Stockholm Syndrome: Dismantle

Your head slumps heavily into your shoulders as the metaphoric matchsticks prop open your eyelids. A triple Americano is poised at the edge of your Mac screen as early morning emails ping through like an arrow to the eye. The office bustle becoming a blurred backdrop to the cold hard fact that somehow it’s Monday again. As another weekend seems to pass too quickly by, but if money and time were no object, just what would you do ‘Before Monday Comes?‘ 

What’s going on and why are we here?

This is a project set up by Boxfresh clothing company and Vice. It’s a documentary called ‘Before Monday Comes’ and it follows me around places doing various activities, meeting like minded musicians, seeing the nightlife and how people party. We are in Stockholm at the moment but we are also going to Berlin, Beijing, China, New York and London. I haven’t actually been to any of these cities yet, apart from London.

Do you ever worry, when cameras are following you around that you’ll forget they’re there and lose yourself?

I think that’s the point to be honest, I’ve got to hold it down a little bit but I mean that’s what they probably want. Obviously parts of it will not be able to go in there, like the behind the scenes stuff but I think it’ll be good.

Do you find what’s going on in your life right now quite surreal?

Yeah, I think anyone in this position would. All the people I’m working with like Shy FX, Skream and Benny, Annie Mac and Diplo, I remember looking up to them and their music for years. To actually be going to gigs and doing stuff with them is really surreal. I was listening to their tracks when I was trying to come through not so long ago so it’s really mental. I’m actually DJing, doing what I love doing and effectively being paid for doing what I love so it’s a job, but it’s a hard job and it’s tiring. You have to be on the ball.

How have you changed as a person over the last two years?

I’ve learnt a lot of things. I think it’s really important to interact with your fans and for them to feel like they’ve met a really cool guy. I’ve met DJ’s before and they’ve been dickheads and I’ll always remember it. As a person, around my mates, I don’t think I’ve changed but you get more confident when you’re playing to huge crowds. These people have come here to see you so it is a bit of an ego boost but I think as a person, apart from that, I think I’ve stayed the same.

You’re still quite young, do you feel like you’re missing out on time with your mates by doing this?

Yes but I try and see my mates as much as possible.  When they’re back from Uni or when I go and play in their city I always get them to come along and I chill at their halls, which I really enjoy because it’s only going to come around once.

With regards to your music, your sound is quite unique. How difficult is it to keep it that way?

Very difficult. The next E.P that’s coming out is a bit slower, there’s 136 bits, 134 bits, there’s a 28 bit in there. Obviously the house scene is massive now and I’ve always been a fan but I’ve tried to steer away from producing. I really enjoy listening to it so I’d rather listen to it and play it out as opposed to make it. I’m am trying to make my music unique, I’m always trying to make something original and create something that hasn’t been done before because that’s how I’ve got to where I am today. This E.P is a little different, still heavily influenced by people like Redlight but it’s been a long wait because my last general release was July last year. I’m trying to go in a different direction but still keeping the Dismantle sound there as well.

Dance music is changing really quickly and everything is getting shaken up right now. What do you think to the different directions that Skream and Benga are heading in?

With regards to Skream moving over, I reckon he’s smashing it and he’s getting himself a new fan base, he’s moving himself forward. He’s always played his disco and house as well, they’ve always had the 130 thing. I think UK base comes into one big melting pot and I hate it when people think that if they listen to house, they can’t listen to Dubstep anymore, it’s almost as if it’s a fucking dirty word. But I play and listen, to a bit of everything really. If it’s a good track, it’s a good track whether it’s house music or folk music. It has been shaken up a lot. Last year was really interesting and I think this year is going to be the same. It’ll be interesting to see what new trends get introduced and what trends fade out. I was chatting to a lot of people about it and I really don’t know where things are going to go next. That’s why originality and keeping things moving as a producer is really important because Grime is coming back in a really big way.