S.U.B. Podcast #14 Review

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S.U.B. Podcast #13 SIDE ONE (SR)

Terve. March is usually a long month, so here we are with a new podcast and a new guest. He comes from Belgrade (Serbia) and during day he is a software engineer but when night closes, he transforms in a producer and DJ. Beside white label (bootlegs) he released tracks for W10 Records and Mag Media. First track was collaboration with Philly Pee “Never Gonna Let You Go", did a bootleg remix of 2Pac's classic "Do 4 Love" and my personal favorite Skabo – Porodica (Side1 remix). Played at EXIT festival for several years and those tunes brought him support from BBC Radio1, 1Xtra, LTJ Bukem, Fabio, Makoto and other well-known names. His DJ sets are mostly soulful and funky  while his production has large influence of 60’s/70's soul, jazz, funk to 90's hip-hop... You can catch him this month 23.03.2013 at Kapan An – Skopje. S.U.B. Podcast #13 a cool cat named Side1.

   1. How‘s life?

Going pretty good. As life goes on, it gets harder to catch up with music and dedicate time to it. But…where there’s a will there’s a way.

2. Tell us about your first contact with drum and bass music, and what was the turning point for you to become a DJ and later on a producer?

One of the first dnb/jungle tracks that draw my attention as a teenager was “Incredible” by MBeat. As I was completely into hiphop and breakbeat/bigbeat then, this was a perfect match – fast breakbeat with MC on top of it. After that, my friend who lived in the same building, gave me some mixtape cassettes with early jungle stuff and track that I rewound back a billion times was Atlantis by Bukem. I found that out that years after. My first intentional dive into dnb was LTJ Bukem’s “Progression Session” series which took me completely to drum&bass ride.

3. Working as a software engineer, is it hard to manage between day job and producing or playing music, how’s it going for you? 

It’s not easy. While we’re getting older our priorities change but we must find some time to do things we love. I’m passionate about both things and always have a lot of ideas but not enough time for both so it’s a constant struggle.

4. Listening to your tracks, and reading the info we can say that you draw your muse from the experience while listening to music as funk, soul and hip-hop. Who were the musicians that inspired you through life, and can you tell me how you came up with such perfect sound and ideas to sample certain track.

Huh…A lot of influences…Dr.Dre, Ice Cube, Warren G, Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince, 2Pac, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Gangstarr, A Tribe Called Quest, , The Pharcyde, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch, Outkast…Also acid jazz, Bristol sound and triphop generally - Massive Attack, Portishead, Tricky, ColdCut, Incognito, UFO, Thievery Corporation… When it comes to drum&bass it’s LTJ Bukem & Conrad, Roni Size, Calibre, Marky, Makoto… Concerning influences for my tracks, it’s mostly nostalgic & melancholic or soulful, funky vibes and happiness.

5. What software and hardware do you use for producing music?

Acid Pro was my first DAW I had contact with and it still remains my top choice. Tried to go with Cubase but due to lack of time, I didn’t have enough time and reasons to switch. In my opinion, it’s much more important to know how to get best out of software you’re working with than to have the best software ever and don’t know how to use its potential. Concerning hardware, it’s really nothing special. Audiophile 2496, old Yamaha keytar with midi out and dad’s old hifi speakers. I’m planning to update hardware section really soon but, as I said, it’s all about knowing to work with what you have and how to get the best out of it.

6. By now you have releases on W10 Records and Mag Media. Do you have any upcoming releases?

“Move Me”, collabo with DJ Deal, should be released on vinyl for Occulti Records, fresh Russian label. Due to lack of time, I have more “almost finished” tunes than those who are ready for releasing so there’s not much going on at the moment.

7. Is it difficult to be recognized and signed by labels?

Good product always finds a way to an audience but you also have to give your best shot. If you want to be there, on top, you must give your best every time and be really dedicated to whole thing. If you want to be worldknown, you must make tunes constantly, be present. Today, in Internet era, it’s a lot easier to get in touch with labels and DJs so that isn’t an obstacle any more. I started this because I love music and want to express myself. If it gets released – cool, if not – doesn’t matter. Music is unconditional love and I hardly ever make compromises with it. If I don’t feel something, I won’t play it or make it just because it is popular at the moment.

8. You also work as a promoter by doing gigs and guest nights in Belgrade. Tell us about that feeling, is it hard to promote drum and bass and other music styles in Serbia?

It’s a constant struggle. Drum&bass is not as big as it was ~10 years ago so it’s a risk to go for big names but it’s ok, we’re still there doing our thing. Last 7 years I’ve been making All That Bass parties with Rahmanee, Necone and MC Rasheed and when I look back, it really makes me happy to know what bookings we have done and how much we’ve put ourselves into it. Everytime we did some booking, we tried to give people something different, something which they can’t hear everyday. For example, having Danny Byrd back in 2008. in a club for 150-200 people... J

9. Where was your favorite gig held at?

Can’t choose one but couple of them always come up on my mind and Skopje is one of those. First time in Macedonia with Necone, That was amazing! We still talk about that one! Also, last night of EXIT Festival at Converse Stage with Lemon and Ahmaad was sick and definitely my first really big party with Marky and Stamina back in 2006. There’s a bunch of them more but those came to my mind at the moment.

10. Just two days after the official spring day, you have a gig in Skopje (23.03.2013 –Kapan An). Do you have anything to add to your fans in Skopje?  

It’s always a pleasure to come to Skopje, a lot of sincere, dear people I know and share the same vibe and passion with. It was couple of years ago when I was last time so we’ll have to make up for that! 

S.U.B. Podcast #12 KESKO LIVE

Please tell us something more about your project Kesko. 


Well the idea for the project with unique sounds and band setup that will be played live is from my childhood. Actually it was when I first heard for The Prodigy and started to listen bands like The Chemical brothers, The Crystal method, Overseer etc. I met a person, now friend of mine Seth (now Criss Cross) that used to produce trance, he showed me Cubase and he had big influence on me, which resulted with me starting with production of trance music. It lasted for about three years, when I started to search for drum samples for breakbeat/dnb. The transition from trance to breakbeat/dnb was filled with a combination of the two genres and realization that that wasn’t what I wanted. What I wanted and what defines me is hard beats combined with crazy sounds, unique synths and heavy distorted guitars, but still having something mystic in the background. I collaborated for a while, with a friend from Shtip who plays guitar and he impressed me with his creativity. An issue came up, and that was the lack of equipment, which didn’t stand in our way to be creative and have the ideas, but not to record them and create a song. I started to collect some money and after about 6 months, with the help from parents (god bless them), I bought a laptop and the sound card which I still use. So the mind recording sessions were over and our real recording session started. But, being in two different cities didn’t work out for us, so, in the end, last summer we decided that we should split. Luckily, my friend Milan is one of the best guitar player I know and one of the best producers, so I started working on the project with him. We recorded some songs and I decided to send some of them to a record label. I found Dirt, Lies and Audio from UK and tried my luck. The next day I woke up and there was an e-mail waiting in my inbox. When I opened I saw an e-mail form DLA Black saying that they love my music and would love to release an album on their label. So I mixed the songs and went to Miki’s home to master them. When we were done I sent the songs to DLA Black and the release date was set.



What equipment do you use for producing music and live act? 

First of all I use my lap top with Cubase installed on it and for sound card I have m-audio fast track pro connected to m-audio BX5a monitors. Then comes the Akai MPK25 keyboard. The guitar setup is connected to Mac book pro where the distortion comes from a software called “Main Stage” and the sound card that Miki uses is apogee duet which have some awesome features if u play live. Well for life act is pretty the same setup except I use the keyboard more.




Is there any other member in your project, and do you intend to expand by adding more musicians to your project? 

 Well yes of course there is! Milan Simovski is the talented guitarist that play the guitar when we record and play live. In the future the plan is to expand the project with a drummer and MC (Master of Ceremony).




How many live act’s have you done by now, what are your impressions, how does the crowd react to your live act? 

 For now we had 2 live acts , the first one in Kapan An, Skopje and the second in Dom Na Mladi, Shtip. To be honest I didn’t know what to expect from the crowd, but in the end it was surprisingly energetic. I was happy to see and feel that vibe going in there.




Expectations and future goals? 

 More live performances around Europe of course J . and new music and album which is already started. So expect much from us in the future, more new sounds and more crazy live acts. All the best!