Juno Plus Podcast 85: Braiden
Braiden runs the gamut of dancefloor sounds in one of his rare studio mixes.
If you’ve spent some time on the dancefloors of London clubs over the past five years, you should be more than familiar with the refined selecting skills of Steve Braiden. Schooled in the art of DJing on the airwaves with a succession of regular slots on radio stations like Sub FM, Rinse and now NTS, there’s a sense of expectation that comes with a new studio mix from Braiden, which tend to surface once a year and cause all manner of frantic Discogs purchases soon after.
A graduate of the 2010 London edition of the Red Bull Music Academy, Braiden has gradually added original production to his CV, which also includes being a highly decorated photographer – check out his work on his freshly designed website. Braiden’s maiden 12″ release was of course The Alps, issued on Joy Orbison’s shortlived Doldrums label back in late 2010 replete with a Kassem Mosse remix. A self-confessed perfectionist streak has ensured the minimum amount of subsequent material has been of the optimum club-focused quality, be it the Belfry Tower 12″ for Rush Hour or remixes of Jacques Greene and SBTRKT.
Braiden recently decamped to Berlin, and it seems the change of pace has had a positive impact on his studio time with his 75-minute mix for our podcast series debuting a brand new production in the shape of “Apex of the Sun’s Way”. Slipped in towards the end, the track sounds right at home wedged between Marco Shuttle’s classic “The Vox Attitude” and a cut from Kassem Mosse’s recent album. We’ve had this mix on the office stereo for several weeks now and it’s likely to remain in rotation for the foreseeable future!
Braiden was kind enough to answer some questions on Berlin, beetroot salad, Kassem Mosse and more.
Hi Steve, how are things in Berlin?
Things are swell thank you.
Was there something specifically that prompted the move from London?
Nothing specific, I just realised that London has a crazy energy that I felt quite drained by at times. In Berlin I can live and work in a large, nice and well located space for cheap, and I have more energy to dedicate to my creative outlets which is really my main focus. I still love London but it’s nice to get away from it after all these years.
You’ve been there for a few months now; do you have a favourite burger spot yet?
Yet to consume a burger in this city, but my own beetroot salad is very influential. One of the best in Friedrichshain.
Obviously you are ensconced in the European techno capital, so is there anyone that’s really impressed you DJ wise since you made the move to Berlin?
Function’s sets at Berghain are always impressive, they sound so vast and fluid, perfect for that space. Untold’s live set there there a few months back was one of my favourite things I’ve seen there too.
You don’t do many studio mixes so we’re really happy you did this mix for us – how was it put together?
Yeah I’m always very specific about how I want each track to work in a studio mix and how it feels as a whole. It went through a few different versions where I would record the whole thing, listen back and change what parts felt a bit out of place to me. There was a lot of revisiting past radio shows for tracks and sections that worked for me, and searching for new tracks that would work within the context of the mix I was building.
There seems to be a nice spread of new and old music here – I guess you are taking full advantage of all the record shops sprouting up in Berlin?
I’d still say the internet is my prime source of new music, but there are some real gems in Berlin for sure. I’ve spent many an hour in Recordloft finding records I’d have no chance of coming across anywhere else. My sets are always a blend of new and old music because some people are making good music now and some people have made good music in the past.
Kassem Mosse features a few times here; you’re clearly a fan of the new album?
Yeah I think there’s some fantastic tracks on there of course. He is a consistently impressive producer, a real talent. His live shows are always great, very different each time too.
Rather excitingly, it includes a new Braiden production; can we expect it to see release in the near future?
I think so yes, but I’m currently finishing up other material to go alongside it before I think about finalising those plans.
Do you ever feel under any particular pressure to put out more material?
Any pressure I feel is instantly negated by my own perfectionism. Regardless of external pressures I couldn’t release something that doesn’t feel right. But I’m looking at streamlining my approach to production in order to quicken the process for my own sanity if nothing else.
You come from a background of DJing on radio, be it for Sub FM, Rinse and now NTS; how important do you feel this platform has been for your tastes and development as a DJ?
Extremely so. Regular radio shows force me to constantly seek out new music – or revisit old music I haven’t played for a while. Both equally useful. It also allows me to experiment with mixing together styles of music with an audience without the pressure of a dancefloor to maintain.
What other radio shows do you check regularly?
I always have an exhaustive list of music to check out so I don’t find myself listening to certain shows on a weekly basis as I once did. But I do check out radio occasionally and have enjoyed some recent shows by Ben UFO, Mr Beatnick, DJ Richard & Alexander Slaughter.
Outside of your capacity as a club DJ, what music are you currently enjoying?
Been listening to a lot of jazz this past week, digging into the Blue Note & ECM labels, particularly works by John Surman, John Abercrombie and Michel Petrucciani. Also: Sigh – Imaginary Sonicscape, Rufus & Chaka Khan – Masterjam, M83’s first album from 2001, Peter Cook & Chris Morris’s Why Bother radio shows (not music but they are certainly being enjoyed). As for new club orientated stuff, the new Gesloten Cirkel album has some tracks that particularly resonate with me.
In your capacity as a photographer you’ve been responsible for some distinctive and memorable images of your contemporaries. Our favourite is perhaps ‘Bok Bok contemplates cacti’ – where did the inspiration for that come from?
An unparalleled understanding of the inner workings of Alex Sushon.
Tracklisting:
1. Drewsky – Shouts Out
2. Moodymann – The Most Fearful
3. Scientific Dreamz of U – Journey In 2 The Light {Self-Healing & Re-birth}
4. Maya Jane Coles – Parallel Worlds (Kowton Remix)
5. Kassem Mosse – Untitled
6. Frankie Bones – So High
7. Dario Zenker – Cookin Bookin
8. Sleazy D – Trust Track
9. Steffi – My Room
10. Frankie Bones – Inner Freak Style
11. Chateau Flight – Discobole (Pepe Bradock beats)
12. David Vunk – Disco Sysex
13. SCS – Marauder
14. Container – Slush
15. A Made Up Sound – Fortress (The Hague 2005)
16. Gunnar Haslam – Optional
17. Taras Van De Voorde & David Vunk – Need You Tonight (ROD Remix)
18. Blue Hour – Reef II
19. David Vunk – Vroesenpark
20. Bleaching Agent – Twwpk
21. Sparky – Jigsaw
22. Marco Shuttle – The Vox Attitude
23. Braiden – Apex of the Sun’s Way
24. Kassem Mosse – Untitled
25. Aphex Twin – Kesson Daslef