Supersoul info
November 16, 2004
Jamaican-born and Miami-based, hip-hop dub virtuoso, Omar Clemetson a.k.a. Supersoul is no stranger to the world of underground hip hop and electronic music. Building for over a decade the sounds which have surfaced on countless records and CD's for the likes of Moonshine Music, Statra Recordings, Liquid Sky Music, Lex Records, Fabric Records, Bomb Mitte and Metatronix. The self taught producer and engineer (mixing and/or mastering for labels such as Counterflow, Chocolate Industries, Schematic, etc.) has melted together a 3-dimensional blend of twisted beats, sick basslines, and mysterious melodies and built monster tracks that many said were before their time. With a worldwide audience in place, in 2000 Omar decided to step-up things by starting his own label, Metatronix. The label enabled him to link up with like minded artists looking to create a vibe that is stimulating and entertaining for the mind, the senses, and the soul. His organic yet robotic hip hop has manifested into the now signature Metatronix label sound. Supersoul is guaranteed to blaze-up the stage with his intense audio/visual beat down!
URBANSMARTS INTERVIEW
SUPERSOUL aka OMAR CLEMETSON
Omar - firstly, thank you for agreeing to do this interview. If you don't mind I'd like to start off by getting some background information about how you got started producing.
I started doing music in 1992 when I was in high school mainly because my best friend at the time talked me into buying a sampler. We were both into the same kind of music, Skinny Puppy, Kraftwerk, Meat Beat, Public Enemy, KRS-One etc. We didn't know anything about producing, only that all the groups we liked mainly used a sampler. When the machine came I thought to myself: "I spent all this money, I better figure this thing out." Surprisingly my first tracks sounded pretty good; they were a mix of all the things I grew up on: hip hop, industrial, electro funk and reggae.
So we started shopping our demo and we got a lot of response from labels. I guess we were ahead of our time, but being young and inexperienced we didn't know how big of a deal that was. They wanted to hear more of the same style but we didn't care, we did whatever we wanted until finally Moonshine Music started their 'Trip Hop Comps' and I guess we fit in. They licensed a couple tracks from us, but my partner and I had some differences so we went our separate ways and I kept recording as Supersoul.
I did many comps mostly on Moonshine, a couple of 12" EPs on Bottom Heavy and I was scheduled to do an album but I wasn't really happy with the direction the label was pushing me in - it was too commercial for Supersoul. I again started shopping tracks around and I got tired of waiting so I started Metatronix and you know how that goes.
So how many of the tunes released as Supersoul were done before you went solo and was there a noticeable shift in 'the Supersoul sound' when you split up?
Two of the tracks we did were released as Supersoul. There wasn't any noticeable shift in sound, because I was driving the car in terms of production. That's why I was able to continue recording as Supersoul.
What equipment do you use for production?
I use a lot of gear, but mainly I use a G3 PowerBook, Logic Audio, Akai S3200XL, Soundcraft Ghost, and various analogue synthesisers.
How much of your music is sample based and how much of it is live instrumentation?
Usually when I sample it's only one note, like a kick a snare or a bass note. Or sometimes I don't sample at all. I like to sample just for the texture of the sound and create my own melodies.
You recently did a remix for Jake Mandell on Etihad Records. From talking to various producers, it seems like most people have their own slightly different take on how they approach remixing a track. How different is your approach to doing remixes from doing your own tunes?
I basically focus on beats and basslines; that's my favourite part of any song. So when starting a new track or remix, I work on these things first. I usually come up with a beat first then I'll play a bassline to it. Then I'll play the main melodies and continue from there.
I know DJ Vadim, Push Button Objects and Fat Jon have all remixed your tunes. How do you choose the people you ask to do remixes for you?
I usually try to get someone that will take the track somewhere different but still compliment the original.
The first remix of a track of yours was the DJ Vadim remix on the first "Soma-Rasa" 12". I was always curious as to how that came about as Surrey in the south of England isn't exactly close to Miami, Florida is it! How did that happen?
I did a couple shows with Vadim in Portland and Seattle, that's how we met.
On your second Metatronix EP, "Soma-Rasa 2", and even more so with "Sound Clash" and "Backa Wall", you've worked with emcees. Was that a conscious decision to shift direction a little or was it something you always wanted to do but hadn't really had the opportunity?
Working with emcees is something I always wanted to do and something I plan on doing a lot more of. Most of my new records will feature emcees.
How did you hook up with The Grand Inquisitor, Dynas, Skam and Judah Manson?
The Grand Inquisitor and Judah Manson is the same person. We met about 5 years ago. That's when we did that track "Supernatural" [released on "Soma-Rasa 2"]. It was really old when it was released. We kept in touch and I told him I would call him when the time was right. He is the main emcee on my label and I have a lot of faith in him. Skam and Dynas are just two really good emcees from Miami.
I know Push Button Objects and DJ Infamous are both Miami based. Are they people you've known a long time and are you likely to work with them again?
I've known Edgar (Push Button Objects) for years. I met him when he just started doing music. I've worked with him a lot over the years, I used to mix/ engineer a lot of his tracks in my studio. Edgar and I will probably work together again in the future. I recently hooked up with Infamous through a mutual friend.
Going back to "Sound Clash" for a moment - what's the story behind the cover? One of the first things that struck me about the record was the cover itself, which I was really impressed with. Who was behind that and what made you shift to full colour covers after the previous three releases?
La Mano Fria from Beta Bodega does all my artwork. I usually guide him by providing the concept and pictures to work with. As for changing to full colour, it was more of a financial thing than anything else. Hip Hop records sell better so that allows me to spend more money on the artwork.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but at the moment, Metatronix has released only Supersoul material aside from the "Plug Tunes Vol. 1 EP". Are you planning on expanding the label to include EPs from other artists and so on?
That's right. There's lots of stuff in the works for the label. I'm about to start releasing records a lot more frequently. New records from Diamond Ice, Calamalka, Judah Manson and Sess are coming soon and I'm always looking for new artists on the same vibe.
The most recent EP, "Backa Wall", features a really interesting concept whereby you've used one beat for the two main tunes, something that I've only previously seen done in the dancehall scene. How influenced are you by dancehall producers and the scene in general, would you say?
Yes, I would say that I'm influenced by dancehall as a whole. In some ways we are really lucky here in Miami, we have lots of pirate radio stations that play all the latest dancehall records and/or Hip Hop and I'm always listening to them, so I guess that's how I become influenced.
How closely knit is what is often referred to as 'the Miami scene' of labels like Metatronix, Schematic, Merck, Beta Bodega, Counterflow etc.? Looking at it from overseas, it often appears to be some kind of musical movement.
The Miami scene? I'm not sure about it sometimes. Yeah, we all know each other and work together sometimes but it's not as closely knit as it may seem. Everyone has there own agenda. Miami is a strange place: It's really good for some things and really bad for others. For instance, the record stores suck! You can't find anything. Only the dancehall stores are any good. They don't even sell our records, unless you're down with someone that works there. Something you probably don't know: I master records for a lot of the Miami labels Counterflow, Beta Bodega/Rice & Beans, Mass Transit. I use to master records for Chocolate Industries, and I mix and engineer a lot of PBO's tracks.
That's really interesting to hear; I know Daddy Kev is in a similar position with a lot of the labels and artists in LA and the Bay Area. How did that come about? Did you study to be an engineer?
No, I didn't study engineering. I learned everything from experience. I spent a lot of time practising on my own music and I guess I got pretty good at it.
Permalink | November 16, 2004
