Interview for Polish magazine

By Marcin Nieweglowski, Pullz magazine

You've released your first plate when you were 20 years old. When I think about it I can't avoid it seems when talented young football player from countryside has being discovered by The West headhunters. In addition you aren't alone who have focused foreign labels.

Yes, it seems like this a little bit, but I did not feel it that time and still haven't, because it's not like record labels knocking on my door wanting some tunes to release. It was quite a lot of work and trial to build up my reputation with each release I got during the years (and still it's quite hard to find labels who would sign my tunes).

Back to the debut - also I think it was just about the right time when drum & bass started to go global, and was looking for some new sounds, new talents. I was luckily spotted by the longest-running US d&b label and shop Breakbeat Science, so that was really good for a start. It was in 2003 and there were no options releasing d&b here in Hungary as our only label Subscope has not been functioning anymore, so right after that other hungarians like Chris.SU, SKC and Mindscape started releasing on DSCI4 and started their international careers.

Hungarian drum'n'bass scene has it's crucial turning point in 2004. There were two significant releases: your "Splashdown" on "Progression Sessions 10" and SKC & Bratwa's "Solitude" on Good Looking Records also. After that situation the Hungarian producers have started to gain ground.

As for our main producers SKC and Chris.SU, it was probably 2004 when they emerged with strong releases on top-notch UK labels like Commercial Suicide, Hospital, Soul:R, Critical or the aforementioned Good Looking. However 'Solitude' has only been released on promo and my tune is "only" featured on Progression Sessions but no doubt it gained a lot of interest and helped a lot spreading our names � up to now I'm still getting enquiring messages about that tune.

I think all these success built up a good base for hungarian producers, and the next big thing was the formation of Tactile (SKC, Chris.SU, Longman, Bratwa, Safair) with their debut LP on Timeless and SKC's forthcoming album on Commercial Suicide will also make big impact . Now we already have a new line of producers starting to walk on this paved way like Soulproof, Jade, Matt-U, Spinline, Dis, Munk � but make no mistake, each artist has to prove their skills even if it's like saying you're hungarian is probably a good-sounding phrase in d&b.

You started your carrier using Reason, didn't you? Do you think that more accessible of software merged with know-how than hardcore in East Europe is a key to catch The West? I mean about large representation of British drum'n'bass scene (popular names, DJs & label etc.) and compare it with poor and small scene in Hungary for example.

Actually my first release Rock The Sky/Stolen Symmetry was originally written on Impulse Tracker but since that I'm procuding with Reason. It's good you mentioned know-how 'cause I think it's just a possibility which you can use as an advantage if you learn about softwares, techniques, mastering etc. � I mean you can produce an outstanding tune in an 'unprofessional' way with professional knowledge, and on the other hand people without skills can't produce anything even if they have a lot of money and the best studio equipment.

But yes, the more accessible of PCs, softwares and of course the internet changed drum and bass a lot in the last few years. It became an entirely worldwide movement with producers and DJs in every country, not only East Europe. If you're a producer everything is in your hand (and in your mind) now, DJ elitism is also nearly a thing of the past, you can burn a CD with tunes of your mates they've just finished and broadcast it on your netradio show the same day, back then it was all about cutting dubplates. So it's a good thing but need to mention it's a double edged sword: the scene can be easily diluted with too many mediocre music, not to mention the vinyl sales/internet/mp3 issue.

You're founder and co-editor of digital Impulse Creator Magazine. I noticed that it's profile is similar to British Knowledge Magazine. Have you inspired that hip-hop / breakbeat Mag when you were making Impulse Creator Magazine?

I would not say inspired by it's profile but maybe by it's goal � to create a comprehensive, up-to-date magazine which not only informs but moves the (local) scene. Besides the usual content (features, news, reviews, top tens, party calendar, etc) as a webzine it's important to create a community (forum, chat) but to make the most of the possibilities that internet gives aswell. We're doing it for seven years now and it's not easy as it's a non-profit thing. But there's always something we come up with, in 2004 and 2005 we promoted a series of gigs with international headliners and now we've just established the IPC ProFiles netlabel too. We run tings!

Impulse Creator was created to specific audience, for drum'n'bass listeners and fans for example. How are those sounds in Hungary? Is Impulse Creator widely read? I've talked with SKC and he told me that you have got many and often gigs with well-known drum'n'bass DJs and producers. It seems that drum'n'bass should popular in Hungary. However, how does it look like in general?

It is popular indeed. I think anyone who wants to get information regarding the scene read Impulse Creator, it's like a focus on the internet and a community center for both who 'act' for the scene (and not only dnb) and the audience. For over the years I think it's getting bigger and bigger, in terms of parties (there's an international, big name DJ playing nearly every week), it spreaded all around in the country (more foreigner headliners on the countryside too), and it's very popular among the youth � maybe that's why DJ's always love to come back here because it's still an enthusiastic crowd. On the other hand it's a new generation grew up on d&b and maybe there's less 'movement', and 'innovation' in the scene now than back then. The number of producers and DJ's is also increasing, there has been a lot of radioshows came up over the last years (besides Tilos and Pararadio shows I have to mention the mostly dnb webradio Torespont too). I've also told you about our producers and maybe I can hint something about a hungarian d&b label too. Watch this space!

You have very respectable Radio Tilos. It is very known in Hungary but in Poland also.

Radio Tilos - which started as a pirate radio in 1991 � had a very important role in the country's electronic music scene. One of the founders DJ Palotai (the 'father') and Cadik started to play jungle & dnb around 1996-97, also they brough us Ed Rush in '98 which party was a milestone. Meanwhile Tilos became the main and only station representing the new sounds. If there was no Tilos I'm sure our scene would be quite different now.

So Raiden form Estonia, Paul B & Electrosoul System from Russia, Cyb Orc from Ukraine, Sonic Saturation and duo CLS & Wax from Poland, Chris Su, SKC, Soulproof and you � you're the East's best-known drum'n'bass export. What do you have beside broken beats? I know Hungarian trip hop producer called Yonderboi but someone else?

Yonderboi is definitely one of the best-known hungarian artists, maybe I could mention others who had albums also at Mole Listening Pearls: Gabor Deutsch (as known as Anorganik on the d&b circuit), Anima Sound System, Marcel (aka Carmel, released an album on Bukem's Cookin' Records) and Lushlife Project. On the nu jazz/headz line Erik Sumo also released his debut album on Pulver Records, but I could mention Karanyi or Zagar. Our record label Chi Recordings is the most respectable in the international breaks cummunity..

Most of your tracks released in net-freeware version. I must admit that "The Public Diary" and "Empty Pages" are very fresh, unconventional and highly inspiring. Have their situation caused by no responsibility, method of auto-promotion of yourself or your faith in Internet?

These are not just tracks, that's the point. Both albums are made of tunes I know that normally could not release on labels for various reasons so I edited and remixed all of them and placed them in a bit autobiographical story. So the reason is pretty much both of you mentioned: I could go on a direction where ever I wanted to go without worrying about labels and DJ's, still I think it defines my sound well so it's a good way of promoting myself and to provide this music to people who are open-minded - for free.

Could you agree that Internet has the same position like satellite radio have had yet several years ago?

I can't really compare these. But for me satellite tv and radio were the first medium where I got in touch with electronic music and drum & bass. It seems everything is getting centralized and finding a new, common platform on the internet. It became the most important medium and is not only taking over the role of the satellite radio, but the papers and maybe the television also. But as for radios it definitely in the best position if you want to listen to d&b or whatever style that is under-represented in any other media.

Should producer be open-minded if he don't want loose flavour tones?

It's a complex question I think. In my opinion it does not really matter what the trends are in a specific style, what the top producers, DJ's and labels push. Of course it's inevitable to listen to others and it's very important to be inspired by some of them! Open-minded means a bit more. If you're open minded you must have the ability to listen to music without judging it by no any means and to filter it thru your own personality. I think being open-minded helps you to find your own sound, your own flavour tones as you said, 'cause without impressions you can't make anything out of nothing.

Did you loyalty to those values when you were making "Daytrip"? Open-minded like a global various? Think global act local?

I don't know, have not think about it like this. If the global various means the sound of the Covert Operations label and acting local means to be loyal to my personal views on music (which I think is more vivid), then I would say yes. When we - me and James (ASC) - discussed the album he already had a vision which tunes should be there and letting me fill the gaps and to arrange it in a context - connect the tunes and flavours like a journey. Comparing it to my other releases on different labels (like Fokuz, Nerve, Counter Intelligence or Flatline) is a bit different but if the listeners can find something common in my tracks I did my job well.

Sometime Blame has said, that: "drum'n'bass is a good music, it's a lot of different elements that people can relate to. They can into If they like hip-hop, if they like break beat, if you like house, techno what you ever like jazz - all those elements are there. And I feel that drum'n'bass is the most futuristic music (...)" Do you agree with this affirmation?

Absolutely. I think drum & bass is very special because it can be so versatile, and that's the beauty of it. Every subgenres has the common elements that defines the style but there's no rule, you can put any kind of influence and it still fits. But in general it's a good thing that you can see eclectic, fusioning music all around, that brings people together and also moves things forward. However I don't see it as the most futuristic music, it was groundbreaking some years ago. But meanwhile styles come and go and there always be some forward-thinking producers to drop something into the stagnant water.

download original, polish issue here