Starkey Interview

Starkey – things have been going really well recently have they not? What've you been up to?

Just been promoting my new EP on ninja tune, "Open the Pod Bay Doors", and working on my next full length album. I've also been locked in the studio collab'ing with other writers and artists on some good music which you'll hopefully get to hear in 2012. 

You were featured on the [unclassified] compilation which oozed some of the edgiest electronic artists of our times. What's the story behind your track which featured on it? How did it come to be on there?

Well I had done a Gorilla Zoe remix for the ATL compilation they dropped a couple years ago I think at this point. So they hit me up and asked if I would do something exclusive for this new compilation they were putting together…. and of course I said yes. I wrote "Eris" for it… and knew that I wanted it to kind of stand on its own as a production. It's not necessarily a "single" kind of tune, but incorporates a pretty interesting song structure. A lot of people weren't expecting that initial drop either. I definitely went for a kind of stripped back early grime style for that section… which I think came out really nice. 

Now Winter is properly nuzzling in, where might we be able to find you when not in the studio?

If its like last winter in Philly, I'll probably be shoveling tons of snow. But if that's not the case, then probably sitting in front of the fireplace watching a good movie. But I do very little of that. It's pretty much work work work everyday for me. 

Speaking of which, what's one key ingredient to a studio session with Starkey?

We tend to go off on tangents when I'm working with other people… and we start throwing on YouTube and Spotify and listening to weird music and watching stupid videos. But in the studio it's all about having really good coffee and tea, plus sparkling water. You got to be hydrated when you're jumping around to the beats. Haha. 

Growing up, what or who were you listening to that you feel has resonated with your creativity today?

I listened to so much different stuff. Thriller was definitely an early influence, as well as the White Album. Later I was introduced to the Beastie Boys "Check Your Head" and I couldn't stop listening to that. Then later I got into loads of post rock and hardcore punk stuff. I've always been all over the map, which you can hear in my music now. 

Which track at the moment is without fail – each and every – setting your set alight?

Distal "Kurgan"…. which we're releasing on 7" on Seclusiasis this month. I've been closing every set with it. It's absolutely vicious. 

Any exciting forthcoming projects or releases we should keep our eyes and ears peeled for?

I don't like to share things with people until they're 100% in the bag… but I can definitely say that I'm working on a new full length album which I'm really excited about. We've got ridiculously sick releases lined up for early 2012 on seclusiasis and slit jockey so look out for those. And yeah… I'll just continue doing what I do…. Hopefully make music that I enjoy and others get into as well.

Starkey plays Z Shed this weekend. Full details here.

Interview By Sophie