Aah, the term ‘Minimal’, it’s every where, managing to encapsulate everything from Trentmollers explosive Ableton heavy remixes to Steve Bug’s winding, mind-bending final scratch sets to Ricardo Villalobos 35 minute gypsy techno psychedelia workouts. There was a time though where minimal wasn’t a buzzword, wasn’t splashed across Mixmag and wasn’t trapped in the confines of genre. For Swayzak, who arguably defined ‘minimal’ on their extraordinary debut album ‘Snowboarding In Argentina’, the whole concept meant lack of equipment. “We were there by mistake” says David Brown, one half of the UK duo. “Minimal meant you didn’t have any machines”.

Brown met James Taylor in 1990 during the UK’s notorious Acid House explosion. They worked together for two years at a London record label. “We both quit but stayed friends. Then we realized we had a love for the same music”. The production then started, with Taylor and Brown not only becoming partners in the studio but in business as well when they set up Swayzak Recordings (Swayzak curiously meaning union in polish). They released a series of 12inch records, including the mesmerizing ‘Speedboat/Low Rez Skyline’, that have become legendary, distinctive by their warm, hypnotic groove and brooding analogue atmospherics. “(James) was more technical. I was more backward but had old synths. We started out just for fun and then it became more and more interesting”.

‘Snowboarding In Argentina’ came in ’98 and to this day remains a deep dubby masterpiece. The epic ‘Himawari’ came two years after and firmly established Swayzak as more than just dance producers but musicians who were comfortable doing stylistic star jumps (in particular on ‘State Of Grace’ where Swayzak dig a pummeling electro groove under Kirsty Hawkshaw’s desperate vocals) and exploring the parameters of the album medium intrinsically. Vocals would indeed become heavy features of the Swayzak sound on the later albums, 2002’s ‘Dirty Dancing’ and in particular their most recent album ‘Loops From The Bergerie’ which broke the gorgeously deadpan vocals of Richard Davies to the world and also introduced Brown’s own lyrical styling.

The recording process is simple and straight forward for Swayzak. “We just make tracks and if we like them we use them. If we need vocals we ask around. We are never over ambitious and know our limits”. This kind of laid back approach though has not deterred their output or their strident leaps in developing their sound, in fact listen to their debut backed then by ‘Loops’ and you can hear quantum leaps stylistically but still hear a structure and mood that is undeniably Swayzak. The studio has always stayed the same; it seems to be intelligence and experience that give Taylor and Brown their high quality not advancements in studio technology. “I use a computer”, says Brown,”but we still have loads of outboard gear and analogue stuff that we use. The computer helps but its all in the imagination”.

The advancement of technology has ups and downs according to Brown. Swayzak aren’t analogue boffins, they have moved with the times employing all kinds of gadgets into their DJ/live sets. “Sometimes we use 2 laptops, sometimes 3, sometimes electronic drums…. But we never rehearse and we never sync”, says Brown. “We never play arrangements, its just one big jam and its more fun that way, you keep the live feel”. On the downside Brown views some of the technological advancements are taking some of the soul away from the scene and more importantly the audio quality. “It’s ok sometimes but I think a lot of younger DJs need to check out better records. Playing MP3 files can be easily dispensed with cause you can’t keep a huge collection on your shelves”. May sound like an old school view but Brown sees merit in it. “They need to check the old way. Vinyl! It’s the real DJ culture. I know some people can’t get that but that’s just the way it is. Mp3’s are killing it because they just sound awful”.

Swayzak have a new album which as you read this has just been completed, featuring the vocals of Richard Davis once again and Berlin DJ Cassy, known for her acclaimed Panorama Bar mix cd last year. There is no release date set but it will no doubt be one of 2007’s more indelible releases and Brown and Taylor show no sign of giving up the game despite going 15 years strong and very little down time. “It never seems to stop”, quips Brown. “We will quit one day and retire to Switzerland but I would actually like to produce a singer or band, something like pop music but make it with really dark electronics”. And on the whole minimal explosion, Brown is un fussed. “They all sound the same” he says of the current crop of minimalist producers “Its boring now. Basically minimal is being made by trance producers”.

TOUR DATES:
05 APR 2007 – Melbourne, 3rd Class
06 APR 2007 – Gold Coast, Berlin Lounge
07 APR 2007 – Sydney, Laundry
08 APR 2007 – Brisbane, Mass