Today is a special day.  Today, Tuesday 12/13/11, is the day that the new Hobo Kings EP releases on Beatport, with a tasty little remix by our very own little musical love monkey Pumpkin.  It's a 5 track EP with an original track called "900 Miles," remixes by Pumpkin, Sub Swara and Zander/Traveler, as well as a bonus cover of an old Leadbelly tune, Linin Track.  

Before you do anything else, CLICK HERE!

Check out a sample of the Pumpkin remix below.

So let’s dive right in and get to know these two production gurus.  Just for clarity Hobotech is Jon Margulies (JM) and Pumpkin is Nick Alvarado (NA).

POCKET:  Hey guys, thanks for spending some time with us!  We’re super excited for the release of the new Hobo Kings EP and ecstatic to be able to pick your brains a bit about the process.  Jon, as your musical alter-ego Hobotech, you describe your music using words like “Ozark mountain futurefunk,” “Electro gospel,” and “Bluegrass crunk.”  Where does all that southern Mountain vibe come from?

JM: Well, those styles of music are just a small sampling of the styles that turn up in Hobotech.  Privately, I tend to refer to my influences as “American Roots Music” - but I’ll also incorporate anything that says “hobo” to me - Tom Waits for example.
I started playing guitar when I was quite young, learning from my older brother. Acoustic blues was a huge influence - from Rev. Gary Davis to Hot Tuna and beyond. In later years I went on to play and study jazz. So, I don’t really have a particular background in mountain music....more of a broad relationship with lots of classic American sounds.

POCKET: How was the process of creating this entire EP?  Were there lessons learned along the way?

JM: The process was great. This is the first collaboration I’ve done in a few years. At some point, I decided to back off collaborations until I was confident that I had the right people to work with. It’s really gratifying to work with someone who you respect and brings a totally different perspective and set of ideas to the table. Most of the lessons learned have been about the art of collaboration: where to bend, where to hold firm, that sort of thing. 

POCKET: So how did you get connected to Haj & Sub Swara?

JM: Haj and I used to live a few blocks from each other in Brooklyn - I’m pretty sure the first time we met was because we both got a ride from the same person to go play NYC Decompression!
Before Sub Swara, his crew Freek Factory were the first ones to bring Bassnectar to town and were kind enough to do it right in my neighborhood, so Haj was always on my radar as someone who was doing dope shit - and his DJ sets were consistently amazing.  We talked about making music together on and off for years and finally the stars aligned in 2009 when we did a remix of Sub Swara’s Belgrade Riddim.
When we started working together, he totally surprised me with this really deep knowledge of American roots music, and turned me on to all sorts of great stuff. So working on this project has been a totally natural fit.

POCKET: As the producer of the original track 900 Miles, how is it to hand over your baby to someone else?  Are you even worried that the remixer is going to fuck it up? 

JM: It’s great to put the song into the hands of remixers you trust! Since that was the case here, I really didn’t worry.  By the time you’re done with a project, you’ve usually heard the music so much that you almost can’t bear it. To hear it re-imagined by all these folks is really refreshing and creates a feeling of excitement about the release that goes beyond what I’d probably feel if it was all my production.

POCKET: Have you ever had the experience of getting a remix of your track back and not really diggin’ it?

JM: Not so far. But I haven’t been remixed that much, so there’s still time.

POCKET: Nick, this being your first official remix, tell us a little about how this process was for you.  How did it differ from previous productions you’ve done, or did it?

NA: It was essentially the same as any other remix I’ve done, except for the fact that I was given the acapella and all the stems to work with from the get-go. Usually I have to dig around quite a bit online before I can find the individual elements of a song I want to remix.

POCKET: Your remix of 900 Miles is really great.  It’s also the only version of the song that doesn’t really fall under the category of Bass music, and yet it’s not exactly House music . . . how would you categorize this track and your sound overall?

NA: I call this remix “Moody Mid-tempo.” It has a four-on-the-floor beat, typical to house music, but the tempo is slower so it doesn’t have a typical house music feel. As for my sound overall... jeez, I dunno. Bittersweet multi-genre dancefloor pop? Usually I just call it “emotronic.”

POCKET: Do you prefer the collaborative process over working solo, vice versa, or do both have different appeals for different reasons?  What are they?

NA: Typically I prefer working alone. I love getting input and ideas from other people, which is why I love doing remixes so much. But when it comes to the actual production of a track, I definitely prefer to be alone in my studio with no distractions and no compromises.

JM: I like working solo because it’s fast, but I like collaborating because it’s complicated and unpredictable and you get results you’d never get on your own. I’m realizing that life works best when you get to do both.

POCKET: Looking specifically at how you produce music, what is your set up?  What hardware/software do you use & how do you use it?

JM: My setup is pretty simple these days, all based on my MacBook Pro. I rely heavily on Live and particularly the built-in synth Operator. I’m also a big fan of Predator (Rob Papen softsynth). There are others, but none that I rely heavily on. For hardware, I can’t Live without my Virus TI Snow. It’s a tiny little portable design, so it goes back and forth between LA and NY with me. I also have a couple of analog pieces - an old Korg MS-20 and a Sherman Filterbank. These don’t get used on everything, but they are amazing to have - nothing else sounds like them. When it comes to mixing, I rely heavily on UAD plug ins which I run using the Solo/Laptop card which plugs into my ExpressCard slot.  

NA: The software I just is Logic, along with a lot of the Native Instruments synths and samplers. Sometimes I’ll record some live guitar and percussion as well.

POCKET: That’s right, you’re a band geek.  What instruments do you play?

NA: I play guitar and drums mostly. I played guitar in all the bands I was in, and I was in drum-line in high school and drum corps after high school. I can play most percussion instruments, though not all that well. And I know my way around the piano, but I wouldn’t say I “play” it. And sure, I’ll still strum a guitar or thwack a drum now and again.

POCKET: Jon, you’re considered one of the leading authorities on Abelton Live.  Give us a little run down on your relationship with Abelton and the hat you wear as a teacher.  Tell us a little about Dubspot.

JM: I’ve been using Live since version 2 and have been teaching it ever since I created a series of training videos for version 5. Since then, I’ve published two books and written a bunch of magazine articles as well. Live is the absolute core of my musical world, production and performance both. I sometimes mix in Logic, but when it comes to composing and capturing inspiration, Live is just plain amazing.
When I first connected with Dubspot, the school was just over a year old and had a fairly minimal Ableton Live program. They were experimenting with all sorts of approaches to teaching music production. I ended up jumping in with both feet - writing curriculum and teaching a ton. It was a great experience to do classroom teaching. Just like playing a gig, you get to find out in real time what works and what doesn’t, so I really learned a lot  - not just about teaching the technology, but how to teach music production workflow. And one of the great gifts I received is that my own workflow improved dramatically through this process.
Since then, the school has grown dramatically, and the initial work I did there has taken on a life of its own. In LA, I teach privately which I enjoy a lot, but it’s always fun to step back into the classroom when I’m in NYC.

POCKET: Were you a DJ or a producer first?  Do you prefer one over the other?

JM: Producer. The first time I ever played electronic music through a sound system on stage was using Live, so I came into this with zero DJ background. Over the years, my set has evolved from being pure Live PA to being a hybrid set with elements of both DJing and live performance. I don’t think I have a preference. I love working in the studio, but getting out there and having fun with people is essential!   

POCKET: Bass music is a relatively new genre in the electronic music scene, and it’s clearly gaining momentum fast.  As a more fledgling sound, where do you think it’s going to go from here?

NA: I think it’s headed back toward a more melodic sound. Bass music, in general, is much more heavy and aggressive than a lot of other electronic music. Some dubstep and glitch-hop sounds more like heavy metal than dance music. But I’m noticing that more and more bass music producers are reincorporating melody into their productions. I’d expect to see more of that.

JM: What I love about Bass Music is that it’s wide open. I feel like it’s impossible to predict where it’s going, because I’m not sure I even know what it is. I do know that it’s the perfect place for me though....like I just landed on the Island of Misfit Toys.  

POCKET: Ha!  Nice.  How prolific are you as a producer?  What can we expect in the future?

JM: I’m getting more and more prolific. The last Hobotech EP was completed in the shortest amount of time that I’ve ever spent on anything, which is really exciting to me. The faster I work, the more I view making new music with joy rather than the vague dread that comes with not knowing if/when you’ll ever get it done.
I also recently completed an indie electro-pop album for my new project called Tiny Machines (tinymachinesmusic.com), and we’ve already begun production for a new record due out next year. My plan for the next Hobotech EP is to remix all protest songs in support of the Occupy movement and the general re-awakening of the populace that’s going on in America.   

NA: You can expect more remixes, as well as some original music and collaborations with up-and-coming vocalists. I’ve been so focused on remixes lately that I haven’t put a lot of time into making MY music. I plan on changing that quite a bit in 2012.

POCKET: Pants or no pants?

NA: Currently: no pants and a bathrobe.

JM: It depends so much on the situation, it’s hard to answer in the abstract. If I’m forced to choose, like most sane people I’m going to choose no pants. If I have to choose pants, ideally they’ll be extremely fancy, with pockets that reach into other dimensions. Hmmm....I think I may have just discovered the secret meaning of the name of your collective....

POCKET:  Ssshhhhhh, don’t tell anyone!  Sheesh.  We just finished an interview with dirtybird artist J. Phlip where we talked a little about the sound they’re putting out these days, which is really in a genre all it’s own that many are calling Booty Tech, that seems to have roots in house and hip hop.  With the whole Dub/Bass movement being a newer sound as well, where do you think its roots come from?

JM: For me, the influence of hip hop and funk is huge. Obviously, Dub is one of the most influential genres of all time when it comes to contemporary electronic music but that fact has possibly been obscured a bit by the current hyper-aggressive sound popular in dubstep at the moment.  I’m definitely interested in expanding the funk influence. I never realized how much it would influence my production, but I used to play in a number of heavily funk-influenced bands so it makes perfect sense.

POCKET: Nick, how did this opportunity to work on the Hobo Kings release come to you?  What’s the connection?

NA: I was approached by Vermin Street Records to do the remix. Jon (Hobotech) and I have a lot of mutual friends, so maybe that’s how my name got brought up, I’m not really sure. But the label approached me to do a remix and I jumped at the chance.

POCKET: Well, I’m glad you did, your remix is sweet.  You know, someone recently asked us this question; so we thought this might be a good platform to have it answered.  For all those independent musicians and producers out there, are you currently looking for or accepting new tracks/songs to consider remixing?  If so, how would an independent musician/producer go about getting their stuff to you?

NA: Yes, I’m always looking for new stuff to remix! If you want me to put my ears on something of yours, please email a link to your song online (do NOT email an mp3 of the song) to bookings [at] pocketunderground [dot] com.

POCKET: Jon, you’re a New York native who now spends most of his time in LA.  Do you see a difference in the music that is coming out of New York as opposed to what’s happening on the West Coast?  Does the sound on each coast differ?

JM: It’s hard to generalize about New York, because there’s always more going on there than you can possibly keep track of. In New York, Hobotech happened because a bunch of talented, motivated people came together to create this new sound and vibe. We did themed parties with a whole night of old-meets new electronic music, and folks would come out in costume. The way it happened had a very edgy new york sensibility to it.
The great thing about coming out to the West coast has been how many people enthusiastically embraced the sound right out of the gate. Out west, it seems there’s a naturally open minded push towards musical frontiers, blending organic with electronic, whereas back East things tend to happen a little more slowly.
My impression is also that on the West coast there’s wider knowlege of glitch hop and multi-tempo bass music. In New York, a lot of what I do tends to get lumped in with Dubstep, even though I play very little actual Dubstep.

POCKET: Nick, is this the first time you have had tracks release on Beatport?

NA: Yep! I’m stoked!

POCKET: How does that feel?  What are your expectations, if any?

NA: I expect to go triple platinum and buy a yacht made of marshmallows. But seriously, I’m just excited to get my music into more ears, and honored that I get to pop my Beatport cherry along side such talented artists as Hobotech, Sub Swara & Zander/Traveler.

POCKET: Well, we’re incredibly excited for you both and we can’t wait to hear what you guys crank out next!  Thank you both for being so open to sharing your process, I know we all appreciate being able to learn a little something about those that give us the gift of music.

The entire Rising Smoke of the Hobo Kings release, including Pumpkin’s new remix of 900 Miles, is available NOW on Beatport.  Please support these amazing music producers by buying their tracks and, instead of passing them around, encouraging your friends to do the same.  Thank you for supporting the arts!!!!

CLICK HERE TO BUY THIS RELEASE!!

A day not easily forgotten, Pumpkin's epic set on The Woogie Stage at LIB 2011!

Hobotech rockin' Coachella 2010 on The Do LaB stage!