Ahead of his appearance at Fabric on the 12th March alongside Shackleton, Ricardo Villalobos & Craig Richards, Appleblim swung by the Fabric blog for a chat as well as dropping a 90 mix chock full of exclusives too.
"Appleblim is a true character and a music obsessive. Literally bigger than most things in any DJ booth we truly look forward to each one of the Bristol based producer’s sets here. Having played numerous times - he’s twice hosted Room Three in aid of his record label Apple Pips - he returns to complete a lineup that reunites the composite players of the heralded Skull Disco label, setting up shop alongside his old label mate and fabric 55 artist, Shackleton and the Chilean mastermind Ricardo Villalobos; with all three appearing alongside Craig Richards. In Appleblim’s trademark gentlemanly fashion, when we asked him if he had anything on the horizon ahead of the show he went above and beyond both the call of duty and our expectations, providing us with a 90 min mix of super fresh material and giving the world what is probably the first public airing on over 50% of these tracks (only a couple of them are reportedly available at this time).
He also took the time to provide up to the minute details on his movements of late, filling us in on what’s happening with his own productions alongside those he chooses to expose in the near future on Apple Pips.
“I've been working a lot with [Caravan label boss] October;” he offers when probed on his current musical partnerships. “We've just completed a 12" for an exciting new Bristol label called Smorgasbord. Its great fun working with Jules, he has a really interesting studio that is really easy to make music in. He’s got tons of great old synths and outboard effects, and a mixing desk, which is not the way I’m used to working, so it’s been a really fun process. We started quite a few beats, but settled on a slow house thing and then totally changed the direction of another piece and made it a house paced piece of dubbed-out woozy synth. He's been making tons of lovely kinda deep-trippy-jackin-house stuff some of which will see the light of day on Apple Pips.”
Al Tourettes and I are working on new stuff together, as well as a remix for upcoming German house dude Axel Boman for Hypercolour; he did a 12” on Koze's Pampa label which I really liked. It's sounding really cool, and I’m excited to hear what he does for us in return. Al is one to watch in 2011 and his live set just HAS to be seen, it's a stonker! Also Arkist has been one of my tips for a long time, and I’m really excited to be releasing a killer 12" from him on Apple Pips, both tracks can be heard on the mix...these are the kind of tunes that every time I play them (and I do mean EVERY time!) people come up to the booth freaking out wondering who they are by. Myself and Arkist are working on a remix of Sepalcure for Hotflush that is on some hydro-pump bassline, hydraulic neurofunk garage type shiz... I think peeps are gonna love it! Scuba is returning the favour by remixing Arkist's 'Rendezvous' (I just heard that he has done not one but TWO mixes of it - so excited to hear the results!”
Appleblim’s enthusiasm for these producers is completely founded too and his unearthings for his label have ranged across styles and tempos just as much as his DJ sets do. Since those early releases by the likes of Martyn, Brackles and Instra:mental, he’s developed his tastes, seemingly seeding a lot more from his immediate surroundings, releasing singles from his fellow Bristol based producers Kidkut, Orphan 101 and Komonazmuk last year. From what we’ve seen he looks most comfortable in this kind of situation, standing amongst friends as an equal, as well as an able outlet. It seems to be holding him, and his music collection, in very good stead.
“Wedge & Gatekeeper have both been making great music recently too that will hopefully see light of day over the coming months,” he continues, never stifling his flow. “Wedge, working in tandem with another great Bristol producer, I.D., is making some amazing slow mo house meets John Carpenter discoid stuff, and Gatekeeper is coming with some ace new 140bpm stuff based around the mad synths he's been acquiring; Wasps and Juno's and so on... He's also been working with Southwest mic men Grillza, Dread MC, & Ryder Shafiq on a vocal project which is sounding great too.. Then there’s a Paul Woolford remix that Komonazmuk and I have done which I am really happy with, and we are working on more original stuff together. I think people may be surprised by it when it drops; it’s not the styles we are known for! I'm really excited about Komon's album for HENCH coming up - I’ve heard some sneak previews and again I think people are gonna have some surprises when they hear it... he really is an amazing producer...”
And… other than all this music stuff I’ve been overhauling the Apple Pips label - as always with Stuey from Give Up Art. We're doing a redesign of the sleeves, which people are gonna love, and we’re working on a one-off limited release of the remix Al Tourettes and I did for Underworld, but I don't want to give too much away! We have releases from Arkist, October & Borai, and Gatekeeper lined up with tons more to come over the coming year.”
With gigs in Copenhagen, Porto and Berlin already under his belt this year it seems like the next few months are set to be some of his busiest yet.
“I’m doing Bestival and We Love Sundays at Space in Ibiza is happening again for Apple Pips artists this year. It's shaping up to be a busy one but I’m just trying to push the music that I am lucky enough to be passed by all the super talented producers I know. I see that as my most important role really, spreading this music so more people can hear it and then the producers can hopefully step up and get a chance to rep it themselves round the world.”
1. Butahn Tiger Rescue - Beginner's Waltz - excerpt (Kompakt)
2. October & Borai - I Didn't Mean To (forthcoming Apple Pips)
3. Kowton - She Don't Jack (Idle Hands)
4. Axel Bowman - Naomi (forthcoming Glass Table)
5. October & Appleblim - NY Fizzzzzz (forthcoming Smorgasbord)
6. George Fitzgerald - We Bilateral (forthcoming Hotflush)
7. Al Tourettes - Badger (forthcoming Bloc / Baselogic)
8. SCB - Loss (forthcoming Aus Music)
9. Pulsar - Coconut Shuffle (unreleased)
10. Sunday Roast - Choices (Soulserious)
11. Arkist & Kidkut - Vanilla Imitate (forthcoming Hotflush)
12. Phat Chex - Can't Stop - (unreleased)
13. Paul Woolford - Let It Go - Komonazmuk & Appleblim Remix (forthcoming Intimacy Music)
14. Gatekeeper - Atmosphere Processor (forthcoming Apple Pips)
15. Gatekeeper - Let Us in (forthcoming Apple Pips)
16. Arkist - Fill My Coffee (forthcoming Apple Pips)
17. Gatekeeper & Kidkut – Alpha Apex (unreleased)
18. Gatekeeper & Kidkut - Code Red (unreleased)
19. Arkist - Rendezvous (forthcoming Apple Pips)
Info & Tickets available right here. It promises to be a very special night indeed....