THE NEW LAW: “The longer we go without making music, the crazier we get”
Posted by tipkin
A couple of weeks ago I was watching a certain reality TV show about art and artists (not going to say what show it was, but Congratulations, Kymia, I was rooting for you from the beginning!) and looking at the winning artist's exhibit I thought (aloud as usual): "This is the work of a true artist. This person cannot do anything else but this, this is why it's so crazy and so good." This goes for music, too. You can tell right away who does it for money, who does it as a hobby and who cannot live without doing it. And while we may like music created by the first two types of musicians, it's only the third ones who manage to blow our minds. Today trippin' the rift talks to Adam Straney and Justin Neff - two parts of your new favorite band THE NEW LAW.
tipkin - What is it with Seattle and electronic music? I feel like every notable US-based electronica act is from Seattle. Do you feel like there’s a lot of competition around or is there a sense of community?
THE NEW LAW - Seattle is an amazing city for electronic music. There is a huge variety of styles and cultures that are playing and listening to the music. Plus, there isn't much competition here because there are plenty of venues and shows going on most days of the week that cover various genres. Every producer or band here has a different style of music too, so it's not so much of a battle with each other, but a celebration of each individual's sound and style. Most producers we know aren't trying to emulate the hottest trend or style, but are more trying to find themselves in their own music, and by doing that, create their own style. It's more rewarding, and it's fascinating to watch all these artists pave their own path.
t. - You sure do have a very unique and distinguishable style. Was there a “this is it” moment, when you realized that you’re onto something new?
TNL - That's an interesting question. We are still exploring and venturing to find our style. There definitely was a "this is it" moment, but it's hard to pinpoint. I think it reveals itself more and more through time. We feel with each new tune, we've learned something to add on to the next one. We never started this to actually be an official band. Honestly, we got together to get drunk and jam in the garage when we were both in college.
Our first song we ever did was a theme to the movie The Exorcist, and we thought, "Shit, this is pretty epic." It was basically us jamming out on an old Akai synth and some funk breaks, but it had a sinister and raw feel to it that we rarely heard in other beats. Justin played Sax in a funk band at the time as well, so we decided to try that out, and that's where "Deconstructed Funk" came in. When we finished that, we realized we were onto something. So we just started making songs that combined both the elements of synths from the Exorcist song, and the jazz elements of Deconstructed, and make it as tripped out as possible.
However, we can't ignore the fact that we LOVE movie soundtracks and the cinematic feeling we try to reflect in our music. That was definitely always an intention from the start, and it will continue to be as we keep learning and exploring in the studio. Our listeners probably can tell which movies we love.
t. - Congratulations on the new album, it’s fantastic. Were there any particular sources of inspiration for The Fifty Year Storm?
TNL - Thanks so much. It's seriously a blessing to be able to release our music. We never thought we'd be doing this, and here we are on our 3rd album. It's amazing. The main inspiration was to make more music really. We both have day jobs to pay the bills, and our own lives. However, we both are musicians, and have that itch to make music. The longer we go without making music, the crazier we get. We both do this as a sort of escape from the daily routines that everyone gets in their lives. That's the main reason we make music: to escape to a different world. This last album just happens to be the continuing of that escape, which has developed itself into an actual story. It's become its own being in a way, and we're excited to see it grow.
t. - I feel like there’s one continuing story going through all three of your albums. If there’s any truth to that, what do we learn from the new chapter, and does the story end with The Fifty Year Storm?
TNL - You definitely got that right. The first album was more of a bundle of tunes we made. However, once we heard the album and songs all combined, we realized it sounds sort of like a soundtrack for a movie. Then, when the art came in from Seth (Grym), who by the way is one of the most talented designers around, we knew we were on to something. High Noon was then deliberately following the story of the unnamed hero. The basis was the ultimate battle. The ones you see movies build up to: The struggling, outnumbered hero who is up against all odds, and his fight to survive.
Once we covered that part of the story, we wanted the story to continue. However, we couldn't do the same theme, it was already covered. So this next chapter covers the main character leaving the scene after the battle at High Noon, and meeting some other characters who help take him to sea to another world. He learns the way of the sea through the journey, but on the red horizon ahead, there's something brewing. Something dark and sinister, and he's unwillingly heading straight into the storm of it. We love a good story, so why not add one to the music we make? We had another artist and friend (Scott Rickey of sweatshopmade.com) do the artwork for this album to help change the vibe a bit, and we think it came out fantastic. It really portrays the sound of our album through a visual presentation.
t. - I’m sure you gained a whole lot of fans since the release of The New Law back in 2006. Do you feel a lot of anticipation around the new release? What should your fans expect?
TNL - We have, and we love our fans. The great thing about our music is it doesn't exactly fit into any specific genre. And because of that, we have fans of all ages and from all types of cultures around the world, especially Eastern Europe and Russia. Also, we do this all on our own. We release the music ourselves, no label, no manager, nobody but us. So, the fans contact us directly. It's a ton of work, but it's worth it. We've definitely been hearing from our fans that are anticipating the album.
This album is slightly different than the rest, but it continues the story. It's definitely our style of evolving beats and soundscapes, yet it's a bit more deep and flowing, kind of like the waves of the sea. We want to keep making our style of music, but we have to change it up each time in the studio a bit to keep us learning and interested. Also, we change equipment all the time. It helps us evolve, but it also changes the sound and style of the music that comes from it. Adam's already sold and bought a bunch of new gear the last couple months to continue the next chapter.
t. - Even though I wouldn’t call your music “trip-hop”, there are definitely common elements, and you don’t seem to shy away from this tag. What’s your take on trip-hop and its current state?
TNL - To be honest, we don't really consider ourselves "trip-hop". It's just the closest tag we could label our music when we uploaded online. It's definitely trippy, and it has some hop (haha). Trip-hop will always be the '90s for us. It's where it came from, and had the major players of the scene blow up. It was new and fresh, and fit the sound of those times. It's like classic rock. You can play classic rock style today, but it will never be Cream, Led Zeppelin, etc... I hate when people say a certain genre is "dead". It's not dead, it's just not new anymore, and because of that, it's not fresh to listeners looking for the next thing to blow their minds.
With that said, trip-hop helped pave the way to the sounds of now. There are more people making beats than ever before. There are tons of producers and bands making instrumental beats that combine trip-hop, hip-hop, dubstep, dnb, etc... We have so much technology at our hands at a fraction of the price that it cost back when trip-hop was starting out, so we have so many more talented people making music that wouldn't be able to if the price of equipment was the same as 15 years ago. It's great. And the kids making the music now are coming up with new sounds and styles that are blowing our minds. Sure there's a lot of crap to sift through, but there are way more gems to be found if you search hard enough. It's definitely rewarding.
t. - I’d love to see you play live. Is it a possibility?
TNL - Yes. Where do you live? We're wanting to tour, and we have added a new drummer to our live set, so our live show has gotten really fun. We've played a lot of shows around our region, but we want to play everywhere else now. Not having a record label and a manager doing the "non-music" tasks makes it a little harder for us to organize a tour. However, if you're reading this, get in touch with us. We want to tour. We want to do the rest of North America, and Europe/Asia as well due to our large fanbase there. Our fans are spread out across the world, and we want to see all of them.
And we want to see you. In Chicago (where I live), Russia (where half of my readers live) and anywhere you'll go, I'm sure you'll meet a warm supportive crowd.
Let's make THE NEW LAW show in your town happen sooner - go to www.thenewlaw.com and support Adam and Justin with your downloads (you can get the first two albums for free there - just enter "0" for price). And don't forget to spread the word - everyone appreciates a good music recommendation.
Anomie Belle: “Everything is always changing”
Posted by tipkin
Photo by Eric Krebs
Anomie Belle does not waste any of her time or talent. Less than two months ago The Crush was released (and my, what a great record that is), but instead of taking a well-deserved break, Anomie Belle dived even deeper into work and in a few days (on December 6th, to be exact) she's releasing a new EP, featuring some very exciting material. I was lucky to snatch a few moments of her time for a quick Q&A for trippin' the rift.
tipkin - First of all, congratulations on the success of The Crush and on the new EP release! You sure keep busy. How did the idea for the EP come around? The timing couldn’t be better – the Occupy movement is fighting the corporate machine as we speak.
Anomie Belle - Yea, the values and critiques that are coming out through Occupy are really exciting to me. It’s inspiring to see the general public talking about the effect of “the corporate machine” on our lives, our culture, our values and our communities. I have long admired the contributions artists have been making to the conversation (I am a huge fan of culture jamming) and am happy to be able to contribute as an artist myself. When Occupy started springing up, Lif and I felt like the match with the track and video we did for "Machine" was really striking. I’d just returned from England having written some new songs with Ian [Pickering] from Sneaker Pimps around similar issues and ideas, so it seemed like a good time to pull these songs together with some of the great remixes I’d had done for The Crush (including an awesome remix of “Machine” by Big Spider’s Back) and put them out.
t. - Most of your fans (myself included) appreciate your adventurousness in terms of genre and style, but I personally did encounter one hardcore trip-hop fan who said after listening to The Crush: “Anomie Belle is dead to me”. And you keep broadening the range with the EP – from “Slither”, which is guaranteed to please any “traditional trip-hop” fan to a bouncy dance remix of “Machine”. Do you like getting your fans out of their comfort zone?
A.B. - In general, I think getting out of our comfort zones in life is an important part of challenging ourselves to be humble, to grow, to broaden our perspectives, and to reconnect to the world outside of ourselves. We want things in life to live in boxes, to be easily identifiable, predictable… not to change. People, ideas, art, our self-identities… The truth is that nothing is fixed. Everything is always changing. For me, it’s about pushing myself where I’m most afraid, challenging myself to confront the areas where I know I have judgments, to grow… This is the spirit in which The Crush was made, so it would make sense if that came through to people in the music.
t. - Let’s talk about “Slither” more. The legendary Sneaker Pimps! Did you know Ian Pickering before? What was it like working with him? Are we going to see more collaborations with him in the future?
A.B. - I loved working with Ian. He is a delightful person – sincere, kind, positive, and with such a genuine spirit of openness in collaboration that made him a real pleasure to work with. Making music with someone can be such a great opportunity to connect. With Ian, we spent several days holed up in a little smoky room in London, bouncing music, lyrics and melodies back and forth, and came out with some material I think we’re both really excited about. "Slither" is the first thing we worked on together, and since it was written over production from Augustus Skinner (who had worked on the Sneaker Pimps Becoming X album years ago), it was easy to finish and release quickly. That said, folks can definitely anticipate more from Ian and I in the future.
t. - Where did the remixes come from? What were the criteria for choosing the right remixes for the EP?
A.B. - Choosing folks to do remixes for The Crush was a lot of fun. In general, I reached out to folks whose music I like. I think Big Spider’s Back did a fantastic job on this remix of "Machine", and I love Tapage’s glitchy programming on the "Electric Lullaby" remix on this EP. Atropolis and Damiak did great remixes of "Inky Drips", and I’ve got a few more remixes on my hands that haven’t been released yet as well… It’s been a cool process because with most of the musicians, I’ve set up trades for the remixes, so now I’m getting to work on a lot of these artists’ material, which has been a ton of fun and will end up resulting in even more new music and collaborations.
t. - Do you want to tell us a bit about the music video for “Machine”? The combination of skater dudes (who are those guys anyway?) and the chess game in scary makeup in front of a fireplace is pretty bizarre!
A.B. - That video was a lot of fun to make. The director, Bogdan Darev, is a wonderfully imaginative person, and he pulled together an incredibly talented, enthusiastic group of folks to make that video. Brendan Flynn did the cinematography, and Matthew Pew grabbed a lot of the shots of the skaters on the ramps. AsMyth came up with the concept and found that great location for us. Jason Singler is the skater you see doing a lot of the really cool jumps and stuff in the video. Liz Krebs did a really epic job with the makeup; that really took things up a notch. Everybody who came out to film that (and it was a pretty big crew) had such positive energy, and we had such a fun time shooting… I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.
The mansion was a crazy cool place to shoot. It’s huge, and it’s actually being rented out by a dozen artists right now, so they were super supportive and into what we were trying to do with the video and the critiques of excess wealth in the song, which was awesome. When we saw the bear rug and marble chess set inside of the living room by the fireplace, we knew we had to incorporate them into that shot. Lif and I got super into embodying the greed and self-interest of the wealthy people we represented, so it was fun going over the top with it. I loved it when Lif knocked down all the chess pieces. That was unexpected and awesome. I had a hard time not smiling on camera when he did it.
t. - Should we expect another LP anytime soon? Or more collaborations perhaps?
A.B. - This is only just the beginning, my friend… In the near future, you can look for me on Yppah’s new album, which will come out on Ninja Tune this spring.
Can't friggin' wait! Yppah! Are you as excited as am right now? You have all the reasons to be. Don't miss the new EP (I already lisened to it, it's awesome, stay tuned for the review), check out the "Machine" music video in my Video Digest and if you haven't listened to The Crush yet... well, it's totally your loss. Just, please, get out of your boxes!
DJ Shadow then and now
Posted by tipkin
DJ Shadow tells the stories behind creating his albums from 1996 Endtroducing to the upcoming The Less You Know, The Better. Read it on SF Weekly blog All Shook Down.
Red Snapper: “Our music is immediate, simple and dark”
Posted by tipkin
I wouldn't go out on a limb if I say that Red Snapper is one of the most under-appreciated bands in contemporary music. They have been delivering their intense, unique, always fresh but instantly recognizable sound since the early 1990's and have an amazingly dedicated fan base (which includes yours truly). And yet they seem to be almost ignored by glossy magazines and flashy entertainment news media. Probably because they care more about music itself than its promotion. I remember picking up Making Bones CD while going through "Trip-hop" section in a record store just because I liked the cover art and the name (had a "snap" to it 
). And I was hooked instantly and happily stay hooked until this day and try to get everyone I know hooked as well. This is how they gain their fans and isn't this the most honest and respectable way to get your music promoted? And something else - they absolutely despise the term "trip-hop" and don't want anything to do with it. Yet, here they are, on the pages of this blog, that humbly tries to change peoples perspective of what trip-hop really is. Hopefully, listening to such music phenomena as Red Snapper will help. Richard Thair answers some questions for trippin' the rift's readers.
tipkin - You have been around for almost two decades now. What are some of the favorite moments from the past years?
Richard Thair - When we released 3 EPs on my label Flaw Recordings and then in two months got signed to Warp Records/EMI Publishing and got to play Glastonbury Jazz stage. Supporting Björk, Massive Attack and The Prodigy. Writing music with my best friends. Koktebel Jazz Festival... hundreds of people on a beach going crazy to us. Funding our own album and not being dictated to by the music industry.
t. - When the first releases came out, your sound was so fresh, so different from everything else that was around that time. Is it easier for you now - since you are a known and respected project, or is it harder, since people expect the same level of freshness and since there are lots of bands out there (many of them influenced by you) that are playing in similar vein?
R.T. - Good question... As musicians, we are always aware that there is someone better, younger and more exciting than us... That makes the live show more passionate and exciting.
What is in our heads is still as fresh and bent as it was 15 years ago, it is about not caring and using technology to work for you. You are only as good as your last idea... What is in your head and heart is what matters, the blues and jazz musicians proved that years ago and musicians are still copying what they did.
t. - Your sound definitely doesn't fit in any particular genre boundaries, but you have been often associated with trip-hop. How do you feel about that and what is trip-hop to you?
R.T. - Trip-hop was a lazy category invented by a lazy journalist, our music has nothing to do with that kind of music. Think about what it means to you and then listen to our music!
t. - What made you want to re-form Red Snapper in 2007? What was the reaction from the fans and do you keep working on projects you had been working on during those years when you were apart?
R.T. - We missed each other, wanted to make film soundtrack music and realised there was still a 'band' sound there... We should never have stopped making music for those years. Fans were elated. I have a new Toob album out, David [Ayers] continues to work with the BBC and Ali [Friend] is still modeling underwear.
t. - Let's talk about the new album. I'm dying to find out what the Key opens! What should the fans expect?
R.T. - A step back to early Red Snapper... Rockabilly, surf music. Dark beats, real blues and sax... And of course twisted double bass. It's about what we hear in our heads... Nothing too clever, just soul, passion and the coming together of four very unique musicians. The vocals are an added extra... The listener is the judge.
t. - You just returned from touring Ukraine and Russia and are getting ready to the European tour in May. How do people react to new material so far? Are you playing old stuff as well (I know fans want to hear their favorites)? I feel like you have a huge and dedicated fan base in Eastern Europe, particularly in Ukraine and Russia. What do you think is the reason for that? What are some of the best experiences from the tour?
R.T. - We are constantly shocked by the amazing support we get in Russia/Ukraine/Eastern Europe. As always the crowds are so passionate and supportive. I think we play 6-7 new tracks so far and they are all going down well... Some are already becoming classics... to us! It is wonderful performing tracks like "Architechtronic" with Ali singing and the crowds really getting behind us, it means so much to us. We still play plenty of old tracks - "Suckerpunch", "Hotflush", "Lagos Creepers", "Get Some Sleep Tiger"... We love the way the crowd gets behind us with these tracks.
We have been really lucky to tour in Eastern Europe, I think we connect with the people in those countries because they are open, passionate and soulful, like our music. The Western approach is about over marketing and hype. All I can say is that our fans in Eastern Europe watch us and react to their hearts. Our music is immediate, simple and dark, maybe that appeals to peoples' experience. Finally I would say that playing to these people has changed our lives in a fantastic way. Moscow, Ekaterinburg, St. Petersburg, Koktebel, Kiev, Kharkiv, Donetsk... the list goes on. 
t. - Are there any plans for an American tour? It's weird but I feel like not that many music fans in the US are familiar with Red Snapper due to lack of promotion.
R.T. - No money but plenty of fans. ;(
Damn it, America! I demand Red Snapper!!!
When I asked to add whatever else they want to share (which basically my way of saying "Thank you for the interview, insert any promotional material here"), he said: "Just... Thank You to everyone that cares about us. We care about you!" I guess I'll take promotion in my own hands and post their new video for "Loveboat".
Red Snapper - "Loveboat"
You can preview the new album Key (I already did and it's as good as you think it is) here and buy it on iTunes. And don't forget to visit (and bookmark) their official website for more music, tour dates etc..
Anomie Belle: ‘Darkness can be beautiful and sexy’
Posted by tipkin
Twinkle twinkle little star. The star of Anomie Belle started twinkling back in 2008 when her debut album Sleeping Patterns came out and touched many souls of music fans, and probably broke a few hearts. Today this star is shining bright with the new beautiful single "How Can I Be Sure" getting well-deserved media attention and the new album being eagerly awaited by thousands of fans. Singer, composer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Anomie Belle shines not only as a studio musician but as amazing live performer, continuously touring alongside such artists as Tricky and Bonobo. Today Anomie Belle answers trippin' the rift's questions about inspiration for her music, the upcoming album and being a genius.
tipkin - You wrote your first song when you were ten? That's pretty impressive! Can you tell us a bit about it? It was inspired by a horror movie soundtrack, right? This darkness remains in your music. Why do you find darkness inspiring?
Anomie Belle - My parents gave me a karaoke machine when I was ten, and as soon as I realized that I could record back and forth from tape to tape to stack instruments and layers in my songs, my world was altered forever. I didn’t really know what multi-track recording was, but I was drawn to layering from the start. One of the first songs I recorded was called "Revenge", and was inspired by my recent exposure to the eerie soundtrack for the movie, Child’s Play. (I was also reading a string of teen thriller novels at the time and so felt amply qualified to write this creepy little love-song.)
First I recorded a simple piano line in a minor key, then a bass line, a few violin parts, a vibraphone, and a few vocal lines. As I recorded each instrument, tape distortion was created by recording back and forth from tape to tape, and the original piano line became more and more garbled and wobbly. This made the recording even creepier sounding. These days I create the distortion on purpose.
I guess the inspiration in darkness comes from the mystery in it. The experience of walking into new unknown spaces can be really powerful. It is often the things that we don’t know that are most exciting to us. The shadows leave room for imagination; they are alluring and inspiring. Darkness can be frightening, but it can also be still, quiet, beautiful and sexy.
t. - Do movies (or their soundtracks) still inspire you? What are sources for inspiration in general?
A.B. - I am always inspired by art, film, music, and life in general. Film soundtracks are particularly appealing because the marriage between narrative, visual art, and music can evoke such emotion. I got to tour with Gustavo Santaolalla recently and he is a pretty inspiring film composer. I also really admire Jon Brion as a film composer.
t. - A question I ask all my interviewees: what is trip-hop to you? And how do you feel about Anomie Belle being classified as a trip-hop artist?
A.B. - I suppose “trip-hop” is a label people use to identify a particular genre of music, and it also refers to a general sound with a specific history. Most people refer to music as “trip-hop” when its sexy or trippy, and that is the mood in which I most often write music, so I’m cool with it. Any label is both useful and meaningless.
Amon Tobin about ISAM
Posted by tipkin
Amon Tobin knows. Everything. In particular that we all are waiting for his new album ISAM with about-to-piss-my-pants kind of excitement. And that we are a bit scared - what if it's too crazy, what if if is too different from what we used to (= what we want to hear). We will find out soon, but for now Amon Tobin eases some of this tension with a Q&A session with his fans, with questions picked from Facebook and Twitter.
Q: what part of the production process did you spend the most time on with this project?
A: I did spend allot of time learning new techniques in sound and instrument design. I spent about six months learning new software and hardware then the same amount of time adapting them to my needs.
Q: What tune/s are you most satisfied with?
A: I love all my children : )
Q: What part of the creative process did you enjoy the most? hate, if any?
A: I love'd learning new things. being surprised by it all.
Q:were you working on any other side projects we haven't heard about while doing this one? and if so, do you feel that had an influence to this album in some way?
A: this is the only long term thing I've been working on for the last couple of years. I put aside pretty much all sound track work and shows.. my extensive commitments to charity work, spiritual consultation to the stars and fighting crime. basically anything that would have been sensible or unselfish to do and instead dedicated myself completely to making this record.
Q: what everyone wants to know, what can we expect?
A: a labor of love made without a shred of a care for much else.
Read the rest of the Q&A on Amon Tobin's website.
DJ Vadim: ‘I love what I do and do what I love’
Posted by tipkin
Always too funky, vibrant and progressing in all kinds of directions, DJ Vadim is never listed among your regular trip-hop staples, and yet I bet every trip-hop fan has a few of his tracks in their collection. Today the creator of timeless favorites like "The Terrorist" and "Your Revolution" is talking to trippin' the rift about old friends and new beginnings.
tipkin - First thing first - new label! Exciting... and probably a bit scary? What made you want to start your own label? Who came up with the name?
Vadim - It's all about control. Labels have full diaries, so often you have to wait a long time before the record can be released. That can take the urgency and the now out of a release. We've got a good team around us so we wanted to all work together on the release and do everything the way we wanted to. The name Organically Grown Sounds was Yarah [Bravo]'s idea - One Self created an EP called Organically Grown EP and we eat very wholesomely at home!
t. - About the new band - how would the sound of The Electric differ from just DJ Vadim on his own or from One Self? Is this going to be a long-term thing or is it just a bunch of friends deciding to get together to make a record?
V. - Good question. When it's DJ Vadim, it's just me and different people I invite, but the direction of any given track can sweep from reggae to instrumental beats to rap to... The Electric, it's much more focused. It's the same voices on every track so it's not like a compilation. Musically it's a progression of where I was before!
As for how if differs from One Self. Sabira [Jade] is a singer and not a rapper. Yarah is a rapper and not a singer. Also the sound is different too. The music I was listening to in 2004 making that album is different to what I listen to now. Music has moved onwards...
t. - You are one of the most prolific DJ's out there. Where does inspiration come from?
V. - Life, friends, traveling, meeting people, listening to new music, being challenged... I love what I do and do what I love.
t. - I've been always fascinated by your ability to touch political/social issues in your music and at the same time to write feel-good tunes. Is it hard to keep that balance?
V. - That's just a personal thing I'm into. I have always been interested in politics and social causes. Fighting injustice. So I'm a big supporter of people like Amnesty International, Greenpeace, NSPCC, NSPCA etc. If it wasn't for AI, Yarah's parents whould possibly of been executed in South America by puppet dictators put into power by the CIA... But I'm no Chuck D or Immortal Technique. They are amazing but my mission is not the preacher. More like a teacher and entertainer. Like KRS-One said - 'edutainment'. Education and entertainment. I just do it. Have fun and try to express deeper issues too!
t. - How do you feel about being associated with trip-hop music (among other genres)? What is trip-hop to you?
V. - When that term came out in 94 or so, I hated it. It just sounded really bad and stale like mullets and clogs on German truck drivers. I tried really hard not to be labeled that. I wanted to be so down with hip-hop. That's all I could think of. Nowadays I don't give a flying tahoot what people say. All I want is that people come to listen. I just make beats. Always have. What it's described as differs by whom reviews it, their experience, preferences, country they live in, views... Really and truly, a lot of musics are very related if you break it down to their building blocks - keys, bass, paterns, riddims, vocals, chorus etc... What's the difference between DJ Shadow and space rock in the 70's? Well shows drums are louder... What's the difference between heavy metal and some dub step... Well, sometimes very little.
t. - You tour A LOT. What are some of the favorite places to play? Something that I witnessed during your show in Chicago - there was a group of Russian immigrants, sitting by the bar all dressed up in suits and cocktail dresses who obviously had no idea who you were and just came to see "a Russian DJ". Do thing like that happen often?
V. - Sometimes, but I'm trying to drop this whole 'Russian' thing. It's about music and not your or my nationality. I think regardless whom you go to see, whether it's Bassnectar, A-Trak, Diplo, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Shadow,... if you asked each person why they were there, not everyone would say - 'cause I'm the biggest fan... I was on tour with Bassnectar and he is undoubtly humongous in the USA but I asked some people in the crowd, and some people just came 'cause it's the party to come that night.
My favorite places - France is great, New Zealand, Brazil, Chile, Korea, China, West Coast... Everywhere really. Russia is great too. St. Pete especially.
t. - And speaking of touring - are we to expect The Electric world tour? When will your fans in the US and in Russia have a pleasure to see you (in any incarnation)?
V. - USA in April, and Russia, not sure. People are asking but nothing confirmed as of yet...
Visit DJ Vadim's fresh new label Organically Grown Sounds and enjoy these great gifts from him and his talented friends:
A music pack loaded with goodies from Vadim himself and The Electric.
DJ Vadim - "Winter Wax" mix
Winter Wax by Dj Vadim on Mixcloud
What’s up, 11?
Posted by tipkin
Greetings! I hope you all had recovered from New Year celebration and don't regret any stupid things you've (allegedly) done that night. It's all good. It's 2011, which promises to be an exciting year for trippin' the rift. These robo-alien-looking critters on the picture are in fact just the letters TTRR, standing for Trippin' The Rift Records (logo is subject to change), yep, that's right, our very own netlabel that we're hoping to launch by mid-January, with a couple of very promising releases already in the works. Let me know if you're interested in releasing some of your work on TTRR! More details (and dedicated page) to follow, so stay tuned!
Huge thanks to all of you who still listens to trippin' the rift Shoutcast Radio, now playing only independent trip-hop/downtempo. New material is being added practically every day, I hope it helped some of you to make one or two interesting discoveries. In 2011, hopefully starting this month, we're planning to start podcasting. If you have any content suggestions for podcasts, they are more than welcome.
And, naturally, more of the stuff that we've been doing already. Album reviews (first up - Frozen Memories by Danny Bow) - there are a few quite exciting releases on the way, I'm particularly pumped up about the new Red Snapper album, interviews (DJ Vadim is coming up) and, of course, my favorite (hopefully yours too) FEA(U)TURES - Ink Project and Josh Furey are ready to share their stories with trippin' the rift readers.
What I'm hoping for in the year 2011 is feedback and more feedback from you guys. I'm not complaining, all those Facebook likes and multiplying flags tell me that you're visiting, reading, listening and possibly even enjoying some of this stuff. I just want to know if this blog is trippin' the rift in the right direction. I'm also hoping to find some new writers, especially for album and concert reviews. There's just too much music out there to keep up by myself and as far as concerts go, some of the artists never make their way across the ocean (or even across the country!), so a little help please! I promise the very minimal editing!
I have a feeling that it's going to be a very successful year. Let's keep trippin' the rift together!
Wax Tailor – making sincere and deep music
Posted by tipkin
French virtuoso-producer Wax Tailor is one of the most intriguing names in electronica music scene. His deeply rooted in hip-hop style with inventive use of samples and featuring talented guest musicians is fresh and instantly recognizable. He kindly agreed to answer some questions for trippin' the rift about his latest release, his style and plans for 2011. I might have come off as a douche-bag in some of the questions, which was not my intention at all and for which I apologize to Wax Tailor (who've always had my utter respect) and to my readers. Mr. Tailor answered them all with grandeur of a true master and professional.
tipkin - Let's start with your new Live at Olympia CD/DVD set. Sounds/looks pretty amazing. Why was this particular concert chosen for the DVD release? What was special about it?
Wax Tailor - OLYMPIA is a very famous venue, full of history. It was also a good opportunity for us because we had a lot of guests on this show. Besides, it arrived on the second part of the tour and I felt ready for that.
t. - You have the most fitting name in the industry! How did you come up with it (or was it a suggestion from someone else)?
W. T. - No, I actually came up with it by trying to find what could define me the best. The vinyl wax is the main ingredient to build and create my instruments and I really think about
music like a Tailor so it was really logical for me.
t. - You are often being classified as a Trip-Hop musician. How do you feel about that? What is trip-hop to you? And how did the transition happen from hip-hop to "tailoring wax"?
W.T. - Well I don't care anymore about music classifications. I mean, I'm coming from the Hip Hop culture, this is my background and the backbone of my music. I've grown up listening to my father's music, which was mostly Pop/Rock from the 60's and 70's, and my grandfather's Jazz records. My mother was listening to Britpop & easy listening. With Hip Hop I've learned about Soul, Jazz, Funk, OST etc. I realize more and more that all this had a big influence on me. I just try to create my own music with all these influences. Sometimes people talk about Trip-Hop; it's probably fine for some tunes, not for some others. But once again, who really cares, the most important is to create a music that has a strong evocation.
t. - It's pretty common lately to refer to trip-hop as a "dead genre". Yet your work is the best proof of the opposite. And you're not desperately trying to catch up with new trends and, say, include dubstep tracks in your albums. What is Wax Tailor's secret to keeping it alive?
W.T. - It's probably because I don't care about trends in music at all. The Beatles have released Sgt Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Band, 43 years ago, should we stop listening to Pop music? I think that a band like Portishead has created something really personal with their first album but it doesn't mean that you can't try to introduce some different nuances in a kind of music family.
t. - Your latest album 'In The Mood For Life' features more guest musicians than the previous two, and in general it seems more polished, with less experimental (even though just as inspired) but more radio-friendly tunes. Is this the new sound for Wax Tailor or is this just a stage in your development and we will see more surprises?
W.T. - It's your point of view. Regarding to my past 20 years in the music, In The Mood For Life is probably my most surprising album. Tales was the reflection of all I had been doing for 10 years so it was maybe surprising for some audiences, but not for me; I'm really proud of this album, but I'm also proud of Hope and Sorrow and ITMFL. If someone had told me when I was producing Tales that 5 years later I would be writing and composing music for a string orchestra, and then recording and mixing it, I would probably not have believed them. I also think that this album is the first time I really succeed in combining elements and moods into the tracks, not only between them. About surprises, it is sincerely not an obsession for me, I just try to make sincere and deep music. I hate the idea that a musician should be surprising, it's more about the emotion you feel or do not feel with the music.
100th
Posted by tipkin
Here it is, my dearest readers and listeners. The 100th post. A micro-anniversary in trippin' the rift's mini-history. I want to raise this glass of this fine Oatmeal Stout to all of you, who's been reading these posts (not always inspired and almost never grammatically correct, but always honest), listening to my tiny radio station, watching videos and even going as far as leaving comments. Appreciations all around. There is iTunes Almighty, there is a mega-community of Last.fm and yet there still is this blog and there are those exceptional (and very attractive, I'm sure) individuals who keep checking it out every once in a while. Thank you.
I wanted to make this post memorable. I could have made a compilation of my top 100 trip-hop tracks (hm... not a bad idea actually. How about a poll to pick top 100 trip-hop tracks ever?!), write a long boring "ass"-ey about history of trip-hop and "how Coldcut started it all" and how "Portishead, Tricky and Massive Attack made everyone care". But I'll save those novel ideas for the future anniversary posts. This very first one should be small and intimate, full of hope, love and good trips. And it kind of came out like that, despite its big topic.
How do you get people to listen to your Shoutcast radio? Right, play what they want to hear. Trip-hop fans want to hear "trip-hop" - the Wikipedia version of it. And that's a pretty solid version, but built around the same proven names and with a devastating "post-trip-hop" ending. Nothing about the future. It's all in the "post-". It all starts with Portishead and ends with Morcheeba. If you don't hear either of those or anything in-between, then it's "not trip-hop", and you can enjoy your shitty radio all by your lonesome. Well, how about that - I'm listening to Josh Furey's album Archaeology available at Bandcamp for "name your price (no minimum)" and it doesn't sound even a bit like a fuckin' past. It sounds like a good fuckin' trip-hop and it's CC-licensed and that means that I can play it on my radio. And I do. With pleasure. And apologies to all you guys who stopped listening after I went 100% CC-licensed and thank you for being with us for as long as you did, but kudos to ones who are listening now. There aren't many (like, right now it's 0 as in "zero"), but just yesterday afternoon two dudes (or gals) from USA, and one from Russia, Germany, Brazil, Czech Republic and Chile were listening to (and I'm sure lovin' the shit out of) Josh Furey's (Canada) songs. Or Botany Bay's (Germany). Or KARIZZA's (Ukraine). Or Veell's (Russia), who isn't even trip-hop, but kicks major ass anyway.
And that's the weirdness of it. Of the whole entertainment industry and us its consumers. We're still readily forking over 99¢ for a song (here in the US. Most of us do. I think...), but watching new Dexter episode on an illegal website without any hesitation or emotional discomfort. We're starting to realize that there's no actual need to pay for something when there's so much FREE SHIT out there. And that they apparently have no idea how to fight it. Or simply cannot fight it because how do you fight artists offering their music (ready for it?) for free? Willingly. Just so people (I bet you're not ready for this one quite yet) would listen to it. What's even scarier for them is the fact that people are often paying money for those artists' music even though they don't have to! Wrap your head around this one. I asked some of the people whom I interviewed or reviewed their music to shed some light on what the F is going on in the music industry today and what is poor little aspiring musician to do in all this craziness. Here's what they had to say.
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