Instant T by James Dean Brown [Narcotic Syntax, Perlon]

Lors de sa venue à Nantes, James Dean Brown nous avait gratifié d’un excellent set malheureusement peu mis en valeur par un sub défectueux. Nous l’avions donc contacté afin d’en découvrir un peu plus sur le personnage car comme dit le dicton « dis moi ce que tu écoutes, je te dirais qui tu es ». Mixant depuis plus de 20 ans, il fait partie des racines de Perlon et était présent avant même la création du label ce qui l’amène souvent derrière les platines des Get Perlonized. Il est aussi derrière le groupe Narcotic Syntax qu’il a lancé en 1995 et dont les membres évolueront au fil des années. Depuis 2009 c’est devenu un trio composé de James Dean Brown, Yapacc et Achim Treu. James n’en est donc pas à son premier coup d’essai niveau collaboration. Fin janvier, il jouait d’ailleurs en live avec Helena Hauff, trois TR-808, une TR-707 et quelques boitier à effets au Berghain lors du festival CTM. Trèves de palabres, place à la musique :

Le track idéal pour détruire un dancefloor ? The ideal track to slaughter a dancefloor?

Le track idéal en after ? The ideal track for an after party?

Le track idéal pour commencer un set ? Best track to start a set?

Le track idéal pour avoir le smile ? Best track to make people smile?

Le track idéal pour se délecter d’un 18 ans d’age dans un fauteuil au coin du feu ? Best track with an 18 year old wine sitting in a rocking chair next to the fireplace?

James Dean Brown – Blue Hours (Tracklist)

Music for dark blue hours; a soundtrack for sophisticated paradisiac conditions, blending Exotica, Big Band Blues Noir, Loungecore and Crime Jazz. From the golden age of coolness with a touch of decadence, characterizing yesterday’s, today’s and tomorrow’s extravagant lifestyle.

Le track idéal pour replonger en enfance ? Best track to dive back into childhood?

I must have been 11 or 12 years old when I had one staggering radio moment. They were playing the song « Mandingo » by the big band of same name, out of their album « The Primeval Rhythm of Life ». I was excited, almost shocked, this was so way-out – music from another dimension, unexplored terrain, and I felt I have to go there. Luckily I got hold of an LP copy soon after for a bargain price.

Le track idéal pour te réveiller ? Best track to wake you up?

Soulmates from Miami – this track is from 1982.

Le track idéal à n’importe quelle heure ? Best track at any time?

Yellow Magic Orchestra are synonymous for perfect Pop music – in terms of composition, arrangement, sound design, production, performance. Their album « BGM » (= BackGround Music) belongs to my top two all-time favourite music works, and it still gets even better every time I listen to it. YMO are totally advanced by merging Pop, Avantgarde, technology, melodies, Japanese tradition, yet they are so subtle in shaping the future. And imagine, it’s from 1981 (like Kraftwerk’s « Computer World »).

Le track idéal pour caractériser tes productions ? Best track to characterize your productions best?

With this release our concept was to get rid of our melodies-and-vocals-baroqueness we applied before in favour of stripping our productions down to an imperative rhyhm core. Which, in fact, turned out to become as complex as the tracks we produced before, maybe even more complex, but focused on the percussive element. The design for « Provocative Percussion » resulted in a spoof of the original album series of same name from the early 60es, including a graphic reference to my favourite rhythm machine, the Roland TR-808: four white, yellow, orange, red dots in a row indicating its push buttons. When released, I had the feeling of everything said and done, I won’t have to produce anything any more after that.

Le track idéal pour résumer tes inspirations musicales ? Best track to summarize your musical inspirations?

Never thought it would be possible, but some time ago I succeeded in designating my definite favourite album. Which would be the self-titled LP by Monitor from California’s San Fernando Valley, released in 1981. I think I will never fully understand the band’s eerie music. It’s of mysterious beauty, a fact that makes it so exceptional. Monitor merged a spooky Surf sound with New Wave Exotica, Tiki culture, Kurt Weill, Johann Sebastian Bach, sequencer electronics, tribal percussion and incantations, a blend which has been once described as « electro-psychedelic paranormal chamber music ».