See Also: <a href="http://soundcloud.com/robbing-hood" target="_blank">Robbing Hood</a> & <a href="http://soundcloud.com/orh-1" target="_blank">Orh</a>
Aka: <a href="http://soundcloud.com/lhp" target="_blank">LHP</a>

The following is taken from an interview done for the now defunkt 111bpm forum:

British abstract groove scientist, David Webb, AKA Robbing Hood, is an uncategorizably brilliant artist whose works manage to be at once strangely abstract and yet warmly funky. His work isn’t classically minimalist, but he’s somehow figured out groove on a molecular level. There’s a lot going on, yet there isn’t. Yet there is. We tracked him down on the Åland Islands, then kidnapped him and strapped him into a chair for the first in a series of 111 artist interrogations. The thumbscrews are oiled and the fire is stoked so we can now gently ‘persuade’ him to reveal his secrets. Let’s turn the light on full beam and begin to ask him questions about who he’s working for, what his associations are and where his next maneuver might take place…

Who are you?

Robbing Hood aka David Webb

What do you stand for as an artist?

No boundaries, borders or limits, pioneer and experiment, coincidence, accident and magic, learn and enjoy.

What do you stand for as a human being?

Equality, honesty, tolerance and truth.

What inspires you?

Watching, reading, listening, travelling, day-dreaming, coffee, alcohol and other drugs,

What are your likes/ dislikes?

Likes;

Lara, Terrance the cat, playing with sound, new music, travelling by bicycle, vegan cooking, a good film, a good book and a good laugh.

Dislikes;

Intolerance, racism, sexism, homophobia, greed, pollution and waste.

What attracted you to 111?

I thought it was an interesting idea, limiting to a specific bpm that was not a typical one. It is a great tempo to work at, spacious and groovy.

Have you found the second rule challenging? Many people seem to.

No, not really. I often start a project with a theme or idea before I get anywhere near my DAW

What is "Kök" (released on the Methodology Recordings "Half Light" compilation in 2010) all about? As a piece of music, it's a great example of something being atonal and fairly abstracted, yet is still very memorable and subtly hooky.

Kök (pronounced 'churk') is Swedish for kitchen, and it looks like kok.

I was watching an episode of Gordon Ramsay’s 'Hell's Kitchen' and I thought I have to do something using his obnoxious and rude swearing, 'fuck off will you!'

He acts like he gets so upset in the kitchen, so this track was to help him relax and cool down with a gin and tonic.

The track grew from the recordings I made directly from the TV headphone socket of various episodes. Then applying my methods as described below, ;-)

Could you tell us about your writing process?

As I said earlier, I often start a project with a theme or idea before I get anywhere near my DAW.

For example, as it's what I'm working on right now, my most recent project is using recordings of the locked run-out grooves from old swing records.

I had the idea years ago of DJing using old charity shop records and just mixing with locked run-out grooves put through an FX unit. Never got around to it though, and now I found out about Thomas Brinkmann and his 2000 LP Klick, bah!

Anyway, I could never record these loops because our record player has an auto-return arm which lifts the needle off before it gets 'stuck in the groove', but the other night it stopped, so I started recording. I also gently tapped along on the record player itself to generate possible bass lines.

So, I take the recording, cut it to about 32 repetitions, take one of those and gate it, add EQ, compression etc. chop it up, and gradually build up layers to form the basic drum sounds.

Bounce that down and edit it into the kick, snare etc. Put those sounds into the drum sample player.

I only use convolution reverb these days with my own fabricated or recorded impulses, so from the vinyl recordings I made two impulses, and then put them into the reverb plug-in and put that into a send track.

On a second send track I would add more fx like delay, modulation, some kind of amp simulator with an impulse-response cabinet so I can add my own fabricated impulses and send that back to the first send track.

Next, I would bring in the original 32 bar loop of locked groove and write a drum pattern that fits it.

Then I would bring up the 'hand played' bass lines and see which fits best with the drums and loops. Edit, chop, add fx etc. to get a good feel and sound.

Then I would solo the original loop with fx sends on and bounce it down. Bring that back and find the best, very short part, cut that out and loop it to form a long tone, maybe take several and blend them together. Then put that tone into a wave playing synth and use that to write melodies, chord stabs etc.

Sometimes a sample or loop will suggest a melodic pattern or rhythm so I gate, eq and compress it to tease it out. Then use that as the seed from which the track starts to grow.

Could you tell us about your production and recording processes?

My writing, production and recording processes are all kind of interwoven and happen concurrently.

I record in the field, in the studio and off the turntable with a portable SD card recorder. Edit with Cooledit, Protools for everything else except mastering in Wavelab. Plus plenty of quality plugins.

Quite often if I'm getting nowhere with a track, I bounce what I have down, chop that up and then start the process all over again.

I enjoy recording reverb impulses wherever I go. All you need is a pack of balloons and a portable recorder. Car parks, churches, toilets, saucepans, so if you invite me round, watch out for loud bangs.

Where do you see yourself going in the coming years?

Geographically, I hope to move back to the UK soon.

Artistically, I was recently commissioned to produce sound for an exhibition in a local museum which was great fun, so more of that would be good. I would also like to experiment with 5.1 surround.

Of course I shall continue producing and releasing at 140, 123, 111 and beyond.

If you had to give up every material possession but one, what would it be?

My portable recorder, it doubles as a mp3 player. Can I have the headphones to go with it?

Phantom Hertz
Methodology
NE Records 
Eight FX
DubKraft

All downloads from this page are 320 mp3s



Kmag champions the best in drum &amp; bass, hip hop, dubstep, breaks and electronica. Head to www.kmag.co.uk for interviews, features, news, views, free tracks and exclusive guest mixes.

Kuoyah sometime is Marco Donnarumma

Dub, 2step, garage.
FrijsfoBeats (UK) http://www.frijsfo.com/

"Science, which is not so attached to 'truth' as it once was, but more to immediate 'effectiveness', is now drifting towards a decline, it's civic fall from grace."
Paul Virilio


• Releases •

Akema - Thoughts Become Us LP
12 Track Album Released 16-08-12
Idletone Records (IDT-002)

<a href="http://idletone.bandcamp.com/album/akema-thoughts-become-us-lp">Free DL @ Idletone Records</a>


Akema - Sounds From Here LP 
10 Track Album Released 01-09-11 
Resting Place Records (RIP-003)

<a href="http://restingplacerecords.bandcamp.com/album/rip003-akema-sounds-from-here">Free DL @ Resting Place Records</a>


Akema - Here Nor There 
Track Features on 'Found' Compilation 
Released 07-03-11 Methodology

<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/found/id418430257">Download @ I-Tunes</a>

HxdB - Silent Q (Akema Remix) 
Features on Anechoic Chamber Remixed 
Released 09-09-10 Echodub (ECHO004)

<a href="http://edub.bandcamp.com/album/anechoic-chamber-remixed">Free DL @ Echodub Bandcamp</a>


Akema - Walking Above Clouds LP 
10 Track Album Released 08-09-10 
Resting Place Records (RIP001)

<a href="http://restingplacerecords.bandcamp.com/album/rip001-akema-lp">Free DL @ Resting Place Records</a>

Akema - Deep Blue EP 
4 Track EP Released 01-08-10

<a href="http://akema.bandcamp.com/album/akema-deep-blue-ep">Free DL @ Akema Bandcamp</a>

Akema - Wildflower EP 
4 Track EP Released 30-10-09 
Echodub (EDUB011)

<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/amber-ep/id425684702?uo=4">Download @ I-Tunes</a>

Akema - Cold Hearted 
Track Features on 'Anechoic Chamber' 
Released 12-06-08 Echodub (ECHO001)

<a href="http://www.echodub.co.uk/downloads/anechoic_chamber/echo001.zip">Free DL @ Echodub</a>

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• Forthcoming •

TBA

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• Links / Contact •

Facebook: http://facebook.com/akemaone

Akema Bandcamp: http://akema.bandcamp.com

Idletone Records: http://idletone.bandcamp.com

Resting Place Records: http://restingplacerecords.bandcamp.com

Discogs: http://discogs.com/artist/Akema+(3)

E-Mail - akemaone@gmail.com 
Aim - akemadub

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• Quotes •

"Akema is one of those producers you can rely on. Consistently excellent, and always a great go-to guy for deep, well-focused super-chilled dubstep style beats. His command of the soundscape and his production skills are excellent."

"Beautiful depth to your sounds!"

"Sounds like ninjas rush into a forest. I love that mood!"

"Been listening to your debut LP today. inspired, deep ambient beats..."

"Another masterpiece i think, you always take me out of the city and drop me into a lush 
forest setting, perfect echo and soft thumping bass. the ultimate forest sound scape. Thank you Akema."

I make bass music at various BPMs.
Send me music or book me : Legend4ry@dankndirty.com


Co-Manager at @dankndirtydubz

Current Labels :
Dank 'N' Dirty Dubz
Monsters Music
TheWiddfam
Dead Pest Records
Might As Well

Past labels : 
Orientis Records
Methodology Recordings
MindStep Music
Crossroads Records
Cosmology
Twenty/Twelve Netaudio
Disfunctional Sound Recordings

Methodology Recordings is following