Ahead of our night on the 7th of September at Stereo, we caught up with Phase to get a brief insight into the man behind the alias. Make sure to check out his latest EP and the mix at the bottom of the page.
If we go back, right to your first release on Steve Bicknell’s Cosmic Records 13 years ago, can you tell us how that came about?
I used to go to pretty much all the Lost parties and loved the output from their label. I sent Steve an acetate with 4 tracks on in the hope he might like them and received a phone call a week or so later. Of the 4 he really liked Module Overload (the track the subsequently became the a-side of COS024), the two b-side tracks came later.
I take it at this time making music was something you were doing, whilst working as a mastering engineer, but this has changed since, what was behind your change in focus?
To be honest, there's a lot of reasons; one was that the music industry went through drastic changes and the big studio where I was based had to close, it was at that point that I started to shift away from full time mastering and focus on production. It's still an interest for me but my true passion has always been the DJ production side.
As a DJ, you’ve been fortunate enough to play in countries all across the world, what clubs have left the biggest impression and where do you love to play?
My most memorable parties are often the one-offs where the promoters have transformed a warehouse space especially for that night. I played such a party for Karbon in Stockholm last new years eve; really good fun.
And a cliche perhaps, but Berghain Berlin always leaves a lasting impression. I think the strict door policy makes a huge difference. As a performer you always know that you're in front of a crowd that's that bit more pure and genuinely interested in what they're hearing.
What has changed for you since the success of Binary Opposition and did the idea for the album come off the back of this?
It's helped me connect with new people mostly, which is always nice and no doubt contributed to some remix commisions this year. The album, I've intended doing for a long while. The tracks draw upon ideas going back to various points over the last 12 years or so.
Token Records has been your home label since 2007 and an important part of your career so far, how would you describe your relationship with the label and what part has it played in your development as an artist?
Since meeting, Kris & I have become great friends so where my releases are concerned we have a very close relationship and discuss things in great detail. We both have a firm belief in long term development and this has definitely been instrumental in shaping my musical path over the last 6 years.
When is the album due out and what do you have planned for the future?
The album is due out in October and will be followed up with some very special remixes. I will be gigging around that and aim to do some more remixing myself where possible.
Frames of Reference, the debut LP from Ø [Phase] is due out on the 21st of October this year.
Ø [Phase] plays at Stereo on 7th September, entry is £5 and doors open at 11pm.
TRACKS:
1. Stanislav
Tolkachev - Building Peaks
2. Shifted - Gates
3. Steven Brown -
Polar
4. Martin H &
Samuel L Sessions - The Leap
5. Marcel Dettmann -
Bleep 5
6. Ø [Phase] - Behind
The Sun
7. Forward Strategy
Group - Applied Generics
8. Ads - Transversal
9. Ø [Phase] - The
Chasedown
10. Dax J & G
Wild - Revok (Ø [Phase] Remix)
11. Truncate - Pad
Mode
12. B & R -
Afterlife
13. Psyk - RDNM
14. John Thomas -
Psycho Groove
15. Developer &
Truncate - Diffraction (Jonas Kopp Remix)
16. Ø [Phase] -
Binary Opposition (Process 1)
17. P.A.S. - Sucktion
18. Robert Hood - A
Time To Rebuild
19. Steve Bicknell -
Lost Recordings 5 (B1)
20. DVS1 - Evolve
21. Developer - Dirty
Drive ('Shifted' Remix)
22. Chris Page -
Decoy (Blawan Remix)
23. Ø [Phase] -
[Unreleased]
