1Mix Radio: Best of 2013 Interview with composer, producer, DJ and A&R Ad Brown

Thursday, 5 December 2013

Best of 2013 Interview with composer, producer, DJ and A&R Ad Brown

Best of 2013 Interview with composer, producer, DJ and A&R Ad Brown. The last few years have seen composer, producer, DJ and A&R man Ad Brown keep the EDM universe supplied with a steady flow of highly polished, broad-span-appealing electronic music. Locking on to the beneath-the-surface magnetism of his productions, an ever-increasing directory of world-class DJs have rallied to his sound. Now the young Londoner is ready to step centre stage with the release of his debut long-player. Over a scrupulously edited collection of music, he matches his own inimitable production stylings - that of a cooler, more cultured house, trance & more with an attuned ear for memorable, accessible lyrics and engaging vocals.

If you’re starting to feel an itch or twitch for music with less glitch, it’s time to take… ‘Something For The Pain'

Interview was written and conducted by Dimitri Kechagias, Music Journalis, Radio/ DJ

Name: Ad Brown

Location: London Town

Dimitri: Can you tell us about your achievements in your music career in 2013 as DJ &/or producer?

Ad Brown: Undoubtedly my new artist album is my biggest achievement in 2013. Condensed down from nearly 100 demos and written over 2 years. I managed to incorporate some sounds I recorded while traveling to!

The album reviews have been fantastic and I am absolutely delighted with the outcome.

I also helped launch Vous Records, which has done incredible things in a very short space of time. The label has a real following now so I am excited to see where 2014 leads.

Dimitri: If you look back on 2013, are there any events in your music career that you wished you had done differently in order to get a better outcome?

Ad Brown: Releasing the album has been a great experience but you do learn a lot in the process, particularly to do with schedules, timings, promotion and dealing with other artists! I would make some tweaks next time round but nothing too major.

1) Best Track:

Ad Brown: Best track from the album in my opinion is “Pulse” with Shawn Mitiska. It’s a banger of a tune getting a lot of heat. It is also the next single release from the album with remixes from Ali Wilson and Fon Leman.

2) Best Artist (DJ & producer):

Ad Brown: Steve Kaetzel – His sound is amazing. He did a track called “So Alone” a few years ago, which is still incredible.

3) Best Remix:

Ad Brown: Above & Beyond feat. Zoe Johnston Alchemy (Jody Wisternoff Remix)

4) Best Remixer:

Ad Brown: Jody Wisternoff for all the remixes on CD2 of Anjuandeep:05

5) Best New Talent (DJ or producer):

Ad Brown: Matt Fax is a young guy with a mature sound. I am not sure he likes me though. I made a joke about him being French!

6) Best EDM Compilation:

Ad Brown: Arrival 01 Mixed by Marsh and Probity

7) Best artwork/cover of a compilation:

Ad Brown: Arrival 01 Mixed by Marsh and Probity. Very classy!

10) Best Vocalist/Singer featured on an EDM track:

Ad Brown: Hannah Ray. She is incredible live. I think she would knock most vocalists out the park.

11) Best EDM Label:

Ad Brown: Black Hole Recordings

12) Best Music Video:

Ad Brown: Spencer Tarring – Come On Now. You can see how people really party in Shanghai! Great video. Very cool.

13) Best amusing video from Youtube related to Dance Music:

Ad Brown: Hilarious DJ Fail a guy playing EDM at an old people home in Texas

14) Best Online Social media network:

Ad Brown: Facebook just seems to be the hub for everything promo wise.

15) Best music composition software:

Ad Brown: Logic – I have been using it for years now and its second nature. I have been thinking about using Ableton but I just don’t have the time to start from scratch at the moment.

16) Best Event or Open Air Festival:

Ad Brown: Secret Garden Party. Its a bit of a hidden gem of a festival in the UK. It is creating quite a bit of hype at the moment.

17) Best personal DJ Gig:

Ad Brown: M1NT Club, Shanghai – The place is nuts on a Saturday night. It has just been refurbished too.

18) Best country in which you have performed:

Ad Brown: India, I love playing outdoors and you can always do that here.

19) Best Radio show:

Ad Brown: Silk Royal Showcase. Great guest mixers every week and something like 20k downloads a month. Pretty good for a progressive show!

20) Best Radio station:

Ad Brown: Tenzi FM are doing great stuff to promote music in India

21) Best Online Record shop where you usually purchase your music:

Ad Brown: Beatport - standard

22) Best Website that you visit regularly:

Ad Brown: Cant answer that, just kidding – I like Reddit which is a bit geeky or Ross kemp folds http://kempfolds.blogspot.co.uk/ has become a bit of a cult site. I am not sure people outside the UK will get the joke or know who Ross Kemp is though!

23) Best smart phone/mobile/App:

Ad Brown: Wunderlist

24) Best DJ/Producer product (software or hardware):

Ad Brown: Senneiser 250 / Logic

25) Best new sound or sample, which has been used in EDM this year, preferably introduced by you?

Ad Brown: Ad Brown – Progressive House Essentials took me 6 months to produce and has some seriously good content. I still use it.

26) Best Twitter or Facebook message you received from a fan or friend or you have read from someone else:

Ad Brown: “Ad Brown is shit hot right now, he also has a great beard”

27) Best piece of News you heard this year related to Electronic Dance Music:

Ad Brown: Michael Woods Telling Justin Bieber to put a shirt on and f*** off out the DJ Booth

28) Best personal achievement related to Electronic Dance Music:

Ad Brown: Ad Brown – Something For The Pain Album

29) Best holiday destination or best hobby or activity that you spent some time in during 2013

Ad Brown: Lison, Portugal. Time spent exploring the city and eating great food in the sunshine. Magic!

30) Best piece of advice you got in relation to your career:

Ad Brown: Don’t expect a favor

31) The Best Book this year, preferably related to EDM:

Ad Brown: Has Paris Hilton brought a book out yet?

32) Best Movie of the year preferably related to EDM or inspired you to compose a track.

Ad Brown: 'Gravity' has some cool subtle EDM undertones. I know Drive came out a few years ago but a track called "Tonight" on my album was inspired by the Drive soundtrack

33) Best tip that you learnt this year relating to DJ’ing or music composition

Ad Brown: Don’t over compress!

Dimitri: 2014 is ahead of us; would you like to tell us your plans for future releases, tracks, albums, collaborations or DJ gigs.

Ad Brown: I have some great shows planned and I am especially looking forward to seeing in 2014 playing for the Tenzi FM guys in India for “LOUD”

Dimitri: Thanks very much for taking the time to reply to this interview

Ad Brown: Your welcome - have a great Christmas!!!!!

Thanks very much to Geertje Hermans at Black Hole recordings press office for organizing this interview

Ad Brown - Something For The Pain Tracklist

01. Ready And Waiting (with Hannah Ray) (2:54)

02. More (with Tess) (4:06)

03. Thrive (with Stan Kolev) (4:57)

04. Run To You (featuring Antonia Lucas) (4:04)