Joe Robots
Joe Robots
18-12-12
Banjee Boy Realness resident Joe Robots gears up for this Saturday's Xmas Love Break with co-resident Josh Caffe and mysterious new act Mannerism Inc by dropping this hot mini-mix on us ahead of the party. With tracks from Todd Terry, Ilgot’n’gane, Cajmere and Waze & Odyssey, it's pretty much banger after banger, from start to finish. We caught up with Joe to get the skinny on both his mix and what's in store for all the banjee boys and girls who show up this Saturday...
In your opinion, what one track on your mix epitomises the Banjee Boy Realness sound?
The whole mix epitomises how I think of the BBR sound, although co-promoter and DJ Josh Caffe might have a slightly different take. For me it's about '90s New York house and garage, and the producers who've taken that sound recently and run with it again, some UK garage, which has the same kind of restless swing to the beats, in part because it mutated music from across the Atlantic in that particularly British way, jacking Chicago house, which has a raw, bouncy energy that's often missing in this age of overly polite deep house, and booming sub-driven club music, sometimes actual ballroom productions but mostly tracks that have a similar attitude and rudeness. So, in a very political way in which I ignore your question to pursue my own agenda, all of them.
There's a track by you on it called Joe's Garage… what nefarious goings could we expect to see happen in your garage?
Yes, that was a track I made about six months ago, then badly mixed down and boosted in various ways to try and ensure some kind of continuity in the mix. Basically, after working with more experienced producers on a few things I realised it's easier to try and do stuff yourself as, even if though I'm some way from any technical proficiency, it's much easier to get the outline of what I want to make. My actual garage is in the process of being converted into a studio flat by my landlord, so it is looking 'Ruff Cut', and it's filled with men who wake me up very early each morning with their banging. Does that sound nefarious enough?
How hard or easy was it ensuring there was at least a little bit of Aaliyah on it?
The only hard bit was ripping it off vinyl. I still buy records for tracks that aren't released digitally but tend not to take them out that often as, unlike Superstore, most place don't really care about the state of their turntable. I'm trying to get into the habit of burning vinyl to CD as soon as I get home. My cat Barry (White) has taken to sharpening his claws on my record spines, so he appreciates the fresh covers. I'm waiting for the day I catch him, although there wasn't a hint of remorse when I walked in on him trying to bury a shit in the bath. He's a problem child from Celia Hammond but we're working it through.
Were there any tracks that didn't make the cut that we might hear on the actual night?
Loads. Turn up on the night and you'll find out. A girl has to leave a bit of mystery. 'Lordy' which I just got sent by DJ Haus, who runs Unknown to the Unknown, will definitely be getting an airing.
Who's on the dream guest wish list for Banjee Boy Realness in 2013?
'Yo Vogue!" by French Fries has been a bit of a Ha Dance sampling anthem this year and I met him and everyone from the label he's on, ClekClekBoom, in Amsterdam earlier this year. They're all based in Paris and have been putting out loads of weird, amazing records influenced by all kinds of stuff; global bass, garage, Detroit techno, Chicago house, hip-hop... They've got a comp coming soon, 'Paris Club Music Volume 1', which summaries their first eight releases and has some brand new unreleased tracks, so I'd definitely like to see them rocking the DSS basement. Another person is Dutch producer Gerd, who has been putting out some unashamed old school house bangers under the alias Geeeman, as well as more garagey stuff as NY Stomp. Jackmaster's sets pretty much tick all my boxes too, plus a few more I didn't even realise were on the other side of the page...
Join Joe Robots for Banjee Boy Realness this Saturday 22nd December with Josh Caffe and Mannerism Inc from 9pm to late.
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Joe Robots