In "SOUND CHECK," we check in with some of our favorite musicians.
Prince, Brian Eno, Q-Tip, and J Dilla: members of the band providing the soundtrack to my wedding to Agent Fox Mulder every night in my dreams? Uh…maybe. Influences of Brooklyn-based producer and star of his own T-shirt, Obey City? Definitely.
After taking the Warm Up 2013 stage with Kelela, Recloose, Kode9, and OC friend L-VIS 1990 this summer, Sam Obey dropped his debut LuckyMe Records EP Champagne Sounds, six club-ready tracks that masterfully fuse 80s drum table break-beats with hyper-funk synth loops. Obey's follow up, Merlot Sounds, is slated for release later this year, perhaps promising an aromatic yet moderately acidic collection of tracks best paired with a rich Beef Bourguignon. Wine humor aside, I caught up with the Astro Nautico co-founder and new dog father to talk upcoming releases, Four Loko, and the Ninja Turtles.
Emily Manning: I know you’re affiliated with Glasgow-based collective LuckyMe along with Lunice and Jacques Greene, but can you tell me a little bit more about your own label, Astro Nautico?
Obey City: Astro Nautico is a Brooklyn-based label born of friends; it was originally a radio show in Montréal started by Paul Jones (who also runs the visual creative collective PARIS GROUP INTERNATIONAL) that's gone through various mutations to end up where it is now. We've thrown parties, maintained a blog, put out free music and compilations, and very recently ventured into physical vinyl production. We're music lovers first and foremost and I think we just want to discover new sounds and expose them to as many people as will listen.
I sniffed around the Astro Nautico online shop; you have your own T-shirt! That’s one of my life’s dreams. As someone who’s spent alarming amounts of time and money cultivating a strong Looney Toons tall tee collection, I’m very curious: what’s the best T-shirt you’ve ever owned?
Haha, there's a very funny Seinfeld-like story behind that T-shirt. Basically someone drew that picture of me and it made Paul think of This Man. I don't think they're selling as much as we would have hoped, but I'm pretty sure Ryan Hemsworth bought one. The best T-shirt I've ever owned and currently still own is my "Lazy Guys Club" T-shirt. I think the reason is pretty self-explanatory.
You’ve been pretty active on your mixtape grind over the past few months, churning out stuff for SSENSE, The Fader, and Hepcat Radio. What sort of stuff have you been listening to recently? What releases over the past year have you kept in heavy rotation and is there anything due out this year you’re excited to hear?
Yes, I've done a handful of mixes recently. I always find them difficult to start but once I get flowing they really take their own form. I stockpile tons of tracks I come across that sort of fit in the wide net of my influences and contemporaries and mix and match until I see what fits. I like juxtaposition in mixes and unexpected stuff, without being too kitsc
Prince, Brian Eno, Q-Tip, and J Dilla: members of the band providing the soundtrack to my wedding to Agent Fox Mulder every night in my dreams? Uh…maybe. Influences of Brooklyn-based producer and star of his own T-shirt, Obey City? Definitely.
After taking the Warm Up 2013 stage with Kelela, Recloose, Kode9, and OC friend L-VIS 1990 this summer, Sam Obey dropped his debut LuckyMe Records EP Champagne Sounds, six club-ready tracks that masterfully fuse 80s drum table break-beats with hyper-funk synth loops. Obey's follow up, Merlot Sounds, is slated for release later this year, perhaps promising an aromatic yet moderately acidic collection of tracks best paired with a rich Beef Bourguignon. Wine humor aside, I caught up with the Astro Nautico co-founder and new dog father to talk upcoming releases, Four Loko, and the Ninja Turtles.
Emily Manning: I know you’re affiliated with Glasgow-based collective LuckyMe along with Lunice and Jacques Greene, but can you tell me a little bit more about your own label, Astro Nautico?
Obey City: Astro Nautico is a Brooklyn-based label born of friends; it was originally a radio show in Montréal started by Paul Jones (who also runs the visual creative collective PARIS GROUP INTERNATIONAL) that's gone through various mutations to end up where it is now. We've thrown parties, maintained a blog, put out free music and compilations, and very recently ventured into physical vinyl production. We're music lovers first and foremost and I think we just want to discover new sounds and expose them to as many people as will listen.
I sniffed around the Astro Nautico online shop; you have your own T-shirt! That’s one of my life’s dreams. As someone who’s spent alarming amounts of time and money cultivating a strong Looney Toons tall tee collection, I’m very curious: what’s the best T-shirt you’ve ever owned?
Haha, there's a very funny Seinfeld-like story behind that T-shirt. Basically someone drew that picture of me and it made Paul think of This Man. I don't think they're selling as much as we would have hoped, but I'm pretty sure Ryan Hemsworth bought one. The best T-shirt I've ever owned and currently still own is my "Lazy Guys Club" T-shirt. I think the reason is pretty self-explanatory.
You’ve been pretty active on your mixtape grind over the past few months, churning out stuff for SSENSE, The Fader, and Hepcat Radio. What sort of stuff have you been listening to recently? What releases over the past year have you kept in heavy rotation and is there anything due out this year you’re excited to hear?
Yes, I've done a handful of mixes recently. I always find them difficult to start but once I get flowing they really take their own form. I stockpile tons of tracks I come across that sort of fit in the wide net of my influences and contemporaries and mix and match until I see what fits. I like juxtaposition in mixes and unexpected stuff, without being too kitsc