One half of Australian production duo What So Not, Emoh Instead (aka Chris Emerson) talks though being influenced by DFA1979, touring with Skrillex and working with Action Bronson.
Watch Gigwise's interview with What So Not's Emoh Instead above
After his career behind the decks began nine years ago playing at 6am to "half-empty rooms of people who don’t really care", Emoh Instead is set to have a brilliant 2015. Together with his musical accomplice Flume (aka Henry Streten) the Sydney production duo have already collaborated with Action Bronson, supported Diplo, toured with Skrillex and are set to smash Coachella in April.
But first he needs to address some misconceptions. “I always get the question of ‘Where’s Harley?” laughs Emerson, as he sits with Gigwise in The Fox pub in London's Shoreditch. “But we’ve had this setup for a very long time. He's a production collaborator with me. I've always been the DJ of the group and I do all the touring for the band while Harley’s off touring for Flume at the same time." The reasons for the split are strictly practical. "We wouldn’t be able to go off and do the shows anywhere - as there would be no time for that to happen.”
Despite the enforced distance between them, their bond appears strong - despite the fact that, according to Straton, he and Emerson ‘fight like an Italian family". “We’ll bring different things to the table and we'll have different opinions” laughs Emerson. “We have a general common line - but we’ll go off on different tangents and then try and bring each other into our field of vision. At the end of the day we find this common ground which makes What So Not what it is.”
Part of the reason What So Not sound so unique is their influences go far beyond Beatport. “Death From Above 1979 were the act that crossed me over from rock'n'roll and alt rock into dance music," Emerson says. "I was in a band playing drums for years and hated dance music and thought it was lame. And then I heard those records and thought "OK, it's a little loop based but it was cool." Following listening to Ed Banger, Boys Noise, Diplo and acts on Modular, Emerson was completely convinced that his future lay in "this indie-meets-rock-n-roll-meets heavy-dance music coming together in this amazing blend."
One particular Texan hardcore band certainly also had their part to play. “At The Drive In took me out of being a child and finding something of my own. It was very different, very raw. They don't obey the traditional rules of music, playing guitars out of key and singing out of tune. It was more of a state of mind and a statement instead of just being a song.”
One of their biggest accomplishments so far for What So Not so far has been touring with Skrillex and Dillon Francis. "It was my first time on a tour bus - it was all very new to me," says Emerson. "It was the first time I’d been a very low tier act on a big scale stadium and arena tour. It was very grounding for me. I’d come from a world where What So Not was a hot act in these niche little venues - to being these big 15,000 head venues and being the smallest artist on the bill. It was great getting back to working really hard to get a reaction who maybe wasn't there for me. Things like that are really important for your career to keep you in check."
Emerson was particularly impressed by Skrillex's work ethic. "I was amazed at how hard he works, how much he works and how little he sleeps. Every single day, myself, DJ Snake, Dillon Francis would just be writing songs relentlessly. It's not something I was used to - I travel around a lot and like to see the sights. But everyone was just on their laptops constantly - I thought 'Wow - I've got to step it up a bit.'" This extended to Emerson's thoughts on Skillex's production process. "I was also so impressed how quick their turnaround is - they would get the stems for a track and finish the remix in one day. For What So Not, Harley and I can sometimes three years to put out a song. That blew my mind.”
One act that What So Not have managed to collaborate with is Action Bronson on 'Everything Time You See Me'. "The Action Bronson collab was pretty fun. He was just in Australia - the night before we got a call saying 'Hey, he’s in town - if you want to do it, do it now'. We went into the studio and it was pretty wild lyrical runs he was doing."
Emerson is a big fan of Bronson's stadium size bravado. "I admire his attitude - I've seen him at shows and he just does not give a shit. He‘ll turn his music off, not say anything and walk out in the middle of the crowd for five minutes or so and just starting rapping a cappella. It’s just crazy. I don't know there's a whole lot of rappers out there doing that at the moment. It's very impressive.”
Elsewhere in hip-hop Emerson has been particularly taken by a number of acts recently. "I've been impressed by Mr Carmack and Arca and their productions. I wouldn’t say they’re traditionally hip-hop but they’re very hiphop influenced some of the most innovative I’ve been hearing at the moment. There’s this young guy from Philly named Twingy - he’s really cool. He’s one of the first R&B singers who I’ve worked with where we just go into a studio come up with ideas. It's been really cool - no management, no egos on the table and really getting involved in each others musical processes.”
Emerson has also been pleasantly surprised by how good Azealia Banks' debut Broke With Expensive Taste is. "Everyone has all this talk about her... but I was just so impressed atwhat I heard. Her production is incredible, her voice sounds incredible, the content she's talking about is hilarious as always, I’ve seen all the issues she's had with major labels and burning bridges. But if you can come out with an amazing album, all that fades away. You did some great art, so everyone else can just stick it.”
Given how many festivals he's played at, it's also worth noting one particular live act he's scene stood out. "An act that I saw who I thought was incredible was this guy Dan Deacon. His music is acidy, ravey rock'n'roll. He’s on the microphone with all these effects pedals in front of him and the song is constructed speaking and singing with all these different effects. In the middle of the set he would pause, stop the music and start talking to the audience - and he would really engage everyone. He had such an authoritative way of talking that made you feel part of it. He’d make everyone make a giant circle - and give them a command. He'd start playing the music and more and more people would come in. Once the drop comes in, the entire audience of 10,000 people turn into a giant whirlpool. To command so many people when people haven't necessarily heard of you and to have that effect on people was amazing. I wanted to bring it into what I was doing."
Even if a giant whirlpool of bodies may not be isn't on the horizon for What So Not, their future certainly looks bright. Emerson certainly seems more aware than most that even though he's playing Coachella in April, he could return to his roots all too easily and be stuck playing to far less musically minded audiences. “It's funny I remember this one time in Australia playing this regional pub venue. I was playing ‘Harlem Shake’ that was quite popular at the time - but they still hadn’t heard it. The billion Youtube play hit song? I go no reaction. They weren’t into it.”
Listen to What So Not's latest mixes on Soundcloud.
