After ten years and eight albums, Eliot Lipp is no stranger to electronic music. We featured his remix of El Ten Eleven’s “No One Died This Time” in a #FreePlayFriday roundup last summer, but Lipp has kept busy since then by releasing a considerable amount of original material and a delivering a track on Pretty Lights’ A Color Map of the Sun remix album.
This weekend will see Lipp performing at Tucson’s Gem & Jam festival alongside MiMOSA, Purity Ring and fellow Pretty Lights Music artists Paul Basic and Supervision. We chatted with the Brooklyn-based artist, producer and analog synth aficionado about the festival and his plans for the rest of the year.
DJ Times: You’re playing at Tucson’s Gem & Jam Festival this weekend. What are you looking forward to most?
Lipp: I played down there once before a long time ago; it’s pretty cool because it’s so diverse. You’ll have bands and different DJs, and it’s not all electronic acts. I really like the crossover between DJs, bands, indie stuff, jam bands and hippie stuff. Everyone’s coming into the area for the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show. It’s been a while since I did play it, but I specifically remember it being an interesting mix of people.
DJ Times: What’s your live setup consist of?
Lipp: I use Ableton Live controlled with a Livid OhmRGB MIDI Controller. I also always have a Korg MS-10; just an old analog synthesizer. Sometimes I’ll have a pair of keyboards, but most of the time I’m just using the Korg MS-10.
DJ Times: Your music can be very sample-driven. How do you approach sampling?
Lipp: I don’t have any problems with the copyright violation part of it. I’m not into licensing [my music] and getting it into car commercial or something [like that]. As far as the integrity of the music goes, I’ve always approached sampling like this: I don’t sample a record unless I know I can take that riff or element and put it into a whole new context. I’m not trying to rip anyone off; I just love the aesthetics of sampling.
“It’s crazy how that style of trap has come full circle from almost 20 years ago and is now considered club music.”
DJ Times: Is that why you give a lot of music away for free?
Lipp: By giving away music for free, you’re skipping all of that bullshit and saying, “I’m not taking sides on any of this; I’m just trying to promote my music.” And I mean, I love shows and touring, so I look at my MP3s as flyers for my shows.
DJ Times: What have you been listening to recently?
Lipp: Nick Maclaren’s remix of “UNO” by ฿okeh x Lowquid. I didn’t even know who these guys are, but I heard them in one of Plastician’s trap mixes. It’s this style of trap that reminds me of old instrumental tracks on Three 6 Mafia albums from the 90s. It’s crazy how that style of trap has come full circle from almost 20 years ago and is now considered club music.
DJ Times: What can we expect from Eliot Lipp in 2014?
Lipp: I’m finishing up a new album right now. It’s been in the works for a while; but I’m finally wrapping everything up. I haven’t set a date yet for when I’m going to release it, but it will definitely be this year.
DJ Times: What’s it sounding like?
Lipp: I think it’s funkier. Looking back at [my past albums], I feel like some of my other beats in the past—especially the heavier stuff—are pretty stiff. I’ve been recording a lot of live sounds, both percussion and guitar and I’m not programming as much for the synth parts. I’m trying to humanize the funk.
Stream Eliot Lipp’s remix of “Sweet Long Life” below:
