M&A #23: Post Molten

James Macdonald, aka Post Molten Productions, started making his house vibrate at age 14, and hasn't really stopped since. With a background in dubstep and drum & bass, James grew from being an avid listener to DJ, exploring 3-deck mixing techniques and generally complex combinations of tough, busy beats. He eventually graduated to production after he felt he had more to say musically than simply blending others' tunes and is now showing off the many fruits of his labour. This short fingerprint mix will pull you from a slower, almost Four-Tet-like opening passage, up to a dizzying, stomping 170 bpm finale. It's as interesting in sound as it is in recording technique (tape. reels. 🤯) and is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the series so far.

How did you record the mix?

I burnt everything to cassette tape and looped the tapes on an analogue signal processor I found in the lab. It was fun working with my own tracks because I could cut them up and loop them in different ways with a pretty intimate knowledge of what was happening in each layer.

What were you trying to do with it?

I like listening to concept albums, those which bring more as a whole than the sum of their parts and I kind of think that’s what you’re aiming for every time you create a mix. I’ve got a huge amount of respect for what Milk & Alcohol are doing with the mix series and I thought this would be a really good way to put together some of my tracks in the way I feel they should be listened to as dance music.

Specifically from a production standpoint, how did you start out and where do you feel you have got to now? What are you looking to do in the future?

Yeah it’s really interesting to go back to some bits from years ago.. There’s always way too much bass! I never did a music production course so I’m sure I could be alot technically better and I still think a lot of my tracks only really work at high volume through fat headphones or speakers - rather than professionally mixed music which should sound great on anything. Looking forward, I love the vibe of recording and looping instruments and think that’s been some of my best work  such as https://soundcloud.com/moltenmelts/rhodes, it would be great to collaborate with other producers and vocalists.. Hit me up if you liked the mix..

Could you talk us through your particular workflow a bit? Just in very general terms, how do you go about thinking about what you do and where you get inspiration from?

I read Jimi Hendrix’s biography when I was in middle school and there’s a quote from him which has stuck with me … along the lines of ‘I just want to have my own style of music’ which I think you can really hear in his playing, you can recognise a Hendrix track from a single note. So, being original is something which really motivates me. I think it’s pretty easy to make beats which sound good using sample packs but I think that can take away some of the creativity and be a bit ‘paint by numbers’. Making music is definitely a bit of an outlet for me - whether for positive celebratory energy or to work out negative thoughts, so the process is as rewarding as the finished piece.

There’s quite a noticeable characteristic sound to a lot of the kicks and synths in the first half. A kind of crunchy distortion-y sound, similar to Randomer in some respects. Would you say that you make an effort to develop your sound like this, or does it come organically from the tricks/instruments you commonly use?

I hadn’t listened to Randomer before so thanks for the recommendation. I like to use a lot of fat distorted drums driven by breakbeats. I generally have a core set of synths and drum sounds which act as a quiver and experimenting with new tricks and instruments changes this over time. A typical track might start with a simple drum loop or a synth-bass pattern and then layers and variation and complexity are added from there. A lot of top producers will build a core 16 bars which is then looped, I aim to have a lot of progression so will focus on nailling some ‘instruments’ and then build a structure and melodic elements from there.

You then split off into a super tight, angular, breaks shakedown, with a much bassier sound. When you’re producing do you find yourself wanting to break out and find a new sound from time to time, or would you say this comes out of exploring different themes with the same array of instruments and ideas behind you?

That’s an interesting question, I do a lot of experimenting and have something like 400 tunes on a harddrive. Maybe one day I’ll release an EP based on rain sounds and doors being slammed.

The mix heats the FUCK up from start to finish, those same crunchy kicks returning at a much higher tempo with a more industrial backdrop, contrasting the cinematic chords of the start. When you look at the two next to each other, they make quite an impression! Do you find you go through similar processes when making tunes with such different vibes? Or do the projects start and work their own way to an eventual end point?

I go from around 110bpm upto 170bpm over 25 minutes which made the mix quite a fun process to make. I do think there’s a little bit of discontinuity as a result of this tempo change but because in each transition the acceleration is visible and obvious the effect is hopefully more like a rollercoaster taking off than having a chair pulled out beneath you. Yeah there’s a moment at the half-way mark around 10.30 when I blend two tracks which is definitely a juxtaposition layering some smooth rhodes organ chords over the sort of frenetic industrial kicks you mention in 70% Acid, I’d love to find out what that track sounds like on a decent sound system. 

What’s your musical guilty pleasure?

1 Thing by Amerie is a great track on the cheesier side of things, I love the breakbeat drums, I recently downloaded the A Capella with an idea to make a remix and her vocals are beautiful and it’s pretty interesting to hear how there’s so many layers in such a well known tune.

What’s the last song you listened to?

Rainforest Spiritual Enslavement - Jungle Is A Shapeshifter

Who is your favourite producer/performer at the moment?

J Dilla.. Always.. 

What is your go to tune to bring a party up/banger?

To start things off: Funkadelic - One Nation Under A Groove

What was the best party you’ve played?

Designated shotgun DJ on any surf society roadtrip ;)

What’s coming up for you in the future?

Finishing up my PhD, making more music and leaving the UK for saltier sunnier horizons.

James’ Tracklist:

Intro speech A-Plus: History of RinseFM Instagram Post

Post Molten Productions - Ccold Storm

Post Molten Productions - Howl at the moon, you leave us too soon

Post Molten Productions - 70% Acid

Post Molten Productions - Solid

Post Molten Productions - Stuka

Post Molten Productions - Eject

All tracks can be found on Post Molten Productions' Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/moltenmelts

NB. 

Copyright on all tracks is reserved by Post Molten Productions