Catching Up With... Lynx

As a producer and DJ, Lynx already has a shimmering reputation within drum & bass circles having released over the years on imprints like Soul:r, Digital Soundboy, Bingo and Fabio’s Creative Source label. In 2010 he begat his own Detail Recordings label, on which he’s already released 8 singles and his album Devils In The Detail. With a whole heap more music in the offing and an appearance at the 150th Playaz here on 27th December we shot him some questions to find out where his head is at at the tail end of 2012… So, what have you been up to this year? What are some of your highlights? This year has seen big changes. I have really focused on experimenting with different styles and tempos; it’s been really exciting! I am still writing plenty of drum & bass music, but alongside that I’m taking my sound and thinking more outside the box. I have ALOT of music that I’m very excited to unveil next year. Some of it pretty daring and some knocking on the door of being commercial. It’s like going back to writing music as a teenager, no rules, anything goes. This month I have releases on Soul:R with ‘Baloons’ b/w ‘Passing time’. ‘Baloons’ is actually the demo track from my sample pack that I released this year on Loopmasters. It’s cool releasing a track on such a seminal label as Soul:R that has actually come about by making a sample pack and writing a tune out of the parts. I’ve been hearing all sorts of deep d&b cropping up that’s using parts from it. I also have a release on Warm Communications this that is a collaboration with Kemo. It’s been a while since we have collaborated so nice to get another tune out there together seeing he is now a global superstar after his hit with Teebee & Calyx, he has got no time for me! Next year I have an EP on Hype's Playaz label called the Midnight Funk EP that’s go 5 tracks on it in total. It’s been great working with Hype, he has been really supportive. The title track was recently featured on Hazard’s FABRICLIVE mix. Early next year will also see my next release on my label, Detail. It will be a 140 track that’s a collaboration with Footsie (from Newham Generals), Fats & Seed. We got a nice music video coming for that too that we recently shot in Nottingham. On the flip there is a remix of my previous single ‘Locked on the Low’, by new comers, Zero One. It’s a great remix that retains the musicality of the original whilst adding a huge dubstepp-y drop. Your already known as something of a success having released on numerous labels throughout a colourful career. How does the music you are making now differ to that you were making early on? Like – do you think you’ve learned a lot, mellowed etc, how has the process changed for you? I have learnt loads over the years! In some ways I wish I could start my career over again, there are many things I feel I have done right and others I would have changed but these are things that keep the future and the next moves interesting. As a DJ/performer I am playing a lot more eclectic than I used to back when I broke into drum and bass. But I think I was generally pretty eclectic even as a d&b DJ. The music I have been writing this year also reflects this. Are you still motivated to DJ? Where is your head at currently, like do you enjoy the production/creative side more than the performance aspect? One feeds the other. The spark starts in the studio. But when I finish a track, I always wonder how it will sound in a club, how the crowd will react. Performing and writing are equally important to me but in today’s music climate without the writing, there is no performing. What about you personally, can you tell us about any projects that are coming up? I’m currently about half way through writing my 3rd album. I can’t say too much about it yet, but it is a collaboration album with Naomi Pryor, the vocalist from my recent release, ‘Locked on the Low’. She has a fantastic voice and lyrics to match; she’s got a tone that many people say is similar to Kate Bush. The concept is a diverse album that moves from d&b to dubstep, house, IDM to ballads... there’s everything in there. We want to go for a commercial/radio friendly sound without compromising musical integrity. I also have an alter ego; Loose Spring Steve that I think will turn some heads next year. It’s really just fun music. It’s almost completely opposite to my Lynx/d&b sound. It’s really fun to just let off by writing some random cheesy stuff. So far I have just given away one tune and finished my first remix under this name, but there’s a lot more to come! Catch Lynx at the 150th Playaz up in Room Three with Marcus Intalex, Krakota and Prolix on Thursday 27th December.