DJ T – A New Focus

Thomas Koch aka DJ T

The last 18 months have been important for German producer Thomas Koch, aka DJ T, with a renewed focus on his own productions. At 41 years old Koch is a sort of elder statesman in music. He has been involved with the German music scene for many years – starting with his DJ sets in [...]

Deadboy – Channeling The Ghosts of RnB into UK Garage

deadboy

Some of the catchiest tunes of the last twelve months have been produced by a hitherto unknown artist called Deadboy. They are a highlight and standout in mixes and they have became a favourite in the UK funky house scene. His sound channels the influences of House, Grime, RnB, and garage, and he gives it [...]

Andy Moor – On His Way To Godskitchen 2010

Andy Moor

UK trance producer Andy Moor is back in Australia this month for Godskitchen 3D. The massive festival is always a huge production and he couldn’t be more excited when I reach him at his studio. And it enables him to express a different side of his performative personality. “It kind of goes against the roots [...]

Illum Sphere – Sticking To The Plan

Illum Sphere

Chatting to UK producer Ryan Hunn it’s hard to believe his first releases as Illum Sphere only came out last year. Hunn has achieved a lot in that time – 2009 saw two EPs and a 7″ on Manchester label Fat City, and 2010 kicked off with a release on the respected label 3024. In [...]

DJ Kuya – Finding The Right Timing

“I turn 36 tomorrow,” reflects Arsenio Fabay when we meet to chat about his new EP as DJ Kuya, Abt Tme.  His career started over twenty years ago and it is one which has seen him win three Victorian DMC state titles between 1998 and 2000 and the Australian ITF DJ title in 1999. “I [...]

AC Slater – Brooklyn Bass Calling

AC Slater

“It’s amazing – it’s like a dream come true man,” says Aaron Clevenger, aka AC Slater, on the line from his home in Brooklyn. He is telling me about the rush of quitting his job in 2008 and having worked on music full time for the last two years. “I feel like the more free [...]

Wiley – New Life For Grime’s Godfather

Wiley interviewed by Simon Hampson for Beat & Symbiosis

“What I’ve really got to do though is travel the world,” Wiley tells me. “I don’t really want to sit down here. I’ve been here for 31 years.” The so-called ‘Godfather Of Grime’, the UK rap style that emerged around 2000, has a new lease on life. Around two weeks ago he leaked eleven zip [...]

Kidda – Speaking His Mind

It has been three years since Ste McGregor, aka Kidda, unleashed his debut album, Going Up, on the world. It is a record soaked in sun lit tones and soul vibes; drawing on the great Northern Soul tradition out of the UK. It was an instant hit helped in no small way by the track [...]

Kool Keith – Proving The Critics Wrong

kkvdro

If you work long enough in the music industry then urban legends tend to form. When you’re an artist like Keith Matthew Thornton, aka Kool Keith, those stories seem to get larger and more diverse as the years roll on. His artistic approach has fuelled the fire through the adoption of personas like Dr. Octagon, [...]

Mark Pritchard – Man Of Many Colours

Mark Pritchard

“I don’t think I’m making harder music here because it’s sunny,” laughs Pritchard on the line from his studio in Sydney in answer to my question about how the move to Sydney has affected his work. “I don’t really know how it has affected my production. I thought about it when I first moved here. [...]