Show returns to the Sub Club on Thursday December the 18th with the London based duo Dense & Pika playing a 3 hour set. Joining Illyus this month on the warm up is Tiptoes. Eager to debut his new sound, we asked him some questions to try and shed a little light on what is in store for us.
What (or who) is tiptoes?
Tiptoes is a new project from a time-served deep house producer – the premise of which is not to create mystique in anonymity or anything like that – the desire is simply that people should come check out the music first with no pre-conceived notions of who is behind it or what it should sound like. It’s the age old mantra of letting the trax doing the talking……
Are you a short arse and need to stand on your tiptoes to see the crowd / DJ?
Absolutely – I’ve caught myself doing this a few times while in situ! Clubs these days are full of giant kids – 6ft on average – they’re taller, better fed and have better teeth than previous generations – so I’m a shrimp by comparison.
What is your direction with this project?
Primarily it’s writing music that some people maybe wouldn’t expect from me, music that shows every aspect of what I want to make, not just sticking rigidly to one style. There are some beat-driven raw bass tracks that are most definitely house/techno club oriented alongside some hip-hop and looser grooves. The sound overall is sample based – I try not to make tracks too polished, retaining that rough sampled vibe to it – slightly retro. I’ve gained most of my know-how from sampling, taking from all the things that have influenced me along the way and I think it’s this approach to music that determines my sound most. The best music I’ve done has always been something. I don’t think about – it just happens – if it feels right, it is.
If you were making comparisons,who would you compare yourself/tiptoes to?
Difficult one that, I’m pleading the 5th – I’ll let other people make comparisons. What I will say though is that I grew up on disco, jazz, soul, funk… This for me was and is the foundation. The first artists I came across who were making house and garage music based on these fundamentals were guys like MAW, Ashley Beedle, Moodymann, Kerri Chandler, Theo Parrish, Nick Holder, Pepe Bradock, Sneak, Derrick Carter etc – and they’ve all had a big influence on me.
Who are you feeling just now and why?
Every day there’s a new discovery, someone I come across that I’ve never heard of before that is making incredible music – that’s the upside of the internet. There are so many people out there just now making killer stuff, I could literally reel off a hundred names! For argument’s sake let’s throw out a few: Max Graef, Glenn Astro, Alden Tyrell, Borrowed Identity, Doc Daneeka, Andres, MCDE, Catz n Dogz, Dense & Pika, Conforce, Fjaak, Gerd, Whim-Ee, Nicholas, Phoenix Knight, Maya Jane Coles, Oliver Deutschmann, Daniel Avery…… I mean I could go on and on.
Locally, I’m tight with a few friends such as Mia Dora, Illyus & Barrientos who are fantastic producers cultivating their own styles and are currently enjoying some richly-deserved success. We all work with each other and everyone learns from everyone else, there’s a real crew type mentality going on. The key thing about all of this is we’re all on a similar wavelength – if you’re into this type of music – it’s not just a passing fad, it’s what your whole life revolves around. It’s not about money or any of that. You just hook up with a bunch of friends, everyone’s on the same page and you’re all like weans in a sweetie shop vibin’ over a new record.
Whats your take on the current state of house music / scene?
I think it’s in an incredibly healthy place right now. As ever the real innovation is happening in the underground, where producers put their own personal stamp on things so there’s always loads of interesting material and new avenues opening up. For the first time in years – thanks mainly to the massive resurgence in garage – there’s also a clear pathway to commercial success – if that’s your aim – as the shiny stuff is topping the charts as well. Positives all round, no matter where you’re coming from or heading to.
Are you looking forward to playing the Sub Club?
Without a doubt, it’s an institution 27 years deep for a reason. I don’t think i’ve ever had a bad night out in there. B2B with Illyus will be good fun and i’m really looking forward to seeing Dense & Pika, not had a chance to catch them live yet.
Will you be able to touch the ceiling?
I’ll do my level best but a set of stilts or at the very least a puddy up may be required. You never know if it goes well I might end up like the geezer who did the impromptu crowd surf at the recent boiler room night…..
Advance tickets for Thursday’s party with Dense & Pika Illyus and Tiptoes HERE.