After a sold out debut white label release on Tough Love Records last year we take this moment to introduce Becoming Real. He's a talented UK producer taking every listener on a journey filled with his own musical language which creates movement and growth within each carefully crafted tune.

Becoming Real is ready to emerge in 2010 with the release of Fast Motion / Jen's Clock through RAMP Recordings on 21st June. Kmag delves into the creative mind of this emerging artist...

Tell us about your background in music, how did it all begin?

I first got into music by learning the guitar and playing with friends. Doing ten minute long shows featuring covers of PJ Harvey and Sonic Youth etc.

As soon as I heard of Fugazi, The Replacements and the whole K Records scene I pretty much wanted to carve something out for myself, in some shape or form...

Your sound has been described as 'ghost-step' where does your musical influences reside?

What I take influence from is more image based than music based these days, although there are loads of bands and artists I could round off that I listen to.

More and more these days it's like I'm trying to snap off any ties I had with original influences and mutate my own musical language into some other realm.

What is distinctive about a Becoming Real production?

Recently a lot of my sounds, or signature traits have to have motion, there has to be some form of movement or growing with the song, the song is becoming something you know? It's morphing and folding, it's angrily insisting on its existence.

I want to stretch it to the point where the song starts to unravel itself, almost like it has become conscious of itself and doesn't like being a typical formula (chorus / verse / build / drop, etc.). The song does more than just stare back at the listener; it starts to creep into the listener and ignores what it is meant to be doing.

What production gear do you use when making music?

It's a fair balance between analogue / cassette decks and digital equipment.

You are fortunate enough to have a sold out debut release on Tough Love Records. Were you surprised of the success and does this put pressure on your forthcoming release on RAMP records?

I was surprised at them all selling out, never really dwelled on it, it was out, and then it sold out. I don't think I've ever really felt pressure with making music or releases; I make so much music that I just don't have time to release all of it.

No pressure on the RAMP thing, that's just bubbling nicely now, got some pretty awesome remixes we're going to start to send out soon, so it's more of an excitement thing than stressful. For now anyway.

Your next release is through RAMP, how did this connection come about?

Tom Kerridge just got in touch, said he was into what I was doing and if I wanted to release some stuff, I said yes, simple, plus RAMP have some nice releases on it so it made sense.

You have a few remixes coming up, some with high profile artists. Do you find remixing others music a fun task and who are you working with?

Yeah I mean remixing is a laugh, recently I just remixed TEETH!! who I love anyways but I had like five different versions of their song See Spaces. It started off as this mad footwork remix at first, but that opened up loads of possibilities so I just made as many as I wanted. Yeah, got a couple other bigger things in the pipeline but that's hush hush right now.

I know you play live, any plans to tour yet?

I have a load of shows booked but no tour as yet, still sorting the live stuff. Had our first show the other day (live I play with my mate Rob 'thee' Carter) which went down really well, so I guess I'll be looking for tours soon, just got to be with the right people who get what I'm doing. It's not often you hear some weird grime music and then go to see it live  and it have this real raw punk sensibility to it.

What does the future hold for Becoming Real?

Loads more remixes, split with Pictureplane is still happening, working on a 12" with Trim, EP coming out in September, and more live shows.

I guess I just wanna fully flex out all my influences, go down as many paths as possible, just be a local don I guess.

Words: Megan O'Toole

Becoming Real live shows

• June 17 at the Lock Tavern, London with Danimal Kingdom
• July 1st at FABRIC, London with Disco 3000 and Oneman
• July 26 - Camp Basement, London with Wild Nothing
• July 31 - The Stag's Head, London

 

'Fast Motion' // 'Jen's Clock' 12" (RAMP Recordings - JUNE 21ST) by Becoming Real

• RAMP Recordings
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• Becoming Real

Related Links:

• Ramp Recordings Guest Mix
• Looking Back Looking Forward: RAMP
• RAMP Marks 50 Releases
• Ras G To Release Down To Earth LP
• Soul In Motion In The UK

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