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The Cornerstone Tracks of South London Ordnance: “Huge Breakdowns and Face Melting Kicks Maketh Not a Certified Club Banger”

Ever since ‘Hyph Mngo’, the internet has been proven to be a notable and sustainable tool for a relatively unknown producer to get noticed, that is, if it’s used right. But what a lot of people forget is that the online swell needs to be backed up from somewhere; from pirate radio, from clubs and DJs out there on the frontline reaching for and utilizing tracks in that type of an environment. Joy O’s probably the first person to admit that the level of attention the internet afforded him helped his career, but it also made him a little bit wary of making a wrong move or repeating himself so early on in his career. With his career arc, DJ support and productions since he’s proven to be a headstrong individual whose consideration has been beneficial to his longevity in a pretty decisively cyclical environment. It’s an obvious comparison - one I’m kicking myself a little to have made so readily if I’m brutally honest with myself - but the same instant level of attention afforded to South London Ordnance when on the cusp of his debut release on 2nd Drop smacks of ‘…Mngo’ era Joy O. What’s probably far more interesting to note though, is the way that SLO didn’t have that one track that blew up. He was on everyone’s lips (and fingertips) because he was coming through with attention pulling productions at an astounding rate whether they appeared on his Soundcloud for just a couple of days or found physical homes on labels like TEAL, Audio Culture, Well Rounded and the afore mentioned 2nd Drop. He also had the backing of scene figureheads like Mosca and Martyn drawing for his productions; a tip that definitely helped define his productions a touch. His music didn’t (and doesn’t) feel as transient as that of some of his contemporaries; he wasn’t searching through 4x4 to make something to be a big DJ, and through careful management, targeted free downloads and a savvy online presence has helped his reputation spread sort of organically, with the continual pique in interests coming from and around steady record releases. Being so plugged into riding the internet wave machine, ahead of his appearance in Room Three this Friday night we thought we’d ask him to pick the five cornerstone tracks of his musical makeup, giving readers an insight into the types of tracks and influences that inform his music. It may well be a tried and tested method of interview but with SLO, the thing is that he’s kind of effacingly honest; a nice dude, affable chap and all around good egg, so the insights you get into his mindset feel a little bit more validated than the standard, “you know what…? I’ve always been into house music” response… Pascal - P Funk Era So I take it by this you were into early jungle, right? Even on Youtube you can feel how that bass is rigged to drop on a dancefloo, what was it about the vibe that caught you best do you think? Yeah, I was. This track, along with early Photek, Mask & Gang Related, Foul Play etc. got me listening to dance music, and beyond that having a poke around other aspects of the scene i.e. production and clubbing. I guess I was most interested by the way the break sat with the lead – that balance of choppy, dancefloor drums, smooth pads and the high lead – it all came together perfectly for me at the time. Obviously it’s an odd sample, using an r&b tune and that lead line throughout. Does that anything goes kind of attitude make it in to your own music do you think? I think when I first started out I was certainly less concerned with the sounds that I used. Until about 3-4 months ago I actually had no idea what I was really doing on the buttons, or in fact where I wanted to go with the SLO project. As I’ve got better at producing and I’ve released some music, and I’ve played a lot of it out in clubs to real live people, I feel like I have a much clearer idea about the stuff I want to make. As a result I’ve probably adopted less an ‘anything goes’ attitude, but rather a ‘anything goes – if it’s lifted from this particular sonic palette,’ approach. Subwave – Dreamcatcher This is a bit more of a producer’s thing, no diss to Pascal, but it’s obviously more of a technical piece. Were you always into the full spectrum of d&b? Yes – you’re right on the money there. I think it’s fair to say that when you’re first getting into a style of music, it’s often better known, more straightforward tracks that first draw you in – stock breaks, recognisable samples, catchy leads – you’re testing the water, like do I really like this? Beyond that point one identifies the elements one likes and you look for tracks that complement that ideal. ‘Dreamcatcher’ is one of those: complex, industrial drums, a monstrous bassline and powerful atmospherics. When I was listening to drum & bass I quickly moved onto artists like Break, Fracture & Neptune, Alix Perez, Sabre et al who were pushing that dark, warehouse sound – all distorted Virus basslines and snappy percussion wrapped up with super tight production. That balance of open atmosphere’s before the bass drop is something that a lot of drum & bass has, that contrast is vital for the severity of the drop. Do you ever write like that do you think, with the dancefloor in mind the whole time? I certainly write a lot of stuff with the dancefloor in mind. I like playing my own stuff out, and when people come to see me, I like to see them dance – and obviously beyond that, I’m predominantly ‘into’ dancefloor music, as it were. Having said that, I am actually really enjoying writing less club friendly tracks at the moment. It’s helping me unlock a different side to my music, and forcing me to be a bit more creative with the sounds I’m using. I don’t think I’ll have the chance to release any of this stuff for a while – but yeah I’m definitely looking forward to showing people this side of the project at one point or other. Flying Lotus - Roberta Flack (Martyn’s Heartbeat Remix) Ahhh, this one! Probably one of the early defining moments of Martyn’s relationship with Fly Lo’s Brainfeeder label… it’s amazing how Martyn is able to sound exactly like himself even in a remix mode. That’s one of the things I like about actual ‘remixes’ where the parts are just used as a source material. You’ve done a fair bit of remixing, how do you approach it. I mean obviously when you get the stems your listening for a certain something to make into a hook or whatever… I just really love this track! Those drums are so special, that thick, rolling pattern really sums up what I was about during that period of my musical development. It’s one of those where you’re happy with the drums and those pads in the intro, then you’re treated to that wonderfully ethereal vox… and then the Rhodes… It’s just a real pleasure to listen to. Again, it comes back to what I guess I was hinting at with ‘P Funk Era’, how the coming together of potentially awkward sonics can result in something really beautiful. Do you think the quality of source material is a big factor in the end result? I’ve done a bit, yeah – and I would definitely say that it’s important you’re into the source material. I’ve found it hard in the past to remix stuff I wasn’t totally into and it’s probably no surprise then that those ones didn’t make the cut. In the case of this track, there’s no doubt the source material is fantastic, but it doesn’t take away from what Martyn does with it. The two parties have to complement one another, no doubt. Jon Convex - Idoru What made you pick this one? It’s quite funny/telling/interesting to note that both Boddika and Convex have splintered and still carried on in a similar(ish) direction… though Convex does seem to prefer a clean drum set. I’m a big fan of Damon’s stuff under the Jon Convex alias. Anyone who has ever seen me play out can attest to this. For me, he always manages to find that point where functional and uncompromising meet. He’s fantastically DJ friendly, but still stacked with interesting elements – those peaks and troughs I alluded to earlier. Beyond that, the production values are obscenely high, so the tracks always sound hard as nails on any system. I guess it’s a good example of that electro/techno revival thing that properly took hold this year. Having come up in the middle of it, what does it feel like to sit amongst people like are making music that draws on a lot of old influences? Does it make you look back and research those types of records? Or are you just experimenting within the realms of what’s happening around you? Ha – this is something that causes me a little bit of frustration from time to time... I sometimes feel like there’s this anxiety amongst younger producers, including -in the past - myself, whereby if you cannot name off the top of your head no less than 50 classic Detroit house tracks, including labels and catalogue numbers – you should be cast out into the proverbial EDM wasteland to rot. Old is not necessarily better, and whilst one must never forget where particular sonics came from, it’s easy to get carried away with ancient production processes and sounds. I know what I like, and I am aware of where it came from, and some of those stock perc hits and drum machine samples are indeed fantastic and undoubtedly irreplaceable – but I never sit down and think ‘Hey, I want to make a classic electro track.’ As you say, one becomes aware of shifts and trends within underground dance music and they inevitably inform ones music, but I do my very best not to become a slave to them. Maybe that’s just to do with my age though – come 35/40 I’m sure I’ll be moaning about how shit and recycled everything sounds now! Dense and Pika - 31 These guys are releasing on Hotflush too right, something you just announced yourself recently… They are, yes. I was actually pretty unaware of these guys until my agent took them on. I work in BM Soho every now and then and one of their whites came in and I just had it on repeat for the whole day, such a great meeting point between house and techno. Subsequently they’ve become one of my favourite production duos and the tracks coming on Hotflush are a staple in my sets. Was getting on a label like that a goal when you started putting stuff out? Do you feel like you’ve tailored your music for the label at all? What’s next for you? Absolutely, from the very start I was determined to release solely on labels I really respect. I feel like I’ve achieved that more or less with the labels I’ve put out music on this year but it’s no secret that Hotflush represents a real step up. The label is run by a great team, and it’s certainly satisfying to rub shoulders with a few artists who’ve been making some of my favourite music for years now. In terms of tailoring one’s music… I think it would be naïve to ignore the opportunity one has with a label head like Scuba. If he likes your music, there’s the chance he’s going to be playing it out every weekend to a couple of thousand people or more. With that in mind, perhaps there’s the temptation to make ‘big room’ tracks that suit the kind of venues and the kind of sets he’s playing at the moment. But then, I think if that’s the mind-set you adopt, you’re slightly missing the point. On the one hand, Hotflush releases, and has always released, completely across the board from Mount Kimbie to Sigha, so ‘big room’ music led by catchy hooks is never a licence to get your stuff in Scuba’s sets or signed to the label; on the other, huge breakdowns and face melting kicks maketh not a certified club banger. There’s still room in the sets of even the biggest DJs for tracks that don’t immediately lend themselves to the label’s perceived ‘sound’ – whatever that might be… Catch SLO in Room Three this Friday.
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