Pirates, ahoy

Pirate Soundsystem - what a name. For those that don't know, tell us what you guys are about.

D: I'd say our overall approach to music comes from raves and carnivals. Any time we're in the studio and getting a bit too caught up in the sonics we come back to this. 

J: I think we used to be about combining elements of dance music. Trying to find a balance between the genres we liked that created a new energy. Now I think it's a lot more about rhythm exploration - finding mad beat patterns that make bodies move in new ways. I guess there is still that idea of combination, though, as we tend to always keep some classic house 4x4 stuff around which provides an interesting counterpoint to the crazy riddim stuff.

How did it start and where?

J: It all started around 2004. We wanted to start a night called 'Pirate Club' plundering all the bass from other genres so we needed a DJ name and both liked the idea of being a sound system. I have a memory of us being stoned, walking round a lake at the university I was going to.

D: We actually got booked for our first gig before we came up with a name and had to make a pretty fast decision before flyers went to print. 

Are you finding yourselves pushing a certain sound, or do you find your tastes are constantly evolving? What labels and/or artists are really doing it for you right now?

D: There's times when we're playing a lot of a certain sound, but we're never trying to be part of a particular scene. Being the type of DJ who just plays one sound and only the latest whitelabels is just too limiting.   

J: You can't really stop that evolution of musical appreciation. It's natural for me to just drift from scene to scene. I feel like an eagle. I just jam in the sky, checking out what everyone's up to from above and then go back to my nest with a few twigs and make something myself.

I'm really into some of the the moombahton stuff at the moment. Mainly the stuff that has less of the Dutch house synth, although I do like that, too. The moombahton that basically just sounds like reggaton and dancehall with big housey production. Loads of bongos.

MJ Cole is unstoppable at the moment. Breach, Hot City and the Unknown To The Unknown stuff, Mosca, Numbers...all that stuff is good inspirational dance music. I love the Crookers Dr. Gonzo album at the moment. Tight production, massive rhythms and bass.

D: Yeah there's some good moombahton coming through just now. I've developed a bit of a fascination with some African kuduro-meets-eurodance stuff like Cabo Snoop but not sure how to work it into sets just now, haha. Steak House and Senseless record labels are always quality. 

If you could take it back to one musical era, what, when or where would it be?

J: Probably when cavemen were first going wild on tree logs with bones. I could fashion a primative hi-hat and get the skippy garage movement off to an early start.

D: London and surrounding area, August 1991. 

Let us in on your secret weapon tune - the one guaranteed to get the crowd vibing nicely.

D: There's so many but when the vibe is just right to do it, dropping down from house speed and into Beenie Man - Who Am I is just too much fun. 

J: Nice vibes would be J Zoomba - Easy Blessings, which is coming out on out on Heavy Warper in next few months. It's a good example of that perfect struggle between polyrhthms and classic house influences.

I love the MJ Cole dub of Southern Electric though to get a crowd hype. Hard house garage madness.

Any juicy, funny or embarrassing anecdotes from a set you've played in 2011? Do tell... The worse the better!

D: We played at Hootenanny in Brixton in the summer and there were a lot of families in the outside beer garden. Having the dancefloor stormed by half a dozen 7 year old girls brocking out to Almighty Father by Sunship was a new one on me. 

So what can we expect from your set next Friday at Z-Shed's Hidden debut?

D: Unreasonable bass, tropical vibes and an entourage of toddlers.  

Tickets are available to see Pirate Soundsystem play alongside Star Key (Ninja Tune), Murderbot, Raffertie and the Black Butter Recs crew including L'il Silva, Greenmoney, RackNRuin, Warrior One and more, for just a tenner! Grab them here.