A Sit Down With DJ Ambivalent

With halmark releases including the mischievious “R U OK” and last year’s immersive mix, _ground, Ambivalent aka Kevin McHugh is a top-tier name in the realms of minimal and techno music. Kevin is also a long-time Live user, having used it for studio productions, live performances, and even incorporated as part of his DJ sets.

 

“A DJ is someone who plays music beautifully.”

 

How has your career changed since you left Minus? How is making music different for you now?

Well, I try not to think of things in terms of “career” so much. I focus on my creative goals and growth rather than any competitive or monetary measures. In artistic terms I feel absolutely that I am more free and productive and creative than at any time since my first records came out. The biggest challenge for me is how to balance my producing with getting the music released with making time to absorb all the music I buy for DJ sets. It can be a lot to manage, but it’s certainly a great use of my time.

Lots of artists have already shown support playing it, like Skream, Sven Väth and more. How does this make you feel?

I still never get accustomed to someone else liking my music. I literally get goosebumps when it happens, and I get quite shy about it. I make my music with so much love and deliberation and passion that when someone else likes it, it is an emotional high. It’s amplified even more when someone I respect decides to play it, because that’s really the highest compliment in this music. A DJ will only play a track they believe in, and when someone I admire feels that way, it’s overwhelming.

Let’s kick off by discussing the fact that you’ve left Richie Hawtin’s Minus collective, which you’d been associated with for pretty much the whole of your career as Ambivalent. What were the reasons behind the move?

I actually left Minus at the end of 2012. With the structure the label had for many years, the only way to work with other labels was to leave the core group. I had agreed when I signed to the label in late 2006 to give music exclusively to Minus, in return for a management-type arrangement. When I left, I told Rich that I wasn’t going to go out and make a big show of leaving, I just simply opened the door to other labels. It was a personal decision and I didn’t feel the need to announce that I was doing something most techno artists do, which is work with multiple labels. We decided I would continue with his booking agency as it just made sense for everyone. Since then, I’ve put out two EPs on Octopus, a collaborative EP with Michael L Penman on Ovum, a compilation track on Cocoon and remixes on Turbo, Octopus and Greta. A lot of it has built on what I was doing before I left the label, but lately I’m starting to expand into sounds and projects I couldn’t release before I left.

Was there something specific that spurred the decision or was it something you’d been considering for a while?

I’d been struggling for a while to balance my own artistic goals with the trajectory of the label. For a long time it still made sense to find the crossovers between what I wanted to make, and where Minus was going. But I seemed to keep missing the mark Rich wanted to hit, and ultimately I was scrapping a lot of my music in order to stay part of it. The label exists to represent Rich and his goals, and I understand that. When I first joined the group it seemed to be much more about developing the artists who’d been signed, but eventually I reached a point where it started to feel that I was forgoing too many other opportunities to stay with the group. I think one of the hardest parts of leaving has been separating from the other artists involved. Guys like Hobo, Matador and Gaiser have been some of my dearest friends and artists I deeply admire, and it was quite difficult to adjust to the idea that I won’t play shows with them much any more. But friendships last much longer than most things in the music business, so I’m sure I’ll see them a lot.

What is your biggest satisfaction of the present. And How do you see yourself in 20 years.

I’m proud of the work I do, and always want more. In 20 years I hope to still DJ every weekend, but fly less.

You published your work on a lot of amazing labelsOvum, Cocoon, mobilee, Minushave these collaborations helped with the way you run your own imprints?

I feel really lucky that I’ve had the chance to release music on the labels that were some of my biggest original influences. My experiences releasing with some labels like Cocoon and Ovum have been fantastic examples for the way I want to run Delft and Valence, and the way I want to interact with artists signed to them. I really believe in having labels that are diverse and focused on longevity, quality and respect for the artists. Other labels have given me strong examples of what not to do. It’s alarming to see how the pursuit of “success” can lead to a loss of the core values of this music—respect, cooperation, equality, unity. But above all of that, I am grateful to anyone who has taken the time and invested the cost in releasing my music, that’s undeniably positive. And having seen the experience from the other side, I know what it takes and how difficult it is.

“Hexen” makes great use of a small number of parts – the restraint seems to be part of the thrill of the track. When do you know that a track has “enough” parts to it?

Anyone who says that simplicity is easy isn’t doing it right. I certainly can’t claim that I have a handle on it; discipline is one of those things I struggle to maintain in my production. Sometimes an idea calls for some complexity, other times it’s really important to listen and ask, “does this extra bit add anything to the end result?” I try to ask it early in the process and hopefully get to a point where there’s a full idea with some room to wander. Then it’s a matter of taking the essential elements and working out their narratives in a good arrangement. I try really hard not to ask myself any questions about whether it’s good until I’ve reached a stopping point. I’d rather throw away 10 finished tracks that aren’t good than overanalyze one unfinished loop for weeks.

For the “Hexen” arrangement, did you play the Clips and effects live, or edit them in by hand? How do you usually make your arrangements?

The Live Pack uses the same system as the original session. I started with one idea played on a keyboard, just a simple pentatonic riff, and then added layers by adding other synths. Then I used the Ableton Chord midi tool to add perfect fifths and octaves to each synth to make some harmonic density but still keep it simple. It was really easy to mimic my original session in this live pack, because the same tool was at the root of it.

If you could change anything from the past what that would be?

Having more confidence to share my music sooner. i was always afraid i wasn’t good. when i stopped being afraid, i got good.

Whats your favorite place to play? club, festival, small, big, personal, after, natural?

The best places are not one type. there are good and bad of each style. good clubs, bad clubs. good festivals, shit ones.

Questions? Comments? We want to know:@djfollower