D/B 11+3 Interview with Basic Soul Unit

Posted on | July 14, 2010 | No Comments

11+3 is designed to give you an insight into the motivations and aspirations of the best creative minds in the world.
This time with Stuart Li aka Basic Soul Unit from Toronto, Kanada. Each artist is asked 11 set questions and to contribute 3 “facts” which can be any statement from them on absolutely anything: their own views on politics, religion, the environment, sport…or just something they read in the paper or saw on TV.

FACTS:

1: The richest 1% of adults alone owned 40% of global assets in the year 2000, and the richest 10% of adults accounted for 85% of the world total
2: Energy saved from one recycled aluminium will operate a TV set for 3 hours, and is the equivalent to half a can of gasoline.
3: Population density of Hong Kong (my place of birth) 6,348.641 people / square km, Population density of Canada (my current home) 3.2 people / square km

QUESTIONS:

1. What is the biggest inspiration for your music?
Toronto, my city (since I moved here when I was a kid). Growing up here I was exposed to a very multicultural society and without it I may not have discovered soul and dance music (at least in the same way). It opened my mind to many other types of music as well and also of underground, night life and electronic music culture.

2. How and when did you get into making music?
Around 2000 when I got free software from a music magazine. I never had the studio know how, so digital production was what allowed me to get into it (in fact my first release on Iwanai was done this way!).

3. What are your 5 favourite albums of all time?
Too many to mention but this is what comes to mind immediately…
-Steve Wonder – Songs In The Key Of Life
-Cannonball Adderly – Something Else
-Tenorio Jr – Embalo
-Fingers – Ammnesia
-James Mason – Rhythm Of Life

4. What do you associate with Berlin?
Music, Currywurst and Doner (I’m not being sarcastic, I like currywurst!)?

5. What’s your favourite place in your town?
Out on one of the jetties alone at Humber Park looking back at the skyline of Toronto. Although Dumpling King & South Asia restaurant are close seconds.

6. If there was no music in the world, what would you do instead?
I don’t think I can even imagine. I’d probably still be in some sort of creative field though (I’m a graphic designer by day).

7. What was the last record you bought?
Joe Claussell Un.Chained Rhythums box set, and Hakim Murphy – Acid Basics

8. Who would you most like to collaborate with?
I tend to be more of a lone swordsman. To tell the truth I have not thought much about collaborating yet, but I’d like to at some point (no specific names in mind at this time). It would be a great learning experience for me.

9. What was your best gig (as performer or spectator)?
Performer – Panorama Bar in Berlin, and believe it or not, at a friend’s (Darand Land) basement in Buffalo! It could be 1000 people or just 20, as long as they’re feeling it, its all good.
Spectator – 3 Chairs tent, 2nd DEMF I think?

10. How important is technology to your creative process?
It goes without saying. I’m not a trained musician or writer. My process is basically doodling around with my software until I find something I like.

11. Do you have siblings and are they proud or jealous of you?
One, an older sister. Proud, I think…

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Stuart Li aka Basic Soul Unit was born in Hong Kong, China and raised in Toronto, Canada. His interest in club music started as a teenager in the late 80′s listening to Toronto’s independent radio stations and hanging out in the multicultural city’s thriving after hours warehouse parties where DJs were playing New York, Chicago and Detroit based house music. Working at Cosmos Records store during the late 90′s led Stuart to dig further into disco, jazz, soul, funk, Latin, Brazilian.

During the late 90′s, Stuart started Djing various musical styles at various lounges, bars and clubs in Toronto. With this wide spectrum of interest in music, Stuart’s strength as a DJ is his versatility. Depending on the night and the crowd, he can throw down Detroit influenced techno, Jacking Chicago style sounds, Soulful NYC house, minimal European tracks, disco, jazz, funk, Latin, Brazilian, broken beat and sometimes even a combination of all these. Currently, Stuart is resident (alongside Patrick Paredes & Jason Ulrich) at the house & techno based Vintage! Saturday nights at TOI Bar in Toronto, as well as a jazz, funk & crossover monthly event called Footprints (with Jason Palma & General Eclectic). His travels have taken him to various spots like Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, San Francisco, Frankfurt and Montreal.

Stuart started producing as Basic Soul Unit in 2003 with his first song Basic Soul on Toronto’s Iwanai Music. As with his Djing style, Stuart’s music can swing from lush and soulful Detroit inspired numbers to jacking minimal beats (all with hints of above aforementioned influences). Subsequently he has released music on Left Of The Dial (Canada), Versatile Records (France), Mule Electronic (Japan) and his music has been included on a compilation from Compost Records (Germany). Basic Soul Unit has been getting played and charted across a spectrum of music enthusiasts from the nujazz and broken beat crowd to deep house heads and techno aficionados from the likes of Ame, Deetron, The Get Physical camp (M.a.n.d.y. included ‘Ascend Into The Night’ on a BBC Essential Mix), Fabrice Lig to Jazzanova.

http://www.myspace.com/basicsoulunit | http://www.lotd.ca