Words by Art Jefferson
Photography by Jonny Drop and courtesy of Modified Man

To modify anything is to simply make changes. It would then make sense for well-respected musicians Adam Scrimshire and Dave Koor to come together to alter the current state of music, powered by sophisticated instrumentation and the idea of futurism. This concept of pushing sound forward also comes from firmly planted roots steeped deep in jazz, soul, funk, afrobeat, rock, electronica and more. These are genres that both Scrimshire and Koor know well with keen expertise. This is also why their Modifications: Set 1 album under the guise of Modified Man will undoubtedly go down as one of the most entertaining and important releases of the year.

Whilst both Adam Scrimshire and Dave Koor have released critically acclaimed material – Scrimshire with multiple solo records and Koor with The Expansions, as a team they kicked in the door with their 2015 remix of Dele Sosimi’s ‘You No Fit Touch Am’. Giving the song a vibrant broken beat rework, the production was completely built from the ground up, adding a new, cosmic dimension to the tune.

In a modern period where the digital landscape of music is grazed by producers jumping between clicked mice buttons and keyboard strokes, Modified Man have opted to revisit the world of analogue, making it perfectly fitting in this new day. Future jazz swirls float atop broken beat patterns with cosmic soul acting as the mend. This is the continuation of visionary artists of the past looking to leap into future forward styles of music, in which the words ‘then’ and ‘now’ only aid the question of ‘what if’. Modifications Set 1 is that example of the possibilities with Adam Scrimshire and Dave Koor being the pilots of the experience.

How did the collaboration with you and Dave Koor come about?

Adam Scrimshire – Years ago Dave entered a Wah Wah 45s remix competition doing a Stac remix. It was great and we put it out. Through that conversation it turned out Dave had known Stac a few years back from a bar in Croydon he had a DJ residency at.

Anyway, we ended up meeting up, I found out he was a keys player and as I was personally in the process of switching to playing guitar in my live Scrimshire show, he joined the band. Over the following years he became someone I relied on hugely, inside the band and out. He was a great set of ears to play new tracks to and he heard most of Bight as I was making it, in fact, helped me record the drums too and a synth here or there.

We started spending a lot of time together chatting about production and synths and I even ended up living with him for a while. Somewhere throughout that we thought it would be good to start a project together. Something with some clear parameters. Something that would explore things that didn’t fit in our other projects. And so, armed with a new Moog, his Juno, a cassette deck and a rhodes we made Modifications: Set 1.

I’ve personally called you in particular, a one man show because you’re a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, etc. You and Dave are both really respected musicians. How was that experience writing with someone else on this go round.

Adam Scrimshire – Personally, I needed to get out of my head a little bit. At first it’s definitely difficult. I’ve never really written with anyone in any great depth. An ongoing collaboration has never really occurred. Even the work I’ve done with Stac in the past has happened mostly remotely.

It’s hard to be honest at first. And it’s probably not right to be. You have to let each other evolve a bit and then start pushing each other. Some days it’s not right/possible, I think you have to recognise that. I’m not the easiest person to work with. But Dave kind of is, which probably helps. He’s technically brilliant on instruments, where as I take much longer to fumble around and find something that I’m into and, crucially, can play. But that helps too. Sometimes I’m the one directing and Dave is the hands on the keys. Sometimes it’s the other way round. Some days you’re just a producer. Somedays, you’re just the musician.

One thing, above all else though, is that it is so much more fun. There are days when we’re less responsive and just getting on with business. But on the whole it is a room full of chuckling and jokes and music.

You have incorporated a style of music that is dear to me…broken beat. Now I remember that golden period of the broken beat scene with guys like 4Hero, Daz and the Bugz crew, and so many more pumping out some of the most amazing music. What made you delve back into that sound?

Adam Scrimshire – It’s something that was big for both of us when we were finding our styles as DJs. So it’s in the blood a little bit. But we’ve tried not to consciously make it, and if we are getting too genre specific, one of us tends to pull the other up on it and we try to divert.

I think the reason it comes about is because of the roots of broken beat, which we definitely agree on loving. I’m thinking of Brit funk, disco, jazz and afrobeat. We’re listening to free jazz and soul music. Those are the things we’re referencing. But because we’re attempting to do them exclusively with synths, analogue sounds and drum samples, it’s coming out quite broken.

Staying on the topic of broken beat and even future jazz. Listening to acts such as Disclosure, you can completely here the influence of those two sounds, especially with the synths and even the programming. However, many people may not have any awareness of that style of music. Would you say now is the perfect time to not only resurrect broken beat but to also add a level of education about the scene?

Adam Scrimshire – I think the resurgence of afrobeat over the last 4 or 5 years has made it very easy to transition back into playing broken beat to dance floors. There are easy reference points for people, in the right places. And as Aaron Jerome went incredibly popular with SBTRKT there were clear elements of the broken scene he loved in that sound too.

It was never too far away in London though. I think this is just a good time for music, and we’re seeing dance floors enjoying eclectic mixes again, which means it’s a perfect time for all kinds of music to enjoy some light. I think the beauty at the moment is that it is the original creators that are seeing a fair bit of the glory around this. There seems to be a reasonable amount of respect being shown, stories being told. That needs to go for the people who put on the nights too, the lesser known names that have continued pushing this music and the roots of this music. Most of us have been at work through a really, really hard time in a decaying music industry from 2000 onwards, which is only now beginning to turn a corner.

It should be noted that the production within the project is based on live instrumentation. In these times, many producers are relying on plug-ins as the bulk of their work. Some have argued that the advancement of technology has in a sense, helped to foster a sort of laziness when it comes to production. How do you view this whole topic?

Adam Scrimshire – I don’t think I’m seeing any laziness. Maybe it’s there, but I see loads of people working hard, exploring and being creative. I think you can hear the difference, more importantly. The quality of production these days, compared to where it was around 2006/2007ish is amazing. Drums sound great, tracks sound interesting.

We chose our approach because we wanted to get a bit more hands on, make immediate and committed decisions and live with them and because we love looking at supply complicated gear. We also felt we were getting something a little intangible out of the experience that we weren’t getting inside the box. Which isn’t to say that won’t change as manufacturers make more and more interesting ways of interacting with sound.

We use a spring reverb on loads of stuff because we just happen to like how it sounds and because there is very little fiddling around we can do during or after. It is what it is, the decision of how long the verb will be or how it will sound is made for you, and so our focus ends up on the composition and performance. But I equally love the power of immediate manipulation in Ableton when we’re making beats.

Each to his own. We chose limitations to make us creative. Having plugins doesn’t make that impossible though. It enables more great production to happen by more people.

I know that you and Dave spent about 18 months working on Modified Man. Although you are a genius within the studio, did you learn anything new from working with Dave on this project?

Adam Scrimshire – Thats way too kind of you to say, but thank you. Dave and I are pushing each other further every time we’re in the studio with each other. The last 2-3 years have been like homeschooling for studio production. One of us always turns up with a new thing we heard about, or checked out on YouTube, or saw happening in the background of a video, or watched over the shoulder of the engineer at a session we attended. And then we try and put it into action in our process. We make progress week to week. I barely recognise myself as a producer now, compared to where I was 2 years ago. And I hope to feel the same in a year, two years, always. Yes, I think we constantly raise the bar for each other and it’s one of the best things about our relationship.

And on that side, I think it’s outside of the studio that it’s really valuable too. I’m a bit more relaxed and way more happy. Finding music much more fulfilling. I have a friend, a cheerleader and a teacher and I try to provide the same.

Modified Man on NTS Radio

I think this Modified Man record is a game changer, bringing things back to the idea of innovating and creating through the sounds of electronica, jazz, soul and more. It also harks back to the times of creating music through sheer love. What does this project personally mean for you?

Adam Scrimshire – I really hope so, in time at least. We want it to grow and push our own boundaries. I’ve made so much music that is so earnest and serious. And, honestly, I’m not completely like that. I mean, I am, of course, but I really like surreal, silly things and stupid ideas and I like to make music that gets me curled up on the floor laughing because it’s stupid – we’re trying to keep that in. I think this first EP has ended up coming out slightly serious, due to nerves about people taking us seriously doing something we’re not well known for. But in time I think the humour will become more apparent. This was about being free in creating and having a good time. And in doing so allowing me, personally, to find some joy again in my other projects and work – a bit of clarity. And it seems to be working.

Modifications: Set 1 is out now on Albert’s Favourites.

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