Gazing intensely towards unexplored horizons, Parisian-based imprint Latency adroitly condenses both a cutting-edge and daring sense of sound-making with a fascinating work on semi-abstract visual figures. Dipping into obscure techno motifs as much as they enjoy testing the limits of falsely bereft ergs of sound, this hive of up-and-coming talents keeps quietly constructing one of the most riveting bodies of work out there.
Ahead of the eagerly-awaited Workshop x Latency show in Paris on Friday which’ll see them share the decks with Kassem Mosse, Madteo and Even Tuell, we caught up with label owners Sidney and Suleiman to discuss label operations, influences and their key spots in Paris.
Interview by Baptiste Girou
"We find the podcast exercise interesting, it gives us a greater freedom of choice than the club format."
Sidney, Suleiman, thanks for offering us this beautiful mix. What were the influences and concept behind this recording?
Thank you for the chance. We find the podcast exercise interesting, it gives us a greater freedom of choice than the club format. Our aim was to present a selection of different music styles we like. This mix is half way between what we like to listen to while working / relaxing and what we play in clubs.
How and where did you guys first meet?
We first met four years ago at our school (ENSAD in Paris) where we both still studying. This is where we also met Louise Ernandez, Irwin Barbé and some other friends working with us for Latency.
What triggered you to start publishing music together?
We both share a passion for music in general. Not long after we met, we started to organize small parties, DJing together. The idea of creating a label came naturally. Suleiman was living in Copenhagen at that time. One day we skyped and he came with the idea. The day after he was playing alongside Hakim Murphy. We asked him and Ike as Innerspace Halflife for the first release. This is how it all started.
Joey Anderson, Even Tuell, Madteo… the label may still be young, but you keep adding big names to the Latency catalogue. How did you convince these artists to release their music on the label?
We did not really have to convince anyone. Every artist answered positively after we asked them for a collaboration.
"Even Tuell once depicted Latency as "powerful elegance", we like the concept."
Do you guys have the same musical background? Do you listen to the same type of music?
We used to listen to Hip-Hop and Jazz when we were younger. Now we are into electronic music, but not only. We definitely have the same sensibility when it comes to art in general. We rarely disagree.
What’s Latency’s watchword?
Even Tuell once depicted Latency as “powerful elegance”, we like the concept.
Sidney, you also release your own music as Mura Oka, a duo made up of you and your friend Louis. It is a quite mysterious name, where does it come from?
It comes from a mystery. Koumiko Muraoka is the main character in The Koumiko Mystery, a documentary by Chris Marker. It’s been shot in 1964 during the Japanese Olympic games.
Mura Oka’s sound is a one of a kind hybrid of dark dub techno and hypnotic ambient music, can you tell us more about the creative process behind your tracks? Does it inflect your work as a label boss?
Louis and I grew up together. We started producing music three years ago. Louis was already into gear at that time and he kind of introduced me to it. We now have a shared studio and work mostly with hardware. We use to jam a lot, then we work from the recordings. We also like to let the other one start something and finish the track together.
The Mura Oka project really does not influence my work as label co-owner. Releasing my music was a decision we made together with Suleiman. He had an important role, helping on the selection and direction of the tracks. He also pushed to make this first release an album, and not an EP. It came at the right time for both us and Latency.
If there was one track you’d have dreamt to release, what would it be?
Probably Ross 154’s first album Strike, released on Delsin in 2004.
"We use to jam a lot, then we work from the recordings. We also like to let the other one start something and finish the track together."
Is there any particular place you like to hang out at or draw your inspiration from?
Strasbourg Saint-Denis in the North is an area we like a lot. Less common is La Butte Aux Cailles in the South, a well-kept secret away from the touristic spots.
Which Parisian club and record store would you recommend to our readers?
Concrete seems to be one of the only serious options when it comes to good programming. The venue is well equiped sound-wise, it is really pleasant to play or listen to music there. Their success have not influenced their guideline. They still dare, unlike so-called legendary parisian clubs. There is also Sonotown, a crew of nice people with great tastes.
If you are looking for experimental music, we would recommend Le Souffle Continu. It is a nice store located near Voltaire where you can also find interesting books about electronic music.
Who’s an inspiration to you? Any musician, label, personality you worship?
We really respect the way Bill Kouligas works with PAN. Other favorites are Morphine, Editions Mego, Workshop… Mika Vainio, Vladislav Delay, Jan Jelinek or Lee Gamble are artists we particularly like.
Regarding newcomers, we closely follow Klara Lewis and Croatian Amor to name a few.
What are your next projects?
We have a couple of releases in progress. Hopefully they will be out before the end of the year. Besides that, we are really busy working on our diploma project at school.
Workshop x Latency at Le Trabendo in Paris with Kassem Mosse (live), Madteo, Even Tuell and Sidney & Suleiman takes place on Friday 1st May 2015, order your tickets via RA.
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TRACKLIST
1. Ø – Loihdittu (Sähkö)
2. Yves de Mey – Isorhythmia (Peter Van Hoesen Rough Dub) (Archives Intérieures)
3. Plastikman – Cor Ten (NovaMute)
4. Andy Stott – She’s Gone Wrong (Modern Love)
5. Byetone – Land (BineMusic)
6. Kassel Jaeger – Exposure Scales — Sunlight (Editions Mego)
7. Monoton – Teil 3 (Monoton)
8. Charles Cohen – In Search Of Mysteries (Morphine)
9. Croatian Amor – Forever Wild Palms (Posh Isolation)
10. Muslimgauze – Stars of Golein Heights (Staalplaat)
11. Varg – Asocial 46 (Northern Electronics)
12. Stewart Walker – Yamankata (Parotic Music)
13. Porn Sword Tobacco & SVN – Complaints B (Kontra)
14. Tvboy – E1 (Tektite)
15. Gigi Galaxy – Lemuria Rising (Teknotika)
16. Christoph de Babalon – Brilliance (Digital Hardcore)
17. Mirage – Just For You (Odysee)
Discover more about Sidney & Suleiman and Latency Recordings on Inverted Audio.
Sidney & SuleimanLatencyElectronicExperimental