London’s Lo*kee is built the old-fashioned way – through dedication, driven by passion, reinventing ideas and creating mystery at every event- their parties never miss a beat. Founder, promoter and resident of Lo*kee’s lawless after hours since 2008, Sebastian Voigt has recent remix releases on Keinemusik and Debox plus a further release of his own in the pipeline and describes the Lo*kee party ethic with positive energy; “we just wanted to create something that felt right, a nice little party with the right people and the right music in a relaxed atmosphere, less is more.”

Embarking on a magical musical pilgrimage upstairs to Room Three this Saturday, the new series of nights aptly crowned “Lo* kee loves” will showcase the rare talents of the Lo* kee founder himself, The Monchhichi Boys, who “ came to an early Lo * Kee and it was love at first sight” and Wareika (LIVE), best known for their organic approach to producing deep techno, jazz, electronic and classical music- their June released LP “Harmonie Park” for the Perlon imprint is not to be missed.

For those that love extended after hour sets; Lo* kee is the auditory journey for you and you can catch Sebastian Voigt’s words on how it all started here. What’s more he’s given us a brand new fabric promo mix- so good it will “boil your dancefloor soft.” Read on to see what we mean…

You are one of the main three protagonists behind the Lo*kee party ethic. Tell us about how the Lo* kee concept first started and the meaning behind the name?

I had just moved from Berlin and was a bit disappointed with parties in London. I met Nic and Akie, we started to go out and hang out together and the idea was born. We didn’t have a great concept really; we just wanted to create something that felt right, a nice little party with the right people and the right music in a relaxed atmosphere - less is more. The name can mean anything and nothing, mostly is has to do with keeping it low key I reckon.

What’s the vibe like at a Lo* kee party? Why do you believe they are important within the electronic dance community?

Well, the vibe. Friendly, sweaty, anything goes. Less attitude and more smiling and dancing. I don’t wanna take myself too serious but I believe that especially at the time when we started we’ve offered something quite unique in the London club scene.

What are your musical goals?

Keep it fresh but be aware of history, mix House and Techno, which are all part of the same thing for me by the way. I want music that touches me, not just functional stuff. Personally I’d like to push myself and release more music.

How would you describe the current club scene in London compared to Berlin nightlife?

I think London has a great party scene but is lacking good clubs. Except fabric there’s not much left, so people are forced to go underground, which is also good in a way because it keeps things fresh and exciting. Berlin is totally different because it has all those great clubs, some of them open till the next evening which creates a very unique vibe. People take it for granted because they can. That’s why Berlin nightlife is a lot more relaxed I guess.

You’ll be gracing Room Three this Saturday alongside regular Lo*kee guests, The Monchhichi Boys and Wareika (LIVE). Tell us about how you met these artists, how they fit into the Lo * kee collective and what sounds they’ll be charming our ears with?

The Monchhichis came to an early Lo*kee and it was love at first sight, haha. We had an extended discussion about how to pull girls by singing national anthems and about groupsex in general. So it was clear we had to make them part of the crew.
I’ve always loved Wareika’s music, since their first 12” on Connaisseur years ago. When I met them through our friends from Wilde Renate in Berlin, we clicked instantly and it was just a matter of time until we would invite them to play.

What are your favourite current peak time tracks?

Phew, loads.

Ray Okpara – True Crowd

Lil Louis & The World - I Called U (Why'd U Fall)



The Mole - Nervous Disid



Matthias Meyer - Tout Va Bien (KiNK Remix)



David August – Moving Day



and many many more…

What is it that you enjoy most about the extended after hour sets?

In German there is an expression “to boil until soft”. This applies very much to the dancefloor. Go to Berghain at 10am and the dancefloor has been boiled until soft, in the best possible meaning. Everyone’s on a certain level, in a certain groove. People can appreciate the music in a different way at this point, which gives the DJ more freedom to do things beyond the usual peak time maneuvers.

What is a typical weekend like for you?

If I’m not playing somewhere else: Sleeping in, going to the market, meeting friends. Lokee on Sunday.

Lo*kee loves fabric promo mix by Sebastian Voigt

Tracklist

DJ Food - Colours Beyond Colours
Mickey Moonlight - Love Pattern (Isolée Remix)
Wareika - Burnin
Taron Trekka - Blue Cinema
Livio & Roby - Jack Cu Soul
The Mole - Nervous Disid
Lil Louis & The World - I Called U (Why'd U Fall)
Vega feat Johnny Dangerous - New York City
Jens Loden - First One (Lodemann Remix)
Delano Smith - Overseas
MRI - Filthy Lesson (House Mix)
Ame - Rrose Selavy
Justus Kohncke - I Wouldnt Wanna Be Like You

Lo*kee loves fabric promo mix by Sebastian Voigt by fabric

David Morris has fans that are worlds apart; from DJ Zinc to Pete Tong his work as Boy 8-bit has found its way into the ears of many. After starting life as a rural boy hailing from Cornwall where the only early electronic musical education was a distant branch of Our Price and chart dance music, his music has been championed by a whole host of people including Fake Blood, Diplo and New York’s Trouble & Bass crew.

Ahead of his topping of our Room Two bill tomorrow night we caught up with him to shoot the breeze and find out a bit more about the chip tune monikered maestro. Oh and he linked us to a recent upload of his BBC Essential mix for your ears too!

Download: Boy 8 Bit Essential Mix



Your next release is coming out on Turbo. Having had releases on so many different labels, do you feel a stronger affiliation with any one label over the others?

Well my first release was on Fake Blood's old label, so I feel a strong affiliation with that because not only was it my first release, but also because he has become one of my best friends. I spent a lot of time touring with Diplo and the people who run Mad Decent so there is also a strong affiliation there - the same with Trouble and Bass.

I only really met the Turbo people recently through this release so hopefully the same will happen with those guys. I have been lucky so far in that I have been able to tour with the labels I release on, that definitely helps build bonds.

I understand that Theo Keating (Fake Blood) really took you under his wing and allowed for your talent to be fully realised? Do you two ever get to spend time in the studio together?

We've never really spent that much time in the studio together.. We tried once, but at the time we both used different bits of software so I just ended up getting frustrated. We are currently working on a track together "over the internet"... Which should see the light of day in the next few months!

I've had a listen to your Old Amiga Tracks on your Soundcloud page. It's not only refreshing to see an artist that doesn't take himself too seriously but also great to see the early experimentation with sound that so many producers hide. Do you approach tracks with a strong initial idea in your head or do your ideas come from hours of experimentation still?

I definitely find it easier to get my ideas down now, so there is a little less experimentation involved.. But I still like to experiment with things and will definitely be taking that approach more when it comes to an album. A lot of my original tracks come together pretty quickly and will just be a product of messing about, like 'Yard Birds'. But 'The Keep' came about because I wanted a super repetitive banger to put in my sets so I bashed the original demo out in about 2 hours... I that instance I knew what I wanted.

I have no idea if I that actually answered your question!

It's clear that you like to incorporate elements from a number of genres into your sound, from baile funk drum hits to squelching techno lead lines. Are there any combinations of influences that you've attempted to mould together that simply didn't sound right?

Mixing rock and dance music doesn't really work that often... Its pretty naff. Or trying to get a rock asthetic in dance in general.. Most people fail miserably, playing a wack riff on guitars over the top.... Rubbish.

If you weren't a producer, what do you see yourself doing?

I worked in a post room for a bit.. I enjoyed that. I have a degree in Software Engineering, so maybe something along those lines... I just find computers a bit dry now. Every man and his dog has some "IT" experience... It used to be a lot more fun.

Do you still regularly listen to heavy metal?

Yes, as often as possible...

There's an amazing promotional photograph of you taken on a rollercoaster. Was that hard to capture? What was the thinking behind it?

That was with the photographer Dan Wilton, it was his idea to go to Southend on-Sea where they have a little theme park on the sea front.. We had to sneak the camera on to the train, which was difficult as we were the only people on it half the time so we had the stewards full attention. We then had to wait until we got to a certain part of the track and start shooting. It worked really well. I think the person running the ride thought we were crazy though, we went on it about 10 times.. It was also too cold to be in just a T-Shirt. I suffered.

As an electro/techno DJ, how do you feel about going on to do a set after a main room dubstep act?

I was recently sandwiched between two dubstep arts, the one before me being very "main room" as they say... The kids were really into it, lots of moshing and stamping around... definitely doing its job! Very difficult to follow in terms of energy levels and I didn't really try to... You just get on with it and do you thing. There are going to be people there who appreciate what you do..

What's your favourite thing about playing at fabric?

The fact that almost 10 years ago I was there as a punter... And now I'm playing there myself!

What's your highlight of 2010 so far?

Releasing two records that people have been in to.... and being able to continue doing what I love..

With nicknames like ‘3 Deck Master’ and ‘The Human Ableton’, you know you’re in for a treat of technical wizardry when you get the chance to see Ben Sims. Someone who can truly claim to have seen things come and go and come round again in the world of techno, Ben is a DJ of legendary status who has toured the globe delivering his funk driven techno and house that is the trademark of his DJ sets. On August 28th Ben will be joining Ben Klock and Russ Gabriel in Room Two for a star studded line up that also features Carl Craig, Sebo K, Alex Celler and many more. The man has kindly found a few minutes of his time to answer questions on what life is like in the shoes of Ben Sims…

So Ben, describe your day so far…
Friday 30th July: Spent the morning going thru digital promos and sorting my records etc for this weeks gigs, started the weekend travel by flying out of London City airport to Frankfurt (i'm playing NATURE ONE tonight, then over to Holland for ROCKIT festival tommorow) and now I'm waiting for room service in a hotel. Pretty typical Friday.

You started DJing aged 10. I’m guessing that you must have a pretty huge collection of vinyl stored somewhere, how do you stay on top of all the music? Are you very methodical about collecting?
Most of my records are in storage as I can't fit them all in my apartment but i'm regularly going back and forth with bags and changing my selection at home. Hopefully sometime soon I can have them all in one place as I often buy doubles because I can't find a particular track or I just forget I already own it; I'm not as organised as I'd like to be.  I'm still a vinyl junkie though and always have a wants list on me, my desire for new or rare records for my varied sets and tastes is showing no signs of fading after 25+ years.

What was your dream job as a kid?
To be a DJ or work in a record shop, preferably both.

Who were your early inspirations and what inspires you today?
I was hugely inspired by UK soul/funk legend FROGGY (R.I.P) as a kid, he was one of the biggest DJs in the country at the time, the first guy to use pitch controlled Technics for mixing and luckily, he also did the school discos at my junior school as his then wife was a teacher there. So that really gave me the bug, seeing someone that talented and respected at a young age, it definitely started my lifelong obsession with the art of mixing. After that I searched for tapes of US DJs like DJ CHESSE, CASHMONEY, RED ALERT, LATIN RASCALS, AFRICA BAMBAATAA etc and recorded mix shows off the radio at home from guys like RICHIE RICH, COLDCUT, HARDROCK SOUL MOVEMENT and anyone mixing up rap, soul, funk and disco. These days I’m inspired by many different DJs, mostly techno or house, but in general guys whose sets are individual, have their own sound, who really put their heart and soul it and don't just follow trends, people like DERRICK MAY, JEFF MILLS and THEO PARRISH are always great to hear as it's always refreshing and always more than just a couple of hours of music, you can hear history and years of dedication in their sets that is sadly lacking in many DJs.

What have you noticed that’s changed most about clubbing, club culture and techno as a genre in recent years?
Well, if you stick around long enough you tend to see things come back around, a revival of this, a new version of that, fads and phases come and go but for me techno is essentially the same as it’s always been, just a new audience embracing it.

The clubbing generation definitely seems to have changed a bit, these days it’s more about the DJ than the individual tracks played and everyone seems to want to stay up for days! Fuck that, haha…

Continue reading "In The Company Of... Ben Sims" »

With an astounding heritage within drum & bass, a plethora of successful labels and releases that span the entire spectrum of the scene and appear on pretty much every iconic d&b label there is, the Total Science duo of Jason Greenhalgh and Paul Smith are a bonafide success story. First getting together to produce music in 1994 under the Funky Technicians moniker they’ve never looked backed, maintaining their outlook and production style to this day; still releasing consistently great music after 20 years in the game.

Spinning in Room Three next Friday for the Critical Sound takeover, we tracked them down through label boss Kasra, who managed to persuade them to let us package their July mix up alongside a snappy Q&A.

So, for those that don’t know, can you briefly introduce yourself and what you do?
We are Total Science; two old men from Oxford UK who have been producing and playing drum & bass and other various forms of electronic music for the past 20 years. We also run C.I.A Records and all its subsidiaries.

Kmag published a YouTube chart recently chronicling your productions over the last 20 years. With such a lengthy period in the game what have been your highlights?
There has been so many highlights over the years, from getting our 1st 12”s on big labels like Metalheadz, Goodlooking and 31; also getting to remix classics like Krust’s ‘Jazznote,’ Doc Scott’s ‘NHS’ and Wots My Code ‘Dubplate.’ Oh and... getting to fly round the world getting hammered can't be sniffed at either.



You’ve released on almost every important d&b label going what do you feel have been some of your biggest achievements?
For us our main motivation is that we just love making music and for it to have become our way of life, as it has ,is the greatest achievement we could have ever imagined.

Is there anything that you believe has been inherently yours sound wise throughout your career? How do you think your sound has the sound changed with the times?
For us it’s the attention to detail we attempt to add into each track. We are also known for our use of breaks which we always spend a lot of time developing and tweaking. Our sound has always developed and changed along with the advancements of technology and musical enlightenment.

Tell us a bit about how the hook up with Critical came about? Was it just off the back of the ‘Redlines’ single? What can we expect from your slot at the fabric takeover?
We first recorded a 12” for the label in 2005 under one of our other aliased, Funky Technicians. Since then Karsa's developed the label into one of the top 10 d&b labels around, so we thought it was about time we did him a Total Science 12”.

On the night you can expect a various selection of what we consider is the best drum & bass around right now with a few of our classics thrown in for good measure.

What other projects are coming up from you, production wise? More on the CIA label?
Release wise we have two 12”s with S.P.Y coming out in the near future on Metalheadz and Subtitles respectively . We also have the Break remix of ‘Redlines’ to come on Critical after the summer. On the production tip we have been really hard at it and have lots of new material ready to drop.

For C.I.A we have 12”s lined up from Calibre, Lenzman and ourselves . We are also working on a various artists LP entitled ‘Tuned In 2’ which is planned for release early next year.

Can you tell us a bit about the mix you have put together for us and what you wanted to showcase with it?
The mix is simply a quality slice of what we are feeling in d&b at the moment.

Download: Total Science – FABRICLIVE Promo Mix



Tracklist:

1.Silent Witness & Break - ABTN
2.S.P.Y & Kasra - Surface
3.Zero 7 - In The Waiting Line (Bootleg)
4.Alix Perez & Jubei - Untitled
5.Total Science & S.P.Y Ft Kevin King - Past Lifes
6.S.P.Y - Untold Future
7.Total Science. S.P.Y & System - Sleight Of Hand
8.System - Si-Fi
9.Heist - Sentinel Warning
10.Total Science - Concrete Proof
11. Total Science Ft Riya - Redlines (Break Remix)
12. Doc Scott - NHS (Total Science Remix)
13.S.P.Y - Sabotage
14.Data & Dynamic ft Kathy Brown - Compassion

For more on Total Science check them out on Facebook, Mixcloud and Soundcloud.

Lopazz is much more than your average one trick pony. Having made cuts for labels like Get Physical, Compost and London's legendary Output Recordings, he is also a renowned film and television composer as well as a self confessed ‘mountain type of guy’, gleefully exploring everywhere from the depths of Alaska to outer Tibet. His zealous enthusiasm stems from the beauty of our planet earth and the foreign sound-aesthetics, musicians and artists that surround it; and after speaking with him, it’s hard to not want to grab your hiking boots, fill your backpack and follow the musical protégée on his next global expedition.

As he makes his way to Soundwave Festival on Vancouver Island, we caught up with Lopazz to chat about life back on the club circuit, collaborating with DJ T on their next album, his live performance in Room One this weekend and why wild pigs in his garden have urged him to take time off away from the studio… He also built us an exclusive promo mix, so press play and read on:

Download: Lopazz – fabric Promo Mix



First of all, can you tell us how the summer’s been treating you and some of its highlights so far…?
I am on my way to Canada. I will play at Soundwave Festival on Vancouver Island, meeting lovely people and friends. The shows have been great this year! I’ve been to Lebanon, the highlight of 2010 so far - the guys there are real friends, the Lebanese people are amazing! Besides touring I am preparing my next releases on STIR15 and Circle Music.

DJ T is producing his next album with you at your LOPAZZ/HD800 studios in Heidelberg. Can you tell us how you first met, your relationship on and off the decks and how the project is taking shape?
I am a nuclear member of Get Physical, lol – we’ve known each other for many years and we’ve played countless shows together. He’s one of the best DJ´s I know and besides that I respect the work he has done for the music-business in the past 20 years. We are almost finished with the instrumentals, and are waiting for the vocal-parts. We’ve produced with analog machines and instruments I’ve collected in the past. We’ve recorded real drums and guitars. DJ T even played percussion and all kinds of old organs that we captured with microphones.

We have heard that the album will include several collaborations planned with vocalists and musicians. Can you tell us more about the artists involved and how yourself and DJ T collaborated ideas on this?
DJ T is NOT one of those DJs sending me tracks telling me: "go on, produce me something like this...” He knows what he wants, he prepares his samples carefully and it’s a real 50/50 production. Of course I am the executive producer but he also plays the keyboards and works on melody- and beat-lines. I appreciate his studio-appearance and his knowledge about electronic-music.

You also have a new record out on Get Physical Music featuring 80’s sensation, Imagination out on July 14th. Can you describe the sound of this EP and where it fits in to the current state of dance music?
Beto Cohen invited me to work on the original Imagination 2" tapes recorded at his cousin’s Red Bus Studios in London. The sound is solid, warm, bright, deep and kicking. It has been produced on a fantastic SSL Analog Mixing Console - I just got a 16 channel version of it for my mastering-suite and it sounds amazing. We didn’t want to continue the attitude of the countless Imagination bootlegs - we wanted to create a real fusion sound, not just another disco-mashup. The DJ feedback we got paid back for the work we’ve invested. I think it’s a great piece of music.

Over the years you have become a renowned film and television composer, having written and performed more than 45 film and documentary scores over the years… We’ve even heard that you’ve jumped on planes, boats and camels to accompany the film crew and record the sounds you need…?
Yes, I’ve been lucky getting invited by great documentary-filmmakers (Along Mekong Productions) for the first films in 1999 with Casio Casino. Since that we’ve travelled and recorded and produced crazy and serious themes for interesting projects like UNESCO´s "World Heritage Program" or the French /German TV collab "Arte". Last year I’ve been to Ethiopia and South-Africa, the years before in Mongolia and Macao. I love field-recording and working with foreign sound-aesthetics, musicians and artists.

Can you tell us more about your passion for making music based on the visual art form and what this means to you compared to making beats for the likes of Get Physical, Cocoon or Kompakt…?
When we started releasing tracks on our own labels in 1994 we collaborated with visual-artists and graphic-designers, rented old factory halls and warehouses for temporary parties – I’ve been the youngest partner in a team of great DJ´s and producers like Dman and Planet Jazz. We’ve produced videos and tracks for MTV and underground sources, for hip-hoppers, technos, ambient-lovers and pop-moguls. I got the chance to work on one of the first digital video cut systems and I’ve always been pretty eclectic. When I was younger I wanted to test and try anything! Since 2003 I concentrate more on producing music, mixing and mastering music at my studios in Germany.

What’s your favourite film soundtrack of all time?
Blade Runner!



Continue reading "LOPAZZ: "It's Just House Music All Night Long Baby"" »

If we told you’d be able to hear colour and see sound this Saturday night at fabric, we wouldn’t blame you for thinking we were a few nuts short of a fruitcake. That is until you witness the wonders of Crosstown Rebels' leading lady, Deniz Kurtel and her recently exposed 'creature of the night,' aka a self-made LED light installation that will ignite a sensory overload and take your dancing feet into a whole new dimension. Deniz’s LED artform first came alive in her secret workshop at Wolf and Lamb’s favorite hang-out, the Marcy Hotel in Brooklyn. Since then, her impressive artistry has been laying down technicolour spectacles that generate a raw flow of energy between the visual experience of colour, sound and emotion.

On a musical note, we are very happy to welcome Deniz into the labyrinth of fabric alongside her fellow rebel ravers, label boss Damian Lazarus, Parisian star Dyed Soundorom and the inimitable Jamie Jones, who are now taking on the European leg of their Rebel Rave Tour. Her smash hit 'Yeah' (feat Guest of Nature) has been denting dancefloors worldwide; not to mention her punk-funk techno remix of 'Fables & Fairytales' (by N/A featuring Rosina)...just two big reasons to get your hands on her hotly tipped debut album out this year.

Reminding us once again that the ‘future is rebel,' catch Deniz’s words on her LED mastery and some of her major influences here...

I've been involved with LED art for a couple of years before I started making music and it's a nice coincidence that these two art forms work very well together.  When I was talking about the Crosstown Rebels tour with Damian, he encouraged me to build an installation for the tour and I wasn't so sure of it because it was going to be the first time I'm playing live and I felt like it might be too much to handle at once, but I'm very happy that I did.  It's a big effort to travel with it and set it up, but it definitely adds a lot to my show and is worth the effort.

The first time I got interested in LEDs was in 2006 when I went to the Burning Man Festival for the first time with Zev and Gadi (Wolf+Lamb), and afterwords Zev gave me a bunch of his LEDs and I started making installations with those at Wolf+Lamb parties, and later at places such as 3rd Ward, School of Visual Arts, the Burning Man festival, The Rabbit Hole, and Communikey Festival of Electronic Arts.







I've also been inspired by the amazing LED artists Leo Villareal and Todd Polenberg from New York.

Visual element has always been important in music, in adding another dimension to the experience...In my LED projects before I started making music, I was preprogramming patterns, now I'm experimenting with connecting the lights with my sound, where the lights are responding to the data coming from my music. Right now I have a combination of patterns that are preprogrammed and ones that are feeding live from audio. It's a work in progress, and I'm constantly working on developing a more intelligent communication between the lights and the sound. The installation that I will have in my fabric show on May 22nd is what I built for the Crosstown Rebels tour back in February, and this will be my first show in Europe with it.

www.denizkurtel.com

The Blu Mar Ten trio have never been afraid to tread their own path. Eschewing the restrictions so often unconsciously imposed on artists by scene purism, they have continued to evolve and mutate tirelessly over the course of a career that has spanned more than a decade. Having indelibly marked the drum & bass scene with early releases on LTJ Bukem’s revered Good Looking imprint, the trio moved on to new pastures, releasing an array of different material, experimenting with everything from ambient and downtempo to house and techno.

2005 saw them return to d&b with a renewed vigour, and a slew of releases for the likes of Hospital, Renegade Hardware and Phuzion marked their return with a bang. Last year they released their long-awaited full length drum and bass project ‘Natural History’ to critical acclaim which gathered support across the spectrum.

Ahead of their Room Two date later this month we caught up with the Blu Mar Ten boys to talk past, present and future…. and grab an exclusive mix (up for DL after the jump) while we were all up in their inboxes.

How are you guys doing?
Hello there... we're insanely busy thanks. We're trying to finish a remix for a big house/electronica bod... whilst gearing up to release 6 remixes of tracks from our 'Natural History' album later this summer and getting ready to tour again; in between everything else and trying to finish the next album.

How does the dynamic work making music between the three of you?
Funnily enough we were talking about this the other day. We realised that it used to be the case that we would all work on everything together, but as we've got older and life has got busier we all tend to work separately and then stitch all the bits together later on. Then we all come together when a track is nearing completion.

Do differing musical tastes ever clash?
No, never. We all like a million different things and we bring ideas from all that music into the studio. It's never the case that we sit there with one person saying "I want to sound like that" and another saying "well *I* want to sound like *that*..." We're about as harmonious as units like ours get.

You have released a really broad variety of music over the course of your career. Have you guys always been in to making different sounds? Do you come from different musical backgrounds?
Not really from different musical backgrounds, we just tend to get bored really easily. But recently we've decided to concentrate on one thing rather than hop around from genre to genre. While it can be fun when you do that, you tend to confuse your audience a lot of the time. These days, rather than getting bored of making drum & bass and then starting a house tune we're more likely to say 'what are the things we like about that house idea?,' and then try and translate those things back into a d&b track.

It was only at the back end of last year that you released your debut drum & bass LP, despite having released a couple LPs of more downtempo styles. Why did you hold back on a full-length d&b project?
We really overdosed early on d&b early on. From 1995-2000 we really threw everything into d&b, and that, in conjunction with the usual music business nonsense just made us sick of it and so we couldn't get away fast enough. It was great to be liberated from all the stupid expectations that a genre like d&b can throw on to you, although starting again at the bottom of a ladder you've never climbed before presents all its own challenges, of course. But after a few years wandering around and doing our own thing we finally started to get back into d&b again and thought that we could bring something slightly different to the genre. We have our own sound and a lot of people like that sound, so why not have fun with it again. We'll stick with it as long as we're enjoying it and as long as we feel we're pushing ourselves enough and offering something special. If we start to feel that drop off then we'll switch up again.



Continue reading "In The Company Of... Blu Mar Ten" »

2020: a time of social decay among burnt out landscapes, crumbling buildings and the smell of injustice in the air. It's an awful time, as you can imagine. A bit like Robocop really; drugs and violence on every miserable street corner coupled with the bludgeoning atmosphere and wretched knowing that no one gives a damn anymore. There is, however, a soundtrack to this time; one of equal despair, but one that you can get down to - the industrial technoid backlashings of MOTOR. Luckily enough for us though, the duo helmed by Mr. No and Bryan Black come from a decade prior to this time, and have been tearing floors apart with their bloody concoction of hard futuristic techno and industrial rock.

With three albums already under their belt and another in the works, MOTOR are clearly on the up. They've been the go-to guys for remixing artists from every end of the spectrum and, like their peers - Depeche Mode and Throbbing Gristle, are taking the live rock mentality of a group to the club. On Saturday 8th May, MOTOR will be tearing up Room Two and probably turning it into a metaphorical bloodbath, but before the health and safety brigade stamp us down on this we caught up with the darkest dudes on the block to chat about their rising success, recording music in hotel bathrooms and touring with the Mode.

Firstly, can you please introduce yourselves...
Bryan Black:Hello, this is Bryan Black.
Mr.No: Hi I’m Mr.No, often referred to as “the French bad boy techno rocker.”

You have a heavily industrial sound and aesthetic. What have been your inspirations?
BB:Many of the bands we have remixed or toured with: Depeche Mode, Nitzer Ebb, Throbbing Gristle. As well as early Aphex Twin, Autechre, and piano works by Ligeti and Philip Glass. We haven’t modeled any of our songs on other artists music, but surely all the years of listening to electronic, industrial, ambient, classical and punk has made an impression on us which ultimately seeps into our music.
Mr.No: For me it was always the analogue sound. My favourite artist is Mr Oizo.

Coming from completely different continents, how did the two of you meet and how does this affect working on music?
BB: We were both living in London when we met. I had gone to London in the late 90’s to study film and graphic design. I met Mr No through a mutual friend. We started to hang out and discussing music technology. I was considering starting a pure electronic project after years of making industrial rock music. It seemed Mr No also wanted to ditch the rock scene and make some stripped down dance music as well.
Mr.No: I was playing drums as a session musician in Camden’s Underworld with this dreadful rock band called Dirty Harry. My friend Jared Lelouche, a crazy American poet, turned up with Bryan who was not impressed, but somehow we bonded in the dressing room afterwards when he heard about my electronic project.
BB: Mr No had a studio in East London at the Fortress. We started playing around and started making demos, all of which were signed to Gigolo and Novamute almost instantly. Nowadays we live in separate countries, so we make music in hotel rooms when we tour. The hotel bathroom operates as the vocal booth. We get noise complaints quite often, but that’s to be expected.

Continue reading "In The Company Of... MOTOR" »

We're over the moon to welcome back the artful trio Midnight Juggernaughts, bringing one of their characteristically bright, hypnotic and explosive live shows to our Room One stage on Friday, 7 May. In celebration of their comeback to our shores, and right ahead of the release of their forthcoming album, 'The Crystal Axis,' we had a chance to sit to with the chaps and go over past, present, future and all things in between…

Be sure to click after the jump to download an excluive promo mix - it's big.

How’s the new record coming along?
The record's finally all finished. We spent a lot longer then we'd expected just sitting in our cave, jamming on jurassic muzak, cooking wildebeest, adding rock paintings to the our walls. As for the music, it's a heady prog wonderland, ready to be unleashed very soon...



You’ve recently done a few dates in your homeland - how did they go?
It was great trying out new tracks while we were playing with them in the studio...it allowed them to evolve and grow, working out what sections worked and what didn't. I guess that whole process has informed the record, made it a lot more live sounding.

How did you spend your summer in Australia?
Playing lots of big festivals down here...cooking shrimp on the barbie...throwing frisbees at the sun...etc.

Continue reading "In The Company Of: Midnight Juggernauts (+ Exclusive Promo Mix!)" »

Joris Voorn has music sewn into his DNA. Born into a musical family in Holland’s Rotterdam, Joris became involved with music from an early age. But it was electronic music that gripped him in the mid 1990s, pushing him to become a DJ/producer. Joris has never looked back since and is now regarded as one of Europe’s finest acts. Following on from a stella 2009, which saw him receive praise from clubbers and critics alike through a series of remarkable releases and DJ performances, he looks set to build on his lofty reputation throughout 2010.

With summer now fast approaching, Joris makes a very welcome return to fabric this coming Saturday. As he prepares to send Room Two into overdrive, we sat down to chat with the Dutchman to discuss the year just gone, festivals and the role that art has to play within music.

2009 was massive for you. Balance014 and "Sweep the Floor" were both hugely popular, not to mention your 'Best Breakthrough' Ibiza award and lofty placements in RA's end of year polls. Does their success put added pressure on you for the forthcoming year?
Uhm...it's ok I believe...I don't feel too much presure, maybe just some healthy excitement. I've been a breaking thru newcomer for the last 6 years, new people discovering me every year, so I feel I'm always fresh - haha! But because it's a gradual evolution, I can easily deal with it. I've had my 6 years of practice every single weekend - you build a steady confidence this way.

The 2010 Ibiza season is fast approaching. Will that be a focus for you again this year?
One of the focus points is Ibiza indeed, next to the countless festivals and club nights. I'm working on a few key tracks and remixes at the moment, that will take an important place in my DJ sets the coming season...

How difficult is it juggling your duties as a producer and a label owner during these summer months, when you are so busy with live dates and festivals etc?
I'm not planning any new projects or remixes during the summer, I don't feel like having to deal with any deadlines in-between the heavy travelling. The label work is done mostly by Edwin Oosterwal, I'm more focussing on communication with the artists about the music.

What festivals are you particularly looking forward to this year?
Creamfields in Australia will be great for sure, that's 4 gigs in total. Melt in Germany is supposed to be great, Dissonanze in Rome, Global Gathering and Creamfields in the UK, just to name a few.

Do you notice your style of DJing beginning to change as the festival season approaches?
At festivals you can't play as deep as in small clubs, so those sets are more energetic and maybe a little easier, but when I'm in a club, I try to do what's good for that specific moment. It's also refreshing to play a little deeper and try out different things in small clubs.

What is your favourite thing about playing in London?
It's a metropolitan city, and you feel it in the clubs! fabric is always full and has a great energy, so many people from so many different places go ther to get a taste of London's great underground clubscene.

What are you looking forward to about playing at fabric on Saturday?
I love the way fabric handles their artists, it's at a very personal level. The lineups are always high quality, with a lot of space for real underground artists. And the nice dinner before the night with all these artists and Judy from fabric makes it feel like a family happening, which sets a great mood for the rest of the night!

Continue reading "On The Couch With: Joris Voorn" »

Steve Bug has long since been a favourite here at Fabric. He has been around since the beginning, watched and played a part in our development and even helped us celebrate a milestone or two along the way. So it seemed fitting that a DJ/producer (not to mention great friend) that has lasted so long at the top should be on board for our tenth birthday party last October. More recently, with his impressive new release, “Flight 111” out on his own Poker Flat imprint, Steve Bug shows no signs of letting up. As he continues to develop his already glittering career, we just get the sense that he’ll be around for more celebrations long into the future.

As his set from the 10th birthday party became available here on our blog last week, and after his incredibly slick set in Room One this past Saturday, we decided to catch up with The General to talk about the epic birthday, longevity in dance music and...his skills as a hairdresser!

How did you enjoy playing at Fabric’s tenth birthday a few months back?
It was definitely one of the best gigs I had last year. The vibe was very special - when I heard the set on a link sent to me by fabric just recently, I felt all that massive energy again.




The party was over thirty hours straight. What are your survival tips for making it through such a long time?
I had another show on Saturday night and flew in to London from there. I had some spare time to catch some sleep before I was playing. And to be honest the only way for me to make it through such long parties is leave in-between for a while have some food, and one or two disco naps at a quiet place. I don't really do parties more than 10 hours straight in one go, especially when I have several gigs on the same weekend and am travelling.

Why do you think fabric is still such an important venue in its 11th year?
fabric always has really interesting and well thought out bookings, fresh and up to date, but they're still true to the roots of electronic music. Some old school and some new school. fabric is still top notch when it comes to sound and technology, and the location is also still amazing.

You have been at the top of your game for even longer. How, in your opinion, have you been able to do this?
I don't really know, but loving music purely because of music (and not because of the success attached to being a DJ), not getting carried away with success, constant work and investing a lot of time and energy into the music and the business are key.

As such an established artist, of such a length, do you feel a responsibility for the scene and its next generation of DJs and producers?
In a way I do, but since becoming a DJ and overnight success has become so easy, I feel like a lot of DJs/artists got into the business for other reasons than what motivated me in my beginning. Luckily there are still enough young and upcoming artists that have a sound of their own, but a lot of the so-called underground DJs and producers are more interested in increasing popularity than anything else.

Incidentally, which new artists would you suggest we keep an eye and ear out for at the moment?
It is always hard to name only a few, but i'd say Matthias Kaden, Andrade, Kink, Geddes are the ones that pop up in my mind, especially out of the new London scene!

Despite dance music’s inherently transient nature, do you feel that at the minute, it has a better chance of embedding itself in history more than it ever has done before?
Not really, as there are too many tasteless followers in my opinion. And since sales take place more and more online (even vinyl sales) it is a lot about top ten, top 100 and chart followers. I don't think that is really helpful for music/sound to develop/evolve. Instead of actually searching for music, most people consume tracks that are big already because some big DJ is playing them...unfortunately I am not only talking about clubbers and buyers, but also other DJs. I know a lot DJs that are only playing promos, from a pile of promos that have been sorted out for them by an assistant - lot of DJs don't even go record shopping online. Success has turned them into comfortable couch potatoes. On the other hand there are alot of really talented people no one really cares about, and for whom it seems like it will  be forever to ever be able to live off of making music or DJing.

Continue reading "In The Company Of: Steve Bug" »