T Williams interview

Music

You’re playing twice as part of the FOUND series, firstly at the launch (30th Sept) with Justin Martin at a more house orientated night and then again at Heritage on 11th Nov for the full circumference of garage. Do you have a particular style that you prefer playing out? (&why)

There isn’t really a particular style or genre I most enjoy playing out more than another. I mostly enjoy the freedom of playing what ever you can put your hands on. There is something about sculpting unpredictable sets that gets me excited.

The Break Broke EP comes out next week, there’s a lot of hype around Break Broke, (but i absolutely love Analogue Tour myself) – can you talk us through the 3 tracks.

Break Broke.
Creating something fresh from the classic breaks that we all know and at the same time trying to keep it bass heavy. No intentions of fitting into any genre’s etc Just making something people can dance to.

Analogue Tour
Playing around at a friends studio on some real analogue equipment I decided it was time I created a track that utilised my access to some of the hardware. This was the end product.

Go In
This was originally a 9 min roller, that twisted through synth stabs and the chopped vocal line. But whilst listening back to the original on my many train journey’s, there was a particular break that stood out to me. So first chance I got, I isolated that loop and GO IN was born.

LOC007. T. Williams – Break Broke by Local Action Records

Maya Jane Coles remix, Skream rmx, XLR8R podcast, DJ Mag! 2011 has been an amazing year for your music career.. where do you like to see yourself in 5 years time?

In 5 years time lol this is a question an ex used to ask constantly, didn’t really have an answer for her to be honest. But now I’d like to have at least 2 albums under my belt, be running a label which is well known and respected within the industry, hosting events showcasing the music from the label and friends, making music which can straddle more genre’s such as Funk, Soul, prog rock, hip hop, ambient and generally to be still making music as interesting and fresh as the day I started. Keep pushing forward.

And the label has obviously been gaining momentum – are there any fresh new faces on the scene right now that you’d like to see releasing on Deep Teknologi?

The label has been doing well but as most times with doing joint projects peoples visions change, so as of next year there will be 2 subsidiary labels under the Deep Teknologi imprint. One from myself and the other from my partner. On my label there will surely be some new fresh faces who I can’t reveal yet as everything is being finalised but rest assure that the music is House based but and edgy. There will also be the classic foundation deep teak guy’s J.Bevin and Zander Hardy who have both got releases that will blow your minds. Well it blew mine.

The label is renowned for drawing inspiration from worldly music, North Africa the West Indies – where do you source this music from?

Well my parents are from the Carribean and my Dad is a vinyl junkie. So all my inspiration comes directly from them. I still sometimes sit and just listen to my Dad play music and rip the vinyl sometimes. It’s basically the same for my label partner except his parents are from North Africa.

Is listening something you’ve always done or intentional to give some versatility to your production?

Yes it’s something I’ve always done but never intentionally. Growing up there wasn’t a choice in my household Dub and Roots Reggae was on my Dads playlist constantly which always led me on a musical journey finding original soul versions, rock versions etc.

So it has always kept me on my toes connecting the tie’s between genre’s, instrumentation and inspiration.

In your wildest dreams who would you love to sit down in the studio with?

In my wildest dreams it would have to be someone like MK, Chris Mack or M-Beat with Ernest Wilson lending his vocals for the day.

Any acts on the FOUND lineup you’d recommend people to go see?

I’d recommend DEA Project, DJ Narrows, El-B, Slimzee, V.I.V.E.K, myself and of course Justin Martin’s 3hr set he always pulls out some absolute bangers.

Is there another side to T.Williams beyond the music? any interesting hobbies we should know about?

I got a thing for 5 panel caps and have done for years. It all started way back with Gap caps. Used to buy them whilst in high school with my paper round money. Now its all online shopping still looking for the one which fits like gaps cheap option used too.

Is there a track at the moment that you happily have on repeat?

Dem2 Freedom remix. It still boggles my mind how they make there drum loops. So much swing, I love this track and the moment and even more because its fresh.

Pick us 5 tracks that have shaped your musical education if you please…

Roni Size – Time Stretch 93 Mix

Peace by Piece – Nobody’s Business (Dreem Teem Remix)

Mantronix – Take Your Time

Dj Gregory – Traffic – Listen Here

Mari Boine – Vuoi Vuoi Me (Henrik Schwarz Remix)

You must get asked a lot of the same questions over and over again. What do YOU want talk about that you haven’t talked about in an interview before?

I suppose the only thing that hasn’t been asked is really about my Garage/Grime past. Not sure if people really care because I’m relatively a new comer to most, but I have been producing for over 10yrs and had a pretty decent garage/grime music career going until the decline of vinyl purchase and the rise of the internet (gotta love the internet). I went by the name of Dread.D and I was part of a collective / label called Black Ops.

T.Williams plays the FOUND launch this Friday. Advance tickets are still available from here:

Check a super fine tranche of T. Williams much talked about and super-hyped set from Eastern Electrics in August below… Booooom! You grab a d/l of the mix here too

T. Williams Live from Eastern Electrics @ Great Suffolk St Warehouse, 28.08.2011 by Eastern Electrics

Interview by Yas & Wil