UPFRONTBEATS

Special feature this month, we have Liverpool’s James Silk to thank for providing us with a guest mix and interview. James’s has been releasing serious tune for a while on big labels such as Exploited, Get Physical, OFF & Defected Records. The DJ and Producers is set for a release on Hive Audio with the ‘Language EP’. We had the EP to preview a while back and its a hot.With three original tracks and gaining quick support from Dj’s we can see the EP going off.

What’s the first moment you realised you wanted in on the music scene’ Was it a moment of success, or an inspiration’

I’ve been Djing since I was 13, so I’ve always been involved in music growing up. Starting that early meant I was playing at school discos and was very much the ‘go to’ guy whenever anyone was having a party, it was fun.

Music-wise, Michael Jackson was my first major inspiration. I was really into his music from a very young age. I’d often bust out a moonwalk at the discos I was playing at (laughs).

Tell us three musical influences from different points of your career. Something that kicked you off, one that kept you going, and one that you still use to keep you sharp’
Something that kicked me off ‘ Spending countless hours watching Youtube tutorials to create some grooves that didn’t sound like utter tripe.

Something that kept me going ‘ A guy named Wez Saunders who was owner of labels Endemic Digital, Form & Function and now works at Defected. There have been times when I have thought to just give it all up and try my hand at something else, but Wez was great in helping me develop my sound and always pushed me to better myself.

Something that I still use ‘ Being super critical of my records. Each time I sit down to make something, I wont leave until I’m convinced that it is better than the previous session.

So could you tell us what sort of production setup you use. Are you from the new age digital scene with soft synths or do you take it back to the old school with hardware and controllers.’

I use a mixture of both. I’m looking to get more hardware synths but space is an issue at the moment. My setup is: iMac, Presonus Eris E6 monitors, Focusrite Soundcard, Korg Microkorg, Alesis Midi Keyboard, Logic, Ableton and a boatload of VST’s! I often change between Ableton & Logic depending on my mood and what type of stuff I’m making.

What’s your ritual before you go on stage/set’ Is there a do you have a process, or do you just walk right out there’

I’m not one of these guys who turns up for a set 10 mins early. I really enjoy going to the club before the night has started, to speak with the guys running it and really get to know everyone. I also like to listen to who’s playing beforehand, as many countries musical tastes can differ a lot and I can then adjust what I will play accordingly.

What is one classic track you’ll always try to drop in a set’

I wouldn’t call them ‘classic’ but I am really feeling some housey sounds from around 2008/09 at the moment. Big Ibiza anthems like ‘Santos ‘ Hold Home’ & the stuff that 8Bit/Cecille was putting out then tends to be getting dropped by me recently.

Finally where do you see your self, and the whole underground house music scene in 4/5 years time’

Hopefully just keep doing what I am doing. I have been releasing for 5 years now and have been fortunate to hit every goal that I have set myself. I will approach the next 5 in exactly the same manor.