90 Resident Spotlight #4-Fade To Zaire
Last updated on December 4th, 2023 at 08:58 am
Hello everyone! I hope you were able to enjoy some sunshine this weekend. I certainly did, as you can see in my video interview with true gent, Chris from Fade to Zaire, another jewel in the crown of the Residents.
In this interview, we speak with Emil and Chris, two residents who work at Fade to Zaire nomadic tribe of loving people that like a dance. And every single penny of profits from their parties goes to MIND, a charity we’ve had the pleasure to help in the past at Number 90.
Let’s get started!
Number 90: What’s your prized possession record?
Chris: It has to be Mary Mary (Remixes) by Grand High Priest. The Mary Mary (Altered Natives Remix) is one of my all time faves and I have played it in a lot of different settings. I first heard it in a Young Marco set at Dekmantel. I couldn’t shazzam it at the time so when I figured it out a few months later I got straight on Discogs, totally chuffed. Seems like much simpler times now. Honourable mentions for Barbara Norris – It’s Heavy! (Dub Version), and Mt Airy Groove – Pieces of a Dream (Instrumental)
90: What new music have you been listening to?
C: Recently I have been rinsing the Music From Memory releases. The one from Sandoz is pretty great and it’s interesting to see how the Cabaret Voltaire sound resonates through still, it’s made by one of the original members (Richard H Kirk). That got me back to pulling out a few of their original releases, Micro Phonies has some weird but interesting stuff on it. It’s nice when a new release jogs the memory banks a bit.
Apart from that I have been delving into the Dark Entries back catalogue. Cherry picking some of the Patrick Cowley stuff, his track with Jorge Socarras ‘You Laugh At My Face‘ will always be a winner. They have the new Red Axes on the way and have been dripping that steadily. But the recent releases on the label from ELLES and Violet is mint. They are FTZ faves.
Bergonist is doing some super interesting things. I listen to that stuff to get inspiration as it’s pretty raw and bold at times. I really like her punk/DIY attitude to stuff so her bandcamp is where a lot of her more interesting self released stuff lives. Although the album on Optimo Music is a bit of a tip.
But also been listening to Smagghe and Cross, which we had the pleasure to have a party with in December, an artist signed to Bunker Records called Rude 66, and for some ambient goodness Kuniyuki Takahashi
Finally, one of the FTZ residents Patrisha had a Balamii show this week and I went through that.
90: How have you been spending time in isolation?
C: Mainly staring out of the window confused as fuck. According to the cat it’s mainly getting right on her tits. So we are actively avoiding each other [brandishes a cute cat]. But between bouts of existentialism, I have been recording some radio shows (Balamii/Netil) and trying to make my snare sound banging on a few new tracks. The studio time has been very welcome tbf.
When I can be arsed I run around a field near my flat, listening to tunes. It can be quite cool sometimes to get a bit transcendental. Sometimes the movement and repetitive beats collude to form a palate cleanser for the mind. Othertimes I just sweat my knackers off and despise every step. Emil (the other half of Fade to Zaire) hates running so I can only speak for myself on that one.
90: Have you got any tv show recommendations?
We binged the fuck out of Line of Duty recently. It’s shit and the acting is awful. But the plot twists are wacky as fuck so it’s actually mint. Wanted to watch The Sopranos again but i don’t think i can commit to that much time. And like just about everyone else, i’ve also watched The Tiger King, which is a lot of fun, but highlights how messed up animal rights laws are in the US, but also in the UK.
90: What’s your musical guilty pleasure?
C: I have a more serious one which is post-rock. I never play it out, as any of the Bar 90 staff and regulars will attest. But it does something to my soul that not a lot else can, the duality of melancholy and rage. Proper emo shit.
Maybe I should be saying something a bit more fun like ‘Exercise Your Ass Off‘ by Sexual Harassment, that is a timeless piece of mentalness. Also Serge Gainsbourg associate and former lover Brigitte Bardot‘s “Contact“. Apart from that ‘Tammi Terrell and Marvin Gaye – You’re All I Need To Get By‘ that shit sleighs me every time (Transcript Bonus). But I did grow up in Warrington listening to Donk, so my collection has a few things that only I could like lol.
90: Give us your favourite recipe
C: Ingredients; Ice. 25ml Kahlua. 50ml Vodka. 25ml single cream. Directions? Fill a rocks glass with ice. Pour Kahlua and vodka into glass. Pour heavy cream over top and serve. The ultimate hangover cure. Answers on a postcard if you can name the drink.
90: You can’t fault a classic. Well thanks mate, anything you want to close this with?
C: Everyone stay safe and inside, hope you’re not all losing the plot. Stay positive and keep busy, and we will see each other when we’re all out, for a drink and a boogie at Number 90!
Well this has been a very lovely chat with Chris, had to cut through a bit to make sure the video wasn’t going to be too hench, but if that’s something you guys would like, let me know! All feedback is more than welcome, i’m still trying to figure out the format, and make sure i provide you with some cool content! Also go and follow us on all socials and subscribe to our channel to never miss a video!
We hope you enjoyed it as much as i enjoyed doing it, go and check out the mix, and see you soon for our next Resident Spotlight!
Ben and the whole TNG team x
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