For the 387th edition of the IA MIX Series, we are beyond excited to invite London-based ambient and experimental producer Box5ive to deliver the goods.
With a productive year culminating in the release of his debut album ‘Grey Space‘ via co:clear, a sparse, ambient tinged bass record that blew our minds and remains one of our favourite full lengths of the year. With that record and scattered tracks for the likes of Well Street and Comic Sans, Box5ive is a burgeoning name in the ever expansive and adventurous world of UK bass, grime, and dubstep.
Box5ive’s mix explores contemporary independent club tracks, providing a glimpse at his peak time prowess from the comfort of your headphones. There are hints of his bass and dubstep influences, but it’s woven in between prime dance fodder that works perfectly under strobe lights as the night morphs into the morning.
In addition to his stellar mix, Box5ive graciously answered our questions to shed light on his musical influences and beginnings, current studio set up, and a look at some of his favourite London clubs.
Interview by Jason Cabaniss
"For this mix I wanted to show the vibe I’d bring to a club or dance floor at peak time. I’ve been playing more ambient shows recently, but I love dance music and still want to play and make club music"
Hey Jake, thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. What was the vibe you were aiming for with this mix?
For this mix I wanted to show the vibe I’d bring to a club or dance floor at peak time. I’ve been playing more ambient shows recently, but I love dance music and still want to play and make club music.
What are some of your earliest musical memories? Were there a lot of instruments and records around the house?
Yeah, I remember hearing a lot of jazz and rock and roll. I’ve got a really clear memory of learning to play Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix on guitar. There was a piano in the living room, I didn’t like practicing at the time but now I wish I’d practiced for like 14 hours a day.
Are there any records or singles that influenced your tastes as a producer and DJ? How have your listening habits evolved over the years?
I remember hearing ‘Tears’ by Hijak and ‘Left Leg Out’ by Mala. These early dubstep records were the whole reason I wanted to start producing. Also ‘Unluck’ by James Blake. I heard the ‘St. Martins / Tension’ single by DjRum and I knew I needed more of that.
Recently I’ve been discovering some insane ambient music. I’ve got to give a big shout out to Caterina Barbieri, I have no idea how she uses the Eurorack but it’s so perfect and honest, if that makes sense. Lauren Duffus is also making some crazy music that really reminds me of that UK sound. That kind of melancholia makes me happy, it’s weird.
When did you start getting into producing electronic tracks? What was the first piece of gear you acquired?
I was in secondary school and me and a couple friends were sending each other tunes we made on GarageBand. I played around with FL Studio at school, then I got Logic from there and I showed my music teacher this really bad dubstep tune I made when I was 15. She made the whole class listen to it and I was embarrassed. It wasn’t until a few years ago I started to take it seriously.
Tell us about your studio set up. Do you have any new or favourite tools?
To be honest it’s pretty minimal, I’m trying to save up for a Nord. I got a KORG nanoKONTROL2 recently, which gives a hands on approach when playing live and doing automation. I play melodies on my midi keyboard and change it from there. I really want to learn Eurorack but that’s a while away and I can’t afford it.
In terms of plug-ins I love shimmer reverb to create huge spaces, Rift, Glitch2 and some of the FabFilter plug-ins. For synths I love Arturia, u-he and all the Native Instruments software. The scripter in Logic Pro is also really amazing as a tool, adjusting probability and randomising things can be a really cool way to get out of a rut if you’re in one.
You released your debut LP, Grey Space, earlier this year on co:clear. I reviewed it and loved it, and I am interested to hear how you approached a full-length and what your process was like for this album?
I was sending tunes to Conna Haraway for about a year (one of the nicest people I’ve ever met), we spoke a lot and whittled it down from a lot of other tracks. I didn’t have a concept or a journey in mind really. This is something I’m planning for the next album though. I love the idea of a really well thought out album that flows from one track into the next, but for ‘Grey Space‘ I just kept making tunes and we selected the ones that felt the best/right for the vibe of the album and label.
"I love the idea of a really well thought out album that flows from one track into the next, but for 'Grey Space' I just kept making tunes and we selected the ones that felt the best/right for the vibe of the LP and label"
With releases on a handful of excellent labels such as Well Street and co:clear, showcasing new directions in UK bass and experimental sounds, what do you look at when deciding who to release your music with?
I’m not sure really, I love it when people are down to try and do something new and unique without being pretentious. I get bored really easily so I love labels that are about pushing original music and moving away from your basic drum/groove/bass kind of tracks (not that I don’t love that at the right time). I like it when you get the freedom to be creative and also in line with a certain vibe, I guess.
What are some of your favourite clubs and hangouts in London? Can you give our readers an insight into the vibe of the city?
There are some really great underground spaces in London pushing club and ambient music. The top ones for me have got to be Ormside Projects and FOLD. There’s a really great venue called Spanners in Loughborough Junction, it’s a cool intimate club under an archway, the sound is so good there. I’ve got to give a mention to Cafe OTO in Dalston, some of my favourite listening events happen there. There’s also a lot of new DIY places popping up around which is great to see.
A lot of our connections these days come through our phones, with social media, streaming, etc. What’s your perspective on social media and how do you strike a balance with it as it relates to your music?
Yeah, I guess social media is designed to feed ego in the first place. I’m constantly debating deleting it but you can’t really in this world. It’s odd, I’ve made most of my connections through Instagram. A lot of DJ’s on Instagram give me mad anxiety also haha, not sure what it is. That’s only a handful of people though. It’s a pretty fake place, it doesn’t really mean anything in my opinion, some of the best new music I’ve heard is from people with a small following on social media.
Do you have any big plans for the remainder of the year?
Yeah a few dates in the UK/EU before the year is up, they aren’t announced yet though so not sure if I can say. I’ve finished an EP which should be out before 2025, a couple appearances on some VA’s and nearly wrapped another EP. I’m trying to make as much music in both club and ambient worlds so next year I can release a lot and try to keep momentum.
I’ve been scoring for films lately which has been really refreshing, it’s quite a different way of working. I’ve just finished a documentary that will be on Discovery+ soon. I’m trying to collaborate more as well, it’s nice to see how other people work and get out of my own head a bit. I’m very excited for a few collaborations with some of my favourite artists at the moment, more info on that soon.
Lastly, is there anything else you’d like to add and talk about?
Just big up anyone who is listening and connecting with the tracks! The past year has been crazy and it brings me a lot of joy when people message or say certain things about the music, so thanks to everyone.
‘Grey Space’ is out now via co:clear. Order a vinyl copy from Inverted Audio Record Store and digital from Bandcamp.
TRACKLIST
1. Koreless – Drumhell (Extended)
2. Priori – SCN 4
3. Azu Tiwaline & Forest Drive West – Fluids in Motion |||
4. Tammo Hesselink – Fixed Distance
5. Regis – Blood Witness
6. Plebeian – Cassone
7. Al Tourettes – Body Logic
8. Sobolik – Call
9. Konduku – Kilim
10. Malin Genie – Vorm in Geluid 011
11. Ciel & CCL – Tilda’s Goat Stare (Priori Remix)
12. GiGi FM – Tempelhof
13. Kassian – Yami
14. TT – silicon overseer
15. Carrier – Shading
16. Trois-Quarts Taxi System – Rat
17. Carrier – Product of Environment
18. Phone Call X Aya Garden Edit
19. Answer Code Request – Audax
20. San – Under the Scope
21. Zara – Azure
22. Yushh – OXI Ambigan
23. o9 – Terminal Red
24. Oslated – Amida |
25. SKY H1 – Elysian Heights
26. Dj Lostboi – Evenings In Belas
