Ben Romberg chatted to Leafcutter John (aka John Burton) after his set at Sonica Festival in Bethnal Greens Apiary Studios. He’s a renowned artist working with ‘computer music and use of samples of everyday sounds’, who also has roots as a folk musician. On top of that, Burton is a full-time member of the contemporary British Jazz Mercury Music Prize nominee Polar Bear, founded by drummer Seb Rochford. Let’s tune in.

Ben: It was great to see you perform at Sonica Festival in Apiary Studios, can you tell us about the recent musical projects you have been working on?
John: Thanks, it was a really intimate (and smoke machine heavy) show. I've just finished up a new Leafcutter John album called Resurrection. I'm very happy to get back into releasing albums again, it's been a long time since my last one. Resurrection will be out on Desire Path Recordings in May. We've just finished a new Polar Bear album too. We'll be touring throughout the UK in April.

Ben: Can you cite any other festivals or events you are planning to perform at this year?
John: Up next for me is a performance with Scanner at Convergence Festival, I've a spattering of European things coming up too.

Ben: We caught sight and sound of your hand-built synthesizer in Mk II last year, has this become a staple part of your sound?
John: It's something I've been using live a lot over the last couple of years. I wanted to develop a more interesting way of creating and controlling my sound world. I want to show a definite connection between my movements and the sound produced. In the studio I work a bit differently because there is no audience present.

Ben: Given how influenced your performances are by the sonic environment (sounds collected from around you), do you feel that your music creates a point in time that becomes social commentary?
John: When ‘live’ I try and create something which is a joy for me to make, and something which has a degree of honesty to it. Hopefully this is evident to the audience. They are experiments in a real sense: I want to see what happens when I hand over control of the show to an audience member for example. I want it to be an inclusive experience. These are the things which are important to me.

Ben: What would be your ideal environment or space to perform in?
John: I’ve played in lots of different places over the last 15 years, sometimes you get the feeling that a venue or promoter really cares deeply about the night they are putting on, these are usually the best places to play.

Ben: If you were to perform a DJ set, which track would you choose to open with?
John: In the early 2000's an Italian promoter persuaded me to DJ in a club, I got about a third the way into Aphex Twin's Come to Daddy before confused and frightened dancers began asking me for '4/4 soft techno'. That was the beginning and end of my DJ career.

Ben: Are there any artists or musicians in particular you would like to give a mention to?
John: I met this amazing producer at a workshop Polar Bear did in Canterbury recently, she was a student and sheepishly asked me to listen to one of her tracks, It was totally full of personality and with such amazing feel. She promised to send me more material but never did. I hope she reads this, I want to hear more!

Leafcutter John
leafcutterjohn.com

Resurrection will be out on Desire Path Recordings in May 2015
desirepathrecordings.com
 

Photo credit: Noemi Dumitrescu