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  Plutonic Lab Interview
interview 0529 added 19.09.07 words:
Fraksha
technical:
Spoon
Plutonic Lab is a name familiar to pretty much every hip hop head in Australia having worked with so many of the scene’s leading names over the years. Regularly polled as one of the best producers in the country, Plutonic has most recently been enjoying success as part of the producer / MC combo, Muph & Plutonic and has been flat out touring in support of their most recent release.
Please state your name and occupation
I produce records & perform under the name Plutonic Lab, I'm also known for recording, mixing & mastering records for others.
Back onto more recent things, you're probably most well known as one half of the Obese signed act Muph & Plutonic. You've had some good success, national radio play and well received nationwide tours. What is it about Muph & Plutonic that you think has gained you this popularity over other Aus hip hop acts?
I think we offer something different to a lot of other crews, because there's a certain synergy you get from a producer MC combo. You can attain a more content wise and musically.
What made you work with Muph in particular and do you ever feel like telling him 'nah you can’t say that, say this' and vice verse with him on your beats?
All the time, you have to be honest because it's a crew of sorts, so it's my record as much as it is his.
Although you have to let people express them-selves how they feel.
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there's a certain synergy you get from a producer MC combo
..."
Probably my favourite Oz hip hop album was Pegz 'Axis', I thought this was a heavy record all the way through and still regularly bump it on the ipod. I understand Pegz is gonna be putting a new album out in the not too distant, are you involved in this one again and what can people expect if so?
It's like Axis but 100 times doper. I have about five beats on it.
 You've got the Ivenz release coming up pretty soon? How did this come about and what’s your expectations for people's responses?
Ah, this one is either gonna go over peoples heads, or they're gonna just bug the fuck out to it. Either way If you wanna hear a record that sounds like someone turning inside out. This one's for you. Ivens is a very under rated MC, he doesn't sound like anyone else here. I just had to help him put this record together because those songs needed to come out & I wanted to flex my abilities as a producer, because people start to pigeon hole you, without realizing you've done all these different things.
So it was for me & him to offer something different to Hip Hop in Australia
I've not heard any of the Ivenz/Plutonic release, but after seeing Ivenz a few times live I get the impression its going to be on a different vibe to a lot of shit coming out at the moment, would that be right?
All the things he has done thus far are all about to click, it will be dope. I feel Australia needs this release to balance everything out.
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people start to pigeon hole you, without realizing you've done all these different things
..."
Obviously anyone whose aware of you knows you've been around a while, put in a lot of time + hard work, how was the scene back when you first got involved and how does it differ to now? Also, which time period do you prefer?
It differs on just about every level you can think of, shit is just everywhere now. I only started contributing proper around 1993/4. There were no clubs in Fitzroy, Melbourne was a very rock place, there were some great clubs about then (the lounge), but usually you had to create your own places to perform, like convince pubs it would be a good idea etc. "step into the AM" was on PBS with Krissy, there were some real dedicated crews around who would get a night happening only for it to be gone weeks later. I remember Ransom was really king for spinning new Hip Hop then.
I often think there are quite a few similarities between the AUS and UK scenes. We've both had to work hard to counter that image of non-americans making hip hop which nowadays is not so much of an issue, but there's still people out there perpetuating a representation thats not them, whether that be rapping in American accents or talking about the sort of things they feel they have to because they're making hip hop. What’s your take on this?
The accent debate is futile......heads have really good role models now, so there's no excuse.
Back to your stuff now, what would you say you're most proud of releasing or being involved in?
Definitely the Muph & Plutonic records, because that has just grown from nothing, no expectations from anybody and now we're killin it. also, on a personal level my solo joints, in particular "Codes Over Colours, because that was just a hard time in my life, but it produced this deep record for me, that other people have discovered too.
What’s next for Plutonic?
I'm working on the Pegz record, the next Muph & Pluto record, I'm also touring quit a bit & I really want to get another solo joint out next year too.
Finally, any shouts?
To anybody who copped my records or came to a show. To everybody I've worked with in Australia and overseas. Big shout out to Obese fam & all the UK heads. Hope to see you all sooner than later. Peace.
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Fraksha
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