Nelson Dialect & Must Volkoff Magnetism EP Interview
What is it about your musical friendship/relationship that makes you both work so well together? You worked together on White Russian & Aquanaut and now on a full project in Magnetism.
Dialect: I think there’s a mutual understanding and appreciation of what we like and the way we work and communicate. Its always very easy going and we are 9 times out of 10 on the same page with an idea or direction. I love the music he makes and Must lets me do whatever lyrically. It is chemistry.
Bootsy Collins once said “win or lose you cant fight the groove” and I try and use that approach to collaboration. If it’s a struggle or too much compromise then I don’t think it’s meant to be. It should come naturally.
Must: It’s mad cos we’re quite different as people, and in different cities so when we get together it’s always work, but i’m always excited to be doing it. I think we’d been friends for a while before the first collab. There’s obviously a mutual respect there. I rarely need to ask him to do anything differently. I normally know i’m hearing the song live when he’s in the booth cos he rarely needs a second take. That’s a crazy feeling. I think we’re both strong musicians not just a rapper and a beat maker. That’s where the unspoken understanding comes in. Nels comes with songs not just bars and always complements my beats musically. We have the same kind of vision and dedication. We’re both ambitious and fully committed.
The album cover art is, to me, symbolic of all the darkness and dirt that life sometimes attracts and the forces of that attraction (magnetism). What was the idea behind it and what is it meant to represent?
Dialect: I dig that interpretation and really it could mean whatever someone takes from it. I guess the title of the album reflects that chemistry I spoke about between us creatively. Also the concept of Magnetism for me as an album title is speaking on the kind of energy we draw in and attract in our life reflects in your mind state and attitude kind of like Iron filings to a magnet. The mind being the magnet, the filings being these things we observe happening to us or affecting us.
Must: I can’t take credit for the concept. The texture is a blank page from an old family book of recipes. I just wanted something simple that would make a dope sleeve. I think the title track was the first tune we made so it just grew from there. I reckon that’s the best tune we’ve made so far.
What is some of the inspiration behind the beats/tracks on the new EP?
Dialect: I think following on from what I said about the Magnetism title. I kind of applied that throughout the songs in relation to different concepts, Mind Your Wants about watching what you desire, Ulterior Motives about intention in friendship. As Above So Below – how your deeds reflect between family and when they leave this world what does it mean after the fact.
The whole record to me had a lot to do with this concept of intention and focus as I felt I was in a pivotal stage in my adulthood where I had to be mindful of what I was putting out to the world.
Must: Just listening to good music makes me want to make a beat. Anything psychedelic. Usually just being reminded of simple ideas and formulas that I want to try or revisit. I’m inspired by sounds and instruments a lot of the time. Using organic sounds is real important to me. Most of the beats on there are composed from scratch as opposed to starting with a sample. Usually the first thing in mind is the tempo or groove, or wanting to use a particular break. I’ve played some Fender Rhodes, Alto Sax, Clarinet, Guitar, Teischord Organ and P-Bass on there. I make the best beats when I get a new instrument and I’m enthusiastic about playing it.
What was the process of writing and producing the EP? How did you collaboration work? I know Nelson’s hometown is Adelaide, whereas Must is based in Melbourne.
Dialect: It came in stages; we did the 45’s & the tracks for Must’s production albums originally and somewhere around the second 45, I think we made a couple extra tracks and were contemplating doing an EP. Then Must would send me a track here and there and I’d write for a while. Fly to Melbourne usually stay for a week or so. Record a couple songs and film video stuff. Then we would go back n forth online with mixes etc and I’d get another couple beat ideas then I would fly over and do the same thing.
Before we knew it we had enough tracks to build an album. I will always have a strong affinity to Melbourne with this release as I was there nearly every other week, putting in work with Must/DJin/shooting videos. It was a fun year or so.
Must: Yeah Nelson did a lot of travelling. I was just sending any beats I thought he’d feel. It’s always a bit of pressure to get things done in a small time frame while he’s over. I’m usually focused on getting as much done on any given day so I’m not great at planning ahead. Sometimes that’s for the best though.
Is there a plan to tour the EP or do any shows?
Dialect: A tour plan is in the works. I recently moved to live in New York. Which makes it logistically very difficult. But if we can line up the right events and enough interest, I would love to come back to Australia and tour it.
Must: Yeah it would be dope to tour this now we have the catalogue for a full set. We’ll see if we can make it happen.
What’s next for Must Volkoff and Nelson Dialect, both individually and collaboratively?
Dialect: I have moved to New York to try and progress my music and I am working with a label here Red Apples 45. I want to tour this album with Must. We have some more videos for the release to come out. After that. I guess we will take some time to chill. I can’t speak for Must, but I’d obviously love to keep making music with him and can’t see why we wouldn’t do more. But like I said earlier, the inspiration and feeling has to be there all the way. I think we bottled that with this release & in times to come I’d hope we do it again that way.
Must: I need to do some more travelling soon and link with artists I've been working with in Europe and South America. I’ll have an album to launch in Chile soon with Eduaz. There’s a new crew project with Adam Koots, Joe Snow, One Sixth and a bunch of guests on the way. Also a new EP from Defenders Of Style produced by Adam Koots and myself. Keep an eye out for the clip for the title track off Magnetism. I’m sure we’ll come up with something new before too long. Cheers Kylie!
Thank you for your time.
Purchase the Magnetism EP here: https://pangproductions.bandcamp.com/album/magnetism
And the follow the lads on their respective Facebook pages:
Nelson Dialect: https://www.facebook.com/Dialect.Official
Must Volkoff: https://www.facebook.com/mustvolkoff/
Dialect: I think there’s a mutual understanding and appreciation of what we like and the way we work and communicate. Its always very easy going and we are 9 times out of 10 on the same page with an idea or direction. I love the music he makes and Must lets me do whatever lyrically. It is chemistry.
Bootsy Collins once said “win or lose you cant fight the groove” and I try and use that approach to collaboration. If it’s a struggle or too much compromise then I don’t think it’s meant to be. It should come naturally.
Must: It’s mad cos we’re quite different as people, and in different cities so when we get together it’s always work, but i’m always excited to be doing it. I think we’d been friends for a while before the first collab. There’s obviously a mutual respect there. I rarely need to ask him to do anything differently. I normally know i’m hearing the song live when he’s in the booth cos he rarely needs a second take. That’s a crazy feeling. I think we’re both strong musicians not just a rapper and a beat maker. That’s where the unspoken understanding comes in. Nels comes with songs not just bars and always complements my beats musically. We have the same kind of vision and dedication. We’re both ambitious and fully committed.
The album cover art is, to me, symbolic of all the darkness and dirt that life sometimes attracts and the forces of that attraction (magnetism). What was the idea behind it and what is it meant to represent?
Dialect: I dig that interpretation and really it could mean whatever someone takes from it. I guess the title of the album reflects that chemistry I spoke about between us creatively. Also the concept of Magnetism for me as an album title is speaking on the kind of energy we draw in and attract in our life reflects in your mind state and attitude kind of like Iron filings to a magnet. The mind being the magnet, the filings being these things we observe happening to us or affecting us.
Must: I can’t take credit for the concept. The texture is a blank page from an old family book of recipes. I just wanted something simple that would make a dope sleeve. I think the title track was the first tune we made so it just grew from there. I reckon that’s the best tune we’ve made so far.
What is some of the inspiration behind the beats/tracks on the new EP?
Dialect: I think following on from what I said about the Magnetism title. I kind of applied that throughout the songs in relation to different concepts, Mind Your Wants about watching what you desire, Ulterior Motives about intention in friendship. As Above So Below – how your deeds reflect between family and when they leave this world what does it mean after the fact.
The whole record to me had a lot to do with this concept of intention and focus as I felt I was in a pivotal stage in my adulthood where I had to be mindful of what I was putting out to the world.
Must: Just listening to good music makes me want to make a beat. Anything psychedelic. Usually just being reminded of simple ideas and formulas that I want to try or revisit. I’m inspired by sounds and instruments a lot of the time. Using organic sounds is real important to me. Most of the beats on there are composed from scratch as opposed to starting with a sample. Usually the first thing in mind is the tempo or groove, or wanting to use a particular break. I’ve played some Fender Rhodes, Alto Sax, Clarinet, Guitar, Teischord Organ and P-Bass on there. I make the best beats when I get a new instrument and I’m enthusiastic about playing it.
What was the process of writing and producing the EP? How did you collaboration work? I know Nelson’s hometown is Adelaide, whereas Must is based in Melbourne.
Dialect: It came in stages; we did the 45’s & the tracks for Must’s production albums originally and somewhere around the second 45, I think we made a couple extra tracks and were contemplating doing an EP. Then Must would send me a track here and there and I’d write for a while. Fly to Melbourne usually stay for a week or so. Record a couple songs and film video stuff. Then we would go back n forth online with mixes etc and I’d get another couple beat ideas then I would fly over and do the same thing.
Before we knew it we had enough tracks to build an album. I will always have a strong affinity to Melbourne with this release as I was there nearly every other week, putting in work with Must/DJin/shooting videos. It was a fun year or so.
Must: Yeah Nelson did a lot of travelling. I was just sending any beats I thought he’d feel. It’s always a bit of pressure to get things done in a small time frame while he’s over. I’m usually focused on getting as much done on any given day so I’m not great at planning ahead. Sometimes that’s for the best though.
Is there a plan to tour the EP or do any shows?
Dialect: A tour plan is in the works. I recently moved to live in New York. Which makes it logistically very difficult. But if we can line up the right events and enough interest, I would love to come back to Australia and tour it.
Must: Yeah it would be dope to tour this now we have the catalogue for a full set. We’ll see if we can make it happen.
What’s next for Must Volkoff and Nelson Dialect, both individually and collaboratively?
Dialect: I have moved to New York to try and progress my music and I am working with a label here Red Apples 45. I want to tour this album with Must. We have some more videos for the release to come out. After that. I guess we will take some time to chill. I can’t speak for Must, but I’d obviously love to keep making music with him and can’t see why we wouldn’t do more. But like I said earlier, the inspiration and feeling has to be there all the way. I think we bottled that with this release & in times to come I’d hope we do it again that way.
Must: I need to do some more travelling soon and link with artists I've been working with in Europe and South America. I’ll have an album to launch in Chile soon with Eduaz. There’s a new crew project with Adam Koots, Joe Snow, One Sixth and a bunch of guests on the way. Also a new EP from Defenders Of Style produced by Adam Koots and myself. Keep an eye out for the clip for the title track off Magnetism. I’m sure we’ll come up with something new before too long. Cheers Kylie!
Thank you for your time.
Purchase the Magnetism EP here: https://pangproductions.bandcamp.com/album/magnetism
And the follow the lads on their respective Facebook pages:
Nelson Dialect: https://www.facebook.com/Dialect.Official
Must Volkoff: https://www.facebook.com/mustvolkoff/