I’m enjoying the studio! I’m enjoying the vibe… I just sit down and see where the mood takes me. I haven’t been in this type of creative state for a long time
Andy C… The name alone screams drum & bass from every letter. Hells, it even kinda rhymes with D&B.
As a producer he was partly-responsible for some of the most genre-affirming tracks in jungle history (Valley Of The Shadows, Body Rock, anything by Ram Trilogy) yet his profile as the scene’s leading DJ became such a dominant, in-demand role, between 2002 and 2012 he barely entered the studio.
Mercifully he’s returned the creative controls. In a MAJOR way. Early signs of this newly re-engaged passion for production arrived via remixes of Major Lazer and Rudimental:
Then, following last summer’s crucial remix of Chase & Status came Haunting and Workout… Andy C’s first solo releases in well over 12 years, both tracks featured on his massive Nightlife 6 album and showed signs that he’s deep into a studio groove.
If anything, 2014 has seen him getting even deeper. Dare we say it… ALBUM deep.
“An album?” he echoes as if no one expects, make that highly anticipates, an Andy C album. “Maybe! I’m working on tracks man! I’m very inspired at the moment by the way the remixes and last year’s originals have been received. I’ve been roadtesting a few demos too, and they’re going down well. So I’m feeling the vibe; working out which ones are going to be songs, which ones are going to be dancefloor smashers. But much more importantly: I’m enjoying the studio! I’m enjoying the vibe and avoiding getting caught up in that whole ‘noodling over a specific idea’ thing for weeks on end. I just sit down and see where the mood takes me. I haven’t been in this type of creative state for a long time.”
There you have it. Obviously we’d be looking at a 2015 release if an album does surface. And interestingly, if it does happen, it will officially be his debut solo album as all the previous long players he’s done (and most of his singles back in the day for that matter) were collaborations with players such as Audioporn founder Shimon and close friend Ant Miles.
No matter how long we have to wait, though, while we’re receiving remixes like his recent twist on London Grammar’s Sights, you won’t find us complaining…
“This came about in February and I jumped on it. I’ve been such a fan since I got the album last year. I love the way they’ve written the piano and vocal and I thought it would lend itself well to a remix without the obvious drop scenario. I wanted to be respectful of the original. When I listen to it, I get that raw emotional rush… It’s quite a moment! It’s also very melancholy and I love the way it reaches a peak right at the end. I wanted to pay respect to that and not just do the classic intro/drop/build up/drop/outro vibe you know?”
We do indeed. Now hurry up on the album.
Photo Credit: Andrew Attah
Catch Andy C at SW4 Festival on Sunday August 24. Full details right here.
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