Interview: Leon Vynehall

newsicmoos (ns): Hello! How are you? What’s been happening in the past week or two?

Leon Vynehall (LV):I'm doing good. Last week I travelled to Curve in Hackney to cut the Mauve EP with Donga. XXXY and Wheez-ie cut theirs too. I've been working on a few remixes as well.

ns: You’re relatively new to on the scene – for people who have yet to come across your production, how would you best describe your sound? Can you do it in 3 words?

LV: Lo-Fi, Soul, Acid House... I guess.

ns: Let’s take it back, way back, to when music first made an impression on you. Can you recall your early memories of music – how did it all begin? 

LV: The first music I heard was from my mum. She has loads of old Hip-Hop, Funk, RnB and Electro mix cassettes that would be playing in the car driving to school. Early Mr Scruff, Afrika Bambaattaa, Janet Jackson, The Blackbyrds, Ike & Tina etc. All seems pretty credible but when I was 11 i was given my first CD which was 'The Bah Ha Men - Who Let The Dogs Out' from my Auntie (swiftly followed by The Smashing Pumpkins which sort of made up for it).

ns: What inspires/inspired you to create the type of music you do? Where do you draw this inspiration?

LV: Cliché, but everything. Music old and current, sounds i hear walking around, however I'm feeling at the time... I like making things sound gritty, lo-fi but club ready.

ns: So you’ve been touring with Well Rounded Records – how did you come to work with them? As a label, how do you slot in to the music they release?

LV: For me, Well Rounded does what it says on the tin. It's a label that is filled to the brim with sounds from all over the House, Garage and Techno spectrum so I feel I fit in well. I've got more EPs coming out with Well Rounded throughout this coming year, they all have the Vynehall sound but I try to broaden what I make within Dance music.

ns: In terms of the tour, how’s it going so far? Any favourite moments of which we can relive with you?

LV: Bristol was fun. The hotel was swanky.

ns: You’re forthcoming EP Mauve is fast approaching a release. How did it come together? What’s in the process of producing for you?

LV: Yes it is, the release date will be...released soon. I love reverb. Reverb is like my Mother when I make songs. Old phasers are my siblings. I like using field records, or sampling the many tapes my mum has.

ns: What are you most looking forward to in 2012? (Could it quite possibly be your set in Manchester!)

LV: The Mauve EP coming out. It's been a year since i made that and im intrigued to see what happens for the rest of the year. Manchester is, of course, a highlight for me.

ns: And what can we expect from you at your live shows?

LV: I always like to start off with something different. Keeping a set driving while taking the dynamic up and down is what i like doing.

ns: Finally, can you tell us one fact about yourself that isn’t out there already?

LV: I created the recipe for wasabi peas.

ns: We look forward to hearing you play out live with us! Thanks for taking the time to answer these few Q’s, big ups!

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