Breakbeat overlords the Stanton Warriors can do no wrong. We talk breaks, dancefloor bombs and rave habits with the duo before their new album drops.
Stanton Warriors are Dominic Butler and Mark Yardley: the long-standing breaks heroes who were pioneers in the scene way 'back in the day' and are still going strong. The breakbeat duo famously took their name from a drain cover and are credited with producing some of the best breaks tunes of all time. I defy you to listen to 'Shake It Up', 'Pop Your Cork', 'Feel Good Inc.' or 'Precinct' without a nod of recognition. They are, undeniably, extremely talented producers and remixers who imbibe all their tunes with that utterly essential quality: get up and DANCE.
We met the boys ahead of the launch of their new album, 'The Warriors', this Friday at Proud2.
It's not an exaggeration to say that you've produced some of the most seminal breaks tracks ever made. Are there any stand-out tracks which you suspect may have the same weight as 'Shake It Up' in this upcoming album?
'Get Up' has the same weight I think. It always goes off and has been playlisted across Australia. The reactions we are getting from the album tracks in clubs has been phenomenal.
What (or who) influences or inspires you when you're producing?
Firstly we just love music, but also the thirst for wanting new bombs to drop in the clubs and festivals each week.
Studio or gigging?
Both compliment each other. Make a track, road test it in the same night, watch it do its thing and then get inspired on a Monday morning to make even more music after an epic weekend of parties.
Do you ever feel commercial pressure to do things a certain way? How relevant is 'the market' in what you produce?
Our sound has certainly evolved but we have stuck to our guns with what we do for over ten years and the gigs are bigger than ever. So we won't be jumping on any bandwagons any time soon.
The Ableton/deck divide – where do you stand? Do you use laptops when you DJ?
We use laptops sometimes as an add-on but I play on decks. I have been DJing for over 20 years I don't need a computer to do it for me.
I have to ask, what is going on with breaks? Do you think it will endure or has it had its day?
Depends what you call breaks – a lot of tracks from dubstep to house have breaks in them. People will always like a good beat and a good bass line. Genre names aren't important – the music is.
Do you write any tunes which are not aimed at the dancefloor?
For the album we have but usually we always have the dancefloor in mind.
Are you ravers? Where do you party? And to what tunes?
We are known for getting fully involved in after-parties so I guess that does make us ravers. I like listening to old rare electro funk and anything new and interesting.
You're both artists in your own right, performing individually often. What does two of you bring to the show?
I do the DJing, Mark wacks in a capellas and stuff over the top which gives us the freedom to really pull tracks apart live in the mix. We can literally remix a track live.
You guys have loads of energy behind the decks – bouncing off each other and loving it. Is your set entirely (or partly) planned? Or is there quite a bit of on the spot improv?
There are tracks we know go well together but all crowds are different so there is no way you could have a one-set-fits-all policy. Plus it's fun to do ideas on the fly.
We publish a feature on Spoonfed every Friday called Dancefloor Bombs. Could you add a couple of fail-safe bangers?
Boys Noize – 'Yeah Yeah', Stanton Warriors remx
Ruby Goe – 'Beat Breaking Boy', Stanton Warriors remix
MIA – 'Internet Connection', Stanton Warriors remix
Emalky – 'Crusader'
Nero – 'Me & You', Booty Bass remix
What's next for you guys?
Well we launch our album 'The Warriors' this month, then it's back to clocking up the airmiles with more touring. We have our DJ mix 'Stanton Sessions Volume Four' due later this year as well.
Click here to enter our competition: a copy of the album and VIP tickets for Spectrum at Proud2.
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