Interview – NEST HQ

NEST HQ was created with the intention of being a platform that would promote and encourage the growth of artists of all genres and mediums. While we’ve mainly worked within music up to this point, we are expanding on an idea that will showcase multi-media artists of non-musical backgrounds such as painters, designers, architects, and others of the sort; this is installation.

For installation 011, we present photographer, graphic designer, and creative director : Joachim Johnson.

Can you tell us a bit about how your story as an artist began? At what point did you realize that art was something you’d be doing long term?

I think that any artist’s journey sort of begins when they open themselves up to seeing and thinking about the world. A lot of what I was and have been thinking about has to do with people and relationships; being fascinated by things enough to want to explore them, and try and interpret them is, I guess, the beginning. And once you really realize that, then there is no stopping.

What is the reason for the medium you chose to become proficient in? What does this medium allow you to do that other mediums may not?

I started with photography because it was accessible and immediate. In the beginning it was totally reactionary, capturing moments. But I never have been comfortable in just one place or with one way of capturing things. I still love to capture moments, but I try and influence them now, and put myself in situations that I may not be used to, to challenge myself.

What were the inspirations behind these 3 pieces specifically?

1. Protests.JPG – I come from a very politically and socially active family, who always encourages conversation and being aware of events happening in our world. I was in LA when the news of the verdict in the Michael Brown case was announced. The not guilty verdict rattled me, as I think it did many people. I was frustrated and needed to be around people and put my body and voice to the cause. I looked online and through Facebook and found a rally taking place in South LA. I went down and joined a march that was making its way to Police Headquarters. Along the way we were joined by many more people. The mood was positive but angry and sad. It felt good to be with other people who felt my frustration. As the numbers grew, we decided to break free from the carefully planned route the LAPD was trying to get us to follow. At one point, the group rushed an overpass of the 101 Freeway, scaling an embankment. The freeway was shutdown and people linked arms and chanted. It was an incredible moment, witnessing the power of people, to literally halt the flow of a city with their message. This photo was taken before the LAPD moved in with excessive force. Proud to stand with those who stand for those who no longer can.

2. The Weeknd.JPG – I love music, and I especially love the opportunity to work with musicians to give physicality to their amazing words and sounds. I am friendly with a lot of people involved with The Weeknd, and am a big fan of his artistry. A friend who plays with him invited me to come to the concert at The Forum. It was my first time seeing him in such a big space. The energy was electric. To watch people you know deliver such powerful moments to so many people is really humbling, and reminded me why I love what I do so much.

3. 12.JPG – This photo was part of a series called “The Math of Broken Windows” that I did for Unemployed Magazine, which is run by a couple friends of mine. For a long time I have been fascinated by trying to physicalize and decontextualize digital imagery, and the way we view digital imagery. This series was shot in Joshua Tree, a place that still feels “unconnected.” I shot this imagery on 35mm film, knowing that it would be viewed most broadly in a digital way. I wanted to try and re-interpret that digital space, by breaking the windows so to speak.

What are some of the defining moments in your career so far? How have they affected the way you approach your art and your creations?

I don’t really think of things this way. I would say that every time I actively go out and seek new stories and experiences, those things define me again and again. Being open to these new things is the lasting effect.

How do you feel the industry is doing right now? Which trends are really pushing the industry forward, and which are holding it back?

I think art, in what ever medium you choose to work in, is and always will be something people will do in response to the things they see and feel. So I guess in today’s world, remembering to feel is something we all need to do.

What are some other artists that you are currently into?

I love people who are exploring.

What are some of your goals for 2016?

Follow through with projects and ideas.

Why did you choose these pieces to represent yourself on this spread?

They are in line with where my brain is at these days.

Keep up with Joachim on Instagram:

@joachimjohnson

and find his latest works at:

http://joachimjohnson.com/

The post installation 011 — Joachim Johnson appeared first on Nest HQ.

Today Kill the Noise and Feed Me release the video for their satirical “I Do Coke” single via OWSLA, and to celebrate, we’ve linked up with the piece’s director, Brandon Dermer for a chat about his writing and filming process. Check the interview along with the new video below:

I just watched your Dillon Francis “Butter” music video for the first time. It was great!

Thanks man! It just got screened at the SXSW Film Festival. Pumped.

How did you come up with the idea to do the video as a series of edits based on notes from a client?

Being a free lance writer/director, I’ve dealt with my fair share of notes. Sometimes the notes you get are just like, “what?” or “I don’t really understand”. Some of the inspiration came from a video that I got asked to write for a band. It was about kids playing dodgeball. The label was like, “Alright, we like it, we just need some scantily dressed women in it, maybe in the bleachers.” I was like, “This is about kids playing dodgeball,” and they were like, “Yeah, yeah but we need some T&A in there.” I was so frustrated I just killed the video, I didn’t do it, I didn’t want to make a piece of shit. Overall, it [Not Butter] was just a reflection of the industry, the notes process, all of that.

It’s not usually a good idea to try and arouse people in the midst of 5th graders.

Yeah! It was literally about how these losers got beat in a game of dodgeball, and they perform a seance to gain the power to lift shit with their minds, it was really ridiculous and I loved it! But they kept asking for hot chicks and I just said goodbye. I’m all for hot chicks where they make sense [haha].

Did you ever see the video with the kids that are running around with Nerf guns with added animated violence?

I actually got asked to curate a night with my favorite music videos and I played that video. That one is so much fun, it’s so fucked up but in the best way. Those guys actually went on to direct bitch better have my money.

Ohhh, wow. That’s tight! What else did you bring to that showing? What are some of your other favorite videos?

Have you ever seen the Shoes video with Jake Gyllenhaal? I played that. I played my buddy Matt Robinson’s video for a band called Jogger; the song is called Nephicide. I played “Want to Believe, Trash Talk” by Jim Dirschberger, Way Too Much by Wavves, Is Tropical’s “The Greeks“, and “My first hardcore song“, which is about this little girl singing about how much she loves her pets but it’s filmed like a hardcore music video [haha]. Overall it was an eclectic night of weird shit.

When you were initially approached with “I Do Coke”, what was the first idea you had for it?

The cool thing is that Jon (Feed Me) and Jake (Kill The Noise) had an initial concept that I was really into. I took it and molded it into what we now have. I worked with them in order to get it exactly where we wanted. Usually artists will approach me for a video and I’ll have an idea and I’ll run with it. This time they had the idea and I helped form it into what it is now. It was a very collaborative process.

It’s an interesting video because, given the subject, you have get it very right or else it looks like you’re just promoting coke.

For sure! I agree. When I first heard the song, I couldn’t tell if these guys were advocating it or not. By the way, my humor and style is about executing something with the utmost sincerity, no matter how absurd the idea is. If you read the idea for the Dillon Francis video on paper it reads psychotic [haha], but if you commit to it and you don’t wink to the audience, that’s what I find really funny. The reason I dug this song so much, even before reading their concept, was because until like three-fourths’s of the way through the song I couldn’t tell if these were two fucking coke heads writing a song or not. What really sold it for me was the girl at the end. She sounds disappointed about realizing that she’s doing it all to do more coke, and I realized that this was all a hilariously committed bit. I got it. I feel like musically, they did what I like to do visually in my story telling.

In that vein, what are some of your other favorites that are in this humoristic style?

The way I got involved in the “EDM” was because I did a music video and created the mascot for this band called Nekrogoblikon. My neighbor said to me, “Hey this kid who’s an assistant at my company is playing a show tonight, he’s in a band called Nekrogoblikon, do you want to go?” I listened to one song and thought, “I have to go see this [haha]” It was such crazy, technical metal, that I thought, “this is either one guy at a computer, or like 9 pretentious ass hole metal heads”. We walk into this venue and there’s maybe a dozen people, and it’s seven guys on stage – none of which look like pretentious metal heads! Still, they’re playing this actual crazy, technical death metal. Every song is about goblins or killer birds or bears [haha], I was so inspired by that commitment and told them I’d do a video for them. They said they were down, but that they didn’t dress up like Goblins; they weren’t GWAR. I came up with the character, John Goblikon, and I basically wrote this short film about this goblin that lives in the real world and just gets shit on all day.

Wait! I’ve seen this video! I liked it.

Thanks man! Yeah, it kind of blew up. This was in 2012, but the band tours the fucking world now and I’m like the silent 8th member; I’m almost like their creative director. That commitment to their brand, while different to the I Do Coke idea, is very much the same. There’s no winking, they write music like they’re Dream Theatre but their content is so absurd. Diplo saw that video and that’s how I did a Major Lazer video, which lead the Dillon video and now this.

How is it, from your perspective, to be moving into the dance music world? What do you like or find interesting about it?

I love working with EDM artists. I feel like that they’re all past metal heads! I also feel like there’s a huge appreciation for collaboration. You can see Dillon has a song with Kill The Noise and Kill The Noise has a song with Skrillex and Skrillex has a song with Diplo, etc. I think there’s a respect for collaboration and when Dillon and I worked together we really respected what we each brought to the table. The same goes for Jake and John. I also love it because I feel like the music is so instrumental, and I can look at it like a score.

Are there any interesting stories from the shoot?

I wanted to cast someone very interesting. I wanted to cast someone that you’d have a preconceived notion about; you’re already judging Tom [the video’s lead] the moment you see him on screen because he’s a reality star on this show Vanderpump Rules that takes place in Beverly Hills. You have an opinion on him and it serves the misdirect of where the video is going. At the top of it, it really does feel like we’re making a “Fuck yeah, cocaine!” video. Tom adds an element of “Woah, reality celebrity; reality celebrity with a hot girlfriend and a show that takes place in Beverly Hills.” You think you know exactly where it’s going and then it takes such a weird turn. Tom was awesome to work with, and I’m so glad we got him.

I had no idea that that was the story behind the main dude.

I don’t know anything about that world, I had to consult my little sister [haha]. But he’s huge in that world. He’s got a huge following. I love playing with people’s expectations.

That’s a brave position to put yourself in, like the role model for an almost “do cocaine” ad.

He said too, he’s been accused in the tabloids of drug use and he was so stoked on this. He gave me 110% on set, and never bitched about anything. He showed up and we had a whole wardrobe ready for him but as soon as he walked in we were like “dude, you look too perfect, you’re just going to wear what you’re wearing now.” [haha] In the video he’s literally wearing what he brought to the shoot.

I really love the video. Do you have any shoutouts to give?

Yes, I would like to shout out Tom Sandoval, Kill The Noise, Feed Me and everyone at OWSLA for letting me do this bizzare idea. My production designer, Justin McClain, the DP of the project Aaron Grasso, everyone at Anthem Films and my editor Andrew Willsak. And, always, the Van Nuys Public Pool.

Awesome, thank you so much.

–

Keep up with Brandon Dermer on Twitter and check his other directing and writing works here.

Photos: Kavan The Kid

Words: FAN FICTION

The post Check Our Interview with the Director of Kill the Noise and Feed Me’s “I Do Coke” Video appeared first on Nest HQ.

The relationship between art and anxiety & depression has long been a paradox of creativity. For centuries, sadness and self-doubt have unfairly yet consistently assumed the role of gatekeeper to productivity within the arts, opening the door to originality at the cost of its host. Not unlike the thousands of artists who came before him, Boston rapper, Black EL, has translated his own struggles with depression into his creative output; identifying the positives of his disposition and capitalizing on his strengths as a lyricist, songwriter, and emcee.

But this recent self-actualization from Black EL wasn’t easy. It took time and effort for the self-described ‘Space Wave’ rapper to find his sound and overcome his own constraints of expression. He started writing more and more. He continued to step out of his comfort zone thanks to some encouragement from his longtime producer and friend, Durkin. EL’s even singing on his tracks now — a feat that he would’ve viewed as impossible or out of reach just a year ago.

Now, thanks to his own reimagined approach to his craft and himself, Black EL is on an unparalleled hot streak, releasing rap after quality rap with vigorous consistency and a keen sense of style. It’s this individual approach and conspicuous confidence from Black EL that grabbed our attention, leading us to have a chat with the Boston emcee about his recent personal renaissance and his plans for 2016.

Get to know Black EL via our chat and listen in to the premiere of his latest release, “Jumping Crazy [prod. by Durkin + Victor Radz + SXMPLELIFE]”, below.

To start out, give us a bit of background info on the Black EL project. Where are you from? What got you into rapping?

I’m working on a project right now called “Anywhere But Here”. The whole project is based around the anxiety moving back home can give someone with depression. For me, the moment I moved back home I just saw myself being put back in a ditch I had to dig myself out of. “Anywhere But Here” is just me trying to make the best out of a different (than expected) situation.

I’m from a small suburban town called Hopkinton that’s 40 minutes outside of Boston. There isn’t much going on there, it’s pretty desolate. I hung around the city since about college. I lived in Dorchester for a few years after.

I got into rhyming because I sucked as a DJ. I wanted to be a DJ so badly when I was 14, but I could never really open up. Eventually I didn’t have enough money to buy enough vinyl and Serato wasn’t around yet. I ended up writing raps as an outlet because it offered more of a personal release and came straight from me.

How do you describe your sound?

I call everything I do “Space Wave”. Space is an infinite place that keeps changing, with new things being discovered daily. Wave is in reference to the ocean, the fluidity, and the rhythm. Musically, the “space” is the synths and tone of my voice, and the wave is the drums & bass, the bounce and melody of my rhymes. It’s a term I made up to avoid being labeled as someone who makes “X type” of music and only that type of music. I never want to feel boxed in. I like to experiment a lot and be involved in the whole process of each song. I usually sit in on what Durk or Victor are doing. The live feedback we give each other is invaluable.

You crank out a ton of tracks. What’s your usual process like for writing?

Until 7 months ago I don’t think I had a process. I used to overthink my approach like crazy and just doubt my decisions. It feels at this point, Durk and I have found our groove. We typically make the beat, write and record a song in one session. We keep repeating this back and forth until we’re happy with the end result.

During the week when I’m usually working solo, I write a song in like a few days or a week to record myself at home. I’ve taught myself Ableton from watching Durk for the past 4 years, so it’s allowed me to get done when I’m by myself.

It feels like you and Durkin have a strong chemistry together. Can you talk a bit about how you guys started working together and what it is about your relationship that works so well?

Durk and I have worked together for 8 years, that’s my brother….we have no egos. He’s constantly trying to evolve his sound and challenge himself and in turn he challenges me. We’re fam first though, and we have a lot of fun whenever we link up. In a way making music is a huge excuse to spend time with my homey.

Durk and I started working together back in 2008 when I needed a DJ and we just started hanging out more and more. We partied a lot back then, while we made music and just constantly kept growing together.Durk is always looking for little ways to innovate in every session we do. He’ll be like, “you heard this song _______? I’m going to make hi hats like that and just build around it” or “I’m going to create a 80s sample, to chop up”…he’s just always switching it up.

Working with Durk half the time is him just daring me to do stuff he knows I’m uncomfortable with. I used to never want to sing and he kept pushing it…then I started singing and using more melody in my music. I never yelled on my adlibs, and he dared me to do it one time then it just stuck. Durkin is the rapper whisperer bro.

Who do you usually listen to to find inspiration for your own music?

Honestly, I’ve been bumping a lot of my friends music or people I know from the Boston area. It’s inspiring seeing people I know or know of just make really interesting vibes. My homey Maka is a beast, he’s been really putting out some dope shit on the solo and production tip. There’s a ton of other heads from the city who have a ton of dope music that’s not even out yet.

I get lost in a lot of Grime or R&B…really anything with melody or bounce to it. Besides that I’ve been just been bumping random chunes on Soundcloud that my homey Derrick (Tha Yell0w R Kel) puts me onto.

What are your goals in 2016? Anything specific you’d like to accomplish?

Being consistent with putting out material, that’s my biggest goal. I also really want to combine my music and my visual art in a more significant way.

Last week, you tweeted, “Technically been making music for a long time, but only stopped giving a fuck 6 months ago. really i’ve only been making music for 6 months.” Can you elaborate on this? Were you trying to be something you weren’t before?

You can kind of think about it as ‘only stopped giving a fuck about my fears 6 months ago”‘. I just had things that were stopping me from really becoming the artist I always wanted to be. 7 months ago, I felt like I was being boxed in and just couldn’t be this free thinking and positive human that I’ve always aspired to be. I was overly negative which greatly disrupted my production and creativity.

I’ve started opening up more on songs, creatively and personally. Creatively by trying flows and melodies and personally by painting more of a picture of who I am as a person. I felt like I couldn’t do that before.

I started my own personal “journey to mecca” by getting up with Durkin more frequently. One day last September, we just got up and finished a song in a day and after that we haven’t looked back. Durk and I completely changed the process of how we make records together by just making everything on the spot. If one of us isn’t 100% into something the other is doing we speak up and change it immediately. It’s worked pretty well so far and we’ve managed to create a lot of music a lot quicker than we ever have.

As much work as this period of my life has been, it’s without a doubt the most fun I’ve had in a long time. My bank account doesn’t have as many digits as I want it to (yet), but I have never felt closer to balling than I do today.

Finally, tell us about the latest record you’re premiering with us today. What’s “Jumping Crazy” all about?

It’s about falling for someone new after being fresh out of a long term relationship, feeling a spark but living in different cities and traveling back and forth to see if the feelings are real. I was dealing with and questioning a lot of feelings while trying to catch my breath for the first time in 5 years. “Jumping Crazy” helped me get those thoughts down and help me understand how I really felt.

If you’re in NYC, catch Black EL at SOBs alongside Kari Faux on April 28th.

Find more from Black EL on:
Soundcloud
Facebook
Twitter

The post Get To Know Rising Boston Rapper, Black EL appeared first on Nest HQ.

Los Angeles producer, Cheney Ray aka CRAY, is making some serious heat at the moment. From the spacious trap booms of her maiden track, “1UP”, to the earworm of a vocal melody in the most recent offering, “Infinity Signs“, CRAY has taken on a saturated genre and risen far above the normality. Pair this unique musical approach with her endearingly informal personality, and it’s pretty clear to see the prospects for CRAY’s career in dance music.

With some brand new stuff in the pipeline — including a new, unreleased original featuring CRAY’s first-ever vocal songwriting on record — we asked Cheney Ray to whip up this week’s NEST HQ MiniMix and answer some questions about how she got into the dance music world, plans to start touring the project, and focusing on her own sound before exploring collaboration. Get into it below.

Where does the CRAY story begin? Was there any specific moment you can remember that acted as a turning point in your passion for music?

The CRAY story begins at the tender age of 2 years old, lol jk I was seeing my boyfriend make music and I started having my own ideas, so I youtubed the fuck out of some shit, asked some questions and just started. It instantly clicked and I really enjoyed it.

You’ve been exploring your own vocals recently, with the melody in “Infinity Signs” and, most recently, your full-on singing in an ID from this mix. What was the catalyst for you to start incorporating your voice into your productions? Was this a big milestone for you?

I used to be in my high school choir and music club (*lol*) so I already knew that I had somewhat of a voice to work with, but it really happened very casually. I wanted to start getting vocals on certain tracks I was working on, so instead of going elsewhere to find that, I decided to just try it myself. Its worked so I ran with it.

You recently graduated from college. Would you say the extra available time made a noticeable effect on your creative process and output? What’s a regular day like for you now?

Yes huge difference. It got to the point where I was watching how-to production videos in class….oops…Having way more time now to solely focus on music has been awesome and I have made so much progress.

Many producers in early stages of their careers tend to lean on collaborations as stepping stones to progression, yet all of your music is 100% you. Is this intentional? How do you feel about the possibility of collaboration?

I have nothing against collaborations at all, just hasn’t happened yet. Have been really focusing on my own sound before I involve someone else, 100% open to it in the future (Drake if you are reading this…HMU)

What’s your game plan for live performance? Will we be seeing some tour dates pop up soon?

My game plan is just tear shit up. I want my sets to be full of energy and people puking probably. Im practicing on my CDJ’S daily so any day now you’ll see some shows pop up.

Finally, tell us a bit about the minimix you’ve put together for us. What’s the vibe/are there any CRAY standouts we should pay special attention to?

This mix is for pregaming and working out ONLY… NOT, working out sucks. Basically, this is just a bunch of my favorite songs that I cant get enough of….My newest unreleased track is also in there, which is pretty tight – but other than just get groovy.

Tracklist:
Bitch Don’t Know The End (Vincent Edit)
By Your Side – CRAY
Crowd Ctrl – Flosstradamus & Dj Sliink
Fortune – CRAY
Street (ID Edit)
M.A.A.D City (feat. MC Eiht) – Kendrick Lamar
Fired Up (feat. NGHTMRE) – Flosstradamus
Make A Move (Skrillex Remix) – Torro Torro
Wylin (Original Mix) – Cesqeaux
Beautiful (Rustie Edit) – A. G. Cook
Mosh Pit (feat. Casino) – Flosstradamus [Remedy Edit]
Slasher – Rustie (ID Edit)
Burial (Moody Good Remix) – Yogi
Burn Out – NGHTMRE
Up In Smoke – CRAY
Tell Me (Baauer Edit) – RL Grime & What So Not
It’s Strange – Louis The Child (Boombox Cartel Remix)
ID – CRAY
Real Friends (feat. Ty Dolla $ign) – Kanye West

More from CRAY on:
Soundcloud
Facebook
Twitter

The post Interview & MiniMix: CRAY appeared first on Nest HQ.

NEST HQ was created with the intention of being a platform aimed at promoting and encouraging the growth of artists of all genres and mediums. While we’ve worked mostly within music up to this point, we are expanding on a new content series that will showcase multimedia artists of various backgrounds including painters, graphic designers, architects, and others of the sort; this is installation. Every other week, we’ll post hand-selected pieces from our featured artists via our Instagram @nesthq, along with excerpts from the full interviews which will be posted on the Friday of that week.

This week on installation, we present Surprise Skateboards.

Surprise Skateboards. Skateboarding. Coffee. Don Rickles. Sandwiches. Hand Screened Graphics. Bourbon. Skateparks at 8am. Smoke Bombs. Yard Sales. Breakfast Spots. Throwing Stars. More Coffee. Mysterious Stuff. S.S. Adams. Comic Books. Hobos. Hogan’s Heros. Bonzo. Trouble…

Guys who skate Surprise decks

Trevor Diehi
Donovan Rice
Michael Dolsen
Billy Roper
Vern Laird
Gabe Clement
Peter Morris
Vince Duran
Ish
Jason Siebert

Read on below to learn more about their influences as a skate company and goals for the upcoming year.

Can you tell us a bit about how your story as a skateboarding company began? At what point did you realize that this was something you’d be doing long term?

While working at a skateboard manufacture a few years back, the idea for Surprise was presented as a possible in house brand to help generate some sales. My buddy Thomas Urech helped me with the very first version – which never made it past a few graphic mock ups… Years later I found myself working with some new manufacturers and the opportunity presented itself. It was a now or never situation. I was winging it the whole time. I still am. I refer to it as a project vs a career…

What is the reason for the medium your artists chose to become proficient in? What does this medium allow them to do that other mediums may not?

The best part about this project is that I’m working with a pretty diverse group of artists. Everyone has their own take on creating – from subject matter to techniques- they are all pretty different. That being said, we end up taking the art produced and silk screen it on skateboard decks. Silk screening skateboards is a somewhat lost art form that has been making a bit of a come back. It’s pain staking, time consuming and expensive but the end result is leaps and bounds better then standard graphic applications. I realize that I’m biased but I can’t help it. A few generations of skateboarders grew up skating hand painted decks. The feel. The smell. The way the paint mushes. The off registration printing. The mistakes… All of these things made each deck special. I’m hoping the combination of new artists and this traditional printing technique really make these decks mean something to those that pick them up.

What were the inspirations behind these 3 pieces specifically?

Detail of a @Tallboy graphic. This thing is nuts. That’s all there is to it. Nuts. Really great when the art and the screening process work so well together. #Juan (or printer) and @Tallboy both nailed it.

Really fun seeing newly screened decks come together. When that final color is pulled – and finishes the art – it’s a little shock. You know what the end result is going to be but when it gets there through all of these small steps… It’s pretty hot stuff.

Vince Duran. Wall ride. It matches the Sean Morris decks in the previous photo. That’s a good reason right?

What are some of the defining moments in your team’s career so far? How have they affected the way you approach your art and your creations?

I’ve been fortunate to be able to work with artists who’s work I really enjoy. In most cases my initial contact with them is a cold call as a fan. “I’m silk screening decks. I’m a fan of your work. Let’s do something…” Is usually how it goes. The majority of these artists have not done anything for the skateboard industry. That’s pretty exciting stuff. Some of these artists are very accomplished while others are just starting their careers. I’m just here gathering up work that gives me pause hoping that others are as pumped on the finished product as I am.

How do you feel the industry is doing right now? Which trends are really pushing the industry forward, and which are holding it back?

Who knows. The skateboard industry goes through its phases like anything else. Right now we are back to smaller companies. Do it yourself. Less is more. Skaters are paying less attention to the pros and more attention to their local scene. At least that’s how it’s feeling to me. That being said, there hasn’t been a wider range of scenes to choose from. Old skaters back on boards for the first time in years. Old skaters that never left.
Younger and younger kids who are only getting better and better. Pros coming out of retirement. Pros staying pro longer. Small companies turning friends pro. Big money contests. No contests. Incredibly technical skateboarding. Stylish skateboarding. Non-technical skating… Maybe there are no trends. It’s just everything right now or only what you want it to be.

What are some other artists that you are currently into?

I’m pretty in to Craig Gleason’s work right now. I’m sure he thinks I’m crazy. Honestly, I’m a fan of everyone that’s been nice enough to do a board for Surprise. The brand might look like it has zero direction graphic wise but really, I think that’s what’s rad about it. There are so many good artists out there. I don’t want to see the same thing over and over. If you can’t tell one Surprise deck from the next… well, sorry about that.

What are some of your goals for 2016?

My current goal is to get these Spring decks printed! Then Summer… Just looking forward to finding new artists. Seeing people skate and enjoy these boards… I need to push around more myself.

Why did you choose these pieces to represent yourself on this spread?

Pretty random batch of decks. Close ups. Skating. Represents what’s going on over here pretty well.

Keep up with Surprise on Instagram

@surpriseskate

And on their website

http://surpriseskateboards.bigcartel.com/

The post installation 012 — Surprise Skateboards appeared first on Nest HQ.

While Dutch producer, WRLD, may still only be in his teenage years, his propensity for and understanding of popular music and memorable melodies reflect a musicianship stretching far beyond his age. Perhaps this is because he began making music when he was 11 years old, or maybe it was the hours and hours of Top 40 radio he ingested since his earliest memory. Whatever the case, WRLD’s musical style balances enticing accessibility with a dreamy, youthful attitude and complex composition, leading the spry producer to consistently link up with outfits like Monstercat and Moving Castle for his gratifyingly warm productions.

This coming Monday the 18th, WRLD will be joining the NEST label family with his latest single “Galaxies”, which sees the producer from the Netherlands linking up with NYC singer/songwriter, Father Dude, in a pop-leaning, beat-heavy record with tinges of soul and ambient influence. Ahead of the release, we’ve asked WRLD to take over this week’s NEST HQ MiniMix and give us some background about how “Galaxies” came together, his love of pop music, and his thoughts on youth as both a blessing and a challenge.

Listen in and read on below, and pre-order “Galaxies” via iTunes today.

We’re less than a week away from releasing “Galaxies”! Can you tell us a little bit about the background of this record? It feels like Father Dude fit so naturally into the vibe of the instrumental here, was it a good experience working with him?

It’s definitely different from anything I’ve done before. I was listening to a lot of ambient music when I made the instrumental and I didn’t even plan on releasing it as WRLD honestly. I showed it to my manager and a few days later he said he’d been listening to it on replay and thought it had a lot of potential. We wanted to add a vocal hook to make it a bit more poppy and the first person who came to mind was Father Dude, he instantly nailed it and the soulful layered nature of the vocal perfectly fit the instrumental.

I remember a while back when we premiered “Fighter”, you mentioned Owl City has had a profound effect on you as a musician. What is it about him and his music that so directly appeals to you?

A lot of the things I know about sound design are because I used to emulate his sounds all the time back in the day. His sense of melody is also so amazing and inspiring to me, everything he does (his pre-2012 music mostly) is super beautiful haha. Out of all the artists that inspire me he’s the one that had the biggest influence on me and his music really helped me shape my own style.

There’s an evident understanding of pop music within all of your productions. What would you say is the driving factor behind these sensibilities?

I just love how pop music is put together. The secret is to put enough into the music to make it interesting, but not so much that it becomes too deep, messy or tedious. Obviously Owl City again played a part in this for me, taking a big influence from the synth pop world and translating that to my music. I always have a hard time listening to 5 to 8 minute long songs, it just gets boring and repetitive very quickly in most cases. Also catchiness is very important to me and that’s something I try to achieve with every song I make.

You’ve mentioned that your interests when you began producing around age 11 were geared more towards a progressive house sound. Do you ever experience any urges to make that kind of music anymore, or is this pop/R&B/bass sound an accurate representation of where your head is at musically right now?

On my last EP Awake on Monstercat there actually is a track called “Discovery” that’s heavily influenced by the trance I used to make back then! I couldn’t resist returning to that style once to see how it would turn out, I don’t think I’ve ever finished a WRLD track that quickly as well because of how inspired I was to go back.

You’re definitely on the younger side of the average producer. Have you ever seen your youth as a disadvantage or a challenge, or do you see it totally as an upside?

I see it as both actually, a lot of the attention I gained by blogs and such were because of my age (at least that’s what I think haha) so that was definitely a good thing. I feel like I’m not always being taken seriously though, in school for instance some of the teachers have no idea what I’m doing or what level it is at. I’m also kind of being held back by school, I can’t travel a lot and don’t put 100% into my music yet, but that’ll be over next month when I probably graduate! (gotta make the exams first lol)

Photo Credit: Lumen Lineas

If you were able to announce a WRLD World Tour tomorrow, which 4 artists/singers/DJs/bands would you want to be on the bill and travel the globe with you?

I really want to build a live show with a 3 man band around my music, my music is very poppy like you said and thus way more fun to actually playing live instead of doing a DJ mix, DJing is fun but it doesn’t completely fit my music.

One idea I have is to bring Richard Caddock with me on the road, if you’re a fan of my music there’s a big chance that you’ll know who he is as well and Richard is a great player so there’s no doubt he needs to be with me in the band.

Someone who I’d love to play alongside is Laszlo. Our styles are very similar, yet I think he makes some of the most unique music I’ve heard (his new stuff he’s been working on is super exciting as well ;)).

Adam Young from Owl City can obviously come with me on tour ‘cause he’s my biggest inspiration and there’s no musician that I’d like to spend time with as much as him. I guess it’s only just a dream though. :(

Anyone from the Monstercat crew can come with me as well. Every single one of them makes awesome music and I think anyone coming to see me would enjoy seeing them as well.

The artwork for all of your releases and assets appears to be very connected and developed. Who is the visual artist you work with and what is it about his/her style and artwork that made you want it to represent your music?

All the artworks for my latest releases are done by an artist called Graeme Borland, I found him on Tumblr and had been following him for a while. When I was looking for an artist to do the artworks for my Chase It EP he was the perfect match. From that moment on we kept working with him to keep the same vibe going with every release. His paintings are very dreamy and bright and that’s exactly how I want my music to feel as well.

Finally, I know there’s a little clip of “Galaxies” in here, but could you explain your approach to the MiniMix you’ve shared with us today?

I wanted to make the mix as diverse as possible. I’ve tried to put a lot of my current inspirations in there instead of making a mix full of bangers. Hope you like it!

Tracklist:
Color Therapy – Wintering
Tarro – Solus
Lido – Crazy
Father Dude – Eyes On You
No Mana – Magic Addiction
Mat Zo – Lights Out
Draper – Break Over You (feat. Prides)
WRLD – Awake (feat. Colordrive)
Perfume – Cosmic Explorer
Twenty One Pilots – Stressed Out (Botnek Remix)
WRLD x Father Dude – Galaxies
Hybrid – Be Here Now (Bensley Remix)

More from WRLD on:
Soundcloud
Facebook
Twitter

Pre-order “Galaxies” today on iTunes ahead of its release on Monday, April 18th!

The post Interview & MiniMix: WRLD appeared first on Nest HQ.

This week on installation, we present Funi Lab.

Funi Lab is an Italian graphic designer, artist, and painter who, over the past ten years, has worked with a multitude of clients from Italy, US, UK, and Australia. Crafting pixel perfect designs for projects ranging from tour posters to company branding, his highly detailed yet intimate art style has garnered him support from both established and up-and-coming musicians in the industry. Read on below to hear a bit about Funi’s influences and goals for 2016.

Can you tell us a bit about how your story as an artist began? At what point did you realize that art was something you’d be doing longterm?

Primary colours, finger painting, and play-doh, then onto their digital equivalent a couple of years later. Ive always been fascinated by the relation between different mediums and I’ve always been into underground electronic music. I thought I could contribute somehow and seeing as I couldn’t write the music I wanted, I started creating art for the musicians I loved and I could reach. In 2011, I heard Mr. Bill’s work and we’ve been collaborating since. Bill has a crazy mind and working with him made me faster, more driven and genuine.

What is the reason for the medium you chose to become proficient in? What does this medium allow you to do that other mediums may not?

Most of my artwork is hand drawn and then remade digitally in photoshop. Im not good enough to work primarily on digital; I found it easier and faster to sketch stuff down on paper and then work from there. Digital art allows you to work at impressive resolutions which is great for detailing and also you don’t need much space to create something, as opposed [to] traditional art. Your cat can’t spill digital ink.

What were the inspirations behind these three pieces specifically?

Kursa – “you can have whatever you want for breakfast” – I was asked by Kursa to draw a huge burger with everything inside, so I did my best. We were watching The Incredibles at his girlfriend’s flat, so I guess that was pretty inspiring. I obviously love Pixar and 3D animation like David O’Reilly’s work. Pixel artist like the unforgettable Eboy and super-detailed illustrations like Where’s Wally and Mattias Adolfsson’s work were a big inspiration for it as well. I should specify I don’t think you can have whatever you want for breakfast. If possible, avoid minerals, ammonia, ink, animal products, human blood, plastic, and poisonous mushrooms.

Soda Island – When I started working on the first concept art for Soda Island, it was very simple compared to what it ended up being: we (the collective) wanted to have something that reminded us of old Nintendo games maps but without enemies—only good music and peace. Each producer has a digital alter ego in their respective area within the map plus a whole ecosystem that converts ocean water into flavoured soda (the volcano is actually frozen inside, like a fridge able to store an incredible amount of beverage). I started playing around with the concept of a living island where every tree and ocean wave and bird has the ability to create music, rhythmically being controlled by a huge digital workstation carved inside the stone under the sea. This secret place allows [them] to control the weather, the tide, the seasons, fruit ripening, plants growth, etc. converting every vibration into a sound sculpted in stone. The music coming from the collective has been a massive inspiration for the visual side of the project and, with the album coming, we can’t wait to develop the concept further.

Mr. Bill & KJ Sawka 2016 tour poster – this is probably my favourite illustration I’ve done so far. It’s just a bunch of different character slowly marching to the rhythm of the teddy bear drummer who leads the parade. Years ago, I watched this show called Carnivale and I’ve been obsessed with it since. It’s the story of a group of freaks and their traveling circus during the Great Depression. I tried to replicate that surreal and slightly eerie quality, and if you’re familiar with the ongoing series Bill and I are working on (corrective scene surgery) you’ll soon notice (I hope) that this is some sort of flash forward of the development in the series plot.

What are some of the defining moments in your career so far? How have they affected the way you approach your art and your creations?

When I was 20, I moved to central Italy which allowed me to get involved with the underground music scene. This is where I realised what I wanted to direct my work toward. A few years later a friend showed me Burial’s music and I decided to move to London. I’ve always been a massive fan of UK music growing up with Massive Attack and Portishead. In London, I met some of the best electronic musicians out there and it gave me the confidence necessary to keep improving by practicing and doing more.

How do you feel the industry is doing right now? Which trends are really pushing the industry forward, and which are holding it back?

I’m definitely not the nostalgic type. I think there has never been such an abundance and variety of incredible things being created in every corner of the world. It’s so inspiring to see new technology help develop concepts and art projects previously unimaginable. What holds us back are the usual things: routine, comfort, the necessity of converting everything into a product, the fear of not being understood and ultimately the unspoken competition between us humans rather than cooperation.

What are some other artists that you are currently into?

Visual artists: Ben Tolman, Natalia Smirnova, Justin de Garmo, Tom Gauld, Killian Eng, Gabriele Brombin, Marcin Aleksander Surowiec to name a few.

Musicians: Boards of Canada, Bersarin Quartett, Sorrow, Borhen & Der Club of Gore, Lorn, Mefjus, Ametsub, Conceptor.

What are some of your goals for 2016?

Expand and condense the Soda Island concept into an encyclopedia and possibly an animated series, paint more on canvas, read more books, travel with my gf, meet Mr. Bill in person after collaborating for almost a decade, write more music, get more pets, eat more cauliflowers, and keep being reasonably happy.

Why did you choose these pieces to represent yourself on this spread?

I try to be versatile and use different styles and colour schemes every time I start a new illustration and I think these three show a lot of my spectrum. I like to create dark and twisted visuals as much as colourful and cute looking ones.

Keep up with Funi on Instagram

@funilab

And stay up to date with his works via:

http://www.funilab.com/

The post installation 013 — Funi Lab appeared first on Nest HQ.

This Ain’t Bristol is a label based in Germany pushing bass-laden house music native to the UK. The imprint’s connection between two of dance music’s most notable homelands is in many part thanks to MAXIMONO — a duo made up of two Drum & Bass producers from London and Hannover who decided to try their hands at house music, and in doing so, upstarted what in many ways could be Europe’s answer to Claude VonStroke’s fun-loving dirtybird outfit here in America.

Bouncy, belting, and never too serious or obscure, the music of This Ain’t Bristol — and in turn MAXIMONO — abides by the self-imposed definition of “Good Vibes House”, and in just over a year, the label has pushed the sound forward with a stacked catalog highlighted by EP releases from folks like Billy Kenny, Marc Spence, and Landis LaPace along with the now-signature compilation series, Selections.

Today, This Ain’t Bristol take a new step forward with their latest Selections compilation, as the guys of MAXIMONO have taken over full A&R duties for the release with every record on the LP getting hand-selected by the duo. In honor of the release, we’ve asked MAXIMONO to give us a bit of background on all 22 tracks from the compilation which features new ones from Fake Blood, Pete Graham, Worthy, Taiki Nulight, and many more.

Read on for the track by track breakdown of MAXIMONO’s Selections below, and pick up the full compilation today on Beatport.

We thought that Instead of building up the album nice and slow we would to go in hard and set a statement from the very first tune! We’ve been in touch with Pete for a quite a while and always been a fan of his straight bass heavy bangers. This one is the perfect opener into the MM Selections as it combines funky elements, catchy vocal bits and some serious bass madness, which totally fits in with what the MM philosophy is all about!!

We wrote this last autumn and it got some instant DJ support from Justin Martin and a few others. We were holding it back for the right release so it was perfect for this album as we wanted to show the more experimental fun broken beat side of our sound.

We met the guys at a gig in Bristol last year and they kept sending us tune after tune since then. We’ve signed a massive 4-track EP with them which is dropping very soon so we had to get them on board to introduce them onto the label. „Ya Dig“ has been smashing it everywhere we played ever since, so it was an absolute no-brainer to take it on. We’re in love with the acid bits in there.

Taiki is one hell of a talent and we’re feeling his productions big time. After speaking to him early this year it was clear that we had to work closer on something. Also Lo’99 is one to watch, his Moby Remix kills it everywhere we drop it. Expect some collaborations with these guys later this year :)

A great example of finding some new talent and serious heat in our demos inbox. „Return“ was one of the strongest demos we ever received so we instantly got back to him to sign it for the V.A.
It’s a catchy track with an epic build up and a massive drop, wrapped up in a super tight production. Brazil’s definitely got talent :) Can’t wait to hear more from that guy…

Another one from the demos inbox. „What’s that“ hit a nerve instantly. We fell in love with the rolling bassline and played it in almost every set recently and it never disappoints! We hardly find any tracks with a saxophone that we like (apart from Kenny G lol), but this one’s definitely an exception.

We’re massive fans of Worthy’s sound so it was always our goal to get him involved. He remixed one of our tracks lately (to be released later this year) so we 100% had to get him on here. „Big End“ is a monster of a track in the typical Worthy way. Was great to meet him in person at Miami Music Week this year, what a dude!

Man like Mr Spence has done it again. As one of the label’s key artists he had a massive success with his „Nasty“ track last year. Everyone from the TAB team loves him so there was no doubt he had to be featured on the Selections Album. After having such a massive track like „Nasty“ it’s always hard to follow it up, but with „Morning After“ he actually proves how good he is. Full on banger Marc!

We met the guys last year as they are also part of the CUFF family. Their ideas and productions are next level and we we’re always following their productions closely. When they sent us „Earthquake” we were pretty stoked as we didn’t expect something like this. They’ve written it just with the aim to get it released with us and it was more than worth it. Thanks guys!

We can’t hide our love for broken beats and heavy basslines. This one’s another proof that house music these days doesn’t need to be 4 to the floor all the time. A funky groove, quirky synths and a heavy bass, that’s always a massive YES from us.

Another impressive example for the growing Brazilian scene and their big influence on the global scene right now. After grabbing this from the demos folder we played it in all our sets and it always made people go mad. The „Turn up the Bass“ vocal could be seen as the punchline for the whole album. When the bassbin’s are bouncing, that’s where we feel right at home!

Everyone loves the Brazilian wunderkind. As you can see from his countless selfies, the crowd loves him everywhere he releases his energy lol. We’ve been in touch with him after both having our Dirtybird releases last December.We were so keen to get a track off him for the album. His minimal funk and super punchy productions are already a trademark sound and we can’t wait to hear more from this fresh talent.

Billy introduced us to Dillon’s tracks a few months ago and we were blown away. It’s great to see so many talented producers coming up day by day. We were more than happy to sign this track as it’s again one of these winning formula tracks for us….great vocal chops, funky beats and large amounts of bass!

These French dudes are running tings right now!! One of the best things about the whole music thing for us is that you meet lots of great and likeminded people all the time. Since we started working with Amine Edge & DANCE and the whole CUFF team last year we’ve met some amazing people and Clyde is definitely one of them. We’ve played some wicked shows together in Ibiza and London and his track „Whistle“ (with Stage Rockers) was one of our most played tracks over the whole last year. We’re totally stoked to welcome him to the label. What else can you say about this tune than „Dope!“

We’ve been playing a lot of Jakwob’s tracks and as we are big fans of his sound he was probably the first name that came into our mind when thinking about which artists to get involved. „Balance“ is such a grimey monster and it shows exactly where we are coming from. I hope we can release more music from this guy in the future.

Good to hear more and more people bringing the old school jungle influences back. These guys appeared on our radar only 2-3 months ago after we heard some of their tracks in the demos inbox. We asked them to write something specifically for the Selections Album and they came up with this sick beat. If someone asked us to pick our favourite track off the album, it’s probably this!

It’s funny to meet more and more drum&bass people doing house and techno these days. We’ve been in touch with Harry for years now so our paths crossed again when signing his EP for This Ain’t Bristol last year. His very unique sound is full of the same influences that we have so it was important for us to get him to do something for the album. „Urchin“ is some bad ass Jackin’ Techno as only he can do it. Big things for Judda to come, watch this space.

Dateless for us is without a doubt one of the hottest talents in the scene right now. „Westcoast Boogie“ is exactly what you would expect from reading the title. It’s a great mixture of bassline driven house, 80s funk and boogie. We’re working on a lot more with that guy now so keep your eyes and ears open.

Another one of those ‘must have’ tunes for the Selections album. Tru Fonix are an amazing talent for sure. We didn’t know them personally so we simply approached them and asked them to get involved. We couldn’t believe they agreed straight away and sent us „Orange“ some days later. It’s one of the tracks with the strongest DJ and club feedback so far and you can tell why after one listen.

Moody Bassline House – thats how we would describe this funky roller. Another one from the demos folder. We love the organ breakdown and everything else about this piece of music. Can’t wait to hear more from this guy.

You may have heard this in Sirus Hood’s recent sets, this track has already had some amazing DJ reaction and is fast becoming a big tune on the circuit. We’ve done quite a few things with Ben in the past and it doesn’t look like it will be slowing down soon. It has a clever arrangement so make sure to play it until the second breakdown and drop as thats where the nastiness happens!

Besides Jakwob Fake Blood is another example for acts that popped up in our wish list to work with. His track „Hornet“ on Food Music has become one of our all time faves and it’s more than a pleasure to welcome Fake Blood on board. „Questions“ is the perfect closing track for the album as we want people to listen through the whole thing and you don’t wanna miss out on this epic tune.

More from MAXIMONO on:
Soundcloud
Facebook
Twitter

More from This Ain’t Bristol on:
Soundcloud
Facebook
Twitter

The post MAXIMONO Discuss Their ‘Selections’ for New Compilation on This Ain’t Bristol appeared first on Nest HQ.

This week on installation, we present Some Hoodlum.

Some Hoodlum is an extremely talented graphic designer, Internet jokester, and quality meme creator who continues to build his portfolio, working on projects with Comedy Central, Soulection, Migos, and many more. Focused on bright colors and subtle jabs at pop culture, his art is genuine and pure. Read on below to learn about his influences and goals as an artist.

Can you tell us a bit about how your story as an artist began? At what point did you realize that art was something you’d be doing longterm?

I was in school for industrial design, and I was messing around with some different art styles. A fellow student saw what I was working on and he was like, “I could see you getting famous for this.” After that, I just started dabbling more with it. I hadn’t even come up with the name “Somehoodlum” at that point.

What is the reason for the medium you chose to become proficient in? What does this medium allow you to do that other mediums may not?

I use the Adobe Suite. I just really like how all the programs work seamlessly together. I think the more organized your workflow, the quicker and more fun the ideation process can be. I can create art very minimally and I can work anywhere as long as I have my laptop.

What were the inspirations behind these three pieces specifically?

“It was lit fam” – I knew I wanted to make a piece talking about death and how if someone died today, what they would have on their gravestone. I really like the silhouette of a gravestone as well. It is something that is universally understood regardless of what language you speak.

“Dabbed to death” – Kids our age are tired of memes about the dab, so I created a meme about the meme being over.

“Hypebeast crayons” – Honestly one of the pieces I’m most proud about. The composition is just how I imagined it in my head, which is always a dope feeling. I would love to make this piece into an actual physical product with crayons and everything, and donate the profits to inner city schools.

What are some of the defining moments in your career so far? How have they affected the way you approach your art and your creations?

Working with Brandon Wardell on his show “Hot Takes” on Comedy Central’s snapchat is something that I am proud about. We just started up the third season which is a fun time.

How do you feel the industry is doing right now? Which trends are really pushing the industry forward, and which are holding it back?

Honestly for me right now I feel like I am in an industry of my own. I create jokes/puns on the Internet. The industry couldn’t be more wide open for that. The setbacks are that people view what I make as “Memes” which is dope, I totally encourage that, but I am creating these jokes on my own. I don’t just take jokes from random people. I take that very seriously.

What are some other artists that you are currently into?

Sounds: Lil Yachty, Playboi Carti, Taylor Swift, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Hudmo

Visuals: Itsmcflyy, hoodass (Filip Hodas), Henri Matisse, Martin Scorsese, Shinichirō Watanabe, Walter Gropius

What are some of your goals for 2016?

Art shows, animated series, and having my art on Taylor Swift’s wall.

Why did you choose these pieces to represent yourself on this spread?

Because they are the pieces I instantly show people first. You quickly understand who I am speaking to by these three pieces.

Find more of Some Hoodlums work on Instagram, or on his website.

The post installation 014 — Some Hoodlum appeared first on Nest HQ.

Y’all know who G-Buck is. He’s released on NEST, OWSLA, Mad Decent, Main Course — you name the label, and he’s probably brought his tireless brand of club music to it. In the past year, the Philly producer and DJ has put out official remixes for Major Lazer and Flux Pavilion, linked with Danny Brown on new original, “TAXE$“, and has consistently seen support from club music progressives like Skrillex, Diplo, Jauz, and Valentino Khan. In a scene that can be known to rest on the success of popular sounds, G-Buck continues to push forward, abandoning any comfort of safety and instead aiming to test the status quo.

In this week’s MiniMix, G-Buck shows off his clear hip hop influence along with a grip of his own club-oriented productions. In the Q&A, he chats about never fitting in to any existing musical constructs, hearing his music played out at Coachella last week, and his interesting theme/approach to his 30-minute curation.

Listen and read on below.

Thanks for taking some time with us G. Tell us a bit about what you’re currently working on, anything in progress that you’re especially stoked about?

Ayyy, What’s Up Nest Fam! Anytime. Thank You for giving me the opportunity!

Well, My mind runs 100MPH, so anything i’m currently working on probably changes about 3-4 times a day LOL. There are certainly a few seeds planted that could turn into green houses. Some really awesome collaborations with some big artists I greatly respect and look up to. I just like to create, so anything that asks for my creative input is something i’m stoked about.

Your music is far from safe. Do you consider yourself against the grain of much of dance music right now? Will you always be a risk-taker creatively?

I don’t personally consider myself against the grain of dance music, But i can see where the thought of that comes from. Coming up in Philadelphia, my sound wasn’t clubby/hip hop enough to fit in with the cool kids, It wasn’t anything enough to fit in with anyone. So I’ve always had this stigma of not being able to be labeled/paired with anyone. My music to me, is literally a grab bag of my culture/influences. Whether you hear scratches and hip hop styled chops, Club breaks, Jungle breaks, Juke, Dembow switch ups, anything you hear is literally an influence on me and true to the dynamic and my upbringing.

I remember hearing Fatboy Slim for the first time and being like “HOLY SHIT” He’d have some funk shit, a chopped rock riff, some vocals from a car commercial, just like, a clusterfuck (in a good way) of organized noise. I remember hearing Munchi for the first time, Skrillex, Diplo..Shit man, ALL of the dance artists that constantly push and take risks are what keep me being me. I remember when Diplo sent the stems for Powerful (Major Lazer album) I did what I did and sent back and he just responded “LOL” hahaha. If you want to keep things fresh you have to take risks creatively. You gotta surround yourself with risk-takers, That’s how you stay inspired. This game wouldn’t be where it is now if it weren’t for the risk-takers, Facts!

It’s now been a full year since you released ShakeLine/Toma with us. What’s changed for you as an artist in that time?

I’m still there mentally, It’s a good place to be creatively. Just working, pushing, and striving, Just trying to create. As for my artistry to others, I guess I’ve gained a little bit more respek on my name (Birdman Voice).

What’s the last song/album/DJ set/performance you heard that really inspired you to get in the studio and create?

Last Song : Jesse Slayter’s WHOLE back WIP catalog is insane.

Last Album : The Jack U album was really cool and innovative. Very inspiring to see the lanes cross paths to the point to where they can perform at the Grammys.

Beyonce’s #Lemonade too, the whole visual album thing was mind boggling how it played out.

DJ Set : Saw Snake in Philly recently, His crowd control was tight! Actually, the whole Pardon My French Tour is really well put together!

Performance : I had the opportunity to play/attend Ultra this year, I was AMPED to see The Prodigy play but something went down to where they couldn’t make it. Was bummed but I’m almost 100% sure that performance would’ve sparked some fire. You can like, watch YouTube videos of Prodigy performing in 1996 and it’ll spark some fire. Long Live Prodigy!

If I can add a category, I’d add Video.. Liam has been killing the OWSLA visuals lately. Super inspiring in itself, Making music with visuals in your head like “What Would Liam Do here?” lmao

What was it like to hear your tracks played out all around Coachella these past two weeks?

It NEVER gets old. I do want to publicly thank everyone who has been supporting tunes at these festivals and shows! It’s super inspiring, when you see the crowd go off to the shit you made It’s like “I gotta get there one day!” Gotta keep workin hard.

Finally, tell us about these voicemails in your mix as well as the vibe you went for.

LOL, That’s just me trying to do something different. Didn’t just want to make another 30 min mix for NEST, It was during Coachella weekend and everyone I was hitting up either couldn’t answer, had an automatic response or had no service during the event. I figured it would be funny to have a couple of friends to send me messages, Definitely went off on the wild end with Khan though hahaha

Tracklist:
Meek Mill – Pray For Em’
Herve Pages & Kzeero – Ding Dong
Migos – Hannah Montana
Mike Jones – Still Tippin’ (ft. Slim Thug & Paul Wall)
ASAP Ferg ft. Future – New Level
MadeInTyo – Uber Everywhere
Torro Torro – Make A Move (Skrillex Remix)
SkiSM – Experts (Barely Alive Remix)
Yellow Claw – Runaway (Valentino Khan Remix)
Valentino Khan – Make Some Noise
Herobust – Pipette Up
DJ Snake – Propaganda
Diplo – Biggie Bounce (G-Buck Remix)
IMarkkeyz x Stevie G – What Ya Want?
BADASH – Like Water
Munchi – Pa Lo Under
Baauer – Temple (ft. M.I.A & G-Dragon)
Saint & G-Buck – Gijibae
Saint & G-Buck – Gijibae (VIP)
G-Buck – ShakeLine (ft. Fly Boi Keno & Four Color Zack)
TWRK & Lambo – Independent
Kanye West – Fade
Valentino Khan – Deep Down Low (G-Buck Remix)
Dillon Francis – When We Were Young (Valentino Khan Remix)
ID – ID (WIP)
G-Buck & Flexatelli – Taxes (ft. Danny Brown)
TRAXMAN – Blow Yo Shit (Lenkemz Remix)
G-Buck – B.O.B.
Barely Alive – Pooyoso (Take It Back) [G-Buck Remix]
G-Buck & Hasse De Moor – P.Y.H.U.
G-Buck – TOMA

More from G-Buck on:
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The post Interview & MiniMix: G-Buck appeared first on Nest HQ.

Will Magid isn’t your everyday musician. The San Francisco-based trumpeter, producer, and ethnomusicologist (which Will insists come in that order) not only creates music, he studies its origins, exploring the “why” of music that has evolved from different geographical locations, cultures, and population groups. As an instrumentalist, Will has recorded and performed the trumpet with bands and acts from around the world — most notably Pretty Lights & Talib Kweli and Bonobo. Today, however, Will Magid comes to us as the writer and producer of his sophomore album, Alligator Spacewalk, which depicts the music lover’s extensive range and acute interest in styles and sounds from various eras and areas from all corners of the earth.

Ahead of the release of Alligator Spacewalk next Friday, May 13th, we had a chat with Will Magid regarding his work with and respect for folks like Pretty Lights and Bonobo, his love for gospel music, and a rare test pressing of a white label vinyl from Havana, Cuba that ultimately led to the making of this LP.

Listen in to the premiere of album cut, “The Crown”, and read on below for our interview with Will.

Your bios and press releases all define you as a trumpeter/producer/ethnomusicologist. Would you say that that order of titles best represents your interests?

Absolutely. Trumpet’s been one of the few constants in my life for as long as I can remember – I started playing when I was 10 and have been practicing ever since. In addition to my own project I record trumpet for a lot of artists around the world.

Producing music gives me a canvas as an artist, it’s a way to take my sonic palette and create beautiful collages.

I majored in Ethnomusicology at UCLA (09) and have continued my studies since. More than anything Ethnomusicology is my approach to understanding music. While many may ask “what is this music?” an Ethnomusicologist asks “why is this music?”

How has your collaborative work with folks like Pretty Lights and Bonobo affected your personal musicianship?

While I worked with both of them briefly I gained a lot from the experience. Two traits encompass both Pretty Lights and Bonobo that affected me quite deeply.

One, they both surround themselves with incredible people. Many of the musicians on this record I met while working with them – I met Sharlotte Gibson (who sings on “The Crown”) while playing on Conan with Pretty Lights / Talib Kweli. I met Tylana Renga and Pete Jacobson (the string players throughout Alligator Spacewalk) – in Bonobo’s band. Both artists have mind-blowing people behind the visuals, sound, and management.

Two, the SOUND. Holy shit. I produced “The Crown” the day after I played with Pretty Lights. Pretty Lights creates songs that have serious attitude – it’s like each song is a mini universe with its own sense of rhythmic gravity. It’s contagious when one of his jams takes over your soul.

Bonobo’s attention to detail is unparalleled in the music production world. Blending strings, horns, synthesizers, and samples in a cool, exciting way is one thing — but to do it in a stunningly beautiful way, that’s something very few producers are able to accomplish. Some of Bonobo’s music makes me cry because of how gorgeous it is.

You’ve replayed an old religious song from the American South here in “The Crown”. As an ethnomusicologist, do you have an interest in the soulful, sometimes painful sounds that emerged from that geographical region in the 1800s and early 1900s?

Good ear. You’re the first person who picked up on that. “The Crown” is based off an old hymn performed by singers including Big Joe Williams and the great Mahalia Jackson. In my opinion the DNA of American popular music is the Blues, which stems from these religious spirituals. To be honest — while part of my interest in Spirituals comes from a scholarly place, most of it comes from an undeniable feeling that this music gives me – it’s an energy that fills my soul and takes me to a higher place.

The story of inspiration for your sophomore album feels straight out of a movie. Could you briefly discuss the rare set of occurrences that led to the making of Alligator Spacewalk?

Yeah it’s a bit crazy indeed. I’ll try to be brief – while in college I was having dinner with my friend Kristof, whose family had relocated to the Los Angeles after the collapse of the USSR. During dinner, Kristof bursted into a story of an unmarked vinyl at his Uncle’s house – he told me I had to hear it.

We quickly left the dining hall and jetted out in my Volvo to his aging Uncle’s home in West Hollywood.

Upon arriving his uncle sat us down and told us the story of this vinyl. When he was a young man he worked for the Soviet space program. In the mid 1960s he was sent to Havana to further cement relations with the newly formalized Communist Party of Cuba. He, along with some musically inclined colleagues, brought their instruments on the trip. On a day off, there was a recording session between with his Soviet friends and a Cuban rhythm. While the recording was deemed “subversive” and officially suppressed, a few test pressings were made.

We went to a smaller room and he carefully placed his proud possession on the turntable.. what we heard next was was incredible. 20th century European harmonies over crackling Afro-Cuban rhythms..

Years later I created the album Alligator Spacewalk as a way to make sense of that experience.

What would you like people to ultimately take away or retain from the sounds of your new record?

It’s my hope that after listening to the record people feel more connected to the greater world around them.

Find more from Will Magid on:
Soundcloud
Facebook
Twitter

If you’re in San Francisco next Friday, head to the Mezzanine for the Alligator Spacewalk album release party.

The post Trumpeter/Producer Will Magid (Bonobo, Pretty Lights) Chats New Album + Premieres “The Crown” appeared first on Nest HQ.

Mexico City’s Jessica Audiffred is a DJ, producer, label head, and taste maker. She’s already become a staple within Mexico’s festival circuit, with performances at EDC, LIC, and more, and it’ll only be a matter of time before she becomes a household name in the states. Her mixes feature an impressive blend of bass music, house, and techno, and her recent original productions and remixes have followed with similar signature style; most importantly, she’s driven AF, and we’re stoked to see her make a larger impact on the dance world over the next few years.

Check our chat with Jessica Audiffred below, and kick off Cinco de Mayo with her NEST HQ MiniMix:

Tell us about where you grew up

I grew up in Mexico City, had a great childhood, my parents were and still are the best at understanding what their daughter wanted to be, they never told me what to do or what not to do in terms of a music career, and that was really difficult to achieve at the time, because in Mexico there was the struggle to become a lawyer, a business woman or any type of profession that your parents and the society approves, but I always pictured myself outside that circle, in fact I have a degree in Psychology, I love it, but I also studied electronic music production cause I knew this was going to be my number one priority from the start.

How do you like to start a track from scratch?

Well, I like to listen to tons of new and old music before I start anything myself, i listen closely to their leads, their structure, even how they put snares, or try to figure it out the synthesis they used, i picture my track in my head and then i start to create the melody, sometimes i start with the lead or a pad, but mostly with the melody cause one i had that, is easy for me to imagine the rest of the track.

Tell us about A Records

A Records is a label to empower artists and promote genres from the bass house/trap/dubstep/future house/moombah wave. I’m thrilled to give exposure to amazing artists who don’t have a spotlight for their productions, and I’m also excited to release well known artists and amazing tracks from them — all of that to have a really fresh label to offer bangers for all of you.

Are you planning on releasing other artists on the label? If so, what kind of sounds will you be looking for?

Yes! I love to listen to undiscovered talent. We have so many great producers all over the world. I would love to give them a platform since it’s a bit hard for artists who don’t produce EDM to be known. I plan on giving them a little push cause they deserve it, and also I’m planning on releasing super powerful tracks of well known artists. The sounds I’m looking for are bass heavy tracks, amazing melodies with the future bass ones, a really strong trap and dubstep perfect for big festivals but also great at clubs, and since im latin, i would love to release the best moombah you could dance to, im getting excited just to write about it!

Are there any stories behind the process of making “GTFB” or “K.O.”?

I did GTFB a few months ago. I was thinking of creating something for my bass house gigs cause I love to play it, and then, when I was making it, I felt the need to do a trap break. I couldn’t resist myself, and that’s when I decided that once I finished GTFB, I would do a strong trap song. That’s when I started to imagine K.O.. In my head, K.O. and GTFB basically started with me just trying to find a sound for myself. At that time I wasn’t so sure of what I wanted to sound like, so I started to experience with different leads. For GTFB I tried a lot of wobbles, but those two were my first ones so I tried to reflect a lot of what I was feeling at the moment. That set the foundation for me to produce a lot more music which I’m so excited to share in the coming months!

What are some of your favorite tracks to play out?

There’s no gig in which I don’t play RL Grime. I love to finish my set with Rl Grime but that changed when I did a remix for Jack U. Now my remix is my favorite song to play when I close my set, but in general, my favorite tracks to play are “Flip” by Bro Safari and Boombox Cartel, One Puff’s “Bad Royale”, “Guappa” by Boaz Van De Beatz, “Roll Up (Baauer Remix), “Spirals” by Vindata, “Save Me” by keys N krates, anything from NGHTMRE, and many more.

Who are some other rising artists we should keep an eye on?

Since I’m from Mexico and I’m in touch with a lot of producers here, I would say you should keep and eye on NTCRCKRS, Jay Silva, LA Sound, Mannix, Dizzo, Broz Rodriguez, Kepler, Lujavo… I’m telling you, these guys would make you go nuts, plus they all have bangers and they’re all 100% Mexican fuego.

What are the differences between playing to crowds in the states and Mexico?

Mexico is still in love with the EDM wave. It has been a bit hard for me to play different genres from what they are used to, they still like what I play but I don’t get to play in as many clubs here as I would like because they think it’s too much to handle (LOL). With festival, though, it is a different story. I’m booked into a lot of festivals and those are where I can bring everything I love to a bigger audience and they are in the mood to rock out more to different sounds; but once my label is out, I hope to draw attention from the Mexican crowds to these genres. I hope I can make a difference for all of us who play something different other than big room and EDM in general. It’s definitely a big difference from the crowd in the states who are already used to this sound and have bigger support for it.

Was there a defining song or album that got you into production and DJing?

The ‘Don’t Think’ album from Chemical Brothers was everything I needed and more to get me going into the electronic scene!

What is your favorite article of clothing?

Footwear and really really colorful jerseys which can make you see me from miles away

What are your favorite studio snacks?

CHORIZO CHIPLOTE Fritos with club soda

What can we expect in this new NEST mix?

Just a little bit of me, of what I love to play and hear, and a lot of great feelings all mixed just for the fact that I get to do a mix for NEST HQ <3

NEST HQ MiniMix: Jessica Audiffred Tracklist
1- Spirals- Vindata
2- Coming Around- E.A.S.Y
3- GoGo!- Baauer
4- Anxiety- Damn Kids
5- El Chapo (QUIX & Party Thieves Remix)- THE GAME FT. SKRILLEX
6- Pop That- Senor Roar
7- Core (Infuze Remix)- Rl Grime
8- Roll Up (Baauer Remix)- Flosstradamus
9- Repetition – Doctor P
10- Dirty Work- Herobust
11- We come One (Flux Pavilion Remix)- Faithless
12- To Ü (Jessica Audiffred Remix)- Jack Ü

Follow Jessica Audiffred:
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The post Interview + MiniMix: Jessica Audiffred appeared first on Nest HQ.

If you’ve been paying attention to the bass-ier, bouncier side of house music this year, chances are you’re familiar with Birmingham-based producer, Marc Spence. From his first-class double A-side, Nasty / Stop Interrupting, released on Maximono & Billy Kenny’s This Ain’t Bristol imprint to remixes for Herve, Mark Starr, and Pete Graham, Marc Spence approaches various forms of house music without limitation yet always with the groove as first priority.

After recently remixing Danny T’s “Your Love” for Australian outfit, Sweat It Out!, Marc was tapped for some demos for his own release on the label (which initially he thought was a prank). What emerged has become Marc Spence’s debut EP on Sweat It Out!, a three-track sampler of sorts featuring everything from heavy bass to grooving tech and classic acid.

Ahead of the release of Rappin Rabbit this Friday, May 13th, Marc has given us first listen to the EP and answered some questions about how an injury veered his interests away from sports and into music, the love of bassline in Birmingham, and some background on how the EP came together.

Listen in and read on below, and pick up Rappin Rabbit via Sweat It Out! this Friday.

Thanks for taking some time with us Marc much appreciated. Could you start off by giving us a quick background on your musical history and ultimately how you were inspired to create the more bass-heavy house music you’re currently making?

Absolutely my pleasure, thanks for having me! To be completely honest I never imagined I would ever do anything with music, I always wanted to be a footballer as a kid but somehow music was always a part of my life, always found a way of sneaking in. In primary school I played brass, and in high school I played the drums, and then I’d say Music 2000 on the playstation was my first taste of computer music. I used to wire the TV through my hifi, record onto cassette and play them in French class the next day ha. But still doing anything with music was never a thought for me, I was going to play football.

Then when I was 17, I ruptured my cruciate ligament and all hope and dreams of being a footballer was gone. I remember sitting there one day, absolutley devastated, leg in a cricketers cast and looking down and noticing a Dance Album with a free PCDJ installation disk included, so I installed that and sat there the whole time during recovery downloading tracks and mixing them. I actually remember the first 2 tracks I ever put together were the drum and bass track Vinyl Syndicate ‘Man Of Steel’ into Missy Elliot ‘Get Your Freak On’. The progression then from learning the fundamentals of beat matching to learning to play vinyl to playing in clubs then was a completely natural flow. This was not something that I ever planned to do, it just happened and I do really enjoy the art of music so i decided to go with it.

Getting into DJing was what got me back onto production. When I first started to play out I used to play Drum & Bass and Breaks with a bit of hip hop thrown in, which is probably where the bass element came from for me. The popular kind of house about at the time was funky house which I could appreciate but never really interested me in playing and kind of restricted me from exploring more of what house had to offer. Well, that was until the day I walked in to 3 Shades Record Shop and heard the track ‘Din Da Da’ by Solid Groove & Sinden playing through the speakers which my instant reaction was, “What the f*@k is this music!!??” to the reply, “House.” I was like, “I have never heard this kind of house before!!! Show me more!” That was when I discovered labels like Dubsided, Ed Banger, Counterfeet and amazing artists such as Switch, Sinden, Herve, Jesse Rose, Mr Oizo, Trevor Loveys to name a few.

I actually make and play all kinds of house music, the bass side of house I make I release as Marc Spence, but I also make music under a few different aliases and collaborations such as Jakkin Rabbit, Ilgot’n’Gane, Markus Anthony and Don’t Panic. I love to explore and create all kinds of house music, I just like to have fun when I’m producing, no limitations on what is about to happen through the speakers just go with the flow and almost let the music create itself, if it sounds good to me it’s in.

If anything, I love drums! Doesn’t matter to me what the actual sound of the bass or lead is as long as the track has got that groove!

It feels like there’s a solid scene for the bouncier side of house music in Birmingham right now with folks like you, Chris Lorenzo, Pete Graham, etc all there. How would you describe the creative atmosphere of Birmingham at the moment?

I think there is a lot of good music coming from Birmingham recently and only getting better, if there is one thing I can say about Birmingham is they love a good bassline! No matter what sub genre individuals are into they all share the same love. When that bassline hits hard in a house, techno, garage, drum & bass or hip hop night the crowd go nuts :)

Tell us a bit about how this Rappin Rabbit EP came together and why you linked with Australia’s Sweat for it.

I couldn’t believe it when I woke up to an email from Matt from Yolanda Be Cool saying that he liked some of my productions and if I’d be interested in working with them, which of course I jumped at the chance! Originally I thought it was someone pranking me, I then sent him over a few demos and luckily enough for me there were a few they liked. I was also over the moon to be part of the Danny T’s “Your Love” remix package that was just released on Sweat too.

What’s coming up next for you? Any plans to get over to the US this summer?

I’m really excited about touring Brazil next month for 3 weeks, it’s going to be the first time I’ve been that side of the Atlantic and really looking forward to it. Every time you see anything about North & South America’s party scenes it always looks so vibrant and energetic which is something I’m extremely looking forward to being a part of. No current plans for the US as yet but hoping to get over there as soon as humanly possible!

Find more from Marc Spence on:
Soundcloud
Facebook
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The post Birmingham’s Marc Spence Chats New ‘Rappin Rabbit’ EP on Sweat It Out! appeared first on Nest HQ.

La Clinica Records is a label that consistently releases incredible bass music singles from around the world — multiple tracks every day covering everything from reggaeton to jersey. Its founder, the Dominican born, Miami-raised Frank Rodriguez, has taken a very hands on approach to running an imprint; he scopes the talent, helps with the production, mixes and masters, and executes the launch. There has been an incredible wealth of just-out-the-gate talent coming from this online space. It’s definitely one of our favorites to watch at the moment. Check our chat with Rodriguez below, along with an excellent La Clinica NEST mix, mixed by label member, Velvo.

To start off, tell us a bit about yourself.

My Name is Frank “el medico” Rodriguez. I’m Dominican by birth, but I’ve lived in Miami since I was 12 years old. I started in the music bizz in 2002 when I graduated from engineering school. Since then I’ve been nominated for three or four latin and american grammys. I’ve worked predominantly in the latin world with mostly reggeaton albums, and because of that, and my mentor Toy Selectah , I got the chance to work with Diplo when he first started pushing Moombahton. I mixed and mastered his “Express Yourself” single and EP, as well as several Major Lazer tracks including “Bumaye”. Since then I’ve done work for labels like Mad Decent, Slow Roast, Boyz Noize Universal, Sony and EMI Australia. My latest achievement was to mix Alison Wonderland’s Latest album for which I just found out there’s a gold plaque on its way. =)

How did the label get started?

The label got started after years of being around labels and seeing more or less how they work. I was talking to my compadre and recording artist MLKMN about all the demos and tracks I get from people so I can forward them to the labels I work for. In a very drunk afternoon in Mexico he suggested, “Hey, why don’t you start your own label?” And I didn’t have an answer as to why I shouldn’t. Then doors started opening, we got an amazing distributor with Empire Dist. and all the relationships from my years of work offered to help. As one college said to me, “Hey, at least your mixing and mastering cost will be taken care of.” LOL. So I started an LLC, called the label La Clinica Recs, MLKMN designed the sickest logo, and here we are. It’s called La Clinica because I’m known as “ el medico” (the Medic) in the industry, so it made perfect sense. =)

Is La Clinica modeled or based off any other release platforms?

Im not sure, I mean, I really like what MAD DECENT has done, but I don’t have the star power to even attempt to pull that off. I wasn’t really looking at any other platform when I started this. I saw a need and I’m trying to satisfy that need. The need was to find a place for all the dope music that’s being ignored because “reasons”. I know my current limitations, but I try not to look at that and I concentrate on what we can do. What I can do is see the potential of a track, make some suggestions to make it better, mix it and master to pro levels, and put it out there. Hopefully one of our guys will hit it big and can pay it back by helping the new guys get some notice. If I have a platform, it would have to be like a sons of anarchy MC type community; close nit family. We look after each other, we help each other out, and we prop each other up. I even want to have a special “cut” to pass on to official Clinica artist. Rite of passage type deal.

A gang of Dj’s and producers from all over the world…..

How do you find the artists you release?

99% of the tracks I release are sent to me through SC message. A lot of it is word of mouth from Clinica fam, and some just send stuff in hoping for the best. The other 1% is from peeps that hit me up on FB with new hotness. I love the SC approach cause:

A) It doesnt fill up in box with MP3’s LOL
B) I can make time stamped suggestions for them to fix
C) I can keep track of everything way easier on there

How would you describe the La Clinica sound?

Well, being from Miami, I wanted it to be a bass label. I mean I grew up on miami bass and booty music etc., but then the sound quickly evolved into Global Bass, which I wasn’t 100% sure of what it was, but the more I heard the more I loved being part of this scene.

So one word would be Global Bass !!!!!!

Who are some of the major players of this sound we should be keeping an eye on?

Shoooot, I mean damn. Pick a country.

Chile – MiloMilo is killing the Jungle Terror game
Costa Rica – Bombo cat is on similar tip but with his own twist.
Venezuela – Crismajor is beast, and WOST is not far behind. there’s also Joes, Daniel Aceto and some more
Mexico – Has Soooo much talent like NoizeKid, Billion Dollars , Miss Sound, Los Dutis, Ala Freeman, Freebot, Dj Otto, sheqo and Erick Rincon, DJ Bekman, Mao Sky, PolyBiu$, Loojan and Cepillo Cuevas come to mind
Miami – Fucking Happy Colors has to be number 1 followed by Homewrecker, Fautre, Hypeturner, Clips ahoy, Snappy Jit, Maheez, Awoltalk, Havokroth, NayBR, Big n Slim, Ricky Mears
NY/NJ – Sicoli, Teez, Duro, Vlien boy, Montrose
Seattle – Diddy Thump
Minnesota – You guys know V.E.L.V.O got that fiah
Japan – Pon Noodles and Herowood
Russia – White Gangster, Kovalenco Gennadi, Donald bucks
Spain – Lecrop, Adax sent me some dope stuff.
Netherlands – Godwonder and fucking Munchi who’s finally back !!!!!
but i definatey want more from more places around the world.

What separates La Clinica from the other labels out there right now?

Our accessibility and openness. One time someone sent me a track and I replied with some comments not long after. He replied with, “How comes you guys reply and other labels don’t?” I didn’t have an answer for him. Also, I understand that other labels are much bigger and get thousands of submissions, but since we are not there yet, I’ll enjoy being able to reply and help out where I can.

Have there been any live La Clinica events or will there be in the future?

Yeah, we have a bi-weekly event here in Miami called The Bass Clinic. It’s a dope little atmosphere where people can enjoy free grilled cheese sandwiches and dope music by local talent. Also, we’ve been know to have a few high profile visitors here and there that just wanna enjoy that back-to-roots feeling. =)

Plan is to make this party happen globally on the same days every month. It’s in the works ;)

What’s your favorite place to visit?

Mexico city, hands down. It has to be my second home. =)

Who’s the most underrated artist right now?

I’m not sure about artist, but as a genre I think jersey club is gonna have a huge come up soon.

What can we expect in this mix?

Global bass man, delicious global bass!!!!!

–

Check the La Clinica NEST HQ MiniMix mixed by Velvo below:

Follow La Clinica:
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NEST HQ MiniMix: La Clinica Recs Mixed by Velvo
1. Fight Clvb – Where the fuck is munchi
2. Happy Colors x DJ Bekman – Esto se Baila con el culo y los pies (Wost Remix)
3. GTA – Alerta
4. Munchi – Pa Lo Under
5. Inno bass – Dale Tra
6. Los XL – La Vaina
7. Milo Milo – Wine Di Thing
8. Gregor Salto & Wiwek – Miami (Noizekid Bootleg)
9. Junior Senior – Move your feet
10. Kovalenco Gennadi – Moda
11. Justice – DNCE (Velvo Edit )
12. Rawtek – Fire Pit
13. Kandy & Juyen Sebulba – Vogue
14. Mercer & 4B – Bounce
15. Hasse De Moor – Milkshake
16. Valentino Khan & Wiwiek – Tropicana
17. Herve Pagez & Foreign Sound – Ding Dong
18. M3B8 & Lady Sutshy – E Assim
19. DJ Otto x Los Duties – La Rapida
20. Flossstradamus x GTA (Feat Lil Jon ) – Prison Riot
21. DJ SNAKE – Propaganda ( Velvo x Flthy Anmlz Remix)
22. DJ SNAKE – Propaganda (Retrohandz Remix)
23. Cesqeaux vs Calvin Harris – How Deep is your Colossal (Velvo Edit)
24. NGHTMRE – Streets (BUSTED by Herobust)
25. Pegboard Nerds – Emoji (Party Thieves & Dr. Fresch Remix)
26. Boombox Cartel Feat. Stalking Gia – Dancing With Fire

The post Interview + MiniMix: La Clinica Records appeared first on Nest HQ.

Justin Martin just released his sophomore album, Hello Clouds, via dirtybird Records, so we had him come by NEST in Downtown Los Angeles to chat about his goals for the record, working with some of his favorite vocalists, and approaching his music from a songwriter’s perspective rather than strictly for the dancefloor.

Watch the interview shot & edited by CRUZ above, and head to the NEST HQ Facebook to watch a hilarious animated version where Justin tells us what he sees in a number of cloud formations.

Pick up Hello Clouds on iTunes. Stream it on Spotify.

More from Justin Martin on:
Soundcloud
Facebook
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The post In the CLOUDS with Justin Martin appeared first on Nest HQ.

This week on installation, we present multimedia artist and graphic designer kyttenjanae.

Kytten is an incredibly talented visual artist who has seen her work shown in museums, galleries, festivals, and shows including the Irish Museum of Modern Art, FILE Sao Paulo 2015, Everything Is Festival, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, and many more.

“Kytten is influenced by all the sadness in her heart and the Internet’s small cultures and communities. Interested in the intersection of experimental animation, technology, and interactivity, kyttenjanae creates digital and physical experiences.”

Can you tell us a bit about how your story as an artist began? At what point did you realize that art was something you’d be doing longterm?

I have no idea what I’d be doing if I couldn’t do this. At least for right now, art is my purpose.

As a kid, I struggled a lot in school with a learning disability. I felt isolated. I found a comfort in drawing and arts classes – I could focus, I could make things, I understood the structure and process. It was the one thing that really clicked for me.

Later on in high school, I was really, really lucky that someone saw potential in me and accepted me into UCLA’s Design Media Arts department. That moment changed my entire life. I fell in love with education. I felt like I had a place in the world. I realized that an artistic career was possible.

What is the reason for the medium you chose to become proficient in? What does this medium allow you to do that other mediums may not?

I’ve always been obsessed with technology and the Internet. My first computer was an iMac G3 in Grape. As an artist, I utilize technology within my practice as a means to deepen the human experience and facilitate real interpersonal connections. I believe that as we humanize technology, we have unlimited potential to develop, understand, and connect with humanity as a whole, potentially even altering the human condition as we know it.

What were the inspirations behind these three pieces specifically?

My work exclusively examines the duality of infinite beauty and infinite sadness found within the human condition. Conceptually, I focus on the five pillars of human experience: birth, growth, connection, conflict, and mortality. By depicting these core themes, I hope to ignite universal, primal responses that transcend language, location, and time.

These are portraits of two parts of a single person – not exactly their past and their present, but something like that. I am fascinated by the delicate internal relationship we maintain with ourselves. And though it’s definitely a part of it, I’m not specifically speaking on mental health here. I think this is more universal than that. It’s more like – we all have fucked up parts, damaged pasts, painful memories and I want to acknowledge that they live within us. It’s empowering.

What are some of the defining moments in your career so far? How have they affected the way you approach your art and your creations?

There’s been a lot of very cool “wow” moments where I’ve been totally awestruck but, at the end of the day, just having the opportunity to connect with people worldwide has been so impactful. I get a lot of amazing messages from people who have felt a connection because of something I’ve made. It means the most to me and it’s why I keep creating.

How do you feel the industry is doing right now? Which trends are really pushing the industry forward, and which are holding it back?

The industry is changing. I think in general, artists are very excited about the new possibilities technology brings. We’re in such an amazing, exploratory space right now. We have so many new tools and everyone’s still figuring out how to use them. Also, more people are starting to create and engage daily. Lots of young artists send me their work and I get so excited. The next generation is going to be insane.

There are some big problems, though. There still aren’t enough women or people of color involved. It can be an extremely white and sexist industry, especially on the more commercial side of things (production houses, design teams, etc). There’s plenty of opportunity – tons of jobs and shows and events, but women and p.o.c. aren’t getting picked for those things. The only time they do is when the thing is designed to be “inclusive”, and to me that just feels more exclusionary. It makes me feel like shit. We aren’t getting paid the same amount, either.

And I think some of the tropes and imagery can be really reductive and boring. It’s really easy to get caught up in labels and semantics, and I think certain terms, especially those associated with the whole aesthetic/“vaporwave” movement can be harmful. It feels very dated to me and I wish it would stop.

Though, on the plus side, the art community seems to be engaged in an ongoing discussion about these things. I hope positive changes come soon.

What are some other artists that you are currently into?

I have too many favorites but here’s a lil list of people everyone should be watching right now:
Philip Rugo, Sam Rolfes, Shawna X, Steve Smith, Vince McKelvie, Brittney Scott, Ambar Navarro, somehoodlum, the ladies @ Metaverse Nails, and the curatorial team at Paloma Powers.

What are some of your goals for 2016?

Last year I was focused on very specific goals – stuff like my first solo show, travel, certain interviews, whatever. Something in my perspective has changed in the last few months. I don’t really have a specific destination.

Art, for me, right now, is about making someone else feel something. I just want to make stuff and be a vessel of truth and human connection. That’s my only goal.

Why did you choose these pieces to represent yourself on this spread?

Because they come from my heart!!

Make sure to keep in touch with kyttenjanae on Instagram and her website.

The post installation 017 — kyttenjanae appeared first on Nest HQ.

Casper & B. are two producers from Los Angeles who are stepping out from behind the soundboard this year to offer a more public face to their musical ambitions. The guys’ style is expansive — Casper says they take inspiration from J Dilla to Blink 182 — but over the years, their output has weaved through nuances of mostly hip hop, pop, and the more bass-heavy sounds of dance music. Recent productions for Marc E. Bassy, Pell, and the sensational Kiiara have shown off a creative dexterity in the studio, and with multiple projects in the works both for other artists as well as themselves, we asked Casper & B. to take over this week’s NEST HQ Guest Mix and answer some questions about how they got their start in production, aspirations for the now-public project, and their involvement with the upcoming Kiiara record.

Listen to their hour-long guest mix and read on for the interview below.

Tell us a bit about how you guys began producing together.

B and I met in orchestra class in college. We were both in the back in the percussion section and I think I pulled out a joint and asked him if he wanted to ditch. We stopped back at his place and he played me some YouTube videos of him making Madlib-esque beats live on the MPC and we listened to Pete Rock’s Petestrumentals. I was in a go-go/hip hop band at the time, and making southern rap beats on Digital Performer. It just kind of naturally clicked (I ditched Digital Performer for Logic lol) and eventually we were just making beats every single day. Junior year we got signed to publishing and management and it became a full time business.

How do you approach productions differently as Casper & B. compared to those you work on for other people?

When we decided to create our own album, we actually sat down and started listening to all of our favorite music from our entire life. We did this for probably about a week before creating anything. From J Dilla to Madeon, to hyphy, go-go, new orleans bounce, Lite Feet, drum and bass, Blink 182, old Kanye etc., we started getting an idea of what our ultimate favorite music would be like. We didn’t know what our sound was yet, but we knew we wanted it to be fun. We wanted to make people dance, but we also wanted super cold spitters that could really lay down serious heat on the verses. We paired this with really catchy hooks, and banging drops. A lot of rap currently is really slow and dark. We wanted our music to sound the opposite: soulful and upbeat. For the next few weeks we created probably 40 new tracks. We started playing them to each other and that’s when we really started getting excited. We picked our 10 favorites and started to finish them. When we had sessions with other rappers, we would play them the tracks we thought they would be a good fit and that’s how the album came together.

Where would you like to see the Casper & B. project in a year? What’s most important to you guys artistically moving forward?

Hopefully we can keep making more music that people resnoate with and growing our fan base. Would love to collaborate with more of our favorite rappers and singers and to start playing live more as well. We spend a lot of time in the studio (a lot is an understatement haha) but we love DJing, B has been doing it since he was 12 and it’s always a lot of fun. Artistically moving forward we want to keep pushing boundaries. Making new genres is not easy, and combining hip hop with dance music and pop that appeals to both hip hop heads and bass heads is our goal.

What’s the toughest obstacle you’ve experienced as producers thus far?

Man, so many to choose from haha. Uh, maybe just getting your stuff out there. There is so much music and so little attention span from listeners you have to be making something so fucking good, so original that people are going to want to post about it or show it to their friends. And that takes time, a lot of work for the music to get to that level and a lot of time for word to spread and listeners to get acquainted with you. Serious thanks to the fans that have already caught on to us so early and are already sharing with people. That’s how new artists will get recognized.

Are there any tracks you’re working on right now you could tell us about? Any larger plans for the rest of 2016?

We’ve been working on the new Kiiara album. Excited for that.

Finally, tell us a bit about this mix you’ve put together for us. Any specific vibe or direction you aimed for here?

We’re super perfectionists with our mixes, and really wanted to create an experience, a roller coaster of emotions through out the 1-hour mix. It starts around 100BPM to get you dancing and builds in energy to 104… Then halfway through it drops to 75 to give you a break and hit you with some half time, feel good jams. From there, it builds all the way to the epic finish at 120BPM. We have a lot of our own music in here but this mix has a lot of influences- – a lot of Litefeet from New York, hyphy from the Bay, some New Orleans bounce, Chicago bop music, and LA beat scene. We also incorporated various forms of bass music and trap but did it in our own way. That stuff is typically a lot slower so we sometimes sped em up 30-40 BPM, or pitched it up, or mashed it up with a rap a cappella, making it sound like a totally different song, even a new genre.

Tracklist:
1. JNTHN STEIN FYAYWAS
2. Dj Godfather Twerk Wit It
3. Dimension Digital World
4. Flight Bronx Up 14’
5. Casper & B. Sorry For 2015 ft. Marlon and Jitta On The Track (Unreleased Exclusive)
6. Casper & B. Sneak ft. Pell, Michael Christmas, Wonda, and Marlon
7. kendrick. nu slaves
8. Gucci Mane Pillz (acapella)
9. flight Chopshop ft. K Mula
10. Busta Ryhmes Twerk It ft. Nicki Minaj
11. NGHTMRE & SLANDER GUD VIBRATIONS (BOXINBOX & LIONSIZE Remix)
12. Lil Live of HANN Baseball Bat
13. Lil B Murder Rate
14. Low Pros & Juvenile Muscle (TWRK Remix)
15. Hann Boss Ass Litefeet
16. Cam’Ron & Vado Speaking In Tungs
17. Top Flight Bottom Top
18. Major Lazer Come On To Me (TWRK x Lexxmatiq Remix)
19. Faro Come On (Remix)
20. Blackbear Dirty Laundry (TWRK Remix)
21. Chris Brown Strip ft. Kevin Mccall
22. The Deadbeats You Never Know
23. VesperTown Colour Wheel
24. Gorilla Zoe Hood N*gga (Acapella)
25. Parkinson White new laptop, old beat
26. Hermitude The Buzz ft. Mataya & Young Tapz
27. Flume On Top ft. T.Shirt
28. Duvchi Sleep (Casper & B. Remix) (Unreleased Exclusive)
29. Kid Ink & Chris Brown Hotel (Faro Remix)
30. Casper & B. Yabadabadoo ft. Wes Period & Marlon (Unreleased Exclusive)
31. Mr. Ghetto McDonalds Bounce
32. Nicky Da B Hot Potato Style
33. Casper & B. Work Hard ft. Marc E Bassy (Unreleased Exclusive)
34. Top Flight HiVolume
35. Sicko Mobb Penny Hardaway
36. 트랩 야옹FLØRTEPUS SHELLFISH (\/)Ó_ò(\/)
37. Casper & B. Want It All (Unreleased Exclusive)
38. Playboi Carti Broke Boi
39. Wes Period x Casper & B. Leave Me Alone ft. Og Swaggerdick
40. Mr. Carmack Solutions, with Donnis
41. GTA Red Lips ft. Sam Bruno
42. Keys N Krates Are We Faded
43. Salva I JUST WANNA
44. BeazyTymes Empty Heart
45. Lindsay Lowend GT40
46. Sango She Yells
47. ODESZA My Friends Never Die
48. Sage The Gemini Gas Pedal (Acapella)
49. Warren G Regulate ft. Nate Dogg
50. Kanye West Flashing Lights (TWRK Remix)
51. Top Flight Rev Up
52. Casper & B. x Beyonce Out Of Your Mind (Unreleased Exclusive) 53. Hoodie Gunz
54. Top Flight Lets Go (What) ft. Young Flight
55. J Dilla Love Movin’ ft. Black Thought
56. Flight x BSN Good Hook (Poppin’)
57. Christopher WIlliams I’m Dreamin’
58. Missy Elliott Work It (break)
59. Hasse de Moor Pick It Up
60. Sully Let You
61. Missy Elliott WTF (Where They From) ft. Pharrell Williams
62. Giraffage Tell Me (GTA Remix)
63. Run DMC My Adidas (Hann Remix)

More from Casper & B. on:
Soundcloud
Twitter
Instagram

The post Interview & Guest Mix: Casper & B. appeared first on Nest HQ.

This week on installation, we present photographer, musician, and graphic designer Ryan Farber.

Can you tell us a bit about how your story as an artist began? At what point did you realize that art was something you’d be doing longterm?

My dad worked for a local news station in Philly, and when I was very young I would always go out on shoots with him. This inspired me to really pursue the creative part of myself. In college I worked on film shoots almost every weekend doing sound. I hardly ever partied, I was usually just on set. Then I started working on larger scale documentary productions still doing sound, but I had always wanted to be behind the camera. So I finally bought one and started shooting the one thing I really knew, music. Now I was at shows and parties every weekend, photographing. There was no defining moment where I was like ok, this is what I want to do the rest of my life. It was more of a long, arduous, and gradual process of honing aimless intention into somewhat purposeful art.

What is the reason for the medium you chose to become proficient in? What does this medium allow you to do that other mediums may not?

Photography for me is almost my ideal form of communication. It lets me convey ideas without using words. I was never good at expressing myself verbally so I figured I would do it visually. The majority of my photos have people in them because everyone has a unique story. For me, it’s the people that create memories. I wan’t to immortalize people, no matter who they are. I want my photos to be portraits of everything that culminated in someone’s life up until the very moment that I took it. My photos are not about me, they are about the people in them. I haven’t found any other medium where I can convey that level of profound explication.

That being said, my photos are, a lot of the time, what I want to see in myself.

What were the inspirations behind these three pieces specifically?

I was touring in Europe and this was after a show on the roof a venue called Uebel und Gefährlic in Hamburg, Germany. It was this old WWII airforce bunker that was repurposed into a venue and music school. This photo represents the importance of human connection in all the places I go, especially when I’m touring around. Places can seem so fleeting, so meeting amazing people is what creates memories for me.

This photo represents what it means to truly be in the moment. I took this at a dance battles party. Every time I go to shoot battles I see people let loose and feel themselves. Usually their eyes are closed, and they disregard their surroundings, only reacting to the music.

This photo represents the chaos around me, and the things that keep me centered. It’s about finding peace in the most hectic of moments.

What are some of the defining moments in your career so far? How have they affected the way you approach your art and your creations?

There was a point about two years ago I got asked to start photographing this party in Philly called Second Sundae. It’s a dance battle party. Some of the best house dancers and b-boys in the city would come out to this party and battle their hearts out with each other. It completely changed the way I photograph. It taught me about anticipation and execution, and trained me to capture the most subtle and fleeting moments. The funny thing is that I’m a horrible dancer. I couldn’t dance to save my life.

The next thing was being asked to go on tour. For about a year or so, I was the photographer in the pit, always shooting up at artists. It was fun at first, until I started feeling detached and unstimulated. Like here I am standing around the stage with like ten other photogs shooting the same exact shit they are. It just felt incredibly impersonal. I don’t like taking pictures of things that I don’t have a connection to. I wanted to get more involved and tell a more captivating story. I was lucky enough to work with an incredibly talented band called the Districts, and now an incredibly talented DJ, producer, and curator, Mija.

How do you feel the industry is doing right now? Which trends are really pushing the industry forward, and which are holding it back?

The creative “industry,” in a large sense, is vast and saturated. But it’s always been. We just notice it more because we are inundated by content everyday. We need to be more selective. I think the new algorithms social media platforms are implementing are going to completely change and shape the way we perceive the world, for better or for worse. I only hope that people choose what they like because they genuinely like it and are inspired, not because a computer tells them to like it.

What are some other artists that you are currently into?

I think Pretty Puke is really dope. I dig his rawness. Or maybe raunchiness.
Derek Ridgers. I love his portraits.
Nosego is doing some of my favorite street art.

What are some of your goals for 2016?

Move to LA. Make hella zines. Have a gallery showcase somewhere. Get published. Take deadlines more seriously. Release an EP. Do a photoshoot in space.

Why did you choose these pieces to represent yourself on this spread?

These pieces are simply a reflection of my life and the people in it.

Make sure to keep in touch with Ryan on Instagram and his website.

The post installation 018 — Ryan Farber appeared first on Nest HQ.

For years, Tony Quattro has consistently challenged himself as a producer. From his global club sounds on Buraka Som Sistema’s Enchufada to house cuts for Main Course and Nervous to the low-slung records on Night Bass and Trouble & Bass, Tony persistently branches out into new territories, shifting his rhythms and tempos to avoid any form of typicality. As of late, Tony has been scoring music for TV shows like Broad City, opening himself up with even more room to expand on his ever-growing repertoire.

After his recent move to Los Angeles this spring, we hit up our former New York-based friend to take over this week’s NEST HQ MiniMix and answer a few questions about his relocation, his adventurous form of creativity, and everything he has in the works going into summer.

Listen to the mix and read on for the interview below.

You recently made the move to LA from New York. How has the relocation been? What’s been your favorite part about Los Angeles so far?

It was definitely stressful at times, but, thanks to lots of support from family and squad, it ended up being relatively painless, and a great life experience overall. I drove across country with my manager – stopped in Roswell and Vegas along the way which were both super fun. Then once we got to L.A. I started looking for apartments with Falcons who also happened to be moving, and after two weeks of hunting, and lots of hi-fives for positive reinforcement, we found a dope spot. Loving everything about the city so far, as cliche as it sounds the weather is definitely my favorite part right now.

Your music has always felt unbridled and somewhat of a reflection of how you push yourself musically. How are you currently forcing yourself to make new sounds? Any new territories you are experimenting with?

Over the past year and a half I’ve been composing for a couple T.V. shows, namely Broad City (including the Adam Levine sketch in the season 3 finale) and Difficult People, which forced me to invest in more cinematic and orchestral sounds. That has definitely influenced my own productions, and besides that I always try and go outside my comfort zone and experiment with new rhythms, tempos, and vibes.

Collaboration has been a major theme with your releases over the years. Do you find that creating with others is a more comfortable way to make music for you personally?

For me collaborating feels more natural, not necessarily more comfortable. I’ve played drums since I was 9 years old, and only started producing about four years ago, so for most of my life music has been about creating and communicating with others. That having been said, I’m also working on a bunch of solo material right now and producing for some of my favorite vocalists which is really exciting.

What’s coming up for Tony Quattro this summer? Any releases in the pipeline you can chat about?

Definitely! I’ve got a bunch of remixes coming out real soon for Majora, Nire, Treasure Fingers, and a couple more that I’ve got to keep under wraps for now. I also just finished a score for a fashion film that I’m super stoked about, and can hopefully talk more about soon!

Finally, tell us a bit about the mix you put together for us. What vibe did you go for, any unreleased tings we should pay special attention to?

The mix is just a bunch of tracks and vibes that I’m really feeling at the moment, including old and new favorites plus unreleased bits from myself, Doctor Jeep, Niels Kirk, Astronomar & Bot, Akira, and a few more I’ll keep on the low ;)

Tracklist:
Nire – Hopscotch ft. Nani Castle & Nini Rey (Tony Quattro Remix)
Niels Kirk – Manic Organic Machine feat. MENDOZA
Ying Yang Twins – Jigglin (Lucid Bootleg)
DJ Bebedera – Tarraxo Suicida
Trillville x Arge – Neva Eva (Dudley Bootleg)
Alo Wala – Ace of Space
Uptown Nikko – Azezel Beat (Tony Quattro Edit)
Jubilee x Four Color Zack x Tinashe – 2 On (JMZ Riddim)
Astronomar – Yachty by Nature (Tony Quattro Edit)
ASH X AVI X NICK WILLIAM X NICOLIUSM – Famba La Oue
Beyonce – Formation (Afro House Remix)
Branko – Rolling ft. Zebra Katz
Doctor Jeep – Vault of Glass
DJ Gregory And Sidney Samson – Dama S Salon
Lou Perez – Afro Hustle (Astronomar & Bot Remix)
Akira – Ikigai
NKC – Hague Basment
ID – ID
Mess Kid – Body Kit
Laura Mvula – Phenomenal Woman (Pote Remix)
Akira – Gyōkai
Club Cheval – CC Roof (Mike Q Remix)
El Alfa – Como Yo Me Muevo
Alina La Loca – Puta Que?
C.Z. – Darkness Calling
Zombie Disco Squad – Esperanto (Solo Remix)

More from Tony Quattro on:
Soundcloud
Facebook
Twitter

The post Interview & MiniMix: Tony Quattro appeared first on Nest HQ.

I had the pleasure of chatting with the techno maestro extraordinaire, JoeFarr. The Bristol-based producer & DJ has a penchant for blackened beats with incredible percussive depth that is consistently reaffirmed in his releases, most recently within his Spectate EP, out now on his home of Leisure System. From playing for townies in pubs back in the day to recording vocal chops with his three-year-old daughter, the techno wizard has some interesting things to say about his ever-improving craft.

Describe your sound in three words:

That’s really hard.

What was your first experience with electronic music?

I have a few first musical memories but I’ve not used this one in an interview before so you can have the exclusive. I used to play in the back room of a local pub; it was fucking mental. Me and a few school friends playing hard house and some techno if we were lucky enough to find some, and then most of the townies getting hammered with their tops off, sweating in front of the 20 quid strobe.

What made you want to start producing techno?

Techno.

The U.K. has such a rich history and prominence in pretty much all genres. Do you think being from the U.K. has had a major impact on your sound and how it’s evolved through the years?

I think inevitably yes but I’ve never been that conscious of it, up until recently, though, because rave chords keep sneaking into my tracks.

Techno is finally becoming more prominent and widely accepted in the U.S. Why do you think it’s taken so long for us to catch up with Europe?

Techno and house are enjoying a bit of primetime, it’s not just the US where they are growing, it’s all over. I’m guessing you guys have recently ridden a drum & bass and dubstep wave over there… It all goes in cycles, and you guys are a fair distance away so it’s hard for you to keep up ;) The EDM thing in the US was huge, though, eh, so that eclipsed a lot of the underground scenes which seem to be piercing through now.

What’s your typical creative process in the studio like? What kind of machines do you use?

I have a drum machine and a sampler, a contact mic and a field recorder. The process of making a track differs each time from, for example, starting with a drum loop on the RYTM or recording with the contact mic on a cardboard box. Then as soon as I have a few samples or loops that I’m happy with I get going with Logic or Ableton. I recently moved house and have a new studio space; my 3-year-old daughter and I have been messing about with a voice transformer and recording loads of random nonsense straight into Ableton and making tracks from that. The most important thing for me is to try different things, and enjoy it otherwise it’s pointless. Also, I just got a new Midas desk with 16 channels of FireWire, so I’m mixing out of the box with a hardware compressor on the buss.

How did it feel to release your debut album, Sense of Purpose, earlier this year? How is releasing an album different from releasing EPs?

I have mixed feelings on the album. I tried to do something different and in some parts it worked but in others I now feel I played it too safe. A lot happened around the time of the release affecting the coverage it got which only accentuated my feelings on the album. I haven’t listened to it for a while, but I have had some positive feedback on it which is always good to hear. The main difference is the build up and anticipation toward an album; it made me think in great (probably too much) detail how the tracks would fit with each other.

What kind of musical ideas were you trying to illustrate with your Spectate EP? Are these ideas something completely new for you or more of a continuation of previous ideas?

I wrote Spectate in a hotel room in Berlin after a gig at Suicide Circus. I was trying to make my drums come alive more, with more of a human feeling – something I always remember about going to my first d&b gigs was when the drums sounded like an actual drummer, it just elevated the realness of the music. Anyway, yeah, whilst making the drums this vocal line just came to me – I sang into my laptop mic(!) then built the track around those two elements. With “In Focus”, I went for the same feeling but with a straighter beat and a bit more drama. It was originally going to be a two-track EP plus the Max Cooper remix, but then a late addition sneaked in there at the last minute – “Comp Killer” – which was a different approach, mainly from the RYTM. The main objective with any of my tracks is to keep listeners on their toes, whilst retaining dance floor focus.

You’ve always done a superb job with juxtaposing the darker elements of industrial techno with emotive and atmospheric sounds. Do you think it’s difficult for techno to be emotive and dark at the same time?

Why thank you. I think it’s difficult to get it right, and I think it can be too easy an option to go, “Reach for the pads!” But it’s what I do best I think, and when I get it right it works well.

What are some of your favourite releases / tracks / artists / labels at the moment?

Can’t stop listening to the OPN album, which is a bumpy ride but well worth it. Deapmash is inspiring me at the moment, Metrist is melting my brain as per usual, the new Randomer and Cadans EP is great. Labels mmmmm, obviously Leisure System.

What can we expect from you for the rest of 2016?

Gigs over the next few months, then a few remixes in the last quarter and an Onnset EP in December. I’m also building a mastering studio in a shipping container which will be documented so people can geek out on that if they want.

Follow JoeFarr:

SoundCloud
Twitter
Facebook

The post JoeFarr Talks Techno, Machines, and Everything in Between appeared first on Nest HQ.