Sometimes things form and merge iconically. The fusion of Dutch producer Martyn's music and the artwork of label artist Erosie seemed to be only the start for the 3024 label, with the two individual's vision working in perfect tandem, but now the whole production has gone one step further, with a fully functional website co-incided to drop at the same time as the tenth release on the label. Martyn's storming 'Shook Up' b/w 'Left Hander' marks the first thing you'll have heard from the producer in a while and it sees him come running out of the blocks with some huge, tuff ended house. An emphatic return if ever there was one; total undeniable proof of his mania enducing dancefloor prowess.
You can hear audio of both the tracks in one of our recent Hivemind fm shows here.
Go check: http://3024world.com, there you will find full and absorbing information on the outlook and aim of the label and amongst other things an exclusive recording of Martyn's set at this years Solar Festival in Holland, that we've linked to directly below.
Since our first encounter with Doc Daneeka back at the tail end of last year thanks to his inclusion of the Elevator Music Vol. 1 compilation with the positively tribal 'Drums In The Deep,' the Leeds based producer has gone from strength to strength to strength, with global publications like XLR8R and FACT becoming more than a little smitten with his production and remix work.
Following his recent Kelis 'Milkshake' bootleg, audio of which is available on our Hivemind.fm show (archived here), we've been bestowed with something of a coo, thanks largely to Manchester's Illum Sphere - a man also experiencing somewhat of a boost in profile thanks to his recent 12" on Martyn's 3024 label. Basically, Illum commissioned a slew of remixes of his most recent Fat City release, Long Live The Plan, and he's kindly decided to give us dibs on the freebie Doc Daneeka re-rub of 'Psycho.'
The eighth release on Martyn’s 3024 label comes from Manchester beat technician Illum Sphere who has been responsible for some killer off-centre hip-hop instrumentals on Fat City Recordings and the Hoya:Hoya club night; joining the dots between the fringes of dubstep and hip-hop in fine style with the likes Martyn rubbing shoulders with Flying Lotus, Dam-Funk and Ikonika. It’s his second outing on 3024 after remixing Martyn’s beat-less surge ‘Brilliant Orange’ from what was essentially an instrumental segway on his fantastic album Great Lengths, but in Illum’s hands it was flipped and extended into a full, pulsing, emotional slab of atmospheric beat work. This platter carries on very much in that vein.
The crackle fest that is ‘Go Killum’ gets things off to a good start, fitting somewhere between Flying Lotus, Actress and Kyle Hall, bumpin’ with a skeletal yet warm soundsystem funk. The sound of being lost, driving around a city at night; as the light trails fly past, you feel apprehensive but at home in your motor, heaters on stereo turned right up.
The low-slung magic of ‘Technopolis’ isn’t too dissimilar to the Flying Lotus workout ‘Disco Balls’ from Hyperdub’s ‘5’ compilation: in that it’s got off-kilter slow and punchy house grooves and a funky as hell synth bass groove that has that warm tweaked-out buzz. It’s an altogether more spaced out affair, putting emphasis on the crackle, atmospheric pads and jazz-house subtleties whilst the drums get the head nodding as layers of sub bass squirm in all directions. The energetic synth surges of ‘Titan’ pick up the pace and bring a dose of euphoria to the platter as digital crickets chirp like sprites in a computer game night time scenario.
Post Red Bull Music Academy, London has been all too quiet. Parting, for me anyway, with Brainfeeder at fabric it was an intense month; packed with shows from DOOM at the Roundhouse, Jamie Vex'd, Mike Slott, Scuba and the unrelenting Untold at TBar and a rather special Deviation in the basement of Camp. As well as the headliners, resident DJ Benji B and Skream - dropping a disco set, there were sets that night from beat protege 00Genesis and Manchester's Illum Sphere.
Now any regular followers of us will know the work of Mr. Hunn excites us deeply, so it was a touch to finally catch him spinning, eventually chat him up; and learn of his impending release on Martyn's soon to be further blossoming 3024 label. We caught up with him once again - re-visiting old email transcripts to figure how it happened - and asked him a few questions in search of that all important update...
Sonic Router: I've spoken to a few participants since the end of term and the feeling definitely seems to be one of... hollowness... How are you finding life after the Academy?
Illum Sphere: I think we've all got depression haha. I really miss being in that environment and all the people there. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and 100% worthwhile, I can't thank the people in charge enough for letting me on.
So how did you link up with Martyn for the forthcoming 3024 12”?
Ummm... well, I did the remix for 'Brilliant Orange,' and we'd chatted about maybe doing something for 3024. Martyn was quite into this demo tune I had called 'Technopolis' which was a way off being finished. I then sent him 'Titan,' and he showed interest in signing that and a finished version of 'Technopolis,' before suggesting I do another nugget for it. So I did 'Go Killum,' and that was that really, from the initial interest to finalising was rather quick.
What can the world expect from it? Does it differ from the Fat City material in your opinion?
I think it shows a broader range. 'Titan' and 'Technopolis' are two very different tunes, sound very different to stuff I've done, yet sound like me, if that makes sense? 'Go Killum' is more like the Fat City stuff, but still definitely different, I think anyway...
Speaking of the Fat City stuff, when is the 2nd part of your LP dropping?
It's gonna come out fully first, in the summer. I'm gonna switch it around a bit, maybe ditching some of the stuff from the 'Long Live The Plan' EP, playing with the order a bit more and trying to include as much new stuff as possible...
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And to quote a subsequent and somewhat ominously relevant conversation with label boss Martyn: "Following up on the two remix 12"s that were released in January, I'm really happy we're able to put out Illum Sphere's EP. He's one of those new producers that effortlessly blends different styles and sounds."
And looking towards the future for the label he also divulged that: "after this release in May, we'll have Altered Natives for 3024-009 with 'The Bitch' and 'Crop Duster.' Then later in the year Deadboy will do a record on 3024 as well. So all in all: there's forthcoming bits from three people who aren't easily classifiable, but are busy developing their own sound."
Kan Kick - Pop Tunes, Morning Paper Illum Sphere - Never Lie Twice J88 - Stupid Lies Harmonic 313 & Wiley - Scar Ackie - Call Me Rambo Illum Sphere- Go Killum Oddisee & Ken Starr - This Is Hip-Hop Salma Agha - Come Closer Don Leisure & Rodski - Loose Women Joker - Tron! Africa Hitech - Glangslap Three 6 Mafia - Tear Da Club Up Someone - Just A Sketch Computer Jay - Maintain (Falty DL Remix) Lab Rat XL - Lab Rat 1 Illum Sphere - Titan Sole Fusion - Bass Tone Alfredo Y Su Salsa Montanera - La Escoba Anthony Shakir - Roaming Rainbow Team - My Darling Exquisite Taste - It's You That's Happening Lone - Once In A While Krystal Klear - Since Then Untold - Flexible Africa Hitech - Said Speed Jammer - Better Than (Lorn Remix) Illum Sphere - Supercharged The Beatles - Polythene Pam Champion Soul (feat. Ronyx) - Holdin' On (Dr. Who Dat? Remix) Dabrye - Gimme Lowlands
A busy 2010 seems to be getting busier from Manchester's Illum Sphere: a 2nd 12" hungover from December (a 3rd is due in the next couple of months btw), a mix and profile on FACT, this SHOOK magazine podcast and a forthcoming term at Red Bull Music Academy.
If you hadn't heard of him, chances are you have now (and not just because you just read this post).
With his first vinyl EP, the aptly named ‘Incoming EP,’ Ryan Hunn'sIllum Sphere project caught our attention, so much so we interviewed him about his processes after hearing the record in full about twice. Choosing to compose on completely analogue equipment – his myspace photographs show a desk littered with red LED bearing samplers and grooveboxes – he manages to inject his productions with a bleak, machine hummed venom. And it’s definitely the case on this, the first in a two part vinyl album, with third track ‘Psycho’ offering the first moment of ‘melody’ on the EP; if you can call the confused plonking of a glockenspiel underneath torrents of electro current just that.
What precedes it is a swamp of static and swooping strings on ‘Long Live The Plan…’ and ‘Better Late State,’ a slow pulsing snare crackler reminiscent of LA beat smith Ras G with whom Hunn seems to share a holy-atmospheric kinship. The Illum Sphere world of awkwardly slipping beats over thick, often bleak backdrops and minimalistic arrangements is as dense as any of the beats contorting themselves out of laptops in dark Californian clubs, but his music doesn’t scream about its golden sun tan as much. His music is darker, more rabid and paranoid than some of his US contemporaries and its this edge that keeps you going back once you’ve connected to the lopsided snare pattern and swirling lambaste of ‘Never Lie Twice.’
‘Chasing The Midnight Moth’ is undoubtedly the EP’s centerpiece, crackling into earshot with quicker snatches of percussion and simple one note keys that ooze atmosphere, pursing up into waves of distortion propelled by the ride cymbals before the settled rhythm returns, each time easing things back into the groove with aplomb. ‘Shadowman’ furthers the sense of calm amongst a sound palette seasoned heavily with grain, as the the four four kick drum and cymbal spray pulses under an impossible to tame synth line that conjours up a little of that arpeggiatedZomby madness.
Completed with a Samiyam remix of ‘Psycho’ which reconstructs the simple kick/snare loop into a more of a tumble, adding those enlightening chord stabs and woozy elements of G-funk that Samiyam does so well, ‘Long Live The Plan’ is a deft and clever follow up to such an emphatic debut 12”. Building his productions sensibly and planning the tracklist like you would a journey up through moods its easy to hear what people like Martyn (whose commissionedHunn to remix his ‘Brilliant Orange’ track) are starting to take notice of.
Ryan Hunn has unknowingly been littering my interweb perusal for weeks now; whether in the form of emails from pals, online record shop e-shots, gig listings or flyers with his moniker on, his easily recognisable production moniker, Illum Sphere, has popped up everywhere. From the first moment you slip on your headphones to listen to his heavy, atmosphere-laced analog drums you’re sucked in. And sucked in deep.
With the release of his perplexingly moody first 12”, ‘Incoming EP,’ on Manchester’s Fat City label, we thought we’d pin him down and wrestle a little history out of him.
Sonic Router: Can you provide those who may not know you with a bit of background info?
Illum Sphere: I'm 24, based in Manchester, and run the monthly session Hoya:Hoya. My first release 'The Incoming EP' landed on limited wax back in April and has just landed on download from all the usual spots.
Outside of music who are you? What do you do on the daily?
I work a few days a week in the Fat City shop, which is cool cause you get the good stuff first! I'm also in the process of setting up a Hoya:Hoya record label, along the other head honcho Jonny Dub, which will launch with a 12" from myself and then will only feature artists that have played at the night or one-offs we've done. We're looking at releasing a comp next year featuring an exclusive from every artist who's played, including Dabrye, Ras G, Samiyam, FlyLo, Daedelus, Rustie, Mark Pritchard, Danny Breaks, Bullion, Paul White & myself, plus some up and coming Manchester peeps.
How did the name Illum Sphere about?
I didn't want to be releasing music under my own name, but because I've been DJing under my own name for a few years it was hard to pick an alias that people wouldn't laugh at! Not because the names were shit, but purely because my friends know me as Ryan, and I've never had another alias.
Illum Sphere came from browsing a list of old Sci Fi B-movies and novels that I found on some random website. I liked the way that the name is pretty ambiguous, mysterious and open ended, so it frees me up to make anything I want.
How did you get into making music?
I've only been making electronic music properly for about 2 years. I just started dicking around in Cubase with some M-audio synth. I have actually been making music since I was about 11, but back then I was more into instrumentation. My mate who lived round the corner from me had a killer set up in his attic, so we combined gear and used to record random shit with one cheap mic flown in the middle of the room. The stuff was kinda weird, but more guitar band stuff, playing electric guitars with violin bows and running them through random effects units etc. I've been meaning to dig out some of the tapes actually and sample some of the randomness!
The real switch came when I started getting into people like Dabrye. That feeling of being completely blown away by his 'sound' had a huge effect on my music making, and since then I've just been kinda doing what I've been doing.
What’s your production set up like? When did you start producing and what was your set up like then compared to now?
Ummm... I use mainly analog equipment: Casio SK-1, Moog Concertmate MG-1, Roland MC-303 as well as a random collection of Boss and Roland effects units. My flat mate has an MPC2000XL, but I rarely use it. I also have an MPD 24, and a few midi synths. I've only really just started to use midi, but I'm not really a fan. I have to process midi sounds so hard to make them not sound cheap or crap (in my own mind), but in my opinion, analog sounds piss all over midi.
I didn't use any midi at all on the EP, all audio. I also arranged all of the EP in a really old version of Cubase, but have now switched to Logic Pro, which is well better. I don't really sequence too much, most stuff is played live and roughly aligned, but Logic has just helped me create a better sound, in terms of sonics. I've just bought a load more gear, a random Japanese electric piano etc, as I'm getting into fucking around with equipment more. It really appeals to me as you can essentially create your own sounds than you can't get anywhere else, and I like that individuality.
Do you have any regular processes you go through when making music?
I drink a lot of tea and smoke a lot of cigarettes. That's the only regular process that occurs when I make stuff! I don't make stuff everyday, but go through phrases. I find it really hard forcing myself to make stuff and just end up getting frustrated, so I make music whenever I have ideas. This will sometimes happen on the way home from somewhere at 2am, for example, so I'll just get in, lay down as much as I have in my head, then come back to it when I feel I've got something to add to it. That's when I find things come together easier, it feels right and I make better music.
When did your love for hip-hop start, what drew you to the sound?
Ummm... I can't remember really. I'm by no means a hip-hop connoisseur, but used to listen to bits of Biggie, Wu, Nas and Dre when I was 12/13/14, but I was mainly into stuff like Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd at that age. I got more into hip-hop around 5 years ago: early Premo, Madlib, Dilla, Diamond D, Wu-Tang etc. But to be honest, I'm not a hip-hop head. I love Yusef Lateef, Alice Coltrane, Axelrod, Leroy Burgess, Jimi Hendrix, Augustus Pablo, Fela Kuti, Mulatu (the list could go on) as much as I love any hip-hop producer. Being from London too (I moved up when I was 11) we used to go to a lot of garage raves when we 16, so I've got as much love for hip-hop as I have for have for a lot of other types of music.
You’re currently lumped into this whole ‘wonky’ movement. A lot of beat makers have been (deservedly) very vocal of their disdain for the genre label. What are your thoughts on the tag?
I think it's a bit of a lazy naming of a genre that is probably broader than the taste and knowledge of whatever journalist named it. But, on the other hand, it does describe some of the music that's being made. To be honest, I tend not to like stuff that's 'wonky'… I like stuff that experiments. Rhythm is far more important to me than pulling a beat apart for the sake of 'swing'. Swing should be a natural thing, you shouldn't need to force it, not everything has to swing super hard. Also, I don't think my stuff's clean enough to be 'wonky', it's just essentially dusty electronic music. I don't really consider it 'beats' either, cause I don't make beats, y'know?
There are a lot of people who want to be beatmakers and that's totally cool, but I don't. I just wanna make music; fast, slow, happy, sad, beautiful, ugly, scary, comforting, whatever!
Illum Sphere - Murky (You Know)
You’ve played at Low End Theory – a club that from this side of the ocean at least feels like a US bass mecca – how did you link that? What was the experience like?
Yeah it was cool, man. They're doing good things out there! The West Coast hasn't got the sound system culture that we have here. On that trip I played a few shows, on systems that aren't as good as here. The thing about Low End is that the rig they have is the only one that really comes close to the ones we're used to here!
The policy is pretty similar to what we do at Hoya:Hoya: anything goes. It isn't a beats night, I was playing Turkish stuff, dub, grime and people dug it. It was nice to see so many people that I knew reaching too. People and friends from that scene and some I met for the first time. I know your pals with Fly Lo. Is he a big inspiration for you to continue making music?
I know FlyLo, but we're not super tight y'know! We chat and chill occasionally and we've done some shows together... I do like his music heaps and it does influence me to some extent, but I'd say Dabrye, Ras G and Dilla's music inspires me more than anyone else currently producing music.
Who else inspires you?
My friends! We're surrounded by a lot of creative people here in Manchester, artists, DJs, wicked club nights, producers, designers etc, you never have to really look too far to get inspired. Also my family! M little brother is 12, and he's getting pretty sharp on the production, and it's inspiring, but kinda frightening as he's gonna be well better than me probably by the time he's 15!
Your debut 12” is out now on Fat City. What can the record buying public expect from it?
Ummm... something different, I hope! It's sinister, dense, dusty and musical, so I've been told, so hopefully people will dig it.
What else have you got coming up this year?
A remix of Kidkanevil's 'Real Wild' drops next month (that got me my first Radio 1 play on Mary Anne Hobbs' show). In late July, early August, me and Mono/Poly have a split 7" dropping as part of the Fat City producer series. Then probably a 12" to launch the Hoya:Hoya label, and some more releases on various labels, some well known, some not so well known!
It includes: "some ufront MF Doom, Flying Lotus, Samiyam, Ras_G, Dabrye, Mike Slott and Bullion cuts as well as some rare old shit and some faves from the club over the past year!"
AND if you so happen to be Manchester based, get your sen along to the next Hoya:Hoya featuring Ikonika and the one Alex Nut:
