Your latest EP is our favourite so far with two such contrasting tunes ( & an
awesome remix to round out the package). Track 2 we just love that ‘No
Regrets’ vocals! Did you and Tevo play a part in the words or did you lay the
tune down first and Baz send over the vocal parts and you guys went to
town laying it out?
Thanks for the kind words, I’m glad you enjoyed it! We sent the instrumental
version to Baz and she created the lyrics and vocals herself. i’m really happy with
it. The lyrics are deep!
Tell us more how you normally work with vocalists on tunes and the different
stage of making the magic happen? How you process and chop the vocals?
Any more vocal projects we should be looking out for in the future and
which has been your favourite vocal collaboration so far and what makes it
pop out more than some of the other projects in the past?
The vocalist I’ve worked with the most is Jem Cooke. We’ve released together on
Leftroom, No. 19, Get Physical, and now have a new track out with Jamie Jones
on Jamie’s new label with Lee Foss called Emerald City. With Jem she usually
writes the lyrics, although I wrote the lyrics to our most recent track ‘One Time
Game.’ If possible, I like to go to the recording studio with the vocalist and give
feedback the overall mood and vibe. They usually like that , it seems. For
processing and chopping, usually I just mute my least favorite takes and then drop
the best ones where they seem to fit best in the track.
‘Polyrhythmic Theme’ is the other tune on your latest release ‘The Theme
Track’ EP and such a different tune to “No Regrets”. Its hypnotic and very
deep just how we like it! How have the crowd reactions been while road
testing this one and the different reactions from each crowd that have been
lucky enough to hear it before its official release?
You’re right, this is a deep tune! I played it at Panorama Bar a while back, it needs
to be in a more music head environment, not an impatient club crowd.
Any plans to stick around in Bali for a while and see the sights? Any that are
on your bucket list that are must do’s? Maybe some surfing lessons or a day
at the Monkey Forest?
A day at the Monkey Forest would be amazing! I arrived a day early to try to see
some sights. Bali has always been at the top of my list of destinations to visit in
SE Asia. I can’t wait to explore a bit before the show.
What are the first 5 records you bought with your own money? Where did
you buy them from and how did you discover those record shops?
Oh wow, good question! I started buying vinyl when I was 19yearsold. I had
been going to clubs as a fan since I was 15, but didn’t know the producer names. I
remember going to Gramophone Records in Chicago and picking records from the
wall randomly, and then taking ages to listen to the tracks on the record. My friend
and I would go every Thursday when the new shipments arrived. So yeah, long
story short I don’t remember the first 5, but at the time I was buying labels like
Playhouse, Perlon, Peacfrog, Svek, Basic Channel, Warp, and Skam.
How do you see these initial records shining thru in your influences and
production now days? Can we hear those influences in any of your recent
releases?
Warp and Skam influenced me a lot they were putting out full electronic
compositions.. That inspired my new project London Electronic Orchestra. And all
of the labels above inspire the blend of house and techno that I like to produce and
play..
What format you currently rocking in your DJ sets? How do you see things
progressing with DJ tools and set ups over the next few years?
I’m playing WAV files on CDJs and some vinyl. Most of vinyl is still in Chicago
though (I live in London). I’m hopeful that Pioneer will create a USB turntable!
Whats next for Kate Simko?
This Friday (same date as Koh) is the release of an EP I’ve done with Jamie Jones
featuring my new project London Electronic Orchestra. Very excited for this one! Then in
October Tevo Howard and I have a fulllength album coming out on Sasha’s label Last
Night On Earth, and in November we have the first LEO EP out on the Vinyl Factory. So
it’s an exciting autumn ahead musicwise. Thanks for the interview, looking forward to my
first time in Bali!