Artist Profile – TRCD – (UK)
As I settle in for a bitterly-cold winter here in the mountains of Colorado, I find myself changing in the same way as the seasons. Festivals and outdoor shows go by the wayside, and I’m left huddling in a club to supplement my lack of sunlight with lasers, lights and sound. My taste in music shifts, and I slowly gravitate towards darker and harder subgenres of music.
Of course, my first pick when I think of heavy hitting DNB is Neurofunk. Its highly technical production, ripping basslines, and unparalleled amount of energy are hard to beat as a subgenre. With such a high bar, artistry and production skills are pushed to their maximum. You would think there’s a limit to the amount of creativity neuro artists possess, but after thirty years of innovation and evolution, you’d be dead wrong.
Luckily for us, we’re joined by one of the heavy hitters of the neuro scene to get some insight on this highly technical subgenre, as well as talk about his latest EP “Breaking Point” out now on his co-founded label VTO Records.
Here with us from Guildford, England is TRCD! Also known as Dan Taylor.
He’s been producing music for over 20 years, with a full decade of that focused on neurofunk. And he’s not just a talented artist, but also a skilled DJ that’s played shows for Neuroheadz, Virus Recordings, and a smattering of other events in Europe.
With such an extensive history in the scene, it’s no surprise that he’s affiliated with numerous labels such as VTO, Eatbrain, Cause4Concern, Evolution Chamber, Blackout, Trendkill, Close 2 Death, and many more.
TRCD, thanks so much for joining us today! I know it’s quite busy with your new EP release and the holiday season, so we really appreciate you sitting down with us to talk.
Starting off, I wanted to ask a bit about your history with production. What genre or genres originally inspired you to start creating music before getting into neurofunk?
I’ve been producing for over 20 years. I started out making hardcore, then moved on to acid techno and hard trance, then a bit of electro house and dubstep.
I worked in a records store when I was younger with Dj Optiv (RIP) and Hip Hop Dj Jazz T. I was introduced to so much music. Drum & Bass also being one of the many genres. So I managed to build up quite a collection of all different styles of music and loved every one of them, hence why I tried my hand at all of them. Drum & bass was the one that I found the hardest to make. Back then everything was made with hardware and wasn’t as accessible as it is now, so it wasn’t until youtube come along with some tutorials that I fully understood how to make it. But as I started late, I use all the music I have ever made to influence the neuro I make now, as I have picked up so many different techniques that relate to those styles of music and use them when producing Neuro.
Your DAW of choice is Cubase Pro 14, is that what you’ve always stuck with? They’ve been in the game for a good amount of time!
I actually started on cubase then moved to Logic for a bit. Then went back to cubase and stuck with it since I know it like the back of my hand and love the workflow. Did give ableton a short go but didn’t like the workflow. I have been tempted lately to move to Bit Wig though, as I tried the demo and was really impressed. It’s kinda like if cubase and ableton had a child as it felt like a mix of the 2.
By this point in your career, I’m sure you’ve collected some fun “toys” to round out your setup. Do you have any favorite synths or other outboard goodies that you like to incorporate in your production? Are there any pieces of gear you’ve yet to get your hands on that you’d like to eventually add?
I have a Behringer Pro One and Neutron and I have linked them up as they are both modular synths so I can make some cool sounds on them which can sound very unique compared to a sound made in serum.
I do use serum and Phaseplant a lot too but it’s good to have a mix of outboard and VST synths in a track.
If I had the money I would definitely go down the Modular rabbit hole as some of that stuff is just wild!
You certainly put that gear to good use! The amount of technicality and production in your music is on another level. What kind of wisdom would you give to producers getting into the neuro scene today?
I like to keep things interesting and add in musical elements and introduce a different sound every 16 bars and then switch things up a bit at 32 bars. Follow that rule and don’t just settle for making 1 note chuggers. Yes they have plenty of energy on the dance floor, but they don’t stand out from each other. There are so many tracks in neuro that are sounding the same these days. Tracks need character to stand out from the rest. A perfect example in my opinion of a great neuro tune is Ekwols’s track “We Are.” Not only does it have energy but also has music and is tuneful.
The vibe for me is also the most important thing about a tune. There are tracks that have amazing mix downs but can be quite boring so the vibe is always the important part for me. My mix downs are not great but I make sure the tunes have a vibe.
One more thing….The best advice I was given was to be Humble and stay grounded so if you stick to those 2 things you should do ok.
That brings me to your latest EP, “The Breaking Point.” What a great way to ring in the new year! Is this a bit of a tradition for you? You like dropping off heaters around this time of the year.
It has become a bit like that. I normally work on an EP or release between other projects throughout the year and that way they all come together near the end of the year. No Ghosts No Gimmicks was the last track I made for the EP and that was finished in early november.
Your first tune, “No Ghosts, No Gimmicks” is a great encapsulation of the neuro sound. Heavy driving basslines, crisp drums, and enough dirt to give any raver a bassface. It feels fresh and oldschool at the same time, how did you get such a perfect balance?
Again that goes back to what I said about a mix of outboard synths and VST synths. I also took a step back on that track and went back to how I would approach a track when I first started to write dnb – that is to play around making weird noises on a outboard synth while recording the whole jam session, and then picking out the bits I like, then resample them and process them more in cubase and use that as a starting point. It’s just a no nonsense neuro tune, no gimmicks.
One of the tunes that really stands out to me is “Break Point.” I was not expecting it to start off with a slamming metal breakdown, this goes hard! Metal is crossing over more and more with the heavier DNB subgenres, has this always been a thing? Do you think you’ll incorporate more metal flavors in your music for the future?
It’s actually not the first track I’ve done with a metal influence, the first being “Kamikaze” which I did with Transforma for Eatbrain.
This track was written as an intro tune for a festival set, but I liked it so I made a better track with it. I might clean up the original idea at some point and release it as a VIP though, as the original did end up on a podcast mix I did.
Metal and punk were the genres I grew up listening to, so I will definitely do more tracks with that influence in the future, and would love to work with some guitarists in the future. So if there is anyone reading this and you think you could write a sick riff, fire is it over to me and I’ll credit you on the track.
This EP also marks the return of a big dancefloor favorite, “The Beast.” I didn’t think you could improve on something already so good, but your new VIP proves otherwise. How would you describe the change in approach to giving this tune a fresh taste? What makes it stand out?
The original approach for this was to have a tune that only I had as an exclusive tune for my sets, but obviously Lee UHF (label partner) had it as well. Then I gave it to a few others as well, but the plan was that it was going to be a forever dub.
The main differences on the VIP to the original is the vip obviously has the cliche half time second drop, but also the vip has more energy and more basses added in for some questions and answers. I also think the mix down is much better on the vip.
The reason for the change of heart and releasing it was purely because I was asked about it all the time, so there was a demand so I thought I might as well release it.
You’re the co-founder of VTO Records, and looking at the amount of releases, this has been your biggest year yet. Congratulations! What sets you apart as a label, and what kind of aesthetic are you using for your brand? It feels retro, I really dig it!
Thanks, Yes it’s been a busy year with the label for myself and Lee (Lee UHF)
We try to keep things grounded and the artist comes first. If you look after the artist they will come back with more music. It’s simple as that. We also try to sign tracks for their character, something that will stick out in a set. We like music where the artist has thought outside of the box a little.
We are still young as a label but we are starting to get our own sound now, I think that is important when trying to stand out from the others.
What’s your biggest challenge starting a new record label? I imagine it would be quite the task managing so many talented artists.
Lee does a lot behind the scenes as the label manager. As the A&R I probably have the easier job than him, so a lot of the success and stability of the label is Lee’s management.
Could you give us some hints as to any upcoming work or collaborations with other artists you have in the works? Your momentum is hard to stop, tell us what the future has in store for you!
I have 2 EPs planned for next year and a load of singles releases with a few collabs in there as well.
I have just done a remix of a classic Cause 4 Concern track that will be out next year that I’m very excited for, as Ed and Mark have played a very important part in my career. So to remix one of their tunes is very special to me.
But the next one out the door next month is a collab tune with The Fi5th for Evolution Chamber, which is a label I can’t wait to work with. Those guys have a similar vision for their label as we do for VTO.
Are there any artists that you’ve yet to collab with, but that you’d like to in the future?
Would love to collab with Prolix, Ekwols, Magnetude, Gydra, State of Mind,MNDSCP, Stonx to name a few.
Did you want to talk about anything else before I let you go?
Just a huge thanks to those who have supported my music and those who have just discovered my music and enjoy it, I appreciate people who have enjoyed my creativity. It means a lot.
TRCD, thanks so much for giving us your insight on your work, the new EP, and what it’s like leading the charge on the ever expanding neuro scene. I wish you a wonderful new year, and look forward to hearing more amazing music from you!
