Mugwump

The wait is over! One of Belgium’s finest unveils his debut album

Interview by Dan Prince


Informed by two decades as a globe trotting producer and DJ, producing tracks that have inspired everyone from Andrew Weatherall to Mr. Scruff, Geoffroy Mugwump is one of the leaders of the Belgian club scene. On the ground in Ibiza in the early 90‘s and with post-millennial releases on the highly influential Kompakt label, Mugwump has the CV to deliver one of the years most eclectic and inventive studio albums. DMCWORLD checks in with the maestro…


Geoffroy welcome to DMCWORLD…where in the world are you right now?

“Brussels, my hometown and it’s sunny.” 

 What was the first piece of music you heard this morning after rolling out of bed?

“’Remember Me’ by Tame Impala.” 

An exciting couple of weeks for you sir with the release of your debut album on K7 on March 23rd. ‘Unspell’ brings us 9 glorious tracks, please give us a few words on each of your new musical babies…some inspiring collaborations plus down at DMCWORLD we are loving some of the track names…

After They Fall

Circlesquare did a fantastic job on these entrancing lyrics that perfectly set the tone as the album’s opener.

Doobie Shine Trouble

Raphal Lee is the singer and lead-guitarist from the Mugwump live band, he is influenced by Eastern music, Kraut, Drone and Shoegaze as well as heavy or psych rock but he’s delivered an amazing psychedelic blues ballad here.

Halo

Having release a Mugwump EP on Throne of Blood” (in 2010), which is The Rapture’s label, I was in touch with their singer trough my friend James Friedman, who runs the label and Luke Jenner is a rather spiritual individual to say the least and he wrote this vocal about the “circle of light”.  It’s definitely the album’s brightest pop moment and the second single of the album with an imminent video coming up.

Lurline 

This New-Beat/Spacefunk groove refers to the myth of the Lorelei mermaid who attracts shipmen to crash on the Rhine rocks

Memento Lies 

I wrote this lyrics about memory loss (and thus remembrance) on this piece of electronic funk in between recording vocal sessions with other singers . We’ve been extending it for the live show, adding some…wait for it, jazz-funk arrangements on top.

Until You’re Worth It

Ost & Kjex and Mungolian JetSet are prime exponents of the amazing Norway psychedelic disco scene and they came with this amazing Prince-like lyrics that sum up the album theme to perfection.

Breakdown 

This is a cover from Snowy Red/Mickey Mike’s 1981 proto New-Beat classic with Carol, covered by the singer of cult post-punk band Minimal Compact, Samy Birnbach (aka DJ Morpheus), and the results have been described by many as Leonard Cohen meets Giorgio Moroder.

A Quarter Heart Left 

Stephan Fedele is the bass player/2nd guitarist on the Mugwump live show, when this instrumental track was finished, I asked him to try adding some guitar parts and he came up with these deep Johnny Marr-styled guitars on top of the acid piece that for me, also echoes Legowelt’s magnificent music. On stage, this is quite extended too and it is a solid kraut moment in the live show.

School’s Out 

Von Spar are a great kraut-disco band from Cologne and their front singer is also the drummer for Owen Pallet & The Field. The live stage version of this sounds quite like Suicide, we’ve been told. Which is not bad, is it?

The album we hear was quite along process…how long was this trip? 

“I started the process in 2009, waited many moons to get the lyrics recorded, then we finished to polish the tracks with many overdubs and more guitar sessions. It also took quite some time to find the perfect home and distribution!”

Check it…https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/playlists/5564562%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-LQ8BA&

The album has been receiving some incredible reviews, non more so than this little sentence…”a Belgian underground answer to Daft Punk”. What are your thoughts on that little comment?

“The exact quote was “Belgium’s smart underground answer to Daft Punk” and it was in the mighty Groove magazine in Germany. I think the writer refers to the process of going back to the roots, trying to incorporates a solid dose of classic influences into modern-day electronic music. Daft Punk have mastered this into their latest album within a real classic disco/funk feel but here, being Belgian, the “classic” references are very different and more on the post-punk, new-beat/new-wave and kraut side of things than classic disco and black music in general and I reckon the writer compared both fields of influences.”

Okay let’s rewind for a moment. We normally ask the producers we interview about their earliest musical memories, yours sir must come from your father’s Wurlitzer jukebox in his pub? What were some of the artists you can remember from back then blaring out?

“Johnny Mathis, Englebert Humperdrick, Sinatra, Boys Town Gang, Donna Summer, Stevie Wonder , Marvin Gaye, Michael Zager Band, M, Chic, Bee Gees…”

True or false : Your mother would take you to the record store around the corner to choose the new records?

“Totally true…and at a very early age.”

I live on the island of Ibiza, a dance music haven you went to every year from 1991. What were the clubs from that time you were spinning in and who were the DJs also on the island at the time?

“I started to play a mix of Soma, Kevin Saunderson, Fabi Paras and Mood 2 Swing records in Ibiza at open-air parties in Sa Trincha when they were still legal, with the likes of Brandon Block & Alex P quite ruining it after. I did play at open air parties such as Aqualandia too. I was also asked by Jose Padilla to play at his Moondance events in Pacha where I’d play before Sasha, I also played quite often in the Pacha funky room for Vaughn and Sid (from the Rock), did play for Manumission backroom at Privilege, on the Space terrace and played also with Alfredo once, who used to call me “Le Belge”. I used to see and hang out a bit with Phil Mison and Graham Fisher (Jose Padilla’s resident at Space). The island had a very poor underground scene tho and most of the music was mainly Trance or Handbag. Thank god for Jose Padilla’s selection of guest DJs he brought to Pacha, really opening the island to decent music back then…I did my last full season there in 1995 as the first resident  (every night) at KM5 but left for starting the Food club in 1996, frankly disillusioned by the music scene. Probably should have stayed a bit longer as it has drastically changed. I still go every year with my wife & son on holiday.”

Tell us about your studio relationship with Kolombo. How does it work?

“We’re polishing the demos/ideas i bring with me and we’re jamming on top too. I’m mainly the creative engine of the process.”

A big night for Belgium went down on Friday with Leftorium’s 4th Birthday. What were some of the take home memories from the night?

“Unfortunately Munk not able to come over to play but still, another fantastic night with a totally mixed crowd seriously into adventurous music.”

3 bucket list adventures you wanna do in your lifetime?

“Being able to play very long sets again (I used to do it often at the Food Club), but in foreign clubs I really like.

Play with my band more & more.

Bringing my new Subfield label as far as I can.”

An up and coming producer to watch out for in 2015?

“Definitely DC Salas , he’s manning the machines with me on the live show, I’ve also started a collab with him with an EP released on my Subfield label (“Giallo/Hinterlands”), some remixes and more to come. He also runs the Biologic label with French artist Abstraxion.”

What is going on with the Belgium dance scene right now, we all know about the biggest festival in the world…but is your home country in a healthy state?

“Loads of parties every weekend with an impressive list of cool guest-dj’s playing all over the country…yet not so much focus on the local talent and a big divide between the French and Flemish people.” 

What are the 5 big tunes in your box this weekend…please give us a few words on each…

“I’m playing at Paris ‘s wicked Eko club this weekend and will definitely unleash these 5:

– Lucretio “The Last Dungeon”  (Machine States)

Totally wonky Japanese electronic house/techno, revamped by Berlin’s Lucretio. Massive.

– Aimes “Tunnel Down” Brassica remix (Rothmans Ant)

Been sent this by Rothmans Ant and always been a big Brassica fan, their remix here should absolutely be THE 2015 summer record for me. Can’t wait to play with them and Kiwi at Queen of Hoxton early April at Orlando Boom.

– Offset “Disturbed Master” (Correspondant)

My friend Jennifer Cardini A&R’s her Correspondant label to perfection. Really liked Offset back in the Missive days and this track is doing the biz for me big time.

– Mugwump “Halo” Mugwump/DC Salas dub (Subfield)

Just did it last week with DC Salas, adding a New-Beat feel and the amazing guitar parts from Raphael Lee, that we recorded from our live show rehearsals. Slow New-Beat/Indie/Dark disco for the last record of the night…sort of.  We’re using the intro on the live show now too.

– Boot & Tax “Brace Brace” Alien Alien remix (Meant)

Boot & Tax plus Alien Alien on Remain’s label…great combo. it has a real Boccaccio feel too.”

Deep House or Deep Sea Diving?

“None of them sorry. Deep-house has left the building for me a longtime ago. It has now become so formatted, generic and creatively stale on top of having generated such a laughable cult. Open-minded house DJs are few and I dig them but the deep-house mono-thematic world is not for me.” 

And finally, what is the next studio adventure you have in store for us?

“Being back into remix action will be the next episode although I’m strongly focusing on the Mugwump live show with my band.” 

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Album pre order link…http://geni.us/MugwumpUnspell

Further information : http://mugwump-music.tumblr.com/