Truancy Volume 146: Iglew

Our 146th Truancy Volume comes from Iglew, a producer based in grime’s square waved legacy and who caught our eye last year with a series of unreleased tracks, rips and his ‘Urban Myth’ EP released on Mr. Mitch’s very own Gobstopper Records. Since then he’s remained relatively quiet throughout 2016, but continues to reach out and force us to take note with tracks featured on nearly ever single Boxed mix that circulates the web. From seeing Iglew shell it down at Come Thru in Leeds last year we’re excited to showcase a 45 minute mix that is beautifully composed, highlighting the more introspective aspect of his music. With twelve of the fifteen tracks being unreleased, be prepared to journey through melodic bliss. We also caught up with him for a quick Q&A ahead of his upcoming release on the Boxed002 EP and tried, unsuccessfully, to get out of him what the ‘Emglew’ collab on E.M.M.A’s new Dazed mix was all about.

Hey Lewis! How are you and where are you at the moment? “Not too bad thanks. Just chilling in the gaff, about to eat some stuffed peppers.”

There aren’t a huge amount of interviews that go into detail about your progression into music production and DJing, can you tell us a bit about how you got started to where you are now? “So I’d been involved in a fair bit of musical activity before I got into production. Firstly playing classical music, then on to bands when I was a teenager. After a while we started trying to get electronics involved in the bands I was in (fairly unsuccessfully) but that’s how I first started making electronic music. DJing just followed on from production when I started to understand the point of making music for sound systems.”

You’re based in Leeds right now, how do you find music and club culture in Leeds? Especially when it comes to showcasing local talent and emerging artists. “It’s a real mixed bag. There are lots of good things happening but you have to know where to find them. It can be quite fickle. I think it’s tough for emerging artists in Leeds compared to London for example, especially for more niche areas of music because of the population difference. Also Leeds heads are a party crew so you better be playing bangers otherwise nobody cares.”

What are you up to at the moment. You have a release coming up in the Boxed EP, is that right? What can we expect from that? “Yeah I have a tune on that called “Lullaby”. When I make music I often try and take something familiar and do something unexpected with it. With this one I was playing with that horn stab sound that’s prevalent in a lot of trap tunes. Other than that, there are a few things in the pipeline, some collaborations that I’m really excited about and eventually some more solo music. I’m not rushing it though.”

Touching on things in the pipeline; we peeped ‘murda ’ and ‘untitled’ by ‘Emglew’ on E.M.M.A’s recent Dazed mix. Those were some great tracks! How did that partnership come about and can we expect more of the same? “I’m sorry that’s classified.”

Lol ok! What are your thoughts on the UK’s grime scene at the moment and where do you see yourself within in it then? “I love grime. I’m definitely on the fringe of it and that’s cool, it’s where I want to be. Grime is a part of what I do but it doesn’t define what I do. In terms of the scene, it’s the MCs that have got Joe Bloggs really excited about grime again but I just wish more MCs would step up and take a chance on more experimental beats, because in my opinion that is the main way to stop the scene from stagnating.”

So tell us a bit about the mix you’ve recorded for us today? “I tried to let this breathe more than any mix I’ve recorded previously, it drifts through different intensities and emotions pretty organically. It features the fewest pieces of my own music (one) of any mix I’ve done so far, but twelve of the fifteen tracks inside are unreleased as I’m writing this so I don’t think anyone should feel shortchanged. Mostly, this is a snapshot of music I’m feeling at the moment and perhaps a hint of things to come from me.”

Any shout outs you’d like to give or anything you’re feeling right now that you think we should check out? “Out to all the dubstep dads.”

Finally, if you could be any animal what would you be and what’s your drink of choice? “Maybe a mantis shrimp, they can batter anything and can see things no other animal can. Or a Peregrine Falcon so I could out-fly a plane. Crispy, grapefruity IPA.”

Tracklist:

Odeko – Deluge
Geinoh Yamashirogumi – Genesis
Justin Timberlake – Suit & Tie (Iglew Remix)
Wavefold – Drifting Ad Infinitum
Odeko – Space Cadet
E.M.M.A – Gold
Bering Strait – Lisbon
K-Lone – Alder
Sharp Veins – Already Bones
Broshuda – Stillis
Deadboy – Pillz
DJ Duke – Heard
Island – Lil Melody
Hedge Maze – Interlude
Broshuda – Gliemling