Share This Article
Fresh from the release of his collaborative EP alongside Shanghai-based band Hogchoker, Clan Brude is joining us to take us behind the scenes of the release, giving us an insider’s look at the processes and inspirations that led to the production. A Producer known for his unique sound, one that pushes boundaries, consistently taking to new and refreshing sonic heights, Clan Brude remains an exciting talent on the scene so we’re looking forward to sitting down in conversation with him to learn more about this recent release.
Hi, Clan Brude! Congrats on the release of your EP ‘Clan Brude Versus Hogchoker’! What’s new?
Thank you very much! It’s been an exhilarating experience releasing with my old band from Shanghai.
Could you share more details about this dynamic EP? What was the inspiration behind ‘Fading Away’ and ‘This Life?
Both tracks found life through me doodling around on Ableton. ‘This Life’ was born first. I particularly liked the groove I had going on it. I had already been in touch with Simon from the band about a project with live instrumentation and this seemed to fit the remit for that. I sent the band the two tracks in very rough demo form, and it was just a case of imprinting the Hogchoker sound over the tracks, which I then produced to completion.
How did you decide to collaborate with a live band, such as Hogchoker on this unique EP?
Before I moved to Amsterdam I was playing in the Shanghai ska-punk band, Hogchoker. It wasn’t a natural step to combine that sound with the one of Clan Brude, but when Simon from the band suggested we do something and…the challenge was accepted! The running joke was to create some kind of new genre, free-form Jazz Techno? But honestly, I really loved the challenge and in the end, we did create something cohesive I think.
Did you collaborate remotely most of the time or in person as well?
I’ve been in the studio on many occasions in Shanghai with the band to record Hogchoker songs, but being this far away, all collaborations were done remotely via back-and-forth WeTransfers. In honesty, the sax was the main element we needed to capture and then it was a case of tweaking to get the necessary blend of the two Artists.
Could you share with us your creative process for layering all the elements, whilst ensuring a seamless production that blended the genres of Jazz, Punk and House?
Firstly, we wanted to enhance the sax in some way but without warping the essence of what a sax should sound like. For ‘Fading Away’ it was a nice touch to add some saturation and then layer it, especially for the main hook. It was important to have that hook in there too as while we wanted the free-form element, the hook provided a melodic root to the track. ‘This Life’, we approached a bit differently. We had the sax playing a low-pitched melody which I then layered with a low warble. There is no hook as such but instead, we had a long build with a beautifully saturated saxophone (also with some delay) to give it the lift and warmth.
Were there new sounds, music equipment, or software you experimented with in this collaboration?
I think the thing I’ve done most differently compared to previous Clan Brude tracks is the processing of the saxophone, so I’ve used a bunch of different plug-ins primarily. One of the big ones is Shaperbox 3 which nicely distorts the sax. I’ve used it quite a lot in ‘This Life’, in particular, to create the low sax warble.
Were there challenges you faced with producing this EP and how did you overcome them?
Nothing major really other than working remotely, which I’m sure most people in every field now appreciates means more back-and-forth communication, which could potentially block creativity. Having said that, we didn’t really face this much in this instance but if we were to do it again, I would vote for at least some studio time provided we are on the same continent.
How does this EP compare or differ from your previous releases?
It’s different in a few ways. It’s completely instrumental, which I’ve never done before and while I’ve done collaborations, they’ve always been with Vocalists and so this is the first where I’ve done it with a live band. The project had a loose remit to create something flowing, but cohesive, and to capture the essence of the two collaborators, which I believe has been done.
What is one thing you were excited or proud of with this collaboration?
I’m very proud that we made an EP, as opposed to just a single track and I’m proud of the fact that both tracks are really different to each other and capture the experimental essence of what we set out to achieve.
What is coming up next for Clan Brude? Got more collaborations together or with other live bands in the future?
Next, I have ‘Redemption,’ coming out on May 3rd. Less experimental and me working alone but you will definitely recognise the Clan Brude sound. I’m currently working on a new EP currently which harnesses some of the energy of ‘Redemption’. It’s early days on that one with one track done and several only at the sketching-out stage, so certainly open to interesting collaborations!
As we conclude our interview, we thank Clan Brude for his time and for sharing a glimpse into his collaboration alongside Hogchoker. With the promise of more music soon, we’re excited to see what Clan Brude offers fans next. So, make sure to discover the unique sounds of Clan Brude’s recent EP for yourself and be sure to stay up-to-date with him by following him across social media.
Listen and buy ‘Clan Brude Versus Hogchoker’ now:
Clan Brude Online
