Your session with us in April 2018 was not long after the release of your first full-length record and you've been quite busy since. Could fill us in a little?
I’ve spent a lot of the last year & a bit hiding away and working on this second LP. I’ve also been working with Alexa Harley on our collaborative project Equal Echo, we released our first EP ‘Dynamite’ back in May & we’ve been developing our live show too. I’ve played a few gigs here & there, playing with Emma-Jean Thackray & members of the London Symphony Orchestra at the beautiful LSO St. Luke’s Church was a massive highlight!
How would you say your production style has changed if any, a year on?
I’d say the palette is slightly different but the style is pretty much the same. This album spans a few different genres that the last didn’t. After struggling for a long time trying to figure out what a second album might sound like, I ended up just trying to forget about working towards a body of music and seeing what came out tune by tune. I think this is what has ended up tying the tracks together, they are a culmination of my current influences channeled through me (& the people I’ve collaborated with), working in the moment and seeing what comes of it. Once I had a bunch of tracks I was happy with I was sure they wouldn’t fit side by side, but actually listening through they are cohesive somehow, at least to me anyway!
What areas in your life would you most strongly attribute your musical growth to?
The main thing for me is being able to freely play & experiment during the creation process. It’s been a key method for teaching myself how to use Ableton & work my way around synths & equipment etc. Nothing is set in concrete. If it sounds bad you can always go back, but if it sounds good the chances are you’ve learnt something new & created something unique to that moment.
Also, a weird one, but my struggles with anxiety have actually helped push me out of my comfort zone a lot & led me down musical paths I initially wouldn’t have - mainly in a live musical setting, the gig with Emma & the LSO players is a key example of that.
Actively seeking out & listening to a broad spectrum of music on a regular basis must have had some effect too!
Has this changed over the years?
Not particularly. Although the rate of musical growth feels like it changes pretty regularly. I think that’s pretty natural though.
Was there anything you found particularly valuable in sharing with us during the session last time?
I left it feeling so happy! It was so nice looking back over the years & drawing the dots together to result in where I was then. It was also refreshing to open up a bit about some of my struggles with anxiety and being a creative person in general, everyone was super receptive.
Could you name three things that have been on heavy rotation on your audio player of late?
Ever since first hearing this track I’ve had it on loop. It’s my song for when I’m walking pretty much anywhere at the moment.
I started listening to this podcast about a month ago and I’ve listened to 66 episodes so far! Can’t get enough of the stories
https://www.thisamericanlife.org/
This is another ‘walking around - playing on loop’ tune. I’ve also been trying to play along with it on the drums, slowly getting there!
Finally, what can the CDR audience expect from you this time around?
This will be my first chance to share what I’ve been up to for the past couple years! I’ll play my next LP in full a week before it’s release, talk about the process that lead me to it & break down some of the Ableton project files along the way.
Ahead of this week's special album listening session with south London's Hector Plimmer; we caught up with the multi-talented producer to angle in on just where his musical development has stemmed from over the past year.
Your session with us in April 2018 was not long after the release of your first full-length record and you've been quite busy since. Could fill us in a little?
I’ve spent a lot of the last year & a bit hiding away and working on this second LP. I’ve also been working with Alexa Harley on our collaborative project Equal Echo, we released our first EP ‘Dynamite’ back in May & we’ve been developing our live show too. I’ve played a few gigs here & there, playing with Emma-Jean Thackray & members of the London Symphony Orchestra at the beautiful LSO St. Luke’s Church was a massive highlight!
How would you say your production style has changed if any, a year on?
I’d say the palette is slightly different but the style is pretty much the same. This album spans a few different genres that the last didn’t. After struggling for a long time trying to figure out what a second album might sound like, I ended up just trying to forget about working towards a body of music and seeing what came out tune by tune. I think this is what has ended up tying the tracks together, they are a culmination of my current influences channeled through me (& the people I’ve collaborated with), working in the moment and seeing what comes of it. Once I had a bunch of tracks I was happy with I was sure they wouldn’t fit side by side, but actually listening through they are cohesive somehow, at least to me anyway!
What areas in your life would you most strongly attribute your musical growth to?
The main thing for me is being able to freely play & experiment during the creation process. It’s been a key method for teaching myself how to use Ableton & work my way around synths & equipment etc. Nothing is set in concrete. If it sounds bad you can always go back, but if it sounds good the chances are you’ve learnt something new & created something unique to that moment.
Also, a weird one, but my struggles with anxiety have actually helped push me out of my comfort zone a lot & led me down musical paths I initially wouldn’t have - mainly in a live musical setting, the gig with Emma & the LSO players is a key example of that.
Actively seeking out & listening to a broad spectrum of music on a regular basis must have had some effect too!
Has this changed over the years?
Not particularly. Although the rate of musical growth feels like it changes pretty regularly. I think that’s pretty natural though.
Was there anything you found particularly valuable in sharing with us during the session last time?
I left it feeling so happy! It was so nice looking back over the years & drawing the dots together to result in where I was then. It was also refreshing to open up a bit about some of my struggles with anxiety and being a creative person in general, everyone was super receptive.
Could you name three things that have been on heavy rotation on your audio player of late?
Ever since first hearing this track I’ve had it on loop. It’s my song for when I’m walking pretty much anywhere at the moment.
I started listening to this podcast about a month ago and I’ve listened to 66 episodes so far! Can’t get enough of the stories
https://www.thisamericanlife.org/
This is another ‘walking around - playing on loop’ tune. I’ve also been trying to play along with it on the drums, slowly getting there!
Finally, what can the CDR audience expect from you this time around?
This will be my first chance to share what I’ve been up to for the past couple years! I’ll play my next LP in full a week before it’s release, talk about the process that lead me to it & break down some of the Ableton project files along the way.
