The Golden Filter: The Wednesday Alternative Mix
This year marked the return of the infamous duo known as The Golden Filter.
Now based in the UK the turn of the year saw the pair release a new album on Optimo Music which saw them place prominence on electronics and the growl of machines. The album was a collective mix of low slung beats, enticing vocals and delicious synths. It seemed more apt than ever to ask the duo to contribute to our mix series, something we should of done a long time ago in all honesty,
Listen and read the interview below:
Please introduce yourself…
We are The Golden Filter.
Who are you, where are you and what are you?
We’re Penelope Trappes and Stephen Hindman, We’re living in London, and we’re artists. We make music.
What does your music sound like?
The anxiety vs meditation cycle.
Can you draw what you think it sounds like for us (an image from the old internet is acceptable)?
How has your sound evolved through time?
We’ve both been writing or making music since we were teens, but we were inspired by a few Italo Disco mix CDs that our friend Josh Cheon (Dark Entries) gave us in 2008, which changed our sound to something more clear and cohesive. We’ve gone from italo disco to cinematic soundscapes to techno to minimal wave, but aways keeping elements of our past in our present.
How does London compare to NYC musically?
From our perspective, the capitalist bureaucracies New York City in starting up a venue were always a deterrent for having a healthy scene. Liquor licenses, cabaret licenses, corrupt police, and lack of arts funding in NYC made it all a bit harder than it needed to be. We feel like it made people more clique-y and protective. London feels more open and people seem friendlier and more willing to go out on a limb. Plus the history, greyness, and proximity to Europe fits our music better.
Where was the mix recorded?
In our studio space.
What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?
In your bedroom with your partner(s)
What should we be wearing?
Purity
What would be your dream setting to record a mix: Location/system/format?
Amphitheatre of Pompeii/1971/Pink Floyd’s tour equipment/Reel To Reel
Which track in the mix is your current favourite?
New Order – Confusion dub
What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?
We rarely listen to recorded DJ mixes
If you could go back to back with any DJ from throughout history, who would it be and why?
The 1st rave i ever went to had Cybotron playing live in Cleveland Ohio, so i’ll say Juan Atkins.
What was your first DJ set up at home and what is it now?
1st: 2 Technics 1200s and a Vestax mixer / now: 2 Pioneer XDJ-1000’s and a Pioneer mixer.
What’s more important, the track you start on or the track you end on?
Start.
What were the first and last records you bought?
Altered Images – Pinky Blue / Abul Mogard – The Sky Had Vanished
If this mix was an edible thing, what would it taste like?
Fennel
If it was an animal what would it be?
Clock Spider
One record in your collection that is impossible to mix into anything?
Phew – "A New World” – we’ll keep trying.
Upcoming in the world of…
We’re about to release 2 singles off of our current album, Still // Alone via videos. And Penelope’s got an unexpected solo LP coming on Optimo in early June that we are excited for people to hear.
Anything else we need to discuss?
No.
Follow The Golden Filter on Facebook HERE. Listen to the new album HERE. Buy the album HERE.
