have to promote events! 

Recently, you welcomed a new member into your family, which is huge, btw, congrats! As someone who is normally quite busy in the studio, did that affect your production?

Thanks! Yes Violet arrived 9 months ago and has turned “normal” life into something else! I consciously made a decision prior to her birth that I’d close off any studio activity until the newborn routines had stabilised enough that I could once again successfully multi-task. I didn’t want to deal with the stress of pushing myself to be musically productive at the same time as learning how to be a Dad, and so far it’s been the right move. I’ve used the last 10 months to completely rebuild my studio setup, install a few gadgets and finally buy some bass-traps which have made such a difference with my confidence in front of the speakers. The brain is currently over-flowing with musical ideas so I’m super keen to get back into a production routine, hopefully within a few months time. 

How would you describe your sound?

As a DJ I try to hover between a few genres, obviously progressive house and techno, but since around 2016 also breakbeat. Playing longer gigs in South America over the years has taught me that musical energy is as important as technical skill and track selection, so throwing in 15 or 20 minutes of breaks in a prog set has a huge effect on dancefloors when I’m playing gigs, as well as in recorded mixes which can get a little monotonous after a while. As a producer I’m obviously locked into the progressive genre and continue to find inspiration in productions from the masters such as Guy J but also weird and unique masters such as Maceo Plex. I guess prog is my “safe space” when in the studio but I still enjoy making it so have no real need to take risks at this stage of the game.

I find your sound quite unique, which is a huge accomplishment in the overly- saturated progressive house market. Were you actively trying to produce something different, or has it always been organic?

That’s good to know, because yes I have always wanted to have a different sound if possible. Most of the time if I’ve got something unique going on it’ll be a happy accident however, as I’ve never been deeply interested in synthesis or the nitty-gritty of sound design – I just like trying as many synths, drum-machines, arpeggiators, effects units and manglers as I can find, seeing how far I can bend and twist traditional sounds and hopefully capture what comes out the other side. Luckily I have a steady day-job so I don’t need to rely on music to make a living, but if I did I honestly think I would get bored with studio production due to having to churn out tracks on a schedule and focussing on my own “sound”, as I know so many producers do. Expression and inspiration go hand in hand for me, if I was unable to be inspired (because the studio was a workplace) I doubt I would be able to express myself musically!

Your podcast “Resolutions” started 10 years ago, and still goes to air each month on Frisky radio. That is a hell of an accomplishment, congratulations! Tell me, what was the motive behind starting that?

10 years, such a long time! Other than just loving to make DJ mixes the motive for the podcast was two-fold, a) to keep myself in a regular routine of track-hunting, technical practice and label/artist research plus b) to boost my DJ profile and have something to promote myself with. At the start of it all I was obviously still too fresh to be getting booked for gigs so having a mix-tape/CD/podcast to hand around at events and to promoters helped massively even with such a small audience. Being hosted by friskyradio these days is a great privilege as it’s always been such a steady, reliable and well-respected home for progressive music even now with the uptake in streaming platforms such as Spotify. In recent years I expanded the show to a 2 hour format so I’ve been opening up the 2nd hour to a few guest DJs here and there, for the most part focussing on like-minded DJs from Brisbane, of course!

Have there been any stand-out years in terms of quality, music- wise? Have you ever found yourself struggling to compile enough decent tunes?

To be honest no, there has never been an especially lean year or a stand-out year that I can recall. I’ve always found way more music than I could ever hope to play and there has never been a struggle even just relying solely on Beatport and not having to branch out to the other smaller retailers. I guess I have put in a lot of time over the years when tune-hunting and researching labels, so that must have paid off compared to what other DJs are experiencing. It’s amazing how much good music is out there at any point in time!

After so many years at it, has your objective with that mix changed much over the years?

Resolutions episodes have always been something I’ve wanted to be able to listen back to myself, to feel that they capture a certain essence of the time they were created both from the point of view of tempo and genre, but also where I was at as a DJ and where my career was situated. For example any episode after mid March 2013 would probably take on more of a melodic, hypnotic and subtle feel due to me having visited South America for the first time and observed how the people respond to those kinds of aspects of the mix. I think anyone can create a weekly or monthly podcast but if those mixes are created purely as a promotional vessel for the chosen tracks (or even just for social-media clicks) and there is little or no consideration to the flow, the energy, the emotion, then they’ll be more difficult to enjoy let alone remember.

Speaking of changes, I saw you post something about a new project called “Meld” recently. Can you tell us all what that’s about?

Meld is a concept suggested to me by my friend, Filip, in the USA who has been a big fan of Resolutions for many years. Filip is not a DJ but loves electronic music. The idea was for him to curate a batch of electronic tracks that he loved and I would then piece them together in the studio making a special one-off DJ mix just for him. I think it’s a fantastic idea which allows fans to connect to the DJ, melding the two different yet intertwined passions for music. I’m hoping people will approach me to make more Meld mixes in the future, who knows it could actually become a “thing”! 

You were due to tour South America for the 7th consecutive year in a row this year, obviously you can’t due to Covid-19, what’s the plan for you now?

Travelling and gigging through Latin America has become such a regular part of my life since 2013 that to not be over there at all this year really does feel odd. I’ve made so many friends there over the years and it’s rather painful to think of what they’re going through with constant quarantines and plummeting economies. Along with all the other out of work DJs I sure can’t wait to see a vaccine or some other end to this whole debacle but who knows when that is likely to occur. Clearly my plan right now is to stay locked indoors but as soon as the borders are opened up again and it’s safe to take long-haul flights overseas I’ll be hunting down gigs again and dusting off the old Spanish-language textbooks!

What’s your DAW of choice in the studio, and why?

I’ve only ever used Apple’s Logic when in the studio, mostly due to a lack of time to delve into any other DAWs. I’m keen one day to try Ableton and I believe the latest version of Logic actually shares many of the same workflow features so it could be a seamless switch. But after more than 10 years using Logic it’ll be tough to beat!

Top 3 plug-ins of the moment?

I’ve actually been researching lately into the world of Channel Strips and Pre-Amps, in a software-sense. So initially my answer would be biased towards the Arturia, Black-Rooster and Univeral Audio products in that category as they can add such a nice subtle colouring to any sound. In terms of synths I’d have to call out a bunch of Kontakt (Native Instruments) 3rd-party libraries that easily stand out from the herd, such as Tronsonic and Phono Loop’s Texture Mozaik. There’s so many options out there for making sounds so my money will always go towards the plugins that make weird and unique results without too much effort or technical know-how.

Who are you listening to at the moment? Any names that are standing out for you?

There’s always someone new and fresh popping up in my crates so this is a pretty easy question to answer: Jonas Saalbach, Hansgod and The Micronaut come to mind. Well worth checking out!

What’s planned for the remainder of 2020?

Aside from continuing to push Meld and Resolutions further along I’ll also be returning to making originals and remixes in the studio by the end of 2020, but am more excited to finally be getting some traction on mine and my mate Verve’s new record label idea. In a similar fashion to Meld we are trying to stand out from the crowd and the releases we’ve planned will be very different in format and content than your regular electronic music label. Stay tuned for that, the label is called Context Digital and will be coming to all the good music retail stores very soon!

Genre: Progressive / Melodic Techno
Booking Requests: richwool@gmail.com
Beatport DJ: http://dj.beatport.com/richcurtis
Beatport Artist: http://www.beatport.com/artist/rich-curtis/161317
Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/rich-curtis/
Hearthis: https://hearthis.at/richcurtis/
Mixcloud: http://www.mixcloud.com/RichCurtis/
Resident Advisor: http://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/richcurtis
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rich.Curtis.DJ