Burns

Burns Interview

At the age of 23, BURNS is fast gaining a reputation for British dance music these days. As well as a string of remixes for the likes of Empire of the Sun, Late Of The Pier, Passion Pit, Filthy Dukes, Yuksek, Melanie Fiona, Calvin Harris, and the Gossip under his belt, BURNS has also been releasing all instalments of his series of four singles (these being BURNS’ ‘1’/’2’/’3’/4’) this year. According to him however, none of them will be on this debut album, which is expected to be out in 2010. I sussed out it will be a little different from his previous showcase i.e. club based music for dance floors, with more vocals etc. It won’t be long before he takes his live band out with the release of his debut album next year.
UK Adapta hit him up for an interview in sunny Shoreditch to find out more...

- Can you tell us a little about yourself, who BURNS is and how you first got into music etc?

B: I guess from really early age, I have always listened to music a lot, so music has always been massive part of my life. Probably through my parents mainly, as my mother was into really sort of old disco, classic 80s and 70s disco and dance music and she passed a lot of old records to me, so I was influenced by them and started listening to them from the very early age. I began starting making music probably about 12 or 13 years old and I have always played keyboard and guitar, and started using computers from the age of about 15 or 16 to make music, just gradually taught myself basically. I’ve never been into sort of club scene… never used to go clubbing or anything like that, so just used to stay in and mess about with computers try to make music that way to gradually build up my skills I guess.

- What you are making now is more club-orientated.

B: Yeah. Once I got into this kind of music, I listen to a lot of club music but I just never went clubbing. I was always into electronic music, so once I began making this kind of music, I was able to get out there to start DJing, and that gives you more of an idea of what clubbers like to hear, so it gives you more influence, I guess.

- Have you been solo all the time? How do you feel about doing music on our own?

B: I think it’s good because there’s no outside influence of anyone else’s, which is interfering with, if you’ve got your own mind and know already what you wanna do.

vimeo : Teknique EP

If I have to work with someone else, maybe it could be tricky because, when more than one person is involved, there would be conflicting opinions and stuff. I think it’s good to be trying to collaborate with other artists at some point but at the moment I’m comfortable with just me and my studio. It’s been free.

- What about your roots and influences that lead you to the music you are making?

B: Mainly 70s 80s disco and obviously pop music from back when I was a kid as well. I am still quite young, so I guess 90s pop music still has an influence on me, even though the 90s wasn’t a great era for music. That’s obviously there in the back of my mind, but I’ve got a huge music collection, as I said I had inherited from my family so I used to listen to Blondie, Earth Wind & Fire, Fleetwood Mac on vinyl, influences from everywhere.

When I got a bit older, I started to develop my own musical taste. I was always into electronic music from probably about the age of 11 or 12. I started to listen to people like The Chemical Brothers, Basement Jaxx, Daft Punk, obviously... which is probably a main influence.

- You have done lots of remixes. Do you see much difference between working on remixes for other artists, and creating your own music?

B: Yeah, there’s a huge difference because you’ve already got a song there, whereas you start from scratch from absolutely nothing, you have to build something.

- What’s the start of your own songs?

vimeo : Turbo EP

B: Starting an original track on my own I would begin with writing some chords on a keyboard or maybe finding some samples from old records, trying to work up that, but with a remix, you get parts from the original song they’ve made, so I just tend to pick the best bits of the song that I can elaborate and create something that is mainly dance orientated, but I’d like to keep a bit of a melody in that as well. If the songs you like in the beginning, it tends to be a lot easier to work from. It’s gonna be parts you like already, so you can just elaborate them, turn into something sounds a bit more like yourself. I’m trying to be as free as possible with the remixes. I just try to do I feel at the time. It’s the same as my original tracks but I’ve never got a formula or anything. Whatever comes to my mind, I just do. I’m just trying to create fresh sound as I don’t wanna be repetitive.

- Your music doesn’t really have vocals at the moment, but do you have an intention of writing lyrics at some point? If so, who would sing your songs?

B: Not singing myself, but I have. I’m in the middle of writing an album and finishing off now, but I have a few guest vocalists on there. I’m working with the guy called Thomas Bachellier who’s originally from Paris and now based in the UK. He’s done vocals on 3-4 songs on my album. Also a couple more people are in the process of working with. It’s gonna be a few vocal tracks definitely. I’ll leave the singing to someone who can sing.

-What equipment / setup are you using for your live sets and in the studio?

B: For the live stuff at the moment I’m a DJ, so it’s simple, CDs, CDJ, mixer. I don’t use a laptop to DJ... just a live mixing with CDs. In the studio, I use Cubase on a PC not Mac and a bunch of synthesizers. I’ve got Vintage synthesizers like Moog, microKORG, Modular Synthm, TB-303 which is like a techno sequencer and soft synths as well. I like to use normal instruments in a kind of different way to make sounds not supposed to make. I’ve got a single called Turbo, which has the base sound that was just made by with an electric guitar. I plugged the jack, the cable in but pulled out slightly for distortion, and then recorded that. I distorted it more and pitched it up and down to create a melody.

- Choose one word best describes your sound.

B: Diverse. That’s because I basically do what I want. I don’t really stick to any sound or formula.

- Any other hobbies / skills you have besides music that you'd like to tell us about?

B: I would like to think I’m quite a good artist as I do a lot of paintings when I’ve got time. I used to do a lot of painting, drawing and sketching. I also used to box from when I was about 15, as my dad was a professional heavyweight boxer. My mum used to paint for a living when she was young, so I guess I got 2 things from them. I’m naturally good at art and enjoy doing it in my spare time.

- Where would you see yourself in the next 10 years?

B: I’d like to be still in music and produce for other people and also myself, but ultimately I’d love to make music for top artists, also go touring, with my live shows. In 10 years time, I would have put quite a few albums out and maybe write for pop artists and score for films.

- Can you tell us about going on a tour? You have played a lot in various places and you are going on a long one from this September.

B: This is gonna be the longest thing I do, although I supported Calvin Harris on his last UK tour which was for about 3 weeks. I haven’t been away on a tour bus before. It’s gonna be weird and I will miss my studio, but it might be good to be out of the studio for a little bit cos I have been in there for ages working on remix after remix.

- When you put your album out, are you playing a live set?

B: Yeah. I’m still working on the main idea, but it’s gonna involve me with keyboards and probably Thomas Bachellier and maybe a live drummer as well. Thomas Bachellier who also does videos for me, controlling visuals.

- Have you been to Japan? Is there any chance your Japanese fans can see you play soon?

B: No, I haven’t been, but I’d love to go! There are talks about me going, probably either later on this year or early next year, I think. It’s definitely somewhere I want to play, so whenever I get a chance… It’s definitely on my list.

- What else is happening with BURNS for the rest of the year?

B: I’m finishing off an album and a lot of remixes including ones for Frankmusic and Ladyhawke. I’ve just finished a remix for Dizzee Rascal’s new single. A few new singles will come out from the album early next year, which I’m working on right now. I’m working on how I take a live show out and also touting in between as well. There’s a lot to do!

myspace: thisisburns

Written by Chika Aoki