All hail the new king of Jackin House!
Interview by Ratha Gud
Hi Demuir, welcome back to DMCWORLD.. Where are you in the world right now?
Thanks for having me again! I’m at home in Toronto right now chillin’.
What was the first piece of music you heard today?
I heard some great modern soul blasting from a streaming site this morning. Nice vibes. Think D-Train, Change, and B. B. & Q.
How did you first get into producing music, did someone turn you on to it or did you just explore it alone?
Production was an exploration for me to better understand how groups like A Tribe Called Quest and Pete Rock made their Hip Hop beats. A genuine fascination and curiosity of sorts to get into their heads and influences because I knew what I would learn would be life changing.
Congratulations on your brilliant new album TruSkool on DJ Sneak’s Magnetic Recordings, tell us a bit about the release and how it was made?
TruSkool came about as a statement to my production peers, lovers of underground music, and industry heads to say:
– We can all learn from each other and history has as much meaning and value yesterday as it does today
– Artists, like most people, are complex. Don’t box us in with one genre. I’m multi-faceted and it’s only natural that cascade to my music.
– Do More. Be More. I’ve grown tired of hearing lazy productions and people packaging effortless bootlegs and edits as original and inspiring.
Old School, Nu School, TruSkool – discuss. What’s the link?
So glad you asked this!
Old School is what some refer to as the people, concepts, and ideas of yesteryear. I’m amazed some folks are quick to write off these people and things when there is material foundation there to be respected and to learn from. A few may go as far to put a timeline on it (eg. Old School is considered anything that is pre 2010), which is pretty much relative when you think about it. I’m certain when the Rolling Stones were diving deep into the blues, they didn’t summarize those ideas as boring and exhausted, they learned from it to make great music for tomorrow.
Nu School is this idea of modernism, which is also a relative thought. In our culture, I have seen people who would categorize themselves as “Old School” and go into that thought of Nu School not really having a place and damaging the foundation of what was laid down. Reality is that Nu School factions have introduced a different way of working and viewing things with the help of technology. And it brings about these passionate debates on better DJs using vinyl (Old School) vs. Controllers / Laptops (Nu School). Bottom line is Nu School has a place and it’s introducing some things that were not possible before.
The link. TruSkool is a demand that both Old School and Nu School factions have a place and can learn from one another and the output is progression. Not a stalemate that is steeped in wasted time and debate. The way I see it is that Old School encourages one to learn the foundation and how things came to be while Nu School gives us an opportunity to do things different – thus inspiring new and progressive ideas.
What was your main source of inspiration when creating the album?
As a foundation of the sound, I wanted to make sure it was evident Old School vibes with a presence of Nu School thought. Given that presence, I drew from real life things with tracks like ‘It’s My Turn” where I’m saying I have a place here with my art and I ain’t going nowhere – so let’s make this music thing a discussion about putting one’s art on the line. And then to some rugged acid based Techno sounds in the ‘Coward in Aries’ that calls out people who hide behind their fears and damage others in the process – something I just don’t have time for…Sure made a great tune. Lastly, ‘Call of Da Sound’ that has a roaring vocal in this Tech House that screams for some soul to be brought in.
Have you got a favourite track on the album, why does it stand out for you?
That’s tough. Lol. I’ll go with two…“It’s My Turn” and “Coward of Aries” These stand out for me because of the personal messages and immediate response I got from the likes of Darius Syrossian, Nathan Barato, Carlo Lio, Sneak, and Mark Farina when I posted snippets while they were a work in progress. Sometimes songs immediately grab people and connect them exactly to what I was looking to achieve.
You have a very unique flavour to your tracks with cut up vocals and samples, how do you go about sourcing those clips, do you have a something specific in mind before you look for it or do you just listen to records and say hey I wanna use that?
Simply put. I dig for records… A lot. There are sounds you just won’t find on iTunes and I’m good with that because it translates to the unique flavor you hear. After listening to the records, I take the parts and pair them up with ideas I already got bouncing around in my mind. I also think your energy and intent draw you to certain things. For example, when I did, “Derrick Does Disco” EP , I immediately knew I wanted to do this EP chronicling my night on the dancefloor with Derrick Carter playing Disco at Smartbar in Chicago and all those samples come from Dave’s Records in Chicago because I went there with that energy and intention the very next day.
The current market seems a free for all with millions of uncleared samples on tracks and record stores allowing them to go on sale. What are your thoughts on this?
I have no issue with this because the record business is not what it was 30 years ago and provided the producer is creative with the sample, there are new grooves to be had. There are well over 25,000+ releases every week and the cost of music and next to Nil right now. So if a record sells into the millions or if it’s a lazy producer who just samples the entire track with no creativity, I do believe it’s responsible to do right by those song writers and musicians, etc.
Your music carries lots of different influences from Soulful, Jazz, Techno, Jackin House, Samba and Disco, why is it so important for you explore such a diverse range of sounds in your productions?
It’s important to have musical diversity because it broadens your perspective and you will likely come across new information that will help your creativity in different ways.
Who are your favourite / most influential producers from genres such as, Jazz, House, Techno and Disco?
Jazz – there are so many here, but Herbie Hancock, Robert Glasper, Jaco Pastorius and Chick Corea are stand outs.
House – Todd Terry, Sneak, Daft Punk, Armand Van Helden, and MAW.
Techno – Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson and Mr. G.
Tech House – Nathan Barato, Smilk, and Carlo Lio.
Disco – Tom Moulton, Salsoul.
Where do you see dance music advancing in the future?
As long as there are people looking to evolve and respect the roots of our music, it will always inspire the curious artist to build on. So with that, I think technology will continue to play a critical role in how our music is made and make it even more accessible.
You’ve released tracks and remixes on many cool labels including IAHG (I’m A House Gangster), Classic Music Company, Guesthouse Music, King Street Sounds, Great Lakes Audio (GLA) and Henry Street Music, King St and Frosted Recordings, what’s your personal favourite production and remix to date?
Vibes to Saturday (Henry St.) is a good one. I love how it connects to people in the number of video I’ve seen from people throwing it down on a Saturday. Derrick Does Disco (First Stanza) is a treat as well with that classic Disco feel and the vocal encouraging the audience and DJ.
How important is it for you as a producer to feature on several labels as opposed to sticking with just one or creating your own imprint as many are now doing?
This is as important in broadening your musical perspective and prevents me from being pegged to one genre only. It compliments my own need for versatility and it demonstrates that to a broader range of listeners.
Ushuaia’s IUMag recently featured you as one of the rising stars of House Music, any plans to head to Ibiza next season and get stuck in with the rest of the best?
Most definitely. My management team is working with a number of interested agents and we are just looking to partner with best one who can deliver and execute on a solid plan. Getting stuck in with some good peeps in Ibiza is part of the plan! Looking forward to it.
Every DJ has a memorable gig story to tell, be it a nightmare gig, a funny incident or a giant mistake mid set.. What’s yours?
This is more of a funny incident.
Just this past August, I headlined Memetic Festival on the main stage and was nearing the end of my set. The DJ prior to me had a laptop setup and graciously waited to clear his equipment at the end of my set and gently started to remove his equipment – leaving the last bit of kit, which was a controller that was directly beside the CDJ. At the earlier part of my set I notice the CDJ’s left channel was continually shorting out, so I placed a small container directly below the RCA cord on the deck to keep things moving. Not knowing I had done this, the DJ dismantling his setup pulled his cable and mistakenly knocked the container off which then caused the sound to cut out completely. Luckily, the track playing on the affected deck was one of my own and I was familiar with the timing. So I started tweaking the cord rhythmically and the crowd went nuts as the sound came in and out and on time! The DJ and stage crew were laughing hysterically. A memorable moment for sure.
You’re probably one of the biggest house names to rise out of Canada right now, how is the scene over there and who are you favourite local artists?
Toronto is great, but I must give a shout and nod to Montreal and the festivals running in western and eastern Canada as well. The scene is very much alive and changing. In Toronto, we have a proper range of big club venues (Coda / The Den / Nest) and events to intimate spots (Bassline Music Bar) that are deeply entrenched in the local artist scene. In the Summer, there are some creative outdoors spots at Cherry Beach and Sunnyside Pavillion. I’m grateful for Toronto’s diversity and promoters bringing acts we would not normally see in the city from time to time. I can do away with the politics I see the odd time, but I think scenes in different cities see this kind of stuff too. In terms of artists, I am so proud of what Nathan Barato, Carlo Lio, Art Department, and The Junkies have accomplished. These guys are Tech House dudes mainly, but they truly inspired me to get back in the game and have demonstrated what hard work and focus can do.
Can you dance?
I like to think I can…I took a few years of Salsa, Merengue, and Bachata lessons…a brilliant and sexy dance and another outlet of creativity.
You’re a Sagittarian, what’s your biggest Sagi trait?
I am. I identify with the independence and constant seeking of new things to learn and explore. I can’t shake that.
A little birdy tells us you will be at ADE this year, where can we see playing and will you be hitting the rest of Europe?
Yes! I’m very excited about this! I’ll be doing a set with other great DJs/Producers at J.D. William’s Whisky Bar Friday October 21st and spending more time promoting my album.
Your favourite record of the summer of 2016?
‘Chaka Khan’ by Eli Escobar. Great tune with a tremendous bassline and classic house feel.
And finally, what’s coming next from you?
Other than my TruSkool album, I’ve got a few remixes coming that I did for Disco legend Linda Clifford and Tiger Stripes that will be out on King Street Sounds. All looking good!
‘TruSkool’ will be released on October 7th 2016 on Magnetic Recordings
