Ian Carey, one of the leading names in house music right now, arrives in Australia this week for his first tour. With a phenomenal run of soulful funky house tracks that have dominated the dancefloor under his belt, Ian’s tracks have been released on Defected, Universal, AM:PM, Ministry of Sound, Warner Bros, Hed Kandi, Azuli, Tommy Boy, East West and Houseworks to name but few! ITM took a few minutes with the rising star before his tour kicked off in Canberra and Sydney.
You’ve had massive success with both your remixes and with the Soul Providers alongside Jason Papillion, including “Rise”, “Try My Love”, “I Don’t Know” and “Let The Sunshine In”. What are you working on at the moment, what direction are you heading in?
I’m working a few different original projects right now, spending a lot of time in the studio. My wife is working on vocals with me, which is great; it gives us a lot of time to work on a track compared to booking a session singer. Although I will produce with Jason again a Soul Providers, at the moment with my move to Europe and Jason being in the US its not happening though.
Tell me more about Élan Media, which includes Élan Rouge and Élan Bleu recordings?
Predominantly it is a record label right now. However we want the freedom to be able to do other media based projects through Élan. I’d like to start up a download site; now that downloading now is more controlled it has its place in the industry.
Speaking of downloads, how do you feel about vinyl? Do you still use it, do you think it still has a place?
Vinyl sales have actually started to increase again; there will always be a place for it. Personally I like to play on vinyl, my travel schedule means I have to have some CDs, maybe half a set just because it’s so hard to carry! I do prefer to play on vinyl though, I like the feel of it, the handling, to mix with and control. I also think it fits the image of a DJ better.
So you’re not moving towards more technology in your sets, laptops?
No plans to ever use a laptop, apart from anything else I work in Europe. Turning up in Russia with a laptop is asking for trouble and it just doesn’t look or feel the same.
Your bio mentions your sound being underground, do you still think that’s the case? Recent tracks have all crossed over and your sound is very funky, soulful house?
I think the reference to an underground sound reflects the early days much more than now. As I have become more removed from hip hop where I started and got a bit older, it’s become less about being cool. I really like the marketing involved in hip hop, one of my goals is too bring that over.
In what way would you bring the marketing of hip hop over to house?
In hip hop, they create an image of that the kids just want to follow, to be. It’s a super cool lifestyle rather than just an artist.
Can you do that in house, isn’t that taking the superstar DJ a step too far?
It would be more a case of giving house more street cred, a more serious image to make it closer to real life.
Isn’t part of the attraction of house to many people, the fact that it doesn’t reflect real life, it escapes it?
That’s true, it can still be taken more seriously though. Be more reflective of real life, not that hip hop is real life but it has a more serious aspect to it. There is a balance between the two.
You can catch the soulful, funky sounds of Ian Carey, one of house music’s leading producers, on his first Australian Tour at the following venues:
Fri Sep 2nd, Canberra – Sumo Sonic @ Lot 33
Sat Sep 3rd, Sydney – Clean & Serene @ Yu
Thu Sep 8th, Bryon Bay – La La Land
Sat Sep 10th, Melbourne – Seven
Fri Sep 16th, Brisbane – Family
