The Crux Of The Mata

You join Hot Press at Madrid Barajas Airport, and three points are threatening the positivity that should abound at the start of any Spanish jaunt. An early morning flight still fresh in a groggy mind, a taxi hurtling towards an old slaughterhouse for something ominously-entitled ‘Doom’s Day’ and… yes, it’s raining. The heavens, painted granite grey, are spilling their godawful load.

No matter – tanning was never on the agenda. Settling indoors with some of the greatest underground musical talent in the world most definitely is. As for the slaughterhouse, it has been reborn of late as a home for all things cultural. Doom’s Day, meanwhile, merely refers to the arrival of one Daniel Dumile, aka MF DOOM – an iconic figure in hip hop and masked man of many guises – at Term one, Day 11 of this year’s Red Bull Music Academy. Get ready to rock!
Arriving at the Matadero, the only word is awe. Built a century ago, it’s a sprawling, walled architectural wonder of numerous, cavernous buildings and a courtyard fit for a king. Once a place to slaughter and sell (or vice versa) livestock, today the powers-that-be are keen to stress that it’s all about the arts. The RBMA visit seems key to the regeneration, and will leave a legacy once it rolls out of town. This is undoubtedly a good thing – as a backdrop it’s more suited to inspiring creativity than killing.
Since its first edition in Berlin in 1998, the annual RBMA has travelled through major cities, offering a haven for a select bunch of up-and-coming artists, be they musicians, producers or DJs. Over the course of a month, two terms run in the host city, providing state-of-the-art studios around the clock, daily workshops, ample opportunities for live performance, and guest lectures from some of the most respected names in the business.
The RBMA is keen to ensure that its students are truly the cream of the crop – the current lot talk about how daunting that lengthy application form seemed. Their list of former alumni tells its own tale – Hudson Mohawke and Flying Lotus being just a recent pair. For this outing, Ireland’s own Declan Lennon is present and correct. Born and bred in Dublin on a diet of punk and metal, he veered off into hip hop and funk, took the moniker of Krystal Klear and is now based in Manchester (meaning he was mistaken for an English applicant – ”I sorted that out immediately!” he laughs later). Chosen on his first attempt, it’s apparent that he’s one of the most accomplished artists in a group that includes talents from London, St. Petersburg, Brooklyn and Montreal. Resident at monthly Manchester night Hoya Hoya, he’s responsible for the new jack swing revival and has seen his career accelerate in Europe and the US over the past few months. Here in Madrid, it gets another leg up, his brand of dance disco funk sitting alongside everything from electro folk and house to experimental pop and future bass.
With the end of term approaching, there are a number of Johnny-come-latelys venturing in today. Doom is one, our own motley crew another – comprising Niall Daly, brand manager for Red Bull, a trio of esteemed journos (including yours truly) and two close friends of Lennon, Josh Gordon, behind the immensely successful FucknFilthy fashion blog, and rising house star Lorcan Mak, voted ‘Best Up-And-Coming DJ’ at the 2010 Irish Dance Music Awards.
We arrive punctually and, as we take to our ‘seats’ (luminous, plastic-stringed hammocks) in the lecture room, Doom is fashionably late. The reason? “Hip hop is bigger than any government.” An agreeable sentiment to mull over before the masked rapper takes a spot on the interviewing couch. The next hour-and-a-half is a demonstration of the RBMA at its best, offering access to an almost mythical musician, candidly talking about his career.
The audience member most in his element is instantly recognisable in his ever-present fedora. Krystal Klear, as luck would have it, is a monumental fan of the self-styled Super Villain. Lennon has his own questions to pose and, by the end, the pair are agreeing that, as Lennon succinctly puts it, “a lot of [current hip hop] is bullshit.” Doom concludes with genuine appreciation and a touching piece of advice. “Follow your heart.”
Once Lennon has successfully had his copy of Madvillainy signed, he joins the Irish contingent in the restaurant. Pre-Academy, he spoke to HP about his expectations for the RBMA and they’ve obviously been exceeded. “Unbelievable, unreal,” he sighs. “The best thing I’ve ever done. It’s like the Make-A-Wish Foundation!”
The next lecture comes from tropicalia legend Tom Zé, keen to educate us on his ‘60s Brazilian music. Only trouble is, the 75 year-old talks almost exclusively in Portugese, and a translator is required. His initial speech, which takes in Aristotle, the concept of zero, the Treaty of Tordesillas and the conclusion that, “Tropicalia was not born from international rock, it came from the logical garbage” requires your full attention. Once interviewer DJ Egon takes over, however, things improve and Zé’s impish, eccentric nature is revealed. He sings an impromtu song straight from a Spanish phonebook and ends with some “visual art” by dismantling his guitar, strapping its hollow body to his own with an apron, and dancing. None of the other lectures over the course of our stay quite reach those heights, but Andrew Weatherall is captivating the following day, discussing rave, dance rock and why he loathes scenes, as well as sharing Andrew Innes’ advice on how to remix a track – “Just fucking destroy it.”
Incidentally, that’s exactly how Doom plans to end his Day. Nightfall at the Nave 16 venue, also located in the Matadero, and we’re treated to a live performance. Though the sound suffers at the back (a big warehouse makes for plenty of echo), up front you can tell that Doom remains at the top of his game. He’s playful, intimidating and commanding. The first row is all RBMA students, shouting every lyric back, lost in the music, naturally.
The following evening, Lennon finally emerges from the studio to play The Boiler Room. A cleverly cordoned-off part of the restaurant, it’s a small slice of dance heaven, broadcast live to the world via the web. After a couple of others have their fun on the decks, the Irish entry is up, dispatching a killer set with ease, conjuring up music as exotic as the locale and as lively as its audience. Midnight hits and the party is just starting. Time to grab him for a chat before people head for a bumper show at Madrid’s Mondo club.
The journey is nearly over, how has it been?
“A hybrid of emotions,” he says. “You can get super-fatigued, get into this haze of feeling great all day and being knackered in the evenings. But still pulling through. You wake up tired but you’re immediately excited. Amazing emotions.”
The real carrot is having the chance to collaborate with contemporaries from completely different cultures, countries and genres.
“Everyone’s really talented here, they all bring their two cents to the table,” he nods. “I’ve got some good stuff done with some great people. Ironically enough, I’ve gotten really close with someone I already knew before I came over here, Om Unit. We’ve gotten really tight. Canblaster was amazing, Broke One, Ghosts On Tape…”
And then there are the luminaries. The elders who came to lecture.
“Highlight number one was meeting Doom. I’m a huge, huge fan. The spontaneous DJing after Erykah Badu was great fun and, of course, [Motown musical arranger] Paul Riser. It was one of those moments. I couldn’t believe it. 60% of the music that I love, he’s done. Then when he brought the quartet in and did live strings over ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered’, I honestly felt I was witnessing something that nobody else ever will. That’s something you can’t buy and you’ll take with you for the rest of your life.”
A few other things Krystal Klear will take away: “I feel humbled. You’re surrounded by so many talented individuals. I didn’t come in here with any ego or bravado but I was a confident guy in my ability. Now I know there’s so much I’ve learnt during my time here. From production techniques to dealing with people, experiencing collaborations, working in studio and DJing in front of others... I’m so inspired. I genuinely cannot wait till next Wednesday when I’ll be back in Manchester and will be ready to rock ‘n’ roll in the studio.”
He’ll be there soon enough, but first of all there’s a gig to attend. The masses spill out of the Matadero and into a long night at the Mondo that takes in much of the early morning. As people depart, Lennon’s fellow Irish DJ Lorcan Mak is reiterating his mantra of the trip, echoing his friend’s words: “I just feel so inspired.” Mak’s mind is made up. There’s nothing for it but to follow in the footsteps of his older mate next year. He’s ready for the full RBMA experience. Next year’s New York. With any luck, there’ll be plenty to write about on the Irish front.