TECHNO dons Pig&Dan have returned with their fourth album, Modular Baptism.
Released on their Elevate label, the album as you would expect when it comes to a Pig&Dan long player, has been met with universal acclaim.
We caught up with Igor and Dan to find out more in this interview first published back in March 2016.
In many ways Modular Baptism is the most organic record we’ve ever made. We did a lot of the recording with analog synths on the go, thus using hands on instead of relying on computers and drawing things on screen with a mouse. This was proper knob twisting and spur of the moment madness all the way
Igor: This album holds a real broad range of styles, all be it under the umbrella of the techno genre.
There’s a lot of depth in as far as there’s tracks that are totally about taking you away on a journey like “Vangelism” and others that are pure hands in the air crazyness like “The Saint”.
We like to put together albums that are dynamic and nonlinear, that’s what we are all about and we think that rubs off a lot on this LP.
Where did the name ‘Modular Baptism’ come from?
It stems from the fact we baptised a lot of new Analogue synths that were modular. It came to mind when sitting back and trying to think what it was that applied to the album in general. Something that relates to every single track on the album. We also like the sound of the title.. It has a ring to it.
We were chatting to Mark Henning last week about the influence Drum and Bass has in his music. Dan you spent 10 years making Drum and Bass, how has that influenced the Pig&Dan sound? Igor have you been able to channel Dan’s experience from that genre?
Dan: Of course this rubbed off on our sound and I like to think that adds an edge that makes us a more recognisable and unique. Even though we both come from raving back in the old school acid house days it is a lot of fun to infuse those two things together and push the envelopes of genres to the max.
Igor: I’ve also had a long time passion for DnB so it was clear that we would open that door wide and let that flow integrate into our sound from the very beginning.
You launched Elevate 3 years ago. Creating and running a label in this digital age takes a lot passion and heart. How is it going and are you enjoying it as a shared experience between you as artists?
Dan: It’s like anything that you watch evolve. Progression with a team of artists you respect is an amazing experience, because you’re not only pulling respected well known names to the table but you’re also opening possibilities up for others who are fresh on the market. To see an artist grow that you’ve believed in and to be part of it is such an honour for us on many levels.
What have you got coming up on the label?
Igor: Starting off 2016 we have some slightly more pure sounding records that we feel represent the sound of Elevate in it’s more winter form. EPs from artists such as Alex Mine, Andres Gil & Uron, M.I.T.A, and Techno legend Remy Unger all bless our label with firing refined goodness.
Later on we really start the peak time afterburners with new found bad boy Vinicious Honorio and the incredible JSPR with his eclectic sound, plus super pumping anthems from artists like Uakoz & Alex Lentini, DAST and Silvina Romero. Apart from them there’s a few faces who are more well known coming up to like Monika Kruse, Mark Reeve, Skober and of course ourselves.
What are you proudest moments/memories from your career so far? It must be great to be able to share them as a duo?
Dan: For sure one of the highlights was playing the main room at Cocoon in Amnesia, Ibiza. After going there since 1987 as a raver and looking up at that booth so many years dreaming of being that DJ it was just indescribable when we actually were. Every single time we’ve had the honour of playing there my hands shook so hard that I could barely handle the pitch. Absolutely mind blowing is an understatement.
How do you manage to keep it fresh, new and vital? Is there pressure as a DJ/Producer to always be one step ahead in the house/techno scene?
Dan: We are not really pressured because we have been lucky enough to just sort of do what we do. Because we live on the island of Mallorca where there’s no real techno scene, we were lucky to not be influenced by trends. All those fazes that hit the cosmopolitan cities never really rubbed off on us because we were sat head down in our studio making what we wanted to play out in our sets. It sounds selfish but you need to remain true to yourself or you’re just another number.
What was your first break and first big record and did it set you on your path?
Dan: Our first big break was when we were asked by Sven Vath to come and play an event called NEXT GENERATION at the cocoon club in Frankfurt. He invited a few DJs he felt could be something for the future to join him once a month at the club and after our first trial he actually invited us to play on of the normal events along his side. Sven is the Godfather of Techno and to be honoured to play alongside him on many occasions was just another level of experience. He truly is our mentor on many levels.
Igor: Our first big record was also under the Cocoon imprint and yes it did sort of mold our future is some ways. It helped us feel confident that what we were creating was acceptable on a wider level.
Pig&Dan – Modular Baptism is out now.
