Page 18 - Zone Magazine Issue 021

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Words By John Doyle
A name like Metroplane seamlessly fits those 21st century prerequisites we "the punter" have come to expect; sleek, dynamic, hip, mysterious even - in fact, add double-edged coolness to that mix and Alex Metric and Aeroplane could be the ideal space-age cowboy duo, dodging bullets in faraway solar systems while the synth player ducks, saying "don't shoot me I'm only the..."; well, I'm sure you get it by now. Scene-setting aside, Metroplane's astral
adventures have been something of a not so well-kept secret in recent years, and messers Heyes and Curry (sorry, I mean Messers Metric and Plane) landed their intergalactic craft for an hour or so to discuss their recent achievements, goals, pet loves, pet hates, pet sounds even, while waiting for take-off clearance to the next galaxy.
When you guys first met, what was the initial spark, the feeling that you would make such vibrant music together?
The initial spark came from the fact that we share very similar tastes but also like quite different things, so creatively that leads to unusual places we wouldn’t go in our solo productions. Also, we had crossed paths on numerous occasions having sets at the same shows. Yet, when we did the joint set at the cruise ship in Asia, that was the moment we realised what we had when we were together.
What it is that you guys love the most? Studio or live? Or would you perhaps see one as being the direct offspring of the other?
Undoubtedly the studio, the craft of being a DJ is the by-product of being the studio. We love the spontaneity of the creative process. You never know what the next thing to come out of the speakers will be. It’s more exciting!
You have been described in the media as a "supergroup". What are your feelings on that term with its 1970s prog- rock excess associations?
We have never called ourselves a supergroup but if that’s what the media is going to run with, we can’t control that!
After a few years together, what would you regard as your most satisfying music achievement, and your best live achievement?
Every Metroplane release is special because it has a good mix of both our influences. ’Bahp’ was the most satisfying because it is a perfect example of what can transpire when two producers can come
together to create something entirely different from their solo works. It’s such a mad record! Our tour in Mexico is definitely a memory we love to recall.
Obviously, there are many elements to your musical relationship, are there any drastic departures in your influences, favorite songs or artists that one of you loves but the other would run a mile from?
A drastic departure would perhaps be our relationship with breakbeat music, it isn’t a genre we necessarily have two opposing opinions on but since we started collaborating, it’s had more of an influence than you probably would have heard on work from Vito de Luca. Conversely, Alex isn’t as knowledgeable about Hip-Hop but
he appreciates it. When it comes to electronic music we have similar tastes, hence why our sets work!
Word of Mouth featuring Bree (including its simple yet beautifully striking art work) features that
classic 4am House sound a lot of newer artists have perhaps abandoned, yet it is also flavoured with many subtle modern touches; where did you cultivate this chemistry from, and do you plan to develop this style across 2018?
Honestly, I don’t think we cultivated anything. We just ate donuts and made noise in a basement in Brussels. Nothing we do is ever carefully thought out or planned. We work in an organic fashion because overthinking stuff is the death of creativity. If there ever was a plan in place then it would be to just make distinctive and interesting club records as Metroplane. We definitely plan on developing donut eating