After several cameos, collaborations and remixes on the label, Kompany makes his Never Say Die EP debut this week. An LA-based fire-flinger with previous on the likes of Firepower, Dim Mak and a recent appearance on Circus via Funtcase’s gully-galvanised DPMO album, he’s levelled up once again with his massive Revolt EP.
Six tracks deep, including incendiary collaborations with the likes of Far Too Loud and Tascione, it goes a little something like this…
Backed up with five more heavyweight sessions on the EP – plus a whole stash of future bangers – we called him up to find out more about him – where he’s at, where he’s heading and how he got here. Spoiler: he’s not f*cking around and he might just save us when the robots eventually takeover. Get to know:
He understood dancefloor science as a DJ before he started producing…
“I was a drummer first and foremost so that gave me a good ear for rhythm. But DJing helps you have a good idea of what makes a tune absorbable and what type of tune will rock a crowd. Those factors have an influence on how I approach a track.”
He’s another on-point member of the Icon Collective alumni. The same school that’s given us Jauz, Protohype, Sullivan King and many more…
“When I started I had very little knowledge about production. I didn’t know how to sidechain or anything like that. It was hard work and a real challenge to rise to. For all of us. Even the guys who started with a little more knowledge of the basics. The class started full in the first quarter with 30 people… We graduated with seven people! It’s intimidating seeing how good people are getting. The skill cap gets higher and higher. It’s a daunting task but that’s what it’s all about, right?”
Within months of graduating he landed a role as head sound designer at Cymatics…
“This was shortly after I graduated from Icon in 2015. I got heavily into sound design during the course and started breaking down Cymatics pack. I had a notebook and took out every patch and turned off every modulation and turned it back on and made a note of what it did. I solely worked my way down the pack to understand the technique at an even deeper level.
“I sent them some unreleased tunes and told them I was interested in making packs. They listened to the tracks and came back with a little freelance work. I busted my ass for them making shots and hits to prove I could work for them and got a full time job. It was perfect timing; I was in this freefall between Icon and full time music making and was very worried I’d have to get a full time job.”
He’s just come off a major bus tour with Bear Grillz, PhaseOne and Dirt Monkey
“It was 2 months, 33 dates and such a great experience. I’ve done my fair share of flying gigs but this was my first time fully on the road and it was great to slowly dial my setting. As the tour developed I was really finding a good journey with an energy with all the right peaks and valleys. When you play that many shows in that condensed amount of time you’re going to come out a different performer.”
His Revolt EP is a new level and features badass collaborations with Far Too Loud and good friend Tascione
“I think there was an era where my stuff was cool for producers but maybe wasn’t so cool for the dancefloor. It was overwhelming and super creative but wasn’t quite absorbable for the crowd. So I’ve stepped back a little from that and looked at ways of using the sound design creatively within the groove. Using it in the turnarounds and things like that. The Revolt ep is the best example of where I’m at with that approach.
“Except the Far Too Loud collaboration, of course. That’s just two of us going crazy. It actually started out a few years ago. He followed me on Soundcloud super early on when I barely had any followers so I messaged him like ‘dude, so sick you followed me, have some tunes!’ We started talking about a collaboration and he sent me some of the craziest bass stems I’ve ever heard in my life. I was like ‘okay, it’s like that is it?’ We both went in on it so hard. It was a really different and exciting way of doing a tune.
“To have a collaboration with Tascione on the EP is also very special to me. We came through around the same time. I was like a month into releasing stuff and my roommate showed me this guy with a cool future bass sound but aggressive feel. I was DM’ing him like mad him saying ‘yo! You’re dope!’ and sent him some tracks. It took a while to get his attention but when he listened to them he said ‘you’re a monster dude!’ so we hooked up and became really good friends. He came down to LA for End All and the collaboration came together so smoothly. We were back and forth, jumping on with different ideas, it was perfect and I think you can feel that in the track.”
He’s packing even more heat, too…
“I’ve been sitting back, plotting the right time to drop Revolt. I didn’t want to drop this EP and have nothing to back it up with. me, using them as ammo strategically releasing things at the right point. Everything from here is straight fire. This release is a turning point for me. And I got another 10 or 11 tracks ready to blast out very soon. Trust me, it’s hard to sit on things for so long! Seeing it get such a reaction and the reactions the DJs are getting. I’m really excited about what’s in store this year.”
He’ll even save us when the robot revolution happens…
“I’ll rebrand my sound to cater to them and I’ll work for them…. Then I’ll put some subliminal messages in the music so I can override their programs. Don’t worry, I got us covered!”
Kompany – Revolt EP is out now on Never Say Die
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