After making himself a valuable asset within the UK Funky emergence, Fuzzy Logik has consistently provided high calibre music loved by the DJs and ravers alike. Letting the music speak for itself, his attitude towards the scene has always been to remain elusive and not get involved in the highly political events that have been common throughout the genre’s existence. Although Fuzzy Logik has remained a respected character, his personal thoughts and background influences are yet to be explored as a result to his desire to focus on the music. After many years of consideration, Fuzzy Logik has finally agreed to allow me to expose him…
In your own words, who is Fuzzy Logik?
Fuzzy Logik, a quiet, humble one man band, often confused as a group of producers, but nope, its just one person...me (laughs). The original idea behind the name, was to come with a style that doesn’t fit under any umbrella of genre, but borrows from them all… Because I love them all. My style is that I’m influenced by everything from the past and present, as I am a massive fan of all music first and foremost before doing my own productions
You’ve been regarded as a leader since the emergence of the UK Funky sound, what originally got you into the music?
I’m not sure. I’m not going say I know the A-Z of funky roots, but I did love tracks like Fish Go Deep’s ‘Cure and the Cause’ (Dennis Ferrer mix) and tracks by producers like Copyright, Masters at Work and DJ Gregory, like a lot of the producers at the time. But I wanted to do my own spin on that style of production, complete with other sounds that I’m a fan of…
Many producers have fallen away from the sound since then, what has kept you loyal?
I’m not sure if I’m “loyal”, I just continue to do what I’ve always done and that’s try to keep things fresh and varied. Change the formula a lil bit here and there.
Do you feel that MCs are a necessary component to the UK Funky sound? Why?
A highly debateable topic… I wouldn’t say they are necessary, but they definitely add another dimension to the sound and can bring an extra vibe to liven things up. Whether they are needed is a personal choice to the raver/listener.
How would you describe your own unique sound within the genre?
I would describe my sound as melting pot of different genres together, using sounds from both the current and yesteryear, making it easier for people to get into. My goal is to always get people to listen to my vocal tracks as songs, rather then thinking of it as a genre. Just like when I grew up listening to all those classic Stock Aitken Waterman, or Motown records, I wasn’t thinking, oh this is soul, high energy or Chicago house. I just thought “Ok so this is the artist, good song, I like the beat”. I think that as we get to a certain age, we start to look at things as genres, and put things in boxes. Even thinking one genre is superior to another..... Obviously the ones we are into (laughs).
‘The Way You Move’ is known as a favourite instrumental within the Funky scene, what is the Fuzzy Logik recipe when composing?
Fuzzy Logik’s recipe for composing is simplicity, and variation… Always keep it simple!!
What tips would you give to someone aspiring to be a producer?
The best tip I can give to an aspiring producer is simple really, but one of the best. Music production to me is like 80% listening. Listen to music, music and more music. Once you’re quite knowledgeable with your music, the rest will be easy. Hence why a lot of DJs are great producers. Also, learning a bit of music theory, such as scales, chords, will help you to communicate your ideas a lot better.
Are there any other genres you’ve experimented with?
Plenty....
Who are your musical influences? Why?
Wow, there are so many, it’s actually hard to begin. I love so much music, its crazy! Well I grew up on a council estate and as many people will know, that brings a whole mixture of different cultures and musical tastes; such a big melting pot of sounds and backdrops. So from early on in my life I have been exposed to the obvious sounds by my parents, such as reggae and soul. But then growing older, I got hooked on Stock Aitken Waterman records, Madness, Loose Ends, David Bowie, Kate Bush, The Clash, Bob Marley, Soul to Soul, Madonna, The Beatles and so on. It really does go on…
Do you participate in any other creative arts?
Nah, apart from staying elusive… (Laughs)
In your own words, who is Fuzzy Logik?
Fuzzy Logik, a quiet, humble one man band, often confused as a group of producers, but nope, its just one person...me (laughs). The original idea behind the name, was to come with a style that doesn’t fit under any umbrella of genre, but borrows from them all… Because I love them all. My style is that I’m influenced by everything from the past and present, as I am a massive fan of all music first and foremost before doing my own productions
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| UK Funky Producers |
I’m not sure. I’m not going say I know the A-Z of funky roots, but I did love tracks like Fish Go Deep’s ‘Cure and the Cause’ (Dennis Ferrer mix) and tracks by producers like Copyright, Masters at Work and DJ Gregory, like a lot of the producers at the time. But I wanted to do my own spin on that style of production, complete with other sounds that I’m a fan of…
Many producers have fallen away from the sound since then, what has kept you loyal?
I’m not sure if I’m “loyal”, I just continue to do what I’ve always done and that’s try to keep things fresh and varied. Change the formula a lil bit here and there.
Do you feel that MCs are a necessary component to the UK Funky sound? Why?
A highly debateable topic… I wouldn’t say they are necessary, but they definitely add another dimension to the sound and can bring an extra vibe to liven things up. Whether they are needed is a personal choice to the raver/listener.
How would you describe your own unique sound within the genre?
I would describe my sound as melting pot of different genres together, using sounds from both the current and yesteryear, making it easier for people to get into. My goal is to always get people to listen to my vocal tracks as songs, rather then thinking of it as a genre. Just like when I grew up listening to all those classic Stock Aitken Waterman, or Motown records, I wasn’t thinking, oh this is soul, high energy or Chicago house. I just thought “Ok so this is the artist, good song, I like the beat”. I think that as we get to a certain age, we start to look at things as genres, and put things in boxes. Even thinking one genre is superior to another..... Obviously the ones we are into (laughs).
‘The Way You Move’ is known as a favourite instrumental within the Funky scene, what is the Fuzzy Logik recipe when composing?
Fuzzy Logik’s recipe for composing is simplicity, and variation… Always keep it simple!!
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| Fuzzy Logik on the buttons |
What tips would you give to someone aspiring to be a producer?
The best tip I can give to an aspiring producer is simple really, but one of the best. Music production to me is like 80% listening. Listen to music, music and more music. Once you’re quite knowledgeable with your music, the rest will be easy. Hence why a lot of DJs are great producers. Also, learning a bit of music theory, such as scales, chords, will help you to communicate your ideas a lot better.
Are there any other genres you’ve experimented with?
Plenty....
Who are your musical influences? Why?
Wow, there are so many, it’s actually hard to begin. I love so much music, its crazy! Well I grew up on a council estate and as many people will know, that brings a whole mixture of different cultures and musical tastes; such a big melting pot of sounds and backdrops. So from early on in my life I have been exposed to the obvious sounds by my parents, such as reggae and soul. But then growing older, I got hooked on Stock Aitken Waterman records, Madness, Loose Ends, David Bowie, Kate Bush, The Clash, Bob Marley, Soul to Soul, Madonna, The Beatles and so on. It really does go on…
Do you participate in any other creative arts?
Nah, apart from staying elusive… (Laughs)
Your first vocal track ‘In The Morning’ featuring Egypt was signed and released under Virgin Records. How did it feel to have your work recognised at a higher level within the industry?
Good and Bad. Good because yes it does finally mean that the industry is taking note of what you’re doing. Bad because you only begin to see people’s true colours and intentions once the signature is on that dotted line.
Your remix work has also been highly favoured, do you apply a different production angle when remixing?
Yea, I guess so. I guess it depends on what the person wants really. If they’re not sure what they want, I’ll try a few drafts, send them to the person, and let them pick which direction. Kind if like how a logo/graphic design person would work. Sometimes the person might have a clear idea of what they want right from the get go.
Would you turn down a remix if you didn’t like the original track?
Yes, most definitely. But the opposite is also true. I may like an original track and I will always try to give it my best. I’ll try it in many different ways and if it hasn’t gelled together too well, I’ll just call it a day.
You’ve never been known to get involved in the UK Funky politics. In such an opinionated scene, how do you refrain from getting drawn in?
Nah, getting involved in politics won’t benefit anyone. That was something I laid out from the beginning; just concentrate on the music, stay out of the rest. The only opinions I really care about are feedback from the DJs/ ravers who support what I do.
Since ‘In The Morning’ you’ve collaborated with other artists. What do you look for when seeking a vocalist?
I look for artists that are vocally different, providing something completely original and can add another dimension to what I do. I like artists with interesting tones, who have their own style and aren’t afraid to try something new!
Teaming up with Jada Pearl for recent release ‘All My Love’, what’s the message behind the track?
You’d have to ask Jada, she wrote it herself. Jada shows great promise of being a good songwriter. How that track came about was I sent her the demo track, then one evening she sent me a rough clip via BlackBerry voicenotes. Can’t remember if it was this track, but I think we went back and forth a few times. Then we arranged a day to record and here it is! I rarely get involved when songwriters write songs, unless, the story doesn’t make sense. But I’m quite old school in that structure rules, and there has to be a good pay off!
Released in September under Safe & Sound, what kind of feedback have you received?
It’s interesting… Some DJs swear that it’s UK Garage, some DJs say R&B. When the genre is debateable I love it. When that happens, it means I’ve done my job because it means it’s just music that people can appreciate. We had early strong support from DJs across the board for ‘All My Love’, from big scene heavyweight DJs such as Marcus Nasty, Cameo, Roska, FunkyStepz and also loads of support from pirate DJs up and down the country. So yeah, it’s good!
Good and Bad. Good because yes it does finally mean that the industry is taking note of what you’re doing. Bad because you only begin to see people’s true colours and intentions once the signature is on that dotted line.
Your remix work has also been highly favoured, do you apply a different production angle when remixing?
Yea, I guess so. I guess it depends on what the person wants really. If they’re not sure what they want, I’ll try a few drafts, send them to the person, and let them pick which direction. Kind if like how a logo/graphic design person would work. Sometimes the person might have a clear idea of what they want right from the get go.
Would you turn down a remix if you didn’t like the original track?
Yes, most definitely. But the opposite is also true. I may like an original track and I will always try to give it my best. I’ll try it in many different ways and if it hasn’t gelled together too well, I’ll just call it a day.
You’ve never been known to get involved in the UK Funky politics. In such an opinionated scene, how do you refrain from getting drawn in?
Nah, getting involved in politics won’t benefit anyone. That was something I laid out from the beginning; just concentrate on the music, stay out of the rest. The only opinions I really care about are feedback from the DJs/ ravers who support what I do.
Since ‘In The Morning’ you’ve collaborated with other artists. What do you look for when seeking a vocalist?
I look for artists that are vocally different, providing something completely original and can add another dimension to what I do. I like artists with interesting tones, who have their own style and aren’t afraid to try something new!
You’d have to ask Jada, she wrote it herself. Jada shows great promise of being a good songwriter. How that track came about was I sent her the demo track, then one evening she sent me a rough clip via BlackBerry voicenotes. Can’t remember if it was this track, but I think we went back and forth a few times. Then we arranged a day to record and here it is! I rarely get involved when songwriters write songs, unless, the story doesn’t make sense. But I’m quite old school in that structure rules, and there has to be a good pay off!
Released in September under Safe & Sound, what kind of feedback have you received?
It’s interesting… Some DJs swear that it’s UK Garage, some DJs say R&B. When the genre is debateable I love it. When that happens, it means I’ve done my job because it means it’s just music that people can appreciate. We had early strong support from DJs across the board for ‘All My Love’, from big scene heavyweight DJs such as Marcus Nasty, Cameo, Roska, FunkyStepz and also loads of support from pirate DJs up and down the country. So yeah, it’s good!
What does the future hold for Fuzzy Logik?
The future for the Fuzzy Logik sound, is going to be what it has always been, experimenting. Regardless of genre… I hate pigeon holes. I’ve also set up two labels. One called Beat Machine and the other World Class Music, which is an outlet for both myself and a team of up and coming producers to come through. Should hopefully be some exciting projects forthcoming through there… The first release on World Class music is Myshy - Playground, which is due to be released very shortly and includes loads of remixes from other producers such as Dexplicit, which has already been picked up by Logan Sama.
Playground and All My Love are very different songs. Does the Fuzzy Logik sound differ to suit the artist?
Yes, it’s most definitely a tailor made thing for each artist. I like to make a production that I feel brings out the artist’s vocal characteristics and a sound that works well with their style and image.
How did you go about selecting producers for the Playground Remixes?
I enjoy working with musicians who are talented, hungry, passionate about making music and aren’t afraid to be different and not "fit the mould". I just asked them to do what they do, not what they think I want them to do and I was extremely pleased with the results! That’s how I got the mixture I got for this package. I want to send a big shout out to Dexplicit, Matt IQ, Audiotherapy and Topflyte for getting involved. Also special shout out to Nick Harvey for providing the contacts for some of these guys.
The future for the Fuzzy Logik sound, is going to be what it has always been, experimenting. Regardless of genre… I hate pigeon holes. I’ve also set up two labels. One called Beat Machine and the other World Class Music, which is an outlet for both myself and a team of up and coming producers to come through. Should hopefully be some exciting projects forthcoming through there… The first release on World Class music is Myshy - Playground, which is due to be released very shortly and includes loads of remixes from other producers such as Dexplicit, which has already been picked up by Logan Sama.
Playground and All My Love are very different songs. Does the Fuzzy Logik sound differ to suit the artist?
Yes, it’s most definitely a tailor made thing for each artist. I like to make a production that I feel brings out the artist’s vocal characteristics and a sound that works well with their style and image.
How did you go about selecting producers for the Playground Remixes?
I enjoy working with musicians who are talented, hungry, passionate about making music and aren’t afraid to be different and not "fit the mould". I just asked them to do what they do, not what they think I want them to do and I was extremely pleased with the results! That’s how I got the mixture I got for this package. I want to send a big shout out to Dexplicit, Matt IQ, Audiotherapy and Topflyte for getting involved. Also special shout out to Nick Harvey for providing the contacts for some of these guys.
Where can people find out more about you and your music?
I’m in the process of setting up a website/blog. But for now you can find me on the usual, via twitter (@fuzzylogik) and on facebook (www.facebook.com/flogik)
Before I go, I just wanna send a massive shout out to all the DJs who have supported me from day one. There’s so many but Marcus Nasty, Supa D, Footloose, Pioneer, and Cameo were early supporters. There’s so much more but I don’t wanna offend by carrying on to mention names and leaving anyone out but I appreciate them all, it’s all love. Last but certainly not least, a massive shout out to Chris Roohan and all at Safe and Sound for signing the All My Love and doing what they can to spread the sound.
I’m in the process of setting up a website/blog. But for now you can find me on the usual, via twitter (@fuzzylogik) and on facebook (www.facebook.com/flogik)
Before I go, I just wanna send a massive shout out to all the DJs who have supported me from day one. There’s so many but Marcus Nasty, Supa D, Footloose, Pioneer, and Cameo were early supporters. There’s so much more but I don’t wanna offend by carrying on to mention names and leaving anyone out but I appreciate them all, it’s all love. Last but certainly not least, a massive shout out to Chris Roohan and all at Safe and Sound for signing the All My Love and doing what they can to spread the sound.
Buy All My Love ft Jada Pearl via iTunes
Buy Playground feat Myshy via iTunes
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