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10 questions with Faze Action
Nu-Disco maestro Rob Lee of Faze Action reveals where he finds inspiration, why quiet mixing is the way to go, and why killer hooks rule.
Having forged a career as one of the most successful nu-disco outfits in the world, Faze Action have become something of a phenomenon, sticking true to their musical roots since their arrival in 1995. Their 90s dancefloor classic 'In The Trees' became one of the biggest electronica tracks of the decade, recently re-released with remixes from the legendary Carl Craig. In the past their work has attracted the attention of a wide range of DJs, from Francois Kevorkian to Tiger Stripes. No stranger to global dancefloors themselves, the boys are a regular DJing fixture in Japan, China, Hong Kong and all over their native London. Founding member and younger brother of the two, Robin Lee, takes some time out to talk candidly about the boys' new album Stratus Energy and shares a few of his production secrets.
How do you see the dance music industry developing over the next two to three years?
The beauty of the business is that no-one can predict what's going to happen. All you can say for sure is that the scene will change. The good thing is dance is as old as human beings; it's a basic form of communication and it's appeal is not going to die. I think things have become a lot more diverse in the last few years - not just in terms of producers, but also in terms of the people buying music and going to clubs. They seem to enjoy a wide range of styles, which is really healthy.
When building a track, how do you normally work? Do you start with the drums and build your way up from that?
We normally start with the drums and a basic groove. Once that is done the track can go in any number of directions. I like writing vocals to a drum track because that way you know that nothing is going to get in the way of the vocal. The song 'Hypnotic' from our latest album was done that way. After we had created some drums, I went home and Simon Lee [the other half of Faze Action] stayed at the studio to work on it some more. The next morning there was a note next to the computer which just had the word 'Hypnotise' written on it. It turned out that Simon wanted to experiment with a few words like that. It turned out pretty much like that - coming from that initial bit of inspiration.
Do you mainly use analogue or digital soft synth sources? Do you think analogue really makes a difference?
We use a lot of analogue synths. I have a Sequential Circuits 6 Trak. We also had access to an SE1 for the album and had a lot of fun with that. I think analogue can make a difference to your sound, and it also feels good to get away from the computer screen as well. We also use a lot of live instruments - incuding bass and guitars, Rhodes and cello, but we have no problem using soft synths at all. I usually find myself going to the ones I know best, like the Pro 53 from Native Instruments.
Any arrangement secrets you wish to share with us?
We like to keep our arrangements as short as possible these days. It's a lot harder keeping a track short than making the ten minute DJ mixes of old. If we can get our track to its optimum in the shortest amount of time then that's how we like to do it. But ultimately it depends on what you want your track to do. If you're after a radio mix then you have to shave a lot from your record and make the arrangement as snappy as possible, whereas if you're making a DJ mix then you have to make it functional for the DJ by creating run-in time for mixing. The other thing we do is to try and make our arrangements sound as natural as possible, by programming drum fills so they are slightly different every time, for example.
What is the key ingredient to a great track? Breakdown? Style of production? Bassline?
Hooks. If your track isn't hooky then it's going to go over everyone's head. A hook can be made of anything really. It can be a drum hook or a vocal hook, a bit of sample noise - even a cello line, as long as it's something that gives the track its own character. The hook makes your tune your tune.
What's your opinion on processing the mix bus? Leave it clean or drive it to the extreme?
I master as I go. I use a limiter across the mix bus, with a frequency analyser after it in the fx chain, to make sure I'm in the right ballpark. It depends so much on the kind of music you're after: if you can make cracking music and leave the mis bus clean then do it, but if you want your track to sound huge then driving it is the way to go.
Any advice on monitoring? Quiet? Loud? Do you prefer flat and boring speakers, headphones or big, phat and chunky monitors?
I like to mix at a really quiet volume. It's a good way of identifying if any parts are getting lost. I've always believed in monitring 'flat and dull'. I also use headphones occasionally to check how parts are interacting. When I'm getting close to a final mixdown I check my mix on a few different systems - including club systems - before making any final tweaks.
How important do you think it is to have your music mastered commercially? Can you do it yourself as effectively and what tools would you recommend?
We get Faze Action records mastered commercially for two reasons. Firstly, we still press vinyl and getting your music right for that format requires a lot of skill. Secondly, it is important to get an opinion from someone who is listening to your record from a purely functional - rather than an artistic - viewpoint. Of course it's possible to master your own tracks to some extent, especially if you're just after getting your music out there digitally. But for real old fashioned precision mastering, you can't beat the pros.
Describe your typical workflow on a track.
We start with inspiration. This can come from a lyrical idea, or a hook - whatever. Next we build a basic groove. Then we decide on instrumentation and build the track from the bottom up. If something doesn't work we'll move on to a new instrument. Once we have all the hooks working together we arrange the track. We like to use a lot of SDB's ('Standard Disco Breakdowns') in our tracks. It's an influence from the old records that we still love. Once we know where the track is going and have a solid arrangement then we start the finishing touches. This usually means FX and refinements of the structure. Finally, we get to the nitty gritty of the mixdown - although usually half of this job is already done, as we tend to mix as we write. When we've got a working final version we usually play it out live once or twice to see if it works as we'd envisaged. If it does, then it's time for the artwork and mastering.
What sounds do you find are the hardest to create from scratch?
Any sound can be challenging to create from scratch. For me, drums are the trickiest, as I love the sound of real drums and real drummers and the old school vibe that's just so great to listen to.
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