Stunning new Balance album from the the Outpost Recordings maestro
Lars, welcome to DMCWORLD dude, and congratulations on a wonderful new Funk D’Void – Balance 22 releases coming out this month. Down at DMC we loved to hear where your inspiration stemmed from for the album, please tell our readers about that infamous car journey and its motorway soundtrack…
“HA! It was one of those perfect moments…I had a lovely new girlfriend and we were on a trip back from the beach after a long day in the sun, some old friends were travelling with us in the backseat, all of us giving each other knowing smiles. Nothing has come close since, shame because it was magical to say the least…we were playing a couple of DMC’s “Back To Mine” compilations – Everything But The Girl and Groove Armada.”
It’s great to see an album constructed without the creator simply piling in a load of massive tracks – what was your game plan putting it together…
“They’re all massive to me…hahaha! I think that was my intention, to put across my personal love of the music less heard out in big clubs or big, “successful” tracks that have already been heard out a lot recently. My “balance” was to spread visceral, emotive music of varying genres and BPMs over the two CDs.”
Okay, let’s get down to business, two discs consisting of 45 superb tunes. Talk us through each disc and some of your personal highlights…
“I’ve been getting a lot of good feedback from my remix of Hawkinson’s “Introduction”, so it was a no-brainer to start with a tried & tested crowd pleaser…CD one really demonstrates how I’ve refined my love of musicality in club grooves, avoiding the linear percussion and effects-based sound. I was lucky enough to receive great exclusive tracks for this release, so for me they have a special presence in the mix, Arkist and Guy Andrews are über-talented and need to be watched! It was a real challenge to keep all these tracks into a cohesive flow when segueing them together – no clangers allowed! The first CD was always going to be the tougher, edgier one. With the second CD I had a more playful palette to use but still had stamp my identity when presenting it in a mix, so I messed around with some tricky live BPM changing (both mixes were done in one take) but managed to “get the balance right” (groan). An interesting story: the exclusive unreleased Joris Voorn track was taken from a demo he gave me more than 10 years ago at a rave, when he was just getting his career going. I always loved the track and it fits perfectly into the CD2 mix – funny how things like that can happen, I’m so glad we got permission to use it. Tracks that span from the last twenty years are on this mix, all of them have a special memory attached to them when I go back to re-listen…so I was being a little selfish mixing them all together onto a lasting, tangible body of work. I hope people get at least some of feelings I have when I first heard them. There’s a lot of pals on there like Vince Watson, Phil Kieran and Robert Babicz – of course I’m a big fan, and I loved putting some hazy afterhours gems like Charles Webster in his one of his first ever productions as DJ Profile. Dennis DeSantis makes a welcome return after another track of his I included on my Cocoon compilation also.”
The great thing about series’ like Back To Mine and Balance is that they become like old friends to you. What are the tunes on the release that you know you will still get goosebumps listening to in 10 years?
“I think Vince Watson’s “Celtic Beauty”, Toby Tobias’ remix of Outmode’s “Dark Journey”, DJ Profile’s “Can U Sing”, Soundstream’s “Makin Love”, and Andre Lodemann’s remix of Spirit Catcher’s “Sedona” are the ones that spring to mind!”
How long did it take you to put together the album?
“Two months of preparation and then two weeks editing all of the tracks and doing the final mix.”
You are hosting an Album Tour night in your home city Barcelona on Wednesday with Luis Esinoza and Tres Manos at The Family Music Club. Tell us about the club…
“The best sound system in town, it really is…also the DJ booth is heaven which has a wonderful Rane rotary mixer, the 200 capacity is perfect for when you want to really connect with crowd, and it’s right on the Ramblas!!”
What is the best and worst thing about living in Barcelona?
“There’s no decent place to eat after a club, I miss my glow-in-the-dark processed cheese pizzas after a night out on the lash. Of course the weather is amazing, I do a lot of outdoor activities that I couldn’t do in the UK. By that I mean of course drinking outside in the sun every day! There are some good club nights on here, especially during Sonar, but I live here for other reasons…I have two small children and the quality of life here is great, and affordable.”
What is your current top 10 you are spinning?
1. Butch “303 (Paul Ritch Acid Dub Mix)”
2. Isolee “Beau Mot Plage (Sebastien Leger re-think du bootleg edit)”
3. Will Monotone “Dem Mai Hoes (J Paul Getto Dub)”
4. Tuccillo “Without You”
5. Theo Parrish “Lake Shore Drive”
6. Steve Bug “My Sweet Vital Angel”
7. Mr. G “Lost In Translation”
8. Boys Noize “XTC (MMM Remix)”
9. Foog “Open Your Eyes”
10. Guy Andrews “Darj”
If you don’t mind us saying, you are a real ‘DJs DJ’. Tom Middleton says you are “one of the finest, sonically trustworthy and consistent selectors on the planet”, Nic Fancuilli states that you are “one of the most forward thinking DJ producers of the last 10 years”, Danny Howells says “Lars is one of my favourite producers from the last decade” whilst Andy Cato says you have provided the soundtrack to nights that have become legend” for him. Who are some of YOUR favourite DJs you have dribbled on the dancefloor to…
“Funnily enough, I’m not such a clubber these days, seeing that I’m a single dad in his forties! But my favourite DJs over the years have been Move D, Danny Bukem, Laurent Garnier, Claude Young and Jimpster.”
You started your wonderful career at the age of 15 running two Under-18 nights. What would have been the soundtrack at those little shindigs?
“Easy! Kyle Minogue mixed with Brother Beyond and a little bit of D-Mob thrown in for good measure! The house sound of Chicago saved me after this point…phew!!”
Who were the artists you were listening to in your teens that you now cite as influences for you?
“Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, Eurythmics, 2 Live Crew, China Crisis, 10cc, The Police, Japan, Ultravox, New Order…lots of synthpop…”
What was the record that changed your life?
“Rhythim is Rhythim “Nude Photo”… it was that moment where heard this in a club and was like “BANG!”…a musical epiphany. It led the way to who I am, at my core.”
Where were the first good clubs you earned your dancefloor stripes at?
“I was given my big break by club entrepreneur Colin Barr in a club called “The Choice” in 1988 and given the Saturday night residency…he saw something in me, and I’m forever grateful…in that year Dan, I met your father Tony when I was runner-up in the DMC Scottish Mixing championships…hahahaha! After The Choice I went to join the seminal night UFO with Steven Sleepman in 1992…then the decade became one big blur…”
How important were Slam to good music in Glasgow back in the day?
“Hugely! Still are…and were my teachers back then, I always see Glasgow’s Sub Club as my University. Their various nights have been and still are hugely successful – and I hope to see myself still touring when I reach their age.”
Did you instantly know you had made a classic when completing ‘Diabla’?
“I knew it was a good track but I never expected it to have the far-reaching impact it did. My very own “Albatross”, wahay!! I go through periods of not playing it, but I enjoyed the remixes we did last year…and I saved one for the Balance compilation as an exclusive remix by Psycatron.”
Tell us about your schedule of 2012, which have been the stand out clubs for you around the world?
“I’m about to go to Taiwan, China and Australia (home of the Balance Series) so that’s nice! I took it easy during the summer to spend more time with my kids, also in preparation for the long CD tour. I’m ready to get back out there…really looking forward to the Pacha gig in Buenos Aires, I still have shivers remembering the last time I was out there in 2006. My fave places this year have been Audiotonic in Dubai, Sektor 909 in Skopje Macedonia, Katerholzig was fun (and long) and I have a soft spot for Snafu in Aberdeen – love it!”
What has been the strangest request you have ever had from a clubber whilst DJing?
“I get asked for all sorts mate…I always say “the next DJ might have it” but it’s always some commercial dance bollocks or some obscure one-week old limited-edition hipster house remix.”
What has been your tune of 2012?
“Chris Malinchak’s “Razor 2.0”.”
Not many people know this, but Lars Sandberg is really good at…
“Table Tennis? I’m telling everyone about it though….”
Who is the DJ you politely decline when he or she suggests a night on the tiles, as you know it’ll end in carnage?
“Paul Loraine (my flatmate)…HA!.”
And finally, what is coming next release wise from you, what’s the latest from Outpost Recordings?…
“New EPs from Takuya Yamashita, Child, myself with Nir Shoshani and hopefully in 2013 a new LP from me on SOMA!! Happy days.”
Funk D’Void – Balance 22
Cat No: Balance022
Format: Digital /CD
Released UK/Europe – 24th September 2012
Tracklisting //
CD1:
1. Hawkinson – Introduction (Funk D’Void remix)
2. Monty Luke – Yesterday & Today
3. Los Hermanos – Olmec My Brother
4. Chris Malinchak – Razor
5. Peter Dildo – Lucky Punch
6. Arkist – Effingham PL ***EXCLUSIVE***
7. Tonka – Orca (dub)
8. Mike Acetate – Elevate (Shur-I-Kan & Milton Jackson remix)
9. Soy Mustafa – Return Of The Annunaki (John Tejada Cinematic Edit)
10. Moodymanc – Talker (Drum dub mix)
11. Exercise One & Mathew Jonson Lost Forever In A Happy Crowd
12. Guy Andrews – Confuted ***EXCLUSIVE***
13. Delano Smith – Wires
14. Sam Matters – Weight Off My Mind
15. Chymera – The Chase (Steve Rachmad Edit)
16. Jesper Dahlback – Nyhus Part Two
17. Pezzner – Only With Your Eyes
18. Spirit Catcher – Sedona (Andre Lodemann remix)
19. Vince Watson – A Very Different World (Funk D’Void remix)
20. Tony Lionni – Loving You
21. Funk D’Void – Diabla (Psycatron Unreleased remix) ***EXCLUSIVE***
CD2:
1. A Lucid Nation – Suspended On Air
2. Kolombo – Waiting For
3. Lee Webster – Delve ***EXCLUSIVE***
4. Pat Metheny – Electric Counterpoint
5. Lovebirds – Running Backwards
6. Space Dimension Controller – Journey To The Core Of The Unknown Sphere
7. Martin Patino – Hommage (Joash Remix)
8. Outmode – Dark Journey (Toby Tobias Remix)
9. Vincent I Watson – Celtic Beauty
10. Joash – Assassin (Funk D’Void Remix)
11. Joris Voorn – RE-2001 ***EXCLUSIVE***
12. Chaser – Bite The Bullet (Francois Dubois Remix)
13. Tom Ellis – Go Through Me
14. DJ Profile – Can U Sing
15. Rhythm Maker – Alles Mainstream
16. Patrice Scott – Tones & Things
17. Robert Babicz – Out Of Order (Rob Acid Version)
18. Soundstream – Makin Love
19. Blackman – Headroom
20. Phil Kieran – Prism
21. The Reboot Joy Confession – 1999
22. Wasted Gaze – Untitled State Of Mind
23. Francois Dubois – Sweet Spot
24. Dennis DeSantis – You Say
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