DD I’ve heard the electronic community in Vancouver is vibrant. How does it look from your perspective? Where would you like to see it go?
DS Yep, lots goin on in Van, whatever your tastes may be. Originally hailing from Southern Ontario, we can offer a perspective on Vancouver that begins from around 2003.. the local scene in all genre’s has always been strong, even if limited in size, but for the bass music community, things really picked up around 2006 with the first dubstep events being booked by Kuma and Tusk (Kode 9). Around the same time Max Ulis and Jesse Proudfoot started promoting a weekly grime and dubstep night followed by a local festival (New Forms Festival) that started promoting bass centric nights under the guidance of Michael Red and Malcom Levy (Dubforms). From that foundation we’ve seen the scene flourish and now see regular events from multiple crews (Lighta! Sound, I.G.U. Shah Dj’s, Perception to name a few) featuring both local talent (Taal Mala, Max Ulis, Michael Red, Calamalka, Hxdb, Self Evident, Librarian, Myles Away, Glitchy & Scratchy to name a few) and international talent (Mala, Distance, Benga, Skream, Hatcha, Martyn, DJG, 2562, Headhunter to new a few) as well as locally based labels (Fathom, Aufect, East Van Digital) and now an amazing new festival close to home (Bass Coast). When you have good talent, a good vibe, a good crowd, good sound-system standards, and a backdrop of rain-forest and mountain tops, it’s hard not to have a really good time.
As far as where we’d like to see it go? It’s going where ever it needs to go, we’ll see cycles of what peeps are feelin and what they’re not. We’d like to see it hold true to it’s foundations of pushing new sounds to new audiences and maintaining those standards of vibe, setting and sound-systems that have given us the scene we so much enjoy. Ultimately the scene will continue to evolve how it has in the past – new music will come through and producers will push boundaries.
DD What’s your experience been running your label Fathom Recordings? What’s been the biggest challenge?
DS As we are really still in the early stages of Fathom’s development we don’t have a lot to share yet on it’s history :]. From conceptualizing design, art and content to the distro, marketing and retailing of the records, the job certainly has many facets – with the first release down the second will be easier. It is worth it tho, to have something physical, “an artifact” (to quote Jon A.D. from LoDubs) to be passed down through time as opposed to a digital file that can just as easily be thrown into the recycling bin/trash and deleted as easily as it was downloaded, makes doing the 12 inch’s special. This is why we’ve chosen to do limited runs, silk-screen our own art and number the releases, it’s fun to have/collect/own an artifact that has a story. Thus far, the biggest challenge with the label would have to be the fact that you have to do everything yourself. The artistic side is super fun and fulfilling and we have a tight vision, whereas the bizz side, distro, marketing and promo stuff – like making sure people know what you are doing and keeping the release current in peoples minds with all the other great stuff that’s happening out there is def a challenge.
DD Tracks of yours have appeared in sets from Mary Anne Hobbs, Mr. Scruff and Headhunter, congratulations! How did that come about?
DS Our first dubstep EP went out on DPR recordings which is run by garage legend Noodles based in London UK. He has been an integral part of garage music for a number of years (Groove Chronicles – him and El B) and has Mary Anne Hobb’s ear. Not to sure how MR. Scruff came across “Passion” tho probably through Noodles. With Headhunter we played a show with him an gave him some music – from there we’ve stayed in touch. He’s supported our first release on Fathom Recordings and also our Moonrise EP that went out on Blipswitch in 2010.
DD Describe your first show at Mutek Festival 2011..
DS It was wicked. The festival is run so well, they are very hospitable, great sound and production. It was an honour to be asked to participate. We played alongside fellow members of our Lighta! crew and were also booked to perform live. We mostly get booked to dj so it was great to get to showcase our new music in a live pa set. Montreal is an incredible city, the festival is next level and if you can find a way to attend, don’t miss it!
DD What helps you stay in the zone? What keeps you motivated and focused as an artist?
DS Our love for music and a desire to always come up with new and different sounds and of course “life” is pretty much the biggest motivator. There are always things happening, good stuff and difficult things that fuel the fire to express yourself musically. Every time we ascend to what we feel is a new level in our writing we see the next peak as clear as day. So you just keep going and persevere. It also helps to live in such a beautiful setting – the ocean air is really nice.
DD Plans going into 2012?
DS We have lots of upcoming releases including a 2 track ep on Carcrashset, 3 track ep with DPR and we are currently working on a collab with Hxdb which looks like it will be coming out on 12″. 002 on our Fathom imprint will be coming out on 12″ with one Daega Sound tune and a remix by the excellent duo June Miller. We are finishing up our website daegasound.com and making our music much more available to everyone than it has been in the past. So getting that music out there will be a big focus of 2012.
DD Last words?
DS Yup, we would def like to thank everyone who has supported and inspired us over the years!
We have some new music coming out December 16th 2011. It’s a 6 track EP titled “Let It All Go” on UK label Echodub. Here’s a link to the preview:
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– Jimi Jaxon
dd 