We got the chance to speak with up and coming London based house producer Edward Newgate on his career so far, his future plans, and his views on the current state of electronic music.
How did you get your start in producing?
I’ve been into music since I was a kid. I grew up listening to great stuff thanks to my parents. I took drums lessons with an amazing teacher at 5. I feel like that’s really helped with my notion of rhythm as a producer. But as much as I loved doing that, the piano and guitar seemed cool so I taught myself how to play when I was 8 and realised so much could be said without talking if you can make music. When I moved to London I was 13 and we didn’t have a piano or drums anymore but I started recording myself on a cassette player and editing it on my computer. After that I had so much free time being in a new city and not really knowing anyone that I started making mashups of hip hop records and folks songs, the first one was actually Elliot Smith and Eminem. the rest isn’t history but i’m really hoping it one day will be (laughs).
What producers would you say influence your sound?
I find that such a hard question to answer because I don’t think other producer’s works is the number one thing that influences my music. Of course, I can say that I got into house because of Duke Dumont or Gorgon City but at the risk of being cheesy, girls are what really impact my songs, and that’s because each one I make is a way to say something I can’t really find the words for. God that was cheesy (laughs).
What modern producers would you say are doing it right?
In my opinion all the big house producers like SecondCity, MNEK, Duke Dumont and MK are bringing quality music back in the charts and I would definitely say that they’re doing basically everything right because they’re making awesome songs and letting everyone know, including the hipsters and the musical snobs that it’s ok to like something that’s popular if it’s the least bit objectively good and you enjoy it.
What is your favourite horror movie?
I actually hate horror movies. More of a Love Actually or Pineapple Express guy really, I think the world we live in is already quite harsh so when I’m watching a movie I just wanna have a good time. I did see Piranha 3D recently and enjoyed it, so maybe i’m not a lost cause as a horror movie fan.
Your style seems to really float around various genres, what would you describe your sound to be? what does it capture?
Yeah people who’ve listened to my stuff tend to say that a lot, but I think that’s only because I’m not trying to be a house artist or an electro artist or a nu-disco artist, I’m trying to say something with everything I make. And sometimes it’s gonna come out as a summery beach house song when the next one could be a deep house track that sounds very different. And obviously I understand the importance for an artist to have a recognisable sound which is why for now I have my instruments and synths and presets that I like which I used on each track, and for now it’s working because it doesn’t limit me from one genre to the other, but I try to stick to house as a kind of umbrella term for my music because I think that by definition it’s what it is and It’s what I want to do. So to answer your question I guess I can say my sound captures what I feel when I first start working on the track. Cheesy again (laughs).
What are the tracks and/or albums you are listening to right now?
All my friends are in Miami and I didn’t end up going last minute so I’ve been blasting Hed Kandi Miami 2015 and I feel like i’m there. I listen to a lot of Kanye right now, but albums like Graduation cause I’m not too big on his new stuff - I miss nice up and coming Kanye. And I also can’t stop listening to Claptone’s remix of Music Rises Up. If you’re reading this it’s too late.
Whats next for Edward Newgate?
Good stuff I hope, I dropped out of college in October a little while after I met my manager (I know - BOLD) (laughs) and I’ve basically been locked up in a studio working on about 10 tracks which I finished last week - my album - and he’s got release dates for a few official remixes and the first single off the album for May 2015 lined, so that I’m really looking forward to. He’s also been setting up some gigs for the summer, but I can’t wait for everyone to hear my what I’ve been working on, we’ve got some amazing features on the album, some that I could’ve only ever dreamt of and ye that’s coming along nicely. I’ve also got this charity project which I’ve been working on by myself for the past 2 years on and off called © House for the Homeless which is basically a collaborative House album for the big name’s of today’s scene in collaboration with a UK shelter and housing charity, but more to come on that soon. So really in short, what’s next for me in an ideal world is the release of some original music, lots of gigs, and getting more involved in my charity project.
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