Features

ASC

ASC has been a prolific producer in the drum & bass scene for the last ten years, with a string of releases on Good Looking, 720 Degrees and Nu Directions as well as his own Covert Operations label.

More recently he has been pioneering the genre-bending 'Autonomic' sound alongside label mates dBridge and Instra:mental. His new album Nothing Is Certain is out now on Instra:mental's Nonplus+ Records. We caught up with the man himself to find out more...

What can we expect from the new album?
All sorts. Tempos vary from around the 90s right up to 170 bpm. It's my most adventurous work yet.

Nothing Is Certain is also the name of your blog. Does the phrase hold particular significance for you?
No, it came from an AIM conversation with Damon from Instra:mental. I decided to name the blog after the LP simply for name recognition leading up to the LP's release.

How would you describe the Autonomic sound to someone who hasn't heard your music before?
That's a tough one to answer, as it's commonly associated with the 170 bpm stuff from the podcasts, but I guess it's just trying out new sounds and taking influences from other forms of electronic music and making them fit at a tempo which is pretty much the same as drum & bass.

How do you see this sound progressing?
I think the future of this is all about quality and longevity. It's all about keeping things fresh and interesting, and the more we can do that, the better the progression will be.

You've signed exclusively with NonPlus+ Records and Exit Records. Has it been a productive relationship so far?
Very much so. We're all very like minded in our goals and influences, so it's great to work with a group of people that are on the same wavelength. That really helps.

Your new album sees you collaborate with Consequence and Vaccine amongst others. Do you prefer collaborating with other artists or creating music by yourself?
In all honesty, I prefer to work alone. I like to work at my own pace, and try out all sorts of options and ideas before settling.

In the past you've said that you see your productions as electronic music that happens to fall into the 170 bpm range. Do you still feel part of the mainstream drum & bass scene?
I still feel the same way, but I'm still drawn to the 170 bpm tempo. So yes, I do still feel part of it.

You grew up in England but moved to San Diego in 2004. Did the change in environment have an effect on how you make music?
Life is so much more relaxed out here, and of course the weather is great, so yeah it's had a positive effect on my music I think.

What are you plans for the future? Will you be touring to promote the album?
I've recently completed a soundtrack library for Liquid Cinema, which will be out through EMI in August. This will be my first steps into the movie business. I'll also be launching my own label called Auxiliary, which will be distributed by the good people at S.T. Holdings. The first 12" is The Touch (original & Vaccine remix feat. Riya) by myself, which is in production right now.