Britt pop

Justin Timberlake isn’t the only one concerned with bringing sexy back. Philadelphia production legend King Britt’s right there with him. But while JT is content with sexing up the charts, KB has a far more noble cause in mind – sexing up techno.

Right, stupid intros aside, when Ho Ppress heard that King Britt was making a ‘sexy-tech’ album our ears pricked up. Over the past 15 years, he’s turned his hand successfully to almost every genre – soul, hip-hop, funk, disco and rock. He’s also “underscored” (whatever that is) Michael Mann’s new Miami Vice flick. His back catalogue is bewildering – but why did it take so long for him to embrace the hitherto sexless world of techno?
“I always wanted to do it, but I just needed the time,” he explains. “I took a laptop on the road with me and, boom, the Nova Dream Sequence was born. Then when I went into my proper studio, I got the analogue gear out – nothing beats tweaking a Korg MS10!”
There’s a strong nod to Chicago and Detroit, the building blocks. How big an influence were the twin techno cities on the project?
“Huge,” admits Britt. “I know and love all those guys. There’s a very sensual quality to the sound, which I gravitate to. I hope they like what I did.”
Derrick May certainly does, describing the Nova Dream Sequence album as: “Super funky, low-fat, high in protein. This motherfucka hits like electronic music should.”
Phew!
Given that he’s best known as a house producer, Britt’s background is interesting. He came of age in Philadelphia during the city’s first flourish of hip-hop – surrounded by the likes of Cash Money, Jazzy Jeff and, yep, the Fresh Prince.
“I was there at the beginning,” he notes. “They were my friends. So I’ve always been in the background doing my thing – and I broke out in the ’90s.”
That breakout happened thanks to a chance meeting with a member of the Digable Planets jazz/rap crew while he was working in Philly’s Tower Records. They asked King to join as their DJ and, after initially protesting that “No, I’m a house head!”, he agreed. A world tour and 1994’s seminal Blowout Comb album ensued before he jumped ship to pursue a solo career. Does that seem like a lifetime ago?
“Actually, it seems like yesterday because it was all so good!”
Is he still in touch with them?
“Absolutely, we talk daily. They’re touring right now and starting a new album. We did a few shows together recently.”
Another chance meeting, again in Tower Records (that place should have some sort of plaque), would define the next stage of Britt’s career. He met a young Josh Wink and the pair bonded over the nascent acid house sound, eventually moving in together and setting up the still-consistent-to-this-day Ovum label.
“Me and Josh learned the business together,” King avers. “I don’t think we influenced each other musically, but on a personal level we share a love for all things beautiful.”
Does he still see Josh?
“No because we’re never home – ha ha! I see him in the airport more than I do in Philly itself.”
So how does a King Britt project come about?
“It begins with creating sounds and that sound usually directs me to where I want to go,” he resumes. “Like a certain pad can take me to a deep house track.  But the rhythm of it may go towards hip-hop.  Also, it depends on the day...ha!”
Is the description ‘musical chameleon’ fair then?
“Sure... King is music.”
What’s the common thread that links everything?
“Sexiness, sensuality and soul. Those three qualities really sum it up. That’s me in a nutshell.”