INTERVIEW: Silicone Soul

Legendary Glasgow duo Silicone Soul have announced a smouldering fifth edition of their longstanding Darkroom Dubs label mix series. Inspired by the sudden splash of freedom and shows they have been able to play this summer and that great shared rush of energy we have all experienced in recent months.

Available as both a mixed excursion into the deepest corners of the Darkroom Dubs psyche and as a collection of unmixed tracks, Darkroom Dubs Vol. V focuses on the label's recent releases, bringing us all up to speed on the underground sound they have always stood for and reminding us of the instantly distinctive and consistent signature they have spent the best part of 20 years honing and refining.

We have had the pleasure of speaking with him and this has been the result.

What was the first thing that attracted you to the world of electronic music?

It was the music 100%. It was the early 90s, and the scene was in its infancy, so there was no precedent or comparison. It was the first time many, including myself, had heard electronic music, so there was a freshness and optimism in the air and a sense of thrill and danger.

Do you remember any album or concert that has changed everything?

Primal Scream's Screamadelica was a game-changer and more so the production of Andrew Weatherall. It wasn't till we attended their concerts at the Barrowlands in Glasgow and miners benefit in Sheffield that it all made sense. Instead of the traditional concert format, it was more like a late-night rave with Weatherall DJing in support and to a group of wide-eyed teenagers from Glasgow, it was heaven.

Since you got into this professionally, what did you miss the most nationally, internationally and on the contrary, what helped you the most to grow, even to believe in yourself?

We were lucky to be surrounded by creative friends, particularly at Soma Records, like Dave Clarke and Glenn Gibbons. They were very supportive, especially in the early days, which gave us confidence in our DJing and production. We signed with Soma in 1998 and released four albums with them.

How is the music scene living in your city with this murky pandemic situation?

I live now in Southern France in quite a rural location, but the uncertainty is still the same. In the last few months, it's been great to be back in clubs, touring again and, of course, back behind the decks. There's a creeping sense of doom with the new variants, and freedoms are restricted. The clubs have been closed in France and The Netherlands, and it's going that way too in Germany. So we might have to batten down the hatches and hope for better days. What are your favorite places to hang out in the city?

I live in the Montagne Noire, near Carcassonne so it's either the local auberge, Sire de Cabaret or Le Bar au Vin and La Métairie in town.

Have you had time to focus on making music, spending time with your family, or planning future projects?

From a label perspective, it was a very productive time. We managed to release some fantastic music, including EPs from Alejandro Paz & Local Suicide, Middle Sky Boom, Undo, Amount and Am$trad Billionaire. On a personal level, my Mum sadly passed away last November, so I spent the lockdown caring for her. That period was frankly a nightmare, but I’m slowly emerging from it with fresh impetus and positivity, and we’ve been amassing a lot of new sounds and fresh ideas to take into the studio in the new year. So hopefully, there will be some of our productions appearing on Darkroom Dubs next year with some remixes.

How was your latest project born?

The latest project is our label compilation, ‘Darkroom Dubs Vol. V - Compiled & Mixed By Silicone Soul’. So the main release is a DJ mix highlighting our favourite tracks that we’ve released on Darkroom Dubs, spanning the period since the last compilation back in 2017.

What do you want to convey in this work? What is the concept behind?

It's an opportunity to showcase all the fantastic music that the artists have produced for our label. Also, it's a project we hold dearly and a tradition we have continued to keep alive since the first volume back in 2005. Long live the label mix compilation!

As for your studio, what is your setup currently made of?

It's a relatively basic setup at the moment. I have a Macbook Pro running Logic X through a Metric Halo soundcard, with a couple of Junos, a Nord Electro and a mixer.

What's the one team you'll never get rid of, no matter what?

I still love the Soundtoys Plug-In bundle, especially the Decapitator and the Little Plate (emulation of the EMT 140 Plate Reverb). I don't have an original Roland RE-201 Space Echo, but Arturia's Delay Tape 201 hits the mark.

What would you say is the definition of your sound?

I suppose now our sound could fall into the Indie Dance or EBM category or be prefixed with Deep or Dark, but to be honest, we’ve always struggled to self-categorise. What was the last record store you visited and what did you get out there?

I think it was Discos Paradisco in Bogotá and the 'Doing It In Lagos' compilation. It's a collection of 80's Nigerian disco.

BUY

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www.darkroomdubs.com