Q&A - Simone Seales

Intersectional Cellist
Originally from Florida, Simone Seales is a Glasgow-based cellist who completed their postgraduate studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2021. They focus on free improvisation, both tonal and atonal, and devising music for theatre.

Simone is passionate about exploring sound, how sound can reflect emotional states of being and how emotions are embodied. Their creative influences come from Black feminist leaders such as Audre Lorde, Assata Shakur and bell hooks. Within Simone's creative work, they centre Blackness, sexuality, intersectional feminism and anti-racism. They believe Western Classical musicians are capable of making meaningful social change.

This week we caught up with Simone after the release of her debut album ‘I Believe in Living’. Read & listen

Simone, your debut album is out now. Can you tell us more about this project ?

I recorded this album 2 years ago as part of my final assessment for my Advanced Postgraduate Diploma at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. I chose to respond to Assata Shakur's poem Affirmation because, after a year of lockdown and anti-racism chats with organizations, I wanted to communicate in the best way for me, which is through music. I read Assata Shakur's autobiography during my last year of study, and her poem really spoke to me, the language is incredibly evocative and filled with hope, anger, and grief. 

In preparation for the recording, I chose bits of text that really spoke to me and thought of the sounds I could use which corresponded with the way they made me feel in my body. So, the title of each track is what I am responding to from the poem.

Where did you grow up ?

I grew up in Tampa, Florida. I was incredibly lucky to attend public schools with amazing teachers who supported my creativity. Florida is an interesting place, as a Black, gay, non-binary person, I didn't always feel safe there. Coming to Glasgow was really impactful for me, and allowed me to settle into myself both musically and personally.

What's your favourite pass time ?
I'm currently obsessing over the author Patricia Highsmith. I love the movie Carol (2015) and the book it is based on, The Price of Salt. I'm currently reading all of her novels (she wrote 22 books) and I've read 15 of them so far. Hoping to finish them all this year! 

What inspires you the most ?

I'm most inspired by visual art. I love photography, painting, film, sculptures, anything that isn't solely sound-based. Whenever I'm feeling stuck creatively, I like to go to a gallery or museum and read all the little placards and stand staring at a piece of work for however long until I get bored. I find it incredibly exciting that people are able to communicate in ways other than music or text, and it helps me to connect threads of ideas that float around in my brain. 

What goals do you have for your music career ?

I feel very grateful that I can make a living playing a wooden box with strings! What I'd like to do next is perform my own poetry/music shows more frequently, and perform more internationally. Big dream-wise, I'd love to perform with Missy Higgins, and Andrew Bird who are two artists that have greatly inspired me.

What do you think of Scotland's musical landscape ?

Scotland's musical landscape is vibrant. There is so much happening, in Glasgow especially, that it's hard to keep up with it all. I didn't know anything about Scotland before I moved over for my master's, and I couldn't have been luckier to end up here. 

What is your artistic practice?

My arts practice has foundations in improvisation, collaboration, trauma-informed psychology, poetry, intersectional feminism, and queerness. I would probably be an academic if I didn't hate grades and writing papers. I love thinking about the intersectionality of art forms, how people respond to sound, and how improvisation can create space for freedom and new experiences for the performer and the listener.

I am not interested in entertaining people. I want to create and expand on environments where people can sit with themselves and reflect on how they are feeling, and how feelings can shift in short spaces of time. I'm interested in creating safe moments where people can truly be with themselves and accept the discomfort it may bring without judgement. 

 Listen to Simone Seales new album ‘I Believe in Living’ here: I believe in living - album

Q&A - Yeti Mind Tricks

Yeti Mind Tricks encompasses the foundations of Techno. As a byproduct of Glasgow's legendary Sub Club, where he received his music education by seeing some of the most influential artists in the industry on a weekly basis, he understands the culture. Blending classic Detroit sounds with his own twist, encompassing Hip Hop and Garage. Yeti delivers sets that keep the crowd going and hanging onto every track. As a DJ - playing at incredible venues such as RADION Amsterdam, Sub Club, SWG3, LA Cheetah and Room 2 - Yeti has honed his craft over many years and has recently secured a residency with Amsterdam based event series FURTHER, which is fronted by the legendary DJ Bone. As a producer, Yeti is a relative newcomer, but has already amassed a strong back catalogue supported by some of the biggest names in the scene. With releases on FURTHER, Motech, Kuukou, Jackie Knows Karate and PL7, there is only more to come.

This week we had a few questions for Glasgow’s Yeti Mind Tricks including what his 3 desert island albums would be, the low-down on his latest residency with DJ Bone’s FURTHER & some advice for upcoming DJs & promoters. Read & listen below:

We have to ask...Where did the name Yeti Mind Tricks come from ? 

Honestly it came about after I struggled to lock down a Spotify/beatport artist page under my old Alias Breezy.  So I needed a change.  My friends have always joked that I'm more Yeti than Human so it seemed the logical direction to go in! 

Where do you discover new music?

 I'm quite particular in what I play and I try to steer clear of what's getting rinsed regularly in other mixes etc.  I tend to do my digging through Beatport/Trax source.  I also follow loads of pages on Soundcloud that I feel fit my vibe, Artaphine being a particular favourite.  

You are really active in the Glasgow club scene putting on different nights under your Bassment brand and bringing different international artists over. How long have you been running BASSment and what advice do you give to any other promoters starting out in Scotland? 

BASSment began in January 2015 down in Stereo. Hugely underrated venue as it happens.  I think the biggest advice I could offer is to stick with it even when the chips are down.  Don't believe insta, not every event starting out is rammed.  But if you believe in your brand, the sound you're putting out there then you need to give it time to grow.  With BASSment we weren't in a position to even consider booking international guests until we made our Sub Club debut in 2017 where we booked Butch. But I don't mind telling you the 3 years leading up to that were a slog.  Wouldn't change it for the world though. 

Also, never accept an agent's first offer; there's always wiggle room to haggle!  My dms are always open to young promoters starting out because I know it can be a lot more overwhelming than it looks.

It has been great to see your gig booking grow over the years and congrats on your recent new residency with Further (DJ Bone) in Amsterdam's RADION. What an amazing venue! Can you tell us more about this residency and your experience so far playing with the likes of Bens Sims & Helena Hauff ? 

The residency is easily my proudest achievement to date.  Being able to work the Bone and the further crew is an absolute dream come true.  It's amazing working with such a talented collective who have the same feelings as myself about the scene and the culture.  Getting to open for the likes of Bone b2b Ben Sims and Helena has been a huge learning curve too purely because of the licensing hours.  Over here I feel like the warm up has kinda died.  People going full throttle from the get go.  I get it, we only have 4 hours in the club so why wait right?  Over there though, if you are opening at 11pm, the first headliner isn't playing until 3am.  So that definitely factors into the thinking when you're planning your set.  I can't say I completely stuck to it though!    Playing over there, one of my favourite things is there barely a phone in sight.  living in the moment.  Connecting with the music.  The way it should be.

You are already signed with some fantastic and established labels such as Motech, reached the Beatport Top 10 and have had support from the likes of Peggy Gou, John Digweed, Marco Faraone, Laurent Garnier, Slam, Drumcomplex Ken Ishii, BBC 6 Music and many more...We've heard there's more music on the way?...can you let us in on what's coming up ? 

Well I'm constantly working on new material.  The One I'm asked about on an almost daily basis is the Track "We Ain't Like Them" which DJ Bone played in his last Boiler Room.  It is coming very very soon.  There's a full E.P coming on Bones new Label Further which will feature a remix of the title track by the man himself.  I also have a track coming out on Boxia's label Outerworld. 

Choose 3 albums if you were stuck on a desert island? 

Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the 36 Chambers,

The Roots - Phrenology,

Madvillain - Madvillainy

Thanks a lot for taking the time to answer these questions. Could you leave us with some inspiration for the upcoming future Scottish DJs & producers ? 

I feel like the biggest turning point for me was when I stopped making what I felt like I should be making, and started making what I wanted to make.  Your music should be a reflection of you.  You aren't gonna achieve that if you're not making music that's genuine to you.  Again, DMS are always open on Instagram for young producers looking for advice, feedback or anything.

Listen here or below and check out BASSment’s next event (Fri 18th Aug) here: https://ra.co/events/1740847