This weeks interview & mix comes from UK producer Werkha
Selector Afterdark – Werkha by Selector After Dark on Mixcloud
Hi Werkha, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
My real names Tom Lear, I’m originally from Manchester although I spent a big chunk of my life growing up in Cumbria where I filled a lot of my time playing music with friends and fortunately that’s progressed to something I can pursue more seriously now which is amazing.
What have you been up to recently?
I recently released a 5 track EP called Beacons EP on Tru Thoughts Recordings. It’s a great feeling to have some new music out again because the last time I had a release was September 2012 and that was a 3 track EP called The Cuban Puzzle EP which was out on a little imprint called Cool Kid Music. It’s quite interesting because everyone from that label has progressed on to some interesting things. Toy Boy and Robin are now working with MTA Records and TTTS is now working on Greco-Roman so it’s a good little label.
Have you been working on any new music?
I’ve recently done some remixes for the likes of Shy One and also coming out soon should be a remix I did for a Leeds based band called Paper Tiger. I’m working on something for one for my favourite producers as well but I can’t tell you about that right now but hopefully I’ll be able to soon.
I’m also writing a lot of new stuff at the moment, which involves writing and working closely with some amazing instrumentalists. I’m working with some cello, saxophone, trumpet and vocals. I play the guitar and a couple of other instruments myself so I’m just trying to incorporate all those different elements into my future productions.
You’ve been touring around Europe as well. Tell us about that.
I’ve just come back from touring with Bonobo throughout Germany and Poland and that was as part of his world tour, which was a fantastic experience. That’s my new live show, which is all about live looping and guitar and trigger samples from an MPC. It’s really fun and also feels great to be back playing my instruments again.
Amazing, are you still intending to DJ?
I do still DJ, for the last year and a half or so I’ve been DJing all around the country at some festivals like Latitude festival and Dimensions and this year I’m going to be playing my EP launch at Band on the Wall, on the 17th of April. After that I’m playing some festivals: Sounds from the Other City in Salford, Gotwood in Wales and Giles Peterson’s Worldwide Festival in the South of France so it’s set to be a really good summer and I’m looking forward to it.
Can you talk us through the mix you made?
In this mix I decided to explore UK music only because it’s something I haven’t done before and I thought it would be an interesting reflection of my collection of UK music. It is really all dance music but it’s stuff that I think is interesting enough to be able to listen to not just in a club situation but also at home, on the car stereo or in your headphones or where ever it might be. I wanted to explore the different feels of music, so I’m exploring some garage feels and some house stuff as well.
What are your highlights?
I think a highlight for me is the track I kick it off with – Leon Vynehalls – ‘Inside the Deku Tree’ off his release with Martin’s 3024 label. Another one that I’m a big fan of is Catching Flies and Ifan Dafydd; there’s really nice combination of production styles between those two producers and they’ve got a great sound between them. Also in the mix is a track from my Beacons EP, which is out on Tru Thoughts now: ‘Sidesteppin’’ features vocals from Bryony Jarman-Pinto and also featured on Giles Peterson’s Brownswood Bubblers 10. That was alongside a track called ‘Sun’ by Bambooman, the remix of which by Echo Click is also in this mix – it’s got a beautiful groove it and a nice little bouncy bass and kick drum. Also in the mix is Manchurian Lones remix of Illum Sphere, ‘Embryonic’ which is now out on Ninja Tune and also fellow northerners Vellico: that’s Ross Tones and Ali Tones and a track called ‘Pennines’, it’s got a wicked garagey feel to it and it’s really nice and percussive. Also in the mix is ‘Cirrus’ by Bonobo.
I think there’s some interesting little things from new UK producers in the mix too like the things from Lyon González, Lorca and Koreless – they’re not necessarily new tracks but I still think they sound so fresh and they hold a really high quality to them all.