See Gulls live at the “XLR8R Presents” showcase with Actress, Teengirl Fantasy and Ghosts on Tape. This show happens Friday September 28th at The Baltic Room, 21+ (TIX). Interview below.
DD Hello Gulls, how are you?
G Hey good morning. I’m good, enjoying these last days of NW summer, sipping tea, and at the moment listening to Ras G.
DD Disco Droppings chose the XLR8R Presents showcase for Day #3 of Decibel Festival 2012. You’ll be opening this show, supporting Actress and Teengirl Fantasy. Are you familiar with their music?
G Yeah. I have been listening to Actress’s music for several years. I love the deep space that he brings, and the unpredictability in his tones and sequencing. Teengirl Fantasy is new to me, but I am looking forward to seeing them live, as they are avid hardware users. Between myself and them, The MPC 1000 will be well represented on this night!! Nothing sounds better than an MPC on a BIG system!
DD What role does improvisation play in your live performances?
G Improv is probably 80% of what I do live, between building patterns in real time, live arrangement/deconstruction/composition, and analog dub style mixing. Often I sketch out parts, melodies, etc. beforehand, but I try to keep the live set as real time as possible. Although things never end up going the way I planned, the vulnerability of improv is really where the fun is. Chasing those frequencies all over a huge sound system is a joyous thrill.
DD You are the founder of Boomarm Nation, an experimental label from Portland, Oregon. What got you interested in starting this collective?
G I wanted to create an outpost for the sounds that I feel are essential and important to a sort of global sound system evolution. Experimental approaches to sound system music are important, now more than ever. As they can help push and pull at peoples ideas and expectations of how sound and rhythm can work together.
DD Your bio says that every track is built entirely from the ground up. Can you explain this process?
G Often I will start a tune based off of melodies that I write on guitar or trumpet. I try to record parts in the first take so that they don’t lose the vibe of the moment the came from. Then I translate them to MIDI or re-sample my self playing the parts on various other instruments. The goal being to use my own musicianship as the source material, rather than sampling other peoples’ work. Don’t, get me wrong… there is a place for that too!! But I come from a background of playing instruments, and it’s important for me to translate that feeling into my music.
DD Talk a bit about your Running Times EP, recently released on Boomarm Nation. I see that you can get it on vinyl, cassette or digitally.
G Yeah. In July, Boomarm Nation released the vinyl in a limited run of 200. Followed by a short run of cassettes. Both are still available, but are going fast. The digital version was released worldwide in August, and is available from all major digital download retailers. The cassette and digital versions feature seven amazing remixes by some of my favorite producers from around the world. It also features the remix debut of SWAMI MILLION which is Will and Si from the UK-based group LV (HyperDub / Keysound). Leading up to Decibel, I will be offering all of the remixes available for free download via the Boomarm Nation website for the whole month of September.
Gulls – Twitter Soundcloud
– Jimi Jaxon
