Drum & Bass
Nu:Tone - "If I Could Have Half The Legacy Of Quincey Jones, I'd Die A Happy Man!"
You’ve been involved in music in some way or another for most of your life, having studied Music at university as well as playing the piano from a very young age. Could you imagine yourself working in any other field? Are you as passionate about anything else?
I guess if I hadn’t discovered music, it would have been the visual arts in one way or another, as I come from quite an artistic family in that way. Certainly, I wouldn’t be doing an office job!
Do you think that the musical training such as you’ve had is essential if you wish to become successful in dance music?
Nah, not at all essential, but I highly recommend it – understanding harmonies and chord structures is always gonna help with music production, but there are plenty of extremely successful dance musicians who don’t have that knowledge.
You’ve made your name in producing drum & bass which contains organic, unique musical elements and which incorporates all of the various sounds of the overall drum & bass spectrum. What is your thought process when beginning a track, and how long do you spend working and auditioning different elements for it?
It really varies from track to track – often I’ll begin with a sample, or a chord progression, and build things from there. I play a lot of stuff in on the keyboard, whether it’s Rhodes/Piano keys, or basslines, and really let things flow from there.
For those who may not know, you’re the brother of Logistics [Matt], another established Hospital artist. How does it feel to have your brother in the same line of work as you? Is there any sibling rivalry over who makes the better tracks?
It’s great being in the same business – we talk a lot, and sound things off each other. It’s great to have someone who you can be completely honest with and vice versa. There really is no sibling rivalry – I think we both get equal enjoyment out of each others music.
Do you see any further collaborations with Matt under the Nu:Logic name in the near future?
We’ve produced two tracks together for my new album, and are currently working on some more collaborative material. It’s a great combination when we’re in the studio as we both work in very different ways and have different strengths, though we both tend to work towards the same kind of goal.
You began by DJing drum & bass before moving into production. After working with several vocalists and with a plethora of material now under your belt, have you considered putting together a live PA? Do you think this is an area you’d realistically be able to move into?
I’ve put on PA’s with Natalie Williams (from Strange Encounter and Seven Years) a number of times now, and will be doing a few while promoting the new album. Much more than that, and you start to get in to fairly heavy territory. I have huge respect for anybody who puts on a live D&B show, because it’s a massive commitment.
You’ve cited Quincy Jones in the past as a major influence on your sound. What is it about his works that inspire you, and how have you interpreted this influence into your own music? Who else do you feel inspires your sound?
Quincy knows where it’s at! As a composer, he wrote the funkiest melodies, and as a producer he pulled the very best out of some great songs. If I could have half the legacy Quincy Jones has, I’d die a happy man!
For the music producers reading this, what is your studio set-up and what are your preferred pieces of kit in the studio?
Like a lot of people nowadays, I work on a PC, Cubase & Reason, and Mackie HR824 speakers. You really don’t need anything more than that. As far as preferred pieces of kit, I love a good soft synth (FM8, Lounge Lizard, Z3TA).
Onto the new album ‘Back Of Beyond’, your second full artist album. Already, first single ‘Beliefs’ is being talked about across the scene due to its unique fusion of vocals, funk and rave. What else can we expect from the album, and what in particular are your personal highlights?
It’s quite a varied offering I think – there’s some classic Nu:Tone material on there (jetstream; up & down) and also some deeper bits (say hello, wave goodbye; deep old), more jump-up type stuff (missing link; goofy; never together) and also a techno affair (take me back). All in all, it’s quite a move on from the last album, but that’s what it’s all about innit!
The album contains collaborations with fellow Cambridgeians Commix as well as with Logistics, amongst others. How easy do you find it working with other like-minded artists?
When it clicks, it’s great. It can be a real trial working with people sometimes – if the chemistry isn’t there, it’s probably not worth bothering. With Commix and Logistics, I’ve known them all so long that it’s a laugh more than anything.
The album has been receiving praise across both the mainstream and underground dance press as well as from DJs as diverse as Tom Middleton and Annie Mac. How does it feel to have crafted an album which is able to branch out from just the D&B genre and into the mainstream?
Very few things mean as much to me as a musician as when someone from outside D&B picks up on a tune and supports it. Not much D&B nowadays makes it outside the purist circles, so when it does happen, it really says something.
Finally, if you were given a million pounds and the choice of booking any venue in the world and any DJs, entertainers or performers to play at it, where and who would you pick and why?
The Watergate club in Berlin, with Tony Humphries; Masters at Work; Fabio; Tayo. Everyone playing 3 hours sets!
Featured Tracks:
| Back Of Beyond (Unmixed Full Album) (61:57) | |||||
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Artist: Nu:Tone Label: Hospital Records Genre: Drum & Bass (Liquid) Release Date: 2007-06-25 
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