We loved Saytek’s latest Zoo Project album “Live From The Other Side” so we thought we would ask some questions to one of the hottest properties in dance music.
HBF: Tell us about one of your live shows if you can…
Saytek: Well it’s me performing live with music I have created. I love hardware so you will see me on stage with lots of lovely boxes pressing buttons and tweaking faders. It’s basically me jamming with my beats.
HBF: Where did you record the album? Tell us exactly what you mean by ‘live’ – there’s more to it than using a laptop, right?
Saytek: This Album is a live performance recorded after sunset at The zoo project, Ibiza to over 2000 music lovers. When I use the word live firstly all the music is mine but I also mean improvised, spontaneous and off the cuff. I do not play all the instruments (that would be impossible with this kind of music) instead I strip all the music into its rawest elements as loops, I then create new arrangements, mix all the parts together, trigger samples, create breakdowns and tweak effects all on the fly. I can respond to the crowd and create never heard before music by combining the elements in different ways.
HBF: What kit did you use to create the album with?
Saytek: Roland mc 909, Ableton 8, D16 Siverline, Novation XioSynth, Pioneer DJM-800, Korg KP3, Soundbite -auto loop module
HBF: Is that all kit you have in a studio or can you tour with it if necessary?
Saytek: Yeah it is but I do take it all on tour … minus the pioneer, if I am playing abroad it’s not exactly travelling light but I love my hardware so it’s worth it !
HBF: What were the aims with the album?
Saytek: Well my first Zoo Project live album “Live From The Seal Pit” was a more serious, dark and experimental bit of work. The second album was recorded from the pool arena so the material I used for “Live From The Other Side” is more fun and less heavy, and I suppose more diverse. The music is still deep but my influences are a lot more varied from jazz, acid house , tech house, African & Latin voices & percussion although there is still the dub and Detroit elements.
HBF: And how would you describe current your style?
Saytek: Its always been deep percussive underground house & techno. I have never jumped on bandwagons, I was never a minimal artist and I would never be solely a deep house artist, but there would be no progression if I didn’t take note of what was happening in the scene at the moment. So I have I incorporated some of the more housey components recently. That said I have had a love affair with underground house and techno for many years and it’s still the same basic ingredients that make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up now as it was 10 years ago … just improved production techniques.
HBF: Are you touring the album – can you tell us a bit about that?
Saytek: I will be touring with music of the album but will also be playing some newer stuff … I get tired of my live material pretty quick so I am always creating more …
HBF: Tell us about the Zoo Project – how you got involved, what it means to you etc..
Saytek: The Zoo Project is an amazing concept an outdoor festival at an abandoned zoo in Ibiza it combines cutting edge DJs & acts, fierce musical integrity, Minx FX performances oh yeah and dressing up as animals ha ha … Its great to have quality underground music mixed with lots of fun I think there can be a lot of pretence in this scene so its refreshing . The atmosphere is amazing and it represents the exciting new generation of house and techno fans. I met the team behind the Zoo a couple of years ago through myspace, I played at one of their events in Manchester and been performing for them ever since…
HBF: What were the influences and inspirations behind the album?
Saytek: I take inspiration from the latest mixes my friends send me, Dub, jazz and 60’s records and early electronic music such as Detroit techno … but the main influences come from when I am playing I often just dance to the other DJS and that’s when I really feel the music and if I get that same feeling when I produce the music then that’s a good indication. Sometimes though inspiration just comes from my own head.
HBF: What’s your aim when performing – to play new music, get people dancing, take people on a trip etc etc…
Saytek: Yeah all of the above; I suppose connecting with the crowd is the real key …
HBF: Did you work as a sound technician at Zoo Project, too?
Saytek: Ha ha no!!! Although before I did music full time I was a sound and lighting engineer in clubs like The End and Home London.
HBF: What other plans have you in 2010?
Saytek: Loads of touring, making a 3rd zoo album … I have been focusing so heavily on the live show over the last few years so I am really eager to get back in the studio and make some tracks for DJs to play … I have a lot of labels interested so happy days !!!
