Lifted Sounds: Pennygiles
Taking a particularly lo-fi, retrospective attitude towards production technique is almost certainly moving against the tide when you look at how Drum & Bass has evolved from Jungle towards the accessible digital era of DAWs and sample packs.
An artist whose work embodies this aesthetic is Wales’ very own Pennygiles, a slew of high profile releases on esteemed labels such as CIA, Fokuz and Alignment showcasing a flamboyant yet mature understanding of structural arrangement with an emphasis on soulful groove and respectful sampling from original sources.
In this respect we thought it apt to get in touch with the talented producer after his storming new release on Artifical Intelligence’s Integral imprint, sharing with us his five essential sampling techniques.
“1. Source your samples wisely. It’s too easy to get carried away looking for samples and sounds online etc. But make sure you’re not wasting time looking through places you probably know you won’t end up finding gems. It tends to take away the enjoyment process of finding new sounds, which could lead to losing inspiration later on.”
“2. Make sure your sounds are at the highest quality you can get. This helps so much with the production side of it. Like most of us i’ve been tempted and guilty of using poor quality sounds and rips but if you feel it’s adding to the sound you want to create, why not do it in the highest possible quality.”
“3. Don’t be afraid to sample obscureness. Strange genres can surprise the best of us with what they have hidden in their music or recordings. Don’t be afraid to listen to a few death metal records or even the cheesiest of trance out there ;)”
“4. Become the master of the sampler. Finding your way around your choice of sampler is essential for getting the sounds you want out of it. Even at this time in my life I look so confused at synths but if I were to record one note from it and throw it into the sampler I could get the sound out of it with ease. Also another tip with samplers is throwing in sounds that are not quantised to the project and playing them in lower notes to fit which sometimes adds great texture.”
“5. Sampling doesn’t just mean stealing! If you want go and get a small recording device and record everything! Literally i’ve been caught by people recording silence…… Everything has tone to it, it’s just lietening for those little obscurities that makes a great sample. Also have fun, don’t make sampling a necessity like processing is. The whole idea of it is to vibe. If you can loop a sample and keep listening to it two hours later, you’re onto a winner :)”
Pennygiles, Phil Tangent, Sevin & Ed.it – I’m Sorry EP is out now on Integral Records.