Introducing...Eric Volta + His fabric Promo Mix

It's not long until UK’s Eric Volta will be teasing the last drops of sweat from Room Three alongside Clockwork and Terry Francis on Saturday, 3rd March. The regular fixture on London’s underground club circuit has been keeping a low profile since New Years, hibernating in the studio for up to 18 hours a day and so we've become eager to find out what's been going on with the purveyor of dark, lean house and techno. Still reeling from the success of his release ’42 Weeks’ on My Favourite Robot with close friend, lo*kee’s Sebastian Voigt. Next up, Eric makes his mark on Maceo Plex new label, Ellum Audio and has just finished writing a track for Lower Easts in collaboration with Michael Jansons. And with the news that his brand new studio is coming to our local neighbourhood, we’re very comfortable knowing that more great projects from Eric will be coming our way soon. This week, Eric has gone beyond the call of duty, delivering us a special promo mix. It's filled with friends pitching in with unreleased goodies and tracks exclusive to this mix, tied together with some personal edits. Read on to get the full tracklisting and find out Volta’s plans to start a label this year, his creative aspect on mixing, musical inspirations and his biggest career challenges to date. DOWNLOAD: Eric Volta fabric Promo Mix Tracklisting: 01. Metrika & Bastard love - Not My Lady 02. Adeline - Love Handles You 03. Eric Volta & Floyd Lavine - Skin 04. Quin.c & Vandermeer - Infatuation 05. Eeric Volta featuring d.ablo - Believe 06. Eric Volta - Without Love 07. Analog Jones featuring d.Ablo - You - Eric Volta’s Fell For You remix 08. Eric volta – I Found My Soul With Your Eyes 09. Blind minded - Fire Exit 10. Adeline - Take Me Over - Michael Jansons remix 11. Sasha & James Teej - As You Fall 12. Voigt & Volta featuring my favourite robot – A Forest Hi Eric, how has 2012 been treating you so far? It's been a mixed year, with its challenges like all others, but I have received some very nice encouraging words from my peers which has been great. I've also been hibernating since New Years day working in the studio 16/18 hours day, working on a lot of projects so I'm excited about the next few months. I have also enjoyed getting more involved with what’s going on globally this year. I think there is a massive flux of positive energy around the world right now. Not enough to topple how things are run but strong enough to give the greedy a good kick up the rear. Music wise - I couldn't be happier. Every day I feel like I'm growing as an artist. I just built a new studio and will be building an even bigger one soon in Farringdon, the extra space has allowed more hands-on production with the space to lay out all the gear. I have been working a lot with lo*kee's Sebastian Voigt recently. Our release '42 weeks' on My Favorite Robot got us a lot of attention. This one I didn't expect at all though: Sennheiser recently featured the track on their new video for their HD-25s, which for me, being my headphone of choice for more than a decade now was one of those little moments I will treasure. I also have a release coming out on Maceo Plex's Ellum Audio soon. It's a track I wrote with an old friend D.Ablo who works with UK Hip Hop outfit Terrafirma. He is amazing and a real pleasure to work with. We are working on some new material as well. More collaborations are also on the way, I just finished writing a really cool track with Lower East wonder boy Michael Jansons. With all the amazing people I'm working with - lots of highly skilled composers and engineers, I'm learning a lot and looking to push myself even more this year. You're well known for your different aliases from Kid Dub where you first released on your label Logical Noise to Voltaeric, Nuvo Rich, Cuebit and a duo project with long time friend Cozzy D as D DUB. Tell us a little bit about each moniker and the different musical philosophies they embody? Well most of those monikers are on sabbatical at the moment. There is an issue with spreading yourself too thin. And it’s true. I am working hard to develop myself as an artist under the Eric Volta guise for now and I'm having a lot of fun doing it. The name holds a symbolic meaning for me and I’m glad I am pursuing it fully. There are a few more new Nuvo Rich records on the way. I mean the name itself is one I can't surrender at any point i think. There is a four-way collaboration project under way at the moment between Elijah Collins, Tee-J, Nist and myself. Watch out for that one! Voltaeric will make a comeback soon. I have actually been writing some harder tracks that will need to see the light of day. And when time allows it or if a good cinematic opportunity comes about I would love to write a Cuebit album. Just need to meet that right filmmaker who shares that vision. What’s your main focus as a producer and DJ right now? My main focus has always been to push my production skills. I think it’s a joke to have a winning formula and sit still. I came to realise that the only formula is the one that keeps you on your feet. I'm fascinated by so many things in life and they all have a way of trickling back down into every facet of my life. As a DJ I have always had and still do have the same approach. I do what I like. I play what I like. I mean respect the floor of course. My one dilemma has been using vinyl controllers again. I stopped using the vinyl controllers for a while because it allowed me to push the mixing techniques more, but something a friend said at a festival once kind of stung me for a bit. So I caved in and went back to the controllers. Now I'm thinking of ditching the controller again and focus more on creative aspect of mixing. It's a difficult one, but in the end, it's a silly debate. I spent years at home learning cut, scratch, juggle beats and so on. I will never stop loving vinyl, but as a DJ I haven't carried vinyl out of the house since 2001. Final Scratch was a blessing at the time and I think it's a shame people forget how much it has added in terms of innovation and new approaches to mixing. The only thing that matters in the end is the quality of the performance and how much the person on the dance floor gets out of it. To hate on the basis of technical stuff is not what this culture is about. I wish people would grow out of it and enjoy themselves a bit more. Tell us about some of your biggest musical influences, any weird and wonderful ones we should know about? There are many, and they change often with the years. Let's focus on the wonderful and weird: Pink Floyd, The Mars Volta, Plastikman, Greame Revell, Clint Mansell, Atticus Ross, Phantomas, Mr. Bungle, Satie, Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Tool, Reich, Modest Mouse, Lynx. I could go on forever. What do you enjoy most about London’s music scene right now compared to the rest of the world? Gotta give it up for London. A city with such an open-minded mentality that welcomes new and emerging arts. This is the most open-minded city on earth, I dare say. Or at least the least xenophobic. Where else in the world will you find the street signs written in the native language of the surrounding population? I think that trickles down into the music. The money isn't great here and a lot of the standards aren't quite that of some other European and modern cities - but it has this cultural appreciation and is such a testing ground for any artist. I feel we are always one small step ahead of everyone else. Someone might develop something new elsewhere, but it isn't set in stone until its accepted here. Numerous sub-cultures lead to a varied amount of events with small pockets of gold in each. You just have to stick your head out for a minute in any direction to pick up on what's going to be the next big thing. So it’s inspiring. What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced so far in your career? Well I'm totally over anyone promising me anything. I don't think I'm the only one to think that either in this game sadly. But it’s ok, it's all about being positive. I have found that I just keep working hard and in the right place and at the right time - I meet the right people, so life is beautiful that way. Someone recently told me I have a cinematic life - thank you! There has been a lot of triumph, and some truly glorious moments, but there's always the odd knock for every triumph. There's this amazing phrase I'm learning to use more in life - FAIL HARDER! Your debut release in 2010 was on Claude Von Stroke’s Dirtybird Records. The Dirtybirds always bring a new slice of fun and energy to the dancefloor- is this something you’re about? What other labels do you look to for a good time out? At the time I was making a transition from making more to-the-floor productions to where I am now. It would be great to have another release on Dirtybird in the future. Without a doubt Claude and crew were crucial in my development, but that isn't where I'm headed at the moment. Labels I am really digging at the moment - My Favorite Robot, Rush Hour, DFA, Hotflush, Workshop, Aus, Royal Oak, Future Classic, Hypercolour, International Feel and many others big and small. Your recent remix for APP how won support from the likes of Laurent Garnier , Maya Jane Coles, Tim Green and more. Tell us about how the project came together? Well, I share a studio space with the APP guys. And for a while we spent weekends in the studio writing stuff together and it was amazing. I only have one approach when I remix friends and that i want to write something special just for them. Believe me I'm not thinking for one second how well this will work in the clubs, if people are going to like it or not. I'm writing this because I want to show my friends something special and I have to say the end result from thinking this way has been super positive. What exciting projects do you have in the pipeline for this year? Talk of setting up an event has just started. I'm planning to start up a label with my best buddy and putting together an online blog - let’s say gathering space where we can talk music and more. The idea will be to get friends who write and produce music to come onboard and get involved with writing and talking about music. We are in the early stages here but that's one thing on the plate. I'm collaborating with quite a few different artists at the moment too and I think at some point this year, I plan to retreat to think about putting my first album together. Something I have spent some time thinking about, and it's now time to do it. Can you tell us about the mix you’ve so kindly given to us? Does it lean toward a particular style and grace? Typically the sets I record for my Falling Faster Into Tomorrow series are more eclectic but I would like to show the fabric blog followers what direction I’m on and keeping it on this particular vibe. fabric is and has been an institution for me, as I am sure it is for many others. So I'm recording something special. What's interesting is that quite a few friends and I share a similar vibe. We are all of similar age and all children of the 80s. So I’ve asked some friends to pitch in and throw me some unreleased and stuff some tracks aren't even going on release - just for this mix. And I’m throwing in a lot of personal edits and new tracks for everyone to check out. It's the vibe I'm on in the studio right now. Some exclusives from Quin.C, Vandermeer, Voigt & Volta featuring My Favorite Robot, Bastard Love & Metrika, Adeline, Michael Jansons, Blind Minded as well as myself How are you looking forward to playing alongside Clockwork and Terry Francis in Room Three next Saturday? Terry is a legend in his own right and Clockwork are fantastic producers, who I really look up to. And just everyone else who is playing that night I won't lie - is giving me the jitters some. I love that feeling. Keeps me on my toes, so totally looking forward to it! Finally, where’s your favourite place in London to eat, drink, party and relax? Wow. All those activities in one place? That would have to be my flat. On their own, eating - Sedap on Old Street - can't beat authentic Malay food, Drink (I don't drink alcohol anymore) but I love a milkshake at The Diner, to party - lo*kee of course! And to relax - the couches on the top floor at the Tate modern an hour before closing. Tracklisting: 01. Metrika & Bastard Love - Not My Lady 02. Adeline - Love Handles 03. Eric Volta & Floyd Lavine - Skin 04. Quin.c & Vandermeer - Infatuation 05. Eric Volta featuring D.ablo - Believe 06. Eric Volta - Without Love 07. Analog Jones featuring D.ablo - You - Eric Volta's fell for you remix 08. Eric Volta - I found my soul with your eyes 09. Blind Minded - Fire Exit 10. Adeline - This Feeling Is Taking Me Over - Michael Jansons remix 11. Sasha & James Teej - As You Fall 12. Voigt & Volta featuring My Favourite Robot -A Forest