Route 1 Audio Interview with Acomply
We are back with our Interview series! Its been a long time coming as we have been massively busy over the festive/winter period with numerous projects.
We are back with none other than one of the Head dogs at After Dark Music Blog . Its so nice to speak to people who are in the scene purely for the love of it, and with After Dark music you get that! I have been speaking to these guys for a few months now and they are getting a really good following and really pushing the scene. I spoke to Acomply over messager to ask him some questions about himself and the blog. We also was lucky enough to get him to put together our next podcast mix [#013] which is below! So grab a listen and download to that too!
Route 1 Audio Podcast #013 [Acomply] by Route1audio on Mixcloud
R1: So can you tell us a bit about your musical background? Your musical upbringing and influences growing up?
Acomply: Most of my younger years were spent listening to the likes of Jimi Hendrix, CCR, Louis Armstrong, all that type of stuff. My Dad always had music playing though my household via his extensive wax collection. Besides that, I played the drums for about 4 years during my teens, so I’ve had good exposure to most genres of music. Regardless of that, I was heavily into Hip Hop from the age of 10. Tupac, NWA, early Wu Tang were big influences for me back then. I discovered Drum and Bass at the ripe old age of 13 and I was instantly hooked! My first CD buy was ‘Progression Sessions 3’ followed by 'Full Cycle Live Vol. 1’ (should have started with wax instead :P ) I’ve always been extremely impressed by artists including LTJ Bukem, Grooverider, Andy C, DJ Hype, Nicky Blackmarket and what they have done to help influence a whole surge of premium music. I will always respect the early roots of D&B and jungle alike. _
R1: What made you originally get in to Deep Dubstep? Is there a specific track or artist that cemented your love for the genre?
Acomply: I have been a huge Kryptic Minds fan from day 1, back when they used to produce D&B. I was always taken by their high level of production & creativeness. They were the biggest influence for me in terms of Deep Dubstep, their '2009 Studio mix’ really shifted my transition further into 140. I had a mate here from the UK that introduced me to UKG & Grime - I had no idea what it was but instantly appreciated the 'underground’ appeal of what I was hearing, (I must have been one of the first people in Australia to own a copy of 'Lord of the Decks’) Cooh (Balkansky) had another huge impact on my love for the genre. Some of my earliest 140 influences have been L wiz, DJG, Shackleton, Rob Sparx, & Loetech,.
R1: In Australia, what’s the scene like? Is it growing? Do you have regular events? Or do you rely on streams and the internet to keep you up to date with current music?
Acomply: The scene in Perth is extremely thriving with Drum n Bass. Perth is the capitol of Australia for D&B. I used to DJ out fortnightly with Extended Play Perth (EP Perth) mainly D&B sets, though I dont mix D&B much anymore. Recently I have relied mostly on streaming/blogging for getting my mixes heard, and I’ve recently been offered a regular radio slot which is cool. I have always been involved in music purely as a hobby. When money gets involved, it’s a different ball game. I don’t care for the money/following/fame & hype side of things when it comes to music. I have hosted Deep Dubstep events last year with EP Perth, except the numbers weren’t there and I’m not interested in changing my style in order to get gigs - it’s not what i signed up for. I try and make the music work for me and not me work for it. It’s all about staying true to what sounds I enjoy the most. Besides that, through networking with some great people on SoundCloud, I’m able to get myself some sets in other cities and countries. It’s a great feeling knowing there are just as many people out there from other parts of the world that enjoy what I enjoy, even tho my hometown doesn’t seem to relate.
R1: What’s your favourite producers/artists at the moment? Do you have any from Australia?
Acomply: I’m blessed to be able to work with my favourite producers in the genre. I am consistently impressed & inspired by producers like Split Dubstep, Gaze ill, Thruster, Somber, Delve, Myth, Dar kist, Maes, Freud, Piezo, Shu, Nigia, Mesck, Congi, Dub Killer, Monkixx, & the list goes on! I’ve also noticed how much quality new 140 is being pushed out at the moment too. I feel the scene is thriving and i find it quite exciting tbh! In terms of Australian Deep Dub producers, elayche & B9 are at the top of my list. Besides them, it’s quite minimal in that regard. Drum ’n’ Bass-wise, my good mate Niwun is one to watch out for, and Greg Packer is a legend here in the scene. I’ll also mention Pendulum, being from Perth - they have destroyed dance floors worldwide and really helped get Perth on the map as the Aussie D&B capitol. Outside of 140, producers like Specta Ciera, ASC, Consequence, Sam KDC, Psuedo Slang, Love Grocer, Addis Pablo, Black Roots, Boxcutter, The Sunshine Brothers, Scientist, Joe Ariwa, Lee Scratch Perry & Mad professor are huge influences on me.
R1: Your DJ name is Acomply. Can you fill us in on how that name came about?
Acomply: Thats a simple but interesting one. I used to be quite obsessive with being a 'Completionist’ on all the Xbox/PC games I used to play, completing/unlocking everything to 100%. I also generally try and make everything 100% complete that I take on (still need to improve on that one though!) so Acomply stemed from 'acquiring completion’. It’s a life long motto for myself, one I will always try my best to fulfil.
R1: We know you DJ, how long have you been DJing for? What’s your preferred set up? Do you DJ solely Dubstep or do you mix other genres?
Acomply: I started DJing in 2010 and my first setup included Pioneer CDJ 350s & a DJM 350 mixer. I’m mostly self taught, but have been given some great advice along the way. Once I learnt to phrase and beat-match properly I was very motivated to keep at it. Later, I acquired CDJ 900s but had to sell them for the funds (I miss them!). I now own a set of CDJ 1000 mk3’s & a DJM 800 and also have a DDJ SX & Traktor setup (no Serato - weird setup I know!). I prefer to mix on my controller mostly these days, It’s far more convenient than burning CDs, using a external recorder etc. If I had my time again I would have started on vinyl, but that has never been feasible for me, so I’m happy with my setup as is. In regards to genres I mix, I have recently been experimenting with more ambient/half time stuff as well as Reggae Dub. I do plan on getting a set done this year without any 140 in it to showcase the other sounds I enjoy. I used to mix just D&B, but i have lost my passion for the genre for various reasons, so for me its 140 for life!
R1: Do you produce? If so what’s your ideal set up, what DAW do you use and do you have anything new coming for us to hear soon?
Acomply: I have tinkered with some production and as you will notice this mix has my only proper remix of a tune I have done. I’ve been using Ableton and been lucky enough to get some very good help from my good mate Niwun. Without him I feel I wouldn’t of even attempted production on any level! I’ve almost completed my first stand alone tune and I’m hoping to get it up by the end of February at latest. Once thats complete i’ll probably just be focusing on getting a bunch of mixes done as well as staying on top of the blog. I always try to use my hobby time in the most effective way!
R1: Afterdark Music Blog. Can you tell us a bit more about that? Who’s involved, how it all started, what’s your involvement?
Acomply: Yes yes, After Dark was created by Drew (Somber) & Myself. We felt with the loss of a few respected underground blogs, there was a gap within the underground 140 scene that needed to be filled. After Dark wasn’t actually planned between us, it just happened at the right time. As I made my way through Deep Dubstep promotion via the 'Completionist’ mix series, i was facing conflicts of interest, which prevented wider exposure from similar blogs to After Dark. Money is the root of all evil - the advantage of After Dark blog being a free network of music minimises the potential issues that stem from financial conflicts. We now have a small family of great producers and people we work with & will continue to push the sound as much as possible. It’s straight up done for the passion & enjoyment of spreading underground producers & DJs alike. One love! Drew and myself share the workload quite well together, we both work with slightly different artists and personalities which makes for a great showcase on the blog and the listeners get a nice spread within the 140 spectrum. My best mate here in Perth does all our logo work, so having a proper designer for all our artwork really helps too! All in all, we have the same goals and see eye to eye very well. We have the upmost trust & respect for not only our blog family but our own projects, and that is what you need for success.
R1: So how do you and Drew juggle the management of AD, bearing in mind you are on different sides of the earth?
Acomply_: We just do our thing, and keep each other up to date on what and who we are working with before we launch anything. Drew and I are 10 years apart and I find that helps with different influences on what sounds we share. I find living in completely different parts of the world adds as a bonus on keeping After Dark on point; when one of us is offline the other is usually online, so we can keep an eye on everything all the time, for the most part. _
R1: The recent LP over X-mas was heavy, how long was that in the planning/making? We know it’s not easy to compile a compilation album, so how did you get to gather in all those artists?
Acomply: Drew sorted most of the tracks for that one, it was planned a couple months before and we set a deadline for getting everything ready on time, that goal was achieved! If you have a look over all our features, you will notice the influences from both sides of us, always keeping it diverse as much as possible.
R1: What do you see for AD Music Blog in the future? More releases?
Would you consider turning in to a Label in the future?
Acomply: I see After Dark steadily growing into the 140 community. We don’t plan on becoming a label or trying to dominate the scene, we just want to share the love for underground sound whilst keeping things simple, effective and enjoyable! We have another couple of EP’s in the works & some fresh and exciting mixes showcasing fresh Dubs & quality 140. We are also planning on doing an 'Exchange mix collab’ with one of our good friends who runs another great 140 blog, so keep an eye out for AD music blog in 2016!!
R1: Who do you see pushing through to the forefront of the scene this year? What producers/artists/DJs would you advise us to keep an eye on?
Acomply_: I can’t really say as such to who I feel 'pushing thru’ the scene this year. In Deep Dubstep I feel there are 2 levels: known & underground. Thats how I view it anyway, so the underground will remain underground even when they 'push thru’. I feel a lot of producers and DJs enjoy being noticed by the bigger players but are content with not having to break into a commercial scene. Eitherway, i’d say keep a close eye on Cue line Records, Version Collective, Northern Hertz Audio, Subworld Audio, Another World Records, Deepnezz Audio, Foundation Audio, Substruct Audio and maybe Route 1 Audio, mwahaha :P _
R1: So thank you for taking the time to talk to us, the last questions: Where can we find out more about you and Afterdark Music Blog?
Acomply: The links with in the mix will give you all you need. We keep it simple, 1 facebook fan page and 1 soundcloud account. You can always catch us on our own personal pages too. Cheers!
We would like to thank Acomply for taking the time out to have a word with us and answer some questions. We are big supporters of After Dark Music so make sure you go a follow, like and listen to all thats going down on there social links below!
Soundcloud [After Dark Music Blog]