BLACK LANTERN PROFILES: NEVADA BASE

Hailing from Glasgow, NEVADA BASE are the newest addition to the Black Lantern roster. Celebrated for their live performances, which have seen them play high-profile support slots for the likes of New Build, Metronomy, Silver Columns, Late of the Pier, and Memory Tapes.

Combining elements from indie, synth-pop, disco and electro, they are quintessentially a tight, rhythm-driven band with killer pop hooks, and their label debut FORESIGHT is an earworm track which will stay with you for weeks after you hear it. 

Black Lantern’s roving reporter ALEX BURDEN interviewed the band in advance of their new single, which you can stream and download below.

You are one of the newest additions to the Black Lantern camp – how did you get involved with the label?

We became aware of BLM after they put out some tracks by our good friend Magic Daddy.

Where did it all start for you as a group? How did you meet, and how did the idea of an electro pop band form?

It started out with Andy and Albert just jamming together, discovering Kraftwerk and italo disco, picking up a mad keyboard player (Gus) and finally a German exchange student called Johannes who brought the whole thing together. He introduced us to Ableton Live (a company he now works for) and we recorded our first demos with him. Look out for his remix of Foresight under his Raketenbus moniker…

After a few months he had to head back to Germany before we’d played our first gig. We started off with purely electronic beats but now have live drummer Calum for added groove (and balls) as well as James on synths and samples.

Most exciting moment onstage so far for you?

Supporting New Build at a sold out Captains Rest. Loved that show.

So, the ‘illiterate Talking Heads’ description from your Facebook page – can you tell us a little more about that?

Haha! That was a review of our first single in The Skinny by guest reviewers The Phantom Band. I believe they gave us two stars for being “difficult to pigeon-hole.” I’ll take it.

What hardware / software / real instruments or sounds do you use?

On stage we have drums, bass guitar, guitar, synths (Prophet 08, Korg R3, MicroKorg) a Roland SP404 for samples and an MPC for sequences.

In the studio we work mostly in Ableton Live but tend to use more classic synths - a Roland Juno 60 and Moog Rogue feature on Foresight. Yamaha CS01 is all over Hindsight.

Tell us about ‘Foresight’, your new release for BLM.

It’s our first recording with live drums and shows the more discoey, funky side of our sound. B-side “Hindsight” is another flavour of our sound with a more downtempo, hypnotic, almost hip-hop vibe.

Who are the electro pop artists you rate the most, and why?

Georgio Moroder is responsible for Donna Summer’s I Feel Love. Just a beautiful song produced in such a futuristic way.

What sounds are integral to your productions to capture the electro vibe?

We use a lot of arpeggio sounds; often driving 16th notes that give an almost mechanical feel to contrast the live instruments. We use some samples too, as well as sequencing for some baselines which again gives a more clubby feel because it’s much tighter. Also essential is a drummer who can play tightly in sync with these electronic elements.

Who does what in the band, and what element(s) do you think each member brings to the music?

Calum plays drums and brings sheer energy.

Andy provides the solid low-end on bass guitar (often with added funk) as well as occasional synth duties.

James provides synth soundscapes from driving bass rhythms to spaced-out chord sequences, as well as funk guitar on some tracks.

Albert’s guitar playing also tends towards the punk-funk side. He’ll occasionally bash away at some keys. Or a cowbell.

Albert leads the singing, though we do make frequent use of group harmony vocals onstage.

Who would you most like to tour with and why?

Talking Heads. They might tell us about some good books to read.

What has been your most enjoyable track to produce to date?

Foresight. Recording to analogue tape at Green Door studios was a new and exciting experience, both sonically and in terms of workflow. Definitely something we want to repeat.

Which synth is the most favourite to use and why?

The Roland Juno 60 just has an incredibly simple interface and such a lush sound. The Roland 101 is similar too - these old synths are just so immediate. No menus or screens, just twist the controls and see what happens…

What are the themes you like to tackle in your lyrics?

This has changed over time. I mostly try to sing about things that I think or feel strongly about but place them in a context or story that anyone can hopefully relate to.

Having said that, technology is a recurring theme… I’m sure there are others.

How do you NOT want to be perceived, or who do you never want to be compared to?

It’s not something we’ve ever talked about really, and I don’t think comparisons with individual artists mean that much. One thing we have discussed is how we have quite a diverse sound from song to song, and we’d like to keep it that way. There’s always a temptation to “define” your sound; to settle on some “formula” and I hope that’s something we never do. (We won’t.)

Where do you want to take the band in 2013?

We want to finish more recordings and put them out. We have a lot of stuff in various stages of production so we’ll be working hard on that.

We always love playing live and have some great shows lined up already. More of that would be just swell.

Your music straddles both club and gig scenes, easily entertaining both audiences - is there one you personally prefer to the other and why?

Club nights are fun because they’re generally much later, the audience is more lubricated, there’s lots of dancing, jumping and physicality.

But a great gig usually feels more special. You feel like you’re connecting with people in a more personal way. And gigs can get pretty sweaty, too…

Are there any not so obvious / subtle musical influences in your music? I just interviewed a glitch hop artist whose main influence was John Carpenter compositions…

Lead singer Albert is of Lebanese descent and you can hear hints of Arabic melodies and percussion sounds and so on. The percussion in Hindsight is a good example of that.

Also, I’m sure we’ve nicked at least one synth line from Dr Dre…

Who would win in a fight amongst these early titans of synth-pop: the Pet Shop Boys, Erasure or New Order?

It would be New Order, hands down. You could probably prove this mathematically.

Download FORESIGHT now! Pay-what-you-want (no minimum)

Nevada Base on Facebook
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@NevadaBase

[BLM082] NEVADA BASE - FORESIGHT

“The brilliant Nevada Base blend arpeggios, synth lines, house beats and live instrumentation with harmony vocals, plus flashes of New Order and The Beloved.” 
Vic Galloway, BBC Scotland.

Low pounding tribal  drums  and percussion introduce Foresight - the sumptuous  new single from Glaswegian electro outfit Nevada Base. The drums soon give way to bubbling  synths, driving disco bass,  and an irresistible  vocal hook. B-side  Hindsight  retains  the single’s  tribal refrain before heading off on a trippy, low-tempo groove, while a remix from Magic Daddy (releases on Optimo Music / member of Machines In Heaven) takes the track into bass-led electro territory.

Nevada Base have been been busy  since  the release  of their debut single Love In My Mind, taking to the T-Break Stage at T-in-the-Park, playing a sold-out show supporting New Build (featuring members of Hot Chip and LCD Soundsystem), as well as roof-raising gigs up and down the UK alongside the likes of Metronomy, Silver Columns, Late of the Pier, Memory Tapes and others.

The band’s original line up of Albert Kawmi (guitar and vocals) and Andrew Brown (bass) has also grown to include Calum Muir (drums) and James Vorley (synths and backing vocals). The addition of drums to the band’s live performance adds  an astonishing energy, displayed to full effect on Foresight. Kawmi’s vocals travel from understated drawl to urgent command, Brown’s bass keeps everything tied to a funk groove. Muir’s drumming is  tight and expressive, while Vorley knows how to reign his synths in then let them explode. 

The single will be supported by live shows around the country including a launch party at Paradise in London on 30 April.

“Joining hands is all it takes to keep our enemies at bay. Don’t be afraid.”

MAGIC DADDY - ROCK HYRAX EP

The ROCK HYRAX EP by MAGIC DADDY is now available on a pay-what-you-want basis (no minimum). 

MAGIC DADDY, aka Glasgow-based musician Greg Hurst, has been writing and producing electronic music for 15 years. He has produced solo instrumental tracks and various vocal and band collaborations. He flippantly defines his style as ‘trifle-tech’, referring to his method of throwing everything in to see what sticks. In fact he has never settled on a particular style, preferring to be informed by current club trends but always trying to create something fresh. One thing’s for sure: he will never be accused of minimalism.

His first releases were the Black Rabbit Whorehouse EP (2005, Optimo nightclub’s Oscarr label) and the Insert Title Here EP (2005, on Stuffrecords, which later became Numbers). Since then he has been playing keyboards and producing for several Glasgow bands, including post-rock / post-bass synths-and-guitars outfit Machines in Heaven. His acclaimed remixes of Glasgow bands Nevada Base, How To Swim and For Abel have all been released in 2012. His Soundcloud page has been very active of late, having recently been updated with all previous releases and many unreleased tracks.

The Rock Hyrax EP on Black Lantern Music contains two tracks of slow / fast bass-heavy electro-techno-hiphop, informed by the current Glasgow / London / Bristol triangle of bass culture… but once again with the unique maximal Magic Daddy approach. And track three’s an acid electro banger!

Also be sure to check out Magic Daddy’s remix of NEVADA BASE, from their forthcoming single, out on Black Lantern on 27 April!

BLACK LANTERN PROFILES: SJ MELLIA

Interview by Black Lantern’s ALEX BURDEN

“I’m the biggest sci-fi and comic book nerd. I’m also the biggest John Carpenter fanboy ever,” says SJ Mellia, Black Lantern Music’s proponent of chunky, acidic electronics and glitch-hop, steeped in the vibrations of futuristic dystopia.

SJ Mellia started making music at 22, self-releasing his first EP in 2000, the dawn of the 21st century, under the moniker Neurotic Boy Outsider 75 (NBO75), the name alone hinting at the sub-cultural tendrils of ’70s and ’80s horror and science fiction wrapped around SJ Mellia’s atmospheric imagery.

From there he developed his interest in hip-hop, working with local MCs Max Volume and Red Mercury for a limited vinyl release, The Idiot Savants EP, which was well received by the hip-hop community. NBO75 became his moniker for solo outings, and he invented the alter-ego ‘Zucotic’ for his many collaborative projects with MCs and producers. 

In 2012, he was reborn as SJ Mellia to converge his talents under one name, and joining the BLM crew for the FluffSkull EP, released in Oct 2012. Named after “what [his] missus calls the little balls of fluff that you get on old woolly jumpers”, FluffSkull’s shrieking electronics, ping pong delays and fat-bottomed basslines are far removed from the soft and comforting texture of sheep products. 

»Download FLUFFSKULL«

His latest release, in March 2013, 10 Years of Wilderness, brings a retrospective compilation of his previous work to a new audience, digging out lost gems, spanning hip-hop and electronic cuts from over a decade of work. 

»Download 10 YEARS OF WILDERNESS«

SJ Mellia admits his exposure to music at an early age took in a variety of music styles, all of which have been influential on his sound today. His father treated him to Stevie Wonder, The Specials, Bowie, Pink Floyd, Talking Heads, Heaven 17, Gary Numan, and Booker T, which he says “was a good start.” 

“My early teens were spent clubbing at Edinburgh’s Pure, and Glasgow’s Soma and the Hacienda, listening to Dave Angel, Jeff Mills and the like, and when not clubbing, listening to any hip-hop I could get my hands on and a fair bit of metal too, with the occasional John Carpenter soundtrack thrown in for good measure. Nothings really changed since and I listen to whatever my ear is attracted to!”

»Download GLITCH FIT«

You started making music at 22, but what was your involvement up to this date? Did you have any formal education?

Prior to me starting making my own music I really had no involvement or training; a few friends from my area were messing about with synths and various drum machines and such but other than that not much really.

I always had a want to make music but never really knew how to go about it until I had access to a decent PC; I realised then that I could do the things I wanted to do without the need for anyone else’s input!

How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it?

I always have trouble with this question, but the answer usually goes like this. It’s kind of electronic-y, soundtrack-ish, computer game, hip-hop sounding stuff, with good beats!

What do you want or try to communicate with your music? What is the imagery in your head – does it change from track to track?

Every track is different, but it’s usually a sci-fi or comic book scene of some kind in my head.

The way in which you describe your music making process is almost like remembering a dream – once an idea has been translated into music, the scene starts to ebb away; leaving behind an electronic imprint. Are there any tracks from 10 Years of Wilderness that have really stood out in terms of the SF / comic book imagery your mind conjures at time of production? 

The two that stand out the most for me would be Devil Child from Vol. 1 which is kind of a horror-esque chase / lost / confused scene; think I was probably watching a few too many horror flicks at the time of this production! And Vyle Music from Vol. 2; this is more a scary, stalking, ‘I’m coming to get you and you don’t know’ track. I always imagine some hulking big dude in the shadows planning some nasty stuff! Other favourites are anything done as Static Movements; that EP, which has two tracks from it featured on the compilation, is probably one of my favourite pieces of work as a whole.

How do you feel your music has changed or evolved as your skills have grown?

I think as times went by I’m more patient when it comes to my production, in the past I’d either scrap tracks or rush through them because I had so many ideas. Now I just let it take its course.

What is special or the most enjoyable aspect about collaborating with MCs and other producers? 

For me, the best part is having a whole different perspective brought to the table, different ideas, ideas that I’d not even entertain for myself but with outside input, great things can happen.

How much do ’80s / ’90s underground electronics inspire and influence what you do? 

It’s played a massive part in influencing my style. People like Carl Craig, Hardfloor, Orlando Voorn, F.S.O.L., Bomb the Bass, Dave Angel. Labels like R&S, Planet E, Harthouse, Djax all put out stuff that I still listen to today. Without it I doubt I’d be making music or have the sound I do.

How much of your music is aimed at the dancefloor, and how much is aimed at ‘at home chilling?’

I’d say it’s all aimed at that atmospheric style; I like to think of my stuff as a soundtrack to your day. After all, we are living in the future and everyone deserves there own sci-fi soundtrack to bump as they walk down the street.

John Carpenter appears as a very big influence - what of his work has influenced you the most, or stuck with you, and why? 

Everything this man does influences me; from his movies to his self composed soundtracks. His stuff just hits the spot for me. I’m a B-Movie sucker and JC is KING of the B-Movie, no one does it like him.

What attracted you to working with BLM? 

It was actually a chance meeting with the guys from the Eaters and Immaculate Emotion Engines at an El-P gig last year. I’ve known the guys from the days when Incorporeal (Penpushers, Eaters, etc.) first started, and they spoke very highly of Black Lantern. Off of this I contacted the guys to see if they’d be interested in putting out some of my stuff.

What do you think of the other artists on the roster?

Eaters, I.E.E., KROWNE, Texture, Tickle, Machines in Heaven, Asthmatic Astronaut, Morphamish, Harlequinade and a few others are all making very good music; its a good solid bunch of artists. Still got to check a few but liking what I’ve checked so far!

SJ Mellia on Soundcloud

SJ Mellia on Black Lantern

BLM:50 RAISE THE BLACK LANTERN

Celebrating 50 releases (and more!) by Black Lantern Music, established in 2009 by a collective of Scottish producers and emcees. 

Over the years we have released a massive range of hip-hop, electronic and experimental music, taking in styles as diverse as jazz, techno, crunk, future bass, synth-pop, electro, alt.rap, math-rock, dark synth, chillwave, dubstep, ambient and doomcrunk… and that’s just scratching the surface.

If you’ve never heard Black Lantern before, consider this an introduction - if you’ve been along for the ride for a while, we hope you’ll find some old favourites.

We’re a home for experimental music from Scotland and around the world - we have artists as far away as Canada, Ukraine, the USA, France, and Russia, as well as local talent from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Fife and beyond.

This Black Lantern ‘best of’ features 50 tracks, some from across our back catalogue, plus a few exclusives. It’s available from our Bandcamp as a pay-what-you-want download. We release most of our music free of charge, and when we do charge, that money goes straight to the artists.



We’re raising funds for a website re-launch - if you can donate some money in exchange for these 50 tracks, we’d very much appreciate it. We’ll be re-launching our website in 2013, and announcing some exciting new developments - by contributing, you’re helping us take Black Lantern to the next level, and supporting independent artists.

To our listeners worldwide - we thank you for all of your support, and we’ll see you at 100! We’ve got a special, limited-edition physical release planned for our centenary… we hope you’ll stick around to see what we’ve created for you!

BLACK LANTERN LOGO CREATED BY INKMOTH

THE BLM FAMILY WOULD LIKE TO THANK: Cook, Owen Green, Alex Burden, FMA, Ally McCrae, Muslim Alim, Vic Galloway, The Skinny, James & Andrew Wyllie, Chris Knight, Billy Jam, Plague Language, Dogma crew, ETC crew, Abaga, Phuturelabs, Aural Sects, Shallow Rave, Nora and co. at Henry’s Cellar Bar, Dangerous Minds, the denizens of Whitechapel, Jungle & Wobbles crew, Burst Radio, Subcity Radio, Radio Magnetic, SubFM, Warlock, NoYeahNo and the whole Rag & Bone fam, Blackmass Plastics, Liz Berg, our Twitter RT crew, our dedicated Facebook group fam, and most of all to our fans and followers, and anyone we may have missed - we appreciate your support!

Black Lantern Music: HAPPY HALLOWEEN SPECIAL

[BLM067] CHURCH OF WHEN THE SHIT HITS THE FAN - COWTSHTF 3

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From their arcane origins - “Long rumoured to be a dangerous cult operating on the fringes of decent society and dating back to approximately 1666AD,” according to their bio - to their breezeblock, doomcrunk beats, Church Of When The Shit Hits The Fan are a rap group like no other on the UK scene. Featuring the forward-thinking, upfront electronic production of Asthmatic Astronaut and the literate, dark pantomime wordplay of rapper and performer Harlequinade, their Lovecraftian, science fiction take on hip-hop is by turns brutal and satirical, thrillingly experimental and packed with dope hooks.

HYDRONOMICON reprises the themes of Harlequinade and Asthmatic Astronaut’s 2011 Edinburgh Fringe show of the same name, telling the story of a world swallowed by rising tides and endless rain. LAUGH TRACK sees AA laying down a bass-led, low-slung electro cut as hQ effortlessly assasinates pop culture and philosophical targets. On the Tom Waits-meets-Anticon swagger of LILITHS GARDEN, hQ ponders paradise and eschaton as AA lays down swathes of electric guitar and ringing synth lines. On the album’s baroque centrepiece PINOCCHIO ENGINEERS, AA pushes his production further than ever before, constructing an eight-minute symphony that moves through sinuous post-dubstep, urgent dub techno and effortlessly cinematic, violin-led  transitions, soundtracking hQ’s twisted take on the story of the puppet who wanted to be a real boy…

Also up today as part of our Halloween Doublet.

[BLM066] KROWNE & HARLEQUINADE ~ City of Broken Dolls

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And that’s by no means all for fans of Harlequinade - in parallel with the release of COWTSHTF3 we present hQ’s collaboration with electro/.bass music innovator Krowne - CITY OF THE BROKEN DOLLS. Two tracks of propulsive, proto-industrial techno/electro, with Harlequinade bringing his apocalyptic vision to bear on the pounding, tribal rhythms of the title track, and the brooding, hallucinatory techno-fiction of CRIMSON SNOW 2: RED RAIN, a thematic sequel to a track from COWTSHTF 2.

“through flesh to fur….in wolf skin with new limbs, transformed under moon winds”

An extra-size treat for followers of the Black Lantern and disciples of the Church of When The Shit Hits The Fan, just in time for Halloween. 

www.blacklanternmusic.com

[BLM065] MAGIC DADDY - ROCK HYRAX EP

MAGIC DADDY, aka Glasgow-based musician Greg Hurst, has been writing and producing electronic music for 15 years. He has produced solo instrumental tracks and various vocal and band collaborations. He flippantly defines his style as ‘trifle-tech’, referring to his method of throwing everything in to see what sticks. In fact he has never settled on a particular style, preferring to be informed by current club trends but always trying to create something fresh. One thing’s for sure: he will never be accused of minimalism.

His first releases were the Black Rabbit Whorehouse EP (2005, Optimo nightclub’s Oscarr label) and the Insert Title Here EP (2005, on Stuffrecords, which later became Numbers). Since then he has been playing keyboards and producing for several Glasgow bands, including post-rock / post-bass synths-and-guitars outfit Machines in Heaven. His acclaimed remixes of Glasgow bands Nevada Base, How To Swim and For Abel have all been released in 2012. His Soundcloud page has been very active of late, having recently been updated with all previous releases and many unreleased tracks.

The Rock Hyrax EP on Black Lantern Music contains two tracks of slow / fast bass-heavy electro-techno-hiphop, informed by the current Glasgow / London / Bristol triangle of bass culture… but once again with the unique maximal Magic Daddy approach. And track three’s an acid electro banger!

» DOWNLOAD MAGIC DADDY - ROCK HYRAX EP NOW! «