Dubstep duo Vital Techniques consist of Leeds based brothers Antix and Vecta. With Second To None label going from strength to strength and a set at this year's Outlook festival in Croatia, this talented duo certainly have a bright future ahead of them. Kmag caught up with the lads to find out more.

 

Tell us about your background in music, how did it all start?
We both started DJing around six or seven years ago after previously being introduced to drum & bass music. The scene in Leeds has always been healthy for electronic music with the centre point being Tribe Records, and with nights such as Subdub, Exodus and Metropolis paving the way.

 

It was raves like these that gave us the hunger to be seriously involved in the scene. We both started out as solo DJs, known as Antix and Vecta, playing drum & bass and messing about with producing along the way. Thanks to DJ Steppa, Shock and Simon Scott we were given the opportunity to join Leeds based pirate radio station 'Radio Frequency FM'….massive big up to the family!

 

This was the start of our musical journey and gained us a big rep within the city and gave us the opportunity of playing at all the biggest events in Leeds, and to then venture out to other cities. It was in March 2010 we teamed up in the studio to produce our first few dubstep tracks together.

 

We worked really well in the studio and our first tracks were all signed for release. It was then that the alias Vital Techniques was born, and we just haven't stopped since.

 

How would you describe your sound?
We mainly produce dubstep music for the dance floors - music to skank to! However, we are versatile producers and have made some more mellow beats, some 140 jungle as well, some garage, a bit of grime. We think these days you need to be versatile as a producer and not be one-dimensional.

 

What production gear do you use?
Equipment: Apple Mac Desktop, Logic Pro 9, Focusrite Saffire Pro 14 audio interface, Behringer B2030A Truth Monitors, M-Audio Oxygen keyboard, Studio Projects C3 condensor microphone, Rode pop shield, Vicoustic microphone reflection shield. Audio Units: Massive, Albino, Predator, FM8, Sylenth, PSP bundle, Waves bundle, iZotope Oxone, Camel Phat, Camel Crusher and probably loads more!

 

As Vital Techniques, what are you currently working on at the moment?
We have just finished working on a four-track EP that is forthcoming on Filth Collins' new imprint Drop Dem Records, titled 'Signal Strength EP' so keep an eye out for that one! As well as this we are working towards an EP for our own label Second To None Music and we also have a few other cheeky things in the pipeline which we can't reveal just yet, but add our social network pages to stay up to date!

 

 

What inspired you to start Second To None Music?
Starting a label was always something that we aspired to do, as a way to help push further out into the wide world of the music scene. It was when we got together and created Vital Techniques that we thought this was the right time to act, so we simply jumped in head first and went for it and haven't looked back since!

 

What do you hope to achieve with the label?
Just to be creditable and recognised with the big names, which so far we are on the right path of doing so. We have received regular support on BBC 1Xtra thanks to Mistajam, as well as airtime on Radio 1, Rinse Fm etc. Zane Lowe has also bigged up our music so we look forward to getting involved with him! We just want to keep up this support and keep growing.

 

We've managed to gain a whole heap of DJ support within the scene including the likes of Rusko, Flux Pavillion, Doctor P and Circus Records, True Tiger, Plastician, Mistajam, 16Bit, N-Type, Distance… to name just a few, and we plan to make this list keep expanding and growing!

 

What do you look for in a producer and tune that makes them worthy of release?
The main thing is quality control. There are so many labels out there these days and a lot of them just put out rubbish and flood the market with it. Quality is key. Secondly it just has to be good music, whether its tear-out dancefloor bangers, mellow sub-weight riddims or reggae influenced rollers, as long as they're quality tunes!

 

We now have a strong team of producers, some which have gained huge support off the back of releasing with us. Massive shouts to all the team: Habstrakt, Filth Collins, Megalodon, Badklaat, Enigma Dubz, Brown & Gammon, Buchan, Standard Procedure, T Vicious and Euby, and shouts to MCs Pean, Maksim and Parly B.

 

What does the future hold for Vital Techniques & Second To None Music?
Well you can catch us playing at Outlook festival in Croatia this year so mad excited for that! Going to be a huge one! We've included our Official Outlook Promo Mix for free download with this interview so make sure you check that out!

We've just launched the brand new Second To None Music website and official clothing store, so make sure you check that out from 1st July. We're also ready to drop our label's next release from Enigma Dubz in the coming weeks so watch your stores for that one. Add our pages below to stay fully involved with the latest goings on at the Second To None camp!

 

Words: Megz Hysteria

 
Catch Vital Techniques on Radio Frequency FM every Thursday evening 8-10pm on www.radiofrequencyfm.co.uk with the Second To None Sessions!

 

Related Links:

• Free Vital Elements Download
• Sean Scully Art Exhibition
• Vital Elements Reaches Double Figures
• Momentum Leeds Review
• DJ Ruffride Interview

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