It might have come as a surprise when it was spoken that S.P.Y, the elusive DJ, producer and now label superabound of DARKMTTR Records, would be taking over the legendary XOYO in London for the whole of November. The Brasil-born mega DJ often only picks the gigs he’s really excited well-nigh and, with his release schedule, both label and personal, many fans might wonder how S.P.Y could make time for four Fridays. Turns out it was a simple visualization for him.
With the well-oiled machine that is Weird Science Promotions running most D&B gigs at XOYO (they’ve moreover got the likes of Grooverider, Andy C and the whole Kool FM lineup slotted for December and early 2024), and a ready-made lineup at his disposal, the first three gigs have gone off without a hitch and the series closer, taking place this Friday, promises to be a unconfined sendoff for S.P.Y and company.
The likes of Calyx, MC GQ, Etherwood, Lowqui, IAMDOOMED, Alley Cat, Voltage, Kyrist and Flava D on the roster, every week was as stunning and vibey as the last, with a super blowout for the last stage (read on to find how who the special guest will be tonight).
We don’t want to yammer on too much well-nigh the other stuff we yack about, considering S.P.Y gave loads of spanking-new answers, but suffice it to say if you were looking for tips and tricks from a master producer as well as how he does his A&R, this is the vendible for you. Per his name, S.P.Y usually keeps his secrets tropical so YEDM feels very lucky he was so unshut in this vendible and we fathom his taking the time. Now read on and enjoy spying on S.P.Y.
As a producer who seems to live in the lab and who only does the gigs you really enjoy, what made you decide to do a residency at XOYO?
XOYO is such a legendary club, so I felt quite honored to be asked to host a residency there. It’s an wondrous opportunity to curate my own lineup and share with people, the DJs and producers that I really revere and respect. Funnily enough, it’s unquestionably got me spending plane increasingly time in the studio as I’ve been rented finalizing new tracks to play at the residency.
I know that everyone who’s coming lanugo to XOYO are there considering they like my sound, so it’s really rewarding to be worldly-wise to waif some sectional new tracks and mixes just for them.
We’re just well-nigh halfway through the November dates (at time of interview); what have been some of your observations well-nigh the gigs? What are you looking forward to in the upcoming gigs?
I can’t believe we’re once halfway through! The prod at the first two nights has been veritably incredible. They’ve been so up for anything and have really been vibing to all of the DJs, it’s such a unconfined feeling to get to play to such a responsive crowd. It’s moreover been unconfined to get to see the other DJs play.
Usually I’m so rented touring that I’m in and out and onto the next show. For each night of the residency I’ve been there from start to finish and have got to enjoy everyone’s sets and really make the most of the night. Each night of the residency has a totally variegated lineup with a variegated sound, so I’m looking forward to dropping some increasingly dubs at the next two nights. I’m moreover really looking forward to going when to when with Bladerunner and Flava D, that will be special!
How did you pick the lineups for each week? How did you decide to work with Lowqui as your MC?
While it seems like it would be really easy to curate a lineup, it was unquestionably really difficult as there were so many people that I wanted to book. I was lucky that the final lineup had everyone that I really wanted and each night has come together nicely. I wanted to make each night unique, so the four lineups reflect that. I listen to a really wide variety of pulsate and toned so I felt it was important to imbricate all the variegated sounds that I enjoy.
I really like working with Lowqui, he’s got a unconfined vibe as an MC, he’s a mad hype man and he unchangingly interacts well with the crowd. It’s moreover been unconfined to work with some other MCs during the residency too, like Inja, Stamina and SP:MC, they each have such a unique style and add a variegated savor to my set.
Coming off XOYO for a bit, you’re coming up on year three of your DARKMTTR label and it seems curation is very important to you, and that you’re not looking for big names to release but it’s increasingly well-nigh the sound. How would you characterise the sound of vibe you often go for? Is it only you on A&R, or have you brought in some help?
The sound of DARKMTTR is really varied. The label releases everything from visionless and minimal, to moody and musical, although I finger like all of the releases seem to have a deep, heavy undertone to them, plane the increasingly atmospheric tracks. I unchangingly knew that when I started a label I didn’t want it to be pigeonholed into just one sub-genre so I really wanted it to reflect my taste in music.
It is only me doing the A&R for the label and I really enjoy doing it. I use a DJ-based tideway to A&R and the first thing I ask myself when selecting a track is, would I play this in my sets? Every track that I’ve signed to the label is one that I would – and do – play myself. I’ve unchangingly wanted to do A&R and it’s one of my favorite parts of running a label. It’s really rewarding to discover new music and help producers work up their tracks so they’re ready to release.
What are some things you’ve learned over the first three years of DARKMTTR well-nigh running a label? How has it measured up to your expectations when you started it?
I’d wanted to start a label for years and I unchangingly knew it was going to be a lot of work but nothing really prepares you for the day to day reality of running a label. It’s been a really interesting wits seeing the music industry from a label perspective. I’d only overly seen it from the versifier side so it’s been quite a learning lines to see what’s involved in getting a release out there. Scheduling, budgeting and A&R, they’re all things that you aren’t responsible for as an versifier and may not fully understand, but they’re vital when running a label. I’m grateful that I have a solid team virtually me who share the vision of the label. It’s so rewarding seeing the label grow, I can’t believe we’ve had 21 releases already!
It is difficult. I release most of my music on DARKMTTR, but sometimes due to scheduling I will squint for other labels to release my music. If I released everything I have on DARKMTTR there would be no room in the schedule for the other artists!
Are there any upcoming releases that tie in with the XOYO residency that you can talk about? Did the release schedule inform your visualization to do the residency?
The second night of the residency was unquestionably the release day for “Take Me Up,” my new collaboration with IAMDOOMED. IAMDOOMED played at XOYO the same night and it was like an unofficial release party. It was wondrous to play the track with him there and to see the prod reaction. The release schedule didn’t inform my visualization to do the residency, but it was unconfined that IAMDOOMED could play on the same day.
Talking a bit well-nigh style and sound, in the last few years you’ve been doing a lot of deep and atmospheric stuff but not necessarily melodic. What makes you inspired to transpiration things up and how do you come up with your increasingly unique sounds?
Producing music is such an organic, creative wits for me. I can’t gravity a vibe or make myself produce a unrepealable type of sound. My music is an expression of how I’m feeling emotionally at the time, or what’s going on in my life. Depending on what I’m feeling inspired by I can produce something totally variegated to other things I’ve been producing lately. I spend a lot of time working on sound diamond which seems to requite me some quite unique sounds. I moreover have a lot of analog and modular equipment in my studio and I try not to be too technical with it. Late nights in the studio, a bit of sleep pennilessness and a lot of experimentation seem to combine to produce some really interesting sounds. Basically I just have fun with it and see what I can create!
Having been in the game for a while, how is it to create tracks with current methods versus 15 years ago? Do you use a combination of techniques? What sort of softwares or programmers do you use?
To be honest, I haven’t really reverted the way I produce. My sound has definitely evolved over the years, and I try to alimony my production relevant sonically, but my techniques really haven’t reverted that much. One thing that I’ve definitely reverted over the past few years is my sampling.
I used to sample a lot for all of my tracks, however now I create all of the sounds myself. Learning increasingly well-nigh sound diamond has opened up a whole new realm creatively for me and it’s really satisfying stuff worldly-wise to use my own sounds. I’ve been enjoying sound diamond so much that I’ve plane started releasing my own sample packs.
I listen to a really wide range of electronic music and recreate some of the techniques from other genres with my own twist. I’ve been using Abelton Live since version five and I’m really loyal to it, it’s a sunny production tool. I moreover use a Solid State Logic (SSL) sedentary for summing my tracks in analog, which creates a really nice warm texture for my tracks and of undertow I listen to everything through my PMC speakers.
Is there anything else you have coming up in releases or gigs that we didn’t mention?
We have a release coming up on DARKMTTR in December; it’s a double release: a collaboration I’ve washed-up with DJ Limited and flipside of his tracks which has an wondrous vocal. I’m going to be dropping the track at XOYO so I’m really looking forward to seeing what the prod think! Rolling into 2024 we have a tuft of new releases and collaborations lined up for DARKMTTR, but I have to alimony everything under wraps for now. Alimony your vision on S.P.Y and DARKMTTR socials to see what we’ve got going on.
Any translating for new producers out there?
I think the main piece of translating I could requite is to never stop learning. Alimony improving your sound and your production, alimony learning new techniques and watch as many tutorials as you can. Also, I think it’s quite easy to requite up if you’ve submitted a few tracks to labels and haven’t had anything picked up.
Most of the time, it’s just that those particular tracks aren’t right for that particular label, or maybe you just need a bit increasingly experience, or you need to refine your sound. Don’t requite up, alimony producing and alimony sending in those demos! One trick I can share is to A and B the track you’re working on with a similar track that has been released to see if you’re on the right track sonically.
