This Friday, our friends at Drop Bass NZ are putting together the Auckland Launch Party for Outlook Festival, one of Europe's biggest bass parties - a shining beacon of soundsystem culture. They've pulled a talented bunch from the crop of DnB genius: Zero T, Amoss, Eavesdrop, and Victim.
We were lucky enough to swing a convo with Zero T...
You’ve released with numerous, diverse labels - from Metalheadz to Shogun, Quarantine, Soul:r, Dispatch, and Signature - how would you begin to describe your own style?
My style is simply Drum and Bass. I dislike the subdivisions people like to create. My hero as a kid was Doc Scott. Go listen to Drumz 95 and the flip of that record, and tell me what style of DnB Scottie is/was..Tech step? Atmospheric? The original Idea of jungle/DnB was "one sound, many styles," and I try to maintain that ethos.
Because my more popular tracks have been musical, I get labelled as "liquid," but if you come to the show expecting chords and vocals all night, you'll be disappointed. I always have and always will try to represent a wide spectrum of styles and moods in both my production and DJing - anything else is tedious to me.
In 2010 you launched your own label, Footprints. What was the reason behind starting up your own label, and going on six years, how’re things going?
I started Footprints in 2010, and released 7 records over two years or so. For various reasons the label has been on hiatus since 2012/13, but I will be relaunching with new distribution later this year... So watch this space. Back catalog including Calibre, ST Files, Mark System, Beta 2, Nick Bee, Need For Mirrors, and more will be available to download.
Last year you released ‘Golden Section’, your highly anticipated second album. How was that received?
Golden Section was my 2nd LP (1st was "Cheap Shots" on CIA in 2008). I took 2013 off of music, so I was a little nervous to see how a new LP would be received. Thankfully, it went down very well, and got a lot of support throughout the scene. Ant has done an amazing job of building Dispatch into one of the strongest labels around, hats off to him!
After nearly two decades of making music, if you could go back and give advice to your younger self starting out on this path, what would that advice be?
I would go back and tell myself to be born 5 years earlier. So my debut on Reinforced would have been in 96 instead of 2001. Life would have been pretty different most likely, lol.
What’s your favourite part of the job?
My favourite part of the job is most definitely the travel and all the likeminded folks you encounter in touring, it’s a great pleasure, and an honour. 15 years after my 1st gig outside my own country and it’s still the highlight.
Is this your first time down in New Zealand? What are you expecting?
This is my first time in this part of the world. It’s been on my Wishlist forever, so I’m buzzing to finally make it down here! I'm expecting a crowd of friendly ravers with extremely good taste... And Orcs... Mostly Orcs 😛
Can you give us any insight into what you’ll be working on next?
I’m very close to finishing my follow up LP to Golden Section for Dispatch. It's called "Dying Breed" and features collabs and remixes from Commix, Villem, Steo, Stamina MC and Beta 2.
I also have an imminent 12" on Metalheadz with Fierce, along with several 12"s from us forthcoming on his legendary Quarantine label. I’ve remixed a track off my 1st LP for the CIA 20 years LP dropping soon.
Plenty of remixes in the bag too for the likes of Noisia, Gerra and Stone, Malaky + Satl, Pennygiles and more, keep an eye on my fan page/twitter/insta for release info.