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DRUM & BASS Hey, how are you - what you been up to recently? Hi, good thanks. I've been in the studio finishing off my album the past few months, it's finally all finished and ready to go! Nice! For those that don't know, where are you based? I'm based in Nottingham. It's all good, there's plenty of music go- ing on around the city, from bands to club nights. Drum & Bass wise there's nights put on by BassLayerz and Deto- nate, as well as the Detonate festi- val which always has a big line up. There seems to be more attention on acts coming out of Nottingham lately from all sorts of genres. Am I right in thinking you're the same Kumarachi who made dub- step in 2011/2012? Yeah, I did make a few tunes. I got introduced to dubstep by friends and just ended up having a go really. I had fair bit of radio support on Rinse and BBC stations for the tunes I was making, and had a track featured on Plastician's "Dubstep Allstars" mixtape which was released on Tempa. I used to do a radio show on Rogue FM in Nottingham that would be 50/50 d&b and dubstep so I was still on d&b as well during that time. There was a break between 2012 and 2014 in releases, what was happening then? I was really busy with work, but was still making tunes when I had time just not getting so many releases together. I think that few years has helped me be much more productive with my studio time though, as well as appreciat- ing the time I get to have making music even more. When you did return, you were making drum & bass, why drum & bass? Well I actually produce drum & bass for a while before then too, I just hadn't had many releases out. Some of my early d&b tracks got some support from Komatic on Bassdrive back in the day in around 2009/2010. The thing that I like about d&b is how open it is in terms of being able to draw influence from any other form of music in terms of sampling or instrumentation it will usually be able to be adapted into the genre. I first started getting into d&b around 2000-ish maybe a few years earlier listening wise. But then became more serious on the production side with some better equipment around 2005/6. I think the first time I heard d&b on a heavy sound system was at the Bomb in Nottingham. I was shocked at the physicality of the tunes on that system, then trying to replicate that at home and blowing a few speakers on the way! Haha, literally tearing it up in the studio! What were the first D&B tunes you can remember that inspired you to start producing? Logical Progression tunes on Good Looking were definitely an early in- spiration, New Forms by Roni Size as well. Then as I got more into it I started looking into all sorts of other tunes by High Contrast, Krust, Die. You've got a album coming out very soon on Audio Addict, Flash Back, how's the process been? Yeah, it's been good cheers. Alex mentioned about maybe doing an album as I'd had a few EP's out on Audio Addict previously so it was a bit of a logical next step really. I started it over Christmas last year. I wrote around 40 tracks, then nar- rowed it down to 20. Then sorted the final list with Alex (Hybrid) from Audio Addict. '4 AM Where You Are' with Liam Bailey is a personal highlight for me. I've known Liam for ages so to have him on there is wicked. This tune was also a bit of a prob- lem actually! I had it written but couldn't think what to do with it next, then Liam dropped his vocal on it and that was that! You've had quite a few bits out with Audio Addict and sister labels beforehand. What's it like working with them? Its been really good, with Hybrid being so involved with DJing and producing he has at times had some really good advice on tweak- ing or re-arranging bits here and there if something might need it. The album is huge, firm roots in the older style with clear nods ahead in the tracks. Was that what you were aiming for? Thanks really glad you like it. Yeah that was exactly what I was after, you've hit the nail on the head! You seem to draw influence from other styles outside of d&b. Did you find merging them into your d&b style easy? Yeah I'll give anything a listen, es- pecially if there's basslines in it! It's all just practice and having a way of working. I was finding it quite easy as once I got into a rhythm of making the tunes. Once the album is out, what's next for you? Release wise, I've had another EP signed which will be out on Ghetto Dub early next year, a few collabs on the way and I'll be writing more tunes all the time. I'm hoping to do a few guest slots on a few radio shows to help promote the album, then any gigs that follow on from there. If you could play anywhere in the world, where would that be? I think the festivals over in Europe look amazing to play at. It's great to see the likes of Let It Roll, In- novation and Sun and Bass doing so well for drum and bass. But also the smaller ones with a variety of different music like Soundwave. Outlook as well as the rest of the Croatian festivals look like they'd be ace to play at. What's the worst job you've ever done? I've had plenty of jobs over the years, the worst was probably working in a factory putting gusset tape in womens swimwear when I was younger. Think I lasted a week there! What's the most trouble you've ever been in? Plenty! no further comment haha... What would your super hero power be? Flying... who wouldn't want to fly! Going by the name Kumarachi, this drum & bass producer has been rattling around on the underground regularly dropping prime club bangers. Building on his records success, Kumarachi has been working on an album which is ready to drop this October. " The thing that I like about d&b is how open it is in terms of being able to draw influence from any other form of music " follow @Kumarachi 43 2016 / ISSUE 92 Arren Haynes | Guestlist