Darkroom Dubs

“So, it’s not a greatest hits, then...”

It’s the ultimate writer’s nightmare – I’ve got my research wrong. But, who better to console me than Graeme Reedie, one half of Silicone Soul, and softly spoken tech-house optimist?

Their new album, released 10 years after their first production, has been compared to the self-titled works of Orbital and Leftfield, and contains “their greatest material to date”. New material, that is.

“I think people are probably referring to the quality of the tunes, rather than it being a compilation of our stuff”, he consoles. “It’s all new material, but in terms of quality, we are improving all the time. I’m definitely enjoying listening to it. Give me a few months and I will know which album I like best...”

After three solid and much-loved albums, Soma’s original protégées are not ready to throw in the towel just yet. Nor, it seems, is the scene which has defined Glasgow clubbing for more than a decade. There are rumours, I venture tentatively, flying about concerning Pressure’s ticket sales, and the future of one of the most important club nights in the city.

Rubbish, says Graeme. And if he says the Glaswegian deep house and techno scene, a constant, throbbing presence in the dark Scottish nights, is still very much alive, then who are we to doubt him?

“There’s still loads of really good nights on. The Soma parties are still going strong. I’m a fan of Subculture, but there are other good parties like Animal Farm and Sunday Circus. The festival in the south side [The Wee Chill] with the Subculture DJs was fantastic, really housey. Glasgow’s still quite a tech-house place.

“In terms of Pressure stopping, I just can’t see that. There’s a definite effect from the economic situation, but club promoters just have to be happier with smaller crowds. That’s a bit of a shame, because personally I’m enjoying the scene at the moment.”

With dubstep hot on the heels of trashy ‘mash-up’ electro, and boutique disco and funk nights cropping up down every alleyway, the huge, dark industrial house of Silicone Soul has increasingly found a home with a welcoming European audience.
“It goes down really well over there. There seem to be a few special places where it really does the job – Bulgaria, for example. It’s good to play something different to what they’re hearing all the time.”

A slave to constant touring, the act are a product of the late-90s era, dragging the image of the superstar DJ across Europe and beyond.

True to form, we discuss travel – “a bit of a drag” – and a life of planes and airports – “at the end of the day, it’s just work” – as well as gigs up the Andes, and possible dates in Australia in September.

The duo have also set up their own record label, Darkroom Dubs, in 2003, and have a series of residencies across the continent, including a prestigious spot at Cafe L’Anvers in Antwerp, and Barcelona’s La Terrrazza. Other half of the duo, Craig, has moved to France.

At a time where the disposable DIY mentality seems to dominate record sales, and fickle trends buzz and fade with the seasons, Darkroom Dubs eschews fads in favour of solid, quality house and electronica.

“The label’s been coming together really well, and we’ve accelerated a bit over the past couple of years. We’ve been being sent a lot of really good new music, it seems like a really good time for that deep techy house sound.”

But with no gimmicks, and an industrious touring and recording schedule, how do they feel about the future of the label, and independent labels in general?

“It’s a pretty worrying time in general for buying music, not just for labels. Our last single had been downloaded 650 times by the Wednesday. It would have taken us three months to actually sell that many. It takes away a slice of the money, which is worked back by touring slightly more. But it’s like any business; the balance is always shifting. It will work itself out.”

Judging by the new album, he may well be right. With comparisons to Orbital and Leftfield, with its sheer hypnotic magnificence, dark melodies, and complex layering of synths and looped drums, it continues in the same vein as their older work – this is music for the bedroom and the dancefloor.

There may not be the instantly catchy swirling synth hooks of 2001’s top-ten anthem Right On Right On, but there are stand out tracks; The Dogs of Les Ilhes, Midnight Man, and Hurt People Hurt People have been getting the right sort of reaction on the dancefloor.

“The album launch [at La Terrrazza in Barcelona] was the start of our residency. There’s a new angle to this one, we’re bringing some guests who we work with on the label – like Sei A and Jet Project – whereas normally we just enjoy playing the whole night ourselves.”