“MY background is sort of all over the map,” says New York- based artist Kuhn, aka Bennett Kuhn, whose sophomore ‘Kings EP’ is out now on Civil Music. “I got into hip-hop and Warp Records in high school, then got into forms of electronic dance music like jungle, garage and dubstep. When my friends and I first heard footwork through the Planet Mu compilations, we were slain. The rhythmic complexity and overall intensity just got us. That kind of music tends to go off in New York.” Harnessing the power of Chicago’s latest and rawest offering, his EP goes off too, with the epic fast-slow vibes of ‘I Quit’, featuring compadre Obey City from Astro Nautico, the vintage horns of ‘NWYRK’, the Golden Era ‘90s hip-hop vox of ‘Boombox’ and the frenetic choral harmonies of ‘Never Forget’, all boosted by remixes from Time Wharp and Pixel Lord.
Partly fuelled by his absorption of Brooklyn’s current seething musical energy, Bennett is also backed by a tight-knit crew. “Astro Nautico is a net label/ blog/party I co-founded along with two high school friends who are also multi-talented individuals and ace producers, Obey City and Paul Jones (aka Paolo Xz),” he explains. “We’ve released a wide range of electronic music and beat tapes over the past few years from young artists on both the East and West Coasts of the US, as well as compilation albums that feature a cast of like-minded producers.”
If you’re already up-to-speed with their output then don’t sweat, you won’t have long to wait for more. “The objective is to have my first full-length album finished before the end of spring, but sometimes it takes longer than you expect, you just have to roll with the punches.”
In the meantime, catch Kuhn at the Astro Nautico parties on the first Friday of every month at FREECANDY in Brooklyn.
NON sTOp paRTy Why Pirupa ruled 2012
If you haven’t heard Pirupa’s Desolat smash ‘Party Non Stop’, then we suggest you bend over and get the closest person to kick your ass, Artie Fufkin style.
“I made that track intentionally for [Desolat boss] Loco Dice because he was a hip-hop DJ and I wanted to make a tech house tune with an hip-hop vocal rap,” says the Italian producer when we quiz him about what became the tune of the summer, if not the year, a feat acknowledged when he won Track of the Season at the Ibiza DJ Awards.
It’s a high bar to set yourelf, but in-between busying himself with all the remix requests that have been flooding in, he’s knocked up some more potential bombs which will arrive via a spread bet of labels. “I’ve got remixes coming on Defected, Intacto and my label D-floor, while originals are coming out on Material Series, Snatch!, Intec and Wow! Records,” he tells us.
Those lucky enough to go to BPM Festival in Mexico at the start of 2013 can catch him at Kool Beach Club on January 5, kicking off the follow-up to a year in which he started to make in-roads all over the US.
THe KINGs OF BROOKLyN
Footwork don Kuhn introduces his Astro Nautico crew
“The tour was tiring but very nice,” he says with a weary smile. “I went from the East Coast to the West Coast playing the major cities. I think all the clubs had something special but the most beautiful gig for me was at Space in Miami. I enjoyed it so much and I played for over four hours!”
Biggest news though is the announcement of a new label which he’s setting up with his brother Leon and NiCe7, and launches in January.
“We are very excited about this new project and we already have big releases with great producers. I don’t want to reveal anything for the moment, but I can assure you that it will be a great label.”
www.djmag.com 007
Pic: JONANGELO MOLIANRI
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