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Sian: Bridging The Gap Between Techno and Hip-Hop

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Classic modern techno, that’s likely to be the sound you think of whenever you hear of Sian and his Octopus Recordings imprint. The Los Angeles-based label owner, producer and DJ has made a name for himself running one of the strongest techno labels in the world, with releases coming from respected artists the likes of Jay Lumen, Oliver Koletski, Julian Jeweil, Enrico Sangiuliano, Gregor Tresher, Noir and many more.

To this day, Sian’s own productions have been to this day a further testament to the quality of Octopus’ output. Intelligent leftfield techno that strives to walk away from generic big-room sounds while remaining palatable to those in the midst of crossing the bridge to the “underground.”

Sian’s latest project, however, is very different from what you may be used to from him. On Monday April 10th the Irish-born artist is releasing Capital Crimewave, fearlessly transcending those invisible boundaries between warehouse techno, urban hip-hop, mind-bending acid, dubbed-out electronics and countless other future genres in between. The massive 20 track LP sees Sian bring together his love for hip-hop and techno, binding together his diverse catalogue of machine-made sounds into one cohesive audio experience that is unlike anything previously released on Octopus. For the project, he is joined by guest vocalists such as AG Fernandez, bringing together artistic minds for the creation of this brand-new atmospheric and murky late-night journey.

6AM had the chance to sit down with Graham and AG before Miami Music Week, taking the opportunity to discuss the album and the bridge that they hope will bring techno and hip-hop closer together. Capital Crimewave is available for pre-order via Beatport.


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Q&A and Global Vibe Radio 052 feat Octopus Recordings’ Juheun

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For this week’s edition of Global Vibe Radio we welcome Octopus Recordings’ rising star Juheun.

The techno producer, DJ and live performer, has been making waves in recent years thanks to a hard work ethic in the studio and a touring schedule that has seen him introduce his brand of minimal techno and intriguing basslines to dance floors all around the world. Although not new to the electronic music industry, more recently Juheun has been pushing the boundaries of his own productions and performances by integrating the newest technology and hardware into his sets, creating a dynamic and engaging experience set to his futuristic soundtrack.

With a strong passion for analog gear and the latest music-producing hardware on the market, Juheun spends a lot of time in the studio constantly honing his skills and cultivating an ever-changing sound that stays ahead of the game. His professional outlook to music production and live performance have made him an Octopus Recordings mainstay, his hard work rewarded with EP releases and label showcase performances under the wing of imprint boss Sian.

We talked to Juheun in honor of his guest mix for Global Vibe Radio Episode 052. Take a listen to the mix and enjoy the interview below:
 

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Sian To Release “Ghost In The Shell” EP Inspired By The Manga

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502902018“I had taken a small break from writing tracks during some crazy touring in 2015. My experiences playing at clubs and festivals has changed how I make music in a way. I wanted to come back and  create some tracks that spoke directly to the main room dance floors. I was aiming for raw, dark, sexy and groove based Techno – not necessarily hard – but definitely emotive and atmospheric.š – Sian

Octopus Recordings boss Sian will drop a two-track techno EP titled Ghost In The Shell, inspired by Masamune Shiro’s manga. The original Ghost In The Shell series is one that has propagated immense philosophical discussions about cyber culture, futurism, and the relationship between human and robot, thus serving as an proper medium of exploration for the fundamental ideas of techno. Similar to Bwana’s techno-futurist reinterpretation of Akira, Sian produces an ominous musical aesthetic inspired by Ghost In The Shell‘s near-futurism.  Read more

Techno Philosophy, Thrift Stores, and Anthracite – A Conversation with Sian

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“It’s tribal. People bullshit on about it being a religious thing, but in a lot of ways it is the most basic idea of celebration” – Sian 

There is a primal rhythm deeply rooted in human nature. Music often brings out these feelings and inhibitions, and if there’s one artist that has tapped into this energy it’s Sian. He’s developed a signature sound of techno through a plethora of releases,while curating his own vision of techno through his imprint, Octopus Recordings. Artists such as Sasha Carassi, Harvey McKay, and Jay Lumen have all signed on helping curate the vibe of Octopus, and Sian continues to host numerous Octopus Recordings showcases around the world from Movement to Sonar. In the wake of his recent EP, Medicine Man, Sian has completed and prepared his forthcoming album, Anthracite, with a release date set for August 3rd.

“This was more of a cinematic trip,” explained Sian. “I actually worked on a bunch of tracks as singles, and then I had about 100 tracks and started honing it down to 50, and so on.” Sian’s approach on music is holistic at times as far as inspiration goes. Honing in on specific sounds, or perhaps a surprising voicemail from a good friend, Sian builds a cohesive foundation around the tracks that allows them to stand alone or coexist as one body of work.

As the process came to a close, Sian eventually ended up with 23 tracks to tell the musical story of his new album. Anthracite embodies the peaks and valleys of techno complete with various cinematic landscapes and tantalizing bass line rhythms from start to finish.

Sian with album titleWith a set up comprised of a few Moog Synths, a Korg MS-20, and an array of outboard effects, Sian had the tools at his disposal to start developing tracks from the resonate hypnotic groover of Gulf Stream to the dubby techno textures of Metaverse, and everything inbetween.

We recently met up with Sian to talk in depth about the making of Anthracite, techno philosophy, and an unforgettable story outside of Johannesburg…among other things.  Listen to the Anthracite LP previews and read the full conversation below for more insight. Read more