- This week's podcast is an exclusive live set from Canadian dub techno producer Deadbeat.
- Deadbeat is the alter ego of Scott Monteith, who has been releasing his own special blend of dub-fueled electronics since 2000. The son of a Reiki therapist and a church minister, Scott's first musical experience was singing in a church choir, a direction which was soon trumped by his headlong plunge into the Toronto rave scene as a teenager, where he experienced "a musical awakening during a DJ set around '94 or '95 made up almost entirely of Basic Channel and Maurizio records". The second big influence on Deadbeat came at university, when a techno-hating roommate of Scott's, in an effort to stop the deluge of drum'n'bass and techno thumping from the next room, took it upon himself to introduce him to classic roots, ska, and dub. Deadbeat has been obsessed with it ever since.
But besides Germany and Jamaica, there's a third strong ingredient in Deadbeat's music: expert sound design. A strong advocate of computer-based production ("I don't use any hardware other than MIDI controllers and I don't think I ever will," he says), Scott is solidly grounded in the boffin side of the business: he even used to work for AAS putting together the Tassman softsynth.
The result is a unique take on dub techno which has appeared on labels such as ~scape, Cynosure and Revolver as well as live out in the clubs across the world. In fact, despite his studio expertise, perhaps in the club is where Deadbeat is most in his element: His live laptop act is one of the most infectious around. But don't take out word for it - check out his RA podcast: 71 minutes of exclusive Deadbeat dub, techno and dancehall which presses all the right buttons.
We caught up with Scott when he handed over the mix:
What have you been working on recently?
I released my last album, Journeyman's Annual, on Scape in June and have toured a lot over the summer in support of it. I've also officially relocated to Berlin as of June so naturally I've spent a fair amount of time in the last months just setting up house and adjusting to the new surroundings.
Where was the mix recorded?
At the studio I share with Mike Shannon here in Berlin.
What are you up to next?
Just finished work on a record for Wagon Repair which should appear at some point in the coming months. Ive been bitten by the techno bug again as a result of the move I think, which is nice as 4 to floor tracks I've written over the last couple of years that I've been really happy with have been few and far between. I expect it's going to be a very productive winter!
Tracklist01. Fixed Elections (Dancehall mix) - unreleased
02. Refund Me (featuring Bubbz) - ~Scape
03. Where Has My Love Gone - ~Scape
04. Bad Man Mash Up - unreleased
05. Deep in Country (featuring Moral Undulations) - ~Scape
06. Gimme a Little Dub - ~Scape
07. Gimme a Little Slack (featuring Jah Cutta) - ~Scape
08. Turbulence - ~Scape
09. Texas Tea - ~Scape
10. One One Five - ~Scape
11. Plumbicon remix - Ml/i
12. Mecca Drum Jack - Wagon Repair
13. To Berlin With Love (Dancehall mix) - unreleased
14. Sylvenstein Remix - ~Scape
15. Claudette (featuring Gregory Issacs) - Shockout
16. Look How She Hot (featuring Daddy Freddy) - unreleased