Highsnobiety

Despite his relatively short time on the scene, rising producer Conducta is already being heralded as 'The Prince of UK Garage.' And upon spending time with his illustrious SoundCloud page, it's easy to see why. The Londoner is able to condense a huge swath of late '90s and early 2000s influences into a newly repurposed package, one built on a foundation of his own, ever-curious ear.

His sound is exemplified in his latest track "Come & Go," featuring Alyss and out via 2TE Records. It is also making its world premiere right here on Highsnobiety. And while it is certainly a jam, it carries some serious political overtones, a subject in which we delved during an interview discussing the track. Press play below and keep scrolling to read our chat.

I understand you wrote this the day that Donald Trump came to power? Can you tell us a bit about what that songwriting session was like?

It was the day after the US election, and despite the news we were actually both in good spirits. We were in agreement that things have to get worse or hit rock bottom before they ever get better. Trump would work out for the better in the grand scheme of things, as it would enable people to wake up from their ignorance and rectify prejudices.

We went through ideas and the overriding theme of song was to create something uplifting; we agreed the best way to combat adversity is to tackle it head on and doing your little part by emitting good energy back towards people and the earth, whether that be by small acts or big ones. The UK was also dealing with the aftermath of Brexit which was also very divisive. So rather than taking the orthodox route to write a garage song about girls or something bait we chose this.

Would you say that your work is inherently political? Or, do you feel a responsibility to be political in 2017?

People should take part in the political process as its a civic duty which we all need to be engaged in. This current wave of political engagement is a result of people being more aware of what's going on around them and realizing they have the ability to change, to some extent, their situation. With respect to my music, the only message I really try and spread is positivity; music that can make you feel good regardless of your beliefs, who you are or what you look like.

How did you first get into music?

Me and my cousins got hold of FL Studio 7 when we were younger and started rapping and producing beats. We were growing up watching Skepta vs Devilman on 'Lord of The Mics 2' and lots of grime pirate DVDs like 'Lord of the Decks.' We then fused the sounds of the R&B and hip-hop we grew up listening to with the grime we enjoyed. Then I discovered Garage via an older relative's club tapepacks and mix CDs and it grew from there. Sets from DJ Spoony, Timmi Magic, Tuff Jam were what sparked my love for the genre, hearing the the crowd go wild live with whistles and horns made me jealous of what they got to experience.

Who is someone that inspires you on a daily basis? Why?

My little sister Naomi. Her smile and outlook on life is bubbly and energetic, which is something I channel into my music. (Shoutout to my other sisters too!)

What are you listening to most right now?

Kerri Chandler, Victor Simonelli and all of the Masters of Works back catalog. For me, an important element of going forward in music is looking at what worked well in the past and then innovating it within a current context, whether that be sampling, or even just focusing on the chord progressions and live elements. US garage and House were the foundations for UK Garage and the music I make now. It's something I'm incorporating in my sets too.

What’s your favourite part about playing live?

My favorite part of playing live is the power you have as a DJ to have a clubber hanging off the last 30 seconds of what you've just played. Then teasing in something unexpected and seeing their face when it finally drops. Dancing is something I enjoy and as a DJ I approach playing live as if I wanted to dance all night long.

What three words would you use to describe your sound?

Uplifting, energetic and bubbly. AKA me when Arsenal win a football match.

For more of our premieres, take a look at Jacquie's "Am I the Only One" right here.

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