DJ Yoda chats to Skiddle ahead of October's AV Scratch Spectacular

Hi DJ Yoda! Where do we find you today?

You find me busy in the studio as ever! Getting ready to go play some shows in South Africa next week, which I'm very excited about.

You've had a busy summer of festivals (we loved you at Parklife and Kendal Calling). What have been some highlights?

You saw some good ones! Camp Bestival and WOMAD were also really good, as I was doing a collaborative show with the Trans Siberian March Band - this 13-piece Balkan brass band.

Are your sets finely planned beforehand, or do you improvise on the day/night?

It depends what kind of set I'm playing. Straight DJ sets I always improvise on the day. AV shows are a little bit more like a show I perform, but with some room for flexibility. Something like the collaboration with the Trans Siberian March Band is finely planned.

Your new album Chop Suey is due for release soon. You've said that it focuses more on the traditional album format than your previous 'cut and paste endeavours'. Can you explain this a little?

I was really happy with my last album, The Amazing Adventures, but one piece of feedback I had is that a lot of people still thought it was a DJ mix CD, rather than an artist album. I guess people know me best for making mixes. There were a lot of tracks on that album, and it flowed a little like a mix. So I decided for Chop Suey I wanted each song to stand apart from the last, and to try and focus more on "song-writing" and melodies, and have it like a proper, grown-up album.

Where did the album's title come from?

The dish of Chop Suey was something that the Chinese immigrants in America came up with, using anything and everything they could to make something new. In many ways, it's the same idea as hip-hop - sampling all the different flavours that you can to create something fresh. It's the same idea I use for DJing and production.

The first single from the album, 'Happy', features vocals from Boy George. How did that collaboration come about?

I had put together this beat, and I knew that it needed a singer, not a rapper. I liked the idea of putting someone on it who I grew up listening to, so I started thinking about big singers that are famous from the 80s. Then I heard Boy George's version of "Video Games" by Lana Del Ray, and I was really taken aback by how his voice has mellowed and matured - I thought he'd be perfect for it.

What other collaborations can we look forward to on the album?

I have a different vocalist on every track - such a wide range from UK rappers like Sway, Roots Manuva and Scroobius Pip, to US rappers like Action Bronson, M.O.P and Greg Nice, and then some 80s wild cards like Kid Creole & The Coconuts and even Michael Winslow from Police Academy!

Your music is in general very upbeat and has been described as 'cartoony'. Where did this style develop from and could you see yourself ever taking a darker turn?

I think I just see music as entertainment, and when I'm listening to something I'd rather smile than frown. There's a time and place for darker stuff - maybe when the mood takes me I'll get to my doom metal album!

You use such a broad range of samples and visuals… where do you find your ideas? Are you constantly on the lookout for samples in your everyday life?

Yep, I've just trained myself to constantly keep an ear out for the radio, TV - anything that's around me - I'm constantly taking notes about ideas of stuff to sample.

Your work shows a real awareness of pop culture and the world around you. Was tv/radio/film a big part of your life growing up?

I guess all three of those things were, and still are. My parent both worked in the music industry, and my dad used to keep his record collection in my bedroom, so I was literally surrounded with music as a kid. And I've always loved movies as much as music, so the AV thing just seemed to make sense.

You're going head to head with DJ Woody at Sound Control on Oct 19th. Have you worked with Woody before?

I've always been a big fan of Woody since day one! We were just together a few weeks ago at Shambala Festival in Canada - we had an amazing weekend.

What have you got in store for the night?

I'm putting together a new show that incorporates elements of my Chop Suey album, but mixes it up with everything else that I'm feeling at the moment. You'll just have to wait and see.

Are there ever any 'I wish I'd thought of that' moments when watching another scratch and AV artist?

Constantly. Last thing I heard like that was Kid Koala's new album which mixes up turntablism with blues - I thought that was so cool.

Is turntablism in a health place at the moment? Are there any up and coming artists doing exciting things within the art form?

My last question answered that! But on the whole I don't think turntablism is in a very creative place right now. Too many people abandoning turntables for newer technology. That's fine, so we just have to wait and see what scenes develop out of that.

What's the weirdest thing that's ever happened to you while you've been DJing?

It seems like weird stuff like this happens every week! I always find myself in very random places. Although the last DJ set I played was at a festival in Kent, and I had a cup of tea whilst I was playing. That's not very weird actually, is it?

Interview: Jayne Robinson

Catch DJ Yoda vs DJ Woody at Sound Control on Friday 19th October. Tickets are available below.

Tickets are no longer available for this event