In the Zone

Yeah, right in it mate. Getting a few sessions in a row in the studio, and it’s making a real difference; Almost finished a new dnb tune – hard and deep, just how I like it; I’ll post it up when it’s done.

I’ve also got a couple of new Hip Hop instrumentals in the making; I’ll be sending them down to Sowzuh and Virus when they’re done; we’re passing files back and forth by email at the moment; they’ve put a few lyrics on my last couple of instrumentals, so I’m planning on mixing them down this week – The last set of vocals they sent up were rock solid – So they should suit the beats to the maximum.

Oh yes, and I’m working on remix for The Collectors – Their mini-album got a good review on the big chill website, and their live debut at the Big Chill bar also went down a storm. I’m reworking their EP Maya II, out soon on Mantis.

Letting go of my self-pigeonholing (i’m a dnb producer, I’m a Hip Hop producer etc) has had the unexpected result of my just switching between different genres as my will dictates; I thought I’d end up making really quiet downtempo stuff, but no matter how I start, the solid beats and dub-bass just slowly bubbles up to the surface – It’s my style, it’s me, and now I’ve taken the pressure off, I can really see it – I was wondering “what do I sound like?” and now I know.

I could, of course, have just as easily have listened back to my last 10 or so tunes, but that would have been too easy.

I’ve been working on getting a rougher edge – I spent 10 years on crap equipment trying to sound clear as crystal, but that production just isnt relevant anymore – I’m not trying to make an old bashed-up 8-track sound like a studio – my Logic’s kitted up with more racks than any studio would have had when I started out. So I’m downgrading – bringing down the bitrate and chucking the output through overdrive and valve emulators, and there’s a warmth and dirtiness coming back to the sound that I’m really feeling, bringing a dimension that I thought I wouldn’t be able to pull off.

Ah, I’ll stop talking about it and go finish that tune, then you’ll hear for yourself.