6 Questions: with… The Q4

This is the second edition of 6 Questions, after the debut featuring Sonny Noir of the Riot Control podcast a few weeks ago. This time round we have Dutch production maestros The QuadrophoniQuartet – but not just one of them speaking on behalf of the group, oh no siree, answers from each of them to every question! With this dedication they are really spoiling us! You may recall the Q4 from Unearthing MySpace Gems last year – they are a Dutch trio with an emphasis on jazz, hip-hop, and just general fat beats, but hey, let them tell you themselves…

1. Who are you?
Sense: My name is Sense, or when amongst family, Daniel Tiuri Wils. I live in Amsterdam and I’m 21 years old.
STW: I’m Robbert Reus, also known as STW. I’ve got a beard.
Arts: My name is Bas, or Arts The Beatdoctor. I don’t have beard but I’m pretty recognizable by my glasses.
Sense: The sense is tall dark and handsome, and walks kind of funny.

2. What do you do?
STW: I’m always in-between jobs, kind of like Donald Duck, but apart from that I make music. I play guitar in a rock band and I freak with samples and any instrument I can get to make some sort of hip-hop-like songs, without raps. So I add lots of samples to keep it interesting. I like to join jam sessions in local bars too. My role in The Q4 is kind of a combination of this all.
Sense: Basically what I do is build with whatever skill I’m blessed with, to try to make something out of nothing. I do a lot of music, I usually have about 4/5 projects running at a time, preferably with a lot of different people. Apart from that I do some graphical stuff, I have a t-shirt company for which I do the designs and such, and I also run a web/graphic design business. I also paint a lot of canvasses, make stuff from old records or, do some cartoons et cetera. Basically how I make music, is by taking a piano solo from say an old Duke Ellington record, chop it up into individual notes, and pitch/rearrange them to form a melody. I might then pick up a Ray Brown record to take some base notes of to create a baseline under it in the same way. In this way I’ll keep adding things, varying from Nina Simone vocals to Afghani strings to dolphin sounds to create really orchestrated, hip-hop/jazz/dnb/dub beats, almost alike film music. Due to the amount of samples that usually go into these tracks (varying from about 300 to a 1000 and up), the fact that I have to look for fitting sounds on old records, and the unfortunate truth that I don’t know the first thing about notes and chord-structures; these ‘musicollages’ can take me anywhere from a day till up to a year to finish. Generally I make instrumental music, based on such a sample structure. However I might record musicians over the track, to add say a sax solo or a baseline with a more ‘live-feel’ to it, and have also started to work on several projects with mcs/poets/singers.
Arts: Sense said it all.

3. Why do you do it?
STW: A while ago the bartender begged me to play, to stop an annoying piano player from playing his evergreens. I also have the urge to win online beatbattles, must be vanity. Sometimes Sense gets mad when I don’t do much. So basically, I just have to.
Sense: Haha. Yeah…
Arts: This is what I do! I like nothing more.
Sense: There’s several ways of leaving this place, most of which are destructive, and will leave you with nothing but a hangover. Except for a number of art forms, who are constructive, and leave you with something you’ve created to smile at the next morning. I found the latter is better in my case.

4. So what’s new?
Arts: Next week my solo album (Transitions) will drop in Japan (through P-Vine), next month in the rest of the world, and then my Arts Live band tour will start. I’m pretty curious how the world will react – my EP (Fragments) did pretty well, so this is about to be a very fun time. Next to The Q4 and my solo projects, Quintessence (who plays most of the instruments on my album) and me started Quanda Productions, we focus a bit on the more vocal side of music. Apart from that I’ve started a remix project – the next few months I will be mainly doing remixes, and get on as much releases as possible with that.
STW: Everyday I’m making new music. It keeps adding up. Today I was working on a kinda corny love song, a few days ago I made some drunk party-bleep-beat with a friend of mine and I was drummer in a jam session. There are no dates set but there will be more Q4 material, recordings with my band, some solo-stuff and crazy jam sessions this year.
Sense: With the Q4 we’ve done the ‘Sound Surroundings EP’, which we are still looking to release, while in the meantime finishing the full-length album. Then we’re working on another album for the ‘SellABand’ project, for which we are one of the 2 featured artists, and we’ve started working on a live show. Apart from that I’m working on a solo EP/LP which will feature a lot of mcs and singers, as well as some instrumental tracks. And together with the brother Sotu I’m doing an EP as well this year, then there’s some tracks I did for other peoples albums/compilations (Arts’ Transitions LP, Far I’s Blood Sweat & Lyrics LP, The 08Bar Compilation EP & Savoir Faire Records ‘The crowd Movement Soundtrack’ etc) most of which to be released these following 2 months.

5. Who are you listening to at the moment?
Arts: Soil & Pimp Sessions, pretty much all day. When I get tired of it, I put on some Bonobo or Amon Tobin. And then some Soil & Pimp again.
STW: Somebody just sent me a fucking Christmas song… but it’s kind of cool ’cause it’s played by the Muppets. And I hate Christmas songs less when it’s not actually Christmas time. Today I have listened to a new beat of mine, The Mama’s and the Papa’s (Dream a little dream of me.. it’s a scary song! Would fit a murder scene in a thriller perfectly) and some crazy old Dutch festival songs ’cause I was looking for samples. But most of the time I listen to alternative rock music or 60s music and stuff.
Sense: I don’t really like Christmas songs in any point in time, but listen to a lot of different stuff. From hip-hop, funk, jazz, soul, DnB, reggae, DUB, 70s psych. Rock and even hardcore, to chanson, salsa, flamenco, son, samba, sufi music, qawali, blues or whatever else I might encounter that’s got that essence. Different music has different qualities; Sufi music will ‘take you there’, while jazz can set more of an emotional vibe. While DnB or funk are rhythmical interesting the usually don’t hold the power raw flamenco does. Different beats for different settings, while in the end its all the same in essence. Blues and Punk are as much Hip-Hop to me as Rap is, its all the same struggle. And in the end, like Mr Ellington said it: “If its good its good”.

6. What’s your best nugget of wisdom?
Sense: Focus Manifests. Know that you shape your world daily, you create your environment. So as Afu said it: “the key is self-mastery”.
STW: Don’t buy cheap cat food! The snob won’t eat it!
Arts: I’ll go with STW on that one.
Sense: well there you have it, the three wise men have spoken, get your cat the dining experience she deserves, and go buy that Q4 merchandise..fully functional sense action figures and STW lunchboxes are now available at retail prices at these following addresses:
www.theq4.com
www.sellaband.com/q4
www.myspace.com/sense9thelement
www.artsthebeatdoctor.com
www.myspace.com/stwstw
Thanks for the interest, if you have anything you want to say, know that all hate mail can be directed to: arts@theq4.com while all fan mail and indecent groupie proposals can be send to: sense@theq4.com.
OneLove,
TheQ4/QuadraphoniQuartet.

Well what can I say?! The Q4 went all out for that edition of 6 Questions! Big respect goes out to the guys for putting in such an effort, I really appreciate it. But genuinely now, these are some supremely talented individuals, and you may have spotted my mention of their Q4 EP in my Best of 2006 blog entry the other month – as I said then, nothing got in that blog entry to make up the numbers, and The Q4 are no exception. Definitely give those links, that Sense listed above, some of your precious time, you’ll thank me for it later. I’ll leave you now with a Q4 remix of the Nas track Hope…

Nas – Hope (The Q4 Remix)
>> download track
>> The Q4 website
This download link will expire on 21st February.

Useful links:

• Download – Nas – Hope (The Q4 Remix)
• All relevant Q4 links are listed above!

Play With The Changes

Do you know 4hero by name? I’d bet you at least know them by sound. 4hero have been around since the early 90s and are seen by many as UK pioneers of the jungle and drum ‘n’ bass scene, fast forward to 1998 and the group obtained a nomination for the Mercury Music Prize for their album Two Pages. Jump forward again to 2001 and 4hero dropped the album Creating Patterns, it was this album that included what has now become a bit of a renowned calling-card for the group, the track Les Fleur.

4hero have always managed to create fresh and innovative music, incorporating a plethora of sounds from varying genres. Often delving into their jungle roots, whilst exploring lighter, more soulful jazzy sounds. But it isn’t their mere efforts that have earned them acclaim in the past, but their results. Many have tried to ‘mash’ genres and sounds, yet ended up with an aural nightmare, but 4hero always come up smelling of Les Fleur… or roses.

And so fast forward for me one more time, if you will, right up to February 2007, teetering on the edge of the brand new album release; Play With The Changes. In the past, 4hero have hit us with d’n'b sounds, electronica, jazz, cinematic pieces, the list goes on, and this time they are back and back with a bang. Added to the roster of sounds for Play With The Changes are soul and blues. That’s not to say it is a first for the guys, but more just to explain the extra emphasis of this new record. The album is 14 tracks long and due for release through their own Raw Canvas label on Monday (5th of Feb). Not that you need any more excuses to go out and buy it on monday, you should still read on and see just what I thought of Play With The Changes.

The first track is Morning Child feat. Carina Anderson. Within the first 2 seconds you know it is 4hero; dramatic strings and raw beats. Then Carina’s vocal comes in, frankly it’s angelic. The track gives me goose-bumps, don’t paint me soft, but I think it is beautiful. The breakdown strips the track to bass, piano, steady beats and Carina… “open your eyes to the morning wont you?” …then *bam* a big beat and back into those dramatic strings, partnered with strong brass – I just love the structure to this track. Take My Time features the ever-talented Jack Davey. A sort of neo-soul excursion, dripped in smooth, yet clean execution. In a sense it sounds to me as if what a Ty track would sound like if he was a lot more laid back soul than raw hip-hop – it’s a classy joint indeed.

The third track is Look Inside feat. FACE and it kicks it to us straight away with some jazzy d’n'b stylings. The strings are there, as is the fat bassline and kicking beats. FACE adds a beautiful component to an already groove-ridden track, it feels very complete. The beat, although comparable (or recognisable) to d’n'b is perhaps actually a lot closer to more uptempo lounge sounds, and it works a treat. Sink Or Swim feat. Lady Alma is up next, and it’s got real dirty bass and a 2-step kind of beat going on. Lady Alma is yet another silk-laden songstress to grace this album, she is as smooth as she is soulful. Take a listen for yourself…

4hero – Sink Or Swim feat. Lady Alma
>> download track
>> buy album @ Amazon US / Amazon UK
This download link will expire on 9th February.

Give In features the talents of Darien Brokington and Phonte. By this point one thing that really stands out about the album is simply the quality of production. The beats are solid, all the layers are in all the right places, and most importantly the tracks sound like complete compositions. Darien and Phonte mark the first extra male presence on the album, and man it’s all good. This track appears to be quite simple with its soulful melody and vocals, but if you listen carefully it is actually very intricate. Phonte’s rap is nicely placed and works well also. The title track is number six of 14, Play With The Changes. Larry Mizell and Tilita Long lend themselves to this subtle and funky creation. A beat balancing on the boundary between latin and jazz, with a song structure paying homage to sounds of old, whilst offering invigoration – but all the while the evidence points to something extremely soulful and melodic, one to nod your head to, upbeat and positively brimming with solace.

The halfway point in the album sees Something In The Way feat. Bembe Segue & Kaidi Tatham. This is a very upbeat track, once again incorporating that 2-step style beat pattern, but this time with a jazz-funk melody. I can see this appealing to both fans of lounge and also soulful jazz, I mean often those are the same thing, but often they can be totally different too. It just feels more like a ‘proper’ fusion of the two sounds have been used to create something that only 4hero could even dream to achieve. Once more it is all about the execution. FACE returns for Stoke Up The Fire, a real head nodder. The energy to this track is good, it feels hectic without becoming overwhelming. The balance has been found and exploited, I just couldn’t sit still. The use of electric guitar as a melody laced on top of catchy beats and a heavy bassline works very well with the soulful vocals.

Sophia is track nine and it brings us back into the realms of the cinematic arena. The beats are impressive, sound so raw and fresh, the strings add atmosphere for sure, and the keys pull it all together. Another beautiful piece. But sneakily there are elements of jazz funk in there, I’m not entirely sure why I think it is sneaky, but it just feels like it has been subtley placed at the breakdown – I’m talking in minor Shaft (yes John Shaft!) proportions – don’t get me wrong though, it works fantastically! A brilliant instrumental track. Then we have Superwoman, the longest track on the album at 7m50s. Sounds like it could have been a rare 80s Motown b-side that never really saw the light of day. It’s definitely yet another good example of the production prowess on the part of 4hero.

You may remember The Awakening from Volume 6 of the Just Like Music Podcast – if not, what are you playing at? Get subscribed! This track features the lyrical talents of Ursula Rucker, as she gracefully dances around the funky beat, brass stabs, mean bassline, and strings. You can view the new video to this track below…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78aWMdEcv7M]

Why Don’t You Talk is track number twelve. A funky jazz style instrumental piece that features more instruments than you could shake a stick at. It lies somewhere between Quantic Soul Orchestra and Georgia Anne Muldrow (minus the vocals), a big compliment in my books. The inclusion of these few instrumental tracks, I believe, has really helped to make the album a complete listening experience. Then Bed Of Roses has a blatant low-key d’n'b thing going on. Jody Watley adds some deeper soulful vocals to the proceedings – her sound is like a spliced recreation involving Jill Scott and Alice Russell. The bringing together of cinematic strings, subtle d’n'b beats, keys, and soul singing is a beautiful amalgamation of artistic intent and, ultimately, creation.

The final track is Dedication To The Horse, a shorter track, deliberately suited as an outro. This is instrumental and focuses on electric guitar (think Hendrix style) and hectic live sounding beats. A definite head-nodding, finger tapping, closing ceremony to what has been a fantastic listening experience. Marc Mac and Dego have really outdone themselves with Play With The Changes. Anyone that has read a few of my past reviews will know that I personally worship the idea of a track becoming more than a track; a complete composition. As I mentioned a few times in this review, the production on this album is exquisite. To attempt something is one thing, but to achieve something is another matter entirely – I believe they’ve achieved a lot with this album. I sincerely hope Play With The Changes does 4hero proud, they certainly deserve to do well with it.

Useful links:

• 4hero website
• 4hero MySpace
• Download – 4hero – Sink Or Swim feat. Lady Alma
• Buy Play With The Changes @ Amazon US / Amazon UK