Massive new album from the Pittsburgh reel to reeler

Interview by Ian Fleming

GH is the initials of Pittsburgh DJ and producer, Geoffrey Huber. While the city might be better known for its American Football team than for its house music inclinations, Huber at least is doing his utmost to challenge this perception. And despite producing music for over a decade now, Huber is just as enthralled by the sounds as he’s ever been; a fact which really comes across on his inagrual LP, the brilliant Audio Democracy, which came to the fore recently via his Stem & Leaf label. We picked his brain recently to find out what he’s been up to…

So, how are you doing? All good?

Things are very good on my end. Been busy with several remixes in progress and a new EP in the mix.

You’re based in the US, right? How’s it going over there for you?

The US is a great place overall. We have our druthers I suppose, but I really can’t complain. There is something for everyone here if you are willing to explore.

What was your first introduction to electronic music?

My earliest exposure came through groups like Depeche Mode and Kraftwerk.

How has the scene in the US changed since you first became involved then? What’s your opinion on the whole EDM thing?

I think it’s safe to say that it has definitely grown, I feel the music used to be relegated mainly to the coasts and larger markets inland, but over the last several years the music seems to have infiltrated the smaller markets as well, in between the bigger cities. EDM isn’t really my thing, but to each his own, I think EDM has served a great purpose in that it grabs the attention of kids to draw them into the music in the first place. I truly believe as their tastes mature, they will find other sub genres within dance music that have more soul and are more sustainable than EDM as a whole.

Do you still get to go record shopping? Or are you a strictly digital man these days?

I do most of my purchasing via the digital medium, but once a month or so I do a little hunting for vinyl. The costly and longer process of getting a record made serves as an organic quality control process it seems. Labels releasing actual vinyl records are making conscious efforts for the music to be stellar. Can’t always say that with the digital releases.

In terms of your musical career, at what stage do you think you’re at with it all?

I feel I am maturing musically after 10+ years of involvement. I have started to trust my feelings on what direction to go with tracks and mixes more than ever, which is really empowering. There is always more to learn and experience, but I am having so much fun with recent projects that I know I am in a sweet spot career wise.

And why was now the right time to release your album?

I think it has a lot to do with feeling mature in my sound as mentioned above. After countless releases of EPs and remixes, it finally felt right to explore the LP realm, and to give the project the attention it required

Now, about Stem & Leaf. What’s the idea behind the name?

The name represents the organic, soul filled sounds created by the human touch, as well as the clinical, surgical accuracy of electronic music. Stems and Leaves have roots in organic obviously, and the Stem & Leaf plot resides in the vernacular of any mathematician. My label partner, Mike Hanlon, and I also created he label as a means for us to branch out our sounds as individual artists, and as purveyors of quality underground music. So as you can see, there are definitely some pun like aspects of the labels name. Oh yeah, it’s catchy too:)

And what does the label stand for in your opinion? Is there a general aesthetic that runs through the release?

We orient our sound around the deeper side of electronic music. Dark grooves, thick textures and unique arrangements are the type of targets we aim for, both when writing our own music, and when deciding what new content to release.

What have you learned about the music industry since you first became involved?

The digital age turned the industry on its ear. That’s not a bad thing, it’s actually exciting. We have witnessed a rapture and rebirth of the industry, and all in 10 years or so. It’s also a lot of work. If you want to be successful, you better be ready to hustle, as there are a lot of hungry and talented players out there.

What sort of labels do you look up to these days for inspiration?

Our friends over at ‘Early Morning Music’ are killing it these days. As a co-owner of an independent label, you are always trying to get your brand right, and get attention, all while maintaining a high level of quality and exposure. ‘Early Morning Music’ seems to be hitting that nail smack on the head, and I am always excited to hear what they have to release.

So can you tell us a bit about the album. How long were you working on it? What did you use? How did you find the creative process etc?

The album was largely influenced by the old Renaissance and Fabric mix CDs of yesteryear. Those were my first real experience with expertly crafted DJ mixes. I wanted to take my own stab at a multi genre DJ mix of all original productions, writing each track sequentially to work together as a whole composition. It was totally different than my normal process, so it was a challenge, but I was pleased with the results, and the response/support during promotion. The writing process took about 5 months, which was pretty expeditious. Engineering and mastering were another few months on the top. As for the tools, I am 85% in the box, working in a DAW, but I do record a fair amount of live percussion elements and vocals for use in the tracks. These get dumped in as raw audio of course. Halfway through the album I started employing the use of some hardware synths as well. I see the use of hardware becoming prevalent in my studio work moving forward

Do you feel like a more accomplished producer since you put it together?

Absolutely. This was the largest scale project I have taken on, both in work required, schedule to adhere to and target sound I was trying to achieve. I was told by several parties that a multi genre album, even if under the umbrella of electronic music is a great challenge, and maybe something I should do later, but overall I couldn’t be more pleased sigh the results, and hope the public is as well when it releases

Why do you love house and techno so much then? Are you interested in other strands of music too?

For me it’s the energy and complexity of it all. It drives you forward, and unlike pop songs, it doesn’t tell you what it’s about by telling a story with words. YOU get to choose what it’s about, and sometimes it has different meanings at different times. I find it very versatile, fitting nearly any situation. As for other music, I respect everything, but no question that electronic music resonates with me more than any other genre.

And what else should we be looking out from you in the near future?

As mentioned, I am working on a new EP, exclusively designed around exploring hardware synths for the creation of the audio, and I have a remix coming out for GabiM on BC2 Records called ‘Punch Munc’ that hits stores in early May. A few more remixes in the works that are a little premature to mention details on, but keep an eye out. Also, my home label, Stem & Leaf has a had a string of new releases from new artists and seasoned veterans alike so far in 2015, which we intend to continue through the end of the year. As for long term plans, I have my sights set on a chill out collection for another LP, but I am going to be taking my time with that one, so no schedule quite yet, other than I know it’s happening!

GH’s Audio Democracy is out on 20th April on Stem & Leaf Records