It is 2010, bloggers and music fans have no idea how to describe anything anymore, and UK based Deejay Mosca sure isn’t making it easy. While Dan Hancox of the Guardian says that his music inpsires “a sense of epic grandeur befitting global house, shuddering dub echoes straight from Jamaica, Latino percussion and still undeniably UK”, I am still somewhat in the dark about what exactly comprises the hybrid sound that Mosca is putting forth in his Night Slugs Label debut “Square One EP”. I caught up with Mosca to talk about “ethno techno”, q-tips and the future of pirate radio over Gmail chat, here are the results.
Interview by Brendan Arnott, my text in bold.
Mixpak: A lot of people are gaining awareness of who you are through your debut release on the new Night Slugs label, but what have you been doing prior to this release? Can you talk about your origins in making this kind of ‘genre destroying’ music?
Mosca: I did a remix of Tempz’s “Next Hype” about a year ago, a kinda Baltimore rub with those UK funky strings off reason. I put that up on my blog and it got played on Rinse.FM and a few other places. So some guys called Kry Wolf got in touch and asked for a B-more remix of one of their first tunes, their first release on their new label called Sounds of Sumo. The tune that got put out was called “Mucky”. So that was my debut I guess, but not an original production.
So you started off as a producer before you were making the transition to DJing at clubs?
Yeah, definitely. I started with drum machines when i was about 15, I was in a band with Unknown Soulja and we didn’t have a drummer so got a drum machine, then started making jungle and hip hop and experimental stuff. I got into DJing at University, about five years ago, but the production thing has meant way more bookings.
When you talk abut your earlier sounds being jungle and hip hop influenced, I can definitely hear bits and pieces of that in your EP now. It feels like everyone is describing it differently – I’ve heard “global house”, “genre-destroying, UK crossover nu-skool. Does it get exhausting trying to explain your sound?
I think it will! But I brought it upon myself really. I like to play alot of different stuff and so I don’t want to leave anything out when I produce. I used to do some kinda trip-hop stuff as well for the band, so I guess that’s where some of the moodiness comes from… or melancholy, or whatever you want to call it.
Yeah, one of the coolest surprises when listening to the Square One EP is that there’s even some dubby dancehall vocals in the background, I was happy to hear those.
Dub was my first love really, because you could get it for £4 in record shops, back when you couldn’t just download everything. But yeah, I’m mad into bashment, wish everyone else was.
It does feel like this EP, and the whole Night Slugs crew are really pushing a new sound into clubs though, do you feel like this a breakout time for the sound, or do you want it to stay kind of underground?
That depends on what “the sound” is. I don’t think I sound anything like Bok Bok for example, but yeah, I’m going to say that I would like to see it grow. I played Fabric last night which is a big step up for me, and that was hectic. But I can never see it going top 40 or anything… hopefully I’m safe saying that.
I hear you have a funny twitter related Fabric story.
Haha yeah, I wrote a twitter/facebook message jokingly saying come and ask me if I’ve got any drum’n’bass. One guy did. I laughed and assumed he’d read the post… but not sure actually! Must have looked like a cunt if he hadn’t.
Well, you are Fabric status now, maybe that means you can laugh in the face of people who make requests?
Nah mate, keep it humble. That’s the key. You’ll put people off music otherwise. But back to the question about the sound we’re putting out. I think that this sound is just kinda of post funky, which is obviously a UK thing… but really what is it? Just a take on house which is so global its ridiculous. So you’ve got kuduro, etc which is stripped down, just rugged house. And so I think that internationalism could mean that the sound will carry. I have a mate Douster from Lyon in France doing that kinda thing…
Ah, which leads us nicely into our next question. The Guardian just wrote an article about a genre they’re calling “ethno-techno” and they’re kind of ragging on it. Matias Aguayo is at least, he has a quote that says “It doesn’t seem very ‘free’ to me. Adding a few congas and a ‘Latino’ vocal does not reflect a willingness to learn from other cultures.” Just curious what you think about it?
He has a point, and I like people that think about music in wider terms. And what he’s describing is not very free, it’s true. But people in East London weren’t very free when they were making sinogrime or whatever. I think he lumps the whole western society together at the expense of standing up for individuals in the ‘third world’.
Sinogrime? what’s that?
(In response to my question, Mosca shows me THIS LINK and also THIS ONE)
It’s basically all these Chinese samples in grime music. Nobody’s from China here though… wait, Mr Wong actually is. Whatever happened to him? Anyway, it doesn’t feel right I know, having these preset congas and I have respect for people who have respect for history and tradition in music. But at the end of the day we’re free to do what the fuck we like. If kuduro or baile funk can rob off ‘western culture’, then why not the other way round? It smacks of positive discrimination.
Douster is remixing Gucci Mane… the possibilities are endless.
He’s a good lad (Douster), I saw him over New Years. He’s already got stuff out on ZZK Records, who incidentally have a lot of respect for ‘world music’ – proper world music (traditional cumbia, etc.) So it’s funny.
You’ve got a big remix package on your EP (Greena, Julio Bashmore, Bok Bok, L-Vis 1990) – whose remix surprised you the most?
Bok Bok’s, hands down.
Do you ever think: “Damn, I didn’t know that something I made could sound like that”
Definitely. Roska’s is maybe my favourite, just because… well, he’s Roska. But its not like he surprised me with it. But Bok Bok’s is ridiculous.
It feels like Ustream sessions are bringing back the ‘live DJing’ element of music even for people who can’t be there at a show. Do you feel like it’s taking things in a positive direction for artist getting live music out online? It feels kind of like the new pirate radio.
I love ’em, even though it seems some people just come into the chat to hijack it! Definitely feels like pirate radio, with all the luxuries of your yard.
Especially because usually the only warning for it as well is a twitter message being like “MOSCA, Live set on Ustream, nowww!”
“Drop what ur doing!” Yeah, its still a bit cliquey though. Only people following you on twitter really get a chance to see it.
What’s 2010 going to look like for you after this EP?
Well, I’ve got “Gold Bricks, I See You” coming out on the 18th on the Fabric Elevator Music compilation, and I’ve been speaking to a few people about more releases. I work SLLLLLOOOOOOWWWW though. I make chopped and screwed sound like gabba, but i like to take my time on a record. Put blood sweat and tears in, you know. Delete half of it, change the whole ting. Man, Nike took me at least 7 months.
Just release the deleted versions as “VIP dubs” eight months later?
Haha. I’m going to work with R1 Ryders, and other than that i just want to put out singles and play clubs. Standard. I’m not fussed about an album, even though people are saying my style would suit that.
It doesn’t seem ‘the natural thing to do’ anymore.
Nah. So 2010: Some collaborations, and remixes, and hopefully try and work faster.
A final question for you is: name 3 guilty pleasures.
I like cleaning my ears with those earbud things, pushing it right in, but apparently its really bad for you. Damages your hearing and all that.
Yeah, it pushes the earwax back into your brain or something. Dangerous.
But I still do it every now and again. I’m trying to cut down. Other than that I don’t feel guilty about anything.. it’s all pleasure, bitch!
Thanks to Mosca for the interview.
The “Square One EP” (NS001) is out on the 25th of Jan 2010 at your usual mp3 stores with a limited 12″ doing the rounds around the same time. The 8-track-deep digi EP features the title track, already a dubplate anthem of 2009 and a bastion of genre-destroying UK Club. The B-side is Mosca’s “Nike”, a 10-minute masterpiece: Buy it on Boomkat!
