GRIME TIME: MUMDANCE

We finally got hold of seriously hot up n’ coming London producer Mumdance (or Jack Adams to his err… Mum) to launch some questions at him in a mildly aggressive manner. He responded well, though did refer to a blozza being dished out, which was unexpected, though strangely thrilling…

After two years working for ‘every students favourite rag’ Vice magazine, Jack decided to go it alone and push his productions and deft DJ skills under the moniker ‘Mumdance.’ Linking up with Diplo’s Mad Decent label, the always hyped grime MC/producer Jammer and remixing the likes of Santogold and Mujava has proved popular amongst fans of grimey, stright up bass music (that’s us basically), and Jack can now be found on any dancefloor worth it’s salt near you. Don’t sleep!

Hyponik.com: What’s got Mumdance most excited at the moment?

Mumdance: Collaborations! been doing a load of really fun collaborations over the last few months, really fun to work with people from a variety of genres as it makes you look at things in a completely different way. Keep an eye out for tracks in a multitude of genres with me & Brodinski, Zomby, Radioclit, Solo & High Rankin.

H: You like to blend a variety of genres in your sets. Does this reflect on your musical tastes as a whole? What’s currently being caned on your Ipod?

MD: Yeah definitely, its really hard to answer these questions so I am just going to describe my surroundings at this moment in time….. I am listening to the little speaker on my iPhone which has loads of Post-Hardcore on it (current track playing being ‘Hains Point’ by Rites Of Spring) In front of me there is a pile of regional music cds from around the world which I got from Hackney Library & Dalston Market (Percussion d’Afrique is the one I’m planning on sampling in a second) On my computer screen there is a IM Conversation with Brodinski sending me Minimal Techno which I am going to play tonight in my set & another IM conversation with Oneman, who is sending me old 8 bar Grime instrumentals which I also intend to play tonight.

H: Why do you think Britain has such an affinity with bass?

MD: I have absolutely no idea, maybe something to do with its parallel affinity to ecstasy? I think the climate right now is amazing though, its great that people come to gigs with open minds. that sort of thing just wouldn’t have happened 5 years ago. I’m very excited to see where its gonna go next.

H: Did you get into production as a result of DJing or was it the other way round, or both?

MD: I’ve always messed around making music since I was about 17, but I left it for a few years as I went to Uni….but at the same time as being at Uni I was doing the events for Vice Magazine which was a full time job that I had to fit around my education. So I literally had NO time on my hands to do anything but stress out about various deadlines. When I finished Uni I started making music again and it all progressed from there, to the stage where it is now my full time occupation. I never really made any conscious decision to “Be” a DJ or Producer, it all just seemed to happen naturally & feel right, so for the moment I’m rolling with it : )

H: Where is your favorite place to play?

This is the obvious answer…. Fabric Room 1! The booth is amazing, its like flying a spaceship. I’m playing there again on May 8th which I’m really excited about. Apart from that I’d say the promoters to watch are The Barry Boys in Brum, The Shit The Bed Crew in Bristol, Dirty Canvas Fam in London, the Paris Social Party crew in France

H: You’ve remixed some real heavyweights from the electronic scene, is there anyone else you’d really like to work with?

MD: I’ve knocked remixes on the head for the movement, what I would really like to do is find the right vocalist and work together to write an album, kinda like what Switch has done with MIA & Santogold…..So if anyone is reading this who thinks they are up to scratch holla at me!!

H: How does Mumdance relax?

MD: Booze and shouting at the telly.

Have you got a guilty musical pleasure, anyone you are embarrassed to be a fan of?

I’ve never really felt like that about stuff, if its good music, I’m not ashamed to say that I like it…. I am partial to old Gabba & Happy Hardcore cassettes sometimes though.

H: Who have we GOT to watch in 2009?

Tom from Ramp Records has been sending me a load of the stuff they are putting out in the next few months and its really, really good. Look out for Slugabed and Shortstuff.
Also I think Solo on Deadfish has been putting out some massive tracks of late, think this will be a great year for him.

If music be the food of love, when you are cooking, what’s your favorite studio utensil?

I heart Logic 8. its such a great programme. everything is just right with it, my production has improved massively since I started using it. Also Native Instrument’s Massive synth, it takes a bit of taming, but once you are there you can get some evil sounds out of it.

H: Can you lend us a tenner?

MD: Yeah, if you give me a blozza.

You can catch up on all Jack’s news right here and if you see head down to your nearest grimey discotheque to get batty winding