For many years, mSdoS has been well-renowned figure in the liquid drum & bass scene. His commitment to the genre can be seen through regular releases of his own music – on labels such as Good Looking Records, Liquid V, and Fokuz – and the release of music from up and coming artists on his own record label, Liquid Drops.
As a man with a packed schedule, we were able to elicit a lot of information about future projects, and he even recorded a lengthy guest mix for us!
It appears you’ve been releasing music pretty much every month for the past few years. I presume you don’t often get stuck for inspiration when making tunes?
Not at all. I like the music, and its rhythm, so much that I do not think I will stop having inspiration. The truth is that I am not a pure musician and I make most of my music with my experience, so I guess that helps a lot too!
You’ve been following drum & bass right from the early stages. When did you first start showing an eagerness to produce it?
In 1995 I started doing remixes & versus jungle tunes and only some of mine for personal use. Somewhere in 2009 decided to concentrate much more on production of my own tunes; after a lot effort – as I am self-taught (thanks YouTube!) – I managed to reach a satisfactory point.
What are the main influences that can be heard in your music?
I have two main sources. The first one is the whole school of the initial form of dnb, whether in hardcore, jungle, or intelligent dnb. The second one, but more important, is my love for retro sounds and movies. That’s why I use a lot of samples from jazz and soul from the 60s & 70s, as well as several from speeches.
In regards to music, what have your biggest personal highlights been?
It is certainly my rework of one of the best Jungle tracks of all time, The Razors Edge by Steve C & Monita, which was released in limited vinyl edition. Without doubt, my rework of Nookie’s ‘Only You’ too, and my tunes that were released on vinyl by GLR.
You’re well-known in the drum & bass community outside of your home nation of Greece. Do you often get the opportunity to travel and play your music?
Although I constantly have calls from around the globe, I haven’t played abroad because the planes do not like me! But, after several attempts, I believe that this year I will have the opportunity to make a lot of flights. I am playing alongside two of my favourite people of all time in September – with MC Conrad on my Island (Con*Natural nowadays), and LTJ Bukem in late September in Athens hosted by Innersense Productions.
You’re the owner of your own record label, Liquid Drops – which has been releasing music from established artists, but also several new artists. Which new artists impress you at the moment?
I love giving young artists a step – the opportunity to present us their music. But seeing young artists who have been already released to Liquid Drops, and then are members of large corporations and labels, that makes me feel really great. So, I admire new artists like Toez, Marvel Cinema,Phase2, Satl, Jazzatron.
What style of music does Liquid Drops represent?
Liquid Drops was originally created to be able to release my own tunes for a short time. However, later I added new members – some well known artists of dnb. So I cannot say that we represent the ‘pure’ liquid sound, but we also like what I call ‘atmospheric liquid’, or even the heavier liquid sound as, for example, the style of music Crytical Dub produces.
I can see you have many releases planned over the next few months, with music from Antony G, Changing Faces, Toez, Dave Shichman, Ted Ganung, Jazzatron, and Freebird. What type of music can we expect from these artists?
So that’s an example of young artists who are given a step to present us their projects. Antony G from Italy with excellent atmospheric sound quality – very reminiscent of the LGR; Changing Faces from Slovakia has a modern liquid, more electronic sound; English Toez has a style that reminds me a lot of Hidden Agenda; Dave Shichman is from the US with a unique minimal liquid vibe; Ted Ganung from New York produces the atmospheric side of dnb; Jazzatron from Italy is a favourite of mine, with top quality heavy liquid groove; and Freebird from Germany who is also preparing his debut album for Liquid Drops.
As an active producer, I suppose you have a lot going on at the moment! What have been your most recent releases, and what do you have forthcoming?
I’m scheduling many releases for Liquid Drops right now, but the sound will be the one that I really love – the ‘brass step’ style with lots of wind instruments and piano riffs. I also have two collabs with Duoscience that will be out by Liquid V – also two vinyls on Soul Deep, two on Criterion Records with Malaky and Okee, and a lot of remixes of my tunes by some big names! Finally, I want to announce the comeback of Human Factor from Brazil on Liquid Drops!
You have kindly recorded a guest mix for us. What have you included?
I mixed some forthcoming tracks from Liquid Drops, some remixes of mine and a dub forthcoming on Good Looking Records. Mostly, I like to combine all styles of liquid dnb, atmospherics and heavy sound, so not to be boring. I also want to thank you a lot that you gave me the opportunity for this interview.
Download mSdoS’ Kmag guest mix here
Tracklist
- Freebird – History Lesson (Liquid Drops Dub)
- Andrezz – He comes around (mSdoS Remix) (Luv Disaster)
- Dave Shichman – Ditmars (Liquid Drops Dub)
- Jazzatron – Flint (Liquid Drops Dub)
- Duckem – Friendz (Liquid Drops Dub)
- Ted Ganung – Free Angela (mSdoS Remix) (Deeper Vision Dub)
- Toez – Some Groove (Liquid Drops)
- Antony G – Liquid Barricades (Liquid Drops)
- Ted Ganung – Magnetism (Liquid Drops Dub)
- FLeCK – Bun Dem (Liquid Drops Dub)
- mSdoS – Notes (Good Looking Dub)
- mSdoS – Elements Of Jazz (Good Looking)
- mSdoS – Talkin’ About Ghetto (Liquid Drops)
- mSdoS – Actually Gone (Phuzion)