here comes the feature i did with simon baker for the march issue of djmag … [i also reviewed his album for ra as it goes]
make a tune, sign it to a label, gig off the back of that and nail a debut album within your first year of production, ensuring you strike whilst the iron is hot. that’s the way it works, right? right. but only in the modern era. go back just a decade and the rites of passage for any aspiring dj or producer were very different. firstly, the kit required cost a lot more money, getting a release was a much harder prospect owing to the fact that the (expensive) medium of choice was vinyl and, anyway, you had to pay your dues as a dj before even beginning to dream of glamorous, high-falutin’ ideas like production. it is for that reason that, every so often, a producer who’s been around a while pops up with a debut album, not having released one in the early days of their career. these are producers who haven’t rushed things (despite often receiving advice to the contrary) and who have grown organically over time whilst honing their skills and an understanding of their craft all the while. it’s not an easy thing to do, but is something 35 year old 2020vision artist simon baker has done with relish.