Artist To Artist – Rekord 61 + Spencer Parker

Not quite sure if you've noticed but we're rather big fans of Spencer Parker round these parts… so much so we've gave him free reigns to our site last month. Mental I know. 

Anyway, we like his interview style and he's remixed this week's R$N Mix-er's new single Rekord 61. That's handy isn't it?

Handy we could get them in the same room to ask each other questions too. Here are the results… 

Rekord 61 to Spencer Parker

What was the main idea of your work?

Well, I don’t really make many “acid-y” style tracks but the main part of the original that stuck out for me was definitely the 303 line, so I wanted to make a pretty simple, hypnotic track but have the acid line slowly creeping in to be the star of the show, as the track progresses.

Why is it 'Workmix'? I mean, not a classic 'Remix', why is that important for you?

After my very own label Work Them Records of course ! 🙂 I’ve always prided myself on making records that work on dance floors and work for dj’s and dancers alike. People say “functional” sometimes like its a bad thing but I always want my remixes to be something that a dj can rely on to work in the club – so that’s why it’s a WORKmix 

Is it a new experience – to make your remixes live? How did it happen? 

I’ve done it before and it’s just an alternative way of working. With this remix i was influenced by people like Robert Hood or Radio Slave, producers that are great at just nailing a groove and dragging you into it, sometimes these records may not seem very complicated, but believe me – the devil is in the details. 

Did you have a lot of fun doing the mix?

Definitely ! My idea was that i would just get some simple elements together, but the right elements- and then go for it. First and foremost i consider myself a dj that is slowly learning with producing, but the upside of this is that i think i know exactly what needs to happen at what point in a record – from a dj point of view – so this lends itself well to doing something all in one take – as your “dj brain” takes over – “the ride should come…. here !!! now drop the hats out!!” etc etc 

Have you played the mix in clubs? What was the people's reaction?

Yes, I’ve been playing it every set ! I played it in Panorama Bar the week after i finished it and in Concrete in Paris last week – and everyone kept right on dancing ! – so i guess i did ok !  🙂

Spencer Parker to Rekord 61

I’ve actually played in Russia 14 times! (I counted my passport stamps), from Nizhny Novgorod to Izhevsk to Moscow, how is the scene there at the moment..?

The scene is feeling very well; there are many quality parties and decent gigs to visit. 
In Moscow, for example, famous European and American artists play their music every weekend. Last week here you could hear artists like Sven Vath, Theo Parrish, M.A.N.D.Y., Jeroen Search, Kollektiv Turmstrasse, Phonique, Solomun, Martin Buttrich, Kevin Saunderson and others. 

Who or what is a Vostok ?!?!? 

“Vostok” is a notion. A vintage conception of space programs, spacecrafts and people’s aspirations. Technical aesthetics, extreme engineering and future predictions. A moment when lofty expectations are starting to be realised. These things matter for me.

Did you use any classic analogue machines in making the original or “Vostok”…? There’s obviously ONE that I’m particularly thinking of… 🙂

I guess you’re talking about the 303 that I love so much. Generally, I was trying to make a bit of a vintage sound as a tribute to those great times. I selected instruments thoroughly for this but at the same time I didn’t want the whole thing to sound “classical”, like common electronic track from the 70’s, for example. I wanted it to sound fresh; I wanted to mix some vintage aesthetics with new ideas of today. I hope listeners can see it.

As well as “Vostok” we also have “Razbeg” on the EP – what was the intent/thought process behind this track…?

This is not a “conception” as it was with “Vostok”. Here I described a certain thing, which obviously has a relation to the main theme of the EP. 
“Razbeg” is a process, one of the first phases when a spacecraft is climbing. The track reflects the emotions of this process as I see it.

What’s coming up next from the label?

I founded Konstruktiv as a label for timeless music with a rough techno beauty. These days it’s a hard thing to find. Nevertheless, this year you will see some more excellent outings on Konstruktiv, and, surely, you will love them.

You can listen to Rekord 61's R$N Mix here.

Rekord 61 can be found here. 

Spencer Parker can be found causing trouble no doubt here.