UK Glitch Hop on Glitch FM: Morbidly Obese Midget

Big news! The first UK Glitch Hop show on Glitch FM will be broadcast 10-12pm GMT on Wednesday 22 February 2012. Here's an interview with the first of our DJs to take a slot Chris the Morbidly Obese Midget. The other Djs confirmed are Your Niece, Colony Productions, Skanky Panky Records and Mouldy Soul.

Introduce yourself...
I'm Chris the Morbidly Obese Midget. I've been lazily blogging about glitch hop at Musical Mana and playing out since 2008. I've also been pulling UK Glitch Hop together in the last few months. I work in cultural PR during day, sometimes get roped into organising fire shows and always wanted to be a music journalist, but never got around to it.

How would you describe your particular style of glitch hop?
As a cache-all I'd say 'fat funk'. Chunky, bouncy tunes with a good groove to them and nice tweaks and beeps for the old synapses. I like to mix things up a bit as well, from dubstep and future garage to glitch hop, rolling mid tempo funk and knees up d'n'b.

Are you funking my face? by Morbidly Obese Midget
 

What first turned you onto crunk and glitch hop? I used to spend a lot of time listening to psychedelic dub in the chill out rooms at parties like IDSpiral, then around 2006/7 started noticing this glitcher sound played by people like Tipper, Bluetech and Nalepa. Summer 2007 Interchill released the Devil in the Detail compilation and Muti Music released Clipping Paths. I really loved Ooah's early stuff, so found the rest of The Glitch Mob and discovered people like Mim0Sa and ill.gates via Muti, which led me to Bassnectar and other labels. The first person I heard playing a proper crunk set in the UK was Your Niece blowing up the master bedroom at the Secret Garden Party's Winter Ball in about 2009. He's going to be taking next week's show.

What's the scene like where you are?
You used to get the occasional artist playing Glade, like Bassnectar, Nalepa, Spoonbill. The Secret Gardeners spend a lot of time at Burning Man so they always have glitch there too, if you know where to look. Bassnectar and The Glitch Mob both played d'n'b club nights last year. Then I think regionally there are lots of crews plugging away, Skanky Panky in Liverpool, Dephicit and Barely Legit in the South West, Colony Productions and various other artists in London. I guess the UK has a strong tradition of spawning influential labels and genres - Warp, Ninja Tune, the d'n'b culture, breaks, electro swing and then the whole dubstep thing - so it's an exciting place to be. It's interesting to see a lot of dubstep artists moving into glitchier territory recently and I think this summer will be a big one for UK Glitch Hop.

Bassnectar plays Secret Garden Party

 What's the craziest gig you've ever played?
Probably Burning Night Paris last year. Like the London Decompressions and Burning Man itself, they really know how to put on a party. The decor, costumes and performances are amazing. Besides, I can now say I've Dj-ed at the Moulin Rouge!!

Morbidly Obese Midget - Burning Night Paris (Wobble Till You Bounce) by Morbidly Obese Midget
 
What's your favourite track at the moment?
I'm really in love with just about the whole of ill.esha's Reverie and I can't get Mouldy Soul's ODB remix out my head since I made it my girlfriend's ringtone.

The Golden Mean (MUTI 090: REVERIE) by ill-esha
 
Who's inspiring you at the moment?
Parker from Bristol is the kind of DJ I really admire - versatile, multi-genre and fun. I've also been really inspired by all the UK artists I've been in touch with since starting this UK glitch hop project. It's good to get together!

Who are you looking out for in 2012?
Mouldy Soul is on fire, watch out for his show in a few weeks. Debut albums from William Breakspear and Akira Kiteshi coming out soon. DCarls and Koan Sound were game changers last year with Pistol Shrimp and the Beat Dweebs also producing a really funky bass, so looking forward to seeing where they go. Zen Death Squad have been developing their sound for a new EP which I can't wait to hear. I've probably forgotten a load of others.

Pistol Shrimp - Gravity (Orginal Mix) [Forthcoming on Prime DUB] by Pistol Shrimp The Beat Dweebs - Belly Rub [free download] by The Beat Dweebs
 
Where can we expect to see you playing next / over the summer?
I'm open to offers! Will definitely be at Secret Garden Party and Glade, plus hoping to find more glitch out at Boom this year. I haven't been since 2006, but all the West Coast psychedelic artists from The Do Lab are there, so the glitch can't be far behind.

What have you got lined up for your first show on Glitch FM?
All of the above, plus an interview with Zen Death Squad about touring in the US, the new EP and triangle condoms.