After establishing himself in the subterranean world of drum ‘n’ bass back in the day, working under alias DJ Subz and as half of Suburb, Christoph Vogel‘s enthralling sound now orbits the axis of house and techno. His maturity as an artist is embedded in every blip and beep of his newly released Blackbird EP on Empore Music. We checked in with Vogel and asked him to share five releases that continually provide him with musical inspiration.
Sci-Clone – “Everywhere I Go”
This is my all-time fave drum ‘n’ bass tune. Sci-Clone is the alias of DJ Asides and jazz saxophone player Nathan Haines. I got this track on the first Metalheadz compilation I bought. Since then I’ve been hooked by the pads and this quite good saxophone. This track really shows how diverse drum ‘n’ bass can be. DJ Asides is a real nice and funny guy, and I am more than happy to have had the chance to play with him together at our club night back in the day.
Sade – “Love Is Stronger Than Pride”
My dad used to listen to the album in the car when I was a child; this was the first track on the album. Most of the time our car drives didn’t last very long so this is one of the most remarkable tunes I have in mind when thinking of my childhood and driving in a car. Today the instrumentation may sound a bit cheap and cheesy but her voice compensates for that big time.
Aim – Cold Water Music
The whole album is a masterpiece of downbeat/hip-hop music. But the title-track with its catchy melody and these cool jazzy drums make it a timeless track for me. Paired with this cool artwork it really gets me thinking of the time when I started out. Am I getting too nostalgic now? I highly recommend getting this album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmUtyfluAgY
Horace Andy – “Money Is The Root Of All Evil”
Produced by Bunny Lee this tune still has me shaking. I really like the voice and the horns. Dub is and has always been a big influence for me. You will hear some kind of space echo in nearly every single track I make (even when it’s subtle). Maybe there will be a real Roland space echo in my studio someday.
Portishead – Glory Box (Live In Roseland NYC)
Just another one of my faves. This is maybe where my melancholic vibes come from when I make beats. I really love the live album because of this extravagant instrumentation with a whole orchestra. The voice of Beth Gibbons really stands out and fits so well in this instrumentation.