Producer James Holden first emerged as a precocious young talent back in 1999 with the release of his nocturnal debut single Horizons. Recorded during a summer break from university, the track instantly opened doors and a string of fizzy remixes for the likes of Madonna, Britney Spears and Depeche Mode followed.
In 2003 he founded Border Community, a label that has showcased his eccentric electronic tastes with genre-defining releases from peers Nathan Fake and Luke Abbott. Earlier this year, James released his sophomore album The Inheritors, a thrilling mix of English psychedelia and analogue experimentalism that has single-handedly redefined British dance music.
The first music I remember hearing was…
My dad playing the piano - music was always around our house since before I was paying attention.
The first record I ever bought was…
Embarassingly, Aerosmith’s terrible Get a Grip album. On cassette. I’d seen them on MTV at someone else’s house and thought Living on the Edge seemed pretty exciting.
The last great record I listened to was…
I ended up listening to the whole of Franco Battiato’s Fetus LP while looking for tracks for a mix. That’s a great record, really perfect - great songs, great atmosphere and a wonderful interconnected feel throughout the whole thing.
The song I wish I’d written is…
I used to think ‘I wish I’d written that’ so often - everything from Beethoven’s C#M Sonata to trance classic 1999 by Binary Finary - but I can’t remember the last time I thought that. I’ve come to accept that I couldn’t have written other people’s songs but I’m happy with the ones I’ve written myself.
The song that makes me want to dance is…
Amadou Sangare’s l’Histoire de Moussa Tchefari Pere de Sabali. This is something I found from Mali - a guy telling a story over one hour of the same perfect bass drum and ngoni (stringed instrument) groove. It’s a really a perfect record.
The song that makes me cry is…
The Beach Boys’ Til I Die.
The song that I know all the words to is…
I think there are no songs I know all the words to! I’m not very word-orientated. Ah actually, I know one: Rhythm is a Dancer by Snap. That line about ‘serious as cancer’ really stuck with me.
The song I want played at my funeral is…
As a DJ, constantly having to choose music for other people, I am looking forward to being released from that obligation! I will be dead and gone and the music played won’t concern me.
Read our interview with James Holden here.
jamesholden.org
In 2003 he founded Border Community, a label that has showcased his eccentric electronic tastes with genre-defining releases from peers Nathan Fake and Luke Abbott. Earlier this year, James released his sophomore album The Inheritors, a thrilling mix of English psychedelia and analogue experimentalism that has single-handedly redefined British dance music.
The first music I remember hearing was…
My dad playing the piano - music was always around our house since before I was paying attention.
The first record I ever bought was…
Embarassingly, Aerosmith’s terrible Get a Grip album. On cassette. I’d seen them on MTV at someone else’s house and thought Living on the Edge seemed pretty exciting.
The last great record I listened to was…
I ended up listening to the whole of Franco Battiato’s Fetus LP while looking for tracks for a mix. That’s a great record, really perfect - great songs, great atmosphere and a wonderful interconnected feel throughout the whole thing.
The song I wish I’d written is…
I used to think ‘I wish I’d written that’ so often - everything from Beethoven’s C#M Sonata to trance classic 1999 by Binary Finary - but I can’t remember the last time I thought that. I’ve come to accept that I couldn’t have written other people’s songs but I’m happy with the ones I’ve written myself.
The song that makes me want to dance is…
Amadou Sangare’s l’Histoire de Moussa Tchefari Pere de Sabali. This is something I found from Mali - a guy telling a story over one hour of the same perfect bass drum and ngoni (stringed instrument) groove. It’s a really a perfect record.
The song that makes me cry is…
The Beach Boys’ Til I Die.
The song that I know all the words to is…
I think there are no songs I know all the words to! I’m not very word-orientated. Ah actually, I know one: Rhythm is a Dancer by Snap. That line about ‘serious as cancer’ really stuck with me.
The song I want played at my funeral is…
As a DJ, constantly having to choose music for other people, I am looking forward to being released from that obligation! I will be dead and gone and the music played won’t concern me.
Read our interview with James Holden here.
jamesholden.org
