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Melbourne Deepcast have a new vinyl chart on Juno that includes two brand new Kolour releases! First up is the new "The Early Bird" EP from Kitano followed by "The Goma" EP from Iron Curtis! A chart full of exceptional releases from labels like Murmur, Smallville, Permanent Vacation, as well as a brand new "D2ME" EP from Andy Hart and Francis Inferno Orchestra on Melbourne Deepcast! Check the chart here!
There are many different reasons people get into making music, what was it about music that made you want to make your own?
I guess it was just sort of a natural process. I grew up surrounded by music as both of my parents were passionate music lovers. I was always fascinated by so many different kinds of genres, artists and sounds. I wanted to play an instrument, so I started with piano classes, bought my turntables, tried out tape recordings, and was playing in bands besides working with synthesizers and software trying to create something on my own.
Your music has been described as a blend of Deep House and Soulful Techno, do you think that’s accurate these days?
I think it is, somehow. Speaking in categories is always something quite difficult. I think my music is best described as House. But as I fancy stripped down, slowmo disco as well as crafted bass heavy dub techno or soulful, melancholic house, it is always a bit weird for me to be just named a deep house artist.
You were recently out here in The States for some gigs, how did that tour go and did you enjoy your time here?
I had a blast! I never thought that this would ever happen to me. Being able to go to Detroit, San Francisco or Chicago just because of my music. So overall it was quite overwhelming. I met so many great people, made new friends and spent some great time in interesting and musically inspiring cities. And I had the best deep-fried-pizza of my life in Chicago!
The two tracks on the Goma EP are pretty different from one another; yet keep to that consistent Iron Curtis vibe. Was that a conscious decision to show the range in your music or was it something that just came naturally?
I'm really happy that Mike and Justin picked these two tracks. They are quite different from one another indeed, but somehow they show a bit of the range of what I’m into.
Both San Soda and Mano Le Tough got their hands on these tracks for the remix treatment, we’re you please with the remixes? (Especially since you had already remixed Mano Le Tough for Dirt Crew)
Of course! I was pleased having them doing the remixes for Goma. I'm a huge San Soda fan and I’m really happy that Nicolas had the time to do it. And after remixing Mano's "Let's Love, Baby" on Dirt Crew, I've always wanted him to do a remix for me in return and I'm very happy with how it turned out.
Recently a well know producer told me “It only counts if it’s released on vinyl.” Are you pleased that the vinyl culture is still thriving as you write your chapter in music?
Hell yeah! I'm a vinyl lover and I’m more than happy that I can hold some of my releases in my hands, switch and turn them, seeing the artwork and playing them out on a turntable. But I’m not too dogmatic about the medium itself. For me it's more about the feeling and smell of a brand new 12" or also an old, used one that tells you a story about its life in a record bag. This is something an mp3 will never ever do.
You have also recently contributed your track “That Day” to the third installment of our “We Get By With A Little Help” series for our charity label House Is The Cure. How did you choose that track to donate or was it a track you made specifily for this release?
"That Day" was one of the first tracks I sent out to the Kolour guys. They seemed to like it and as we all wanted to have it released, that HITC sampler was just the right choice. I always wanted to contribute a track to their HITC series as I think it is really good project and quite rare in the times of a lot of labels struggling financially..
With the benefit of hindsight, are there any songs or Eps you’ve made that you now like more (or less) than when they were originally recorded?
I love everything I did so far... I guess I must be a real genius. Haha..
No, to be honest, when I listen to some of the tracks on early releases of mine I think that I would do them a bit differently now. But I think it all belongs to the process of creating music and developing ideas further and growing with what you're doing. And of course I'm my strictest critic anyways.
I’m sure you get this a lot, but as a life long Joy Division fan I have to ask.. is the name Iron Curtis a nod to their lead singer Ian Curtis or just a coincidence?
As a life long Joy Division fan myself I can say it is! Ian Curtis meets the iron curtain is the idea behind the name and in the end I somehow ended up with that foolish play on words.
Do you find it interesting that people who are fans of your music are curious about your life as a music listener? I think it’s interesting myself, what are you listening to these days?
It has always been and still is quite diverse. When it comes to electronic music right now, I'm into genre crossing stuff like young UK hip hop or dubstep producers doing house and techno (David Kennedy aka Maurice Donovan, Joy Orbison, etc.), slomo and wonky hip hop tracks (from guys like Samyian, Dorian Concept or Sam Irl) or longstanding German techno producers like Ada doing singer songwriter stuff now.
Who are some of your all time favorite house producers?
Isolee, Atjazz, Pepe Bradrock, Recloose, Move D, Kerri Chandler, Lowtec, Marcellus Pittman, UR….
What can we look forward to next from Iron Curtis?
I finished a remix for my friend Andi Birkemann forthcoming on the newborn London based Feelharmonic imprint and I'm really excited about my current work on new tracks with my friend and neighbour Baaz and about upcoming Achterbahn D'Amour tracks (a project with my friend Jool aka Edit Piafra).
For more info on Iron Curtis, please visit:
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Interview by Glen. (C) KOLOUR RECORDINGS. Do not steal this article without giving full credit and a link! Thanks!
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Andy Heart, one half of the masterminds behind The Melbourne Deepcast, has a new chart up over at Juno that includes the forthcoming Undertones release from Kitano! The EP is called "The Early Bird" EP and will be coming out very soon! To check out his chart, click here!
The Melbourne Deepcast has put together a feature on Kolour Recordings that we're honored to be apart of. They sit down with a Q&A with our very own Mike W for some insight into who we are.
Atnarko has a new chart up for July over at Stompy and he has included Andre Lodemann's track "Piece Of Mind" from the latest House Is The Cure EP called "We Get By With A Little Help Part 3". An exceptional chart and be sure to check out his new stellar "Thinking Of You" EP on Lazy Days! To check out his chart, click your mouse right here!
Norm De Plume has a new chart up on Juno that includes two Kolour releases that we're psyched about! Norm says about his chart: "Music that I am feeling at the moment, some of which you'll hear on the DOG podcast or if you come and hear me in the club: Wayward @ The Horse & Groom, London / Sat 30th July with Matt Masters (Freerange)." If you missed our interview with Norm, click here! To view Norm's chart, click here!
Our very own Mike W has a put together one stomper of a chart for the fine folks over at Juno that includes Norm De Plume on Kolour LTD as well as the "We Get By With A Little Help Pt. 3" EP from House Is The Cure. Lot's of great EP's Mike has put together for you to dig through, so be sure to go check it out by clicking right here!
Gerd has posted up a chart on Juno that includes the "Groove Grocier" EP from Norm De Plume on Kolour LTD. 20 excellent selections worth checking out and we're honored to be included.
Jacques Renault has charted the "We Get By With A Little Help Pt. 3" EP from House Is The Cure on his new July Chart for Juno Records. Be sure to check out his new one coming out soon on one of our favorite labels, Sccucci Manucci!
Roberto Rodriguez has a new July chart up over at Juno Digital that includes Alex Agore's "Love Confusion" EP from our sub label Undertones! This chart also features a slew of outstanding releases like Lewie Day's new one on Melbourne Deepcast, Motor City Drum Ensemble's new one on K7's DJ Kicks series, and many more. Check it out by clicking here!
KiNK is someone who came to the Kolour fray many years ago with his blinding remix of Bernard Jones 's "Main Ingredient". Since then, well, his reputation speaks solemnly for itself. With a host of EP's and remixes on some of EDM's most highly recognized labels and a tour schedule that now rivals that of his hero's .. "KiNK" has without a doubt established himself as a house-hold name. We're proud to feature a collection of his greatest hits and nearest misses with us in our new "Reflections" series and it's available now exclusively at Traxsource!
Jimpster has a stellar new chart up on Juno that we think you need to go check out. Some exceptional releases chosen and we're honored that Norm De Plume's forthcoming "The Groove Grocer" EP on Kolour LTD was included! A first-class chart with other highlights from Pattern Select on Delusions Of Granduer, Andre Lodemann's new one on Freerange, Ethyl & Huxley on Tsuba and many more. Check it out by clicking here!
Zoo Look posted up a wonderful new July chart on Juno records that has, among other excellent picks, the "Love Confusion" EP from Alex Agore on Kolour's sub Label Undertones! While this chart is Zoo Look's July vinyl picks, the Agore EP is also now available on digital. Be sure to check out Zoo Look's new slow burner of a track called "Early Doors" on the forthcoming "Friends And Family" EP from the fantastic Sccucci Manucci label. To check out the chart, click here!
