You Can't Fake Authenticity at Mutek

Mutek this year was absolutely inclusive in every style and experience.  So MUCH to do and such a stacked schedule and in there I love the international networking aspect; always good to have friends in far places!

To start I have an interview with Nathan Fake who blew me away with his crazy "voyage" into Electronica, dubby breaks with hints of Techno, a dash of House, a tribal here, head bobbing there and some regular out of body experience that brought you to a brightness incorporated to lift you out of the dark steady chain of beats.  He also graced us with his classic tune "Outhouse" which was his first big hit which led to his other biggie "The Sky Was Pink" remixed by Nathan Fake and became an essential to one's collection.

When you were preparing your set did you have a template in mind?

"Well, I mean basically Its kind of like the back end of the tour for my last record, so I was quite immersed in stuff with that - because I mean that lasted almost 2 years."

Were you up late last night?

"Yeah" (as he giggled)

When you're remixing / producing is there somthing you do (ritual...) or something you do to infleunce your state of mind?

"Remixing is like quite a different process more like mentally as opposed just to like doing work on your own music.  It's more of a commission sort of thing.  It's more of a business transaction rather than the artist thing.  I find remixing a lot easier these days, I used to find it really hard because I would stress out for deadlines and shit like that.  I'm really happy with that Grass cover, and actually I sort it out quickly, quite pumped it out is the best way to do it. When I do remixes I don't really listen to the original track that much anymore 'cuz it kind of gets in a weird angle and then I just listen to parts and it's just being rather a subconscious idea of the song."

So you said you were working on a new album, should we be keeping an eye out for it soon?

"Yeah, well it's not finished yet but I want to get it finished before the end of the summer.  I'm not really touring cuz I'll be finishing the album."

I see that you're playing at the Funambus today (Bus where a different artist plays at 5pm and you can listen to them play outside on wireless headphones).  Are you going to take them on a ride somewhere?  

"Yeah, something a little different from yesterday."

Any new hardware / software you've been working with?

"I've been using the same software for around 10 years,  Cubase, VSTs...

Hardware yeah, I've got a couple synths and drum machines - the SH-9, Boss Drum Machine which is really crappy but I really like it."

A favourite place you like to play at?

"I think it depends what mood your in and what place you at.  "

Any words for you fans here at Mutek?

"Thanks for last night, it was cool!"

Check our a recent mix:
Nathan Fake - Fireside Chat (Redbull Music Academy)
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MUTEK/ISMS

This year Mutek all in all was amazing.  I was glad to volunteer for them - it gave me the opportunity to experience a lot of the events, also meet and greet several artist!

Line-ups were ridiculous (in a fabulous way) and keep on getting better every year.

For instance Piknik lineups included Dj Koze who blew me away with his wide range of house / tech-house mixing in some classic shiznit such as his closing track - Silly Love Song by Paul McCartney & Wings.  Also on the bills were tech-lords minilogue who kepts steady sexy and bumpy; Paul Kalkbrenner...What else can I say - classic tech-house giant from Germany baby.  Other biggies like french house dj Pepe Braddock, Amsterdam's San Proper who produces super cool electronica and such (lookup Twif Twaf) amongst many other great talents!

As for the indoor events artist like Matmos, Nurse with Wound, Caretaker ... played all kinds of interesting beats / sounds down to 20's ballroom dancing tunes that involved sipping whisky and creeping it up.

On a bigger scale, Shed who's also another tech-king was playing at Club Soda (hot venue as well), Mouse on Mars kept it intense, grungy and distorted, Matias Aguyo and some of his crew from Comeme came up from South-America to grace us with latin flavored tech.  Canada based Mossa and friends were keeping it sexy and bumpy in the Savoy room upstairs at the Metropolis along with other great artists.  Also something I found very cool was the free Senor Coconut concert at Place des Festivals which is a great area part of the new arts district all located around the Place Des Arts.  Senor Coconut brought in some warm cha cha and such to a chilly yet groovy crowd.

Also on that Saturday night we went on to see the big show at Metropolis which had uber fantastic dj's such as Henrik Schwarz, Dixon, Guillaume and the Coutu Dumont; the side effects were a crazy bunch - Guillaume playing his drum pads and throwing down them fierce tech-house tracks and the Side Effects rapping, mesmerizing, crazy bassist and a saxophonist to complete this crew.  Also an artist that shook me inside out that night in the Savoy room was Smirk.  The name says it all, tall lanky gentleman looking type dressed to impress with his suspenders and of course a mild smirk.  His beats are like a cross from Electronically infused minimal-tech-jazz with a 50's influence if I my say.

Oh dear, the bill went on and on with King Midas Sound as killer Dub invitees from the UK, can I say the bass was enough to bring the brown note out if you get my drift.  Vladislav Delay was grand, and to finish off other artist I enjoyed Theo Parrish who kept it slow, sexy and deep!!

I can't wait to see what Mutek is going to throw at us in the year to come.

Merci Mutek, you went there and there's nowhere I could dare be but in your arms ...

Ashley Gauthier
RhythmWORKS Correspondant