Back in July, Electronic Earth announced that award-winning and internationally recognized band Lab4 had become the composers chosen to collaborate on the original score for E2’s flagship project Precipice, with filmmaker Sean Young - the writer and director of the project.
During composition, it was decided that a version of the score done for Precipice titled ‘CTRL ALT DESTROY’ would become the intro and title track for Lab4’s recent EP release of the same name.
With the album being Lab4’s first EP release in over 10 years, it was received with much anticipation and drew the attention of both Yoji Biomehanika and Baby Doc (Quinn Franglen), both heavy hitting names in the global dance arena in their own rights, who collaborated with Lab4 to produce the recently released ‘CTRL ALT DESTROY Remix Album’ on Hard Trance Europe (HTE).
We caught up with both remix artists and Les Elston (one of the band members from Lab4, also contributing the ‘Virus Mix’ for the remix album) to talk further about the remix album and how the score from Precipice has evolved into becoming part of much larger projects:
E2:
How did you first hear about the CTRL ALT DESTROY EP being produced by Lab4?
Quinn:
I had already done a remix for the label Hard Trance Europe (HTE), so I get sent promos of their latest releases and really liked the Lab 4 EP, so I said that I would like to do a remix .
E2:
Were you aware that the intro track Les Elston (of Lab4) added to the EP was a version of the score for a short film from Electronic Earth titled ‘Precipice’, written and directed by Sean Young in Toronto, Canada?
Quinn:
Not at the time. I was pleasantly surprised to find it out.
Yoji:
I heard from Les that he was composing the score for a film, but I did not know the details of what kind of film it was specifically.
E2:
Can you talk a little about how you reacted/received the news about it being attached to a film in Canada?
Quinn:
I liked it as I love Canada . I have played many, many times all over Canada and have lots of friends there.
E2:
Can you tell us about how the conversation went between yourselves in arranging to become a remix artist for CTRL ALT DESTROY?
Quinn:
Well Les Messaged me saying how pleased he was that I was remixing the track. He then sent me the samples which I promptly got him to speed up by 20bpm!
Image: Quinn Franglen aka ‘Baby Doc’
Yoji:
Les contacted me about the project to find out if I would do a remix for it. I had a nice idea for it form quickly after listening to the original version.
Les:
The Yoji remix came about as a direct contact,, I’ve known Yoji very well for years and consider him one of our closest allies in the industry,, so a quick WhatsApp message and the ball was rolling..
With Baby Doc, that was very unexpected and a very pleasant surprise. He received the Ep from HTE through the promo channels and gave it glowing feedback and said he would love to remix the title track, he took the elements from the Precipiceversion, so creating something that’s originally 95Bpm up to 142Bpm was going to be interesting. What he delivered was a very cool tech driven floor filler, we loved it! It complimented the other versions perfectly.
E2:
How long have you all known each other, and have you worked with each other on other projects?
Quinn:
I have know these two (Lab4/Les) for a couple of decades and have played alongside them all over the world in huge venues and old ravey dives so it was great to catch up.
Yoji:
They (lab4/Les) have been great friends of mine for over 20 years. We’ve shared so many stages and connected musically in the early days of Hard Dance.
Image: Yoji Biomehanika
Les:
Years, maybe 20+ years. Baby Doc (Quinn) was a very early influence for Lab4. It was his album he co-wrote with John The Dentist called ‘In Worship Of False Idols’ that was on our (Lab4’s) constant play rotation in the car.
E2:
Can you describe what the workflow was like with your remix of the Intro track?
Quinn:
I have remixed over 200 tracks so I have a mental template that I use. I go through the samples cherry picking the bits I want to use or must use (vocals for example) then start playing around with some new sounds over them. I am very quick to decide which way i am going in a remix. On this one, I started on a completely different trip, didn’t like it, scrapped it, and started again creating this remix.
Yoji:
They (Lab4) had used elements of PsyStyle in some parts of the track, I emphasized it more in my version. Also I disassembled the chords and reconstructed the ensemble with the lead beautifully. In addition, I asked my wife to record the vocal and added it to my version of the track.
Les:
My workflow was easy, I just kept the original vocal and created an entire new vibe. iI was one of those tracks that just happened really fast. I think within three days the structure was sorted, then it took another week or so to fill the gaps in. In regards to having anything to do with the others (Baby Doc and Yoji) versions then no, I would never interfere with someone else’s creative flow. It kind of negates the point of their interpretation if I stick my nose in.
E2:
Have you played your remix version to floor test at an event yet? If so where, and how was it received?
Quinn:
I played it at the Wooferland festival in Amsterdam and it took the roof off!!
mage: Les Elston /Lab4
Yoji:
I’ve played it at some shows and got some great reactions from the crowd. I’m also happy to see that the remix has been placing on some charts, like Beatport.
Les:
Yes, in London at The Electrowerkz. It kicked off! I could easily drop the other two (the Baby Doc & Yoji Biomehanika versions) in the same set and get away with it as they both sound very different.
E2:
Have you worked in soundtrack or sound to picture yourself before, and if not would you consider it?
Quinn:
I have but not as much as I would like as I really enjoyed the work . When I was staying in LA I helped on quite a few productions and have done some indie film soundtracks/documentaries. I have also had loads of my tracks on films all over the world. Its a field I found suited my sound perfectly as its all about highs and lows.
Yoji:
No, I haven’t unfortunately. Composing a film score has been a dream of mine that I still hope can be realized some day.
E2:
What is your favourite film/movie of all time? Explain a little bit about why and what makes it special to you?
Quinn:
That is a big question ! I think i can nail it down to three! ‘The Shining’as it has such a great soundtrack and its amazing dark feeling and suspense. ‘Harold and Maud’for its mix of comedy and humanity, and anything by John Carpenter as he rocks and I am his biggest nerd fan. His soundtracks are seminal.
Yoji:
Definitely ‘’Blade Runner’(1982)! Vangelis did an amazing job on the score for that film. I’m also a sci-fi movie fan and watch movies a lot but in general I feel like many films don’t match music and visual image properly and it screws up the visual concept. It’s such a shame!
Les:
Hell’s teeth, that’s an easy question, not!! (laughs). I really can’t name one. I can give you a few. In no specific order, as I could watch them over and over and never get bored:
– Sunset Blvd, the 1950’s Billy Wilder version. I love old Hollywood and that just encapsulates it perfectly.
– War Of The Worlds, the 1950’s one with Gene Barry. it’s one of the first sci-fi films I ever watched. The sound of the ray guns I think had a huge influence on my love of cool sounds and it’s a classic HG Wells story.
– The Magic Bow, by Stuart Granger where he plays Paganini. Just the fact it portrays Paganini is enough for me. He’s one of my favourite composers and performers.
– Great Expectations, the 1946 version is another total classic. I suppose it’s kind of a bit Sunset Blvdin a way. A reclusive character in a huge house, I just love it. It reminds me of Christmas films you watch in the afternoon.. (laughs).
E2:
What are your next steps in your current career (upcoming projects or releases)?
Quinn:
I have been promoting my ”Classics” USB which has over a hundred of my tracks from the early years, re-mastering these again has been great. Baby Doc Classics – USB [Vicious Circle]. I am also working on new material with Jon the Dentist, my original musical partner all those years ago! I am very excited by the new sound I am progressing with which has got me buzzing to get in the studio again.
Yoji:
I have a lot of projects on the go right now. I’m working as a supervisor for a HardStyle compilation in Japan, have some collaborative work with some other great artists on the go, and am also writing my own new material etc…. just rolling with my desire! (laughs).
Les:
I’ve got about 15 tracks all in various states of construction which I really need to finish – various styles from Hard Edged House to Hard Dance. So my main objective is finishing at least half of them before the end of the year.I’m also currently working on a project with Nick Coles who owns HTE. it’s a Trance project focusing on the more commercial side of the Trance genre.
E2:
Les, Electronic Earth has plans to develop Precipice, written and directed by Sean Young (of whom you collaborated with on the first version of CTRL ALT DESTROYas the film’s score), into a larger multiple season project. From what you know about it, what are your thoughts on the future of the project and potentially being apart of it as something on a grander scale?
Les:
I’m really excited by it! My favourite thing is sound to picture, so to be involved in something like Precipiceis fantastic. Since completing the prologue music, I’ve been making mental notes and earmarking references whilst watching other series and movies. What I think would work, similar things I can achieve, sounds I like, etc. I’ve also started programming up some possible sound banks to use. Textured layers, cool sounding drones, etc. I think for big projects like this you have to start planning well in advance and get some ideas formulated in your mind so when the time comes you’ve already got some solid starting points.
The CTRL ALT DESTROY remix album is out now and can be found on Beatport here.
For further information on Japan’s Superstar DJ, Yoji Biomehanika, visit his website here.
For further information on DJ Baby Doc, visit his website here.
For further information on Lab4, visit their website here.
For updates on the continuing evolution of Precipice, stay tuned to Electronic Earth’s website at http://electronicearth.ca and/or follow their social media accounts at @E2presents.
