Dark and Deep

Kevin Coshner   The Joker (Original Mix)

This track is about emergence from the combination of polar opposites. Fragments of self from very different places, but part of the same whole.

Combining classical and computational elements is something I've been experimenting with for some years, but this attempt to combine the extreme opposites of each was spurred on by some chance DJing experiments, a fortuitous collaboration opportunity, and the amazing work of my friends Olafur Arnalds and Vaetxh (Rob Clouth). I found that I could mix the most beautiful and delicate piano solo of Olafur, with the most hyper-edited and jarring glitch of Vaetxh, and that the result actually worked, well, for me anyway, even if half the people in the club stood confused about how to dance. So when the opportunity arose to work with the pianist and composer Tom Hodge, I wanted to try and create this form of merger of extremes for a release, rather than it being confined to my DJ toolbox (also on the classical meets glitch history from a slightly different angle, check out "Rossz Csillag Alatt Született" from Venetian Snares 2005!).

After some discussion of ideas and approach with Tom, he sat and played and made some recordings for me, which I then chopped and build chords and structure around, sent them back to him to play over the top of again, and then back to me to edit and glitch the playing along with the nasty noises. My detailing process was that of finding some interesting sound sources (binaural recordings, drum hit samples, clangs and slams etc) and using some Max for live randomisation chains to generate lots of partially random complexity which I could then edit as audio before repeating the process with additional layers, eventually bringing the recorded piano audio in to the editing too.

At completion of the audio I was really happy to find out that Nick Cobby, one of my favourite video artists and long standing collaborator, was available and interested in working on the visual side of the project. He took the combination of seemingly incompatible opposites, and applied it visually with his beautiful generative forms, smooth and organic for the melodic sections, and jagged and abrasive for the percussive sections - big thanks to Nick for his amazing work as always!

So, that's probably enough ranting about this track from me, aside from why it is like it is, I hope it's something that you can enjoy irrespective of the conceptual faff.

Buy on Beatport

Fragments of Self - with Tom Hodge - Out Now on FIELDS

This one is simple but effective - 3 note riff, break, build, distorted smash, done. I've been playing it a lot recently, a good one for the clubs.

Andrew K - The Doppler Effect - Max Cooper Remix

Max Cooper - Stochastisch Serie

Max Cooper - Wasp

I was pretty frustrated when I wrote this track, because I was working on the EP for Traum and I couldn't seem to make anything "big" enough....So this is what happened! There is none of the details or intricacies that I usually try to make, instead I stripped the track back completely, and focused only on a small number of key elements which I tried to make as big and nasty as possible, hence why I called it Raw. It will be released in April, vinyl presales already available.

Max Cooper - Raw (preview)

For this one I wanted to make something soft and deep and enveloping, but still with that techno compatibility, so I went with a simple rhythmical structure and long drawn out pads and chords, with some singing of single notes which I layered on top of each other to make some sort of vocal texture.

Max Cooper - Micron (preview)

This is the A2 track on my new EP on Traum, out digitally and on 12" 1st November along with a Maetrik remix and 2 more originals. Ryan Davis has also done a great remix of this track, which is out 17th November along with remixes from Marc Marzenit and Echaskech. Ps check out the artwork from Ben Slater!

Max Cooper - Enveloped (Clip)

This original track had a really nice piano riff along with an interesting groove and some weird noises, perfect remix material! Also I love what Mauro Norti has been doing, and Wide Angle, so I got involved. I think I did a lot of the ideas for this one during a wait for a delayed flight in an airport, and I was feeling pretty tired at the time, and a bit paranoid because some weird guy sitting opposite seemed to be staring at me. Then some other guy came up to me with a mobile phone in two pieces, slightly freakily shouting words of English that made no sense and trying to give me this phone, I never managed to figure out what he was on about. Anyway, this track was my escapism from all that crap, I tried to make something nice and relaxing and enveloping to remove me from reality a little, hope you like it.

Mauro Norti - You and me - Max Cooper Remix (clip)

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Dark and Deep

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