David Berrie Q&A

Hello and welcome to Magazine Sixty David. Your latest release: A.D.D. EP is out now on Hottrax comprising of four equally energetic tracks. What elements are most vital to you as a producer? Do you think it is important to be seeking out new sounds as an artist or do the older ones still do it?

The bassline is usually the first element I start with as I think it’s the most vital element of a track. As for newer or older sounds it’s definitely a healthy mixture of both. I love my classic 909 hats and claps with futuristic spacey synth elements to compliment it.

Can you talk us though how you produced one of the tracks from the release. From where you get your inspiration from and how you then turn those ideas into an arrangement?

Usually when I start a new track the inspiration comes from a new machine or plugin that I just bought. For instance with A.D.D. i had just bought the TC Helicon Voice Live Touch 2 and used it with my voice to create the A.D.D. hook. This was the same case with Playing in Space. I put down the drums, a few elements, and then just improvise an arrangement on the fly recording in Ableton and tweak from there.

https://www.beatport.com/release/a-d-d-ep/2098106

How did you get together with the label? And how important is it to you to have your music signed to a certain label?

I passed some music to my long time friend from NY Lauren Lane, who passed it to Jamie, so shout out to Lauren for linking us together. I think its very important to have your music signed to a certain label, because everyone will associate you with it.

Listening to your DJ mixes it strikes me that you have a wealth of differing influences going on. Who has inspired you most both within and outside of electronic music?

Well I started out as an hip-hop/open format DJ so for many years I did all different types of events. From high fashion events to ghetto hip-hop, so growing up playing like this has kept me open-minded to play across the spectrum.

Tell us about life in New York and how Dance Music has evolved for you there? Do you have a favourite place you like to play at?

Life in NY is great, there’s so much energy and diversity, but the dance music scene has definitely changed. Seems like every year NY is getting stricter with codes, shutting down parties left and right. It’s a bit discouraging, but I hope this changes. As for places to play in NY, my favourite room at the moment would probably be the Panther Room for its intimacy.

What for you is expressed though rhythm (instrumentation) that isn’t expressed though words (song)?

The instrumentation for me ultimately expresses the mood of a track. Words just compliment it.

And finally what are your future plans for the remainder of 2017 and into 2018?

Will return back to my apartment in NY after a long first summer in Ibiza. Looking forward to spending most of the fall in the studio to finish some open projects and collabs I started. Have a few collaborations with Guti and a collab with Jessie Calloso that should be out on Cuttin Headz in October.

https://www.facebook.com/davidberrieofficial

https://twitter.com/dBerrieofficial

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