SIMPLEX: THE WAIT IS ALMOST OVER

Waiting for Simplex’s solo album has almost been as long as waiting for Dr Dre’s Detox but finally the Terra Firma producer and MC will drop his long-awaited solo joint on Obese this year. One of this country’s most talented (and underrated) hip hop talents speaks to Onion about the upcoming album.

Your solo album is slated for a mid-year release. What can you tell us about the album?

The album is pretty much a collection of tracks that I have been working on for a few years now. Basically ideas I have had and have wanted to get out from inside my head and inside my computer.

Has it got a name?

I have a couple of names that I have in mind but I have to wait to see how the album pans out ‘till I decide on which one I will use.
Maybe ‘30 Years For One Solo Album? WTF Have You Been Doing?’ But it’s still a working title.

You were keeping beats for a solo album back when the last Terra Firma album dropped. Are a lot of the beats on this record (and completed tracks) from years ago? Or was most of it completed since Music To Live By dropped?

A few of the beats are from years ago... As a producer you go through phases where you production techniques change from time to time so I’m using a bunch of beats that span around eight years of production styles... I'm trying to keep the album as varied as possible from really bad to really, really bad.

Will you be on the mic for most of this record or have you got guest MCs? If so can you tell us some of the guests?

I’m on the mic for pretty much every track plus I have some guest MCs featuring on a couple of the tracks... I’m trying to keep it pretty dark for now on who is featuring, as I’m not too sure how to spell their names.

The deal with Obese, is it a one-album deal?

It’s a two-album deal but the second album is just photos of me in various places reading books and looking debonair.

For Terra Firma fans, will this be an easy listen for them or have you made something way different to the Terra Firma vibe?

It’s going to be kinda different to what we do in Terra Firma but it shouldn't stray too far away from the sound we have. There won't be no happy hardcore, house, or grime tracks on there but the feel of the album will be different to what I have done in the past.

Can we expect singles and some teasers of the album before it’s released?

I have a couple of tracks that I have in mind for a single but they will come out closer to the release date. Might put some up as a pre-listen thing on MySpace or when people come around my house I usually lock then in my studio and rap to them ‘till they say they like it, but the MySpace thing will probably be easier.

Are there plans for another Terra Firma album?

There will be another Terra Firma album and a DJ Dyems spoken word album as well... We are just waiting for his voice to break.

For more info on Simplex head to http://www.myspace.com/simplextf

For a taste of Simplex’s skills check Terra Firma’s One Track Mind which showcases Simplex on the mic, beatbox and production.

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