Long considered one of the finest local electronic music acts in Melbourne, Steve Law (AKA Zen Paradox) speaks to us about his latest productions, his live set up and everything else in the world of, Steve Law.

So Steve, what has been going on in the world of Zen Paradox lately? Latest Releases?

I released a new album called Numinosum on the local label EEM last year. It was the first one as Zen Paradox for quite a long while. I’m hoping to get it licensed overseas this year, and then follow up with another album later in the year.

What does your set-up entail? How has this changed over the years?

My live set-up has changed quite a bit over the years. In the past I had used various sequencers controlling a whole bunch of analog and digital gear. I got a laptop for the first time a couple of years ago, and that has become the centre of my live set-up nowadays. With the laptop, I’m able to do things I never could have done with older set-ups. It allows me to be a lot more flexible, and is a lot more powerful in terms of how I can generate and manipulate sound live. I know a lot of people have a dubious attitude towards the use of laptops in live performance, but that will pass. The fact is, I’m doing just as much, if not more, on the fly with the laptop as I was with any previous set-up. Sure, it’s possible to pre-arrange something and just hit play, but that’s something I have never been interested in. With the main software I’m using (Ableton Live), it is possible to take a live set in any direction, in a completely non-linear fashion. No set I do is the same as any previous one. I use quite a sophisticated midi controller in combination with the laptop to give me more hands on control. I do still use some of the old gear though, such as the SH-101, Axxe and MS20. I’m now able to process those live through the laptop to get a much greater range of sounds from them.

Who has inspired you over the years, DJs and live artists?

As far as techno goes, three guys that have really impressed me consistently right from the early days would be Richard James, Cristian Vogel and Luke Slater. Claude Young would have to be one of the most impressive DJs I’ve seen. I think some of the best live techo acts I’ve seen have been from Melbourne to be perfectly honest!

How would you describe your current techno sound?

It varies quite a bit depending on the night. I’m not very good at these kind of descriptions, so I prefer to leave that to others.

What can people expect at Technoir this Friday?

Probably something quite a bit harder than I’ve done for some time. I know the guys there like it a bit harder, so I’ll be happy to oblige! I guess I’ll be looking back to the kinds of gigs I did at Teriyaki some years ago as a starting point, but bringing it into a more current context. I’m actually quite excited about this one, as I’m not totally sure what to expect myself really – I’ll be preparing a bunch of stuff during the week leading up to the gig, but you’ll have to check it out on the night to see what happens!

Steve Law playst at Technoir this Friday 20th January.  Check ITM whatson for more details.