Artist Profile – Antagonist – (UK)
Antagonist is one of those producers who’s music transcends the formulaic constructional norms of drum and bass music. That is to say, to us anyway, each track to touch the ears of the listener is a journey through, around and within itself. The music spawns, grows and mutates over time, much like those epic, classic techno records that are so important to the history and progression if the digital music movement.
His is what we’d call mind music. 4 AM, heads down, deep, dark and brooding, but with constant flashes of metallic brilliance that continuously pique the interest. Mature, fascinating and ever evolving, Antagonist brings something very special to the table indeed, and we were keen to deep dive into the mind of this Manchester, UK based producer whose music reflects his interests in a sonic counterpoint that cannot be mistaken.
INSIDE DNB proudly welcomes Antagonist to the fold for this interview to celebrate the release of his latest EP via Dispatch Recordings.
Antagonist, welcome in!
Hello hello !
The very first thing we have to say about your music is that the production quality is truly exceptional. There has to be a deep love of techno in there somewhere, right?
Surprisingly… I’m no techno Wikipedia. I definitely do enjoy, appreciate and listen to lots of music from the techno world, the grooves, the tension and progressive nature. I would say I do write my music in a somewhat “techno style”, yes.
There is an incredible amount of depth to the music you make. We’d say this is the work of a very, very deep thinker. Is it fair to say that your work is a sonic reflection of your state of mind when composing the material?
100%. Since I started this thing at 16 years old, it has first and foremost been about escapism. An outlet. Compile that with a deep thinker and it’s a potent combination.
You’re 33 years old, but the sound you’ve developed takes us way back to the late 90s when tech step was at its creative height. Your sound is mature beyond your years, so would you say that those golden years have been an influence? Do you listen to much music from the vaults?
Absolutely influenced by the ‘golden years’ , across multiple genres not just within DNB. I started DJing around the time of early inception of the digital era, so I managed to still experience the magic , the unknown. You had to learn the culture through the records and forums on dial up internet back then.
I would say though, I have delved further afield genre-wise in more recent years, going back to older back catalogues when I get chance. I wanted my own sound to be organic. I am self – taught and I like the idea of everything having that rawness, the character and the imperfections.
The attention to detail is unbelievable. Each track is its own micro cosmos. How much of your material do your write in your head, compared to how much you create ‘in the moment’?
95% of my work is created ‘in the moment’ , the rest is just the final sculpting to the piece. I have always worked this way. I tend to work to moods and this can take me on fantastic journeys, but also dead ends when in the studio. It’s somewhat a zen-like approach.
This is also reflected in the track length too though. We’re generally talking a minimum of 6 minutes, and often 7+. This is deep soundscape territory, compared to the world of the 3 minute club banger. Is it intentional that each track is a world within itself?
I think it’s a mixture of me going against current norms in music culture, and becoming so intertwined and traveling within each track, that most of them end up a long player. There is no doubt a DJ friendly element in there subconsciously, but progression is a big thing in my music and that needs time. Quite often there are times where some of my music takes a person a while to really understand.
Atmospherics form a huge part of your music too. This latest EP on Dispatch is no exception. How do you source your sounds, and how long do you spend doing it? We can imagine it taking up a lot of time?
Secrets out… Not really. With working in the moment, I don’t tend to sound design very much. My sounds mostly come from sample packs and heavy processing, both in the box and out through hardware. However, a lot of the atmospheres, pads, chord loops and arps are coming through my hardware kit in some way.
And there’s some other hardware in there too, like the DSI Prophet 8. We ARE NOT equipment experts here, but we are fascinated by it, so please share some of your love for the equipment you use and tell us about it, and could you also tell us, does having physical hardware change the way you approach making music compared to being ‘inside the box’?
When I began using hardware, it was like a light switch flicked on. It became x5 more fun, and over time I tweaked my setup into a hybrid ‘in the box x hardware’ setup. I do have some interesting signal paths as for the most part I just figured it all out myself. I do believe all of this has attributed to why my music sounds like it does. I love the Prophet 8, I have the ltd edition with the wood panels and the sound from it is just divine. It’s pure Vangelis, thick ,deep and widescreen .
My other favourites will be my Strymon Blue Sky (the kings of reverb IMO) , the Klark Teknik EQP-KT which is a tube equalizer unit which I thrash drums through, or boost an analogue 30hz layer of a digital VST sub. And a final secret weapon acquired recently was a SSL G 3000 Clone Bus Compressor which belongs to my friend who runs the studios. It gives absolutely unreal processing. Hardware adds more happy accidents, somewhat limitations and just that warm character mixed in.
You DJ too, and have done for a number of years. Is your DJ style reflected in your production output and vice versa?
Yes, definitely. I was a DJ before producing and it became a natural by-product. My DJ style has somewhat remained the same since I was 16, with long form mixing, transitions and progression in the set. I have DJ’d various genres and switched through tastes but the style remains. For the most part, for me it’s just about being different, I was always fascinated by DJs who dared to take risks, the taboo of DJ culture, the rebel nature! I have fond memories of Doc Scott playing the future beats stuff at early Soul:ution events and the crowd being really confused and unsure, and I would just be having it ha! Anyone can play an hour of the most trending tracks from a pre-planned tracklist order at home, but where’s the fun in that?! On the same note, I never ever plan my DJ sets.
Two things we really want to mention are the fact that you’ve released music on the mighty R&S Records out of Antwerp, Belgium. This label, maybe above all others is the probably one of, if not THE most respected digital music record label in the history of the music. This is one heck of an achievement. And Giles Peterson playing your music on BBC6!
I’m both Honoured and forever grateful. It still feels surreal. Whilst most modern artists strive for chart positions, headlining big festivals and going viral, I’ve already ticked off things a 1990s artist would dream of ha! Jokes aside, it’s just a beautiful sign of achievement for me, almost a sign of respect from these huge established giants.
Away from music you are interested in ancient history, myth and folklore. We are too. What is it about these things that excite you so much? For us, it’s having the imaginative experience of stepping back into the realms of time itself, and re-treading the steps of the ancients via what they’ve left behind. Pompeii for example just knocked us out. What aspects of this vast field of interest are you into to, and why?
I don’t think we can get really into the rabbit hole without this turning into a 60 page epic, but ever since my early 20s I developed I huge fascination with the ancient times, from the dawn of civilization to the words of the Stoics and linking between all religions. It became like a dot to dot venn diagram for me. I began to see the links between it all from above, and the many connections still fascinate me. I’m forever learning. It has helped me to better understand myself, the world around me and the future ahead. Fascinated by the mystics, the alchemy , the old teachings as if there is a past life within me somewhat.
You mention that your artistic identity is important to you. We are guessing this is referring to your ‘sound’. Does this link in directly with your artistic integrity? Are the two the same thing?
100%. For me, artistic integrity is very very important. I can go through mental mind games on this topic quite often and I feel a deep yearning to be unique and consistent no matter what the cost. It’s a long game, but as the ever great Marcus Intalex (Rest easy x) once told me … Just be you, it doesn’t matter what ‘they’ are doing.
Sound advice if ever there was some. And this kind of links in with the pro’s and cons of being self taught, which you also wanted to discuss. Is it the absence of outside influence through tutelage that has given you such a unique sound?
Absolutely, no ifs or buts, yes. I have spoken with many about this and I have a slightly raised heated opinion of the whole tutorial/artist sample pack thing, in that there is a high tendency to essentially create clone producers. I don’t believe them to be great past the point of learning basic music theory. In self teaching (while it’s a longer road) you learn your own hacks, develop unique techniques and develop a sound over a long period of time that is ultimately YOU.
I really couldn’t see myself spending hours and hours in the studio to basically make music that sounds like 10 other tracks on current DJ rotation at shows, on radio, DJ mixes……… all that emotional rollercoaster in the studio just to blend into the background. I want people to hear a track of mine in a mix or at a gig and be like “ that’s gotta be Antagonist, surely “. I used to love that scenario in my early DJ years! The modern day dubplate guessing!!!
Before we get into the EP, one of the most fascinating points that you’ve raised, and one which definitely needs major air time, is the ecosystem of electronic music and it’s future. The almost complete lack of hard copy in modern drum and bass (in proportionate terms), and electronic music generally means that stuff is just getting ‘lost’ in the huge expanse of the digital realm. What’s the answer, and what do you see the future looking like for digital music?
I have spun my head around this in so many different ways and ended up thankfully at a balanced point. There is basically a multi-layered situation with echo chambers and saturation. A somewhat too many chefs and not enough kitchens scenario. It is easy to talk negative about all of this but you just end up sounding bitter that you have ‘been left behind’ . That may be so, but it’s far from that. So many factors have impacted the entertainment industry from the outside world (aka real life_ in the past 5 years and they have to be factored into the debate.
Most importantly though, I feel the younger and newer generation getting into all of this need to be shown how the ecosystem works. If the underground isn’t getting any money back circulating in then it will cease to exist. We are fast approaching losing the grassroots elements of all electronic music scenes. Now, this may be positive in that micro scenes will flourish, but in the bigger picture that big business is creeping in and with that comes the loss of the artform.
We have echo chambers protected by major labels, managers, agents. Take DNB for instance, with less and less smaller events and Spotify playlists dominated by sales by numbers, the younger new fans are just hearing what they are fed. They are not really getting the chance to hear anything different, so they won’t even know it exists?
A prime example of this is when I played a set at a Manchester event with heavily student based crowd. A young lad messaged me the day after explaining how he’s never heard DNB like that before and that’s when it clicked for me. We all know the problem and at the same time, some people are just trying to put food on the table. Some will not see a problem at all, so it’s all a matter of perspective I guess.
We are totally feeling this. It’s clearly a predicament that isn’t going to go away any time soon.
Okay, tell us a it about this absolutely stunning collection of music that is out today on Dispatch. There are five tracks, one of which is a colab (which we’re premiering)? Give us some info!
I have known Ant TC1 for many years from back when I was a DJ and promoter and we kept in touch on and off. Around mid 2022 I sent him a bunch of music from a folder I had destined for an album. Some split off into the R&S project and other remnants became this EP for Dispatch. The label has been a staple figure in DNB since I’ve been involved and being a fan and very much respectful of the imprint, it was a pleasure to join! We have crafted an EP that showcases all of the moods I can work with and the real science and journey behind it that will stand up to prove my artistic integrity .
We’re hearing you on that one! What are your plans for the near (or far) future as Antagonist? Any plans to do something completely off kilter?
I have just had to recently move studios from a space I was in for 7 years into a home studio. So there will be some adapting and re-syncing . And then I will begin sketching a load of new material and there will be more experimenting. I will be working on more projects for R&S, Dispatch and my own label Discipline but also some off shoots into downtempo and ambient, film score type things.
And to end, what would you like to say to the world at large? What’s your parting shot?
Just look after yourself and be a little stoic in nature, stay balanced and kind to those around you, we are only here visiting for a short time 🙂
Antagonist(antagonistuk)’s Favorite Music Links – Linktree
Stream Dispatch Recs | Ant TC1 music | Listen to songs, albums, playlists for free on SoundCloud
