Paul Mitchell’s ascent to OHM Series

Paul Mitchell has been producing music since the 1990s. He started off making drum and bass under the name P Method. Now, he’s producing deep techno and has released through Stark Futures, Dred Records (Berlin), Mixcult, Abstrakt Dance, and Verdant Recordings. His new EP is out on OHM Series from Copenhagen.

When did you hear that OHM Series wished to include you?

I’ve been chatting to OHM Series label boss Bjarnar Jónsson for a while on SoundCloud. I’ve been a big fan of his label for a long time so when I sent him ‘Ascend’, I just asked if he’d be interested in putting it on one of the four-track various artist EPs he releases. He then came back and said “let’s make it an EP of your own”. Obviously, I was well chuffed.

Did he give you a specific brief?

No, I just got on with the next three tracks. I always had what kind of label it is in the back of my mind, but the style of music is what I make anyway. That’s why I like the label so much. Saying that though, I still kept it to my own sound.

What was your thought process when you set about writing the tracks?

I didn’t really have a thought process before writing but I do have production process.  Start with programming beats then a bassline (which always changes until I’m happy) then create the sounds. I make most of them through processing the hell out of pads, stabs, and synth leads, etc. Then chop parts out of that, round them off and put effects on them, and so on. That way, they’re your own.

Care to share the meaning behind the track titles? You really don’t have to.

Andy McCulloch:

But, first, let me pitch in. First track ‘Ascend’ seemed to signal where the EP was going. That is, space travel. It brought to my mind Brian Eno’s ‘An Ending (Ascent)’ and In Ascension (a brilliant, Booker longlisted sci-fi novel by Martin MacInnes). Especially as it leads into ‘Ceres’, which as we know is a dwarf planet in our solar system.

Then the scientific term ‘Perceptron’ threw me. Or has the technology been used in astronautics? But then, ‘Pipe Dreamer’ reminded me of the dropship pilot Ferro in the sci-fi film Aliens. As the space craft enters the hostile planet’s atmosphere, she instructs: “We’re in the pipe, five-by-five.” Tell me, science fiction or science fact? Or am I peering into the wrong wormhole?

Paul Mitchell:

When it comes to naming tracks, basically I have a list in my Notes app where if I hear or read something I like, I put it on the list, then when a track is finished I see what name suits the track. But, yes, I do have a interest in all things space, which is why I used Ceres and have used names of things in space on a few tracks so far and will carry on doing so because some of them sound really cool.

The name ‘Perceptron’ comes from a YouTube video I saw explaining the beginnings of AI. I probably would have tried to use the actual voices from the clip in some way but too much background noise and would just sound a bit naff. 

‘Pipe Dreamer’ well, it’s like a double meaning. One, a fantastic idea. Two, depends what you put in the pipe =)

There seems as though you wished to ask the listener to truly commit to listening to the EP as there are subtle changes in terms of pacing.

Andy:

As the tracks progress, the overall tone seems to become more urgent. Is that fair to say? I think it’s a masterclass in track ordering.

Paul:

Thank you! Whenever I make a track I always want people to listen from start to finish. I try to make it like a little journey, bringing parts in and out to keep it interesting but not too busy. I also like a good intro and outro, I always have it in mind to make it DJ friendly and nice to mix with so nice to fade out or even let it play out.

Final thoughts

Thanks so much for taking the time Paul. Good luck with the new EP and future ventures.

Thank you.

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OHM Series # 26 is out now. Why not take a listen to ‘Ceres’ below?

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