Today we've got an interview with the San Francisco based producer Specters, who also brings a seriously deep and dark guest mix along with him.
NT: Hey man, can you give us an introduction?
S: Well my name is Tyler Scully and produce under the name Specters. I've been producing music for about 6 years now but was in bands most my teen years. I basically try and make dark bass music whether that's dubstep, garage, hip hop, etc it's all about just getting those emotions and atmosphere into the music.
NT: As someone based pretty far away from the roots of the scene, how did you first get into the garage/dubstep sounds you produce today?
S: Yeah it's kinda funny since I was all about Noise music, which is probably the furtherest thing away from dance music ever. When Dubstep Allstars Vol. 3 came out my friend got it and showed me when we were going to a Noise show I was playing. I was just blown away by Kode 9 and Spaceape…how dark, emotional, and atmospheric it was. It really resonated with me, it sounded like Noise music with a half beat to it. Since I got into Dubstep at that time it was 2006 and the sound was still very Garage-y and Dubby, so naturally I went backwards into the roots and got into Garage and everything else. So nowadays I've just been going back to that root sound and trying to recapture that atmosphere.
NT: How did it feel to get your first solo release out on Sub Philo?
S: I've been friends with Thrills (who runs Sub Philo) for awhile now and he just got at me and said he wanted to put out some future garage stuff and asked if I had some tunes for him. I had been working on a few songs and he just loved them so the EP just came about naturally.
NT: How long have you been producing music, and do you produce any other styles?
S: Well producing music for 6 years started with Renoise (who else uses trackers?) then went to Reason then Ableton and now finally on Logic. Over the past 6 years I've gone from Noise music to House, Electro, Bassline, Dubstep, Garage, UK Funky, DnB, and dabbled a bit in Hip Hop stuff now…so basically I can do a lot of different styles but it's not so much about genre anymore but about getting emotions into the tunes and if that means going to 98 bpm then I will. Not purely making everything at 140 bpm or whatever.
NT: The tracks on your Hurt Me EP, all have a dark vibe and the names to go with it. Are you influenced at all by the environment around you, location, time of day, etc.?
S: Yeah I'm influenced by everything around me. I live out in Daly City (like 5 blocks from San Francisco) and it's always foggy and gloomy out here. But not just the location and environment since I hope when I move to LA I don't start wanting to make Skrillex shit. I'm much more influences by a sense of loneliness and isolation… that's what all my noise music was about and I'm trying to bring back that back into my music now.
NT: Can you explain your selection for the mix?
S: Well the mix is a combination of some of the tracks I've been into for the past few years and the more modern tunes. So it floats between Dubstep and Garage and some Bass music goodness. I wish I had more to say or it was more conceptual but that's it plus a few dubs by myself.NT: Do you have any more releases planned?
S: Currently I'm going to have an EP on Brap Dem! Recordings but what that will consist of I don't know yet. Also I have a few tunes I'm holding onto and waiting for the right label to release. I'm more working on a bunch of tunes and remixes I'm going to be giving away for free. Just trying to push the darker vibes.
NT: Finally, can you tell us your three favourite 'Night Tracks'?
S: That's a tough question haha there is so much good music going on right now. "3.5 Grams" by District is beyond huge. The other two I would pick aren't new tunes or anything just songs I listen to all the time and always forget to play in sets. "Something or Nothing (2000F & JKamata remix)" by Turboweekend and "Neighbourhood (El-B Remix)" by Zed Bias, both such big tunes that I listen to probably too much (or at least my girlfriend would say I listen to them way too much).
NT: Thanks for your time man! If you like your music deep and dark, then turn your attention to Specter's guest mix below!
1. Specters - War Never Changes [Dub]
2. Kryptic Minds & Youngsta - Cold Blooded [Orisis Music UK]
3. Skream - Kut Off [Tempa]
4. Specters - Untitled [Dub]
5. Specters - Died Long Ago [Dub]
6. Pangaea - Coiled [Hessle Audio]
7. Jason Burns - Die 4 U [Brap Dem! Recordings]
8. Pangaea - Router [Hessle Audio]
9. Reso - Her Eyes [Self-Release]
10. Clubroot - Sempiternal [LoDubs Records]
11. The Others - Bushido (Caspa Remix) [Dub Police Records]
12. Specters - Untitled [Dub]
13. DJG & Headhunter - Spacecake [Wheel & Deal]
14. Cyrus - Looking Back [Chestplate]
15. Specters - Hurt Me (Sines Remix) [Free]
2. Kryptic Minds & Youngsta - Cold Blooded [Orisis Music UK]
3. Skream - Kut Off [Tempa]
4. Specters - Untitled [Dub]
5. Specters - Died Long Ago [Dub]
6. Pangaea - Coiled [Hessle Audio]
7. Jason Burns - Die 4 U [Brap Dem! Recordings]
8. Pangaea - Router [Hessle Audio]
9. Reso - Her Eyes [Self-Release]
10. Clubroot - Sempiternal [LoDubs Records]
11. The Others - Bushido (Caspa Remix) [Dub Police Records]
12. Specters - Untitled [Dub]
13. DJG & Headhunter - Spacecake [Wheel & Deal]
14. Cyrus - Looking Back [Chestplate]
15. Specters - Hurt Me (Sines Remix) [Free]