Harmonic Force

Dave Brinkworth (Harmonic 33, Kula Shaker, Azymuth)

When the M-Tron was released something wonderful happened. All those old sounds that had fallen by the wayside in the digital synth age started being used again. We also started getting a lot of CDs from users showcasing their Tron-tracks and while we were hugely appreciative of this, many tunes simply referenced old prog-rock epic tracks.

Given that in our long and varied career we've worked with many of these musicians first-hand, we have to admit we were slightly disappointed that we weren't hearing anything really new and challenging. After all one reason for releasing the M-Tron was the hope of hearing these old sounds taken to a different place by a new generation of computer-music-makers. So for a while we were left wondering if the sound of the Tron been eternally imprisoned by the Court Of Prog-Rock?

We needn't have fretted though because we received 2 independent CDs that made us rejoice. One from a German guy called Putte and another from a band called Harmonic 33. On first play, it was immediately apparent that both of these artists were using the M-Tron in such a fresh way we grinned from ear-to-ear. In fact their tracks were played heavily from that day forward and were highly inspirational to us in our quest for more Tape Banks. - after all, if that's what could be done with the more populist sounds, what would people do with the more esoteric ones?



Dave Brinkworth, one half of Harmonic 33, explains his original impressions of the M-Tron.

"The first thing I remember about the M-Tron was the immediate feeling of "vibe." So many people were using clean digital sounds & this was all about atmosphere, which when you're making music, is what you strive to create for the listener, and suddenly there it was ... buckets of atmosphere, I remember just holding chords (for far too long I might add !) and soaking up the the vibe of the instrument."

So what M-Tron sounds did you use on the first Harmonic 33 album, Extraordinary People?

"That's a good question, though it should be more like which ones we didn't use. I think we rinsed most of the sounds, however we always came back to the Vibes & Flute as they just seemed to sit in with the type of music that we were creating."

We loved the mix of what sounded like 60 Sci-Fi noises, Western Musical Voices and Hip Hop beats on Extraordinary People. For the Tron to play such a part in the process indicated that you either had no baggage from the Prog & Beatles era or that you deliberately went against it.

"Well, of course everybody knows those classic tunes, however Mark & I were coming from a completely different angle & the M-Tron just instantly gave us a palette of sounds that sounded as if they had come off vinyl, from exactly the period that we were emulating, we could take old samples, chop them up & piece them together again with new melodies & sounds that sounded like they always belonged there."

When we first released the M-Tron we had a rather heavy email asking why we'd included the rhythms. In fact the person insisted that he'd been 'ripped-off' by us. Now, of course, we hear these rhythms on a host of TV stings and adverts but the track Moompah was the first we heard to actually embrace these within a new context and reassured us that we'd done the right thing by including them. What was it that made them appeal to you and for you to decide to use them?

"We always used to love the Kitchness of those rhythms, and really wanted to use them somehow, again purely because of their vibe factor & it just so happened that the pitch of the rhythm we chose just slotted in to the track so well (with a little help) that it kind of became the focus of the track and created just the right atmosphere."

On tracks like Where Have They Gone, Moompah and Extraordinary People where did those vocal parts come from? It sounds like you've got Doris Day and the cast of Oklahoma in there somewhere? Surely there were clearance 'issues' ?

"Yes, you're right there were clearance issues, but we just wanted to make these amazing pieces of music reach a whole new audience whilst giving the sound our inevitable stamp. So, we felt it was the agro to go through the whole process."

We know that this album was released on Alphabet Zoo and you subsequently signed to Warp. They seem like an exceptionally cool label. How did this come about?

"Mark (Pritchard) had some friends at Warp who were loving the Stuff on Alphabet Zoo, so we approached them with the idea of actually writing & producing pieces of music that sounded like they had been on vinyl for 40 years, they loved the idea & we got to work."



The next album Music for Film, Television & Radio Vol 1 also featured the M-Tron heavily. Bossanova Supernova, Carousel & Departure pick up on the rhythm loops again. Can you name your top 5 M-Tron sounds?

"Easy ... they are : Vibes, Flute, Double Bass, CH Voices & B Organ ... in that order."

There's some Optigan on here too - what's the vibe there?

"I had an optigan CD with alot of the sounds on and we used a few of these to complement what the tron was doing, it's an amazing sounding instrument, in some ways taking the Tron idea to a new level, but it was all about the sound of the instrument ... perfect for what we were trying to achieve."

Both Harmonic 33 albums have a delicious warmth about them. Do you remember what other instruments and effects you used?

"We used a lot of outboard gear, i think every bleep, woosh & plink went through either a Roland RE201 or an Electo Harmonix Memory Man
we also had 2 EMT plate reverbs & assorted Spring reverbs ... steering clear of anything too "new". We wanted to use the same type of gear that was used to create the sounds from the music we were listening to, it meant recording into audio almost everything, so it was more like tape ... but with the ease of use of a computer."

We've seen no further Harmonic 33 albums since then. What else have you been up to?

"Since the Music for Film, Television & Radio Vol 1, we have been working on seperate projects, I have been in Rio de Janeiro working with different artists such as Azymuth, Arthur Verocai, Os Ipanemas, and many others. It's incredible to go into studio's there that really have changed very little in the past 40 years & where some of the world's most incredible music was made, the musicianship of the people is incredible & their love of music is completely integrated with their lives.

I also recently recorded & mixed the new Album from Kula Shaker, they are great songwriters & have come back with some really strong material ... next .... I hope to be in Australia this year starting work on Music for Film, Television & Radio Vol 2 ... it's in the pipeline."

Do any other GForce Instruments get used in these projects?

"Yes, all the time, Minimonsta, Oddity ... you name it, I've used it. It's my first call because of the attention to detail with the sound."

The challenges in producing a Kula Shaker, Azymuth or Fake Fur album are obviously different. Any good tips on how to get the best out of different artists?

"Firstly it's all about the song, talking to the artist, finding out where they are coming from, what they're trying to achieve and then using your own experience to create a recording that encompasses that vision. If that doesn't work, throw microphones at them until they get "the take"

What's next for you?

"Well, I'm sitting writing this in a studio in Rio, and will be recording a new solo Album by Ze Roberto Bertrami (Azymuth) in about 7 days, after the carnival here. So if you want me ... I'll be on the beach !"



Name your top three instruments of all-time?

"Fender Rhodes, Minimoog, Korg Polsix (don't ask why)"

What's the last piece of music you listened to?

"It was the Marcos Amorim Trio from the Album "Revolving Landscapes" ... a track called "Waterfall"

If you could rule the world for one day what would be the biggest change you made?

"I would probably delete The Birdy Song from the World"

What's the coolest phone number you have sitting in your mobile?

"Probably Hayley Mills."

More info on Dave Brinkworth

Website: http://www.warprecords.com