After being in the scene for five years, Delta Heavy have unveiled their eagerly awaited debut album Paradise Lost on RAM Records. The British drum and bass duo’s multi-dimensional versatility is evident throughout their inaugural LP, as you get taken through a journey of different worlds. With the release of more than a handful of singles and creating major remixes for the likes of Chase & Status, Nero, Avicii and many more, the album has been long awaited. Check out an exclusive interview with the artists as you hit play on their album below.
Where did the inspiration for “Paradise Lost” come from?
Paradise Lost as a title came from the poem written by John Milton but it can be interpreted however you like. It is not a specific reference to the poem itself but more harnessing the epic sense it provides. The title came at the very end when we had finished writing all the music and it felt like it suited the sound. Musically, when we started writing we didn’t really have a plan as such. We have used the themes of Space and large scale drama in our songs and often reference movies when writing dance floor tunes like Event Horizon. We wanted the album to feel like a piece of work that would be an audio journey when listened to from beginning to end, so maybe you could compare the album to a movie in that it tells a story through music.
How long did it take to complete the 13 track LP from beginning to end?
I think the earliest track that made the cut was from sometime in 2013, so around 2 1/2 years. It’s been a slow process but it has felt quite organic looking back. It has gone through various guises and sounded very different at times. It would be hard to do this now especially as we do the jobs of writer, musician, producer and engineer but it would be amazing to lock ourselves away for a month or two and try to write a whole album quickly to capture a moment in time.
Do you each have a hand in everything, or do you sometimes work on tracks separately?
We used to always write in the studio together but the process has changed over the last few years and we now mostly work on tracks separately with a few sessions together to get some ideas going and then finish tracks off.
Which track was your favourite to work on and why?
I don’t have any moments of despair when I think of Ghost which would be a positive haha. Some tracks are a headache and take forever to get them out the door but there were a few tracks like Ghost which just worked and were very enjoyable to make. The fact that nearly 2 years after first making it we still really enjoy playing it out and seeing the reaction to it has definitely cemented it as a firm favourite from the album.
If you could work on a track with any artist, who would it be? Why?
We’ve said it countless times but we’d love to do a track with Hans Zimmer. The guy is a legend. Beyond that maybe someone like Thom Yorke from Radiohead as you have no idea what the results would be. I think collaborations with people who bring something very different to the mix are the most exciting.
What is one plugin you couldn’t produce without?
If we had to pick one desert island plugin it would almost certainly be Omnisphere by Spectrasonics. The range, quality and sheer size of the soundsource library is incredible, and the quality of the classic synth waveforms is unrivalled. It is our main workhorse in the studio for pads, textures, soundscapes and with such a variety of rich and unique sounds provides a lot of warmth and soul to our music. The library is so vast that there is generally always something to spark some inspiration and since the update you can now manipulate your own samples as well.
Are there any words you’d like to say to all your fans?
Just a huge thank you for all the support we’ve had with the album, it’s made it all worthwhile and we’re really enjoying 2016 so far.
Connect with Delta Heavy:
https://facebook.com/deltaheavyuk
https://twitter.com/deltaheavyuk
https://soundcloud.com/deltaheavy
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