We recently released dgoHn's drum and bass track "Puik," remastered by Macc and digitally available for the first time. Along with it, John included "Drainbow," another track from around 2010.
Below is a back and forth with dgoHn about dnb production and various recent projects.
Click play and read along:
dgoHn: I spent a while looking for it on old hard drives and almost gave up, but in the end, I found it on a DVD with a bunch of other backed up pre-masters.
dgoHn: I recently upgraded to a new PC, DAW and a few new bits and pieces - for someone so very set in their ways it was a fair bit to get used to.
Nic: So has much changed with your process in writing drum and bass since upgrading?
dgoHn: No.
dgoHn: The collaboration with Jodey was something that was probably always gonna happen since the two of us became friends. The Kunst thing that we ended up releasing wasn’t exactly what I initially thought a collaboration project between Jodey and myself would sound like - but with the interests we both have and the things we spoke about often it really does make sense. We sort of intend to do more stuff together, but it may take some time for us to work out what we want to do next and hit the right groove.
The Devils album was something that I think is a more accurate representation of the music I make all the time. Most people will know me as a drum and bass or drumfunk artist - and that's ok but I don’t see it that way. I make lots of different styles, but I don’t often send this other stuff out to labels as most of the labels who contact me about releasing with them are drum and bass labels or are expecting the style of music that I have become known for.
Nic: Right, those are some of the reasons I’ve become very content in self-releasing material. Devils seems to have done quite well on Bandcamp, you reckon you'll self-release more material?
dgoHn: Definitely gonna do more self released Bandcamp stuff, just not sure when.
Nic: And is the production process different when you approach something that isn’t "drumfunk"?
dgoHn: Whatever the genre or style of music - the process is always the same, although it may be slightly different when working on a collaboration project.
dgoHn: Through trial and error. I had no idea about anything when I started, still don't really. I bought a computer and learned with friends and by myself.
I did end up doing a foundation music production course at one stage but by then I already knew everything they were teaching. And although it was very basic stuff, the course was a lot of fun.
Nic: Your tracks often feature chords and melodies that are uncommon in drum and bass. Do you play them on a keyboard?
dgoHn: I do play chords and melodies on a keyboard, but more often than not I program everything. When I do play stuff, I usually have to edit or quantize because I'm not all that good. I sometimes, rarely, have a scale in mind but most of the time, regarding music theory, I have no idea what I'm doing. If I can be arsed I find out what the scale is after I'm done.
I just try to find the notes I hear in my mind and do something that I think sounds right or maybe even wrong.
Nic: When I sample a break I have to really focus to not use all the hits in my main loop. Your tracks stand out in that you have different fills and variations that are paced out in the progression. How do you keep it organized?
dgoHn: I don’t - it’s always an extraordinary mess.
Nic: Your more processed drum edits seem to react to other effects or work as layers on the main drum break. When do you start putting edits into your track?
dgoHn: Both [as I go along and towards the end], although the bulk tends to be towards the ends as I find it easier to do it that way.
dgoHn: Local Honey on Devils, Goatskin Server from the Kunst project, and Daisy Takes Two from the Undesignated Proximate album.
Nic: Daisy Takes Two - I really dig the dissonant, oscillating synth note that sits under the breakdown. And the drum progression goes back to what I mentioned with pacing out the variations and fills. Did you start from scratch with the break for Daisy Takes Two?
dgoHn: I did start from scratch with the break on Daisy Takes Two, but there are also a few hits from another similar-ish sounding break in there, more toms and snares and a few ride hits, which allowed a little more freedom in the drum programming.
dgoHn: Ableton, lots of audio files, lots of vsts and some very old midi controllers.
Nic: Thinking back over the last couple of years. If you care to share, what did you do during lockdown? Did it impact your production?
dgoHn: I got another dog and it slowed production down an awful lot. I love my dogs.
Nic: Anything else you want to tell people?
dgoHn: Stay out of trouble.
Release date 2022.
More PCMS releases by: dgoHn.
Artwork by: Nic Taylor.
PCMS, Pinecone Moonshine (C) 2023.