October
8
This week we've managed to enlist the man like
Eskmo for our production Q&A. Eskmo has long been a favourite of mine - before his forays into dubstep, he was writing some of the most savage, techy-but-rolling breaks out there (
like this. In fact listening back to that now, it's got the kind of bass-LFO control you hear on a lot of wobblers these days...). Anyway, these days he's releasing on his own label, Ancestor, and also has a release coming up on Planet Mu - "Let Them Sing" which is due next month and is absolutely sick. In addition, he's even got a remix of Bibio out on Nov 10th on the mighty Warp Records. Look out for him when he swings through Europe on tour next year.
How do you approach a tune? Drums first? Melody?
It always changes depending on the mood really. Sometimes it might be neither and a field recording I've done from the weekend before might inspire it. I've definitely started tracks only because I had recorded my porch creaking, branches cracking and water running earlier in the day.
What time of day do you work best?
Always changes, although recently I've been in a nice habit of waking up at a good time, coming to the studio and just getting going before 11. I can't see the sun from my studio, but i know it's out and use that for inspiration.
Where do you get your inspiration / motivation from?
Nature, the sun, books, field recordings, kids and scones.
What do you do when you're not feeling inspired?
Get outside and do some hiking, hands in the dirt type stuff. Always works.
Do you start a tune from scratch, or do you usually have a drumset/template/etc to work from?
Depends again. Sometimes I have a certain sound I'm going for or a certain bank of recordings Ive done, but really never the same.
If you got a chance would you write pop stuff for a major label (if the money was good?)
Yea sure, depending on the project but I'm not opposed to pop stuff at all. It's all good.
What's the boring, workhorse plugin/piece of kit that you use all the time?
My Roland Edirol field recorder.
What's the coolest bit of kit you've got and do you actually use it much?
An Ocean harp. Actually don't use it that much, but it's wicked.
Do you mixdown your own stuff? Reckon there's a stigma around this?
I mix down all my material, always. When i collab with friends, there is always a shared effort in the mixdown process, but for my own it's different. For any releases that go out into the world on vinyl or cd or digi, someone else always masters it.
What production technique do you think is really overused / annoying?
Oh I have no idea, there are the obvious things I could say, but it all doesn't really bother me much. When it comes to music or production I try to focus on what i like, not what i don't like. Brings in more goodness that way.
What do you know now that you wish you had known when you started out?
It all takes time and no need to beat yourself up with music. Just let it flow baby.
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