DJ KiloWatts
Jamie Watts is the mind behind KiloWatts and his many different projects and styles. His work embraces the bulk of electronic genres, including breaks, IDM, techno, and down tempo. His fluency in piano is evident throughout his work, as is his penchant for jazzy riffs, intelligent structure, wistful melodies, and an often cheeky take on the current state and history of electronic music as a whole. His album "Ground State" is out on Native State Records, home to fellow pioneers Bluetech and Shen. It's a collection of sweaty psychedelic down tempo grooves, churning molasses-thick baselines, and undulating synthetic sonorous mandalas. KiloWatts have albums on Artificial Music Machine that are full of visionary dimensions, fusing together a dexterous knowledge of sound synthesis, deep emotional articulation, and solid melodic intuition. Peppered throughout these monumental statements are releases with class labels such as Harmonious Discord, Thoughtless Music, and his own outlet, KiloWatts Music, that celebrate his adept technical expertise, often bringing a whirlwind of mind-blowing digital wizardry in the form of glitches and edits.
An ever-growing list of projects and collaborations exists. Skeetaz, with breakbeat cohort Bil Bless brings hard-hitting digital glitched-out psychedelic funk. His collaboration with singer Peter Van Ewijk is a mystical ride with vocals and guitar, nested atop edgy electronica. With Tanner Ross, an eerie style of dark techno is born under the name Voodeux for Dirtybird's techno sublabel Mothership. Fellow Philadelphian MC Amagine delivers consciousness-driven motifs in their digital glitch-hop project called Super Galactic Expansive.
Artist Q&A:
1.) How did you first hear about Open Labs?
It must've been an ad here or there. It was a NeKo EX5. I remember thinking "This just makes sense..." and wondering why nobody had done it before.
2.) What Production Station do you have?
The DBeat
3.) How has the gear changed your method of work?
It has allowed for much smoother integration when doing things live. I feel that I'm playing more of an instrument, rather than playing with a machine hooked up to a laptop. It's totally portable, convenient, and it just generally looks badass.
4.) What is your production station's primary function, live or studio?
I use it primarily for Live stuff. It's built for that. I have an easier time in the studio with my dual monitors and extra space. However, I can see myself using it more as a ‘traveling studio' for extended periods on the road.
5.) What is your favorite software on the board?
I actually don't use much of the onboard software, except for Ableton Live. I use MFusion, of course, to map out everything.
6.) How do you use it?
I've got the drum pads running as temporary switches hooked up to the power button (or dry/wet) of various effects, and then specific knobs to control those effects when I engage them. This is with Ableton Live. Every knob or fader on the thing is doing something.
7.) Which kind of equipment have you owned in the past and how do they compare to your Open Labs equipment?
I've had a Frankenstein of various knobs, switches and faders. The good thing is that I can switch things out easily and upgrade. The bad part is I always have to plug stuff in and mess with drivers and headaches. Separate gear tends to get bumped up easier as well.
8.) Has the gear changed the way you write songs?
I don't really write music with it.
9.) How different is the composition process compared to the standard computer or laptop system?
N/A
10.) Do you think the quality of your production now would be possible with another keyboard?
N/A
11.) Have you had any experience with our Tech Support and how does it rate with you?
N/A
12.) What is next for you and your Production Station?
I'm going to get more into using those drum pads for real.
Equipment Used:
Purchased DBeat
Artist Links: