We’re currently based in Oslo, capital of Norway. Fred is born and raised here, John is originally from Lillehammer and moved here when he was around 20 years old. The music scene is vivid and fast growing, especially when it comes to hiphop music. There’s a few good house and techno artists as well, but not too many unfortunately.
We met in 2007, when Fred returned from a digging trip in Portland. We were both into hiphop and made music on the SP1200, and bonded immediately. One floppy deep, and instantly be came good friends and collaborating musicians.
2018 was a hectic year with a lot of stuff going on. Fredfades was traveling a lot abroad to do gigs, while Jawn had a little break away from music, as he got tinnitus and also an acoustic shock damage as a result of tining a sound system at home. Yet it was a fruitful year for us both, as it was the year we made the Jacuzzi Boyz LP. Jawn is fine now and back to making music again!
For electronic music? We have no idea! Follow our label Mutual Intentions. We’ll be releasing a follow up to Jacuzzi Boyz with International guests, and more work by the homie Bendik HK. Plus lot of non-electronic music as well!
The Jac Boyz follow up, plus different personal projects for both of us. Slightly more stripped down and minimalistic tracks than Jacuzzi Boyz.
Jawn Rice: Linkwood, Jon Hassell, Galchier Lustwerk and Brodinski.
A lot of the rough ideas were made by Fred in 2017, then passed over to Jawn. We finished the whole thing together in 2018, in both our homes, and Fredfades & Bendik HK’s studio at Adamstuen in Oslo.
Us two working together for the first time since 2009/2010 would be the main inspiration and biggest impact of the record we believe. It’s a huge fusion project based on what’s going on in two completely different heads.
With two personalities as strong as ours, in the same room – the biggest challenge is to be able to agree on every little detail. The most rewarding thing is when we complete something and we’re both happy. It’s like two friends playing chess with each other, but with both of us winning at the same time.
The album is produced in Ableton Live together with Akai MPC 2000 XL, E-mu SP 1200, Boss SP-303, Yamaha DX7, Yamaha DX100, Arturia MiniBrute, ARP Odyssey MK2, Fender Rhodes, Siel Cruise, Roland TR-606, Sequential Circuits Six-Trak & Sequential Circuits DrumTraks.
None of us “write” down what we play, we just sit by the keyboard to try, fail and play by ear. Repeat till it sits, and remember.
Jawn: i like getting out of the city. To my cabin, up mountains and into the woods. It give life perspective. I also enjoy cooking a lot.
Just continue on, enjoy life with good people and make music. Like we always do. Only way to stay inspired.
