New Judas Signee and Sushi De-virginizer
LES GILLETTES is back with a brand new EP! I got the opportunity to talk with Casja on the new EP, what she was doing the last months and what was going on in the New Judas office. Let's roll!
LFOD: Some time did pass since your last release. Have you been in need of a break?
Les Gillettes: Definitely, I wasn’t really excited about a lot of electronic music for a while, it felt like everyone turned their Supreme caps with the wind and started to make either very pretentious stripped down minimal or obvious retro house which didn’t get me excited at all so I needed some time to feel inspired to make music again.
LFOD: Your new EP contains a sample from an olympics commentator. Are you someone who is obsessed with running/sports?
LG: Its more of a childhood obsession of everything (human or animal) speedy, I really thought Carl Lewis was the coolest thing after the Cheetah when I was 5. That was probably also the last time I went down with anything sporty ...
LFOD: You are signed to New Judas. We didn't hear much of them since Aku's last release. What's going on there? Did they close the label or were they just re-organizing something?
Les Gillettes: I think all small labels have had some hard time figuring out how to keep themselves alive the past couple of years and New Judas could probably easily have gone down the Institubes (RIP) route but decided to take a step back in order to try to find new ways to how things could work in favour for both the people involved in the label and the artists they represent. Lets hope they got it this time (I know they have some really cool releases lined up for the following months)!
LFOD: If you'd have to describe the new EP in 3 words, what would you say?
Les Gillettes: Ready, set, go!
LFOD: Do you see a progression/development in your sound? If yes, which is the biggest step?
Les Gillettes: Every time i sit down to make music i learn something new that can end up having an effect on my sound I also recently started to buy (soft)synths instead of stealing them so they actually work and saves my settings, that probably has been the biggest change to my sound ;)
LFOD: Tell us a bit about your production process!
Les Gillettes: I’m really really seriously chronically crap on finishing things off and cant seem to ever draw a line for when the adding and tuning has to stop so it tends to take a long time before i gather the patience to get song ‘sketches’ ready for a mixdown. At that stage they’ll all have undergone a surgery loosing about 40 unnecessary synths and drums …
LFOD: What is your personal favorite on the EP? And why?
Les Gillettes: This is really hard cause I honestly LOVE all the remixes and how they all bring something completely new to the original. I’m really privileged to be so close to the label that i can have an impact on the choice of remixers and this time i couldn’t have asked for more! They all seriously rule ok!
LFOD: "Ben Johnson" has a great BMore vibe in it. Is Philly-Club sound a big inspiration for you?
Les Gillettes: Thanks! Yes it’s always been a guilty pleasure of mine. Generally I like everything happy sounding on a dance floor no matter the genre but honestly is there any better way to spend a night at the club than sweating it out to some ghetto sounding drum loops and skanky horns? I don’t think so ….
LFOD: What was the target when writing this EP? Did you had a certain intention? Like "I'm so going to write a party record".
Les Gillettes: Haha, I guess I kind of went with the theme of the rivalry between Carl and Ben and the short track tension, first I tried to sample both their breathing and their running with crowd noises and track n’ field-sy stuff but it all got a bit complex so i skipped most of it but one hi-hat is still made of Carls breathing from an interview he did just after the finish line ... Another idea I had in my head when i sat down to write it was to have a song starting with a seemingly never ending one note build up a la Soulwax and then it all went (downhill?) from there ...
LFOD: Which artists do you digg right now and why?
Les Gillettes: Screendeath is my absolute favorite at the moment. I love it when someone young and new comes around and skips the bandwagon and instead makes something totally unique and amazing I also really like what the kids in the Club Cheval crowd is up to because it feels like they are trying to create something quiet unique. After moving to London two years ago I’ve really started to dig some of the UK funky stuff like Ill Blu and Champion. I also have to give a shout out to Lunice who had me entranced in front of Boilerroom TV the other week, i wish more dj’s had at least half of his positive energy behind the wheels of steel ….
LFOD: If you could pick one producer to work with, who would it Be?
Les Gillettes: Obvious answer but no can do: Rick Rubin, his beard is just to die for.
LFOD: the last words are yours...
Les Gillettes: Go buy my record already!
Thanks Les Gillettes! Now leaving the small talk and heading over to the music section, right after the jump.
