Tag Archives: Exclusive Interview

Get To Know: Kove [TMN Exclusive Interview]

There is definitely something about Kove. The UK based producer and DJ who was spotted by Chase & Status and snapped up by their label MTA Records, has seen a meteoric rise to popularity. Perhaps it’s the way he seamlessly moves from genre to genre – whether it’s the euphoric summer D&B anthem that was 2013’s ‘Searching’ or the classy house beat that was the recent ‘Way We Are’, if you hear a Kove tune on the dance floor, you will know about it. Now about to embark on a US tour supporting Netsky, he leaves his epic ‘Murmurations’ EP to continue doing the rounds across the globe. We caught up with Kove, otherwise known as James Rockhill, to get the lowdown from the man himself.

Having had such success from ‘Way We Are’ over the summer, did you feel an added pressure for the release of this next EP?

Not really, ‘Murmurations’ was really a response to ‘Way We Are’. Most of the tracks had featured in my sets over the Summer and I wanted to make something that was more focused on the underground.

‘Murmurations’  has a huge array of musical influences throughout; do you feel like this is a fair representation of you as an artist?

Certainly, I wanted to put something out that combined a bit of everything that was exciting me about music and I think ‘Murmurations’ reflects that. The way an EP is formatted, you can really throw anything in and not worry about the flow and context like you would with an album.

‘Feel Love Again’ is breathtaking, how did the collaboration come about and how was the process of working with (drum and bass producer) Dimension?

I’ve known Dimension for a while now and we’ve spent a lot of time in the studio. Normally we tend to muck about a bit, but with ‘Feel Love Again’ we really came together and combined our sounds perfectly I think. I came up with a basic loop and we pretty much finished it up in a day at his studio.

You have been delving in and out of the slower tempo bass/house music for some time now, what is currently your favourite genre to produce, play out and listen to?

I go through phases so quickly. I started making music at lower tempos before I started making D&B. I had been listening to and making a lot of house over the last few months but I was hit with a pretty bad period of writers block, so I started making D&B again, which has been really exciting.

‘VCO’ has seen you delve into garage style bass; will we be seeing more of this from future releases?

I never really try and predict what I’ll be putting out next but I’m enjoying the simplicity of making tunes like ‘VCO’. I also love a lot of the music that’s coming out from the side of the genre like My Nu Leng and Chris Lorenzo’s output.

When playing your live shows, has there been one track from the EP that goes off more than the others?

‘Feel Love Again’ has been going down really well, I think it’s probably the closest to my earliest output –  plus its a great tune for those huge double drops!

Where did the inspiration come from for the creation of ‘Still High’?

I’d been listening to a lot of film scores and ambient music so really wanted to try and transfer some of those influences and vibes into a D&B song. The tune came from the vocals which were an unused session pitched down and really glued the track together.

‘Drop’ is quite a diversion from what we have heard in the past, how have fans responded to this change in sound?

It’s been mixed! I wrote it as a bit of a tongue-in-cheek nod to the whole big room house thing, over the top and a bit silly. It is quite surprising how upset people get about something that drastically different – I have and always will continue to try different things, it helps with learning new production techniques and keeps things fresh.

Finally, what’s next for the future of Kove? Where would you like to see your sound in 2015?

I’ve been writing so many songs recently that there should be a few vocal based tunes coming out, and there’ll be a few dance floor bangers in there as well!

Follow Kove: 

http://soundcloud.com/kove

http://facebook.com/koveofficial

http://twitter.com/koveofficial

http://instagram.com/koveofficial

http://www.kovemusic.com/

www.youtube.com/kovetv

 


Kove x Dimension
Feel Love Again
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Get To Know: Modul Kollektiv [TMN Exclusive Interview]

Modul Kollektiv
Farbenfroh (Original Mix)

German producer Modul Kollektiv released a truly unique piece of deep house this week, in the form of ‘Farbenfroh’. A cleverly intricate piece of music, it was also recently picked up by Holi Festival to use as a promo track, and as a result had a stunning accompanying video. We spoke to the artist behind this release on Dirty Soul Records to learn more about his musical background and taste.

TMN: What is your musical background and how did you get into producing house music?

My first contact with electronic music was back in the 90’s. I got thrilled by Daft Punk & Depeche Mode. Daft Punks ‘Homework’ was one of my first vinyl albums and the beginning of my DJing. Later on I spent a lot of time in music production, which was released under another side project on various different labels like Dim Mak. But I always felt a love of house music and produced house tracks – so new brand Modul Kollektiv was born.

TMN: How does it feel to have your first ever release out on Dirty Soul (an imprint of Be Yourself Music)?

It’s simply indescribably awesome. Be Yourself Music is a legend in the music biz. Dirty Soul seems to be the perfect imprint for my first release.

TMN: The music video for ‘Farbenfroh’ seems only fitting for the summer tech-house track, did you have much involvement in creating the video?

Yeah, I was involved in doing the music video. I had the idea, found a deal with a festival tour promoter and did the raw editing on the video. The video clips were recorded at different Holi Festival tour stops in Austria.

TMN: If you could describe the track in three words for someone who is yet to listen, what would you pick?

Shimmering, synth, house.

TMN: Where do you draw inspiration from when producing or are there any artists you look up to?

Well I do not try to copy anything. I try to define my own soundscape and to create something new, something unique. I love the shimmering & glimmering synths in my productions which actually give the productions a fresh unconsumed attitude.

‘Farbenfroh’ is available to purchase here.  

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Get To Know: LAXX [TMN Exclusive Interview]

Since being snapped up by dubstep heavyweights Never Say Die last year, DJ and producer LAXX has had a whirlwind few months. Upon releasing his iconic ‘Step One’, which saw heavy support from Flux Pavilion), he subsequently released three EPs, including the recent free download series ‘Step Free.’ With his unique approach to production and eye for a killer hook, his gig schedule is beginning to pick up, as his booking increase. We got speaking to LAXX to discover more about working with the Never Say Die team, future releases and where he sees this future heading.

TMN: Firstly, how did you come up with the name LAXX?

I’m not really sure how I came up with it, but it had a sound to it I instantly loved. Its kind of ironic too, because its slang for being lazy and I’m in the studio basically 7 days a week when I’m not travelling and playing shows.

TMN: Big ups on the hilarious teaser for ‘Step Free’ that you put out with SKisM, is he usually like that?  

Thank you. We were both laughing constantly while putting that together. The original version was like 5 minutes long, so we decided to use the “directors cut”, but it still cracks me up when I see it. SKisM isn’t really like that, it’s a shame, but I think his alter ego will come out at some point! Especially if I tell him I want to do any more free downloads. He’s a top guy in all seriousness, he works ridiculously hard and knows instantly if a track is going to ignite. I think the last thing I sent over his only words were “shut up” and “ridiculous” That’s meant in a good sense, by the way.

TMN: Why did you decide to give away the EP for free and will there be a ‘Step Three’ release any time soon?

‘Step Free’ was a project I had in mind for a while, I love giving something back to the people supporting my music, and this was the best way to do it. Every track on the EP was hand picked and some of them took nearly a year to finish, so this was a project I had planned out for a long time. I think I spent about two months deciding what tracks would go on there and making sure they were as perfect as I wanted them to be. There was a lot of blood sweat and tears that went into it. With regards to my next release, you’ll just have to wait and see… You’ll find out very soon.

TMN: For me the biggest track from the free series is ‘Untouchable’. Can you tell us the creative process for writing the track and how long it took to write this banger?

‘Untouchable’ was one of the tracks which took nearly a year to finish. I’d written part of the idea, and kept coming back to it, and then had a mad studio bender of about 3 weeks and worked on it nearly every day. I had an idea in my head and just started piecing it together, I think put down some drums, and then made a basic version of the lead and resampled it an insane amount of times. Its strange, when you get a vibe off a track, its kind of like you lose yourself and focus so intently on the track that nothing else matters, then you kind of take a step back and think fuck, what happened?

TMN: Who has been your biggest inspiration for your career and your most recently releases on Never Say Die?

I really like every artist on the label. Zomboy is smashing it, I like the direction he’s gone in, where he’s kind of tried out every genre and put his stamp on it. Eptic is a monster too, I get sent a lot of versions of tracks he’s working on, some deeper stuff recently and it keeps me inspired. MUST DIE! is insane also – the remix he did for me has been crushing it worldwide. So yeah, everyone on NSD is doing things I like.

TMN: Do you have any plans to play state side soon? And what are your top 3 tracks to play out live at the moment? 

I’m coming for you baby! America is one of my favourite places in the world, and you guys have always been some of the most dedicated fans. Long story short, I’m coming to take over! I’ve been playing out a lot of my new sounds and its been crazy seeing the reaction, but aside from that I love double dropping Flosstradamus – ‘Mosh Pit’, Yellow Claw – ‘Lick Dat’ and Gent and Jawns – ‘Turnup’ – (Kill The Noise Remix). Biggup!

Be sure to nab LAXX’s ‘Step Free’ here. 

LAXX
Untouchable
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Get To Know: Habstrakt & Megalodon [TMN Exclusive Interview]

Habstrakt & Megalodon
The Storm

Seeing as they had a brand new, four-track dubstep extravaganza out this week via Never Say Die Records, we decided to get the lowdown on how Habstrakt and Megalodon created “The Storm”. The pair, who usually work as solo producers and DJs last worked together for a track on Megalodon’s “Boom” EP, and clearly something sounded right. This time around, it’s a collection of heavy impact, sample-filled pieces of 140 bpm madness. Check out what the duo had to say about their creative processes.

TMN: What have you both been up to as of recent? 

Habstrakt: Touring Australia and New Zealand at the moment, it’s absolutely amazing so far. I had to wake up in the middle of the night to witness the release going live and see the fans react to it! Before that, I spent the summer in studio working on loads of new tunes, and already wrapping up the next EP as we speak.

Megalodon: I’ve just got back from a tour in the States and now catching some of the festival season here in Europe. It’s always fun to enjoy Europe before it gets back to being cold and dreary! As for studio work, I’m constantly working on sound design and concepts, which for a picky person like me may take a good amount of time sometimes.

TMN: You joined forces back in 2013 with “40 Cows”. How did you originally hook up for that track?

H: Sinjin (Megalodon) was touring France and had a few days off, so I offered him to come over to my place so we could finally meet after years and years of talking on the internet. We made “40 Cows” in one session; it only took an afternoon to write it down, which was probably the fastest studio session I’ve ever had!

TMN: What has the writing process been like for “The Storm” EP, any funny studio stories? 

H: Well, “Yabba Dabs” was written on Sinjin’s sofa in The Netherlands, we didn’t have speakers and did most of it on laptop speakers or with crappy headphones – coming back home to mix it down was painful, aha! Once again, we wrote all the tracks within a few days, but then obviously mixing it down took us a bit longer! The recipe for the album was pretty simple:  funny samples, 8 bit melodies, aggressive drops and a good dose of that sofa laziness we all crave.

TMN: You both work with Never Say Die on the regular, what is it like to work with SKisM and the crew?

M: Well I gotta say, from the moment I started working with them I noticed a big difference in drive and overall work ethic from them – more than anything I had experienced before. Put aside the fact that SKisM and the crew run an immensely tight ship, they also have always been on point when it comes to delivering quality and ground breaking dubstep to a bigger audience. I know Habby feels the same when I say SKisM is a huge influence as a producer and a pioneer in the game… it’s an honour to be apart of the team!

H: The Never Say Die crew is a very strong team with loads of people involved full-time with running the label, it’s very encouraging to work with such a team. SKisM has always been a mentor to me, even getting me back on the road when I was drifting away. The man is driven by a strong vision of both his label and the bass music scene in general, and it’s a real pleasure to work with someone who’s entirely devoted into pushing his artists as far as possible. Plus he calls me every night to sing me lullabies so I can sleep and he owns a suit made of £ notes, what else can I say!

TMN: What do you both have planned for the future? Any chance of more tracks from the pair of you?

M: Basically the same thing I’ve been doing since the start really. Making music and performing it is my passion and I hope to continue doing so for as long as I can. As for working again with Habstrakt, I think it would be foolish not to. I guess we will see what happens next!

H: It looks like I’m gonna be on the road a lot over the next few months, gigs are piling up and upcoming tours looks really exciting! Lucky for me, I’ve learned how to work far away from my studio and I can keep up with the production while playing shows all over the world.  And yes, you will definitely hear more Habstrakt & Megalodon collabs in the future, we’ve got such a nice thing rolling, I don’t see any reason why we would stop!

Pick up a copy of “The Storm” EP here. 

 

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Q&A with LUMBERJVCK [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]

LUMBERJVCK
Mirkwood (Original Mix)

Having just released his explosive new ‘JVCKWOOD’ EP via Excision’s Rottun Recordings this past Monday, bass music producer, LUMBERJVCK, has put himself in a good position for future releases. The young woodsman, otherwise known as Connor Schnatzel, first came onto the radar by offering his original tracks and remixes free to his fans. Now showing the darker side of his creativity with this EP, we can surely expect to hear much more from this promising talent. To gain an understanding in how he produced intricate tracks, such as the recent “Mirkwood”, we chatted with LUMBERJVCK to hear more about his production techniques and set up:

What DAW do you work with and why?

I work with Ableton. I prefer Ableton because of its ease of access. I used to use Reason, but I would get really frustrated with the workflow so I switched.

What does your studio consist of?

My studio consists of one 50 inch flat screen, Rokit 6 monitors, a Focusrite Scarlet soundcard, and an MPK61.

Top 5 go-to VSTs to work with?

LFO Tool, Akustix, Effectrix, Insight, and the PX-7 FM synth in Reason.

What are some techniques you use for sound design? 

I love layering sounds. I usually layer a bass growl with a real animal growl. I have the bass come down the middle while the animal growl is spread in the stereo field. This is how I get my most crazy noises.

You’re starting off a track, what’s the first step?

The first step to any track for me is a big and loud drum beat.

Any weird tricks that speed up productivity for you?

When I need to kickstart productivity I write everything down I have to do in a day. I won’t let myself relax or make other plans until the list is complete.

Are you trained in any organic instruments?

I have trained myself in guitar, piano, and drums.

You can pick up a copy of “JVCKWOOD” EP here. 

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Get To Know: 1DAFUL [TMN Exclusive Interview]

Production and DJ duo 1DAFUL have just dropped their explosive electro anthem “This Is Life” via Australian dance label VELCRO. The pair – David A and MC TB1 bring a heightened level of passion and energy to their tracks, previously highlighted in their remix of Rae Sremmurd’s “No Flex Zone.” “This Is Life” is progressive and elevated, packed with dynamic synths, grinding bass and impassioned vocals. We spoke to 1DAFUL to hear more about their music making and taking their sound worldwide.

TMN: A big fuss about EDM is that DJs “just push buttons”, but don’t actually do any work on stage. Judging from your live shows, you clearly put on quite a performance full of energy and fun, that I think everyone needs to experience at least once in their lives. Tell us more about what goes on behind the scenes, any rituals beforehand?

First of all, thanks for the love! I think we come from a school of thought that we are “button pushers”, but you need to know how to push those buttons well, and know what they’re going to trigger to make a crowd go wild. We put a lot of time and effort into deciding what the people want to hear – lots of 1DAFUL mashups, and tracks that will make people lose their minds. We always decide our first track about 5 minutes before we go o n and don’t play the same set but pride ourselves on reading a crowd rather than playing a pre-made set. No pre-show rituals but we have some fun things that we always do during a show, that crowds have started picking up on.

TMN: What’s a day in the life of 1DAFUL?

It depends on the weather! We have a great group of friends; we’re really a family unit. It often consists of us sitting in or around a pool, hanging out, working on our laptops or phones, working out, and chilling. Then depending on the day, it often ends with with a gig and an after party. We love going to new cities and meeting new people, and partying with them in their surroundings.

TMN: Name your top 5 acts right now.

Steve Aoki
Carnage
DVBBS
MAKJ
Adventure Club

TMN: What was the concept behind your latest remix of “No Flex Zone”?

Well, we’re absolutely in love with Melbourne Bounce and we love to spin it. We’re also obsessed with “No Flex Zone”, us and our friends always have that “song of the month” that we just love to vibe out to. NFZ is so good, so we had to do it!

TMN: Have you played any US shows? If so, how do you see the difference in crowd as opposed to Montreal?

We have played a few in the US, and to be honest, we all have something in common; A love for EDM and the classics. All those huge festivals are a testament to everyone worldwide coming together and partying in the same crazy way. We’re also super excited to be playing our first festival, Mystik Sanctuary in OKC, September 5-7. That’s really gonna be our inaugural festival/US gig and we can’t wait!

TMN: Lastly, any plugs to include? Now’s the time!

Hahah, I guess we started with the plug for Mystik Sanctuary in the last question, so come there and party with us and Krewella, Bassnectar and more. We’ve got our debut single “This Is Life” out now and lots of originals to follow. Some cool collaborations are in the works and they’re definitely gonna be fun! Also, we’d be silly to not say follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, SoundCloud and our website: 1DAFUL.com. We always give away free music and exclusive stuff to our website subscribers.

Pick up a copy of “This Is Life” here. 

 

 

1DAFUL
This Is Life
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Get To Know: The Prototypes [TMN Exclusive Interview]

The Prototypes
'Don't Let Me Go' Feat. Amy Pearson (Original Mix)

Having been snapped up by Viper Recordings last year, Drum & Bass powerhouse pair The Prototypes have just released their new single. It follows on from the widespread success of the previous ‘Pale Blue Dot’ and certainly hits the spot for those who like their D&B dance floor-accessible. ‘Don’t Let Me Go’ is a euphoric, hands in the air track, featuring sublime vocals from Amy Pearson. It also comes alongside ‘Humanoid’, which continues in the theme of intergalactic-inspired bass lines that we have previously heard in both ‘Pale Blue Dot’ and ‘Abyss.’ We took some time to speak to The Prototypes about this new release, their forthcoming LP and other musical projects.

TMN: Viper Recordings seems like the perfect fit for you guys and your particular sound. Is it nice to be settled with a stable output for music now? 

Most definitely, and we think it is showing in our output that we are settled and happy and creating music that we want to listen to. The Viper crew have been great since we joined.

TMN: While still undoubtedly drum & bass, ‘Don’t Let Me Go’ nods somewhat to House with its lead line piano chords. What was your aim when writing it? 

To put it simply, we just wanted to write something with a nice summer vibe to it. That was all it was really. The vocal is sick and we hope we have done it justice.

TMN: ‘Humanoid’ definitely targets the D&B heads. How difficult is it balancing a track that might have wider appeal with something that roots itself directly in the scene like this one?

It’s so important to cater for the peeps that like the harder dance floor stuff..That is where we came from, and we will continue writing those sorts of tunes as we love making them.

TMN: You’ve done a number of ‘The Prototypes Presents… ‘ nights this year and have a boat party coming up. Do you like putting on your own events? 

We both come from promoting backgrounds many years ago so it was inevitable that we would start them up again at some point. We feel it’s really, really important for ‘The Prototypes’ as a brand to have a successful event attached to the name, and so far they have been amazing.

TMN: ‘Pale Blue Dot’ is still ripping up clubs months after it’s release. Are you happy with how well received the track was particularly as it was your first single for Viper? 

We are so happy with how it’s done. It was an experimental track for us but it just seemed to work for everyone, the support on it was insane.

TMN: You’ve done a version of ‘Don’t Let Me Go’ called the “Big Top Remix”. Have you ever been to the circus or considered running away and joining one? 

Chris used to be a trapeze artist but I thought that was a bit off key! I was rescued from a circus a few years back in outer Mongolia… true story.

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