Culprate interview: Let Artists Be Artists

Photo: Culprate

Hailing from the fertile bass music grounds of London and Bristol, Culprate is one of the most intriguing producers on the scene, responsible for two huge EPS for Inspected Records back in 2011 and 2012 that captured the zeitgeist of the heavy metal indebted sound dubstep had then adopted.

Recent times have seen him carve a truly distinctive sound, heading off into more experiential realms with avant-garde beats and structures that draw the dots between ambient, breakcore, dubstep, acoustic, drum & bass and more.

The growing cult figure hits Liverpool's 24 Kitchen Street for Subsound on May 7th, supporting the mighty KOAN Sound. We caught up with him ahead of his Merseyside debut.

For anyone who's unfamiliar with your music, how would you describe your sound?

Experimental.

What music were you influenced by when you were growing up? 

I was mostly into metal as a youth. But slowly started getting into drum&bass in the late nineties.

Bristol is a bit of a hot bed now for electronic music, but what sort of clubs did you go to when you were younger?

Growing up in a north London suburb, there wasn’t a whole lot to do at night except the usual Oceana. So it was generally house parties and raves in the woods. 

The illustrations that you use for your cover art are brilliant, who designs them? What level of input do you have on creative choices like that?

The guy who did the Deliverance art is called Thomas Mcnulty and my EPs are usually Aaron Jasinski. I’ve been really fortunate to find these guys!

I usually like to let artists be artists. The most input I’d have would be to give them the music and the title, the rest is them.

What track is without fail making its way into your sets at the moment and why?

‘Posij – Rattle Rattle’ When you hear it, you’ll just know!

You're playing with KOAN Sound at the SubSound event next month, have you been to Liverpool before? 

Indeed! I have, once, though I was just passing through. So it’ll be a first proper visit!

What other UK promoters do you think are killing it at the moment in regards to their bookings and choice of venues?

The promoter (Will Hartley) for the Bristol show (Blue Mountain) was pretty on it.

If you could create your ultimate party with any artists from past or present, who would join you on the line up and where would it take place?

It would have to be Mickey Finn and DJ Hype (from the nineties) dBridge and lastly Amon Tobin (From 2005) at The Sanctuary in Milton Keynes.

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