Sykes aka Martin Stovey, is currently a member of a three piece band called Elixir, who are signed up to label Sub Rosa, pounding out and producing some dazzling experimental beats. Wanting to branch out, and express more individuality, Martin decided to create an album which expressed his influences and love for Jazz.
"It was my own attempt to break away from the Darker side of things, I wanted to feel a different mood you know, show a more melodic and Jazzier side to the music. I love a bit of Jazz, and so I wanted to incorporate this into the album, bringing in a bit of that Jazz and some nice little melodies along with it. I love that sort of stuff, and this is the type of music that inspires me."
And that is quite evident within the debut album. Well produced and a very talented masterpiece, it was little or no wonder that it did receive good backing from us, most notably for the Missing People and Paper tracks, which we would of loved to of seen on a single release, but as with many smaller labels, the money just isn't there, and Sykes was quick to express his concerns.
"We wanted to release some singles from the album, but these days, it is hard for an up and coming label to be able to put out 12"s because they don't get a return on their money, and so end up losing out, it would have been nice to be able to, but that's the way things go. So Iris just tends to release albums, which you know, is understandable."
But all that hard work, making those albums does pay off, not only through personal satisfaction, but when you get noticed from some of the big guns, as Martin was to find out, when he received a phone call from the Good Looking Organisation, wanting to remix one of his tracks, so what was it like working with some of the best in the business?
"It was a real buzz, it really gave an insight into how much difference there is, working with the big guys, I mean these guys are very professional in every way, and after working with people like that, it pushes you to do well, and hope that someone notices you and snaps you up."
The I Witness LP was put out on the Iris Light label, a label which is fastly becoming recognised within the liquid funk industry. Producing albums left right and centre that are repeatedly gaining reviews throughout some of the top publicised magazines across the world, XLR8R and Kerrang to name but a few. Sykes praised the works of the owner.
"Iris Light are a good label, Adam, the owner, really is a top bloke. He has helped me a lot since we hooked up to do things on Iris. They have a lot of talent there, and you have to look out for 'Butterfly Chair' by Ashfelt (CD album)which he
describes as fucked up Drum and Bass from the Northumberland Triangle, and Corkyees album 'Corkyees' which is Japanese
Drum 'n' bass/trip hop, which are to be released any time now. I am pretty much sure Iris will be one of the big names in the future."
So with all this help from a label like Iris, what could we all expect to see from Martin Stovey this year?
"Well, at the moment I am working on two projects. Professor Smalls is an EP that I am letting out on the Iris Light label, containing about 7 tracks, 4 hidden tracks and a single that has also been remixed, this is a kind of mixture between Dark and Down-tempo soundz. I am also half way through producing my next album, with regards to the direction that is taking, I am not too sure, Iris Light may, or may not like this genre, so it may be a case of releasing it under another label, but I'll have to talk to Adam of Iris about that, before I can release any further details, if it doesn't get released on the Iris label, then I would love it to be released on a major label."
So we can safely assume, that 2001 for Sykes is going to be all about building up his profile, and it may be the case that we see more remixes, from some top guys, of his work. What with working within the Elixir outfit and releasing a compilation last year entitled Music, Mathematics & Magic what is it, that has inspired him to do all of this?
"There are a lot of people who have inspired me. There have been so many different people at so many different points in time, that it would be too hard to pin point anyone in particular. It has basically been the scene as a collective, that has inspired me. As for things at the moment, outside of drum and bass, there is a hip hop label called Blackhood that are releasing some phat stuff, a more darker Hip Hop direction, a new angle for that genre."
Sykes I Witness LP really is a must for all you Electro Funk / Experimental Bassheadz, and with Martin up to all this, you can be sure to his name somewhere this year, you know where you saw him first peeps:)
