The Bedrock genius rounds off an exhilarating 2016 with a brand new triple album showcasing some of the label’s finest artists new and old alongside a third disc featuring chill out maestro C-Jay. Dan Prince checks in with one the true superstars of the electronic music scene…
Somebody said to me the other day that John Digweed is “like a malt whiskey. He just gets better with age”. Would you agree? You have had an absolutely storming 2016…
I’ve had a great year thanks, I still wake up with the same passion that I had when I first started, I think I’m enjoying playing out more now than ever and that shows with the reactions I get back from people who have been following me for many years.
As 2017 approaches, your beloved Bedrock celebrates its 18th Anniversary with a huge 3xCD release – ‘Bedrock 18 Signals’. You take care of 2 discs showcasing 21 exclusive tracks from some of the label’s favourite and new artists, whilst a 3rd disc features the new artist album from chilled maestro C-Jay. There is so much great music on there! Let’s kick off with your CDs with talents from all around the globe. Please give us a few words on the artists/tracks on ‘Bedrock 18 – Signals’…
Ok…Here goes…
Emerson, Digweed & Muir – Fanfare – Darren Emerson Reprise
A perfect opener – innovative experimentation flows freely through Darren’s beatless reprise.
Quivver – Mumbo Jumbo – Reprise
Unrivalled electronic invention from a master producer here and also with his ‘That Was’ (Reprise) that opens CD2.
Sebastian Markiewicz – Sensation
Polish Manchester resident Sebastian is an exhilarating new talent whose melody infused, bottom-heavy club sound is pure quality.
Collective Machine & Philipp Straub – Hold You In The Moment
There’s a lot of creative collaborations happening throughout this album and this one from Budapest’s Márió Domján and Austria’s Philipp Straub is up there with the best.
Digitaria – Revenge Of The Fantasy
Wide-ranging influences, and beautiful and unusual music of Brazilian duo Daniela Caldellas and Daniel Albinati’s Digitaria marks them out as ones to watch.
Emerson, Digweed & Muir – Fanfare – Marc Romboy Moving Atoms Mix
Marc’s deeply twisted remix is a really clever take on the original.
Amari – Cult Vision
Quite simply…melody-rich hypnotic beauty.
Moonface – Across The Gulf Of Space
Bedrock stalwart Phil Thompson brings his unique deep grooves to the party.
Guy J – 2026
Guy always delivers something special and this is no exception.
Lee Van Dowski – 8H24
The Geneva-based man with the Midas touch is on fire here and also on his rather large remix of Eagles & Butterflies ‘Murder Was The Bass’.
Stelios Vassiloudis – Volver
Perfect, understated beauty from this Greek musical maestro.
Tiefstone – Kratos
Gabriel Rocha and Juan Carlos Villalba’s dynamic Tiefstone vehicle is really making waves right now.
CJ Jeff – Side Effects
Firing percussive funk.
Sam Jaspersohn – Islands
Fanatstic deep and atmospheric aural landscapes from Brooklyn NYC.
D-Nox & Beckers – Mondays
This is a big one from D-Nox and Frank Beckers. Their distinctive sound based on detailed rhythms and mesmerizing harmonies is amazing.
Uner – The Dock and the Elevator
Acid tinged goodness from Spain.
Ryan Davis & Microtrauma – Recurrence
A tremendous piece of hypnotic techno.
Dave Angel – Inside Out
Heavy hitting techno funk of the legend that is Dave Angel.
Kontakt – Wild Forest
A French newcomer whose distinctive emotive atmospherics really stand out…
Phew! Which brings us to the added bonus of C-Jay’s chilled ‘Echoes’ album, a very personal piece of music and the follow up to his ‘Backslider’ artist album that was released back in April on Bedrock. Talk us through the release…
There’s so much energy and diverse talent on display from the artists throughout CD1 & CD2 that the idea developed to include a wind-down final disc, and C-Jay fitted into this format perfectly. His previous mini-LP ‘Backslider Parts1-6’ was met with a lot of support, so this gave him the opportunity to present his next artistic step here. C-Jay is a really unique artist whose music is based on contemplative, hypnotic, enthralling journeys, with so many elements that repeated listening always brings new, previously unnoticed parts to the fore. It might be tagged as chillout or ambient music, but actually its not 100% that, its so personal that he does something that no one else does, so his ‘Echoes’ disc is a great way to end things here.
It has been a strange old year for clubland with openings and closing alike. Good news about Fabric though…
This is really great news and a positive step forward with the authorities. Fabric always was so much more than a building with a soundsystem in it. It is the jewel in the crown of UK clubbing and a venue that has pushed the very best in forward thinking music since it opened, as well as running the club in such a professional way. I hope they can get on with running one of the best clubs in the world, and the customers respect the fact that this club has been given a second chance, and continue to make this club one of the best.
Space in Ibiza obviously closed its doors for the last time in October. When I discovered that all the DJs were only being allocated 30-60 minutes each I knew you wouldn’t be spinning, far too short for a Diggers set!!! You must have some happy memories from one of the first venues we have ever witnessed?
Yeah playing such a short set did not feel right for me, plus I had just played for Carl Cox, which had been amazing, so I said my goodbyes then. It’s a real shame that its gone, but it went out on a high – I had some amazing times in that place and so did millions of other people.
What has been your biggest track of 2016?
This was one of my favs for sure – Wink – Buoyantly – Grounded.
What are the big John Digweed plans for the coming months, both in the studio and out on tour?
I have some great tours coming up with gigs in Russia, Bucharest, Seattle, San Fran, LA, Washington DC, leading up to a mammoth 8-hour set at Output in Brooklyn on NYE. Then there is BPM in Mexico and tours of South America after that. Studio-wise there are a few remixes in the pipeline so I’m hoping to get them finished also.
And finally young man, Christmas is around the corner, a busy time no doubt in your family household! What would be your perfect gift this year?
My perfect gift would be a nice sleep in followed by another 10 hours sleep!
Bedrock 18 – Signals (3xCD)
2 x CD Various Artists compiled by John Digweed
1 x CD C-Jay – Echoes LP
(Bedrock)
Release: 2nd December 2016
Pre-Order Now: http://bedrockmusic.bigcartel.com/product/bedrock-18-signals-3xcd-pre-order
CD1 Mini-Mix Preview: https://www.mixcloud.com/johndigweed/bedrock-18-minimix-preview-cd1/
CD2 Mini-Mix Preview: https://www.mixcloud.com/johndigweed/bedrock-18-signals-cd2-minimix/
