Inkswel: Soul Connections

The Australian, with his roots heavily sat in hip-hop and his latest productions brilliantly defying any one genre tag, is a shining light of the emerging scene down under. Inkswel himself however, doesn’t see it that way. Preferring to see himself as part of a global community and rightly so, with releases already on prestigious outfits Rush Hour, Dirty Bird and Burek and an EP about to drop on WOLF Music, he’s a man on the up.I caught up with to talk life, art and music whilst he was on a break from work in the studio.

So, lets start from the beginning, what do you listen to in the morning to put you in a good mood?

Jazz. I’m a jazz head first and foremost. Nothing can wake me up like a bit of Roy Ayers, Coltrane etc… That’s my first point of contact. Mid mornings I’m a bit more all over the place though, been listening to a lot of Sade lately and more of the beats orientated soul stuff. The first PPP (Platinum Pied Pipers) album has been getting a big re spin around the house. I still think that’s Wajeed’s best work and my wife agrees. That and a freshly squeezed juice, some coffee and breakfast of course to go with it.

Cool, sounds like a nice way to start your day. What’s the one thing you always have on your rider?

Plenty of water and fresh fruit juices is the only thing I’ve ever asked for on a rider. I don’t normally bother with that kind of special treatment, I’m flexible and I like to be on the same level as everyone else. But I guess if I had a choice, that’s my pick. Simple essentials so to speak

That’s a good way to be I think. Okay so now, big question, who would be your ideal B2B set with and why?

I’m funny with the whole B2B thing. It seems a lot more normal these days at club nights, I’ve even been booked and then told 5 minutes before my set its b2b all night, which just isn’t cool if your there to perform as an artist. It makes it a bit all over the place.

There are exceptions of course, people that I’m on the same page with, I tend to be able to play sets with no problem. Benny Badge who I run hot shot with, we have been playing b2b for years, cutting our teeth so to speak. So that is natural, us doing a set is like one of us doing a set solo anyway, we are from the same school of thought in a way, and our differences complement each other.

Outside of that, I played b2b recently with my homie and mentor Recloose in Singapore and that was really fresh. We are on the same page in many ways so it works no problems, plus it keeps you on your toes working with someone so talented.

The only other b2b set that really worked for me was with Linkwood when we played in Perth at a sweaty warehouse party, fuelled by all types of substances, legal and illegal, similar to the vibes on the night, huge deliberate sways from acid house into beats, folk, house, hip hop and disco, but smooth and raw the way we like it! I can’t really imagine anyone else outside of those few. I think everyone has to be on the same page, which is rare, but when it’s the case, its golden. 

Rhythm section in the UK a few months ago was kind of like that too, but not really b2b, more like 1 in, 1 out sorta thing. Bradley Zero threw some pretty big curveballs, but in the good sense! Keeps things exciting I guess, but I think this only works at certain parties, parties that are purely about appreciating the music.

Yeah I’ve not been yet, but I plan on going next time I’m in London, only heard great things about that party

Excellent party! That dude really is a vital and important part of the scene over there.

So what was the first track you remember hearing and that convinced you music production was the path you would pursue?

Diamond D’s ‘Hatred Passions and Infidelity’ that record really jumped out at me! I had already been heavy into the hip hop vibe prior to that, but this was the first record where I heard someone rap,produce and DJ all on the one record and do it amazingly. The textures, themes, and vibe of this record still get me to this day, absolute classic for me. That really was the stepping stone for me that kicked off the spark, after that I really wanted to do it all.

Cool, so with you being heavily into hip hop earlier in your path, can you describe for me, the key differences between that scene and the one you find yourself in now

Peace and love! (Laughs), ironically, hip hops message is all about that, but there is a huge lack of that in the hip hop scene, locally and internationally. I guess the vocal and braggadocio element really affects the final stance and attitudes of people, it brings forth a major element of ego I guess, which effects things in the long run. I struggle when it all becomes about self, and not the feeling of fun and positivity for everyone. Sure there is negatives and positives in all music, in all life in fact, but you can observe the negative elements without being a negative person. I like the fundamental elements of hip hop culture, and yes there are positive people in that community, Zulu Nation etc, but the negativity for me ruined it, it kind of bored me a lot really. I guess this was a major part of my exit, I never really exited though, I still consider myself a child of this culture first and foremost, and I guess I moved into other genres, hesitant at first, but now I look back at the transition and feel that it is more ‘hip hop’ of me to actually evolve in the direction I’m going. If you break all that genre crap down anyway, its all music at the end of the day, house music and hip hop come from exactly the same place and vibration anyway, just the final result is slightly different.

These days though; I don’t really think I’m in a ‘scene’ so to speak. I have a community I’m involved in world wide, people like Benny Badge, Kid Sublime, Pablo Valentino/Faces, the Rush Hour and kindred spirits guys, Firecracker, Soft Rocks, Discreet Unit, Recloose, frank Booker, etcetera etcetera, they are all my close friends and fellow producers, and I guess that is our scene or community, but its very dispersed, its very open and there are a lot of differences, our main connection to each other is passion more than anything.

By differences I mean stylistically. We actually all make pretty different music, but all vibe of each other through the passion. It’s a soul connection kinda thing, if that makes sense.

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