Interview with Amine Edge & DANCE

Profile must remain public until winners are announced on 12/28
We're giving away a few pairs of tickets to OMFG! NYE 2017 to our favorite throwback moments from past LED shows!
We got to catch up with Barrett Richards a.k.a. Kastle before his show in San Diego this Friday. Here what he had to say about influences on his new album, favorite Korean spa in California & favorite producers of the moment:
What was the creative process like for Reflections?
It was just all about letting go and letting my instincts guide me. Through meditation before every studio session, I looked to create a dialogue with my subconscious and to just let that communication become involved in the album writing process.
How does Reflections differ from your past music?
I wouldn’t say it really differs at all in regards to the style. I’ve always been inspired by the same timeless sounds of garage, jungle, footwork, bass music, etc. I’d say what is mostly different is the production values and that the songs are slightly more open to interpretation than some of my past pop-leaning works.
When did you start meditating, and how has meditation influenced your music?
It’s something I’ve been interested in and aware of since high school really. I began studying eastern philosophies and mysticism when I was 16. Taoism was the philosophy that really resonated with me. The inner/mystical depths is no easy area to navigate and at 34 I’m still learning so much more and after all the years more and more dots connect. You just keep peeling back the layers of the veil. You encounter forces within yourself that are not always helpful, but when you overcome them you become more empowered by that energy. I just feel like in the past year I’ve had some significant breakthroughs that have allowed me to be more open about my experience and share it in the form of an album.
What do you enjoy most about running your record label Symbols?
It’s a combination of my love for music, pushing boundaries and helping other artists. It’s great to be a part of something bigger than myself and I hope that we can contribute to culture for the greater good.
Who are your favorite producers at the moment?
I’ve got a pretty diverse rotation on lately with artists like Kid Smpl, Lil Yachty, DVA, Gaika, S4U, Kassel Mosse, my.head, SURVIVE, 2814, Dark0 and Jacques Greene.
Which producers have influenced you the most throughout your career?
Three artists that have had a tremendous impact on me at different stages of my life are Moby, Aphex Twin and Burial.
What have been the most transformational musical experiences of your career?
I’d say launching Symbols in 2012 and putting out my debut album in 2013 were really huge for me. Because I have such an independent drive so it felt incredible taking that step. This new album is another extension of that. Also festival sets at Lightning In A Bottle, Shambhala and Coachella were very transformational for me.
What have been the most transformational cultural experiences from tour?
I’d say just the culmination of touring and the experience of travel. Learning that no matter race, religious affiliation, geographical location, etc, at the end of the day, we are all the same. Seeing that first hand is crucial, and I wish more people in rural America (where I grew up) had the ability to travel more. There are so many people in America who never have real conversations with people different than them and therein lies the disconnect.
Speaking of cultural experiences, I read in another interview that your manager sent you to a Korean spa after you released Reflections. As someone who married into a Korean family, I've become a big fan of Korean spas. Do you have a favorite spa in Koreatown or OC?
"I Spa" in Irvine! It’s dope, I didn’t want to leave.
We'll be partying next Sunday with A-Trak & Kittens at our favorite outdoor venue Quartyard for a little Sunday Funday DAY OFF & giving away FIVE Passes to our 3-Day New Years Eve party at the end of the year!
Top 5 costume winners will be contacted next week⎯good luck!
We had a chance to sit down with Jesse of MSTRKRFT to ask some questions before they make their way to San Diego on their first tour in over five years. Read what he had to say:
Q: Who/what were the biggest influences for OPERATOR?
The gear we decided to use really became a third member of the band on this record. We decided to sorta take a back seat to the machines and not try to force them to do what we wanted, and instead follow their lead. It creates a kind of feedback loop while you work. Sust deciding to do that was the biggest influence on how the record turned out.
Q: What was the creative process like for OPERATOR?
We would turn on all the gear, hit record on the computer and then not look at it until we were leaving. We didn't want to look at a screen or think about making music that way. We just focused on the gear we had in front of us and tried to forget about things like wether or not the music we were making had a purpose beyond just making us happy.
Q: How do you feel about OPERATOR now that it's finished and released?
We are very happy with it. It's always good to see your work get released like this. We started work on the next album as soon as this record was mixed, and having this out feels like a door has opened for us to push things much further.
Q: How do your current live shows differ from the live shows you played after releasing 'The Looks' and 'Fist of God'?
The biggest difference is that we are mostly performing live now, although we still DJ when it makes more sense for the club etc. In terms of what we are playing when we DJ, I think the feel on operator is expressed there as well.
Q: How has your modular equipment influenced your recorded music and your live shows?
The key for us was not using equipment on the record that we couldn't also travel with and use live. The modular setups are always evolving to some extent, and have changed many times this year already. Working this way really makes every show very different, and allows us to really feed off of the room more than ever before.
Q: What are your thoughts on the current state of dance music?
I feel like this is a somewhat impossible question to answer. It's like asking someone about a city they visited, in that the things they experienced shaped their opinion. I think dance music is in an incredible place right now, with more creativity and resolve than ever before, but then thats just based on the things I pay attention to and listen to. I'm sure theres a sea of garbage out there, but if I don't pay attention, for me it doesn't exist. hope that makes sense.
Q: How has dance music changed since you first released 'The Looks'?
It seems like its gone through a cycle and into a place we had hoped and imagined it would.
Q: Who are your favorite DJs/producers?
Gary Beck, Robert Hood, Phantoms Revenge, Truncate, Surgeon, Len Faki… hard to choose!
Q: Who are your favorite bands?
Right now? Cult Leader, Naomi Punk… again, very very hard to choose!
Q: What can MSTRKRFT fans expect from you guys over the next few years?
We will keep making music that makes us happy.
Entries must be made by 6PM PST on Wednesday, June 29th or forgetterboutit!
*Profile must remain public until Sunday 5/29
Winners will be announced by Saturday 5/28!
*Profile must remain public until Saturday 5/28
All you have to do is purchase a ticket to Sinden's show at Bang Bang to be entered to win a PAIR of tickets to the next Night Bass takeover in San Diego!
*All fans who already purchased tickets are automatically entered
* NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER THIS CONTEST. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE CHANCES OF WINING. CONTEST IS ONLY OFFERED IN THE UNITED STATES. The Night Bass Contest (“Contest”) begins at 8:00:00 p.m. Pacific Time (PT) on Wednesday, April 6, 2016 and ends at 8:59:59 p.m. PT on Friday, April 8, 2016 (the “Promotion Period”).* ALTERNATIVE ENTRY METHODS: You are also eligible to enter the Contest absent compliance with the above stipulations. To submit an entry by mail, legibly print on a 3” x 5” card: ‘led gold pass’; your full name; address; e-mail address; and daytime telephone number.
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We're giving away a PAIR of tickets for LED Anniversary to a handful of lucky fans! Here's how to enter:
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PO Box 121882
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