Introducing...Lightbluemover v. Black Light Smoke

Mr. C’s Superfreq is now entering its 10th year in 2012. That’s 10 years from its start at the now defunct, The End, to its current standing as an international party institution (which can now count Farringdon as one of its spiritual homes). It’s hard to believe that it was only last January that Mr. C made his fabric debut before following up with the full Superfreq experience later on in the year with resident Luke VB and guest, [a]ppendixs.Shuffle. Another one of his vital residents is Francis Harris aka Adultnapper, who’s next up to join in on Superfreq’s London happenings. Harris is a man of many more monikers, ones that match his various creative moods; beginning in the roots of punk rock he was drawn into the electronic music realm, finding there a true underground spirit that he came to thrive within. He first stepped out as a producer in 2004 after initially establishing himself as a DJ and label manager, quickly finding himself supported by labels like Poker Flat and Crosstown Rebels though if you flick through our blog he’s also proudly referred to by numerous producers and DJs. He’s definitely a man who is respected about town. His latest endeavor, one that’s due to debut here on Saturday, is a bit of a mouthful, yet ‘Adultnapper presents: Lightbluemover v. Black Light Smoke’ will find Harris partnering with Jordan ‘Back Light Smoke’ Lieb someone of whom he says “his musical abilities wow me at every moment and make me re-evaluate what is possible. I have more faith in him than I have in just about anybody I have worked with in the past”. Read on for more of the Adultnapper story which is also sound-tracked by its next permutation as Lightbluemover via our player below, Harris’s part in the newly unified Brooklyn based production duo. Seeing as this is the first time we’ve spoken to you please can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers? I’m Francis Harris and with me is Jordan Lieb otherwise known for the purposes of our live debut at fabric as lightbluemover and black light smoke from Scissor and Thread Brooklyn, NY You were initially most interested with punk rock in your early musical years, what changed and brought you towards electronic music production? As soon as punk became the soundtrack to coming of age teen movies, I began to lose interest. There were still bands, granted, that were keeping the energy alive, but for the most part, it seemed to die off stylistically. I still listen to a lot of different music, not just one kind. I can say, however, that in my early 20s, club music just wasn’t even on my radar. What elements from that time do you think still exist in your musicality today? I am constantly influenced by all kinds of music, so it’s really hard to answer this question without sounding trite. The only consistent influence I can say without feeling like a jerk is Nick Cave. Where are you based at the moment? What inspires you about the place? Both Jordan and I are based in Brooklyn. For us, there is really no better place to be musically than here. There are so many different types of musicians here to work with, all in a city that is both your worst and best friend. This dialectic keeps you moving and on your toes artistically. You seem to be quite involved at Halcyon Records, it seems to have an integral role in the NYC electronic music community comparable to Phonica in London and Hard wax in Berlin - what does its existence mean to you? I think a sense of community comes with a local record shop. The prevalent download culture in dance music has brought with it a homogeneity that really does no good for anyone. Record stores bring with it a sense of belonging and a sound that comes from a specific community of buyers and customers. If an entire culture of people is basing their music buying choices on 20 banners on a single download site, then you will have an extremely dry and boring result. From what I can see you run two labels ‘Ransom Note’ and ‘Scissor and Thread’ what’s different about them and please can you tell us more about what you do with each label? Well, Ransom Note was primarily a club label based more on a modern production sound with a much darker edge, not unlike that of the early adultnapper productions. With Scissor and Thread, we are taking a more traditional indie approach, signing artists, rather than single EPs. The ultimate goal of the label will be to push album projects. Also, we attempted to be more specific with our approach in terms of both design and sound. We are interested in a more song-based sound that does not compromise concept for club readiness. There’s a visual as well as literature accompaniment to ‘Ransom Note’ what inspired this and what ideas are behind it? Ransom Note was really meant as a piss take of Postmodern Literature. The “ransom note” from adultnapper on each record is written jokingly as if torn from the pages of the Unabomber Manifesto or a Thomas Pynchon novel. I guess not many folks really got the joke and actually think I’m some dark antisocial Goth who locks himself in his room with French postructural pornos. You have a few monikers from what I can see, why do you chose to work under these different names? I like to experiment with personas. I think you begin to create differently if you are constantly challenging your sense of identity. Anytime I feel too comfortable with myself, I get paranoid that it’s getting too obvious or dry. Can you tell us some more about the project ‘Adultnapper presents: Lightbluemover v. Black Light Smoke LIVE’ that you will be performing as at Superfreq next weekend? I can pick out Black Light Smoke as an artist and collaborator on your tracks and label but where does Lightmover come into it? This project really developed out of an artistic friendship that has evolved between us. Jordan has influenced me and, more importantly, challenged me to rethink how I approach music and production. His musical abilities wow me at every moment and make me re-evaluate what is possible. I have more faith in him than I have in just about anybody I have worked with in the past. Lightbluemover is a move forward from adultnapper. It’s a more raw and analogue sound, but at the same time, a more sophisticated song approach to club music. What can we expect from your show at the weekend? The culmination of two guys who were close to killing each other putting it together. Which artists are you looking forward to presenting on your labels in 2012? Danish extraordinaire Gry Bagoien, with an outstanding 3-track ep. French artists Lisa B and We are Knights, Brooklyn based songwriter Corbu, an album by black light smoke, the introduction of a collaboration between myself and Anthony Collins called “Frank&Tony,” and finally my debut solo album as Francis Harris on February 7, a requiem for my father featuring Trumpet by Greg Paulus, Cello by Emil Eabramyan and vocals by Gry. And finally please can you introduce this mix you’ve recorded for us and your thoughts behind it? We thought we would do a live podcast, but ultimately, we felt that would be giving too much away about what to expect on Saturday, so, alas, a DJ mix. This is really the sound we do, a slow, song based, but grooving club mix of some of our current favorite cuts for dark rooms.