Tim Green Interview: I am not a fan of genre defining

Image: Tim Green

House and techno is a gloriously wide ranging canvas when you approach it right, and that attitude has imbued Tim Green's production ethic since he began creating stellar grooves midway through the last decade.

Lighting up labels like Cocoon, Get Physical, Dirtybird and Saved along the way, he's become renonwed for the ease between which he skips through sounds and genres, an approach mirrored in his DJ sets played in clubs (check out an example below) or his Small hours of the Morning series of mixes (embedded later on in the article).

We caught up with the DJ and producer ahead of him returning to Manchester on Saturday 17th May, when he plays live at EXHiBIT's event at Joshua Brooks. he waxed lyrical about his disdain for restrictions on his musical creativity, the joys of running his own label and DJing in Space (the galaxy variety, not the Ibiza club).

Are you looking forward to headlining EXHiBiT on the 17th? Is Manchester somewhere you enjoy playing?

Yeah I’m real excited to check out the venue and vibe of it especially. Having seen pictures, it looks like a pretty awesome place. I have played Manchester several times before, but not enough unfortunately, would love to play more and get to know the city and people better!

You’re equally adept at playing groove laden house as you are at the tougher end of the techno spectrum. Can you let us in on what will be in your record bag for EXHiBiT?

I'm playing live for this show, so all my own material and no records.

How is your imprint Disc Over going? Are there any forthcoming releases we can look forward to? Where do you see the direction of the label heading?

Yeah great thank you! It's tough trying to break through and get the music noticed by everyone, due to it being so new. Plus the vinyl market is so hard as well, but something that I have always loved and felt strongly about. So its all a new learning curve for me. But we have the third release about to drop soon on vinyl and digital.

It's three amazing tracks by the artist Nicson (also known as the producer T.w.i.c.e.), with a wicked remix by ‘Nail’. All tracks I have been playing out for over a year now, all tried and tested that I absolutely love! I have been a huge fan of Vicente's (Nicson) work for a long time and he always produces such incredible music. The fourth release will be two original tracks by me, which is not finished yet as a release, but will be out later on this year. 

How do you think the techno/tech house scene has changed since you started out?

I think its always changing to be honest. Its always evolving, or morphing into something else etc… Something that I hope will change even more over time is blurring the lines of “genres” and “scenes”. I am not a fan of genre defining, and not someone who follows scenes.

I think music is getting more like this slowly over time. Just where it doesn’t matter what type of sound the music takes its form in, it's just what it is - no labelling. A lot of music nowadays and individual songs takes its influences from so many different types of sounds, and its really not categorised so easily. Which is really for me the way electronic music, or any music for that matter, will keep on evolving. 

You’ve released on a huge number of different labels in your career. Is this a conscious decision? Do you think it’s important to enjoy creative freedom rather than sticking to one specific style?

Its far more important to me to have the creative freedom. Sort of continuing on from the last question also, I don’t like to do one sound or be categorised into a certain genre or scene. I think music becomes stale if your sticking only to one sound.

Plus, I think whats the point of sticking to one focus when there is so much amazing new sounds out there? There's so many interesting possibilities to experiment with.

What have you got lined up for the summer? Are there any festivals you’re looking forward to playing at?

I'm looking forward to my new residency at Sankeys Ibiza this summer for sure! I'm also really looking forward to Burning Man. It will be my first time there. After many attempts by friends to get me there, I finally put my mind to it and made sure I'm doing it this year. Every year previously I would be busy with gigs or music, or forget to schedule it into the year. So very excited to go there this year.

Have you any more productions or remixes on the horizon that we can look forward to?

Yes out really soon is my first release for the excellent label My Favorite Robot Records, two tracks with which I’m really happy with the direction of, something a bit more experimental. Which also has an awesome Ryan Crosson from Visionquest remix (stream the EP below).

Also later in the year I am doing my own label - Disc Over Music’s fourth release as I stated earlier. The release is not totally finished yet, but it will be two original tracks from me. One of which I have been playing out for a long long time! so I’m very happy to be releasing it finally on my own label.  

And finally, hypothetical question… You have the power to throw the ultimate rave. You can play alongside any DJ from the past or present. Where would you have it, who would be on the bill, and what track would you play to define the evening?

It's tough to choose one definitive venue or location. So as a total dream, id choose it to be either up in space, or flying around the earth with about 300 people partying together. Or even in a city / club in the clouds, kinda like the Landau system in Star Wars or something haha. But basically something in the sky would be cool.

I would probably have Bjork dj-ing (to hang out with her mainly, but obviously to also hear what incredible music she would play). Plus a live set from Daft Punk (95/96 era). A DJ set from my good friend Lee Burridge! A live set from Genius Of Time also would be great. I could probably go on and on listing people, but these are the first that spring to mind.

Tickets are no longer available for this event