Interviews

Brooklyn label Razor-N-Tape presents new project MOTEL PHANTASMA, the mystery pair who this week Drop a double A-sided 7” weapon of mass destruction. Oozing slippery electronic percussion, razory synth work, and in-your-face vocal incantations delivered in Portuguese, the flip side features the mighty Kaleta. On the week of the release, we get a chance to have a chimneyside chat with MOTEL PHANTASMA.

Thank you for taking the time to talk. Where are you at this moment and how are you spending today?

Mixing a new song, abusing caffeine, enjoying a new strain of weed…

I know you guys want to keep it on the downlow, so can you introduce MOTEL PHANTASMA to our readers?

We're those that crash your party and leave you dancing.

Where are you guys based?

London sometimes, but everywhere in spirit.

What is it you love most about the city in which you live?

The chaos. You can walk out for Rizlas and come back with a record deal.

How is the health of the music scene generally in your opinion?

Alive, twitchy, slightly hungover. Perfect

Who are the icons who have inspired the music that you make as MOTEL PHANTASMA?

Fela, DJ Edgar, Herbie, Aphex Twin. And every kid with cracked software and big ideas.

How did you come to meet the Razor N Tape crew?

The usual story: mutual friends, late nights, bad decisions.

Why did you feel the label was the right home for your release?

Because they press records that DJs actually want to play, not just collect.

Give us an overview of your new release.

For Noude we teamed up with the powerhouse Kaleta, his Afro-funk spirit meets warehouse sweat.

For Claptrap - is just us, a healthy amount of weed, a couple of modified machines and lots of fun.

How long did it take to get together? Did it flow easily, or did it take some time to perfect?

Kaleta gave us gold, we just polished it until it was loud enough to annoy the neighbours.

Do you guys take some time - after you have made a track – to leave it alone for a while to evaluate?

Nah we move fast. We make a ton of music and we're preparing edits for our Live Set.

Do you find the feedback of others is important to you in the production process?

We trust dancers more than producers. If the room moves, the track is done.

What are some of the challenges in putting out music currently?

Too many algorithms, not enough sweaty basements.

What drives you to create music do you think?

Silence is boring.

What other artists do you think are making great music right now?

There's heat everywhere, from São Paulo to Accra to Peckham.

What was the last record you purchased?

A Baile funk bootleg that came wrapped in cling film.

What has been a highlight of the last year for you guys?

Hearing Kaleta's voice flying out of a sound system with our beats underneath.

What can we expect next from MOTEL PHANTASMA?

More tracks that make you text your friends at 3am: "You need to hear this.”

Check out the latest release from MOTEL PHANTASMA.