Massive new ‘Technocrat EP’ swinging our way on his revered Etch imprint. Exclusive interview
Interview : Dan Prince
Hey Jon welcome back to DMCWORLD, where in the world are you right now?
“Thanks for having me back again. In London, at home, blasting music while answering the questions that follow…”
You are back causing mayhem on the dancefloors, this time round courtesy of your new ‘Technocrat’ EP. Talk us through this two tracker swinging our way on Etch…
“It’s basically a development of my groove based sounds over the years I guess, slightly tougher but still with that funky edge to it I guess. I’ve never been one to do what others do, and the “Technocrat” record especially is more experimental while still retaining some trademark things I do. “Mulitiplexing” is just all out energy groove.”
Last month saw Pure Intec return to Fabric with yourself and Carl Cox, what were your highlights from that little shindig and are there plans for another session there?
“Well apart from playing on that fantastic sound system I think for me personally it was working more closely with Andy Blackett at the club, we met years ago and threatened to do something before the label went on a hiatus, and now we’ve finally been able to. Watch this space for news of more next year too…”
You stayed in hotel room 808 on your recent trip to Antwerp last week, bet Bushwacka! was gutted wasn’t he?
“Haha! I’m sure he has had his fair share of something similar to this over all the years he’s been playing. He certainly kept us entertained with some stories from The End years and touring with Mr C…so his was more Room 101 you could say…”
What is the current top 10 you are spinning?
“Tough question, I have a track from Mattew Jay we have signed to release next year that’s for sure one of them, as well one from Rafa Barios, we also have a new Harvey McKay track coming that’s got so much power yet so much soul in it too that I’m really enjoying playing, and there is a real banger of a track on Joseph Capriati’s new album on Drumcode called “Always & Forever” also. I’d also have to include a track by Ben Sims called “Orbit”, it’s pure underground acid influenced techno energy. Tomy DeClerque’s “Push” track also gets a very special mention too, very strong record. I’ve also been really feeling Nathan Barato’s “Black Beach” record on Saved, and literally anything from The Junkies and Carlo Lio, there is for certain something in the water over in Toronto that’s good for Techno!”
ADE really stepped up to the plate this year, without doubt their biggest and best week yet. Is this the most important week on the dance calendar now or is Miami WMC week still leading the way?
“ADE for me has led the way for some time now, in terms of what we do, people also actually attend the conference side of it for starters which is always a positive thing. They make things very interesting too, people can learn things that they might not otherwise and due to its location it’s much easier for more people to get to that work within the industry in all forms. Amsterdam has always had a stronger affinity with techno in the last 10 years than Miami and as a result there are some great parties too. I’m not taking anything from Miami and how it changed the way we can do things, it’s been a very important input into things, but perhaps these days it’s more suited to the more accessible music from the dance scene than the underground. ADE seems to cater for the more underground at the moment to me, so connects with me more. Having said that I do love a good pool party though, shades are essential at those…”
You have had a wonderful year touring the world, Vegas, Tokyo, Santiago, Ibiza and Costa Rica all stand out gigs. What show really blew you away this year
“There were a few for sure, Space every summer is unreal, both Awakenings were surreal experiences, really intense, especially the Intec one recently, XOYO in London was intimate and such fun, and of course Fabric we already mentioned. I also had a great time playing in Tokyo, and Rosario in Argentina was really good too. There were plenty of other great experiences but some of these were personal triumphs I’d been working towards a long time so make it that extra bit special.”
Tune of 2013?
“Tomy DeClerque – ‘Push’.”
Who is the most exciting new producer you have clapped eyes on in 2013?
Mattew Jay, Rafa Barrios and Ferhat Albyrak, who I think have some good futures ahead of them with their productions for sure. They have managed to find their own styles which I feel is really important these days, as people like Tomy have done also before them.”
I interviewed a certain superstar DJ this month, he stated…”I don’t think it’s necessary these days to actually be a good DJ like it was 15 years ago at the start of my career. These days you can get away with pressing play on a laptop.” Discuss…
“It’s an interesting take on things. I believe that also to a degree, however, I also believe you can press a button all you want but if the last record doesn’t work with the next record in terms of key, structure, the point you hit the button to play it then mix it in, and how it blends, it’ll basically sound awful. I’ve always come from the school of DJing, the art form of it from the hip hop influence, but I don’t think it really matters what you use as long as the music flows, the records sound strong enough on the sound system and the people who come take away a good feeling about it all with them.”
What is coming out next from the label?
“The latest Intec EP is a new signing called AKC Project, with Tacocat and Wrong Weekend both doing well. Plus we have all the remixes now out from Carl’s last artist album, mixes from Loco Dice, Joel Mull, Ben Sims, Sharam, Yousef, Chris Count, Guti and more to look out for…Next on Etch, who knows, I’m in the studio again soon so lets see what happens!”
What do you look for when signing new music to the label?
“We don’t really have any set criteria, we prefer artists to express themselves as they see fit, and happy artists make good records we feel. We’ve released such a range of tech house to the more energetic techno it’s hard to say. I guess all have to have that little extra something in them somewhere, whether that be how the bassline moves or if there is hook that draws you in, or simply just how it drops of the main break.”
Okay let’s get some quick fires done…the record that…
You wish you would have made?
Plenty! Joey Beltram – “Energy Flash”, Bryan Zentz “D-Clash”, Roku – “Wang” to name just a few…”
Reminds you of an ex?
“Don’t have one…”
Is your proudest achievement?
“Musically being able to give other people opportunities within the scene, as Carl has done before me for so long. Knick Knack was also a moment, as well as visiting some of the places I’ve been able to through playing music.”
Is my guilty pleasure song…
“Kasabian’s ‘Le Fee Verte’ or The Jam’s ‘Town Called Malice’.”
I can’t get out of my head at the moment…
“For a while now it’s been Daft Punk’s ‘Get Lucky’. Just a little infectious to say the least…”
You are a massive Brighton FC fan, this season has started fairly well with you just outside the play-off positions. A good win against Blackburn in your last game and a tough trip to Wigan this Saturday. Pleased so far?
“100%, we started terribly, a friend of mine who goes every home game nearly threw his season ticket away after 6 games. We’ve managed to turn it around and get back to whereabouts we can realistically be right now. I’ll be more than happy to still be in that position by the end of the season. The win against Blackburn was really important to keep the new momentum we have, Wigan will be tougher so lets see.”
You were one of the producers who picked up on the – “Has the democratisation of dance music morphed into a tyranny?” article that amongst other points, asked…”…Who cares about low record sales when you own publishing rights, invest in hugely lucrative tours and strike sponsorship deals for your artists…” – what was your thoughts on the feature…?
“Overall, it was the first thing I’d read of late that was bit nearer to what is actually happening out there. Having grown up as an impressionable teenager towards the end of the more legal rave scene and seeing the explosion of clubbing culture in the UK first hand I could relate to a lot of the older examples that were used. Trouble is I really don’t agree with the above statement from where I sit. It’s fine if you’re making “EDM’ or commercial dance music or whatever you want to call it because mass exposure is still important for awareness to the non hardcore dance music lovers. I don’t know many artists who actually own their publishing rights, let alone know how to use them properly, it’s more their managers that would do so, or major record label they are signed to. We don’t have hugely lucrative touring or sponsorship deals in the more niche end of things. Sure it happens with this crossover music, but the reality is it’s not the standard for all, only a few experience this, so it would have been good to make a slightly more balanced view available to people on this area.”
Christmas is fast approaching, what piece of new studio equipment is top of your wish list this year?
“I literally just broke some KRK headphones I use to make music while travelling, or checking out demos, so another pair of those is top of the list. After that, there is a long list that will be picked off one by one over the next 6 months with a view to expanding the ideas in the studio.”
What are the big Pure Intec event plans for 2014?
“It’ll be similar to this year but with a few additions we have been working on to confirm soon, plus we will be visiting a few European cities too that have always been good to us and supported our music and artists well in the past.”
And finally, what is coming out next from the mighty Rundell studio…?
“I’ve been working on developing some slightly tougher sounds I seem to be drawn to of late, so finishing these off and testing them out over the coming weeks up to new year, and then maybe, just maybe, I’ll have a crack at doing an album, with the idea being to really push and challenge myself and develop further.”
For all up-to-date information about Jon’s forthcoming tour dates and releases head over to http://jonrundell.tumblr.com
