Koushik. Interview. Duane.

• Duane Harriot
• Other Music
• September 30, 2008

The new album, Out My Window, from the always enigmatic Koushik, is a heavenly piece of stoned psych-pop with boom-bap beats that has easily become one of my favorite records of the year. Like Madlib, Panda Bear, J-Dilla, Prefuse 73 and Four Tet, Koushik is a one-man band, creating albums that sound like little sonic microcosms — worlds that one can get completely lost in. Like the aforementioned artists, he’s a bit reclusive and a quiet guy, not too inclined with revealing too much about the motivations behind the music and not too concerned with defining context. That’s all the better for it, however, because the music really does sound genre-less. Koushik also a fantastic DJ, his seamless sets pulling from every single style imaginable and, like his music, he takes you places you never quite knew you’d go to, but it’s always nice once you’re there. I’ve had the pleasure of spinning a few times with him over the past couple of years including a Halloween party where Koushik was dressed as a vampire. We’ll be deejaying together again this Friday, October 3rd, in NYC at APT.

With the release of his excellent album and anticipation of the upcoming show, I conducted a casual Q&A in which we discussed shoegaze bands, Bryan Adams, techno, Canada and pirate shirts! – DUANE HARRIOTT, Other Music, NYC

Duane: First off, congrats on producing a stellar album. Out My Window is officially the best record I’ve ever heard an environmental scientist produce. That’s your trade right? Does one interest inspire the other and if so, in what way?
Koushik: Thanks. Environmental mathematician is a bit closer but still off. I haven’t been in the math world for a while but wouldn’t mind getting back into that realm at some point. I haven’t thought about if one inspires the other or not too much, but I’m sure they do in some way. I would probably say that for me, making music mostly involves chasing intuition but I guess there’s a loose scientific approach to things sometimes where you’re kind of testing out hypotheses, which are basically informed intuitions anyway, to see what happens.

When did the bug to start producing beats hit you?
Not ‘til relatively recently.

Tell us a bit more about your background. You’re originally from Canada? I heard that you come from a musical family; isn’t your brother a techno producer as well?
Yup. My brother has a label called Switch Records out of Dundas/Hamilton, Ontario, which has been putting out great records since 1991 or 1992 and he used to be on Plus8/Probe as well. He’s made, in my unbiased opinion, some of the best techno records I’ve ever heard, and believe me, I’ve heard a lot. My mom is a superb singer of Indian songs, mainly Tagore and Nazrul, who has released about ten albums so far. Her mother, and most of her side of the family, were/are extremely musically talented.

So how did you end up on Stones Throw?
Are you familiar with the term “text records jump-off”?

Tell me a bit about what the process was like recording this record? Did you do everything yourself?
Mostly, I made some beats and sang on them. There’s some guest singers, Noelle Scaggs and One Little Plane.

I remember having a conversation with you a couple years ago about obscure shoegaze bands, like Revolver and Adorable, and how great they were. What is it about that sound that inspires your productions? What other artists/sounds inspire you as well?
Yeah, Cold Water Flat by Revolver is a great album; the singles comp is good too. And a bunch of those early Adorable singles and b-sides are top as well…and I think the first album was good too. Not sure what it is exactly or directly that inspires my production from those bands but it’s definitely not hard to tell that I love a bunch of that stuff. The D.I.Y. nature that a lot of those kind of groups seemed to have is pretty good too. Other artists, sounds…lots.

We’ve played a few gigs together over the years, and you’ve come to become one of my favorite DJs. What are some of your fave tracks to play out and what have you been digging for as of late?
Thank you very much. You’re not so bad yourself. You gonna be wearing a pirate shirt next week?

Only if you wear your vampire cape again.
I’ve been enjoying playing out a little bit of techno along with the usual stuff I like to play, mostly funk and a bit of hip-hop, rock, jazz etc. Some records that are literally in my record bag right now are some Todd Terry “Dum Dum Cry” and “A Day in the Life” twelves; Just Ice “Put the Record Back On” twelve-inch, autographed by Human DMX; Nas “Halftime” (Butcher Mix); Elvin Jones Live at the Lighthouse; Jay Dee & Frank n Dank “Off Ya Chest;” New Order’s Peel Sessions, “March To” (Switch Records 45), acid tracks, Heath Bros, Electric Flares, Banda Black Rio, and a bunch of other good stuff. (For DJ bookings contact: kaygeebeats at gmail.com)

Are you planning on doing a live tour anytime soon and if so what can we expect?
Definitely. Expect heat.

And finally, what were the first three records that you bought with your own money and what was the first show you ever attended?
The first few records I remember buying are probably the Robin Hood soundtrack, but I don’t think this was my own money…I’m talking about the Disney one, not the Brian Adams or Men in Tights one. Reckless rules though. Platinum Blonde cassette…I think it might have been a gift certificate, and I think Ratt or Motley Crue. I didn’t really need to buy too many records as my brother had enough and tapes for days, but some random ones I do remember spending my money on are Terminator X and the Valley of the Jeep Beats and the “We’re All in the Same Gang” twelve-inch. Not including Indian music, the first concert i went to was the Beach Boys when I was a kid, but the first real rock show i went to was Gallon Drunk.

---

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3rd, NYC:
Koushik & Duane Harriott @ APT, 419 W 13th St., New York, NY

---

www.othermusic.com Digital and retail music store in NYC.
Koushik Out My Window at Other Music
www.stonesthrow.com/koushik