Wilkinson Interview
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Interview with Wilkinson
Read our exclusive Wilkinson interview!
Wilkinson is currently one of the biggest names in Drum & Bass after his October 2013 release ‘Afterglow’ made its way into the UK Top Ten Chart. With new album ‘Lazers Not Included’ delighting fans, as well as paying a visit to Australia before the year is out, 2013 has been a good one for Wilkinson, and with a second album in the making, 2014 looks set to be even better.
Hi Mark, how are you?
I’m good thank you! Cold, but good!
How has 2013 been for you?
2013 has been a crazy year for me. It all kicked off in January and I’ve put out more records than I could have ever imagined. And my debut album is finally out!
You got into music when your parents bought you your first drum kit at nine, but you didn’t discover your passion for Dance until the age of 14; how did this transition come about?
It was a natural progression really; I was heavily into my Hip-Hop, but started getting into more Electronic music when I began playing around with music software. Then my brother gave me a Drum and Bass mixtape to check out and that was me hooked. I knew that’s what I wanted to create before I’d even set foot in a rave.
Congratulations on the release of your debut album on Ram Records, ‘Lazers Not Included’! What was the general feedback from fans and critics?
Thanks! It’s had a great reaction, more so than I ever expected. It’s made a lot of people start listening to Drum and Bass which is what I wanted to achieve with the album. It’s great seeing more and more people turn up to my shows that know my tunes. Obviously there are a few dickheads that say I’ve sold out with tunes like ‘Afterglow’, but that comes with the territory. I make the music I love and enjoy and I’d never sacrifice musical integrity for chart success. I’m just happy that people are enjoying the music I make.
You’ve been on the scene for a good few years, so what made October 2013 the right time to release it?
I’ve been writing the album for a long time and I wanted it to be perfect. It was originally meant to come out earlier, but I had a really inspired spring (in the UK) and I just wanted to write more tunes up until May.
Becky Hill features as vocals on ‘Afterglow’, and she also joined you for your Radio 1 Live Lounge set, how did the meeting between you both come about?
That came about through management. As soon as I heard her voice I was blown away! She’s got such a powerful voice and it sits over Drum and Bass so well. With such a highly energetic genre of music you need a powerful vocal that doesn’t get lost in the track. She delivers it live perfectly as well which is amazing.
On ‘Lazers Not Included’, you also feature vocals from Detour City and Iman; what do you look for in a vocalist?
I always like to use vocalists with a distinctive voice. I like all my tracks to sound different and unique from one another, so it’s important to use vocalists that fit well and stand out over the music.
Is there anyone you would like to work with who isn’t on the album?
There are so many artists I would have loved to work with on this album, but I’m pushing to work with them on my second album so I can’t say!
We know your British fans can’t wait to see you in Australia; have you been able to perform in the country previously?
Yeah I’ve actually toured in Australia every year for the last 3 years. I usually tour in December, which means I can avoid a bit of the British winter! [laughs] I love Australia, especially Sydney and Perth. Perth’s Drum and Bass scene always astounds me.
What can the crowds expect from your set?
I’m going to be representing my album, old and new Drum and Bass in a party style!
You’re also playing in New Zealand on 31st December 2013; what persuaded you to head there for New Year’s Eve?
The fact that I love New Zealand, it’s such a beautiful country and it’s one of the first places in the word to see the New Year in…and it’s not going to be minus 10 degrees!
Dance, Drum and Bass and Electronica are getting bigger and bigger internationally; do you think its ascent in mainstream charts has affected the quality of what’s coming out now and what people are listening to?
Not really; Drum and Bass has always had a degree of mainstream success. It’s such a diverse scene with different record labels, artists and club nights each representing such different styles, so mainstream success won’t be a bad thing. A bigger audience just means that more people will be coming to the club nights and raving, which has to be a good thing!
Do you think acts that don’t enter the mainstream charts are being ignored by the industry, because they may not be as profitable?
No, not at all. The Internet is such an interactive place now you don’t have to have chart success to be DJ’ing around the world and be selling records. That’s what I love about Drum and Bass; it has its own fan base that is extremely knowledgeable. They know what a tune is before it’s even been released or put up on YouTube.
You’ve remixed the likes of Chase and Status, Wiley and Professor Green; whose music are you currently looking to touch upon?
I’ve actually just done a remix for Naughty Boy which is out now, but other than that I’m not doing anymore remixes. I’m working on my next record instead.
What have you got in store for 2014?
Lots of gigs and tours and I’ll be working on my next album.
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