Phil Kieran Interview

It’s no stretch of the imagination to proclaim that Phil Kieran is one of the global techno scene’s longest serving and most endearing servants. For over 15 years the Irishman has been throwing down techno bombs on the scene’s most credible labels, inducing Tiga’s Turbo Recordings and Novamute (on which he remixed Depeche Mode). And let’s not forget his breakthrough track ‘Skyhook’ which is widely considered to be a dance floor classic. With the recent news of his upcoming album release on Hot Creations, the techno Dj also announced an Australian tour which will include him playing alongside a 12-piece Chamber Orchestra in Melbourne’s Revolver (highly recommended if you can make it!). We caught up with the legend for a quick chat about his new album, his foray playing with a Chamber Orchestra and more…

Firstly, you have a glorious discography which stretches back too the start of the millennium. Looking back over what you’ve done to date, which track is the dearest to your heart and why?  

Yeah weirdly I was showing somebody my Discogs page on the weekend, there is quite a lot of stuff on there and it’s one of the reasons I’ve slowed down with my output. I’m still making a lot of music, but I’m just more selective about what I release. I’m really proud of releasing the ‘Skyhook’ track and my remix of Nitzer Ebb, both on Novamute. The ‘Skyhook’ track took me round the world so I’m very grateful for all the good times its given to me, and the people who have enjoyed it over the years.

Your fourth album is about to be released on Jamie Jones’ Hot Creations which is pretty huge! Congrats! Entitled ‘Blinded by the Sun’, the name is a ‘metaphor between the burning star and his experiences as a DJ’. You must’ve seen and experienced some things in your time; how have you managed to stay shielded and unaffected rom the more damaging side of the industry?

Well, I wouldn’t say I’m shielded or unaffected from it all, but I’m just observing something around me and trying to turn it into music. Where there is light there is darkness, and I was interested in trying to tap into something very real that I could see around me, and nobody seems to document it. I imagined myself driving around London or New York late at night feeling quite raw, and that moment something comes on the stereo that just connects with how you’re feeling.”

There are a couple of tracks referencing the darker side of the industry. The album seems like it was a cathartic experience for you. Have you come to a point in your life where you had to step back and re-asses where you are at?

The album tells a story from the start, so it is not an album about my life. I want anyone listening to it apply it to their own personal experiences. Yes, I pulled from personal experiences to write the music, but I want it to be an open canvas for the listener to apply it to themselves. Everyone makes music for nightclubs, and I wanted to write something that is like looking at the bits of debris after an explosion.

4. The album isn’t all doom and gloom though and the last half seems to be the ‘glass half full’ section of the album ha! During the production of the album you also read the Martin Luther King book ‘Strength to Love’, a book which references the need for Agape (the highest form of love), and you even named a track ‘Find Love’. It  is starting to sound like the production of this album was quite a cathartic experience for you. After reading the book, did you find some resolve about where you are at, and life in general? 

I think the single ‘Make A Change’ had the connection with ‘Strength to Love’ – it was the starting point for the album. I envisioned it getting deeper and deeper into somebody’s personal thought process and looking at the more beautiful things in life, but from a dark place. The album finishes with ‘Find Love’, meaning thats the answer at the end of it all. I love trying to make music that can contact the deepest, darkest parts of your thought process, but giving you hope and light at the end of the tunnel. Music should empower people to do better things with their life, and ultimately come away feeling more positive.

For this album you decided to go a more organic route using musicians and original sounds. Is this the first time you’ve gone this route? Can you play any instruments and did you play some of the instruments yourself on the album? And what sort of instruments did you trial which didn’t make the final cut?

No its not the first time. I started a band called Alloy Mental around 2004 that was a three piece live punk/ techno thing that had a lot of live elements. I also worked on another project that went under the name Le Carousel that was around 2013 which was maybe even more indie than anything I’ve done before. When I was a teenager I played the drums and guitar, and I also went to piano lessons from the age of 8 or 9 years old.

Vocalist Jess Brien features on all but one of the tracks on the album. Was this the first time that you worked this comprehensively with a vocalist on a project? And was it a more collaborative effort or was the ideas already set before you approached Jess?

I met Jess by chance in a venue called The Limelight and she told me she sang, so I asked her to send me a demo so I could hear her voice. I didn’t think it would ever come to much but when I listened to the demo I was kind of blown away and thought she sounded amazing. I had the track ‘Make a change’ already written with my vocals on it, so I thought I would get her in to trial her for the track – and it sounded great so we just kept working together. I did a similar thing on my Le Carousel project with Roisin Stewart who did all the female vocals (though a lot of that was more backing vocals, and in this record Jess is more the lead vocal).

In Melbourne you will be playing a special one-off show with a 12-piece Chamber Orchestra at Revolver alongside some of the the club’s residents. Have you ever been involved with anything like this, and how did this all come together? What do you have in-store for punters?

It was talked about around nine months ago and I thought it was a great idea. It’s been a crazy journey from feeling like it’s a really good idea, to about two months ago when total panic set in as I’m on the other side of the planet and it seemed like it wasn’t going to work. But then there was a moment when it all just slotted into place and the demos coming back were sounding amazing! At one stage I actually had tears in my eyes listening back to one of the compositions. Im still a little nervous, but, mostly, extremely excited. I don’t want to give away the tracks I’m playing, but we want it to be entertaining and fun for people.

You were personally asked by Depeche Mode to remix ‘Sweetest Perfection’. That is pretty huge! Did you know the band personally when this request happened or did it come out of the blue for you?

It came at a time when things were quite quiet for me, and out of the blue I heard that Martin Gore was a fan of my music and he personally requested for me to do the remix. I was also told it was his only choice. I’m not sure how much of this is true, but thats the story I’m sticking with! I’m a huge Depeche Mode fan so it was a very big deal for me at the time.

In the past you have worked on film soundtracks. Out of curiosity, what do you consider to be the best film soundtrack ever and why?

I’ve never actually done my own sound track work, but I’ve done lots of little bits for David Holmes over the years as he is a personal friend of mine. I was supposed to do my first feature film last year, but some differences of opinion came up and it didn’t work out. Personally I love the soundtrack to ‘Scarface’.

And finally, what are you most looking forward to about your Australian visit?

I’m looking forward to so much as I’ve become good friends with a few people in Melbourne! Really I’m just looking forward to some nice dinners, play some cool music and just have a great time!

Tour dates 
Sunday 11th September: SASH, Sydney
Wednesday 14th September: CO+LAB @ Revolver, Melbourne
Friday 16th September: Geisha Bar, Perth
Saturday 17th September: My Aeon, Melbourne
Sunday 18th September: Our House, Launceston