Virgin

Treasure Fingers, the name has been synonymous with great dance music in 07/08. From dropping his own gems, Its Your Turn and possibly electro track of the year, well for me anyways, Cross the Dancefloor and not to mention the numerous banging remixes that he continually drops. My personal favorites being Chromeo’s 100%, Empire of The Sun’s Walking On A Dream and even making Fergie’s Glamorous palatable. The man consistently keeps people shaking their asses whether its on the dancefloor or in the privacy of their own home. With that kind of resume we can definitely expect more hotness coming out in 2009 and it’s already started with Treasure Fingers remix of Miike Snows‘ Animal, heard here. In anticipation of him coming to Vancouver on January 23rd to Celebrities (tickets at www.blueprintevents.ca), we caught up with the man known as Treasure Fingers to talk about his remixes, plans for an album and for the gear heads, we touch on what equipment he uses in the lab.

KB: First off, thanks for taking the time to do this interview with us. So tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started in producing and DJing electronic dance music?

Treasure Fingers: I started with hip hop and experimental stuff when I was really young, 14 or so, on my dad’s drum machine and 4track. Around 16, I lost interest and started playing in punk/hardcore bands. I didn’t really get serious with dance music production & DJing until I was 17 or 18 and my band had broken up. I liked that I could fill the creative musical void by writing, producing & DJing solo.

KB: You have an interesting name, Treasure Fingers, and before that you were know as The Enemy, tell us about those names, what was the inspiration behind them?

TF: Some friends of mine and I just kicked around some names and Treasure Fingers seemed to be the most popular. I still wasn’t completely sold on it at first but I really like it now. It’s taken over me. The Enemy actually started out as NME-5, my first DJ name. I quickly grew out of that and changed it. I still use the The Enemy moniker for some hip-hop/extra production.

KB: Which musical genres as well as artists do you find gives you inspiration? And what kind of influence has coming from the south, Atlanta, had on your style of music if any?

TF: I listen to almost everything and it all influences me at least a little bit. For Treasure Fingers, 80’s funk and disco is the biggest point of influence. I think a lot of the R ‘n B and rap I listen to comes through a little also. I love southern rap, and the vibe of the Atlanta club music scene and (I) hope a little of that comes across through my music.

KB: How did you meet up with the folks at Fools’ Gold and A-Trak and eventually getting signed to the label?

TF: I had quite a few mutual friends but what actually brought it all together was A-Trak sending me a MySpace message saying something like ‘hey! I like your music and run a label, are you interested (in) releasing some records with us?’ Since then, I’ve become good friend with A-Trak, Nick Catchdubs and the rest of the Fool’s Gold family; they’re all really good people.

KB: Ok so straight up I have to say I love your track Cross the Dancefloor, when I first heard it I was quite blown away. The melodies and production work are ridiculous. What was the process of making that track?

TF: Thanks! It started out as just an instrumental filter disco house type track. Then one day I decided to try to put vocals on it. The next day I thought it might be cool to have some girl vocals responding back to my male vocals. The overall production is pretty simple, just a clean kind of poppy track. There’s a sample in there (the filtered disco part during the first breakdown), but I played the rest of the synths, bass, drums and built the track up around the sample just in case we couldn’t get it cleared. Luckily, it got cleared and I’m blown away at how well the song as done thus far.

KB: Recently you remixed Chromeo’s track 100% and they remixed your track Cross the Dancefloor, how did that partnership come about? Were you always into Chromeos’ stuff prior to Fool’s Gold?

TF: Yeah, for sure. I first heard of Chromeo from some DJ mix they had released years ago. Lots of old classic 80s funk, I didn’t know they were writing or producing their own stuff until I heard Needy Girl. I love their work, great guys too. I didn’t meet or get in touch with them until Fool’s Gold signed Cross the Dancefloor. A-Trak hit me up one day and said his brother and P-Thugg loved it and he wanted to get them to remix it. My remix for them came through some Bacardi promotion they were coordinating with Vice Records, I got asked if I wanted to remix 100% and of course agreed to it. 100% is one of my favorites off that album.

KB: As is mine, and that remix of yours is also bananas.

KB: For all the gear heads out there, what do you use to create tracks / remixes?

TF: I use a PC running Cubase SX 3, I know I need to upgrade to 4, as my main sequencer. As far as instruments, I use a lot of VSTs, some hardware synths (Roland JX3P, Roland Alpha Juno-1, Yamaha DX100, Korg MS10), a couple guitars (Gibson SG, Fender Strat), Heil Talk Box, MPC 2000xl, Fender Rhodes mark V, and a lot of other smaller fun things.

KB: In an interview that I checked out between you and Kill The Noise you mentioned that you wanted to move towards more of a live show by the end of the year, is that something that’s still in the works?

TF: Definitely! The live show won’t be ready for a while though. I’m concentrating on finishing the album now, but once it’s done I’m going to focus on putting the band together and hitting the road.

KB: So staying on topic with the album, when can fans expect it? Or has touring been taking up a lot of your time?

TF: Touring and remixing has been taking up all my time lately. Next year will be the time for a full-length album. I have a lot of tracks half finished & demo tracks already, I just need to pick out the best and finish them.

KB: What are some of your upcoming projects and collaborations that you can talk about?

TF: Not too much I can talk about right now really. I just finished a bunch of new remixes that should be coming out over the next several months. You can check my MySpace or website and see the full list of remixes I’ve done to date. I’m currently finishing one for Miami Horror Don’t Be On With Her for Virgin/EMI in Australia.

KB: So with your busy schedule are you still involved with or plan to work with Evol Intent?

TF: Yes, we have a live show we’ve been doing at bigger events and festivals. We’re working on new material now, and also doing a couple new remixes. One is for Shiny Toy Guns Ghost Town and the other is a dubstep remix of Tech Itch & Kemal The Calling.

KB: Dope. So changing course, what are Treasure Fingers current top 5 tracks that you can’t stop listening to?

TF: Drop Out Orchestra Gibbon, D’Stephanie Rock the Disco, Van She Kelly (Breakbot remix), JR Disco What Cha Going To Do, Matt Hughes Can’t Talk Now

KB: Thanks again for taking the time to do this interview.

TF: No Problem, Thank you!

• Treasure Fingers website
• Treasure Fingers MySpace

“I think it’s a bit of a junkie mentality in a way. You’re constantly chasing a high.”

That’s not really as incriminating as it sounds. King Farook are toying with metaphors as they attempt to describe their enthusiasm for touring.

“Man you know what it’s all about? This is our dream, what we’re doing right now is our dream. We all work day jobs and to be able to just get on the road and play to a whole bunch of new people who have never heard us before is what I live for. I love it.”

Chasing the highs from gig to gig has even left these musical junkies unaffected by the inevitable lows that accompany them.

“You’re in a van with three other smelly guys for ten hours, but it all disappears the minute you hit the stage and you rock it. It’s about constantly trying to feel that way. It keeps you going. So far so good. Hopefully that’s what keeps happening.”

Besides touring manically, King Farook recently released the Four Piece Feed Ep.

“It’s available in all record stores actually. If they don’t have it they’ll order it in. We’ve got distribution through MGM. We’re selling it at gigs as well and just pumping it. A couple of stations have given it a bit of a run so it’s been alright, slowly but surely.”

While only out for five months, it seems this release is already starting to show its age as the band develops.

“Kinda looking forward to some new stuff but the Four Piece Feed is our thing for a little bit. To be honest, it’s not really the sound we’re going for at the moment because we’ve changed members again.”

Line up changes in the band have seen them shift from a five piece to a four, losing and gaining different members along the way. The Four Piece Feed even includes some guitar tracks, when no one in the band plays one any more.

“The reason it was a bit of a dead end is because we actually included guitar. I played guitar on there as well as the bass but tried to keep the guitar to a minimum so it wouldn’t be missed live and it’s something that I’m trying to produce on the bass as well as guitar.”

“So we kind of sound like that, but I think in the future it’s not gonna sound like that because we’re gonna steer away from that kind of sound. We’re gonna write more in terms of what we do on stage. We wanna try to get what we do on stage on to a record. That’s obviously become the forte of what we do as a band. The more people tell us that the more it makes it obvious that’s what we should do on the next album. Not necessarily a live album, but cater the album more to the dynamic of what we do.”

Translating the raw energy of a live show to record successfully is not without its difficulties.

“It is really hard to capture that in the studio. That energy level isn’t necessarily there that you get from a crowd being in front of you all dancing and losing their fuckin’ minds. That’s the challenge for us: to get that energy, that liveness while still having the polish of a nice studio recording.”

With this challenging new direction, King Farook have a positive outlook on their next release.

“We feel pretty confident that the next batch of songs, the next batch of Farookness is gonna be the real shit. Not that the other stuff wasn’t, but we feel a lot more comfortable now.”

“In saying that, I don’t think we’ve hit our stride yet. It’s gonna get harder and we’re gonna be harder working in time to come.”

The next couple of months will see the band working hard on finishing their tour before taking some time off to write and record. There’s no question as to their most anticipated gig in Sydney.

“Romp is the big one for the Sydney market. It’s the 5th December at the Factory theatre. It’s a mini-festival with nine bands on two stages. We’re gonna headline that.”

For more info, check out http://www.myspace.com/kingfarook

Words: Dan Clarke, Interview: Mikey Carr. Musicfeeds - Spanish for awesome!

Download Eleanor Conway Presents: Buraka Som Sistema Podcast

Having won the MTV VMA for best Portuguese act following the release of their second album Black Diamond, Buraka Som Sistema are on the prowl in bringing credible urban world music to the masses. They’ve identified collaborators MIA, Diplo and Switch, Kano and Hot Chip as the metaphorical musical magpies that they are, and they join me on the first Eleanor Conway Presents: Podcast in association with music.virgin.com to share their musical inspirations behind their sound- the sound of Kuduro.

music.virgin.com/author/eleanorconway

myspace.com/elleuk

myspace.com/burakasomsistema

Born: Harlem, New York… on his way to Hollywood…

Rapper, mad music scientist and Sonic The Hedgehog are just a few of the adjectives used to describe Charles Hamilton. With his self-produced mixtape Outside Looking hosted by Green Lantern he has been praised by the likes of Pharrell and Eminem, Kanye West, Andre 3000 and Timbaland. Iovine’s newest signee, Charles Hamilton produces and writes all his own music and plays multiple instruments at the tender age of 20.

If you are a hip-hop head then this post is for you. Charles Hamilton is slowly emerging as one of the more notable undeground artist. As an artist he’s talented, no arguement there. But people in the industry are still not sure about him. He is a great rapper with a sick flow, but can he sell records and connect to a broad audience?

Check his site: www.iamnotcharleshamilton.com

Dialectrix might just be one of the hardest working artists in Aussie hip hop. This album was written and recorded while the Sydney local toured the country and held down a regular job. I find it hard enough sometimes to find time to read the paper, and I don’t even tour.

The speed at which these tracks were put together give them a raw feel, an understated production that serves to make it all sound more genuine, more legitimate. Dialectrix has refined his art to a point, sounding Aussie but not too Aussie, spitting lyrics with the voracity of a well-established artist.

His turns of phrase are so interesting and the production varied enough that I wonder whether many of the guest vocals are really all that necessary. Far be it for me to separate an MC from his extended crew, but I’d have been just as compelled to hear Dialectrix on his own. That aside, they all add to the effect and The Takedown is an epic crew track that is reminiscent of the best of American hip hop collaborations.

This is a damn solid first release, and cements Dialectrix as an up-and-comer worth keeping an eye on. For more info, check out http://www.myspace.com/dialectrix
9/10

I’d like to call True Vibenation pioneers, but in truth what they’re doing is trying to resurrect the soul of modern day hip hop from what they see as “the ego and this whole idea of consumerism” and bring it back to its more organic roots.

“We originally started music just for ourselves really. I remember writing rhymes in the back of class, writing about how crap class was just for a bit of fun and then eventually as it got further we started realising that you can actually say quite a bit with rap. It’s the sort of medium that lends itself to expression and because we had that freedom we thought ‘why don’t we make it and start sharing it with people?”

“There’s a lot of hip hop that’s lacking in recent times. There’s no message anymore. It’s gone back to getting put up on a pedestal. Too many people are concerned with themselves and their ego. It’s really about conveying a message or telling a story. That’s sorta what’s getting lost in hip hop these days.”

That’s exactly what these guys seem to be about: delivering a message and actually saying something with their music.

“Hip hop as a medium is perfect for that. Rapping is so direct. With other forms the meaning’s maybe a bit more hidden but with rapping you can just say it straight out.”

“I think that’s one of the big benefits of hip hop. You can be positive and really say what needs to be said very clearly through music. It has the ability to bring people together as all music does, as well as express the thoughts and fears of the community which is where it birthed from. That’s where it came from and that’s where we’re trying to keep going.”

Their most direct vehicle for this is a regular night called On The Real that runs the last Monday of every month at World Bar. It’s here that the group is trying to spread their message and bring the art back to its origins.

“It’s trying to establish an outlet for proper hip hop where it started the way it was back in the early stages in America. In the late 80s and early 90s there was places like the Lyricist Lounge or the Good Life where Catholic Skills would just come down, jump on a mike and strut their stuff. There’s no real money involved, it’s more about the growth of hip hop and getting down.”

“And building on it. That’s the most important thing. Keep building so that other MCs can see the direction we want to take it and let it keep happening in a positive way and not let it get dragged down like America has, in the pop charts at least. Just being honest to yourself is the main thing.”

With extended freestyles after their sets, and beat boxers emerging from the crowd to drop their skills they assure me “the nights are really good fun.”

“One guy came up and did a rhyme last week and it was pretty cool. Later on he came up to us and said it was only the second time he jumped on the mike.”

The group plans to release a sampler soon “which we’re gonna start selling at shows, so that should be pretty cool” but for now you can see them peddling their craft every month at On The Real.

Check out http://www.myspace.com/themessageaustralia

Words: Dan Clarke, Interview: Mikey Carr. Musicfeeds - Spanish for awesome!

…And Then Tomorrow Came is an interesting album. I am tempted to think I could tire of the vocal delivery of Muph & Plutonic on their own, but this release manages to vary styles and accompaniment enough to create a satisfying long player.Yesterday’s Basement reminds me of the Herd remake of I Was Only 19. This time though the war in question is an internal one, accented by powerful imagery and accompanied by a subtle classical guitar track that adds to the emotive impact.

Today is well executed, showcasing four distinct approaches to rapping and vocal sounds that all come together to form a forceful track that deserves a second play right after the first.

This is an appealing album, boosted by the duos ability to push the envelope. There are other artists on the Obese roster with a more varied vocal range, but all would be well advised to take note of their ability to keep things interesting. Muph & Plutonic are at their best when they deviate from the established formula to mix up their sound and keep things interesting.

Check out http://muphandplutonic.com
8/10

Musicfeeds - It’s Spanish for awesome!

There is a clip on the Thundamentals MySpace page that quite conveniently sums up the underyling principles behind their musical philosophy.

DJ Morgs - “I guess Thundamentals to me has always been about fun. Havin’ my three best mates in my crew with me is like… probably the dopest thing anyone could ask for.”

Jeswon - “We just stay true to the music that we believe in and takin’ it back to the root of hip hop which was havin’ a good time and representin’ for your crew, representin’ with ya mates and not takin’ yourself too seriously.”

Having fun, having a good time. It’s a theme that seems to run through the conversation as I sit down to talk to the crew. There is something more significant to their rhymes than just the superficial party exterior, but the Thundamentals assure me that when they’re on tour it’s all about connecting with their audience.

“We’re not all blasé party raps. You know, we’re tryin’ to get a bit deeper than that but essentially when you come see a live show we just want to have fun, meet the locals and hang out with you guys. That’s the main objective.”

“There’s no fuckin’ wankerish bullshit about pretentious fuckin’ performers. We want to meet the people and fuckin’ get down.”

I get the feeling these guys are trying to connect on a personal level, despite their larger than life personas. There’s nothing controversial in their approach to music and it’s endearing to hear them talk about it.

“Thundamentals are all about peace, love and unity. It’s all about the music. People get in to whatever music they like to get in to. Hopefully they enjoy the stuff that we’re doin’.”

“We just came to rock the part-ee” another member chides in over the top, a common occurence throughout the conversation. The crew can’t help but drop in over the top of each other sometimes, removing any doubt that this really is a crew full of mates out to have a good time. Those good times have been committed to wax recently for their new release.

“We just got a seven track Ep out. That’s self titled, and then hopefully pretty soon we’ll have an album ready. We’ve got a coupla tracks up our sleeves. They should be well and happenin’ about mid next year.”

“Ready for all the good people out there to… cop.” A good marketing slogan to be sure - “Straight cop that shit.”

With a healthy hip hop scene in Australia, the Thundamentals admit to feeling the pressure to establish an identity in the midst of all the quality (and sometimes crap) artists out there.

“Yeah, we’re tryin’ to be as professional as possible. It’s a very cutthroat market at the moment. There’s a lot of talented people come out of Australia, let alone Sydney. There’s a fuckin’ thriving scene here as well so you’ve just gotta have your game on.”

“Hopefully what may stand us in good stead is our work ethic and just tryin’ to maintain and be as busy as possible and push all fronts. Any opportunity we’ve got to get involved and push our name out there we’re gonna be takin’ it. Hopefully that will set us apart.”

They certainly seem to be maintaining a healthy amount of activity, with MTV associate producer and ‘good mate’ James Bullock lending a hand to produce a video clip for the single off the EP, Storm Warning.

“We’re just busy workin’ on that and I guess just trying to make this long player as bangin’ and massive as we can get it soundin’ for its release halfway through next year so yeah, just always got music to write and always got things on the go.”

“The Ep is just a learning curve for us so getting it out and doing video clips and all that kind of stuff is just tryin’ to prop us up for the long play and the albums we have yet to write. We’re just makin’ it all come together so we have a real good firm idea of how to bomb the scene mid next year.”

I’m already looking forward to their next gig with Dialectrix after sitting down with the MC, so I ask the crew what their expectations of the night are.

“Should be large. These boys are doin’ plenty of promotion. We’re gonna promote the turd out of it and just try and make it the biggest night Sydney’s seen I suppose. The Tongue will be on hostin’ duties, and a little bit of freestyle action with ourselves.”

For more info on the band, check out http://www.myspace.com/thundamentals

Words: Dan Clarke, Interview: Mikey Carr.

Musicfeeds - It’s Spanish for awesome baby!

Touring seems to be the most fun aspect of being a working musician. Heading out on the road for weeks at a time, neglecting concerns for personal health and indulging in excess at every turn seems to be part and parcel for most artists but as I sat down to chat with Sydney MC Dialectrix I started to realise that not everyone has it so easy.

“Whenever I tour generally it’s a Friday Saturday affair so they fly you out, they fly you back in and you have to make bread in between so all my experience of touring has been that kind of situation. Touring all weekend and coming back to work Monday to Friday. I was sick for eight weeks after the last time we toured. I got bronchitis.”

It can’t be an easy slog playing to thousands of fans on the weekend, then being confronted with the stark reality of a full week of work but Dialectrix seems resigned to the fact that passion and work go side by side. “I basically live to make hip hop, and everything on the side just makes me get fed and clothed and washed” he explains, before listing the myriad ways he’s endeavoured to “keep the hip hop lifestyle going.”

“I’m a roof plumber, I’m a cookie baker, I’m going to start helping out Soul Clap records. In the past I’ve been a sheet metal installer for air conditioning companies. I work to live, not the other way around.”

Already this year, Dialectrix has pushed his frantic schedule on tours with Chasm and the Obese Block Party. “Side by side, the two tours took their toll. I got to learn a lot about touring and got a feel for it. I loved it. Honestly, it was the happiest time of my life.” I’m starting to realise this is an MC that’s doing it all for the love of the music, not just chasing the duckets. “What can I say? Touring is great” he muses as a police siren echoes outside.

Somewhere between all of this Dialectrix has found the time to write and record his first solo Lp, Cycles of Survival, which he tells me benefited from a staunch deadline aiming for release this year. “I wanted to follow up on Chasm’s Lp and strike when the iron was hot.” Quite literally, the album was written over the top of his other commitments. “There were a lot of late nights when it came to the writing of it ’cause when I was writing it I was on tour so on the weekends I was away and when I came back I was working.”

This frenetic momentum has produced an album where “some parts are a bit raw and some things we could have come back and refined” but Dialectrix seems to think this helped the feel of the final product. “I think the fact that we didn’t go back and re-record and re-produce things gave it a rawness which I quite like.”

“For an album that I wrote so quickly I couldn’t have anticipated that I would have liked it so much. It gives it something that I probably wouldn’t be able to pull off if I sat there and scrutinized it for a year or two years which is what I dig most about.”

Reflecting on the nature of a solo release and the autonomy that brings, Dialectrix says “It’s quite a personal thing and quite an introspective album ’cause it’s the first time I’ve ever had total control over the music and lyrics.”

“After the last six months that we’ve put in to it I’m quite proud of it and we’re gonna tour and take it to the nation and hopefully everyone likes it.”

I can’t help but be impressed at the passion and enthusiasm Dialectrix expresses as he discusses his work as a hip hop artist, so I ask him when I can get the chance to see him spitting his lyrics on stage.

“The next Sydney show is with the Thundamentals at the Annandale hotel on the 14th of November and it will be hosted by The Tongue. It’s gonna be a massive show so I hope the people will love it.”

With three awesome acts on the same bill, I for one think I will.

Words: Dan Clarke, Interview: Mikey Carr

Musicfeeds - It’s Spanish for awesome!

Clinton Sparks is easily one of the busiest personalities in hip-hop, scratch that, in the music biz and I was lucky enough to get some of his time. Have a read below and be sure to cast your votes for this article.

So you want to get an audience with Clinton Sparks. Yeah? Well, get in line.

See, getting an audience with Clinton Sparks can take time, something the guy doesn’t have in abundance. To find him, you’ve got to thief moments when he’s not hosting radio. Or producing mixtapes. Or breaking down new music on TV. Or writing tunes for the likes of Ludacris and Beyonce. You know…find his downtime. But what you and I consider downtime really isn’t downtime in Clinton Spark’s world. He always has something on the go.

“I have so much passion for everything music related whether it’s the business or putting shows together, writing, producing, DJing parties, dancing, performing,” Sparks said in an interview. “I always have much bigger plans than it may appear and am strategically setting things up with other plans in mind. It’s very calculated.”

This goes a long way in explaining how the self-proclaimed “Martha Stewart of hip hop” went from Boston radio stunt guy to one of the hottest names in the industry. There’s his skill on the wheels - both Rolling Stone and USA Today named him one of the world’s top 10 DJs. Production credits include Billboard-charted tracks for The Game and Akon. His nationally syndicated show is one of the biggest stars on Sirius Radio. Oh, he’s gotten into television as well, hosting The Daily 10 as their resident music expert.

If Sparks was a decathlete, he’d be the guy pushing to do an 11th event. This never-stop mentality has skyrocketed Sparks into the mainstream - his ability to mesh a love of hip-hop with pop culture has won him favor with heads and celebs alike. Nowhere is that more evident than with Smashtime Radio.

With Smashtime, Sparks brings this I’m-gonna-do-everything-and-anything mentality to the airwaves, playing a plethora of music while rotating guests through his on-air party.

“Smashtime stemmed from the last hour of my show on Hot 97.7 in Boston where I would just go in heavy because it was the hour when everyone was leaving the club. Now, its syndicated in over 25 markets worldwide,” Sparks explains. “I have also turned Smashtime into the hottest party in Las Vegas. I play everything from Hip-Hop to Rock, Dance, pop, old school, 80’s. We also have surprise guests every week from Ne-Yo to Akon, Carmen Electra to the cast from the Hills.”

Off the airwaves, Sparks has been holding it down as one of the most sought-after producers in the game. Most recently, he produced the title track for Bun B’s “II Trill” that debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart. And while he’s already worked with some incredibly tight artists, Sparks wants to keep pushing the envelope into different genres.

“A lot of people will be very surprised with what I plan to do next year with music, but I will never abandon Hip Hop,” he explained when asked what artists he’d like to work with. “Jay-Z would be one. Weezer and Teddy Riley are some people too. But there are so many I’d like to work with in all different genres of music. But after I complete my Clinton Sparks [the artist] album, people will really get to know what I’m about.”

Read the rest of the interview at Killahbeez.com.