How does it feel now you've finished working on the album?
It feels great, I've wanted to produce an album since I started out. In many ways it's what I've been working towards for the past decade. I expected to feel like I needed a break after finishing it, but actually I have been so inspired by the whole process that I'm jumping straight back in and have already begun work on the second album.

What can people expect on it? Anything different?
Yes, Grow Your Wings is meant to be heard as a whole and therefore is very different to my previous work, as those tracks were all written for the dancefloor and to be heard individually. I have intentionally avoided writing a collection of singles. Grow Your Wings is 100 percent drum & bass and I've included many of my influences and everything that I love about the music, so expect to hear a broad cross section of music.

Any concept behind it?
I've always been drawn towards cinematic scores, being a big fan of movies and in particular film score artists such as Vangelis and Bernard Herman. I've always found it limiting to use movie samples and I enjoy composing the mini-score sections in my tunes as much as any other part of the tune if not more. This also gives me the advantage of being able to break the sections down and incorporate them more deeply into the tune. I have used digital recreations of many classic synths in making this album, in an attempt to capture a vibe in much the same way say Vangelis would when scoring a movie. Those old synths are only just pitch perfect and aren't so stable but I feel much more expressive than a lot of newer synths.

Did you set out to achieve anything with it?
I set out to produce a piece of music that makes people feel emotions when they listen to it, whether it's happy or angry or sad. I think emotion is very important in music because you're supposed to feel it. Also on a personal level my goal was to write my best piece of music yet, something that would not be forgotten and people would listen to over and over.

What was the experience like working on an album instead of singles?
I took the opportunity to explore the more musical and experimental aspect of my sound. I have always used these elements in my music but this time I was able to expand on the ideas much more than I had previously. It felt really good to have so much creative freedom and that encouraged me to be more experimental. Also I had to take into account that it will be presented as one product and should therefore work as whole, a body of work. The learning curve is much steeper with an album because I was working on so many tunes at once and developing them all simultaneously. Not only was I able to expand on the musical side but also the technical.

Who have you collaborated with on it & what was it like working with them?
I am the sole producer on all tracks but I worked with two vocalists, a singer called Fexie Muiso and MC Roly. I haven't worked too much with actual vocalists although I often experiment with recording, so it was fun and I learned a lot while I was working with them. Working with vocalists is a strange thing because unlike a synth, a vocalist sometimes requires a bit of a nudge to give the result you're looking for and you also have to keep a good stock of refreshments!

On what formats is it being released?
Two singles, two EPs, a double CD and a limited five piece vinyl, it will also be available to buy on MP3 from the usual places.

Anything else you're doing you want to tell us about?
I have already started writing my next album, the first posed more questions that answers for me. Also I am launching my new label Image Recordings next year which I'm very excited about. We have a very good team behind us including the administrative talents of Pascal and the photographic powers of 'thesupermaniak' photography. The first single will be Original Sin - Bastard Killer / Back For More.

Format(s): 5x12" LTD LP / EP1 / CD / EP2
Release Date: 7th December 2009 (LTD LP / CD / EP1) / 23rd January 2010 (EP2)

Tracklist

1. Therapy (CD / LP / 12" Sampler)
2. Kiss (CD / LP / 12" Sampler)
3. R Bass (CD / LP / EP1)
4. Dayz (CD / LP / EP1)
5. Pimp Don't Limp (CD / LP / EP1)
6. Your Love ft. Fexie Muiso (CD / LP / EP1)
7. The Arc (CD / LP / EP2)
8. Dangerous (CD / LP / EP2)
9. Without You (CD / LP / EP2)
10. Step On ft. MC Roly (CD / LP / EP2)
11. Bastard Killa (CD Bonus Track)
12. Promise Me (CD Bonus Track)
13. 3000 Miles (CD Bonus Track)

 

• Original Sin
,
• Playaz

Related Links:

• Original Sin - Grow Your Wings LP Sampler
• Podcast 3
• Introducing: Mojo
• An Exhibition For Hipstamatics
• Top New Breaks Releases

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