Questions By: Chris "PSYDiPHECTs" A.
EverydayJunglist: What inspired yourselves to produce Music/DnB? When did you start?
Nize5ive (Tobi): We were both raised in families with big musical backgrounds. We learned to play instruments like piano for some years, but we became inspired to produce Drum and Bass in totally different ways.
At this time Pitch'n'Sulphur listened to Techno and House, but also a bit of 70s rock music . I listened to everything between Metal and Hip Hop. This had been a definant strong influence for the music we do now. We got in contact with Drum & Bass in 1998 (PnS) and myself in 2000. The first steps in producing electronic music were made with FastTrackerII, a MS-Dos based program. We tried to copy our favourite styles (Techno/House/Breakbeat).
EverydayJunglist: How did you guys come up with the names "Nize5ive & Pitch'n'Sulphur" and how did you meet?
Pitch'n'Sulphur (Jakob): We have known each other since our childhood. In 2000 we started our first sessions together. I introduced Tobi to FasttrackerII and we converted our ideas with rudimental skills. After three years working on my own tracks we decided to work as a team in 2003. That was the origin for making "real" Drum and Bass tunes.
Finding our names was really a normal process, like all the other artist do.... (smile).
"Pitch'n'Sulphur" was my first project with a friend from my hometown. It comes from a German saying "wie Pech und Schwefel" (belonging together like pitch and sulphur)
Nize5ive: "Nize5ive" was my last pseudonym from my early "Hip Hop-career". I was a worse B-Boy and a even worse MC. Just as a Dj I had some success...(smile).
EverydayJunglist: Why the name change to "Neonlight"?
Nize5ive: The most important reason was to have a more catchy and simple name. We had to much trouble with our long names with all the "z" and " 'n' ". Having "Execution" released on Assimilate,there was a different notation of "Nize5ive & Pitch'n'Sulphur"in every online shop! Nerdy..
EverydayJunglist: What do you produce with i.e. (hardware/software) and what VST's/Effects do you like to use the most? Any production tips for all of us producers?
Pitch'n'Sulphur: We use Cubase 4 as sequencer, Adam A7 and KrK V4 studio monitors, a Roland JD 800 synthesizer , a Novation Nocturn and a mass of Plug ins.
Our most important tips are: Use clean samples, find certain frequency areas for the basic sounds like kicks, snares, and basses etc..., learn how a compressor/limiter works in detail and what is important for Eqing...Well, and don´t forget to focus on your musical aim!
EverydayJunglist: The track "Wave" is rowdy and hard. How did this track come together? Who does the basslines/mid synth sounds? How long does it usually take to complete a track?
Nize5ive: It was a long and nerdy journey with hundreds of versions. It took over a year (with breaks).
It started with a temp track from me with some beats and a grimy bassline.
Pitch'n'Sulphur: Later I recorded the intro pad and finally we found a seashore sample in our library. From here we searched for a fiting voice sample and found documentation about tsunamis on "You Tube". Finally it was real hard work to finish it and to make it sound like it does now, but the result made us happy.
In general it´s different how long it takes to finish a track from the first loop to the final mastering. Some songs for example "Wave" take over a year and others are ready after two or three weeks, but that's more of a rare exeption.
EverydayJunglist: How does it feel to have someone like Apex to do a remix of "Epidemic"? How did this come about?
Nize5ive: The label owner of Trust In Music "Dan", asked Apex for a remix. He showed him lots of tunes which were released or signed to TriM. Finally Apex chose "Epidemic".
We were quite proud, because all the other tracks given to Apex were good productions too.
EverydayJunglist: So you have some releases coming up on Trust In Music. How does this feel?
Pitch'n'Sulphur: It feels good because its our first 4 track ep (digital) which is going to be released.
Futhermore TriM droped two of the four tracks on 12" [Kiro & Neonlight / Neonlight & Rolar – The Blackout / Epidemic (Apex Remix)] . Which was released on the 26th of October 2009.
EverydayJunglist: Who were your biggest influences when you started in the Dnb Scene?
Pitch'n'Sulphur: John Rolodex, Dom & Roland and Total Science.
Nize5ive: Dillinja, Ed Rush + Optical, Bad Company, Aquasky & J. Majik. There are even more good producers and Djs out there to name here.
EverydayJunglist: Two years ago did you see yourselves where you are now?
Pitch'n'Sulphur: We didn’t have a concrete plan how we enter the DnB circus. It´s a good feeling like it is now and we hope that it doesn´t stop to soon.
EverydayJunglist: Is there anyone in particular you'd like to work with? Any particular remix you'd like to do?
Pitch'n'Sulphur: We did alot of collaborations over the last year. We’ve worked on different projects with artists like Hedj, Kiro, Dub & Elements and Noxius at the moment. Collabs with other producers are under construction.
A song I personally would like to remix is Dom & Rolands "Punish Me". Another favourite is one of the most popular German Drum and Bass tracks called "Crossed Roots" from the Giana Brotherz. However we are in luck to be working on that remix right now.
EverydayJunglist: What are some tracks that you always bring with you when you play out?
Nize5ive: We don´t have tracks we play at every gig. Mostly we play current dubs and original tunes. Some older tracks we play quite often are "The Nine" and "Block Control", but we want to be flexible with our sets.
EverydayJunglist: What came first mixing or producing?
Pitch'n'Sulphur:
We both started with mixing and collecting cds and records, but we knew really quick that producing music was the thing we want to do. It was a "magic" moment to play our first original tune at a party and people didn´t stop dancing.... (smile). The mastering was soooooo bad!
EverydayJunglist: What are your weapons of choice when djing turntables,cds,computer?
Nize5ive: Most of the songs we play at gigs are dubs or original tunes. So we use cds and some collected records which are not availible in Mp3 format. We don´t use a Notebook at the moment, but surely we will implement it in our setup soon.
EverydayJunglist: Do you see yourselves in the states anytime soon?
Pitch'n'Sulphur: We hope to play in the states soon. We have lots of good friends from the DnB scene there. Kiro, Coffey from Ammunition Rec., Celerity & Doppler, just to name a few. It would be awesome to play in the US.
EverydayJunglist: Ed Rush and Optical played "Execution" (Assimilate 010) in a mix. How does that make you feel? How did they get a hold of it?
Nize5ive: "Cativo", label boss of Assimilate Rec., sent a couple of songs to Ed Rush. We were quite surprised that the guys droped it on a DnB Arena mix! That was defenitely a big thing for us and it's a story that we can tell our children in the future.
EverydayJunglist: What was it like to get your first release on vinyl?
Pitch'n'Sulphur: The chance to release our first tunes on vinyl seemed to appear from nowhere. Furthermore it was our first release ever. "Tuning" and "Creative Wax" came out on the Berlin based label “No!Breaks” in February 2007. The feedback was quite good! It pushed us to work harder, longer and better =)
EverydayJunglist: What should we expect in 2010?
Pitch'n'Sulphur: Alot of new disgusting NEONLIGHT tunes. Releases are planned on Ammunition, Assimilate, BlackSeeds, Trust In Music, Dangerous New Age, just to mention some things we have in mind at the moment...(smile).
Nize5ive: Also, a new mix series called "NEONpot-LIGHTcast" and always 120% when playing our live sets.
Labels:
Abducted, Ammunition, Assimilate, Black Seeds, Collective, Desert Planet, Mindsaw, Order In Kaos, Trust In Music
Discography:
2007 Nize5ive & Pitch’n’Sulphur - Tuning & Creative Wax (No!Breaks Rec. 12”) GER
& Pitch’n’Sulphur Remix] (Mindsaw Rec. Digital) USA
2008 Nize5ive & Pitch’n’Sulphur – One Way (Abducted Rec. Digital) USA
2008 Nize5ive & Pitch’n’Sulphur / Hedj & Nize5ive – The Cell / The Hill (Collective Rec. Digital) UK
2009 Nize5ive & Pitch’n’Sulphur – Execution (Assimilate 010 12”) GER
2009 Hedj & Nize5ive – Neo Orbit (Assimilate 011 12”) GER
2009 Hedj & Nize5ive – Kinetik (Oder In Kaos Digital) UK
2009 C-Fremen & Nize5ive – Blue Steel (Desert Planet Digital) GER
2009 NEONLIGHT – Wave (Ammunition Rec. Digital) USA
2009 Kiro& NEONLIGHT / NEONLIGHT & Rolar – The Blackout / Epidemic [Apex Remix] (Trust In Music 015 12")GER
Forthcoming:
NEONLIGHT & Rolar – Enter & Epidemic (Trust In Music Digital only) GER
NEONLIGHT & Noxius – Nothing Is Safe (BlackSeeds Rec. 12”) IT
Cativo – Evil Has No Boundaries [NEONLIGHT Remix] (Ammunition 12”) GER
Celerity & Doppler – Strange Days [NEONLIGHT Remix] (Abducted) USA