Kris, thanks for the interview! You have quite the history in music, first spending your youth playing cello. Tell us a bit about that.
Music surrounds me since the early age and I can’t imagine my life without it. Having classical music training proved to be very important on my path of becoming a producer.
When was it that you began edging away from orchestral music towards electronic? Do you use any of your classical influences in your music?
I really enjoyed playing classical music, it gave me a basic musical education I use every day in the studio. On the other hand I was always interested in new technology and when I became aware of you can actually make music with a computer, I immediately fell in love with it. As a kid when I regularly visited the local music school and played in the orchestra my dream was to write a piece that we can try to play with my fellow musicians. At first, writing music using the computer felt like I had the musicians playing my piece at home, it was totally mind blowing. I was listening to all sorts of things including electronic music at that time and it was natural for me to start writing some dance music too.
You had major breakthroughs with Astro-Sine and the infamous “my house is your house” sample, which were eaten up by Trace’s DSCI4 imprint. Some call you “king of the bassline” in my circle of friends. What was that like for you?
My childhood heroes are Ed Rush & Optical, Kemal & Rob Data and when I heard Konflict opening a set with Astro-Sine, it was a dream come true. As far „as king of the bassline” I think there are other people in the scene stronger than me in the bassline game but since cello was part of the „low-end” of the orchestra I always felt having a good bassline is a very important part of a tune.
When did you start making music? What was your inspiration, sound-wise? What advice would you give for upcoming artists?
I made my first finished tunes around 1996. I was listening to The Prodigy and a lot of hardcore techno at that time, but I also liked breakbeat and house. I was using a program called Fast Tracker 2 and basically without Google and YouTube I had to figure out and learn everything myself. For upcoming artists my best advice would be to be patient and never give up on your dreams. If you work hard enough and have enough dedication, your music will eventually reach the right people and you’ll be a success.
You began your own label, FATE Recordings. What artists are signed to the label? What is upcoming?
I thought it’s a good idea to have an extra platform for my own tunes and although there weren’t too many releases on my own imprint so far, I consider the ones out so far a success. „Together in the Night” ft. Mira from FATE001 got picked up by Andy C for Nightlife 6 and „Above Earth” made it to Ramlife 1 and the top 100 tracks of Beatport in 2014. The label is basically only for my own track and collabs but who know what the future holds. I’m planning to get a few remixes done next year too, possibly in an EP format.
You just did a massive show alongside the likes of Rene LaVice and a back2back set with Mindscape. How were the vibes? Did you enjoy yourself?
I consider René Lavice one of those ’crazy’ guys of the scene – in a good way. He played a massive set and played 1 hour longer than he was supposed to be so I guess this tells you the story.
You do a radio show too, right?
I used to have a monthly radio show called „Petőfi DJ” on MR2 Petőfi Rádió (basically our national equivalent of BBC Radio 1) but it’s finished now. The program director of the radio got replaced a few months ago and the restructured the shows and Petőfi DJ got cancelled. I had fun making this mixes during this 2.5 year period so I’m thinking of launching a new FATE Recordings podcast from September.
What releases can we look forward to from you upcoming?
It might seem I haven’t got a lot of new tunes but it’s actually on the contrary. I have nearly 15 tunes ready to be unleashed. I’m working on a new EP for Eatbrain and also a new EP on FATE Recordings is nearly done. I have a track on the forthcoming 10 Years of Horizons Music compilation too.
What is Budapest’s drum & bass scene like? Other notable artists in the city/country?
I really enjoy the scene here, there are lots of good DJs and producers around. Jade is running Eatbrain and Mindscape I also consider a good friend. SKC isn’t an active producer anymore but I still see him regularly and he didn’t stop DJing either. Gamma from Spinline has gone solo and has a new alias Mark Galaxy, DJ Madd is an awesome dub / juke producer living in the USA at the moment, and there are some young but very talented jump up producers 2N, Klay and Pupptz whose tracks air getting played regularly on Kiss FM by DJ Hype for example. Raise Spirit is making some liquid dnb and he’s part of the Liquicity family.
What influences you and your music most?
Basically everything can be inspiring, from watching a good deep movie to a morning walk. The biggest inspiration is, however, a wicked crowd during a DJ gig. That feeling when you play out your new track and the crowd goes crazy is irreplacable.
You’ve collaborated with many artists like State of Mind, Desimal (RIP), Nickbee and others. Who else are you and would you like to work with?
I think I always learn a lot from every collab and I’m keen to learn more from those people who are making music for the right reasons. Probably one of my biggest inspiration is Klute whom I never made a collab with. I’d love to make another tune with Black Sun Empire, and if there was time travel, I’d go back 15 years to be in the studio with Kemal & Rob Data. The stuff Noisia are doing is also astonishing, I’d love to check out their studio.
What else do you have to add that we haven’t covered?
I just want to say thank you to each and everybody for following what I’m doing. When you read comments on YouTube such as „I broke up and got together with my girlfriend listening to your tune” is heart warming and blows my mind how my music can affect other people.
More on Chris.Su at the following links – Official Website/Soundcloud/Facebook/Beatport/FATE Recordings
