Great opening for 2014! Meet Alex Elder aka Wgwn with new selection for Copydbwoy Presents podcast.
_________________________________________________________________
Listen to previous Wgwn’s guest mix for Copydbwoy Presents (Episode 021):
Copydbwoy – Copydbwoy-presents-021-wgwn-uk
_________________________________________________________________
Interview:
Copydbwoy: Hey, first of all wanna thank you and say it’s good to have you for the Copydbwoy Presents guest mix series. Loving your style and skills. Very promising!
Copydbwoy: Please, introduce yourself.
Wgwn: Greetings, my name is Alex Elder, I’m 19 from Colchester, Essex.
Copydbwoy: Could you tell about your new mix?
Wgwn: I’d say this mix is quite contemporary. So many people think that garage died years ago but most of the stuff I mixed has come out in the last two years. I’ve wanted to do a set like this for months but just never have the time with other stuff on so it’s good to finally take it off of the back burner.
Copydbwoy: So many young, perspective artists in UK these days! How long you mixing and playing as DJ?
Wgwn: I have been Djing for just 5 months.
Copydbwoy: Usual thing for Copydbwoy Presents already. I’m good at finding good newbie DJ’s. You said you produce, right?
Wgwn: I’ve been producing for 2 years but in that time I’ve been pretty lazy on the output front.
Copydbwoy: What are you general musical roots?
Wgwn: I’ve pretty much got to where I am musically on my own. My dad always liked good music but by the time I was on the scene he was off dance music and more into stuff like Radiohead (which is not at all a bad thing). From listening to guitar music I gradually found hip-hop when I was 15-16 and kind of just progressed through genres from there. From that age onwards most of my friends kind of went through the same thing and we still always turn each other on to tracks and those that mix always share their efforts around.
Copydbwoy: Any story behind Wgwn as DJ name?
Wgwn: ‘Wagwan’ is something I probably say far too often, as anyone who knows me will testify, so I just seemed natural that it should be my dj name. I took the vowels out because visually there’s just something about it that’s quite pleasing that I can’t put my finger on.
Copydbwoy: Tell about your mixing process. How do you pick up tunes for the selection?
Wgwn: I’ll listen through a much larger playlist which I compile (I started with 190 songs in my initial playlist) and look at BPMs. I’m always conscious to try and make sure that there’s variety in what I put out which obviously in this mix just meant doing an almost even alternation of grime and garage tracks.
Copydbwoy: What equipment do you use for mixing purposes?
Wgwn: Currently I use Serato and a Numark Mixtrack Pro. I’ve only just weened myself off of Virtual DJ last month when I could finally afford some hardware. I know it’s not ideal but I’ve got to start somewhere and I was advised that as a natural progression to CDJs, Mixtrack Pros are the one.
Copydbwoy: Name some artists, labels, radio statios who has influence on you as artist.
Wgwn: At the moment I’ve been listening to a lot of Death Grips and Zed Bias’ new album is ridiculously good. I catch a fair amount of the Just Jam series (way better than Boiler Room if you ask me) and obviously Rinse FM is always a good source especially the Hyperdub, Luckyme and Night Slugs shows.
Copydbwoy: What goals are you chasing as upcoming artist on the underground bass music scene?
Wgwn: Would be cool to dj/produce at a professional level but I’m too much of a pessimist to ever see it as more than something I do for pleasure. I’m just happy to be asked to play sets at tiny venues. For me that’s enough really and anything else is just a bonus.
Copydbwoy: Endless hustle is dang tough.
Copydbwoy: Any tip from you?
Wgwn: If you’re producing garage it is ALL about adding swing when you’re creating beats to get that off-the-beat rhythm.
Copydbwoy: Thanks for this one. Big mix and interview. I’m looking forward to have more music from you. Have a good year.
_________________________________________________________________
Tracklist:
01. Dutta – Soundboy (Joedan Remix)
02. Pete Graham ft. Chris Lorenzo – Wom
03. Double 99 – RIP Groove (Kilent Weight Refix)
04. Bromely – Move
05. Taiki and NuLight & Marco Del Horno – Bounce
06. Distro – City Lights (Hybrid Theory remix)
07. Coleco – Lovin’ Me
08. Gorilaz – Clint Eastwood (Ed-Case Remix)
09. Savage Skulls & Douster – TRT
10. GhostChant – Laid to Rest (Chimpo Remix)
11. Beyoncé – End Of Time (Moony remix)
12. Wookie – Storm
13. Royal-T – I Know You Want Me
14. Conducta – Hold Tight
15. Mosca – Bax (Spooky Refix)
16. I Killed Kenny – Gimme That
17. Detboi – Darkside
18. Shystie – Pull It (Fabian Dubz Remix)
19. Frith – Inferno