USQ: What setup did you use to record the USQMX25 and why do you prefer that setup?
The mix for USQ was recorded with 3 turntables using records and the third deck with traktor scratch for some of the unreleased tracks featured on the mix. We prefer to dj with records as it what we started to dj on and still feel most comfortable, vinyl for us is always just sounds better.
USQ: Tell us a little bit about yourself, where are you from, how did you guys meet, and what took Andro & Dimitri to form AnD?
We are from Northern Ireland an Greece and have both been based in Manchester for the past 7 years. We started to work together in the studio after meeting through a mutual friend. We had both been writing tracks by ourselves before this, but after working as duowe realised we had a faster work rate and double the ideas. So it seemed natural to work together, as we both had a really similar taste in music and outlook on life.
USQ: Which are the biggest influences for you to produce your music?
We both love writing music, so it's something we would do anyway to relax. We tend to be influenced by alot of the music we are listening to at the the time whether it's old or new. Your natural environment always helps to trigger ideas, sometimes little sounds and rhythms you get from mechanical devices, ticking clocks or dripping taps set off ideas for loops and we have to record them to sample. Sometimes full tracks can be written from that 10 seconds of field recording.
USQ: How do you see the evolution in your sound since you began to work together until this moment?
We think we've always been working towards achieving a certain sound, but through more knowledge, experience and alot of hours in the studio, we feel like we have naturally evolved in this time. Also knowing each other so well helps too, as we don't even need to speak sometimes when we are in the studio. We seem to be thinking the same thing alot of the time, which really helps with ideas, as one of us may start it but the other will finish the idea and come out with a similar end product.
USQ: Do you feel that you have renewed the belief and validity of Techno music? ¿Do you think that you have earned an important space there?
We don't think we have renewed any belief in techno, we will leave that to the true originators like Jeff Mills, Robert Hood, UR, Juan Atkins, Basic Channel, Regis, Surgeon, Daniel Bell and the list could go on. If we can emulate what any of these guys have achieved we will both be very happy.
USQ: What about the electronic culture and scene in Manchester? Tell us the pros and cons for you?
Manchester has a very strong musical history and there is always quite alot going on all the time. The electronic scene for the past few years has been mainly concentrated on dubstep and drum n bass, the techno scene hadn't been so prominent. But over the past year techno has been making a real come back, i think due to dubstep naturally slowing down a bit to around 130 - 135 this has brought the focus back more onto the house and techno end of the spektrum.
USQ: We can see that many artists from England prefer to work anonymously, what would you say could be the main reason for this?
We think most artists if they could, would work anonymously as it takes the pressure off and gives you more artistic creativity. As doing things this way people enjoy the music for what it is, rather than focusing on buying a record because it's on a certain label or done by a certain artist.
USQ: Tell us about how do you get to edit and be part of Horizontal Ground?
We got signed to Horizontal Ground by sending them some tracks we had done, and the label boss Jeff really liked them. So from this we had our first release and have gone on to release more records with them too. We both really loved what they were doing with the frozen border and Horizontal Ground labels so it made sense to send them some music. The aesthetic, sound of the label and ethos really appealed to us.
USQ: What’s coming from AnD in the next few months?
We have our next release up with Krill Music a new label from Argentina, we have a split ep with Jonas Kopp which looks like it's going to do really well! We have a more experimental ep coming out through Hidden Hawaii Ltd. Felix K runs the label and it will be distributed through Hardwax it is going to consist of a drone track and two 85bpm tracks a really special label with a strictly limited run with really nice artwork and hand stamped records. We have a track featuring on a Sect compilation with Dj Bone, Fanon Flowers, D Knox, Jeroen Search and many other talented techno artists. We've also been sorting out eps for next years releases so keep your eyes peeled...
USQ: Top 5 of best tracks ever for you?
This is such a hard question as there are so many tracks we love for different reasons! but here we go..
1. Aphex Twin - Heliosphan - Warp Records. One example of why Aphex is the don, from one of our all time favourite artists and albums! Still Sounds fresh after all these years
2. LFO - Mentok - Warp Records. Rave Music at it's very best, the guy is a genius!
3. Jeff Mills - Gamma Player - Axis. Narrowing your favourite Jeff Mills track down to one is an extremely hard thing to do but this track says it all, deep spacey Detroit techno just the way we like it
4. Robert Hood - Museum - M Plant. Raw Techno Funk :)
5. DBX - Beat Phreak - Peacefrog. Techno stripped as far as you can take it, amazing
