INTERVIEW — Getting In Sync With Benjamin Groove [MI4L.com]

Hey Benjamin! Tell us a little bit about yourselves. How did you get into music, and how long have you been producing music

Hey guys, thanks for having me on this interview. I’m a DJ and producer from the UK—Crawley, to be precise! I’ve been into music for as long as I can remember. I think my earliest exposure to music came from jazz artists like Django Reinhardt, Ella Fitzgerald, and Alice Coltrane, thanks to my grandfather, along with a dose of what we now call ‘90s house classics,’ which my mother would blast in the car. I remember tuning into Crawley’s only pirate radio station, Kick FM 106.8. I would text in for shout-outs, like “Big up Stanton from the MB crew,” and use my tape recorder to capture live shows playing old-school garage. I’d listen back to those shows on my tape player during the bus rides to and from school.

You could say music production started for me when I was around 11/12, after my parents bought me EJ Hip Hop Music Producer software for our family’s Windows XP computer one Christmas. I would spend hours making all sorts of beats using the loops provided by the software, bangers! Then, I got my first set of turntables at around 12 years old and would mix drum and bass in my room, shaking the house with a twin twelve-inch subwoofer wired to my hi-fi system that was supposed to be for a car.

My real journey into music production began in 2011 when I was 21. We were running Concrete Music as students in Portsmouth. Myself, Alex Virgo [who remixed “Natter Natter Natter” for the new EP], and George A.J. would sit in separate rooms, each exploring sounds, either in Ableton or Logic. I have no idea how our housemates put up with the racket! 

What motivates your work as an artist?

It all depends on where I am, who I’m with, what I’m feeling, and what data arrives in my consciousness. I suppose my motivation comes from that golden moment when I can sit down and start a new project, fully surrender to a higher source, and let whatever needs to arise flow through me and translate into music. I’m truly grateful for this relationship with music, and it’s something I deeply respect.

What’s your sound?

Good question—what is my sound? Over the last five years, I think it has really matured. I’ve moved from just working with samples to using a mixture of hardware in my studio. I like blending uplifting samples that raise your vibration with harmonies and chords that resonate deeply, often using the hardware. The music has to have meaning, and it has to make me feel the energy.

Are there any artists who are currently inspiring your work?

Fred Again… lol. No, to be fair, he’s incredible! But lately, I’ve been finding a lot of inspiration in older music projects of mine that I rediscovered on a hard drive from around 10 years ago. I’m in the process of reproducing those tracks and plan to release them in the coming months. I can say that DJ W!LD, Joss Moog, Chris Carrier, Phil Weeks and D’Julz were the main inspirations behind most, if not all, of these tracks. I was crazy on French Robsoul gang when I originally made them.

Walk us through the inspiration behind your latest release?

The inspiration behind my latest release? Well, the lead track “Natter Natter Natter” was the result of connecting my Ableton Push with my Korg Minilogue XD. I laid down some MIDI and then created the lead while jamming—it was a quick process, and everything fell into place nicely.

“Quicksilver 90” is my take on a ‘90s house/trance track. I named it in honor of DJ Quicksilver and the fact that it’s a nod to the ‘90s era.

“Lockstock” is a bit of a hybrid—a 90s-inspired, hard-driving drum track. For this one, I wanted to keep it stripped back, but Four Tet was in the back of my mind, so the breakdown and final drop were very much inspired by Kieran’s work.

If you could name one thing, what’s something you’re particularly proud of since starting this journey?

Consistency and staying true to what I love.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Don’t forget to live your life. Trust the process—you’re enough!

-Benjamin Groove