INTERVIEW: kLines

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Paddy Kellaway, aka kLines, has been working hard to craft a sound that works perfectly for big rooms and warehouse spaces. His influences growing up have certainly helped – in London you’re naturally surrounded by UK club culture, elements of which are certainly notable in his productions. With a recent release on Alex Sanchez’s Descend Records, we decided to catch up with him to find out more about what he’s been up to, where’s he’s come from and what his plans are for the future.

How are you, how has 2019 been for you?

Im great thanks, well…shattered from ADE but made some new connections and had a quality time! So far 2019 has been my best year to date, I’ve had support from some big artists, most recently, Pleasurekraft on a remix I did for Timebandit on Gain Records, which he put it in his ADE Chart & is now in the Techno Hype Top 100. As well as that I had my first gig outside of the UK, where I played for Sven Sossong in Germany, and I’ll be back in 2020… 

How did you first get into electronic music? What artists / parties inspired you to begin with?

I’ve grown up with electronic music, I think it started with some UK dubstep which I only listened to because my older brothers did (Benga/Coki/Skream) then moved onto liquid drum and bass and I guess would be classed as dance music when I was at college. Then I moved onto house & tech house. Finally moving onto Techno which I think I’ve found a match with. I’ve been through the genres and now I only really listen to Burial from that kind of time, some weird and emotive soundscapes he creates in his tracks.

In terms of parties around 2012/13 there was a label called Swamp 81 which threw some real underground parties, those got me into the scene and ultimately the techno I make today, with artists like Paleman & Bodikka, really pushing the boundaries of techno, I would do it all again and still try add bits of that early swamp sound.

How long until you found your own sound, and how would you describe it?

Its taken a while if I’m honest, I’m not sure what I was expecting! I have enjoyed the journey so far, it’s only recently I’ve started to put a stamp on my tracks, until then it was a kind of mix of artists I like, so around 2 years of solid production. The KLINES sound has got big kicks, thumping basslines and massive synths, but I always try to add a form of groove whether thats some low toms or percussion to help the track roll through.

Tell us about your new EP on Descend Records – what inspired or influenced it?

Anubis was an idea I had after streaming Carl Cox live at Ultra Miami, I wanted a really panned dark synth with percussion and hits that bounced off each other, the name came from the vocal which I had in there which was about the Egyptian god but that was ditched, I still wanted to name it that though as its a pretty cool reference. BHT was another personal one, it was around the end of my time at university so I wanted to get some pads and melodies that provoked some feelings that I was going through.

Do you make tunes to fit in your own DJ sets, is that how it works? Is there a close link between you as a DJ and a producer?

I’ve only recently been able to put my own tracks into my mixes, not sure why but whenever I tried to before the mix would just lose all energy and I’d scrap the mix. But in the past few months my sound has hit where I wanted it to be, for example in a mix for “This Is Resonance” (Scott Sardena) Techno Live Sets Series I put 7 or 8 original tracks in without losing the coherency of the mix. Now the link between me as a DJ & producer is where I want it to be, theres always room for improvement though and I am nowhere the finished article by a long shot…

Do you have any favourite bits of gear, hardware or software that help define your sound?

Heres my secret…Ableton Stock Overdrive…I love it, pretty much every track I have it gets rinsed, on hats, synths, kicks. Eventually I will get a hardware overdrive like a Boss Pedal but I’m so comfortable with it at the moment. Time has defined my sound, maturing, knowing how to use the software has massively helped me create what I want to, its easy to sit down and make something but making what you actually want to hear is the next level.

The other thing which I guess has helped my sound is that I used to play drums up to grade 7, which makes grooves and rhythms quite easy for me. Would love to get a full kit again at some point and record some live hits!

Where do you start on a tune when producing? Always in the same place, is one bit more important than any other so drums or synths or?

Usually always the same process as every other techno or electronic artist for that matter, the KICK! It is the most prominent feature after all…I can spend hours sometimes longer depending on how my day has gone. Then in goes the bass, a simple sub for now so I can get feel of the track, ill go back to that after I’ve got some groovy hats in. From then on its pretty much whatever comes out of my head, I try to listen to as many different genres from Wu-Tang Clanto Tame Impala to be as diverse and get inspiration from as much as possible.

How would you describe the scene in London at the moment?

Its massive and seems to be only going one way! Its the biggest I’ve seen it since I’ve been living here 5 years. Every weekend and sometimes during the week you can see some of the best music from around the world. And the venues are some of the best, Printworks, Tobacco Docks, EGG, Fabric, E1…the list goes on, with new venues popping up too its certainly thriving even with, dare I say it, all this Brexit nonsense.

What hopes and goals do you have for your career – do you set targets?

I have only just set goals for myself, which are much needed, otherwise I’d just be making music for no one to hear it. You need something to motivate you, for me I want to push on with gigs and also land on one of the so called big boys labels! Considering the recent support I have been getting I don’t think this is an entirely unreasonable goal. In terms of the rest of my career its still very early for me, I would like to be in that next generation of artists who put those tracks out which just blow you away!

What else is coming up, what else are you working on?

I have a wicked 3 track EP coming out on Sven Sossongs Gryphon Recordings ( Soundcloud @gryphonrecordings ) which I’m really happy about, each track shows a different part of my production. “Elypto” is raw. “Taumen” is trippy. “Empyrean” is groovy. I’ll leave it at that. Release date TBA, keep an eye out on my socials those! 

As well as this I have a remix coming out on the 26th October on my good friends label, Plazma Records (@plazmarecords). Which coincides with a label party he is throwing on 1st November @ Cell 200, London with Fabio Florido, Sofie Sapun & Josh Vincenzo! Any Londoners get down to that one.

Other than that I have a big playlist of unsigned tracks, which seem to be going up by the week! With these tracks I’ve been ruthless with what I’m actually producing. It comes down to, would I play it. If not I either work on it until I would or start again. I’m also trying to push myself out of my comfort zone with a track I’m working on with a vocalist/producer from South Africa (Landi Christine), its more a less my sound but I had some lyrics in my head and she is going to add to them and see what we come up with!

Grab kLines – Anubis EP on Beatport

Listen: KLINES via Soundcloud

Keep up with kLINES: Soundcloud | Facecook | Instagram

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