Introducing: 9West

Introducing: 9West

7 December, 2010 | 10.13AM

• Written by: Justin Jack
• Filed under: Music News: 9west, introducing

Our curiosity piqued after 9West dropped their latest single for Dessous, we tracked down the Greek duo of George exarchos and Kostas Tikis to learn more about the duo.

Their high-quality sound is techy and deep, and their productions are making noise. Their latest, the Shapes EP, showcases a fresh new sound that’s advanced considerably from their releases on Iboga back in 2007.

Can you tell us a little about your background? Where did you grow up, and where are you based now?

We were born and raised in Thessaloniki, a city that always has a place in the electronic music scene. It was easy for us to welcome the modern age of music and eventually to be a part of it. We are still living in our hometown and deal with music on a daily basis.

How did you get started DJing and making music?

Music was always our passion and of course a way to express our feelings. Producing music and DJing are two different kinds of expression which we both have always experienced. The production of electronic music started with the understanding of MIDI and the endless possibilities of computer based music production. 

How would you describe the music that you make? There’s been a big change in your sound from Iboga in 2007 to the latest release on Dessous.

Definitely electronic. Generally tech and deep house. Our productions are a combination of grooves and sounds approaching the way we feel and understand music. Our main focus is not the genre but how to expand our skills in production. We follow our instincts. We think that the change in sound wasn’t our goal. It came after a lot of experimentation in our studio and from the feedback that we receive in our live acts around the world. Either way music is an experiment for us. 

Do you DJ or play live (or both)?

We like both. We prefer live acts because it’s more challenging. You have many options in how to present your work. 

Did you have any mentors when you were starting out? Who helped you get established?

Many people inspired us in our journey through music, from rock, jazz, and funk to house and techno. Especially in the beginning, when tuning the guitar was an issue! We also met many remarkable artists who revealed to us some of the secrets to producing electronic music and gave us some guidance. Frank from Monoroom listened to our music and told us to send it to Pokerflat. We also would like to thank all the crew at Pokerflat, especially Verena (Pokerflat), Phillipp Bruning (Dessous), Olaf (Dessous), Tobias (Pokerflat), Lily (Dessous) and Steve Bug for their inspirations. 

When did you first feel that you had finally discovered your own individual sound?

When we succeed to combine our likes in music together. 

How do you explain your music to your family members?

They have already realized that we feel and understand music in a different level so they can live with that. After all we are always trying for the best and they know it. 

Are you the type of musicians who know what kind of track you want to write before you sit down to make it, or do you create music more from a process of experimentation, trial and error?

We usually have some general rules and a basic idea on what we want to produce, but in the end we try everything until we are satisfied.

When you sit down to make a track, what’s the first thing you typically do? How long does a track typically take you to make?

The first thing is to define the rhythm section but sometimes we can build a track from one lead theme. We have a process in which some times we can work three tracks simultaneously. The time we need to end a track can be from one week to one month; it’s hard to tell. 

Where do you record?

We have our dedicated studio with all our hardware installed, but we also work out the ideas first on our laptops.

Do you currently have a favorite piece of gear/software?

Our favorite hardware is definitely the Nord Lead 3 and our Oram stereo compressor.

Are you guys morning people or night owls?

We need five hours for sleep, night or day.

When you’re not listening to electronic music, what do you listen to?

We can listen to everything.

If you weren’t a musician, what would you be doing with your life?

Heh heh, nice question. We were expecting it. We have already mentioned that we need five hours per day for sleep; this means that we have more stuff in our schedules. Kostas is a graphic designer and I am an interior designer; also we organize one of the best multicultural events in Thessaloniki, called ART IS HARD. So do you think that we need to do something more? I don’t think so!

Tell us about your upcoming releases…
The Contact EP on Kina music, which includes a Cosmic Cowboys Remix.

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