ThermalBear EARS EXCLUSIVE MIx & Talks

Music

Alongside furnishing us with a fantasticly diverse mix, we caught up with newly found Derelicht resident, ThermalBear, and had a chat to him about his signing to Sasha’s label (something anyone starting a career in music prosuction can only dream about), how running his own production and mastering company works alongside his steadily growing DJ career and the things that influence the ThermalBear sound.

So ThermalBear, where are you from and where are you now?

Currently in Stevenage, home of the modified Vauxhall Nova.

Many thanks for the mix, it comes across as if its been really carefully thought about and crafted with some real diverse selections in there, any chance you could talk us through the track selection for this and what were your thoughts were when preparing the mix?

I like a bit of variation, so yeah theres a breaks element in there and a more techno element here and there and a lot of bouncy house… the direction formed itself as i was record shopping ahead of Derelicht 03!

One or two “untitled” numbers In there I notice, are these featured on your up & coming EP on Sasha’s label, Last Night On Earth?

Nope! These are hot off the press mate, labels havent even heard them yet! There is a new EP out on Last Night On Earth though Ape Gaze EP.

Probably been asked this a hundred times but how did that whole Sasha connection come about, for anyone starting a career in electronic music production surely you couldn’t of wished for a better start could you?

Quick summary would go like this… I worked at Soundcraft for a couple of years and there I met the bloke who was responsible for building Sashas Maven controller. After handing him some absolutely terrible demos he helped me get a foot in the door with some equipment, advice and contacts and thus the connection to Sasha was born. I dont name check this guy often enough, so John Hourihane (currently working for KRK) he da man.

Before we go any further… get yer lug oles round his podcast here…

What was the music of your teenage rebellion?

A lot of Aphex Twin… And briefly there was a jungle period! My parents were way too understanding to ever consider it rebellion though.

First and last record bought?

First record bought: Hubert Kah Limousine. Jumble sale, red vinyl. Not my own money, i must have been 7yo. I do actually like the record though, maybe because its been in my psyche since day dot or perhaps its actually good…?

Last record bought is BOCs latest, Tomorrows Harvest. Vinyl of course.

So are you signed to Last Night On Earth or are you free to release on other labels?

Free agent bruv.

You’ve already remixed & produced with Andre Kraml, Simon Baker, Sasha & Hot Chip, who would you really like to work with given the chance?

This guy.
?

You own your own production & mastering company aswell is that right? How does this sit with the flourishing artist/dj career, must be a fine balance?

Sometimes it can get a bit hectic but its fairly easy to separate the two. Job Vs Hobby I suppose.

It certainly sounds like you’ve had a busy year anyway, could you talk us through the whole Derelicht series of events and how did the residency come about?

Gav Mee (the brains behind the whole project) got in touch at the end of last year with his plans to put on events in abandoned buildings and asked if I wanted to be involved. Naturally I jumped at the chance to be involved with something so unique and ambitious.

I was pretty sceptical about how easily hed be able to get licensing, health and safety and security sorted out…. However I then discovered hes not like most promoters and his military background means he mucks in and hires the right people to get the job done. The Derelicht staff are outstanding and the whole operation just works. I think he might be a bit German cos that boy can organise shit.

Has this residency allowed you to fine tune a particular ThermalBear sound?

Due to being first on, the initial 90 minutes is a fairly chilled out affair and that lets me dig around for some weirder tunes. I tend to also do a bit at the end of the night to close which can be a great opportunity to play some other fun records. Im not sure there is a particular sound to my sets, i just play records that i like.

Any chance you could talk us through the ThermalBear sound and your influences as we are picking up varying tones from breaks to krautrock?

Awesome. I am into new wave stuff, NDW, krautrock and subsequent electronic offshoots. My parents fed me a healthy and varied diet of music and Im classically trained and used to played percussion at county level for orchestras and concert bands. All the usual electronic influences apply, plus a generous dose of jazz and soul. Also Taylor Swift.

Complete the sentence: I’m proper techno because…..

I have an analogue delay unit

Are you a kick drum, hi hat or a snare? And why?

Snare drum. I have Guild Hall qualifications in it … whatever that means!

If your sound was a visual thing, what would it look like?

Two tramps, one cup.

What are you obsessed with at the moment?

The current season of BTCC is doing it for me.

What’s your answer to everything?

…. Mate

Any relation to the 2Bears?

Were just fuck buddies.