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Features
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| Introducing NEM3SI$’s new label Infinite Resistance! | | Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’! | | Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases! | | Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme! | | Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works. | | Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain! | | Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September! | | NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases! | | Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup! | | Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast! | | Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music! | | SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023! | | The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023! | | NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music! | | Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project | | The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22! | | A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden | | Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma | | Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino | | New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik! | | PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records! | | Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters! |
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Sensient climbs to new heights: The Way Of The Sloth album launch party hits London
Reported by Andy Force
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Submitted 26-06-13 11:32
Crawling trepidatiously through the shadowy canopy of the enchanted psychedelic jungle, one silent, stoic figure has left an enduring echo resonating in the surrounding ecosystem.
Sensient has mastered his craft almost like it was an evolutionary inevitability. At the cutting edge of the progressive scene, his music is as alive as the jungle itself; as brutal, and as beautiful.
Track by track, you discover each offering on his new seven-track, 80-minute album is a beast that growls hungrily before devouring the ego whole, with a smiling lick-of-the-lips. Every immaculately engineered piece pulls the entire universe into orbit around it, sitting timelessly still amidst the chaotic background of life.
Sensient is making a very rare appearance to join us in London to celebrate the launch of this new release. The Zenon Records pioneer comes to leave his trail here for the first time in two years, on Friday 12 July at The Islington Metalworks where he’s preparing to thrash out a set to the capital’s dedicated underground clique at the launch party for his new album, The Way Of The Sloth. As the days irresistibly close in, we cornered Tim and got to grips with his expansive history.
Tell us about music in your childhood... can you identify any critical, formative experiences? Who were your early influences?
My first musical experiences were forced piano lessons when I was young. At the time I didn’t want to do them, but now I am grateful for them – it gave me some kind of music theory basis. Then when I was 12 I decided I wanted to play drums. I got a kit and started jamming with friends and also my family. I came from a musical family. Dad plays electric and double bass and my brother is an accomplished guitar player. I ended up going to university and doing a bachelor of contemporary music, majoring in drums.
My early influences were bands like Helmet, Korn, Deftones, Mr Bungle... kinda nu metal/hardcore sound, which probably translated into my electronic flavour, straight down the line, no cheese; just about the music.
As the founder of Zenon Records, you are widely credited with instigating the movement that has become known as ‘psygressive’, ‘Zenonesque’, or ‘dark progressive’. Is there any of these terms you prefer so we can pigeon-hole with less confusion?!
Actually I don’t really like any of those terms! When people ask me what sort of music I make I never know what to say. Psy trance? It’s not really that. Not when I compare it to what I hear at the average “Psy trance” festival. I guess dark progressive would be my preferred one. That’s what I usually would say if someone asks. But it’s not so accurate because my music (and Zenon music) has plenty of lighter elements as well.
Where did this journey into the murkier depths of progressive trance begin?
Well I guess it began with my original taste in music, which was kind of deep and dark in itself (as I mentioned). And then when I started listening to trance it was actually the glory days of dark progressive. Back in 2001–04 it was THE sound... labels like Iboga, Digital Structures, Creamcrop, ZMA, Plastik Park (some of which are still around) were actually releasing some of the deepest, dirtiest gear ever!!
So that was the stuff I was hearing at festivals, and the stuff that I wanted to make. Really deep, mysterious, atmospheric journey-filled music.
Zenon Records appears to have enjoyed consistent growth, with more artists on your rosta, and progressive peaking in popularity in all its forms across the globe. What was your reason, or inspiration for starting the label?
Well that actually relates to the previous question in that this style of music that I loved so much actually started to disappear. The sound of the moment was getting more and more clubby and commercial and I wanted to keep the flame alive for the deeper more experimental sounds.
Another motivation was to try and give opportunities to other artists to get their sound heard, and then hopefully get some success and get to travel around and see the world doing gigs, which I had already started to do as Sensient by that stage.
Has the label evolved in the way you imagined? What’s your vision for the future?
I never really had a grand vision for the label. I just treat it on a release-by-release basis. If I hear an artist that I like and want to release, then I do it. I guess the vision of the label evolved kind of naturally and organically in that way.
In the future I just want to make each release as high quality as possible, in all ways; music, art, mastering. Actually I’m thinking there will probably start to be less releases, but at a higher quality for each one.
Have you ever made any music radically different from your style of progressive? Do you think you will dip your toes into other genres?
Well yeh I’ve had a few glitchy/ambient releases on Enigmatik Records, which btw I think is one of the most cutting edge/forward thinking electronic labels around. And I made a few slower mid-120 bpm “minimal/techno” style experiments as well.
I’d love to do more in both those styles, but there is never enough time! What little studio time I do have usually has to be devoted to trying to get some new “Sensient” music ready for the gig next weekend!
From your first album to now, how has the Sensient sound has evolved… and what direction do you feel you’re heading in?
Well I don’t know if has evolved that much to be honest. I mean the production has gotten better for sure, but essentially it’s the same formula all the way through. Still, the tracks somehow always seem to sound different. I don’t think I have ever made two tracks that sound the same (hopefully!).
When I’m first starting a track I won’t go past the initial loop stage unless I feel what I have is somehow fresh and innovative (to my ears at least). If it sounds like something you’ve done before then what’s the point?!
Where does your creativity come from? How do you manifest it?
It seems pretty random for me. Some days I have a buzz, others not. Funnily enough the weather plays a big part for me. I get really creative when it’s cold and wet. If it’s a sunny day outside I’d much prefer to be getting outdoors. I really do get inspired when I wake up and I see that it’s raining outside. Brew a pot of coffee and get on the buzz!!
At your end of the progressive spectrum there doesn’t seem to be as many tracks spawned via collaborations or remixes. Are there any other artists out there you’d love to do a track with?
I’d probably choose to do a track with an artists from the techno scene... someone like Boris Brejcha.
What are your top 5 tracks of all time, not including your own!?
Oh bummer, ‘cause it would definitely have been just a list of only my tracks if you would allow it! haha... Hmmmm, such a tough question. There’s too much music and my taste keeps changing. How about instead I name my favourite/most influential “psy” artists of all time:
Krumelur
BigWigs
Tromesa
Tetrameth
SunControlSpecies
M.O.S
Is there any place on earth that you have not played that you really want to?
I’ve been lucky enough to play in most places with a scene. Although I still haven’t made it to South Africa, so I guess I’ll say there!
What is your most memorable experience from being on the road and touring festivals?
Playing main floor at Rainbow Serpent Festival would have to be right up there. In front of the hometown crowd knowing that so many of your friends and people you know are in the crowd – that’s pretty special.
Ozora last year was also a cracker. I got to play in the daytime for the first time there, which was pretty special.
Aside from that I’ve met so many nice people and been to so many amazing places around the world, it’s hard to pin it down to one or two experiences. I’ve been really blessed!
What does your live set consist of? What hardware or instruments might we expect to see you using?
It’s nothing too complicated. I basically just play my full mastered tracks in Ableton, and then have a bunch of percussion hits, fx, atmospheres, glitchy loops and so on which I trigger using an Akai MKP Mini, with the knobs assigned to filters + effects.
What other releases of your own are on the way? And from the label?
Well the next release involving my own music will be a remix LP of my track “Galaxians” off the new album. It will feature remixes by Perfect Stranger, Merkaba, Mr Bill, Autonomech and more. On the label side we have full album releases coming up from Mirror Me, SourOne, Kliment and also Small Talk vol. 2 V/A is in the works...
Thank-you Tim! Catch the sound of Zenon for one night only, don't miss out.
For news and info on Sensient follow him on Soundcloud and Facebook
For more info about Zenon Records check out their web and FaceBook pages.
Sensient makes a rare London appearance at The Way of the Sloth album launch party on Friday 12 July. Check out the FaceBook event page for news and updates.
Images and artwork courtesy of Sensient and Zenon Records. Not to be reproduced without permission.
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Other Features By Andy Force:
Lifeforms detected at Astral Circus!
Andy Force interviews Sourone ahead of his UK debut at the Zenon Records Special
Dare to be different: Tribal Village meets Suduaya
Keeping moving with Mechanimal!
Land Switcher – The Earth is Moving at Tribal Village
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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Comments:
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From: Tara on 12th Jul 2013 17:02.36
Top interview with one of the scene's true pioneers! This promises to be an epic party! 
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