Huge new tune ‘Way We Are’, festival appearances everywhere and drum & bass explodes in Ibiza
Interview : Dan Prince
Welcome to DMCWORLD young man, where in the world can we find you today?
“Hello Dan! It’s a Friday so I’m currently in my dressing gown enjoying a top notch episode of Homes Under The Hammer.”
Well you have done it again, another stupendous tune smashing up dancefloors everywhere. This time it’s ‘Way We Are’ feat. Melissa Steel. Please talk us through the history and sound of the track…
“Well thanks! It was an incredibly easy track to write, which is normally a good indicator that a tune’s on the right track. Melissa came in and we wrote it from the ground up in about 4 hours, laid the vocals down and mixed it the next day.”
A quote from you in an interview…“As far as production goes, Drum & Bass is definitely one of the harder genres to master.” Discuss…
“DnB is very ‘full’ music in comparison to other genres, so there’s a lot more to consider when it comes to frequency ranges and getting sounds to interact well together I find. Also the speed is a contributing factor to that.”
You readily admit that you just “fell into Drum & Bass” at a time when you were making a lot of different music. So what was it about this sound that drew you in…?
“I was aware of it for a while but it was only when I saw it in context at my first time at Fabric that I really understood what DnB was all about. I think with most fans it’s the energy and range of sound within a genre that gets you hooked, it’s easy to understand how so many people are so passionate about this music.”
You have been confirmed as one of the residents at Together’s Amnesia weekly in Ibiza this summer, what sort of set will you be bringing the white isle…any different from shows in the UK – I know you do a lot of prep work for your sets these days…
“Generally playing Together isn’t vastly different from a big gig over here – there’s normally a large British contingent at the night, so I’ll probably stick to my usual set style – lots of diversity and big double drops. I think prep work is very important, especially now with the advent of Rekordbox and the like. I recently picked myself up some of the new Nexus gear so with the right preparation there’s a lot of scope for being creative within your set. Plus it gives you something to do instead of getting annoyed at children on a plane.”
Some massive festivals coming up; Glastonbury, Creamfields, Secret Garden Party and Global Gathering all in your diary. What though is your best ever festival moment?
“It’s really my first time round the circuit this year when it comes to festivals, so ask me at the end of the summer! I’ve been to a few festivals as a punter but its not really my scene, i’m not a fan of the mud/camping/warm beer/shitting in a portaloo type of thing.”
What is the current top 10 you are spinning…
Nero – Satisfy
DC Breaks – Shakedown
Dimension – Crowd Reaction VIP
Sub Focus – Close (Ivy Lab Remix)
Mediate – Harder
Lost in Love – Todd Edwards
Break – On The Off
Stylo G – Tun Up (Dismantle Remix)
Fred V & Grafix – Maverick Souls
Friction & Total Science – Scatter
How many tunes have you got sitting in the Kove vaults ready to go…?
“I’ve got a fair few fully fledged ideas waiting to get released, but my hard drive is pretty much full of 16 bar loops and the like.”
What is the record that…
…always reminds you of your childhood?
“Phil Collins – ‘But Seriously…’ – My parents would always play this on holiday, we were inventive sorts so would go as far as Devon. I always remember my dad turning the drum breakdown in ‘Colours’ up and up to a crescendo. So I can probably thank him for the tinnitus.”
…reminds you of having your heart broken?
“Lostprophets – ‘Sway’. I was 15 and a douche. And to be honest any significance that track had has been marred by recent developments.”
…will ALWAYS gets you dancing?
“Hues Corporation – ‘Rock the Boat’.
…you wish you had made yourself?
“Bit of an odd choice but the Eastenders theme tune. My engineer was telling me that the bloke who wrote it makes 5 quid every time it’s played anywhere. At that rate I could move to Mustique and never work again.”
You started to play the guitar at the age of 7. At what point did a career in music start to form in your mind?
“I can’t really pinpoint when I decided upon it but as far back as i remember it was the only viable option. My parents were very supportive and not ones for their kid having a ‘backup plan’ so i focused solely on making music my career.”
I think it is fair to say you like a pint. When was the last time you got smashed at a club?
“I don’t really hit clubs that often, I’m much more of a fan of putting the world to rights with my mates in a pub. But I got a bit wavy at the last MTA night we had at The Nest. Always a good night when you wake up and think ‘I cant remember what I said, but I know it wasn’t good’.
Who are some of the producers from around the world you are giving high fives to at the moment?
“I’ve been working a lot with Dimension recently, I know he’s got some absolute bangers in the vaults. I’m also really enjoying Alix Perez’s newer stuff, especially his last release on Exit. In the House world I’ve been rinsing the new E.P from Mediate, a really nice twist on deep house. There’s also a new producer called Suffix, his stuff has me really excited, check him out!”
Not many people know this, but Kove is really good at…
“Getting parking tickets. My ability to rack them up is unparalleled.”
And finally, what is coming out next from you studio wise?
“I’ve recently finished a few VIPs for the summer, and my next release is shaping up at the moment, I’m just working through vocals at the moment which is always the most time consuming part.”
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Kove will be performing on the UKF stage at GlobalGathering Festival on Saturday 26th July, Long Marston Airfield, Stratford Upon Avon.
Website: www.globalgathering.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/globalgathering
For more information on Kove…
http://facebook.com/koveofficial
http://twitter.com/koveofficial
http://instagram.com/koveofficial
http://soundcloud.com/kove
http://www.kovemusic.com/
