Massive new Dim Mak EP from the Toronto live electronic trio
Interview : Dan Prince
Hey guys welcome to DMCWORLD. Where in the world are you right now?
Matisse: “We are in Toronto, but about to head to Eugene, Oregon for a festival we are playing.”
A massive new EP swinging our way on Dim Mak on September 17th…talk us through your ‘Solow’ release…
Flo: “Two of the tracks have come out already and done really well for us. We released “Treat Me Right” in February, and we just released “Dum Dee Dum.” The remaining tracks are in a similar vein of clubby rap beats. “I Just Can’t Deny” has an infectious (we think) vocal hook with epic pads similar to “treat me right” but has a more lead based drop that’s really fun. “Ratchet Hoe$” is another club banger, that has two different beats within it but are tied together by a rap hook. It’s a really fun club tune. The second beat in “Ratchet Hoes” kind of reminds of a 2013 version of Swizz Beatz “It’s Me Bitches.” The EP as a whole is just us trying to progress our take on Rap and Electronic music fusing together from our perspective as a band.”
When people come away from one of your gigs, comparisons have been made to the likes of shows from the likes of Major Lazer and Diplo. Thoughts on that?
Matisse: “Ha! I’ve never heard that, although we’ve done shows with those guys. I guess I take that as a compliment cause their show is super energetic and makes people go crazy.”
Flo: “No lie, Major Lazer could be the best party of all time. You’re hearing all this good shit, like good music, like legit dubplates and all, and then people are taking there clothes off, and Diplo is in a fuckin hamster ball on top of the crowd. It’s crazy.”
Tune: “Our show is definitely a party as well, but you’re still going to see a band with us so that makes it quite different. The key is to create your own experience however you do it. If we create our own experience as well as Major Lazer creates their experience, then I’m happy.”
Who has the best dress sense?
Flo: “I do.”
So we are rolling with Keys N Krates in between gigs, what is on the tour bus sound system?
Tune: “Everything from Phil Collins, to Flying Lotus.”
Flo: “Yup that pretty much sums it up nicely.”
A massive gig coming our way in a couple of weeks, Electric Zoo New York with the likes of Chase & Status, Clockwork and Jacques Lu Cont amongst you. What you expecting from this little baby…?
Flo: “Man we are so pumped to play Electric Zoo for the first time. Heard so much great stuff, and we are really stoked to be sharing a stage with a lot of our Dim Mak fam.”
What is on the Keys N Krates rider during a gig in the summer 2013?
Tune: “Hummus. Lots of hummus.”
Your bootleg/remix roster is looking impressive already, Kayne West and Zedd have already received the Keys N Krates rework treatment. Pick us a song you would LOVE to remix…
Flo: “AS you said, a lot of what you mentioned were bootlegs we did to get our production chops up and simultaneously bring fans into our world and process. We’d love to properly work with some of our favourite artists. I think we’ve all agreed that it would be our dream to make a track in person with Rick Ross.”
Flo…what is the current top 10 you are spinning…?
Flo: “Man in no particular order:
A$AP Ferg – Shabba
Meek Mill – Levels
King Louie – Val Venis
Just Blaze and Baauer – Higher
Rustie – Slasherr (Flume Edit)
Rick Ross – 50 Plates
Redinho – Searching
…and of course…Keys N Krates – Dum Dee Dum and Keys N Krates – Treat Me Right…”
Tell me a little bit about your live show and your “live re-mixing”
Matisse: “Well we started as a band doing live remixes and covers of rap tunes for the most part. We’d take the acapella or parts of the original track and flip it and then create our own synth and drums parts under it and jam it out. There was a great energy to and that raw live band energy is really our foundation. This evolved into us making our own beats that is rap and electronic influenced, and figuring out how to play this original music live. We’ve had to switch the drums to electronic pads so that we are getting those big sampled drums and 808s which are the cornerstone of our production.”
Flo: “We like to think we are pushing this electronic hip hop music forward but from a unique perspective, since we are an actual band and not just a crew of producers that stand behind laptops on stage.”
Tune: “More than anything we are trying to create a different live experience then anyone else doing our kind of music.”
Best and worst thing about living in Toronto?
Flo: “Best: The Food. Worst: People who have no idea what they like until another city tells them it’s cool.”
You are such an eclectic trio…how did you first meet and decide to set up the group?
Tune: “Flo and Matisse met through a mutual friend and started jamming and then brought me in when they needed a drummer.”
What is each other’s most annoying habit?
Flo: “Matisse has too many to name but leaving apple cores on tables is high up there on the list.”
Matisse: “Tune loses his temper sometimes and kicks around suitcases.”
Tune: “Flo is always moving his legs. I can’t sit next to him. He’s the most fidgety person I know.”
Tune, all time favourite drumming supremo?
Tune: “The past few years I’ve been really into Daru Jones. He’s used to drum for Slum Village and Talib, but now drums for Jack White. No one has ever done the swung Dilla style live the way he does it.”
It may not be good for our image, but Keys N Krates secretly love…
Flo: “KFC?”
Flo – hip hop heroes…?
Flo: Jay Dilla, Just Blaze, Dj Premiere, Kanye, Pete Rock, too many to name…”
What is coming out next from you guys after ‘Solow’
Tune: “We are working on a tonne of ideas right now. We’ll let you know more when we know more.”
Thoughts on the whole USA EDM craze that is going ballistic right now?
Flo: “You have kids that are just finding out about all different kinds of electronic music now and I think that aspect of it is really exciting. Kids don’t give a shit about whether they know a song or not, it’s all about how hard it hits them in there chest. That’s both a good and bad thing. On one hand, it makes them open to some really progressive stuff, but it also makes them except a lot of shitty music with big drops. The excitement is great though, and I think over time people’s tastes in the States will start to become more refined.”
The last time you all got really drunk?
Tune: “Was with Just Blaze in Kelowna BC at an after party for a festival. Well I don’t think Just Blaze was drunk, but we were. He keeps it out of the cabbage. Us, not so much.”
Do you ever argue in the studio?
Matisse: “All the time. It’s part of our process of making music. We argue, and then before you know it we’ve made a track lol.”
And finally – what are your nicknames for each other?
Flo: “We call Matisse “Morris”.”
Matisse: “Flo’s drunken nickname is “Gregory Roganash”. Roganash only comes out after many drinks.”
Keys N Krates – the ‘Solow EP’ comes out September 17th via Dim Mak
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