Interview: Paces @ Stranded
We had a chat with Paces whilst soaking up the sun at Stranded Festival.
PACES is the human equivalent of summer. He’s friendly, he’s bright and when you need your tropical fix his music’s got you covered.
When Stranded Festival announced their very first line-up, you’d be worried if the Gold Coast-based producer wasn’t on it because you simply can’t have an island party without PACES behind the decks.
Whilst over at Stradbroke Island, PACES had a chat to us about his American tour plans and what music we can expect from him over the next few months.
Have there been any new producers that have caught your eye recently?
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There’s heaps of people here who produce dance music but I don’t know that many others who are on that future beats end of music. Lucas [Atticus Beats] is really my homie on the Gold Coast that makes those same kinds of vibes.
Madeline Vida has been adding some stunning vocals to your tracks, how you to start recording together?
I was looking for singers online and I was just trolling through the Triple J Unearthed Feature Artists and I came across her song ‘Wolves’ and I was like, oh my god this girl is so killer, and then there was a whole year where I was trying to chase her down. I’m not kidding, it was an entire year before I got a hold of her and we recorded a song together. She wrote back straight away and said she was keen to do something but before that she had school and then she went to New Zealand for a while and there was just never a time to do it. It was worth chasing her for a year though and we’re actually working on a new song now, which took less than a year this time [laughs].
Is it difficult juggling your Paces work with your Surecut Kids work?
Sometimes. I just try to divide my week up into equal halves. If there’s nothing urgent on I just try to spend equal time on each, but then something urgent always pops up for one of them so you end up dedicating more time one week. You’ve just got to kind of juggle it as it goes really; I make it work though [laughs].
We’ve featured a fair few of your remixes on Purple Sneakers, how do you usually approach a new remix?
I usually only remix a song if it’s got a really strong vocal because that’s what I like to keep most of the time. I usually just leave the vocal alone and then I’ll rewrite most of the other elements, like I’ll rewrite the drums and maybe add some kalimbas or some steel drums.
The steel drums have become a signature element for Paces now…
I just love the sound of them. They just feel like a fun time.
And because you’re from the Gold Coast, on of the most popular topical cities, you could be the sound of the Gold Coast.
[laughs] That’s so hilarious, I’ve never been called that before. It’s funny because I would have definitely thought that the sound of the Gold Coast would be like a really heavy EDM banger!
Since we’re on an island, what’s been the weirdest place you’ve played at?
I’ve played gigs in shopping malls before and that was pretty awful. They’ve never been a really good time for me, I’ve done a worse one but I can’t say it [laughs].
And if you could perform anywhere in the world where would you perform?
I’d just love to tour America. That’s what I really want to do; it’s one of my goals for the next three years. I’m and American citizen and everything because I was born in Malibu.
From Malibu, California to the Gold Coast…
[laughs] Yeah I know, I stayed close to the sunny beach stereotype, but yeah I’d love to tour America because they’re just so dance crazy over there at the moment and it seems like such a good time to be touring through there.
If you could create your vey own music festival who would you have on your line-up?
It would probably just be a line-up of all my heroes. So I’d have Cashmere Cat, Ta-Ku, Branchez; pretty much just all my favourite future beats producers. It would actually be a pretty shit festival for anyone who doesn’t have the exact same taste as me. It would be a very selfish line-up I guess [laughs].
So when can we expect to hear new material from Paces?
Next month! I’ve got an EP that’s totally finished and ready to go and I’m just in the final stages of getting it signed to this label, but the first single will be out in October. Hold me to my word, this shit’s happening!
Words by Lauren Payne
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