Deeprhythms

A new wave of Australian electronic music? Whatever it is, it’s highly contagious! Pat Brick aka DJ Life from Melbourne offers a razor-sharp head-bopping selection of cutting edge acidic electro, atmospheric euphoria, and boomy breakbeats.
Keep your eye out on this prolific producer with many fine releases to follow his recent feats on Earth Plates, Gestalt, Misplace Records and Itch Side Records this year. Psssst – one ep on our forthcoming label too… but it’s a secret.
I also had a good chat with Pat, so let’s go!

Hi there Pat, thanks for taking the time to speak with me! Let’s start with a bit of biographical detail.

Yoyo thanks for having me 🙂 I’m from Melbourne Australia, been here for most my life!

I got introduced to your excellent productions via the “Grout EP” on Gestalt Records. Can you tell us a little how you got started with producing music and what motivated you?

I always had a huge urge to make my own songs since I was about 13, but since I was so young I couldn’t find the proper programs to make stuff. I had Fruity Loops when I was 15 but never really got into it. Found out about Ableton and synths when I was 17 and haven’t really stopped!
Some of the biggest motivations for me is that making music is just so fun, I’m always tweaking or recording stuff that I can use. Also when I hear a track I love I get super excited to make something of that quality.

How did you get introduced to dance music?

My brothers were gamers back when I was a kid so I ended up hearing a fair bit of trance and hardstyle while they were playing. The good stuff happened when I was introduced to Khris Baha at a local nightclub, then it all went from there

Is the dancing as important as the music?

I always like to bop around and I’m not afraid to let loose a bit, but I know people who just aren’t dancers but love the music. Music always comes first for me! I can’t dance to something I don’t like!

Which came first, DJ’ing or producing? How do you see these two aspects complimenting each other?

Hmm, I think they came about the exact same time, I was starting to DJ and got some cheap turntables but was frustrated I couldn’t find as much music as I wanted, and buying vinyl was super expensive so I tried to start making my own tracks (terribly).
I don’t DJ out much at the moment but I think producing could give you a better sense of timing and how tracks might work together before you play them (mixing wise). It was great to hear some of my tracks played on some big speakers :O

Tell us a good story about a club night where you were DJ’ing and suddenly…

Not a nightclub but I was djing in an illegal park rave earlier this year. Me and my friends found this dude that owns a set of function ones so we got a generator and set up a rave. With a fairly hefty lineup of locals it attracted a lot of attention from the local scene, a bunch of people came and it got a bit out of control.
My friend got bottled and riot police came to shut the party down with a helicopter as well. Ended up spending the rest of my night at the hospital while the other organizers cleaned up { Thanks guys 😉 }

Can you tell us a little about your current musical endeavors, what are you currently working on?

Have been on an absolute grind atm! Really looking to work hard this year on the music thing, I think my sound is going a bit more dance music and I’m very slowing settling into a sound that I think I’ll stick to for a bit.
Also working on a little Melbourne based music compilation with local artists that may not have had that much public spotlight who I think is super talented so keep yer eyes peeled!

You have a fantastic track on the fantastic Earth Plates Vol 1. Compilation ep? Tell us a story about that!

Super fun and weird story, Gnork just kinda msg’d me on SoundCloud aggges back when I had about 100 followers which was unreal since he and the Blorp peeps were such an inspiration to me (blorp002 was one of my first record purchases).

He asked if I had any unreleased stuff and I send him literally everything I had hahaha, Rock the beat was chosen! Is super cool to be on the VA with other super talented producers like louis//louis #130e0A and Gnork

Your music has a lot of organic qualities in it, do you think this comes from producing with hardware?

Hmm, I like using weird chirps and found samples a lot, like some of my high hats are twigs snapping (super organic I know right?). I usually just use my synths (MS2000 and JP08) to make super lush pads and twangy chirps. Most of my Grout ep was done on the MS2000 with the inbuilt mod delays!

What’s the last musical gadget you bought and what are you lusting after?

The last thing I bought was a Korg M1 but literally haven’t used it, found it at an op shop (Thift?) for $200. Also got an MPC1000 with inspiration to do a live set one day but its sole purpose is for a live set and random jams

Do you have any fond musical memories from your childhood?

My favourite song for a really long time was Techno Tetris by the Aphex Twin on Limewire, so I guess I’ve been listening to an Aphex twin since I was about 10 hahaha!

Just recently I was reintroduced to ps2 game OST’s and it brought back some massive electro/matrix music memories back to me

What was the first record or a song that made a lasting impression on you?

Hmm might be the first 2 of the first 3 records I bought which was the Blorp002 record and Lou Karsh 001


Probably had a big influence on me since i was literally just mixing back and forth with them painfully clanging the beats together.

What would you consider to be the five most personal records to you and why?

Salt mines – VA 002 – Has that Hymns-Route acid track on it which is just had the acid line in it, so killer deep and nice

DJ Zozi – Mellow Vibe ep – Made me so in love with breaks and nice lil padz, d.tiffany is one of my favs. Should check her inner varnika 2017 liveset SO good

Sleep D – Velvet Vortex (BSR004) – So nice luscious and deep, certified banger in my lil circle. Whenever we play or hear it we kinda give each other the nod

Futers – U Get Me ep – Played this as the last track of the mix, awesome moodyacid/breaks/pads which has definitely steered me in a direction! Sick party track on it as well

Lou Karsh – Rhythms EP (LKR001) – As I said before so nice, left an imprint on me music wise!

I myself think that in the last of 2 or 3 years there’s been kind of an electronic music revival! A lot of indie labels & artist are releasing super interesting creations without any compromises or commercial ambitions, just doing it for the love of music. Do you share this view and where do you think it comes from?

I think the world is becoming super connected because of the internet and each scene that would have been more distinct is kind of blurring in a sense. People are really keen to show the world what they have.
It’s easier now than ever to make your label or get the resources needed to run your own jam how you want to and there’s always someone out there who’ll listen. I think it’s really good for the industry because it drives more people to listen, create and adds a bit of competition to do well.

Also Australia is on the forefront of forward-thinking electronic music, what’s behind this new wave of Australian electronic music thing (yeah, I made that up)? And who do you think deserve more attention than they get currently?

Typing this up I’ve realized how many people from Aus that produce the goods haha. Andy Garvey, Escape artist, Roy Mills, FIBRE OPTIXXX, Loif. So many good peeps here! You’ll just have to fly down and suss em out!

Can you describe a perfect DJ Life track, what are the ingredients?

I am a sucker for a really nice pad, 303 often, chopping breaks, nice syncopated hats or lil twerps. Try to get an emotional response from the track as well!

So the mix, can you tell us a little something about that? It also has that same organic vibe to it although some of the tracks are super quantized electro cuts!

I included some unreleased track of mine which is always fun to do. Also just wanted to play what I’d do in a club, get people bopping along. Give it a relatively clear experience of my record box just kind picking out tracks I love :0. A couple of friends in the room with a few beers on a Friday night!

Many thanks again Pat, anything you’d like to add?

Thanks for having me 😀 all the best! Keen to for the future of Deep Rhythms

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TRACKLIST COMING UP! 🙂

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