Mo' Horizons Interview: 'Sunshine Today' Australian Tour






The newest album from those crazy German Kats, Mo' Horizons is 'Sunshine Today'. a classic, soulful, era-spanning collection of jazz-swing, dubby beats, upbeat lounge and sunshine filled magic. A winning combination for toe-tapping, wing-tipped swinging my friends.

They tour Australia this coming February and March and I asked them some questions just for the hell of it...


Q. "Sunshine Today" - What was the process?

"The process was not different to other albums we’ve made before - they're, how can I say it?.. momentary statements, of where we are in our musical tastes. With over 25years of DJing, we are still delving into different styles, you have Latin or Jazz on the surface, and then you go further back in time – for example on this album we’re a little in the 60's and 40's, and as you get deeper, the horizons become bigger and bigger. For (Sunshine Today) the difference is, the whole range is getting bigger – these are not concept albums – we don't start with concrete ideas of where we want to go – it’s a flow producing thing. We don't restrict ourselves to just 60's and 40's influences on this album, but they are there, and it changes as you find more…"


Q. Do you think there are places and times you still have to look to?

"We have our musical tastes – in over 20 years we've become so settled, we're not suddenly going to change our style too much. Latin and Soul are everywhere – but it's still very interesting… the 40’s & 60’s influence on this album is a small aspect but it's what is happening…and our tastes are still moving and changing... if you want to name it, we like Latin-Jazz as ever and Swing-Blues right now, and at the beginning, it was more Brazilian or Latin.."


Q. You present classic genres of music history – all fully danceable. Was this important?

"This is where we coming from you know- we are DJs so we want to create music for clubs: our music has been on so many compilations over the last 10 years – some tracks have been released on chill-out compilations, and so many people who have heard of us from these sources, associate us with chill-out music – which is just not true! If you listen to any of the albums, only a few tracks are chill-out. So for us, it is mostly music absolutely for clubs and dancing, we necessarily produce what we see is missing on the market."


Q. What has travelling and working with international musicians brought to you as producers?

"It's not a new aspect, it's funny somehow, it seems to be something new, but I've been doing this for 20 years – and it is never an issue. The combination of DJs or musicians, it's naturally what we do and have been doing for a long time."


Q. Agogo Records is your own label – what's the philosophy?

"We were with Stereo Deluxe for a time. They were moving in another direction musically – the last really good act on the last album was Brazilian and we decided that it was time to move on ... The logical step was to start again with a new label, something new. We wanted to produce our own music of course and also give people we meet in the world good music and give acts we like a chance to release an album on our label. Unfortunately, our worldwide distribution just went down and is now bankrupt – so we have to start again from the beginning with Agogo. We lost money but we found 'Una Mass Trio' – the first '45 is out with them ('Son Montuno'), with an album to foll... We'll find other good new artists, and then one day we will find new acts to take over from what we're putting out on the label.

For me, the UK is the Mothersh...it is producing good music, it's something special that I appreciate – much of the music from the States I can't stand, with exceptions of cour...but next to all the discovering that drives us, is heavily influenced by ...we don't really have a market in the UK... it is clear to us that in certain regions in the world we don't stand a chance... there's so much going on in UK I think it's hard to get heard out there, there's always something new."


Q. Summer Australian tour... what's the plan?

“We begin the tour this summer in New Zealand, at the Splore Festival... the tour starts there 8th Feb. Then we're coming to Australia for 5 weeks... It’s our first time touring in Australia... but we have some experiences (promo tour in 2003)and we've been able to influence our tour a little bit, we like the east coast, and are playing there for most of the tour. We're also looking forward to playing Perth & Adelaide…”

Q. So the idea is to promote the label and yourselves?

"Yes, our distribution is with Creative Vibes in Australia now - we were with Inertia. I think if it could run all over the world as well as it does in Australia, we would be very happy!"


Q.Anything you'd like to say…

“We're looking forward to playing with Nikodemus– a very special event - on a boat! I think it might be the highlight of whole tour… definitely watch out for this one… it's going to be very special…" (FYI – this will be on a boat party in Sydney…). As well as the other gigs of course such at The Prince in Melbourne where we played five years ago and a new festival called Playground Weekender on a river north or Sydney


Very special indeed people – Elvis Aljus, one of Australia finest percussionists, is appearing with the boys on their tour. This will be a mix of live and electronic music inspired by the eras of classic, life affirming musicality.

The album is out, so go enjoy it, and the full line-up of their tour around Australia is below, so go see it. I might see you there…

KMD

Mo' Horizons are touring Feb/Mar 08
Feb 15th Byron Bay, Great Northern Hotel
Feb 22nd Brisbane, Alhambra Lounge with Elvis Aljus
Feb 23rd Sydney Turntables on the Harbour
Feb 29th Perth, Funk Club, Rosemount Hotel with Elvis Aljus
Mar 1st Adelaide, Garden of Earthly Pleasures with Elvis Aljus
Mar 7th Melbourne The Prince with Elvis Aljus
Mar 8th Katoomba, Baroque Bar with Elvis Aljus
Mar 9th Playground Weekender Festival with Elvis Aljus