interview

03/04/04
brought to you by joe90

after the first nsm lp was heavily on a fusion tip the new record is more stripped, programmed, r+b, hip hop style - a return to your beginings as a producer?

it's not a return to my beginnings as a producer...I'm using my experience with broken to give me a new slant on stuff I've always been doing...now it's time to push it out there

everything your music and your philosophy as a producer seems to represent appears at odds with what we recognize as major label runnins - how does it work with virgin?

NSM making new movements...even the name is shortened...it's a different time - 3 years later...we're moving with much more focus...IG can do the chaos efficiently - now time to show I can do the order efficiently

as the bruk thing has grown, is this lp a deliberate turn away from what has become it's recognisable sound?

this lp is not about the bruk thing...this lp is about me pushing my boundaries more as a producer - getting more involved in the songwriting; making better tracks for the vocalists to fit within, Eska in particular...I was trying to create beds of music for Eska to work her very versatile vocals around...the bottom line is about bigging up my status as a producer

i reckon peeps look to you for signs of what come next sound wise - do you feel this? is it pressure or challenge?

I probably put pressure on and challenge myself to keep improving...I don't think it's a case of people looking to me and then me feeling pressured by that...it's more a case of going further into a production labyrinth - it's a learning thing and I'm doing what I believe I have to do to say what I want to say

tell us a bit about Lain - man he can sing...

Lain is a vocalist who I was introduced to by a character named Dobe...we clicked pretty instantly and since we've released another single, we've worked on another project together and he's now a featured part of the NSM thing...a very flexible vocalist - love his tone and energy

any live nsm action?

there's a lot of activity brewing for the coming months...we've now done a session for Gilles Peterson at BBC's Maida Vale and, with the Jazz Café gig on April 21, there's a lot of new interest ...NSM is mobilizing - new management, new people on board...it's moving

if an offer came in for you to produce a 'big' artist would you do it?

depends who it is...this is the whole point of me putting my neck on the block as a producer...of course this is what I'm looking to do to further my repertoire and my skills...we're climbing the divisions and now I'm on the map

what's happenin with main squeeze things at the moment?

business as usual...just released two 12s recently: the Ma Futura record featuring Roots Manuvah got good props, Peven Everett, Lain, Likwid Biskit, Da One Away on the Family Planning EP - Bembe Seque 12 and Champion Soul 12 coming up

what comes next for ig?

the multitasker sets up new label, production unit with Pino Palladino, working with the all-star Skyjuice band, and planning NSM live and Ma Futura demos for new album...nuff tingz

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