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Recent addition to the MethLab roster, 'The Sect', have given us some pretty next-level insight into the future of their upcoming label 'The Sect Music', as well as their influences, history and production tools of choice.
Listen to the exclusive mix they have pulled together in collaboration with Host!le MC below and get your eyes stuck into what they have to say - exciting things lie ahead...
ML // You've mentioned Prodigy to us before as an early influence. What was your earliest exposure to the rave scene in the UK?
Dave: I think flicking through the FM dial on the radio as a kid in the early ’90s and hearing London pirate stations like Pulse and Don FM and swapping cassettes recorded off the radio with my mates at school. I recall listening to The Prodigy Experience more than is probably healthy, going to local record shops and then getting into mixing. As soon as we looked old enough to get into clubs and raves in the mid-90s, we went out to hear new music there.
Ben: My first gig was The Prodigy at Brixton Academy in ‘95 which was amazing. We also went to events like Heat, One Nation and World Dance as soon as we looked old enough to get in! Before ever going to a rave it was all about listening to new music with friends which wasn't easily accessible at the time. Someone would record a set off a pirate radio station like Kool FM or Unity, play it at school and you'd hear sounds you'd never heard before. It was really eye opening to hear what was actually there, musically, underground.
Pretty much the same for both of us then!
ML // Your first significant releases were on Offkey, a label that I've always loved for its combination of DnB and Techno. What drew you to this sound?
It combines a lot of the things we love in music and can be a very futuristic, energetic sound. There are so many elements to both DnB and Techno that you can use pretty much any sound you want - whether it’s driving percussion, weird atmospheres, basses and FX, or something more musical. We don't ever feel there are any limits to the things we can try and put in a track, although we rarely if ever set out to make a certain style and usually just see what sounds good to us on the day.
ML // Do you think there is more scope for experimentation in DnB?
There are already plenty of sub-genres in DnB, but there isn't a limit on experimentation other than imagination. There are always ways to develop a sound or style. We love the way that very often a stand out DnB tune will contain elements of something no one's thought of doing before.
ML // Are you drawn at all to the more autonomic end of DnB, and labels that combine techno and DnB on a more minimal level, like Hidden Hawaii?
There's a time and place for everything and for us that’s perhaps more music to listen to at home. There is undoubtedly some very interesting stuff in that vein, but it’s not really something that we know a lot about, or tend to listen to in a club.
ML // How wide-ranging are your influences? Maybe just give us a sketch of the very outside perimeter?
Well obviously in DnB our love of all things Konflict, and Stakka & Skynet is a massive influence. But there is such a variety of incredible music out there: ‘80s Electro like Rock It, early ‘90s Acid Trance, Hip Hop, The Prodigy, Aphex Twin, Orbital, Burial, Brian Eno, Speedy J, Stax Records and even Kate Bush have influenced one or both of us to varying degrees.
ML // Dave, you've been living in Berlin for a while now, do you feel at home there? The scene seems much more techno rather than DnB oriented...
Berlin definitely feels like home and it’s a fantastic place to be, especially if you make music. It is still very much a techno city and you can hear that club systems are set up specifically for that sound, but there are regular DnB nights and the scene is healthy and growing stronger. The Subland club in particular is rectifying the imbalance with the cream of the underground DnB scene passing through on a regular basis. Their system is purpose built for DnB and we’re looking to start putting on The Sect Music nights there from February next year.
ML // Could you give us a brief description of your setup? Any favourite VSTs or hardware?
Both the Berlin and London studios are very similar, with PCs running Cubase and a host of VSTs such as Native Instruments’ Massive, which is probably our favourite for its ability to create a seemingly infinite range of sounds. Both have Tannoy Reveal monitors, whilst in addition Ben’s got a 5 octave midi keyboard and microphone, and I’ve got a really useful Behringer EQ in the room here in Berlin.
ML // Virtua comes from a turntablist background - have you produced any hip hop in the past?
Ben: Yes, but nothing which has been released - although Mary Ann Hobbs played a Trip Hop track on Radio 1 many years ago. My first love in terms of production has always been dance orientated, but it’s always fun to dabble in other genres.
ML // So we were pretty excited to hear that you're setting up your own label. What prompted this decision - and what's your main aim for the output?
Being in control for once! Starting our own label seemed like a natural development for us. We want The Sect Music to have its own identity and also stand the test of time. We both have a clear idea of how we want to achieve that, so whilst there will be tracks aimed at the dancefloor, we’ve now got a bit more freedom to try other things as well. This goes for the other artists on the label too.
ML // Any up and coming producers you particularly rate at the moment?
Springing immediately to mind are CA2K, who has been smashing everything for a while now and Absurd whose new tracks are getting better and better. Block Dodger has some deadly beats too. There are lots of talented people out there.
ML // Which of your releases so far do you feel has come the closest to representing what you wish to express musically?
So far Voices or Fractured State, although the tracks lined up on The Sect Music are getting a lot closer to the sound we’ve been trying to achieve.
ML // Favourite DnB tune? Favourite non-DnB tune
Ben: D&B - Paranoid User (Kemal) - Pitch Black; Non-D&B - The Orange Theme by Cygnus X, which I crashed my car to in ‘96 (this will forever remain the most adrenaline fuelled experience of my life. Coincidentally Jeff, our designer, was in the front passenger seat - good thing I didn’t kill us all!).
Dave: D&B - I can’t name just one favourite, but Kraken - Side Effects will always be a special tune for me. Non-D&B: It’s tie between Burial - Dog Shelter and An Ending (Ascent) by Brian Eno.
Check out the photos of their studio setup below... minimal but powerful!
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