Linear Search drop their EP, Line Integral on Eternal Friction Records, containing four original tracks. The result is a powerful EP, that clearly demonstrates Linear Search unique and personal approach to contemporary techno. The balance between the drums and the uplifting percussion are capable of bringing listeners into a certain state of mind. The warm and melodic synths fit perfectly into many layers of each track. Skilfully build grooves fused together with funky stabs, form a unique, recognisable and inimitable “Linear Search blend”. They make for an interesting EP, reason enough to follow this promising artists every move from now on.
Hi Jeroen and Glenn, thank you very much for taking the time to speak with InDepth, we’re thrilled to get to speak with you. This shared interview coincides with the release of your new EP (as Linear Search) on Eternal Friction Records. Before we get to the core of the interview, can you tell us how you got know each other? You’re both independent artists in your own right. How did your collaboration started ?
Glenn (Linear Straight): Jeroen and me became close friends after we met on a Roland booth in Amsterdam. I was spinning his vinyls when starting out way back then in the early nineties, and after all those years we were jamming some gear without even noticing we actually did our first track there i believe, unfortunately without recording. after the session we decided to take this collab to another dimension
Jeroen (Search): yeah I remember this meeting with Glenn on the Roland booth during ADE, funny thing, we started jamming out almost immediately after meeting.
Could you tell us how you got into electronic music and techno ?
Glenn: I came from that time electronic music wasn’t about genres, I was just spinning what I believed was good music. Grown up with some punk and new wave stuff admiring bands as Front 242 and the neon judgement as a kid must have been the foundation to what I became today. When I started out in clubs as a teenager playing Labels like R&S, Music man, Touché, brought us different things on the same imprint, there was trancy stuff and harder stuff but none were specific in styles. but all that came from disco, so yes repetitive stuff is what my attention got way back then and still today. Artists like jeff Mills and Luke slater for example still deliver. Techno is a lifestyle to me, much more than a Four on the floor bass drum …
Jeroen: I got into electronic music early 90s, more or less directly into techno music. Releasing my first record in 93 and still doing the thing I love.
Do you find inspiration in the differences between you? And what do you often do to get inspired?
Glenn: Yes definitely, as from my point of view we just got the same or at least a comparable way of producing sounds.
Life is full of surprises, ups and downs. Both are essential, most artists produce their best things when depressed. I have to admit it makes sense in a way, music is about feelings.
To get inspired I do repetitive things, like driving around on my motorcycle at the same speed on a highway, clear my mind and fill it up while the engine is producing a lower sub harmonic at a constant volume. Having a break once in a while also works brilliant. Life is full of surprises, ups and downs. Both are essential, most artists produce their best things when depressed. I have to admit it makes sense in a way, music is about feelings.
Jeroen: For me inspiration comes from various things, just normal daytime stuff, family stuff and so on.
Tell us a little bit about how you work together. What is your process like when you start making music together?
Glenn: To be honest we usually meet up as friends, having our gear in the trunk, we have a dutch cup of coffee, we talk, we have a laugh and we hook up our stuff. And then it happens, there’s no instructions guide or whatever we things get on a roll, sometimes we don’t even talk during this stage. And after one hour we look at each other and usually say “So? are we going to record this?”
Jeroen: It happens when it happens, and if not, we still have a good time
Do you prefer producing on software or hardware gear, or a combination of both? What’s your favourite pieces of gear (picture ?)?
Glenn: I like both, software. Yes definitely. Ableton is still the way to go. But yes i’m hooked on outboard gear. It got out of control at some point so i decided to scale down a bit and keep the essentials for my kind of music. I probably stick to what i do and knowing that a lot of interesting gear became overload. So yes so things had to go 🙂 Some will stay here till the day i die.
Jeroen: I really can’t tell anything about this at all, I am just a hardware guy, using Ableton as well just for sequencing, but I never have used any plugins for sounds or so. I just love playing around with the machines.
Jereon Search studio - Facebook 06/09/2019
As a music producer (and as « product artist » of SOMA synths and Ableton Certified Trainer for Glenn), do you think that the expansion of affordable pieces of gear (like Behringer synths, …) have an impact on the worldwide electronic music scene ?
Glenn: It’s difficult for me to talk about affordable gear. Its an never-ending topic. I had some clones and still have some in my system and to be honest, I don’t really care anymore what people prefer to buy to do their thing. I was a few times in this fight before but yes, a lot of patents expired so there’s a huge market out there in brands taking other brands most iconic drumcomputers or synths and reissue those in the same colors or looks. In the end it doesn’t matter how you did your song or how you got your defined sound from. But yes I like originals, but admit it, if it ain’t the real deal and its been done for tons of times, why would you do it as manufacturer? let it go, let it goo…
Jeroen: Sometimes the affordable gear or overlooked older cheap machines can do incredible stuff. From where I see it its all about the creativity of the producer.
Sometimes the affordable gear or overlooked older cheap machines can do incredible stuff. From where I see it its all about the creativity of the producer.
There is a lot of focus on contemporary producers to be equally as good at DJing as they are at production. Do you think that DJing is important in the path or career of a producer ? And what about live set ? Do you have a preference ? What about you ?
Glenn: Comparing live artists to dj or inverse is like a microwave dish, which needs 2 minutes 50 sec on 750 watt to be served, and a chef who prepares the dish in front of you (with of course some tolerance on the outcome because he cooks in front of you with ingredients which may vary to what he is used to have in his kitchen but in most cases he knows what he’s cooking and brings what he needs to get the job done).
You’re still with me bro? 🙂 The dish with the microwave can be fingerpicking good as well, but it was already done at some point. Technically doing these days isn’t that hard anymore when playing newest technologies. Still without display player devices as cdj’s would become much more interesting. Or imagine there’s a dj playing behind a curtain. Would you pay the same fee not seeing him or her or when no name is mentioned just based to what you are hearing ? I’m afraid not, its about entertainment, people don’t care how its done, they just want to have a good time, its just those few who notice the big difference when closing down the eyes, leaving the mobiles in their pockets and feel the vibe of the music, the set, the artist.
Linear Straight at Voltage Festival
And there’s live and there’s live. I’m always jealous when I see a guy with a guitar playing some chords and sing singing along unpowered in the middle of the street …. so jealous
They are just both different 😉
Jeroen: For me I like both dj-ing and doing livesets very much. As producer I am always mindblown by the effects of some of my tracks when I hear other djs play it at a party, so djing can be very usefull when working in the studio as well.
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