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FRACTURE & NEPTUNE
 Fracture and Neptune, or Charlie and Nelson have built their sound from the ground up, with nothing but hard work and good music. Tending towards the deeper, more “psychedelic” side of things, one could argue that the duo’s strongest quality is their dedication to constantly pushing themselves and in turn, never settling upon any one sound.
Case in point: the absolutely weeded synth voyager that is “Ventura” and its rougher, rolling counterpart, “Segrada Familia.” Medschool snatched these two right up, and Goddamn are we glad they did. As effective on the headphones as they are on the bassbins, it is becoming more of a rarity to find tunes that work in such a manner these days.
Not surprisingly, Fracture and Neptune have been rather busy as of late, between playing the most recent Hospitality night at Heaven, working out new material and, you know, generally getting deep. Somehow they managed to find the time to give us the lowdown on their beginnings, flow in the studio and all else F&N.
DOA: How did you each get involved in production, and how did you eventually start working together?
Fracture: I had always been interested in creating music. My dad is a guitarist and avid music fan so I was always around guitars, amps and records. Then like many teenagers in London in the early 90s I got into the hardcore and jungle that was on all the pirates. I had a mate who had an early EMU sampler that I used to mess about on, then my mate Matt Qualified got one and I got more into it. Later I met Neptune at college and we decided to get our own sampler.
Neptune: We met at college and had mutual friends who liked the same music. Hardcore and Jungle were very big in those days. I started going round to Fracture’s place to practice mixing when I was about 17. Fracture’s mate (Qualified) had an EMU sampler so he used to round there and experiment on it. When we were about 19, we eventually decided to get our own, along with a G3.
DOA: For a lot of junglists, you guys seem to be very familiar in name, but just in case people haven’t heard your music, how would you characterize it? What are you after when you get in the studio?
Well we make a lot of different sounding tunes, from rollers to the more esoteric. But all of our music has a psychedelic and cosmic vibe. Most of our music involves a drum break of some kind (which has been chopped and EQed several times). We love samples. We are always hunting for old samples off vinyl/TV/film, anywhere really. No one’s record collection has gone untouched. Parents, friends and even friend’s parents. No one is safe!!
We love making our own samples too. When in the studio we usually have something pre-prepared. Like a break or a sample that we want to use, we then have a think of what might fit with it. Once a vibe gets going for the tune we start adding other bits to it. But there is no formula to what we do, which is why our tunes are varied I guess.
DOA: That being said, who or what has most influenced your music?
Wicked samples we hear influence a lot. Old movies/records as well; the 60s/70s psychedelic vibe, we often try and fit that in somewhere to most of our music. Also, old DnB artists like Photek, Optical, Krust, Source Direct and Dillinja. I’d say those are the main guys. They produced some amazing pieces of music at their respective peaks. Old movies/records as well; the 60s/70s psychedelic vibe, we often try and fit that in somewhere to most of our music. Spaced out or outer worldly usually interests us. Phillip Glass, David Lynch, Henry Mancini, Lalo Schifrin, Jerry Goldsmith, Ennio Morricone, Vangelis and similar others have all influenced us some way. We’re also very into the 60s/70s psychedelic vibe, we often try and fit that in somewhere to most of our music.
DOA: For all the Grid dogs, could you break down your kit list and talk a bit about how your collaboration works n the studio?
Mackie 24/4 desk
Hhb circle 5 monitors
PowerMac G4 dual 1.0 GHz with Logic Pro 7.2
Lexicon MPX100 effect processor
EMU 6400 Sampler
Focusrite Compounder
Dbx 266xl
Tascam DAT Machine
Bass station
We just get on with it in the studio really. We argue sometimes, but mostly we have a vision and just go with it. We both often pick up on the same kinda sounds and vibes.
 DOA: Analog vs. digital. Hardware vs. Software. What’s your take on it all?
Well we prefer analogue for some things and digital for others. For example, drums and bass have to go through the sampler and the desk as it adds an extra quality. Using an analogue mixing desk is key. You just can’t get that analogue sound from digital stuff when you red-light things! But on the flip to that, pads and what not are so easy to generate digitally.
We like a balance between hardware and software. It is much easier to much a tune purely with software but the hardware puts a unique stamp on the tune. It’s a sound that is extremely difficult to recreate with software. EMU 6400 forever!
DOA: How did you guys get involved with Medschool?
After we finished “Ventura” we sent it to Dev Paradox who suggested we send it to Hospital. So we did and they decided to put it on their new Medschool label. So big up Dev!
DOA: What tune(s) of yours are you most proud of? Or rather, what tune made you say “ok, now we’re getting somewhere?”
I think we both agree that “Ventura” will always hold a special place in our heart. It was just such an amazing tune to make and the result was fantastic. We used so many different techniques and influences in that tune. We had Fracture’s dad play lap steel guitar for us on it too! It just all came together so well.
“Colemanism” makes us smile too. We always wanted to make an Amen tune and this was it. We sat down and absolutely murdered the original, sampling little horn stabs as well. We went in on that one. It received a lot of praise when it was released.
“Deadlands” has to get mentioned, as it was our first ever release on Danny Breaks’ Droppin’ Science label. As with “Ventura,” it all came together so nicely. A wicked sample and a phat break. Happy Days.
DOA: Who else are you feeling at the moment, musically speaking, gentleman?
Breakage is doing some amazingly deep music right now, just wait! We’re also really feeling Icicle’s stuff right now, it’s very lighthearted but weighty, and has a true jungle vibe. Kinda like the 90s Bristol sound.
Seba & Paradox have been firing of late. We can’t wait for the LP to drop soon. Macc of Outsider fame is pushing things. Breakage, Noisia, Martyn, Alix Perez and Sabre are all coming with fresh enthusiasm and lots of ruff tunes. Fracture is also bang into the Dubstep sound right now. Guys like Loefah, Burial, Compound One, Distance and Scuba.
DOA: Do you have any special messages you’d like to impart to the readers of DOA?
Neptune: Big up to football lovers and especially all Gooners. Come on Arsenal! Finally I’d like to mention my girlfriend Anika for always being there.
Fracture: Big up anyone who has bought a record of ours. Big up all real sample diggers. Big up people who leave the crackle in their vinyl samples... looooooooove that! Big up people who don’t squash their mixdowns with waves L3 or logic adaptive limiter.
Also, big up to all those who have followed us over the years and bought our tunes. A special mention has to go to Bassbin, Paradox, Inperspective, Subvert Central IchiOne, and Hospital for supporting us along the way.
Words by: Andy Barrett
Hospital Records
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Dogs On Acid > Comments > FRACTURE & NEPTUNE
12-04-2006 09:16 PM
