Heard It Here First

HIHF: London is a true hub for innovative sound design, the origin of new genres, and a plethora of unique nightclub and warehouse events. Can you recall your first few years of going to electronic events and what that time period in your life meant to you and consisted of?

CASPA: I was going to electronic events when I was thirteen – The culture was different here, but later in my teens, it was somewhere to escape to, be able to let go a little, and disconnect. Later on, as I found the really early foundations of Dubstep – nights like FWD, it became all about wanting to hear really good, forward-thinking music, with like-minded people – on a ridiculous sound system of course! It had culture and community; it was the electronic Punk of Dance music and it was exciting. That changed my whole perspective on going out, because I just wanted to go to those environments, cos they were honest and real.

H: Can you site any early influences or inspiration from locals/headliners you were seeing in your first few years of going out to parties or events and what kind of music did you gravitate towards in your early days of going to electronic shows?

C: I always gravitated towards the dirtier, grimier and more underground feels, if it made me screw my face and put up my lighter, it was for me! Growing up in London through the era of Hardcore Jungle and Drum n Bass and having Dance music as No.1 records in the charts, it was something that I just grew up with. There were key tracks in the pre-Dubstep stages such as DJ Narrows Saved Soul, Oris Jay Said the Spider, Dub Child Deal with It. They influenced and not only made me connect with the music but made me wanna play and write that music. People like DJ Slimzee; who’s pretty much the Godfather of Grime, as far as DJs go and his role in the genre, really connected with me, as an aspiring DJ. The way he used to play the music and his selection of music – which was mostly exclusively for him, it created something exciting for me and inspired me. 

H: How did dubstep first present itself to you in your life? When did you start producing?

C: I’ve been into it since day one. I think I own most of the early records that were released and have put out some of the earliest music via my labels. It was a progression really of UK Garage, as it got darker and more underground, I was just there and waiting for it. I started producing because I wanted more exclusive and brand new tracks that people didn’t have, I wanted to beat swap with people and be in the producer community. On top of that, I wanted to write the music that I was hearing in my environment. 

H: So with Sub Soldiers, Ghost Town and DP, what made you decide to launch the labels when you did? One of your earliest releases was Cockney Flute on Dub Police…. So, was it always the plan to start the labels to coincide with your own project, or did it just sort of end up happening/working out like that?

C: My first label was Storming Productions which was pre the term ‘Dubstep’ and also I had Dub Police and Sub Soldiers. The reason I started them was because there weren’t enough platforms for the amount of artists and music that we had in the scene. It was a massive dubplate culture and only a small percent of all that music ever came out, they were all products of their time in Dubstep pre and post. All I’ve ever wanted to do was to give the music a platform, whether it’s my own or other people’s. Ghost Town is the same expression of that, it’s a family thing, it’s a community thing and it’s a Caspa thing!

H: Thanks to SoundCloud and modern social media – You, Emalkay, and Rusko, were right there for the start of all of the streaming and support from SoundCloud and YouTube replacing that traditional mold.  Would you be able to elaborate on how these new tools (social media, YouTube, SoundCloud) changed the game for you and your fellow producers?

C: Well, it just enabled Dubstep as a whole to be put through the universe that much quicker. Dubstep was at the explosion of Social Media and was its secret weapon. Dubstep changed everything because of this, all dance music, ALL music! So for me, I just try to harness that same energy and passion that I always have. What I do is Dubstep and what I continue to do is Dubstep, I think we need to embrace the new and understand that things are changing and evolving, I respect that and have no problem with it because ultimately I’m just gonna do me and what I love. Dubstep.

H: What do you want fans to know about your new Full-Flow EP?

C: That it’s some of the best music that I’ve ever written, I’ve been working really hard to try and sharpen my sound. I’m having fun, not thinking about it too much, and just doing it, this is me in my element, this is me in my flow. If you don’t like this EP then you probably don’t like Caspa!

H: Okay, last one, it’s a three-part question:

Name three musicians that inspired you to get into DJing and producing-

DJ Narrows, Oris Jay, DJ Slimzee 

Three DJs or acts you LOVE to see live, doesn’t have to be electronic music-

David Rodigan, The Prodigy, The Street.

Three acts or artists you think more people should know about-

Roadsbeaf, Six Chakra, Subscape

Awesome, thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us! It’s a huge milestone for us and we appreciate you giving us that opportunity. Go check out Caspa’s new Full Flow EP above! *Interview Questions by Pete Domville*