Sebb Aston 'Life Goes On EP' Exclusive Q&A

Sebb Aston is French house producer currently residing in Spain. He’s already 20 years deep in the music game previously as hip hop producer. Now, house music is his main production and Sebb has had releases (with much success) on labels like: Love Not Money, King Street, Blue Orb Records, Underground Source Records which have gained support from the likes of Hot Since 82, Miguel Migs, Amine Edge & Tensnake..

With his latest ‘Life Goes On EP’ out NOW on Traxsource. We caught up with Sebb to find out about the new release, his label and life…

The Interview

1) Firstly, thanks for taking the time out to chat with us. Tell us where you are and how you are feeling right now.

Thanks for the invitation. I’m sitting on the beach, under the sun in the South of Spain looking at the sea and listening to the latest Disco Kid DJ Set in my ipod so I can say I’m feeling good right now!

2) Obviously, the topic for today is new album/release – tell us in your words a little bit about how it came to be and what you were trying to convey to your listeners…

Firstly I wanted to release a new EP without any remixes. It doesn’t mean i don’t like being remixed but it makes the project more personal. Most of time I’m trying to bring an emotional atmosphere to my music, not only because this is what everybody does but because i try to capture the feeling of the moment in a track. Sometimes it’s dance floor friendly, sometimes not. Our readers will probably be disappointed on this one but for this ‘Life Goes On EP’, I can’t really describe the process of inspiration. I’m an artist, i express myself through my art, my music; and if i would be able to translate my feelings into words I’d probably write books or songs. But i’m almost sure every listener will find their own interpretation of those emotions. Once my music is released it doesn’t belong to me anymore

3) Where does your artist name emanate from, what’s its meaning & why did you choose it?

My first name is Sebastien, but everybody call me Sebb, and “Aston” is the name of the first recording studio i was working as an engineer in Paris years ago! I chose this name because it was a great period in my life (when i learned almost all what i know today about music) and especially because it was a magic place! This studio was a part of an old building used in the 80s for industrial fridges. Today a community of artists painters, sculptors, photograph, street artists, actors, musicians, recordings studios lives here. It’s an absolutely inspiring magic place!

4) What’s it like running a Record Label – and what do you want to accomplish as an imprint?

Well running a record label is absolutely exciting! ‘Frigo Vide’ is french and it means “empty fridge”, because most of time when someone chooses the artist way of life, he doesn’t have much money to buy food for his fridge!

So the label is dedicated to find and release real artists that are real passionate. Those artists who spend days & nights to send demos to labels and wait with a heavy heart for a “never coming” response. When you are one with your music, it is something very hard to live, i mean personally, being constantly ignored or disappointed. I also sadly realised that some labels never listen to the demos and use your “demo submissions” as a “newsletter subscription”.

I like to say my Frigo Vide Records will be the label for all the talented and passionate artists that nobody else wants to sign!

5) What keeps you both motivated after all this time? Tell us about the highs and the lows…

I came into music in 1992 and I’ve never stopped since then. I always wanted my music to be a full time job, but i never reached that goal. I lived hundreds of disappointments and hundreds of moments of pure happiness and all those years working harder and harder with my fridge empty.

And as you see today in 2014, I’m still here making exactly the same thing with the same love as it was in 1992. So the only thing which keeps me motivated is the love for the music. I say “Love” but i could also probably use the word addiction.

6) Share a few artists that have influenced your sound?

My biggest influences come from Hip Hop even if it’s not obvious when i make House Music. I won’t be very original but artists like J Dilla & DJ Premier gave me the passion for diggin’ and sampling.

I re-discovered Laurent Garnier when he recently published on soundcloud 20 years of his dj sets from the 90s until today. Just amazing! and of course as a good french boy, i can’t speak about my influences without talking about Daft Punk, Bob Sinclar, “Cassius”: or Etienne De Crecy who definitely made me fall in love with house music! but these days, I’m a big fan of artists like Detroit Swindle, Urulu, Broke One, Vanilla Ace, Motor City Drum Ensemble & Prince Club. Recently I also discovered an amazing producer called Billy Kenny, his productions are all bombs!

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7) What is the one machine, program, sound, drum machine, technique that characterizes your sound?

I learned that a good track is a savant mix between composition and technic. I spend as much time playing with compressors and reverbs as I do creating basslines, melodies and grooves. I use effects and processors as instruments. But what could really characterise my sound is the vinyl crackle you’ll hear in the background on 98% of my tracks. And if I had to go on a desert island, i’d leave my computer here and bring a vinyl turntable, an Akai MPC and a Korg M1.

8) What is the one piece of kit that you simply cannot do without?

Samples from Vinyl records! For me a track without at least one old dirty sample is not 100% complete.

9) What’s next for you?

I will still be spending all my nights producing stuff for my future releases with the goal of releasing one EP/Single each month if possible along side searching forc new promising, unknown artists to sign on Frigo Vide Records. At the same time i’ll keep remixing and releasing music on other labels i’m close to like Blue Orb records, Nupanda, Love Not Money, Spirit Soul Records, etc.

But the project of the moment is the launching of the sister label ‘FVR Street’ where I’d like to sign sounds more “urban” than “housey”. I already have projects ready for the this. The 2 first releases will be G-House tracks, the 3rd Dubstep and the 4th Trap. Hopefully everything should be ready in March / April.

10) And finally, what would be your short list of dream collaborations, past or present – dead or alive?

As usual i won’t be very original if i tell you Michael Jackson, but i had to! My dream collaborations could be producing a beat for Talib Kweli, also to collab on a track with Steve Huerta and Urulu and a release a House project with Erykah Badu, D’Angelo & Q Tip.

Sebb Aston latest release ‘Life Goes On’ is out now on Traxsource.

Frigo Vide Records

Sebb Aston