Hamburg-based DJ, musician, and remixer DJ Koze has been a force on the electronic music scene for some time, and has built a legion of fans with his skills at live shows. His latest album is Amygdala, which you can stream the album in full via the Groovebug iPad app. Fans of Caribou, Matthew Dear and Ricardo Villalobos should all check out the album.

Q: Introduce your sound in five words:

A: Warm, organic, detailed , colourfull, genius.

Q: What can fans expect from DJ Koze in 2013?

A: I just released my album Amygdala and will play a lot DJ gigs around the world in 2013. This is all i can offer in the moment.

Q: Which places or people inspired the songs on the Amygdala album?

A: Most of the Album was composed in a small village in the north of Spain. Isolated from urban influences, walking with the drafts of my songs over the mountains was inspiring me more than anything else from the modern world.

Q: What is the most fun you’ve ever had writing a song? Either actually writing it or the situation that inspired it?

A: I can’t remember, my brain gets old. Fun writing a song? I’d actually say that is always both pain & pleasure for me.

Q: Who has encouraged you the most to pursue a career in music?

A: Well… the music career chose me I’d say.

Q: What advice could you give a new musician wanting to pursue a music career?

A: Try to be unique and keep on doing your own thing: the muse never visits an empty studio.

Q: What impact has touring had on your career?

A: A big one, because I was able to travel through different countries all over the world, meeting nice people and see so many other cultures. These kinds of experiences are always enriching me, which as a result directly influences my music. The borders really are disappearing.

Q: Which do you enjoy most - performing live or recording in the studio?

A: I like both, but suffer from both in the moment. I’m stuck in one and wish i could do the other.

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

A: To let go. That’s a difficult one though.

Q: Which historical musical moment do you wish you were present for?

A: Gorillaz performing the song ” Hong Kong” live in Manchester. Or, a Beatles concert.

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UK new-wave pop outfit My Tiger My Timing have acheived a lot in their few short years; playing at festivals and nightclubs across the UK and Europe including the John Peel Stage at Glastonbury, picking up airplay on the BBC and Xfm, and fans in the press from NME to Clash. 2012 also saw the release of their debut album Celeste in 2012, which you can now stream in full via the Groovebug iPad app. Fans of Vampire Weekend, Talking Heads and Blur should all check out the album.

Q: Introduce your sound in five words…

A: Guitar. Rhythm. Melody. Heart. Soul.

Q: What can fans expect from you in 2013?

A: We had an amazing 2012 with the release of our debut album Celeste and a load of touring so now we’re back in the studio writing and recording a new album. It’s really exciting to be writing new stuff again and we can’t wait for people to hear it later in the year.

Q: Which places or people inspired the songs on the album?

A: I guess it’s inspired by London because that’s where I grew up and where the band was born. But we’ve travelled around so much and met so many incredible people along the way, so it’s really inspired by all of them.

Q: What is the most fun you’ve ever had writing a song? Either actually writing it or the situation that inspired it?

A: Most of the songs have a bit of a melancholy heart, so sometimes the writing process can be a bit painful, but it’s always fun once that bit’s over when we get into a room as a band and inject some passion and energy. I think Endless Summer was a bit of a moment when it all came together, it’s like you become more than the sum of your parts when that happens, as a band.

Q: What advice could you give a new musician wanting to pursue a music career?

A: Write! I know how impatient you can feel wanting to get out there and get heard, but you’ll be in such a better position in every way if you’re sitting on an album’s worth of material. Don’t get distracted by trends and other people’s successes - your wave is coming, be patient and work hard in the meantime!

Q: What impact has touring had on your career?

A: It’s made it much more fun and much more exhausting. But really it has made us exist for real - it’s so easy to overestimate (or underestimate) your real world following online, but when you’re out there on the road you see the true size of it… and often you can be pleasantly surprised. There’s nothing better than rocking up in some small town in Germany and everyone somehow magically knowing all the words.

Q: Which do you enjoy most - performing live or recording in the studio?

A: Both - for us they are two sides of the same coin. Being on the road is great because the emphasis is on fun and energy, but it’s also a lot of work. Studio is intense and sometimes you hit a dead-end, but the results I guess can be more long-lasting and rewarding.

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

A: Don’t go for a curry before the show (unofficial band motto).

Q: Which historical musical moment do you wish you were present for?

A: Nirvana… their whole career.

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Here at Groovebug, we’re excited by lots of the young rising stars in electronic music. One who particularly caught our ear is Clockwork, with his debut release Squad Up EP on Dim Mak, which was closely followed by a string of remixes for Steve Aoki & co. His second EP - the massive Titan EP - was released on Mad Decent, another giant in modern electronic music. With his latest release Surge EP just being released this week, we had to catch up with the young rising star to ask a few questions.

Q: What is going on right now for Clockwork?

A: Music, airplanes, clubs, hotels, and my bed.

Q: What is the most fun you’ve had writing making a track? Either actually producing it or the situation that inspired it.

A: Most of my newer tracks have been a lot of fun to make, because I can feel myself more and more developing a sound of my own, which is incredibly rewarding. I’ve recently done a handful of collaborations as well, which have all been great experiences in their own ways. When collaborating, you get a whole new perspective on how to approach making music, which naturally helps you grow as an artist, especially when it’s coming from someone you respect.

Q: Who has encouraged you the most to pursue a career in music?

A: I’ve had a very strong support system along the way, from my family and friends, to fellow musicians and bloggers, but my close friends are the ones that have been the most encouraging and influential in my decision to pursue this full time. My two best friends and managers have been with me since day one and are now running a successful management company, so it’s been amazing being able to grow along with them. All of my friends are still young and hungry, and we don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

Q: You’re on the road a lot, in the past supporting larger names or opening at massive events. How has touring changed for you over the past 3-4 years, how has touring impacted your career?

A: Touring has been such a big influence for me in this past year, especially after my original productions have been picking up. Although I sound cliché, being able to play something that I’ve created fully on my own and have it get an amazing reaction is, in my opinion, the best experience you can have as a musician.

Q: Recently your side-project RL Grime got a lot of notoriety after you dropped the massive Mercy remix. Care to talk about the RL Grime project for a minute?

A: I started RL Grime a couple years ago just for myself to see how I could branch out musically. I was starting to make tracks that touched on more of what I’ve always listened to, which is Hip-Hop. A lot of my closest friends are involved with that scene one way or another, so it was a pretty natural progression for me. Now I’m able to play RL Grime tracks out as either project, which has been dope.

Q: You’re signed to Dim Mak and Mad Decent… be honest with us how does it feel to be involved in two of the most prominent electronic music labels out there right now?

A: Dim Mak and Mad Decent are amazing labels in their own way. I grew up on the music they were putting out so it’s given me a lot of confidence to be able to release with both of them.

Q: Which artist would you most like to work with, dead or alive? And why?

A: HudMo.

Q: Which historical musical moment do you wish you were present for?

A: I would say the making of Diplomatic Immunity. Being in the studio and witnessing Dipset in their prime would be a dream come true. (Fun Fact: I got my name from the Juelz Santana track Clockwork).

Q: The Titanic is sinking and you’re the DJ… what are you spinning?

A: I Will Always Love You (Avicii’s ‘Iceberg’ Remix) - Celine Dion

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