Page 37 - Zone Magazine Issue 030 - Lexicon Avenue

What about your equipment, also your
writing process fill us in!
It’s a hardware affair for the most part. I avoid using a laptop until the writing process is complete because it satisfies the creative process for me. Auditory and tactile learning has always been the more natural and effective method as opposed to visual applications.
I use a host of hardware synths, drum machines, loopers, samplers and effects with a hardware multi-track recorder. Roland, Korg, Boss, E-mu, Novation, etc... and then I use a DAW to mix it down post recording. I also use a microphone with a looper for vocals and to capture some real world ambience.
I’m not one of these DJs that churns out 12 tracks in a week using improvisation techniques. I tend to form an idea and try and define this as accurately as possible internally first and then transfer this to the machines. It really becomes sort of a process of trying to integrate with the machines so that the idea can be as clearly represented as possible. It seems restrictive saying it, but it leads to more creative output in the long run because I’m not spoilt for choice in a world of definite ideas, if that makes sense. It’s a “less is more” approach I suppose, but it works
best for me.
Tell me about the current scene in Ireland
and night life in Ireland on a whole.
Sadly, in recent times we’ve seen the closure of some of the more well known venues in Ireland. The Tivoli, Hangar and The Bernard Shaw. Of course, this isn’t just an issue in the capital. We have the earliest closing times currently in Europe and the cost of obtaining a late licence to operate in Ireland has been crippling proprietors and promoters for some time now and in the process turning a blind eye to the value of arts and culture.
Thankfully, there is hope for people in the arts though, and not only the arts but for anyone working in the nightime industry. “Give Us The Night” is an independant group of volunteer professionals operating within the night-time industry, campaigning for positive changes to nighlife in Ireland. Through this campaigning, they've gained the support necessary for real change and reform to outdated legislation in the country. Nothing is cut and dried by any means, but there is a real sense now that change is on the cards here. It's a change that would benefit everybody, hence the recent majority government backing, but there's still a lot of work to be done for this change to happen. In spite of all of this, Irish promotors continue to push the envelope and bring international guests over on a regualr basis. Prospekt, Lepton, Cabal, Mutate, Techno and Cans, Basement Project, Electric Circus, Touch of Techno, Index, DSNT, these are just a small handful of some of those running events here at present. The demand for creative spaces here is high at the moment. Things seem to be going in the right direction for reform. It seems Ireland has finally woken up to the prospekt and the very real benefits of a night-time economy. It's baby steps, but if it's going to be done, it has to be done right and I've always believed that this would come to pass from the very beginning of this
campaign in the early 00's and I still very much do believe that we will see the change that will benefit everyone here.
Where techno is at, and where do you
think it's going?
Techno has never been more popular than it is now, and of course that comes with it’s own problems. Thankfully we're seeing a divide now that sees really good techno being produced again with a lesser focus on social media followings and the like and more of a focus on music itself. Ironically, techno on a whole lost it's swagger when it became dark and "fashionable", when it became more about being seen than being heard. We now hear that swagger coming back though in the music. It's always inevitbale that fads will pass. The plinky plonky minimal passed, EDM, dark generic soulless techno, this nonsense re-working of tech house (it's not tech house, go and have a chat with Mr.C), rave revival(really?), the list goes on. A wise friend once told me "people recognise and love good music, never doubt that". Where it's going now is exciting because as we see the business leeches and superstar egos steal away, that's when we will see quality on the frontline again. So musically I think it's a very exciting time for techno. That's not to say that quality isn't there currently, it is. You just have to dig a lot deeper than asking for a track ID on the latest stream of a Boiler Room brand event your local promotor has paid hundreds
of euros to host. So yeah, seeing this latest trend of putting value back into music itself has me feeling very optimistic about the future of techno.
Who are the up and coming artists that
you'd recommend checking out?
There's a lot of talent coming through. Artists like Offtrack, Ngoni Egan, Trail of thought, Hank LW, Shannen Blessing. Watch out for the mighty Balrog! Also check out a young man that goes by the name of FLAWS. There is a constant wave of new music being released worthy of mention too from the likes of Lee Holman, Stephen Mahoney, Doug Cooney, Another Alias, Casper Hastings, Cailin and Leafeater. If you haven't done so already, you really should.
You are releasing new music in May, tell us
more about it.
Yeah, I have a 3 track EP coming out in the Summer which is a long time coming really. I'm a big believer that patience is an important part of the creative process, so I've taken the time to create something that I'm truly pleased with. Admittedely I can be a bit of a perfectionist at times, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I see this as art, not a vessel to further my public reach. Of course, I want people to hear it, but not at the expense of it being rushed or in any way compromised. Being prolific isn't important to me right now. Expressing myself accurately is the priority and that has taken time. After 3 plus years producing music, I'm finally at a point where I feel I can do my ideas justice so it's an exciting time for me. This will be released on Arcane Records in May.