Q&A - Joe Unknown

This week we caught up with Joe Unknown who has recently been making waves with his club nights & sets.From techno to jungle bass & breaks, Joe’s sound is unique and eclectic; and he has recently been seen to bring some influencal names to Glasgow. We reccomend you listen to his latest show from his Radio Buena Vida residency here while you read the Q&A below:

Can you give some insight into your journey in music so far? What is your process for finding new music?

I guess I’ve always had an interest in music, I played a couple of instruments when I was younger? As I got older, I became really interested in electronic music, DJ’ing and the production side of things. I went to Riverside Music Complex in the Southside for a couple of years studying Sound Production and Engineering. Following that I got my degree in Commercial Music at UWS. Then I started Erosion with my best friend which has been incredibly fulfilling. I’ve also been working as Club Booker in Nice N Sleazy for the past year. 

How would you sum up your style & sound?

Quite a tricky one, I try not to limit myself too much! I mostly find myself playing Techno, Dubstep, Jungle, Bass and Breaks. I started really getting into this sound through labels like Hessle, Timedance, Livity Sound, AD 93, Nervous Horizon, Trule and Ilian Tape. Labels like these have probably been some of my biggest influences. 

What is your process for finding new music?

I spend a lot of time on Bandcamp, it’s a great tool for discovering new music. I also spend a lot of time digging on discogs, finding music I like and going through the artists catalogue finding tracks and the labels they are on and so on. Also browsing shelves in record shops or looking on their websites. 

You're the founder of the club night Erosion which takes place in Stereo. You recently showcased sets from Sully & Pesimist which went down an absolute storm. Can you tell us more about this, the team behind Erosion and your favourite night so far?

Erosion is run by myself and Scales. It had always been the plan that once I graduated, I would start looking at putting on parties; it didn't quite work out when I graduated during Covid but in November 2021 I reached out to Al Wootton, who runs the label Trule. He had been a dream booking of mine, and he hadn't played in Glasgow for a while. That first Erosion was my first actual insight into the world of promotion; I went in blind, and Scales got involved. We also got a lot of support from our friend Sholto - a part of the Shapework crew based in Edinburgh - who was incredibly helpful. From then, it's been a total learning curve for us both; the Sully and Pessimist night was the fifth Erosion, it was also the first event where we invested in lighting with the help of our friend Spike, and it made a massive impact. All of our parties so far have been special, but that one felt different; the visual elements combined with the music created an intense but euphoric atmosphere that's actually hard to describe. Our parties have been so much fun. Also, Scales' artwork has been incredible; it's a pleasure working with my best friend on something that is such a large part of my life and I’m so excited about some things we're working on. 

What do you think of the Glasgow/Scottish electronic scene & club culture at the moment ?

Coming out of covid, I was about how the scene here would bounce back, but it seems it’s doing so well now. We’re getting to a point where there are solid line-ups and local bookings across most venues each weekend which is excellent, this coming month, there are so many exciting parties, and for me, that’s how it should be. 

What advice would you give to another DJ starting their own club night?

Quality over quantity, focus on a party, spend time planning and putting it on. See how it goes and try to learn from each event. Also be prepared to lose some sleep and probably some money haha.

How do you keep on top of your mental health ?

I love walking; that’s probably my biggest thing. I’ll put on music or a podcast and walk for a couple of hours, and I do this a few times a week. For me, it’s the best escape, and I really engage with music this way. I’ll usually put on the radio, listen back to a mix or listen to an album. I'll stick on a podcast if I want to space out a bit. A walk, a coffee or some food is usually the perfect thing for my mind in check.

Can you reveal any exciting plans for 2023?

Nothing to reveal as of this second; we’ve got some massive ideas for the future of Erosion, but following our next party with Ploy and Jay Duncan, we will be taking a short break. We will return with another series of parties in the Fall with some proper heavy line-ups.  

Next up Joe will be running his night Erosion in Stereo on the 28th April with ‘Ploy’ & ‘Jay Duncan’ and you can also catch him for his residency at Radio Buena Vida. Listen to his latest show here.

Q&A - Supermann On Da Beat

This week we welcomed a 2022 Resonate speaker to our Artist Of The Week feature. Fresh of the back of releasing his latest work ‘Aurora’, we caught up with Sanjeev Mann aka Supermann On Da Beat to discuss his genre-defying productions and most recent collaboration with fellow Scot Denizens.

Welcome Sanjeev to our Artist Of The Week feature, you’ve just released a fresh collaboration with Denizens. “Aurora” is genre-bending with influences from minimal, industrial, rock and hip hop; tell us a bit about the thought process behind creating this track

Thanks, great to be chatting with you, and thanks for the opportunity! Yeah, it’s a really interesting track and probably not what people expected going by my recent releases. At the beginning, releasing tracks outside of hip hop was something I was really conscious about but I realised that it would be too difficult for me to be boxed into a certain sound since I listen to a lot of varied music. I guess that’s where the track stems from, and working with a producer in a different genre felt right for this specific track. In terms of creating the track, we both wanted to find a way to combine both of our styles and influences into one cohesive track and I think we definitely managed to do that. The track really brings a trip-hop vibe with massive drums, atmospheric synths, and a psychedelic guitar solo with a strong influence from Pink Floyd and the new Lil Yachty album believe it or not...

You began producing beats during lockdown and have since had multiple radio plays and outpouring support from the music industry. How does it make you feel when you hear your music on the radio? Or get great feedback from a peer or someone you are inspired by?

Yeah, it feels pretty crazy to hear my music on the radio especially the fact I only started producing about 3 years ago and I don’t really think I’ve gotten my head around it yet. I’m just so glad that I decided to give it a go. It’s strange to think that I might not have started if it wasn’t for lockdown, so it was definitely a blessing in disguise. It’s an even better feeling when I hear my beats being performed live and I think that’s when it really hits. Also as you say, it’s cool to receive good feedback from artists I look up to in the local scene like Darren McGarvey, Texture, Becca Starr, and other producers like Vagrant – there’s too many to name!

How did you come to know Denizens and what was it like working together?

So I actually went to school with Denizens, he was in the year below me. At that point I wasn’t producing but I always knew of him and his music since school. When I started producing he was always somebody I wanted to work with and also because he was one of the only local artists that I knew of at the beginning. He actually mastered my first project in 2020 which you can still listen to on Soundcloud. Since then we’ve both been trying to find the time to collaborate and I’m glad we did eventually. I also think it’s really interesting that we both came from completely different musical backgrounds and that’s what makes the track so unique. It really fuses together both our influences into one cohesive track. It was a really fun process working together, initially, we sent stems and ideas back and forth until we landed on something we wanted to release.

Aside from music, you’re busy on multiple fronts, not least running your Hip Hop Scotland nights in accessible venues across Glasgow. What have been some of your highlights from runnings these nights? 

The Hip Hop Scotland shows have been great so far and I think we’ve managed to build our own community which was always a priority for me when i started putting on gigs. Everyone always has a great time and it doesn’t really matter how many people turn up. It’s always a great atmosphere that’s super inclusive no matter who you are. That’s exactly what I love about Hip Hop – I was always built on community and inclusivity so I’m glad we’re bringing that vibe back. It’s not specifically about a type of genre but more about attitudes and community spirit. That’s also why it’s important to me that the shows are accessible to disabled people and anyone else for that matter. There’s also no barriers in terms of styles of music so we’ve had artists ranging from Rap and RnB to Afrobeat, acoustic and alternative which is pretty unique and definitely something I want to see more of in the scene generally. Another highlight has been supporting artists at the beginning of their music career and giving them the opportunity to perform for the first time. Every single artist has been brilliant and really give their all to every performance. A lot of the time people don’t really notice how much talent there is on their own doorstep. So many of the artists are as good as any huge artist you would see at the Hydro. So we really need to keep supporting local musicians, especially at a grassroots level

Can we expect some new music in the coming months? If so, what can you tell us about that?

Yeah, I’ve got tons of music releasing this year, roughly one or two tracks a month which is really exciting. There are quite a few cool collabs that I can’t wait for people to hear.  They all range from rap to RnB and even metal, and I’m looking forward to finally releasing stuff that incorporates all my influences and also want to show people that I’m not just a Hip Hop producer but a music producer as well. My next track ‘BLOOD TEARS’ is releasing tomorrow with Mind23t and I really don’t think anyone will be expecting it. It’s really raw and really brings a punk energy! I’m also working on music with guys like Chef, Kapil Seshasayee, Viv Latifa and also artists outside of Scotland like Grim Sickers which I can’t wait to release in the coming months. There’s a few surprises around the corner with artists you wouldn’t necessarily pair with Hip Hop! Keep your eyes peeled...

I’ve also really excited to announce that I managed to get funding from the Youth Music Fund for my debut solo project at the end of the year! The conceptual EP will fuse together trap, punk and spoken word and will highlight issues facing disabled people in Scotland. It’ll be my first time on the mic so I’m a bit nervous but really looking forward to hearing what people think.

Your dream collaboration is…

That’s a really difficult one especially because I love so many artists but there’s a couple that really stick in my mind. They would be Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West & Nas If I really had to whittle it down. To be honest most of the artists I listen to are no longer with us. If I could pick any artist it would definitely be Bob Marley. Anytime I’m feeling down I always stick on Bob Marley and it always lifts my mood. My favourite artist for sure

‘Aurora’ by Supermann and Denziens