The big boss of Phonetic Recordings live and direct…
Interview by Dan Prince
Mr Roar! A very warm welcome back to DMCWORLD towers young man…where on planet earth can we find you today?
I’d love to say I’m in sunny London, part of that would be true. I’m definitely in London, but looking at a dark grey sky, thinking of you lucky people out there in Ibiza. Hopefully though this will all changing from next Wednesday onwards, I’m just getting ready for my 2017 Asia tour. Kicking things off at Le Noir, the new club in Kuala Lumpur with Gary Gecko. Next day I’m hot footing hangover style to Koh Samui to play at the new Palms venue. Tuesday a boat (or possibly pedalo) over to Ko Phangan to play Samsara Beach with Jourdan Bordes. Then over to see my ol’ Ibiza mate Marco Loco to play a festival in the jungle to 6k people. Finishing off back in Samui at Solo and then that wonderful 11+ hour flight home. A week at home, then back off to Australia, hitting Sydney, Melbourne & Perth!
Now that is a fucking month to look forward to. What was the first tune you heard this morning after crawling out of bed?
Funnily enough, it was Nuyorican Soul – Back Gold of the Sun, it doesn’t get much better than that:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYBT90PFmoM
Well, a new year and another massive track from the Phonetic Recordings head honcho. This time in the form of ‘Night Strings’ that has already smashed it’s way to No.1 in the world famous Buzz Chart. Please talk us through the history and sound of the track…
Thanks for the nice words, really chuffed you like it Dan. Every production I’ve made is written for the Space Ibiza Terrace. Even though that is no longer, well sort of, possibly still is?? It’s always going to be my template and was for ‘Night Strings’. The day I finished the track I was talking to Richie Roberts of BBC Radio fame, the next day he was playing at the Hacienda Classical event. I’d been to the Albert Hall event with Mike Pickering and Graeme Park, something very very special. I sent the track over to Richie, he dropped it and sent me some footage of it going off, with a lovely comment saying that 10 people had asked him what the track was and that is absolutely took the roof off. Mad! I sent the tune over to Thomas Gandey who you are probably know from Caged Baby, Suara, Get Physical etc. He loved it and has written some lyrics to it. I was in the studio yesterday producing it, I’ll send it over as soon as it’s back from the master suite. The Original mix of Night Strings is getting some great props with a real cross section of Tastemaker’s playing it, from Marc Marzenit (Cocoon), Edu Imbernon, Cevin Fisher, Eelke Kleijn (Suara) Gorgon City 5/5 “Love it!”, Ali Dubfire – Deep Dish 5*, Danny Howard (Radio 1), Kiss FM, Mike Pickering, Roger Sanchez, The Mekanizm (ANTZ) & Resident Advisor.
So this was Ibiza you had in mind, not the forthcoming Miami WMC week?
More Ibiza really, but it’s always nice to be able to promo a track in Miami before you unleash it on the white island.
The whole of 2017 is stretching ahead of us all. Do you think electronic music is in a good place at the moment?
Absolutely, there are some wicked producers and tracks around at the moment. I’m sure most of them are gearing up their productions for Ibiza this summer.
What are the plans for Phonetic this year, what artists and releases are coming up?
I’m just putting together the new ‘Rob Roar Presents Ibiza Night & Day’ Album. One side is a Sunset, Poolside vibe and the other featuring some of the big Ibiza tunes for this summer. We’ve been lucky enough to get some amazing accolades, including Ibiza Album of the Year from your goodself (#chuffed) with the albums hitting No.1 on Beatport.
Last year’s album: http://pitch-one.net/phonetic/release/082_/phonetic_nd2016.html
We’ve just had a label re-brand with our next single courtesy of Jourdan Bordes launching our new artwork. We’ve just set up the new Phonetic Spotify page, expect lots of interesting playlists there. Forthcoming releases include:
Rob Roar Ft. Thomas Gandey – Night Strings
Jourdan Bordes – It’s About That Time
Sin Morera – In da Mix
Rob Roar – Rockerfella (Rob’s Don’t Sleep Mix)
Secluded Family – The Way
Cowlin – Get Hype
And some of Phonetic’s Classic House tracks revisited and remixed.
The 5 big tunes in your box this weekend…
Just received the new Cristoph ‘Skedaddle’ track from Yousef’s excellent Circus Recordings label, wicked tune.
Rehmark ‘Encounters Part. 1. One seriously mesmerising Techno track, I can’t stop listening to this.
Sin Morera – In Da Mix. Sin sent me this from NYC, a real quality piece of House Music. I called him back 20 minutes later, saying we MUST have this for the Phonetic label. One of those rare tunes you’d hear Tony Humphries hammering.
Jourdan Bordes – Fubar . I’m a big fan of this guy already, he’s sent me about 8 tracks, all of which kick ass. This is a very cool Deep Tech House groove with a Washing Machine twist.
Kevin Yost – Empty House. Another sublime slice of Techno. One of those head down, get lost in the moment tunes.
As you mentioned, you are a huge lover and also clubbers’ favourite of Ibiza. An interesting summer awaits with news already out including the new Hï venue featuring an across the board musical line up, Coxy at Privilige, Defected returning to San Antonio…and it’s only February! You looking forward to it all?, has the White Isle still got the magic?
I can’t bloody wait. Great to see Coxy will be there again this summer, such a big flyer of the global House music flag. I remember bopping around to Carl as a kid, the three deck wizard he used to be called. Still smashing it!
Ibiza is always what you make it, where else in the world can you Dance at some of the most amazing venues with a group of like minded people having the time of your life, whilst meeting new and old friends?
The shootings at BPM in Mexico. A tragedy just waiting to happen?
There’s been a few times I’ve thought about this, with some of the mad stuff going on in the world today. This was just a gathering of people having a great time, not doing any harm to anyone else. Why?
Some up and coming producers to watch out for in 2017…
I’ve mentioned Jourdan Bordes a few times in this interview, he’s from LA, now residing in Thailand. Def. one to watch. Cassel is dong the biz, his ‘Heavy’ release on Phonetic did the business for us, great tastemaker props and charted nicely on Beatport. He’s also just released on Elrow’s new label. Watch out for the Secluded Family crew too.
Okay let’s dig a little deeper into your daily life. The last…
Amazing film you saw:
The new Grammy award winning Hollywood blockbuster; ‘The Life & Times of Rob Roar’. It lasts all of about 45 seconds. Pretty much over before it even started. Don’t bother with the popcorn.
Time you shouted abuse at the radio:
Probably some numpty on LBC putting the world to rights.
Cool live artist you went to see:
I was invited along to a live performance from Adamski of ‘Killer’ fame recently, he has a great vibe going on with his Neo Waltz (I think it’s called) Really clever stuff with some great singers performing live for him. Def worth checking out.
Brilliant book you read:
OK so slightly weird, but I read The Iceman recently. About some raving lunatic who was a contract killer for the mafia in America. Toe curling stuff.
Time you cried:
I was having a wail of a time on my new state of the art two seater pedalo, moored in between two super yachts in Ibiza town harbour. After a big night out, I invited a few people back for some shenanigans, only to find some twat had dismantled and nicked the slide. Notified the Harbour Police, they reckon it must’ve been a slippery job. Ouch.
And finally, what is your next venture into the studio going to bring us?
As always pretty much a twisted fusion, I’ll always listen to what is doing it for me set wise, and then write something that I know will get a reaction (hopefully) when dropped. Never really following a specific vein, but always a Tech, Deep House kinda groove…
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Phonetic Recordings
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