The Not So Serious Session 26 with BrEaCh

Dabbling in everything from singing, songwriting, DJing and producing, BrEaCh is perhaps better known for the vast and eclectic musical output released under his real name, Ben Westbeech. However, in the past few years his skilled and forward-thinking productions, drawing influence from the bass-driven strains of techno and UK funky, have marked out his 'alter ego' BrEaCh as a rapidly rising talent in the UK underground scene. The launch of his own imprint last year, Naked Naked, as well his most recent release 'Jack' on Dirtybird Records have only served to further this ascent. Before his upcoming label showcase in London this month, we catch up with Ben for a brief, and not-so-serious, chat about everything from production skills, Margaret Thatcher, and otters...seemingly a lot about otters.

I first started making music because... 

...I was drawn to it from an early age, and started DJing when I was 12. Bootleg rave tapes gave me an insight into a mysterious world and I just had to get into it. 

The best memory I have of DJing...

...was playing in my bedroom while my friend Mike drew mad graffiti when I was 17, we used to inspire each other. It doesn't get any better than that. 

Club nights or festivals...

To play, I enjoy intimate club nights. To go to. Festivals. 

The country with the best music scene...

...is Holland. I just moved to Amsterdam and I love the scene here!

My fave part of laying down a track...

...is the finishing touches at the end. The tricks and edits bit. That to me is the best bit. 

I'm not 'cool' because...

...I like looking at cute pics of otters.

I wish I could do more...

...cuddling. 

The record that I couldn't live without...

...'Three King Fishers' by Gabor Szabo. It's a cover of a Donavon track. It's heaven in a record.

Maggie Thatcher...

...fucked my trip to Madame Tussuads up as a kid in the 80s because of the poll tax riots. I'm still hurting. 

Quality production means...  

...going beyond the needs and expectations of customers. 

My DJ Emergency Kit must include...

...Benzos and earplugs.

By 2014 I plan to have...

...some cute little otters living in my bath.

  

Catch the Naked Naked label special with secret guests on Friday 26th April at Dance Tunnel, Dalston. 

See event info here. 

Buy tickets here.

Music Through Pictures with Mr. G

Music Through Pictures is a new interview series, in which MEOKO gives an artist nine images and asks for nine corresponding songs in return. We're hoping this will highlight the relationship between art, sound, images and music, whilst also gaining a fun insight into the musical minds of some of our favourite DJs and producers...

Formally known as Colin McBean, and previously a member of the KCC trio and one half of 90s techno act, The Advent, Mr. G is nothing less than a UK techno veteran. From his involvement in sound system culture in the 80s, the legendary weekly Confusion parties he helped throw, and street-dancing on stage at techno parties, through to his recent resurgence since joining the Rekids imprint, Mr. G has influenced a whole techno culture. Repetitive (without being repititious) and relentless, analogue-driven techno, with the kind of infectious bassline that only a man rooted in the history of dub and reggae could ever produce. He makes it literally impossible not to dance. For this reason, we absolutely jumped at the chance to have him take part in our Music Through Pictures interview series ahead of his upcoming gig in London, intrigued to find out what musical delights he would give us in response to the nine images we provided. Never one to disappoint, Colin came back with an eclectic variety of classics and stompers, all demonstrating the complexity of his musical influences, with artists ranging from Radiohead, Big Youth, Dexter Wansal and Paul McCartney. 

 - 1 - 

"Reminds me of uptown Bronx and this
slice o' chocolate pop fits just right to me…"

- 2 -

"Way too much drama here…so let’s lighten
things up and add some fun!"

 - 3 -

"This is my blazing tune….one of the original
masters, Big Youth. Heavy tune. A rebel sound!"

- 4 - 

 

"We have lift off…… i.e. Future Jazz"

- 5 - 

"Where’s the party at?….you know Mr. G gonna
come rock da Party!"

 - 6 -

"Dexter, the master of space and time music...
and yeah, time is a teacher."

- 7 - 

"There are many places in the world this could
be...and it lets me know just what the world is?"

- 8 -

"Looks pretty perfect to me...but is everything
in the right place?"

- 9 -

"If you love me Lord...take me higher and
higher!"

Catch Mr. G playing LIVE alongside Rodhad at OneMore on Saturday 27 April in London.

See the event and buy tickets here.

Music Through Pictures with Francesca Lombardo

London based DJ and unique electronic sculptress, Francesca Lombardo, is far from a newcomer to the electronic music world despite her recent leap to recognition via Damian Lazarus's Crosstown Rebels crew. Initially going under the alias Jackie Misfit and DJing at underground clubs and parties throughout London, as well as running her own imprint Echolette Records. Her success as Misfit saw her catch the ear of Damian Lazarus in 2011 who swiftly snapped up her potential and signed her to his label and agency.  An accomplished DJ who has played at the biggest music events including Sonar and Miami WMC, where she has just returned from, her technique in the studio is not to go unnoticed either. With a classical grounding, Lombardo is a genuine musical talent. Her productions are rife with feeling and emotion, tinged with her own vocals and ever changing inspiration. With an EP forthcoming on Crosstown, Francesca will be a force to be reckoned with. Ahead of her set at mulletover's 9th birthday event alongside Maceo Plex, we invited her to take part in a little gem of an interview series we like to call 'Music Through Pictures'...

- 1 - 

This girl is stuck in a cage...and there is love in her.
 

- 2 -

 
I find this picture sexy, transgressive and slow…this is the track that
better reflects it for me.

- 3 -

The colours of the scene of this picture reminds me of this track, like it’s
the final scene of a movie where the star of the night gets taken away
by the police!
 

- 4 -

This track is exactly what is going on in the picture…dreaming…
colours…and frequencies all around!
 

- 5 -

This scene just IS this track for me…she is walking and not thinking
anymore, but she is the melody of this music.
 

- 6 -

This picture is punks, and rastas….80s for sure!
Just fun fun fun!

- 7 -

 
 This picture tells a story...it reminds me of this song. I would definitely
be listening to this track if the party never started.
 

- 8 -

The lyrics of this track have nothing to do with this image but if I was to
make a movie scene like this, I would choose it as the soundtrack
- happy and colorful.
 

- 9 -

Epic picture...epic tune...still Giorgio.
 

Francesca Lombardo is playing at the Mulletover 9th Birthday alongside Maceo Plex, Geddes and Sam Russo tonight, Thursday 28th March. 

Tickets will not be on sale on the door but you can buy them online until 9pm here

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Music Through Pictures with A Guy Called Gerald

Music Through Pictures, is a new and unique interview series, attempting to highlight the relationship between art, sound, images and music whilst also getting an insight into the musical minds of some of our favourite DJs and producers...

We are hugely excited to have A Guy Called Gerald contribute to our second instalment of Music Through Pictures - if anyone is worth getting an artistic insight into, it is this man. Gerald Simpson has a truly unique insider’s view of the evolution of dance music having been involved since the early eighties when at 14 years old he started sneaking into Manchester’s underground clubs to dance to a blend of jazz funk, dub and electro funk that would later influence his sound dramatically. Now residing in Berlin, A Guy Called Gerald is probably best known for his 1988 classic 'Voodoo Ray' and his production with 808 State, with the infamous 'Pacific State' track that made him the first producer to have TWO instrumental dance tracks in the UK charts at the same time (a rare feat). His experiments in music production since the eightes, even the mistakes he made and rolled with, have gone on to act as a blueprint for a whole host of dance movements to follow. With the release of his 'True School Manifesto' (a written allegience to playing authentic, honest music that focuses on good times and rejects the notion of 'style' and musical trends), the ethos of A Guy Called Gerald is certainly one to take heed of. 

- 1 -

"This track will never be repeated, but some folks will always try to do
someting similar. Their problem is they haven't realised in 25 years
nothing I do or have ever done is repeatable. ;)
HAPPY 25TH BIRTHDAY VOODOO RAY. WE RULE!"

- 2 -

"This song was written as a way to release tension at a time when I was
living in a gun town called Manchester a long time ago. The cops had a
bad attitude at the time because they were working in a war zone."

- 3 -

"This track is pure love and sunshine, and this is what I see in this photo.
A light, happy vibe."

- 4 -

"This tune reminds me of the land of my parents, Jamaica."

- 5 -

"This track is over 20 years old but still gives me the chills. This image
reminds me of the studio where I wrote it..."

- 6 -

"This track reminds me of a saxophone guy playing a lone sax over a track
alien to him, but he's doing a good job :)"

- 7 -

"This track reminds me of a time I realised that I've never seen the land
where humans were invented."

- 8 -

"This track is a crowd mover. When played live it never sounds the same
twice. I love adding new parts to tracks and tricking them out so that
eventually they become a different track. This is how I write music and
perform it."  

- 9 - 

"This track reminds me of that day I found out that it never rains when
I have my umbrella with me! Funny, but true - I have a special umbrella
that has never been wet :) "

A Guy Called Gerald is playing LIVE at the secretsundaze Easter Special on Thursday March 28 at Electric Brixton alongside Nina Kraviz, Mike Huckaby, Anthony Naples, and more.

Buy tickets here Visit the Facebook event here

Music Through Pictures with D'Julz

MEOKO are excited to launch a new interview series, Music Through Pictures, in which we attempt to highlight the relationship between art, sound, images and music whilst also getting an insight into the musical minds of some of our favourite DJs and producers...

With this in mind, we thought D'julz would make a perfect candidate for the launch of this series. With a career spanning over two decades, D’julz (formally known as Julien Veniel) has undoubtedly made a critical and long-lasting impact on the culture of house and techno both in France, Europe and beyond. Perhaps his most famous contribution to electronic music has been the founding of his renowned Bass Culture parties back in 1997, the longest-running club night at Paris’ most legendary nightclub, Rex, and still running to this day. Ignoring the ebb and flow of trends over the past twenty years, D'julz has made his name through a consistently quality stream of production, with anthemic tracks being released on labels such as Ovum, 20:20 Vision, Pokerflat, Get Physical and many more. With the ever-growing success of his Bass Culture label, set up in 2009, and the recent release of his Special Day EP on Circus Company (listen here) once again expressing his timeless production skills, the Parisian techno veteran is still at the top of his game.

-1-

  
Stripped down, deep, hypnotic and futuristic. A modern combination of
King tubby and Steve Reich (two of my favorite musicians).

-2-

It‘s all over her face that she prefers drinking! 
Anyway, I've seized the opportunity to talk about the amazing Arthur
Russell and this timeless New York anthem.

-3-

Sci–fi and epic...it’s gotta be Detroit music.

-4-

Birds and crying….I can think of only one song! Prince was my hero in
the 80’s, I was a hardcore fan collecting all the records and bootlegs,
going to all the concerts...He still is the best live perfomer I've ever seen
to this day but I‘d rather not listen to any of his recent work.

-5-

 
Yes, I think she feels it! The first house track I ever heard and which
consequently changed my life...

-6-

 

Dark, spooky and menacing tune from these Chicago masters. Perfect
soundtrack to dismember somebody (I never thought I would actually
say that!)

-7-

I can't think of any song made for Thor or Hulk Hogan, so I picked a tune
that describes what is probably going on in his head.

-8-

Dring dring...another hero calling!

-9-

I did play this track at an after party on a beach years ago and it just
made complete sense.

Listen to D'Julz new EP here
Visit his website here