Greg Gow kick starts Transmat’s digital life

Greg Gow kick starts Transmat’s digital life

19 October, 2009 | 4.56AM

• Written by: Zack Rico
• Filed under: Music News: derrick may, greg gow, transmat records

It is an icon, a pioneer, and a part of techno history, but for the last few years, Derrick May’s seminal Detroit record label Transmat Records has been a relic of the past with only a scattering a test pressings since 2002.

This week however, Transmat dropped its first fully realised 12-inch in years, marking the start of its new digital life. Toronto-based techno artist Greg Gow was given the honour of rekindling Transmat’s still warm embers, and ‘The Pilgrimage EP’ is the perfect catalyst for a Transmat return.

“I am really happy to be involved, it means a lot,” says Greg Gow, from a classroom in Toronto. When he’s not producing techno, or DJing at one of the city’s underground venues, Mr. Gow teaches French to kids aged four to 12.

Gow has a colourful past. As a teenager, he played hockey, but switched to music “when I hit 16 and realised that I would never make the NHL.”

He started listening to late night electronic music radio shows, and began recording his favourite tracks on cassette tapes for his friends.

“That progressed onto turntables and DJing at around the age of 23, and when I first started DJing in 1997/98, the rave scene in Toronto was huge,” he says.

“I walked into that scene and my sound was influenced by harder techno, but when the rave scene died out and moved into the clubs, my sound changed.”

Gow began DJing at Toronto’s big clubs like Guvernment, as well as at smaller spots like Footwork and This Is London. He launched his own label Restructured Recordings, and in January 2008, he threw a party in Toronto with Derrick May as the headliner.

“After his set, I gave him a CD of some of my own tracks, and a few months later he got in touch and said he really liked my music,” says Gow, who visited May in Detroit after he was invited by the techno pioneer to hang out. That particular trip, inspired the creation of ‘The Bridge’, the A side of ‘The Pilgrimage’.

“After we hung out, he let me stay in the Transmat office overnight, and I couldn’t sleep because it was like a museum for electronic music, with old Transmat releases framed on the walls, and notes from all of the different people who had visited the office over the years.”

“I thought, ‘holy shit, I’m in Derrick May’s office’, and I was up the whole night. It was really exciting for me as it was a very inspirational space. Derrick calls it The Bridge, and if you look out of the windows you can see downtown Detroit, which is like a ghost town.”

As such, ‘The Bridge’ is an epic Detroit styled house cut, that on first listen, sounds like classic Transmat with huge strings and soulful melodies.

“Derrick really liked ‘The Bridge’, but he asked me to make a more epic mix, which is what eventually made the EP,” explains Gow, who managed to impress the sometimes pedantic Transmat boss - the B side of ‘The Pilgrimage EP’, ‘Black Sun’, was on the original Gow demo.

With one more release already scheduled between Gow and Transmat, and its new digital seeds already blooming, it seems Detroit techno’s finest imprint may yet return to the fore.

Greg Gow’s ‘Fall 2009 Top 10’

We asked Greg Gow, the new Transmat artist and Toronto based French teacher, to put together a Top 10 DJ chart for us. It’s packed full of Detroit-inspired house and soulful techno goodies.

We also asked Derrick May to put together a Top 10, his first ever DJ chart on Beatport.

Greg Gow ‘The Bridge’ [Transmat]

It had to be number one. It’s inspired by the special building in Detroit that is home to Transmat Records.

Taho ‘Majestic’ [Restructured]

This is a great track from a good friend, and it always warms my soul every time I play it.

Karizma ‘Beat Dis’ [R2 Recordings]

Dmay put me on to this one, and ever since I can’t get enough of it!

Soundstream ‘Good Soul’ [Soundstream]

A great track that works in both tight intimate spots and at the after hour spots. It’s techy but housey.

Deetron ‘Zircon Version’ [Music Man]

I love Deetron’s material, and it always works on the floor.

Vince Watson ‘Code Inversion’ (Ben Sims Inversion Reshape) [Bio]

This is an older track, pumping, but still with the right amount of funkiness.

Itamar Sagi ‘Selio’ [Be As One]

This has crazy minor chord key stab action, and gives me mad goose bumps! I love Itamar’s production and the label Be As One is dropping some sick stuff.

Rhythm Sound ‘Free At All’ [Burial Mix]

Great deep chill vibes here. I love to play this early on in the night, or in tight rooms.

Jerome Sydenham ‘Pet Gorilla’ [Apotex]

Another techy club track from Sydenham, which I can fit into almost any set.

Greg Gow ‘Black Sun’ [Transmat]

Even though this is new for the general public, I made this track three years ago. It combines disco and tech elements, and I still love it.

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