In Conversation with

‘Data Rapist’ 

May 2007

A little background:

You think sometimes when you listen to as much music as ‘Setting Sun’

Does sometimes, it would get easier to listen to acts and give you 

A description of who I compare them etc to when I am writing

Introductions like this to them.

Sometimes I guess it is more obvious than others and you can easily

Write something up which really praises the act in question – other 

Times I can be sat there for a good 15 to 20 minutes trying to think 

Of something honest and wonderful about the act in question  

And still struggle.

Take Ben aka ‘Data Rapist’ for example, I have being listening to 

His stuff a fair bit recently ever since he did a remix of one of

My band’s  ‘Distance’ to such a good degree I struggled 

To spot in places it was actually one of my bands / projects. 

Ben’s stuff for me crosses all over the boundaries of music

From ‘ Experimental to Dub to Electro to DM Breakbeat and 

Back Electro’ sometimes with the same song in the course of a few

Minutes, which frequently really, really impresses me but

Still leaves me without a clue of who to compare his stuff

Unless you say ‘The Aphex Twin’ which I think is unfair

As the full emotional core of the music is totally different.

Either way it is first rate and well worth a few minutes of your

Time listening to.

Check out his stuff on http://www.myspace.com/datarapist

And also his label ‘Eardose’ on http://www.myspace.com/eardose

Thanks to Ben

Regards

Andy n xx

Setting Sun: 

How are things and what's happening at the moment?

Data Rapist: 

Things are pretty good thanks. Been 

quite busy over the last few months, writing tracks 

and stuff, just started working on a set for 

playing live as I shall be doing a couple of 

gig's later this year.

Setting Sun: 

Next can you tell us a little bit about the 

History of Data Rapist - what started you off etc?

Data Rapist: 

Well it all started back in 1984, I was into 

stuff like Tommy boy records, Street Sound label 

all the electro's etc. I used to make mix

tapes using an old tape to tape machine, pausing, 

rewinding and recording loops. Then in 89 

I got a regular djing gig at a local nightclub, 

spinning hip hop and early Acid stuff, we used 

to hold breakdancing comp's, it was fun, 

I was only 16 at the time too. 

During college I used to do a lot of house 

parties. Then the rave scene exploded in 92 

and that's really when it got going for me, 

I was Djing all over the country. I started 

making my own music in 95 under various 

different names mostly drum n bass tracks. 

I sent a demo to Good Looking Records once 

and they wanted to press one of the tracks 

off there but the production was too bad to 

use for pressing, they asked me to eq the tune 

and send it back, but I couldn't get it right 

and missed out. 

In 2000 I kind of changed direction and started 

writing more breaks, techno and electronica stuff. 

Sort of stuck round that theme occasionally 

writing the odd faster track, all depends on

my mood at the time really, I think it's good 

to have a flexible approach rather than tunnel 

vision on one style.

Setting Sun: 

Music wise, what are your influences and what 

Are you listening to at the moment?

Data Rapist: 

My influences are some old record labels like edge, 

rabbit city, R&S, Legend records. Peeps like 

Bukem, Photek, Dj Crystal, entroducing by 

Dj Shadow, Reinforced records, 

Rotters Golf Club / Keith Tenniswood, 

I love his rolling electro. Bitstream, 

Andrea Parker and Touchin Bass. Skam records. 

Aphex Twin selected ambient works 1, that 

album has so much nostalgia for me, I still 

play it a lot. And not forgetting Autechre, 

they have been a big influence to me for sure.

I also listen to plenty of dubstep like ectonic, 

they are doing it with the low end bass stuff, 

Hotflush and Boka a bit of Tempa too.

I could go on forever name dropping because 

there are so many influences and I also listen 

to a lot of music, so I'll stop there.

Setting Sun: 

Have being really grooving a number of your tracks

at the moment in particular din 99 which I recently

remixed myself.. Can you tell us a little bit more

about this track?

Data Rapist:

Yeah, Din-99 was probably one of my first real 

slow break numbers this year after listening to 

loads of quality dubstep. Like most of my tracks, 

I try to keep the old element of darkness that 

influences me so much, when I make a track I try to 

imagine a warehouse or a club, the bass rig, the 

people, like a rave inside my head without going out, 

that's really how I make all my stuff, including Din 99.

Setting Sun: 

Also notice you are involved with the ace label

'eardose.com' - can you also tell you a little bit

more about this label etc..

Data Rapist:

Eardose recordings is a label I started last year. 

I have great ambitions for it but never seem to find 

enough time these days to manage it properly. There 

are some real good artists on the label.

Grideye, who's my best and oldest pal and was 

also on CBML2, his production skills are first class. 

He is also one half of The Rival Misbelievers,  

along with Dan Rival, which is a breaks / vocal setup,

who have a nice original sound. 

Flatlander, that's my brother, he has some good, dark 

electro stuff coming out on the label soon.  

MBI Soundsystem, that is a joint collaboration 

with my brother and I, we haven't done any work 

together for a while, since we are 7000miles

apart and he ain't on t'Internet. 

Oh and Datarapist of course. Maybe I'll get to 

focus on the label a bit more later in the year, 

and we'll see, some physical releases will be 

happening by the start of next year for sure.

Setting Sun: 

Do you play concerts as 'Data Rapist'? 

If not, do you have any idea how you would 

approach it?

Data Rapist:

Although I have Dj'd quite a bit in the past, 

I haven't done a Datarapist live show to date, 

but this is all going to change this year as 

I have a couple of shows coming up in August 

when I am back in London, which I am so looking 

forward too. As for approach, I will definitely be 

using Ableton Live, that program was made for the 

job, along with a midi controller for plenty of 

interaction, knob twiddling fun etc. I will be keeping 

it at a decent tempo, I think when you go out to a 

gig the music needs energy and pace, you can 

stroke your beard all you like at home.

Setting Sun: 

I also notice you do remixes for other people

(including a excellent remix of my own band

'Distance') - how does your approach to 

remixing vary from your other tracks?

Data Rapist: 

I love doing remixes, always have. Sometimes I 

enjoy doing remixes more than making my own stuff. 

All the material I need is there, there's already 

some kind of structure to work with, and getting in

the track and finding nice loops and chopping things up, 

moving them around and seeing what works is great 

fun. I do try to put my own twist in too, 

sometimes its obvious and sometimes not.

Setting Sun:

What's the origin behind your name too out of

interest?

Data Rapist: 

The origin of my name was probably a little 

distasteful at the time I made it up. It came 

from the term 'Date Rape'. I changed it to

data as that is pretty much what this music consists 

of and the rapist part was used as in raping the data, 

stripping it down, chopping it up etc.

Setting Sun: 

What's next for yourself? Do you have any more

releases planned etc?

Data Rapist:

Yeah, I have a few tracks coming out on 

Digital Vomit Records. 'Roadcones' is coming out 

on the infamous Can Buy Me Love 4 series. 

I have a track called ' Pounding the Pink' is 

due out on the Dry Heaves 7" vinyl series, which as 

you probably know has been hounded with problems, 

but will be a collectors item when released. 

Putting my first full album together titled '040404' 

and should be available for download at eardose in the 

next month or so. 

Currently doing a track for DVR 013, on Digital Vomit,  

which is a Cassette release mixed by The Fez. Plus, 

I have just finished a demo, which will possibly be a

12" release on another label, but not sure what one yet. 

I will release my August live set too on eardose, 

but that won't be until December.

Setting Sun: 

Anyway, a few lighter questions to finish off

with.. Firstly, where are you from? What's the music

scene like where you are from? Have you been to any

good concerts recently?

Data Rapist: 

Originally from the UK but now living in 

Thailand, which I have been on and off now for 

the last four years. 

The music scene isn't great apart from in \

my apartment, but there seems to be some good

nights going off in Bangkok, which I am yet to 

venture to. I haven't been to many good gigs since 

Wheels Instead of Hooves at the Electrowerks in 

London back in 2005, where I spent most of that night

in the Skam room. I'm a bit of a hermit to be 

quite honest, and I am crap at staying up all night.

Setting Sun: 

What will you be doing when you are 60?

Data Rapist:

Pushing up daisies I should think, I smoke too much!

Setting Sun: 

What will you be doing when you are 60?

Data Rapist:

Same as above?