blog // Featured, Inspiration, Interviews, Videos

Reeps One interview & video

27 February 2011

This Saturday 5 March 2 times UK Beatbox Champion Reeps One headlines our first party of 2011. To say we’re excited is an understatement. Reeps is not just the best beatboxer in the UK. His unique and modern take on the art of beatboxing is renowned worldwide – just check the popularity (and jaw dropping craziness) of his Youtube videos.

Reeps is at the forefront of the nu-skool beatbox scene. With ravers used to the speaker busting production skills of the likes of 16bit, Noisia and Skrillex, Reeps has upped the game and honed his kicks, snares and basslines to punch as hard and rock a dancefloor as intensely as any modern bass dj worth their mettle. Expect uber compressed thumping kicks, snarling sidechained electro bass, inconceivable edits and truly impossible alien sounds.

Reeps will be previewing his brand new visual show at Braindrop this Saturday. We caught up with him whilst he was hunting for new sounds in a remote part of the Himalayan foothills and asked his some very important questions. Enjoy!

BD – Ez! How are you and what are you doing at this moment in time?

RO – My Jaw Hurts …..too much face music

BD – You’re the current UK beatbox champion – having won the the title for the last 2 years running. What sets you apart from other beatboxers?

RO – Well in a nut shell I make people dance. Mosh pits are not usually seen in a beatbox set….a lot of beatboxes can rely on novelty, shock value. I like people to understand how I do it and still think Its crazy.

BD – How did you get in to beatboxing? And who are your biggest inspirations?

RO – My dad fed me art and music from the day I was born. He said at the age of 3 I would walk around his studio making up wordless songs that sounded like a small melodic mammal. Sounds about right! But I grew up around the boom of grime, so double-time played a big part in changing my style from other beatboxers.

BD – Where did you get the name from?

RO – I was traveling through the deserts of Saudi Arabia and encountered a swarm of locusts. Thinking quickly I slashed my camel open and crawled inside for shelter. There I found my name. I held it. It felt right.

BD – You perform with an “all through the mouth” philosopy – not using any looping / fx device favoured by artists such as Beardyman Dub FX, MC Xander etc. What’s the reason for this choice?

RO – So many people are going the Beardyman, Dub FX route – adding more equipment, more effects. It becomes more of a unique dj set then something truly live. People think I slate it; I think its amazing really, but its has nothing to do with what I do. I feel there is something special about the ability to walk out in front of the most sonically demanding electronic crowds, keep the energy up and keep people dancing with just my voice. I know I’m the best at this …….But one day I may pick up a looper and see what happens.

BD – You’re a very talented graphic artist as well. Do you see beatboxing and art as going hand in hand?

RO – Yes I definatly do. If I learn something new when drawing I’ll always think about how I can apply it to my music and vice versa… composition, contrast, texture are the simplest of connections between the two … Music and art on their own are amazing but when they harmonize and work together you can create something very special.

BD – Bass6 told us some very exciting things about your new visual show. What does it involve and what’s the thinking behind it?

RO – If people can see what I speak then they can hear it better. Im not a programmer – I thought about how I could get round this issue and my conclusion was littoral visualizes. What that means is that the visuals are actually happening in front of you, be it an electromagnet’s strength being determined by my voice around ferro fluid, or using the force of a speaker-cone to make geometric shapes, They move with my voice. If the texture of my voice becomes harsher then so does what you see. Anyway I’m gonna stop geeking out now!

BD – You recently beatboxed whilst being scanned by an MRI machine for an experiment conducted by a neuroscientist from UCL. What was the purpose of the experiment and what did you discover?

RO – Man that was insane, The study was to see what parts of the brain are used to develop a skill and to see what the difference is between a novice and a professional. I dont want to give all the results away as im working on a mini doc about the project at the moment, but it’s not what you would expect. I will tell you however that I had a second scan that records a 20 second video of my head cut down the middle. You can see everything working and it looks very sick. I don’t think a beatboxer has ever been featured on the ‘New Scientist’ website before… hehe!

BD – What’s your biggest tip for up and coming beatboxers wanting to perfect their act?

RO – Copy music, not other beatboxers…..

BD – Top (non beatbox) tune of all time?

RO – Wagner – Ride of the Valkyries

BD – What do you see Reeps One doing in 10 years time?

RO – Inspiring a lot of people and creating things that people enjoy. Or eating out of a bin.

BD – What are your all time top 3 favorite animal noises?

1. lyre bird
2. cows
3. my girlfriend

Thanks Reeps! You can catch him this Saturday 5 March at Braindrop @ The Macbeth, Hoxton, alongside The McMash Clan, Rrritalin, Matamatiks & Beaton, Hertzian, Sketch, Late Day Breakers, Silly Pundit and Bass6. Follow this LINK to get your tickets now.