Drop Frame Interview

Drop Frame Interview

Raised by wolves in the mountains overlooking the gothic church laden streets of Perth's medieval sprawl. Drop Frame has burst out of the cave and howled to the moon.

His debut album 'MONK" merged the classical and orchestral sounds of composers past with the ground-shaking bass laden rave movement of the past 20 years.

Tracks such as 'D Slam", "Satellite", 'Shimmer" and more recently 'Trichome" have blown up on Triple J unearthed, receiving high praise from Triple J Presenters and getting airtime on Home & Hosed, Mixup, Triple J mornings and 2012 with Richard Kingsmill.

Sparks where seen flying out of the studio while Drop Frame put the final touches on his latest offering - the 'Kinetic EP'. Built to represent his new environment of Melbourne, featuring 4 vocalists (Including Savage - Multi-Platinum artist of 'Moonshine' fame) and spanning over multiple genre's.

In November 2012, Drop Frame took out a feature artist slot on Unearthed for his track 'Trichome" which in turn went on to receive multiple airings and is now posed for a single release early in the new year.

Trichome Single Release coming soon! Drop Frame has hit the world with a left hook and is about to secure his knockout blow.

Interview with Drop Frame

Question: How did it feel to hear your song played all over the airwaves?

Drop Frame: Originally it was quite shocking; I was in doubt that the sound I was producing at the time would have any legs on the radio. It was quite a humbling but empowering experience, I couldn't of been more chuffed.


Question: How did it feel to be Triple j's unearthed feature artist in November 2012?

Drop Frame: Pretty excited, it was a great week and the response was all really positive. One of those moments where you think "I feel as though I'm heading in the right direction".


Question: What did you enjoy most about working with Savage?

Drop Frame: Working with Savage was a good challenge, he's a big character and very successful worldwide. I felt potentially the nerdiest I've ever been, fumbling around in my studio at home to set up mics while he wrote verses. It was a full on schedule over two days, I had organised to record Savage on the first day, and record a music video on the next. Pretty much a recipe for disaster, the plan included staying up all night to finish the mixdown before the following day. Although apart from a mic problem on recording day, everything went super smooth. Challenging but rewarding.


Question: Did you have any pre-conceived ideas about the music industry?

Drop Frame: Mainly the fickle nature of the industry, the requirement to network hard and work harder. It's all true.


Question: Tell us about 'Trichome (feat. Annie Inkerman)'?

Drop Frame: Sometimes you get some pretty magical moments when you're producing. Trichome was a track that started four months or so prior to what you hear today, originally the whole emphasis was on that bassline. When I was writing the Kinetic EP I decided to revisit it and record some live piano stems to layer over the top. The addition changed the feel substantially - I wasn't initially too happy and kept it muted while I continued to work on it, but once I recorded Annie, it clicked together like a jigsaw puzzle. The trumpet (which is a story in itself) layered on like icing on a cake and it was a wrap. It hits the dropframe sound I've been trying to create dead on.


Question: What music/artists do you listen to when you are not playing your own?

Drop Frame: Too many to list, I go on listening binges between production weeks. I try and listen to as much new stuff as possible and experimental musical projects. My staples are twisted records, warp stuff, lots of things go through the ear churn-a-thon.


Question: What's next? Tour/Album/Single?

Drop Frame: EP out April/May, a big highly-ambitious LP planned for mid-year. Significant push towards a visual aspect of dropframe.

Question: Was there a moment you contemplated throwing in the towel?

Drop Frame: On a "musician" level - heaps of times, but mainly from production/planning mistakes or throwbacks. But on a soul level, never. Music just means too much for me to not explore and create - the business/professional aspect lives in a very separate part of my brain. The boring part.


Question: Do you prefer performing live or recording?

Drop Frame: Both are really enjoyable and challenging in different ways. I don't really prefer one over the other.


Question: What/who was your inspiration to go into the music industry?

Drop Frame: Mainly seeing fellow Perth (my home city) artists trying it out and succeeding. I also just really had a big urge to play music to people, a part of me just needed to do that to feel fulfilled.


Question: What is the biggest challenge you have faced along the way to your musical success?

Drop Frame: Exposure is number one. It is the biggest percentage of time investment. Although it's a compounding thing, but often it feels like pushing rocks up mountains. It's all worth it though.


Question: What's a typical day like?

Drop Frame: Breakfast, pull out my notepad (small police-like notepad which goes with me everywhere) and start completing and ticking off tasks. Maintain heavy caffeine intake until all is completed, go for a walk, start experimenting with new sounds and ideas, drink beer/wine - get inspired by the world, life/plans. Write tasks in the notepad for the next day.

Question: What has been your favourite part of becoming a music artist?

Drop Frame: Having a collection of work I'm proud to give to my kids eventually, sort of feeling fulfilled in my "must create stuff" mentality. Watching people enjoy and dance to my music. It's a big buzz.


Question: If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?

Drop Frame: Sky's the limit? - Thom Yorke, Nero, Clint Mansel, Schpongle, Younger Brother. Really, really amazed by the Australian electronic scene and I'm keen to work with a lot of talented producers.


Question: Do you have a website fans can visit?

Drop Frame: For music - www.dropframemusic.com
For social/contact/updates - www.Facebook.com/dropframemusic


Question: What is the story behind the name Drop Frame?

Drop Frame: It's a technical video term to do with NTSC format, sort of a bit of homage to the mixture of both music and cinema. Triple J got it bang on.


Interview by Brooke Hunter