Mumdance interview
Mumdance is making some serious noise right now, with remixes of the likes of Santogold, Black Lips and Evil Nine. I got to speak to him ahead of his show with partner in crime Jammer in Dublin's Twisted Pepper tomorrow.
AH: Everyone asks about your name... Have you developed a crazy back story for it yet?
MD: Haha no, I used to try to give a different story each time, but now I have given up... But I guess since you asked... It references an old custom in some parts of Wales where before asking out a young lady, a male suitor would have to prove himself to the girl’s mother through the medium of dance. If the dance was complex enough & met the mother’s standards, they were allowed to go out on dates together without a chaperone.
AH: I think it works because it's short enough not to be too complicated, but it's such an odd juxtaposition that it's easy to remember.
MD: Thanks! I have a real love / hate relationship with it, but to be honest I think that if you are putting out good music, people will think you have a good name no matter how awful it is...
AH: How did you first start producing?
MD: Same way everyone did, by downloading cracked software off the internet (although there is only so many times it can crash & you lose all your work before you bite the bullet and buy the software for real).
AH: When did you first hook up with Jammer?
MD: I’ve known him for a few years now, he used to come play my parties when I was a promoter, it just progressed from there really, we started doing music together & playing little shows to work out what worked and what didn’t. Now we are touring all over Europe with what I believe to be a pretty unique slant on the music we are into
AH: Do you consider yourself a DJ, a producer, or both? Or just an artist?
MD: Man, its hard to answer this question without sounding like a dick! I’m more a producer than a DJ, but I love both equally, DJing is a lot more fun, but you gotta be in the studio making beats if you want to make it as a DJ... Ahhh I’m confusing myself now... I’m gonna go with artist.
AH: Being asked to be part of Top Ranking (definitely one of my records of 2008) must have been pretty special. Have you any plans to work with Diplo or any of the Mad Decent crew?
MD: Yeah I was so happy to be a part of that, I am a massive fan of Diplo & the Mad Decent family and they have helped me out a lot. I think once I have my EP finished they are going to have first refusal on it.
AH: Obviously the internet has helped you get your work noticed - have you had any negative experiences online?
MD: It’s all been good for me so far, everyone has been really nice, strange as some other producers get a load of shit off people on forums and that but maybe that only comes when you step up a few rungs of the ladder!!
AH: You've a healthy presence on internet forums - for example Erol Alkan's in the UK and Low Bee's in the US - with such forums being flooded by wannabe bedroom producers do you think some real gems get lost?
MD: I’m a firm believer in the fact that if you make a good track it will find its way. I was one of the wannabe bedroom producers a year ago!!! The first track that made any impact was my Black Lips bootleg which I just sent out to a few DJs through Myspace, literally like 10 people. A week later it was being played on Radio 1 and was on about 10 different music blogs and had had about 10,000 downloads. I think I was lucky, but at the same time, people DO pay attention, you just got to bring something good to the table.
AH: It almost seems that just in the last week Twitter has completely exploded, with Erol and Tiga joining, and people across the internet raving about Diplo and ?uestlove's Grammy reports. Do you think this will take the mystery and excitement out of the celebrity culture that's built up around DJs, or will it simply humanise them?
MD: I guess it just helps you keep in touch with the people you are interested in. not sure if it takes any mystery away or not. It disintermediates the stream of information and allows you communicate directly with the person you are following, which I guess helps you to see them for who they really are. Haha in fact since I started using Twitter there has been a few people in the public eye who I have totally changed my opinion about through how mundane or ignorant their twittering is.
AH: What do you think will be the sound of 2009?
MD: GLOBAL BASS is the sound I’m trying to champion. Bass driven dance music which takes influence from all types of regional music from around the world.
AH: Is there anyone out there who's really impressing you but that hasn't really received due attention?
MD: C Gritz, Badness & Tempa T are three Grime MCs who bring a STUPID amount of energy to the dance. Check them both out. Also Tomb Crew smack it each and every [time].
AH: You're playing Dublin's Twisted Pepper tomorrow - what should the crowd expect?
MD: Just whatever music I’m feeling like playing on the day. I don’t plan these things or restrict myself with genres or musical boundaries, I’m just gonna go in there and play a lot of different types of dance music in quick succession. All genres all tempos.
AH: What else is in the pipeline for Mumdance this year?
MD: I’m working on original material FINALLY. I feel I have found my feet production wise so I’m knocking remixes on the head for a bit & concentrating on myself. I have also been doing collaborations with Radioclit, Brodinski & High Rankin. We’ve been making some pretty exciting sounds so keep your ears open!!!
Mumdance - Global Bass Mix for Mad Decent (Tracklist)
AH: Everyone asks about your name... Have you developed a crazy back story for it yet?
MD: Haha no, I used to try to give a different story each time, but now I have given up... But I guess since you asked... It references an old custom in some parts of Wales where before asking out a young lady, a male suitor would have to prove himself to the girl’s mother through the medium of dance. If the dance was complex enough & met the mother’s standards, they were allowed to go out on dates together without a chaperone.
AH: I think it works because it's short enough not to be too complicated, but it's such an odd juxtaposition that it's easy to remember.
MD: Thanks! I have a real love / hate relationship with it, but to be honest I think that if you are putting out good music, people will think you have a good name no matter how awful it is...
AH: How did you first start producing?
MD: Same way everyone did, by downloading cracked software off the internet (although there is only so many times it can crash & you lose all your work before you bite the bullet and buy the software for real).
AH: When did you first hook up with Jammer?
MD: I’ve known him for a few years now, he used to come play my parties when I was a promoter, it just progressed from there really, we started doing music together & playing little shows to work out what worked and what didn’t. Now we are touring all over Europe with what I believe to be a pretty unique slant on the music we are into
AH: Do you consider yourself a DJ, a producer, or both? Or just an artist?
MD: Man, its hard to answer this question without sounding like a dick! I’m more a producer than a DJ, but I love both equally, DJing is a lot more fun, but you gotta be in the studio making beats if you want to make it as a DJ... Ahhh I’m confusing myself now... I’m gonna go with artist.
AH: Being asked to be part of Top Ranking (definitely one of my records of 2008) must have been pretty special. Have you any plans to work with Diplo or any of the Mad Decent crew?
MD: Yeah I was so happy to be a part of that, I am a massive fan of Diplo & the Mad Decent family and they have helped me out a lot. I think once I have my EP finished they are going to have first refusal on it.
AH: Obviously the internet has helped you get your work noticed - have you had any negative experiences online?
MD: It’s all been good for me so far, everyone has been really nice, strange as some other producers get a load of shit off people on forums and that but maybe that only comes when you step up a few rungs of the ladder!!
AH: You've a healthy presence on internet forums - for example Erol Alkan's in the UK and Low Bee's in the US - with such forums being flooded by wannabe bedroom producers do you think some real gems get lost?
MD: I’m a firm believer in the fact that if you make a good track it will find its way. I was one of the wannabe bedroom producers a year ago!!! The first track that made any impact was my Black Lips bootleg which I just sent out to a few DJs through Myspace, literally like 10 people. A week later it was being played on Radio 1 and was on about 10 different music blogs and had had about 10,000 downloads. I think I was lucky, but at the same time, people DO pay attention, you just got to bring something good to the table.
AH: It almost seems that just in the last week Twitter has completely exploded, with Erol and Tiga joining, and people across the internet raving about Diplo and ?uestlove's Grammy reports. Do you think this will take the mystery and excitement out of the celebrity culture that's built up around DJs, or will it simply humanise them?
MD: I guess it just helps you keep in touch with the people you are interested in. not sure if it takes any mystery away or not. It disintermediates the stream of information and allows you communicate directly with the person you are following, which I guess helps you to see them for who they really are. Haha in fact since I started using Twitter there has been a few people in the public eye who I have totally changed my opinion about through how mundane or ignorant their twittering is.
AH: What do you think will be the sound of 2009?
MD: GLOBAL BASS is the sound I’m trying to champion. Bass driven dance music which takes influence from all types of regional music from around the world.
AH: Is there anyone out there who's really impressing you but that hasn't really received due attention?
MD: C Gritz, Badness & Tempa T are three Grime MCs who bring a STUPID amount of energy to the dance. Check them both out. Also Tomb Crew smack it each and every [time].
AH: You're playing Dublin's Twisted Pepper tomorrow - what should the crowd expect?
MD: Just whatever music I’m feeling like playing on the day. I don’t plan these things or restrict myself with genres or musical boundaries, I’m just gonna go in there and play a lot of different types of dance music in quick succession. All genres all tempos.
AH: What else is in the pipeline for Mumdance this year?
MD: I’m working on original material FINALLY. I feel I have found my feet production wise so I’m knocking remixes on the head for a bit & concentrating on myself. I have also been doing collaborations with Radioclit, Brodinski & High Rankin. We’ve been making some pretty exciting sounds so keep your ears open!!!
Mumdance - Global Bass Mix for Mad Decent (Tracklist)
Labels: Badness, bodytonic, Brodinski, C Gritz, Diplo, Erol Alkan, High Rankin, Jammer, Mad Decent, Mumdance, Radioclit, Tempa T, Tomb Crew, twisted pepper, Twitter
posted by Aidan at 6:14 PM
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