As house music revels in it’s sheer unadulterated pleaure of it’s dancefloor return around the world, the UK is proudly puffing out it’s chest in the knowledge that we have two of the genre’s finest producers and DJs on the planet. Whether it’s collaborating with The Cube Guys on one of 2013’s finest tunes ‘Don’t Go’, remixing the likes of Laidback Luke, Roger Sanchez or Avicii, keeping it dark and deep with the underground club crew or smashing the main room for the masses – their versatility is incredible. Here Dan Prince gets the exclusive as the duo bring us their new Toolroom Knights album after a brilliant 2013…
Guys welcome back to DMCWORLD, where in the world are you right now?
“Thanks Dan and hello, we’re back home in Brighton, dusting off old vinyl on a sample hunt.”
A massive new Toolroom Knight album about to be released, 30 tracks including 10 exclusives. Let’s kick off with exclusives…
“Very excited about this one, our aim was to get as many quality exclusives as possible, whilst trying to avoid recycling old material. Was a great excuse to lock ourselves in the Studio and get loads of new tracks finished. There’s five exclusives from us including Collaborations with My Digital Enemy, Filthy Rich & Simon Doty, a Stella remix from Marco Lys of one of our first Toolroom releases ‘Freak Show’. ‘Dope Drop’ is a brand new one of us, seems to be quite a bit of hype around this one, getting some wicked reactions on the dancefloor too. And also plenty of exclusive tracks from the likes of Mario Ochoa, Ruben Mandolini, Vlada Assasin, Koen Groenvel, Ed Brumwell and Heath Holme.”
The album is pure peak time House featuring warm, rolling basslines, rock solid rhythms and unmistakable vocals. How long did it take to compile and mix the album and how many tracks were in the initial list?
“We worked on the album on and off for over two months including writing all the exclusives, compiling and mixing. Initially we started with 50 plus tracks on the wish list, and whittled it down from there, was really important to us that the DJ mix flowed and was a true reflection of our sound.”
You were due to fly to the US and Canada at the weekend, but visa problems dictated otherwise. What’s the story there…and when will you back to do the shows?
“Unfortunately so. Our US Visa’s are in the process of being renewed and for some reason they were turned down at the last possible stage, leaving us with no choice but to cancel the gig. So were now going through laborious process again, fingers crossed we get them this time as it going off for us in North America, we’ve played at some wicked parties recently.”
What is the current top 10 you are spinning?
1) Prok & Fitch – Dope Drop (Toolroom)
2) Rene Amesz- Release Yourself – (Floorplay Music)
3) Prok & Fitch, My Digital Enemy – Get It On (Toolroom)\
4) Jay Lumen – Nobody (Off Recordings)
5) Got Some – On Point (Defected)
6) Simon Doty – Tik Tok- (Floorplay Music)
7) Prok & Fitch, Simon Doty – Diva (Toolroom)
8) Gaga- Savage – (Kinetica)
9) Ruben Mandolini – Wash Maschine (Toolroom)
10) Daniele Mannoia – Fly Board (Max Bett Remix) (Shibiza Recordnigs)
You smashed up the Toolroom party in Panama a couple of weeks back, where have been some the stand out gigs for you this summer?
“ADE’s always a great time, we were asked to stand in for Mark Knight and play his set at the Toolroom Knights party, was an honour and was great to hear such great feedback. This summer’s been pretty crazy, our personal favourite gigs were Sunrise Festival Poland, a rave in an old river bed in Nis Serbia. Making our debut for Sensation – a massive career highlight for us as neither of us had been to a Sensation (pictured above and below) before playing, an amazing show and had never seen anything like the level of production that we experienced there. It’s great to be a part of it.”
Anthem of the summer?
“In our DJ sets, a little self indulgent, but would have to be CLS – ‘Can You Feel It’ (Prok & Fitch Remix)…”
Loving the Cube Guys collab ‘Don’t Go’…what’s coming out next from you guys?
“Thanks happy with that one, we’d be wanting to do a track with the guys for a long time, was just a case of waiting for the right idea that all four of us were happy with. Next up for us are the 5 exclusives on the Toolroom Knights Comp, other than that were always working on new material, and a hot new collaboration with Mark Knight.”
How difficult is it reaching a happy medium when making a track, you are known to both having very different ideas in the studio?
“Not as difficult as you’d think, we’ve been working with each other for a fair few years, so knok each other well. There’s often spilt opinions, but always keep on trying and tweaking both ideas until we both agree and are happy with the outcome.”
Do you ever argue about music?
“Ha ha nope, no full on fights yet. We’re both into different music which is definitely a good thing as we take elements from both our personal tastes and incorporate them in both our productions and DJ sets.”
James – what’s with the dislike to your wife playing Rhianna around the house?
“It’s nothing against Rhianna, she’s a very talented pop artist and fair play for what she’s achieved. But I’ve spent 10 years educating the wife musically and that was not part of the syllabus! To be fair she has been quite discreet about it, I only know because I came home and caught her in the act, dancing to it in the kitchen!”
Ben it wasn’t so long ago you were jetting out to Ibiza as a Plastic Fantastic resident DJ. What do you think are the biggest changes the white isle has seen in these ten years…?
“Most obvious change for me is that a lot of money has been spent on improving and smartening the island up, you can really see the difference on the strip from San Antonio Port to Kanya, the roads are much safer. And a lot of the San An crowd now stay in Playa d’en Bossa. Also all of the nights 10 years ago had much more identity than the majority this year, the line ups were more exclusive and individual.”
A recent quote from a superstar DJ…“It was different when I started out back in the day, there was no glamour side of travelling around the world, getting paid fortunes for gigs, it was all about the music. I think people get into it for all the wrong reasons today.” Discuss…
“Everyone including us always bangs on about it being better back in the day, generally it was but there’s no point us really going into that. Obviously with the explosion of Social Media the life of a travelling DJ has definitely been glamorized and is always in peoples faces. The top guys are performing pop stars, earning ridiculous money and fair play to them – they’ve worked hard and smashed it. That’s definitely a route we have no interest in pursuing, to us music is honestly the main reason we do this, obviously we have to adjust our productions to keep us working, but always like to stick to guns with our beats. Nowadays, kids are certainly getting into DJing to emulate the likes of Guetta and Akoki, to be honest we don’t blame them as they don’t have a bad life. Music’s a personable thing and it’s great to see such diversity in the scene.”
Okay some quickfire…
What is the 1 record you wish you’d have made?
“Michael Jackson – ‘Billie Jean’.”
The song that always reminds you of an ex?
“Gabrielle – ‘Dreams’.”
The cheesy dance song that always gets you dancing at weddings?
“Chic – ‘Le Freak’.”
Your guilty pleasures song?
“Justin Timberlake – ‘Rock Your Body’.”
Your favourite piece of Prok & Fitch production?
This year has to be our remix Of Kraak & Smaak – ‘The Future’.”
Your favourite ever Toolroom release…?
“It’s between – Mark Knight & D.Ramirez ‘Columbian Soul’ and Dubfire – ‘Roadkill’.”
You must be happy that house music is back in vogue, were there ever any moments you thought bandwagon dance music was here for ever?
“No not at all there’s always fads, it’s great to see house music thriving everywhere especially so much here in the UK, its great to be a part of such a thriving scene.”
A famous quote from you… “Making something that sounds phat and well produced isn’t as hard as it used to be.” Do you think it is too easy to make a good record in 2013?
“It’s definitely much easier to make a record in 2013, but to make a good record certainly not, it’s tougher now than ever to make a record stick.”
And finally, where are some of the big gigs you’ve got coming up as winter draws in…
“The one we’re most looking forward has to be Sunburn festival in Goa on Dec 29th, we were lucky enough to play there a few years back and was one of the best gigs of the year. December on a beach in India, sun, parties and not a bad curry, happy days!”
Mix Tracklisting:
1) Todd Terry Presents Sound Design – Bounce To The Beat (Prok & Fitch School Of Todd Acapella) with Alvaro Smart – Rolling Hearts
2) Mihalis Safras and Siwell – Pianista
3) Simon Doty, Heath Holme – It’s My Rhyme
4) Prok & Fitch, My Digital Enemy – Get It On
5) Tezla Vs Alan Wools – Music Response with Mark Knight – House Negro (DJ Tool)
6) Prok & Fitch, The Cube Guys – Don’t Go
7) Kraak & Smaak – The Future Is Yours (Prok & Fitch Remix)
8) Ed Brumwell – Calling You with Koen Groeneveld – Undaground
9) Prok & Fitch, Simon Doty – Diva
10) Francesco Rossi – Paper Aeroplane (Tom Staar Remix)
11) Ruben Mandolini – Wash Machine
12) Prok & Fitch, Filthy Rich – Murmur
13) Gaga – Bongo with EDX – Party Of Politics (DJ Tool)
14) Filterheadz – True Light
15) Pete & The Fox – Growler with Honey Dijon Feat Dajae – Until The Day (Acapella)
16) Prok & Fitch – Dope Drop
17) Mario Ochoa, Vlada Asanin – The Ladies with Mark Knight, Adam K & Soha – From the Speaker (Acapella)
18) Prok & Fitch – Freakshow (Marco Lys Remix)
19) Jay Lumen – It’s Over (End Title)
http://www.toolroomrecords.com
