Kicking off the summer hot off their release of their debut album as Killbox, Audio & Ed Rush step in for some words about what they have been up to, shoes, food, plans for the future and more!
#1 Fresh off the release with your first album as Killbox can you give us some insight on the creative process and picking the tracks for Pleasure Palace? Also what inspired the albums name?
B- We had quite a few tracks to pick from when compiling the album and were able to find a diverse selection of styles that we are passionate about.
We make a lot of notes on our phones. Whenever we hear an interesting idea for a title we jot it down. It might be a line from a movie or series or something we see whilst online. After a while you have a good collection to choose from. Pleasure Palace suited the album’s sound perfectly.
G- Like Ben said we’re always writing down interesting terms, phrases, from wherever, so when it comes to naming things we usually have a list. Compiling the album it was important to have the right balance, the evidence being we swapped out two tracks from the LP a month before deadline and the two we put in their place completed the puzzle , it’s like finding the last piece to a jigsaw
#2 How would you describe your studio workflow whats the writing process like in the making of Killbox tunes?
B – We usually meet once a week and collaborate ideas we have been working on individually. We then select which ideas to develop.
G- We both run identical setups and we mix to the same levels so when we’re importing stems from each other there’s no major work to be done, it really speeds up workflow.
#3 What are some current plugins / synths you have been feeling lately
B- We love Xfers Serum synth, it’s such a powerhouse and relatively easy to use compared to other synths. Fab filter pro q2 is amazing too.
G- Wavesfactory trackspacer is a must, it’s a multiband sidechain, it basically allows you to carve out frequencies within a sound to allow others to dominate through the mix – amazing!
#4 What piece of equipment / synth have you been using the majority of your career if any? Which ones have stood the test of time throughout your evolution of sounds and onto the Killbox project.
B- Hmmmm not many spring to mind as we are both 100% in the box at the monebt and the vsts tend to change as technology does. Having said that I know we both still use camel phat and have done from day dot. Its tube distortion is brilliant and overall is excellent for getting some movement into your sounds. It has many uses.
G- PreSonus studio one, it’s on version 4 now and it’s our DAW, we’ve been with it since it started 8 years ago, its changed my production for the better and is super intuitive.
#5 What is some advice you could give to aspired producers that you have learned throughout your careers.
B- Be patient. It can be frustrating when you aren’t getting the results that you want, but, if you stick at it and keep learning you will get there. There is so much knowledge available these days online you can get good at pretty much anything you want. Keep learning and practising.
G- Finish a tune! Basically get in the habit of mapping out the project even if it’s very rough. It’s not set it stone it can change but it really helps if you keep getting stuck in that 32bar loop head f@*k.
#6 What has been some of your favorite gigs as killbox, and which ones are you looking forward to this year?
B- We have a few great festivals lined up this year I am most looking forward to Let It Roll and Dour festival.
G- Let it roll last year was vibes, so was animalz in Paris. We’ve had some great shows right out the bat, so I’m hyped for the future now we have some music out there.
#7 Switching things up a bit, What is both of your favorite countries for food?
B – Japan. Definitely.
G- I would of said Japan too but Italian, Mexican, Indian are all right up there.
#8 All time favorite junk food / studio snacks?
B- it used to be Cadburys Wispas but Gareth drew these Caramel Roundies on me and these now wear the crown.
G- Yeah Cadbury roundies with a good cup of tea.
#9 Audio your quite the sneaker head according to instagram, does Ed Rush share the same love for kicks and what have you been really looking forward to in the realm of footwear?
B- I love trainers but Gareth has a true passion for them.
G- All about Virgil abloh’s collaboration with Nike, deconstructing 10 iconic silhouettes . Really changed things, before collaborations with Nike involved you picking a colour palette and putting your logo on it. He completely broke down the shoe to a very raw state and used the same tones throughout the ten… Sorry I could go on for hours.
#10 Wrapping this up with where do you see the killbox project going towards the future? Any plays for a live show or AV installations?
B – We will be starting work on the 2nd album soon and beyond that, well, as the saying goes never say never.
G- Not sure yet , we will start the 2nd album soon so maybe after that. Maybe.
Check out pleasure palace here! Big ups Gareth and Ben!
https://ram.lnk.to/PleasurePalaceFA
