Ils - Breakbeat Producer Interview

September 2007

Interview with Ils, nu-skool breaks pioneer and member of the Botchit and Scarper Records label crew.

How old are you?

29

How long have you been producing music?

About 12 years!

How did you get into music production?

I was in a band and I then took a few standard sound engineering courses, I think the big step for me was going and buying a sampler which in those days cost around £1500! After that I was determined to make a go of it as I would of looked silly if I had just given up.

Your first four releases were on LTJ Bukems' legendary drum and bass label, Good Looking Records. How did this signing come about?

I had a friend called G Force (who now works with Bugs In The Attic) who met LTJ Bukum at the club night 'Speed' in the West End once so we got his phone number. As LTJ used to cut dubplates nearby to us we would take new tunes to him at around midnight every Thursday to see if he would cut any of our tracks and the ones he liked ended up being signed to his label. I think this was very motivating as it gave us something to work towards every week.

You have also released tracks on Mo' Wax while it was still in operation, how did you come to be linked with James Lavelles' label?

When I started my modest little studio I had a lot of different clients, most of whom knew each other as it had all spread by word of mouth. I used to work with a lot of pirate radio djs and some of them introduced me to Solo and Rich File (2nd half of UNKLE), hence I did a lot of work and had a lot of fun with this crowd. Rich File eventually hooked me up with some Mo' Wax love!

If memory serves me correct you teamed up with Solo for many of your drum and bass releases, what happened to that partnership and do you still see Solo now?

Unfortunately I don't see much of the old gang, I think the main reason being we all lived so far away from each other. I often bump into them randomly every now and then at which point an impromptu and long pub session follows…

Has your musical style always revolved around breakbeat of some form or another?

Yes, I think my root inspiration of funk and rare groove music has always led me that way. It is definitely more challenging than much 4/4 programming which many producers find similar to painting by numbers.

Your album "Idiots Behind The Wheel" is said to be one of the first proper Nu-Skool Breaks albums. Would you class yourself to be amongst the artists who kick started the Nu-Skool Breaks genre?

Absolutely, originally I was asked to to do some tracks to help Dave Tipper's fledgling label "Fuel Records" and provide the first breaks album for them as a way of galvanising it as a new music genre way back in 1996. Dave Tipper released the 2nd breaks artist album about 6 months later.

Other producers there from day one would rank as Blim and Beber, to mention a few.

I don't include DJ mix cds in this list as anyone can blend a few tracks done by other people and release it themselves.

Was the move from drum and bass to nu-skool Breaks an experimental progression or was it a conscious decision to try something new?

It was a 100% conscious effort to leave drum and bass, I thought at the time I had given that scene everything I could and frankly I didn't get along with a lot of the people 'at the top' so it was a good time to move on.

While you were signed to Marine Parade your single "6 Space / Next Level" was used on an Orange advert, have you made many tracks which have been used for commercial purposes?

I think I have, the 'Carling Live' advert was a big one too.

Funnily enough I knew someone in one of the major advertising music companies who told me they were all issued with a copy of the Ils "Soul Trader" album and told 'go away and learn how to make tracks like this', I suppose it was a compliment of sorts… all rather chicken and egg if you ask me anyway.

Zane Lowe from Radio One made your third album (Bohemia) his album of the week, how did that feel and did it open up any new opportunities to you?

Having Zane support the album on Radio One was an incredible milestone for me and kept my mum happy too!

Generally main stream radio DJ's do not give underground artists such as myself a lot of coverage, apart from Annie Nightingale who has done so much to support breaks.

Generally main stream radio DJ's do not give underground artists such as myself a lot of coverage, apart from Annie Nightingale who has done so much to support breaks.

Ils

You have visited many places round the globe promoting your sound, where is the most interesting or exciting place you have played?

Most recent one would have to be at the Spring Break Festival in Perth last year. It was a beautiful sunny day in a field somewhere and these 2 seagulls were flying in circles above me, directly in between the 2 huge stage speakers. It seemed like they were dancing around each other in the sky.

After about three tunes they were still flying about so I played the rest of my set for them, to see how long they would stay there, which turned out to be for the whole set!! I thought at the time this is a spiritual moment that would have put a smile on the face of even the most serious Franciscan Monks! A nice contrast to the dark enclosed night clubs I am so used to.

What software / equipment do you use to produce your music?

As with most people now I use Mac / Logic software. Most PC users are on Cubase VST as Logic was bought by Apple in an attempt to control the market… which seems to have worked.

Do you have a favourite tune of all time?

It changes every day with every mood unfortunately.

Which other producers / artists out there would you most like to work with?

I would love to work with Tjom York as he experiments with electronica every now and then, or Ian Brown for much the same reason and they are both great lyric writers.

What are your views on the current UK music scene?

Well, I very much like the whole indie guitar revolution that has gripped the UK over the past 5 years but unfortunately as the majors monopolise this sector more and more 'credible' guitar bands are being turned into formulaic boy bands, which is kind of contrary to the whole spirit of things.

What was the last record / CD you bought?

I bought all The Editors albums at once a few weeks ago, they are dark and have strong lyrics.

I hear you are currently working on a new album due to be released on the Botchit and Scarper label, can you tell us a little about it?

My new album "Paranoid Prophets" is out in November on Botchit Records, it is dark and moody with the usual Ils madness galore and if you buy it all your wildest dreams will come true…

For further information about Ils please visit:

Ils Profile

Ils Website

• Bebo
• Del.ic.ious
• Digg
• Diigo
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon
• Twitter