We charted his recent release Boomerang for being a quality cut with a message: a poignant statement about file sharing... you really should support the artists you listen to, shouldn't you.
I caught up with Philippe to ask him a few questions and find out how he ticks, as it turns out he's a nice fella with a cool out look on life...
What's been happening in the life of Philippe Quenum then?
I'm still in the studio, I’ve been working a lot more on music production than on gigs and also prioritizing my time with my family, you have to have a balance.
What has been your highlight of the year so far?
A party I played with my buddies here in Geneva, that we organized together with Daschund, Agnes, Ripperton and Chaton. A good night, lots of fun, just what everyone needed.
What's been the most banging Scottish gig/venue to date?
The night I played for Soma at Pressure. I love Soma, the whole team is brilliant and the vibe at their club nights is always amazing. Big respect to Soma!
How did you find the crowd?
They participate so much, give you a lot of feedback, they get completely involved emotionally and that shows me they’re interested in the music I’m playing... they pay attention.
Who is your DJ who inspiration?
There have been so many…oh….big respect for François K, when I’m New York I always try to go see him at Deep Space... his choice of music is always just amazing. Ricardo Villalobos is one of the good DJs right now, I’m always impressed too when I see him play, always happy, always enthusiastic. I started as a breakdancer in the 1980s, the first live set I saw was Herbie Hancok (with computer) with DJ DST at the Roxy in New York and that blew my mind. That’s when I knew I wanted to leave the dancefloor and get up there, behind the decks.
Where does your musical inspiration come from?
It comes from my family, my dad and my mom. She’s from the Caribbean and my dad from Africa (Benin). I grew up with music all day long, we listened to Jazz, Blues, French songs, Caribbean stuff, African –everything. And everyday. I was lucky to live in West Africa for a few years, even though I was born in France, and that was the best musical experience.
When in the studio do you have a roadmap to work to or is it a completely fluid process?
It’s everyday something different, I let myself go, some days it works and some days it doesn’t. I have no plan.
How would you describe the music you create?
That is one very hard question. Music is music.
Are you still an analogue man or are you all digital now?
I use both.
What's your favourite piece of kit?
The Korg PolySix keyboard I bought about fifteen years ago in London.
There seems to be a revival of the original house/techno sound, do you think house music has come full circle?
I think it never really left, it’s just that people wanted to experiment with different sounds, try new things. So there’s been lots of different experiments, but people have realized that house music has a warmer touch.
What do you think is happening with music these days?
A lot is happening with music, but whatever happens good or bad we have to go with it because you can’t stop evolution. It’s always been that way. There’s been a lot of changes with regards to distribution, to the business, all the digital stuff. I started way back when vinyl was star and I never stopped playing vinyl. But there’s also good things in these changes.
What do you think is different these days in comparison to when you started out?
About fifteen years ago I found that each DJ I listened to gave me something different, each one had their originality. People were less blasé. There was an explosion of undeground parties, where we discovered incredible stuff. And mostly, there was human contact when you went to buy your records in the shop. You met people from all over the world who were into music, like yourself. I’ve made many friends and great contacts there. Not just downloading music by yourself at home.
Your recent release Boomerang EP is a solid slice of techno, two excellent cuts with the exceptionally clever Just Take It on the flipside, featuring Detroit Grand Pubahs. Was it one of those topics you felt just needed to be pointed out?
Yes, I think so. It’s something I had in my heart and that I wanted to share. A lot of people talk about it, so I thought why not. I often give my music for free, I’m not against that, but I think people can pay a buck to buy a song. We work hard to do this, we also need a minimum in return.
What are your favourite labels of the moment?
Perspectiv / Musique Risquée / Bass Culture …and my label, Clapper
Who are the new producers coming through who you think are worth checking out?
Right now, Jin Choi. I love the music he makes, I find it has a lot of emotion. And he’s a cool guy, very low profile.
What's your top tune of the moment?
Crooks & Lovers on the label Mount Kimbie.
What was the first record you bought (no matter how embarrassing)?
The first I remember is an LP by U-Roy, With Words of Wisdom. I also bought some Stevie Wonder around the same time.
What's your favourite tune of all time?
Fely Kuti, Zombie.
For Djing... Do you use vinyl or CDJs or another technology?
Mostly vinlys but also CDs. That way I can play my friends’s stuff that hasn’t come out yet and try my new stuff too.
So when are you coming back to play Scotland?
I hope soon.
What have you got planned in the near future?
I’m working on a remix for Systematic Recordings, and I’m working on the next Clapper EP. Also an EP for Thema Records in New York. And other tracks, but I’m not yet sure which labels I will choose.
