Feels like the right way to start of 2012 here on Disco Droppings. This young duo from the UK has a lot of love to give. Their EP is on the way..

DD Your use of vocals is incredibly clear and balanced. Goes straight to the heart. What vocal tracks have emotionally hit you the most?

B For me (George) I actually love the vocals in ‘BTSTU’ by Jai Paul. There’s something intriguing yet beautiful about the contrast between the lyrics and the vocal itself. Lykke li is also someone I’m inspired by. We’re both big John Legend followers, he really shows the extent an acapella can be taken to in tracks like ‘Used To Love U’.

For me (Adam) John Legend’s first two albums are remarkable vocal-wise, ‘Where did my baby go?’ is a perfect vocal and melody combination in my opinion. I’m also a big fan of Alicia Keys, ‘The Diary Of Alicia Keys’ especially, ‘If I Ain’t Got You’ is too good. I think her voice is practically perfect in that song. All of D’Angelo’s ‘Brown Sugar’ has some beautiful vocal performances as well.

DD What would you say about each of your contributions to the sound of Bondax? As a pair, how do you guys bounce off each others style and mindset?

B We work quite separately when it comes to gathering ideas generally. But our sound is definitely a combination of (mainly Adams) compositional ideas and (Georges) production ideas so the end product is a reflection of both our creative preferences. The other thing is, being such close mates we have no problems telling each other what we really think so we always achieve something we both like.

DD If you could interview one of the producers you’re influenced by, what would you want to talk about?

B Well obviously it’d be nice to take some production tips from them firstly. It’d be cool finding out when and where they produce, if they have a sanctuary-esque studio or if they just have a laptop they move around with. It’s also interesting knowing how someone gets themselves in the right vibe for producing. It’d be sick just to hear about a few of their greatest experiences in or out of music too.

DD What have been a few of the most inspiring moments for you guys in 2011?

B Radio 1 play, getting our tracks signed to several labels, getting played on rinse fm. Support from lots of other djs, turning 18 (George)! It’s all been quite mad considering we had only made one original track together this time last year and it was infact ‘Just Smile For Me’.

Warehouse Project was definitely a highlight, and Beatherder festival, always one of the best weekends of the year. It’s sick knowing that we make tunes that sound like we want them to sound and people still enjoy them, there’s a great sense of joy and liberty that comes from that. Although our music is essentially dance music because it’s what we love, everything comes straight from our hearts. I think that love is why our tunes almost have a softness that surrounds all of them. Hopefully we’ll continue to evolve as quickly in 2012 and there will be some exciting times ahead.

DD Last words?

Thanks to all who supported us in 2011, our first EP ‘Reverie’ will be dropping around March keep your eyes peeled and a happy new year to all.

Support on Twitter Soundcloud & Facebook 

– Jimi Jaxon

Thanks once again to III Cosby, head of Car Crash Set for sharing this producer with me. Artek has a show on Sub.FM with G. Davies on Monday’s 10am-noon west coast time. Open your eyes..

DD Your songs connect with me very effortlessly. You seem very in tune with your emotions.

ATK I Like to bring emotion into a beat but that’s what a lot of music nowadays is like. It’s just hitting those heart strings ennit.

DD Recently G. Davies stopped by Disco Droppings. We talked a bit about his Sub.FM show with you. Which artists are you especially hyped on sharing with your Sub.FM show?

ATK One artist we’ve been playing beats from all year is Hoodmode. Expecting a lot from him next year. Personally I’ve been excited to play beats by a guy called Fabian, he’s doing that perfect garage sound that is surprisingly hard to come by nowadays. Loads of new upcoming artists have been sending us tunes and it’s really good to hear beats by people you wouldn’t have normally come across. If our plans succeed our regular artists on the show will be coming to a vinyl near you.

DD I really like this low bass that comes in for the last part of “Out Of Touch”. This is forthcoming on B.YRSLF, when does it come out?

ATK It should be out early next year just mixing down the final track. Shouts to the B.YRSLF guys they are the best label I’ve dealt with so far and their roster is amazing. Hopefully ill do more for them next year. Very understanding guys as well!! 

DD Your “Holdin'” single on Car Crash Set is fantastic. I like those synths in the beginning, reminds me of the 80’s. Also like those little vocoded vocals jumpin around. I like the space artwork for this release along with VRTraining. Is this a constant influence for your work?

ATK Yea I’m a big fan of the whole synth wave and italo sound, doesn’t come across in my music much but I hint at it a lot. I like that epic spacey vibe.

DD What’s been the best moment for you as an artist in 2011?

ATK I think it would be getting the sub fm show. Used to listen to the station a lot back in my school days feels good to be a part of it now. 

DD Do you feel different personalities coming out when your in Artek artistic mode, compared to your day to day life? What traits of yours do you enjoy amplifying with your music?

ATK My weirdness comes out. But all my tunes I bring out like that usually stay on my hard drive, don’t think anyones ready for them just yet lol. I’m a pretty normal guy though really.

DD Who would you say are the most fearless and innovative producers right now?

ATK Geiom, but he has kept it real since day one. TWOINCHPUNCH and Beaumont are onto winning sounds. Brey has always been keeping it real but he’s a rare guy nowadays. 

Stay with Artek on Soundcloud Twitter & Facebook 

– Jimi Jaxon

I have a gift for you guys. It’s an interview I did with Ryan North, who is writing the new Adventure Time comic series, out in early 2012. I am a mega-fan of the show, and hopefully this won’t be the last Adventure Time related feature I do. Ryan is also the creator of the Dinosaur Comics. Here we go!   

DD To me,  Adventure Time is the best show on TV. How did you hook up with the team behind the show and how do you hope to compliment the show with your comic series?

RN Adventure Time is really great – it’s one of the few shows I’ve recommended to my friend Joey Comeau (he writes A Softer World) and he loves it too.  We were in a hotel room in Florida and Adventure Time came on and I pretty much yelled “STOP, STAY ON THIS CHANNEL” and by the end of the episode he was hooked.  Pen and I had talked a bit years ago before the show launched but couldn’t get anything to work, but when the chance to write the comic came up, the stars aligned!

I’m hoping the comic and the show will go together really well.  I’d like them to be so that anyone can slide from one to the other and not miss anything, but I also want it so someone who has never heard of Finn or Jake or Princess Bubblegum can pick up the comic and say “Aha, I get this!  I understand what this is about and it is AWESOME.”  And it’d be great if Adventure Time viewers who want more adventure more of the time pick up the comic and it scratches that itch really well too.

DD What is the most challenging aspect of this project?

RN It’s been a fun change to work with someone else’s continuity!  I’ll write something and I’ll have to stop and say “Wait, is that item stored in that room of the tree house?  Does the Ice King have his prisons on the same floor as his throne?” and then I’ll look it up on an Adventure Time wiki or fan site somewhere and be able to continue.  I don’t think that Adventure Time is a show or a comic that should be choked by its own continuity, but I’d rather have something right if I can!  There’s nothing to be gained from having something be different for no reason, and if you can get it right, it’s deeply satisfying for both readers and me as a writer.  It makes the whole story seem real and official, if that makes sense.

With Dinosaur Comics the continuity is both a) looser and b) all in my head, so there’s no place to check for this sort of thing, but it also comes up much more rarely.  Someone did make a Dinosaur Comics Timeline which puts all my time travel comics into one consistent narrative, and it is CRAZY, but I’m glad it’s out there.  I should manufacturer reasons to refer to that timeline document more often.

DD Will the comic series reenact old episodes, or will these be all new story lines?

RN All new!  I think the show already has such a great visual style that there wouldn’t be much to gain from simply translating them word-for-word into a new medium.  It’s a much better idea to create something brand new and just as awesome!

DD Will there be any new characters in the comic series?

RN There will!  Adventure Time the show has tons of new characters showing up all the time, and the comic will have some of that chaotic creativity.  But it’ll also have lots of familiar faces.  It’s not Adventure Time without Finn and Jake (or Fionna and Cake)…

It has been super fun to send descriptions for any new characters to the artists, Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb, and see what they come up with.  I get back emails with the most amazing, terrific stuff, and it all looks like it could be on the show.  It’s gonna be a lot of fun to read!

DD Disco Droppings mainly focuses on music so I wanna ask, what songs/artists get you hyped to create?

RN It’s funny, because if I listen to music I haven’t heard before when I’m writing, I get too distracted by the lyrics and figuring them out.  So when I write I either listen to songs I’ve loved for years, or I’ll listen to songs I don’t particularly like so I can ignore them – but when I notice that, I’ll just turn off the music.

I’ve been big into mashups lately, so much so that I haven’t listened to just ONE song at a time for a while.  A Plus D and The Kleptones do my favourite stuff!

DD What do you enjoy most about your job? Sounds pretty rad to me!

RN It – it basically is?  I get to get up in the morning and write, AND, there’s usually a bunch of emails from people I’ve never met saying that they like my work and therefore like me too.  It’s REALLY EASY to wake up to!

To answer your question, I love having the freedom to work on what I want.  It sounds like a little thing, but it means you’re always working on something that engages you, and that’s critical.  It makes working fun!

DD What would you like to be known for? Between all the projects you’ve done so far, what ties it all together for you? What do you hope readers take from your art?

RN This is a really good question!  I suppose if you take Dinosaur Comics, Whispered Apologies, Machine of Death, Project Wonderful and now the Adventure Time comic, put them in a blender, and chugged what came out, I’d hope you’d end up with a semi-viscous liquid that was delicious, entertaining, pushed the boundries of what you thought was possible, and was also awesome.  Awesomeness is really important to me.  I feel it is unarguable that things would definitely be improved if everything were awesome.

Ryan North on Twitter 

– Jimi Jaxon