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Pole Folder: Belgian for lush, progressive goodness
Created On April 15th, 2009 by drumrunner
If you’d grown up in the land of Trappiste Beers and Chocolate Festivals, and played in orchestras and rock outfits until you were sucked into the legendary cum shower of the early 90’s Belgian techno Scene… Maybe you too would have bought a sequencer, changed your name to Pole Folder, and been instantly nabbed by John Digweed for his revered Bedrock label.
ITM’s Drumrunner got to play with the dude this really happened to, ahead of his Australian tour that kicks off this weekend, and insists that it’s not just the Leffe Brune that’s responsible for Pole Folder’s uber-lush progressive skills.
Since we last saw you here in May 2008, you’ve launched your own label LaTour. Is that a move to ensure your creative freedom? Or is there a grander plan?
PoleFolder:
It’s both actually. I wanted the freedom to release my tracks when I wanted to, which is sometimes difficult when you sign with a label. But we don’t want to be a digital label releasing only singles or EPs. The next goals are two ambitious albums, definitely long term projects.
Since LaTour’s launch you’ve released tracks The Way and Ghost Life. It seems that you have all the pieces in place to release a new artist album, to follow on from your seminal Zero Gold that you released on Bedrock in 2005. Is there a secret plan?
PoleFolder:
I’m actually working on my second album and it’s all new material. Its not completely secret, I can tell you that I’m working with a fantastic singer from Australia, and that we plan to have the masters ready by the end of July.
When John Digweed signed you to his label back in 2001, were you a big fan of his music? And did working so closely change your impressions?
PoleFolder:
Yes I was a big fan and I still am. I’d dreamed of signing on Bedrock, but it was like a massive impossible expectation. So when I did sign, I couldn’t believe it. John has always been associated with quality and innovative music. But these days I miss the fact that we don’t have musical conversations like we used to.
Your website says you’ve already signed Charlie May to LaTour. Do you have some other artists hiding under your cloak, waiting to be unleashed on the world?
PoleFolder:
Its amazing to have Charlie on Board We are chasing good artists but at the same time, we want to give a lot of energy to the projects so we don’t want to rush. We feel a big responsibility at the label for every artist and release.
If you could magically sign any artist and collaborate with them on your projects, who would be your first choice?
PoleFolder:
I would love to have Sasha on board for a remix.
The atmospheric and emotional depth of many of your tracks invite comparison to ‘film soundtracks’.
PoleFolder:
I do watch a lot of movies. For some obscure reason I do produce ‘cinematic’ music but it’s not my first goal when I compose. I’m happy that the result is like that. Maybe the melodic part is connected to music scores. I love film score composers like Hans Zimmer, Ennio Morricone, Danny Elfman… They are a huge inspiration.
There’s a rich melancholy to some of your work too. A beautiful sadness. Did you read lots of 19th Century romanticism during your formative years? Or do you put it all down to Dépêche Mode?
PoleFolder:
That’s a very interesting question. The Romantic Period has been a huge influence on me. Both the music and the literature. The beauty and the depth of the melancholy are connected to my own life. When I was younger I was reading Victor Hugo, Theophile Gautier, Alfred de Vigny… It’s definitely inspiring my way of producing music.
Your 80Hz Sessions for Proton Radio are named after your studio? What is your current production setup? And how do you like to work?
PoleFolder:
I work on Mac on which I use Logic as main editor. We still have some hardware elements like a mixing desk, effect processors (Eventide, Lexicon). I use also a Roland VSynth, a Korg Triton, a Nord Lead, guitars, bass guitar. My latest acquisition is a Prophet. Mind-blowing synthesizer. Plus we use a lot of plugins, from Native Instruments for example. I like to combine the software and hardware elements. I work a lot on the details, feeling like a sculptor when I work.
When you are touring, how much production gear do you take with you? If sudden inspiration hits do you scribble notes on a napkin?
PoleFolder:
Actually I have done this already. Or I write on my travel book. I always travel with a macbook equiped with Logic. Just in case.
Your background as a musician certainly comes out in your production. I’ve heard that you’ve been working on bringing live performance elements into your DJ sets. Will you be bringing guitars on your Australian tour?
PoleFolder:
It’s something I’m thinking about. It will depend on the time I’ll have to prepare. As we are speaking I’m flying over South America, and I’ll get only one day in Belgium before I go to Australia. But its definitely something I want to develop a lot in the future.
We’re very excited that you’ll be back on our shores again soon. Do you have any special treats in your DJ bag for us?
PoleFolder:
I have a lot of excellent records at the moment. And I have succeeded in finding the right tracks and tools to play. Moody and melodic.
And you are playing Bali in between your Sydney and Melbourne sets. Has anyone told you that Bali is not a part of Australia?
PoleFolder:
Haha Yeah I heard about that. I’ll be able to see the difference between the cocktails. Will be a nice test to do.
With or without the backing of a guitar, you can catch Pole Folder at the following shows…
Saturday April 18th – Chinese Laundry, Sydney
Friday May 1st – Brown Alley, Melbourne
Saturday May 2nd – Shape, Perth
Created On April 15th, 2009 by drumrunner
If you’d grown up in the land of Trappiste Beers and Chocolate Festivals, and played in orchestras and rock outfits until you were sucked into the legendary cum shower of the early 90’s Belgian techno Scene… Maybe you too would have bought a sequencer, changed your name to Pole Folder, and been instantly nabbed by John Digweed for his revered Bedrock label.
ITM’s Drumrunner got to play with the dude this really happened to, ahead of his Australian tour that kicks off this weekend, and insists that it’s not just the Leffe Brune that’s responsible for Pole Folder’s uber-lush progressive skills.
Since we last saw you here in May 2008, you’ve launched your own label LaTour. Is that a move to ensure your creative freedom? Or is there a grander plan?
PoleFolder:
It’s both actually. I wanted the freedom to release my tracks when I wanted to, which is sometimes difficult when you sign with a label. But we don’t want to be a digital label releasing only singles or EPs. The next goals are two ambitious albums, definitely long term projects.
Since LaTour’s launch you’ve released tracks The Way and Ghost Life. It seems that you have all the pieces in place to release a new artist album, to follow on from your seminal Zero Gold that you released on Bedrock in 2005. Is there a secret plan?
PoleFolder:
I’m actually working on my second album and it’s all new material. Its not completely secret, I can tell you that I’m working with a fantastic singer from Australia, and that we plan to have the masters ready by the end of July.
When John Digweed signed you to his label back in 2001, were you a big fan of his music? And did working so closely change your impressions?
PoleFolder:
Yes I was a big fan and I still am. I’d dreamed of signing on Bedrock, but it was like a massive impossible expectation. So when I did sign, I couldn’t believe it. John has always been associated with quality and innovative music. But these days I miss the fact that we don’t have musical conversations like we used to.
Your website says you’ve already signed Charlie May to LaTour. Do you have some other artists hiding under your cloak, waiting to be unleashed on the world?
PoleFolder:
Its amazing to have Charlie on Board We are chasing good artists but at the same time, we want to give a lot of energy to the projects so we don’t want to rush. We feel a big responsibility at the label for every artist and release.
If you could magically sign any artist and collaborate with them on your projects, who would be your first choice?
PoleFolder:
I would love to have Sasha on board for a remix.
The atmospheric and emotional depth of many of your tracks invite comparison to ‘film soundtracks’.
PoleFolder:
I do watch a lot of movies. For some obscure reason I do produce ‘cinematic’ music but it’s not my first goal when I compose. I’m happy that the result is like that. Maybe the melodic part is connected to music scores. I love film score composers like Hans Zimmer, Ennio Morricone, Danny Elfman… They are a huge inspiration.
There’s a rich melancholy to some of your work too. A beautiful sadness. Did you read lots of 19th Century romanticism during your formative years? Or do you put it all down to Dépêche Mode?
PoleFolder:
That’s a very interesting question. The Romantic Period has been a huge influence on me. Both the music and the literature. The beauty and the depth of the melancholy are connected to my own life. When I was younger I was reading Victor Hugo, Theophile Gautier, Alfred de Vigny… It’s definitely inspiring my way of producing music.
Your 80Hz Sessions for Proton Radio are named after your studio? What is your current production setup? And how do you like to work?
PoleFolder:
I work on Mac on which I use Logic as main editor. We still have some hardware elements like a mixing desk, effect processors (Eventide, Lexicon). I use also a Roland VSynth, a Korg Triton, a Nord Lead, guitars, bass guitar. My latest acquisition is a Prophet. Mind-blowing synthesizer. Plus we use a lot of plugins, from Native Instruments for example. I like to combine the software and hardware elements. I work a lot on the details, feeling like a sculptor when I work.
When you are touring, how much production gear do you take with you? If sudden inspiration hits do you scribble notes on a napkin?
PoleFolder:
Actually I have done this already. Or I write on my travel book. I always travel with a macbook equiped with Logic. Just in case.
Your background as a musician certainly comes out in your production. I’ve heard that you’ve been working on bringing live performance elements into your DJ sets. Will you be bringing guitars on your Australian tour?
PoleFolder:
It’s something I’m thinking about. It will depend on the time I’ll have to prepare. As we are speaking I’m flying over South America, and I’ll get only one day in Belgium before I go to Australia. But its definitely something I want to develop a lot in the future.
We’re very excited that you’ll be back on our shores again soon. Do you have any special treats in your DJ bag for us?
PoleFolder:
I have a lot of excellent records at the moment. And I have succeeded in finding the right tracks and tools to play. Moody and melodic.
And you are playing Bali in between your Sydney and Melbourne sets. Has anyone told you that Bali is not a part of Australia?
PoleFolder:
Haha Yeah I heard about that. I’ll be able to see the difference between the cocktails. Will be a nice test to do.
With or without the backing of a guitar, you can catch Pole Folder at the following shows…
Saturday April 18th – Chinese Laundry, Sydney
Friday May 1st – Brown Alley, Melbourne
Saturday May 2nd – Shape, Perth
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