Bass In The Place

Tyson relocated to sunny California just over a year ago. “I'd been touring here for years, maybe three years, before I actually moved here – and the tours are always awesome,” he enthuses on his mobile. “I'd tour a lot around Europe and Asia as well, [but] my favourite shows outside of Australia were America by far. They were amazing.”

Tyson was coming to the US five times a year, and decided to economise on travel. “I was like, You know what, rather than live in Australia and tour everywhere else in the world, why don't I move to America and base myself here and tour back around the other way?” It's already benefitted his career. “It's definitely helped build my profile in America by being based here and accessible and available to play lots of my shows here and [in] Canada as well.” He's collaborated with various producers. Besides, Tyson's agency, Spin, is nearby. Opportunities beckon. “It's been incredible – there's never been a second where I regretted it, which has been great.” Tyson is something of an adventurer. He's even hit South Africa. “There's another tour on the cards for some time between July and September – we're trying to plan one at the moment.”

America's West Coast was once an epicentre for the (nu-skool) breaks scene, with which Tyson was attached early on, following Brit super-DJ Adam Freeland in the '90s. But he's long left that style behind, seguing into fidget and electro-house. “I'm actually getting back into more electro,” Tyson states. “Over the last year, I've been getting back into electro a lot. Before that, I was doing a bunch of tech-house and traditional house, I guess. So on my way back into electro now, I'm trying to incorporate a twist of that kinda tech-house flavour that I spent a few years refining before. It gives an interesting sound to the electro that I'm doing right now.” Tyson isn't immune to the big trends in EDM, either, with trap the current 'It' genre – a backlash has gotta be looming. “Like any genre, there's good tracks and there's bad tracks,” he considers. “The good ones I really like! I definitely have been influenced by some of the good ones. I like some of the sounds they use and the incorporation of the old 808s and some of the hip hop influences in there. It's cool. You can hear a little bit of it in some of my music, I think.”

Tyson began as a drummer in '90s rock band Loki, but gravitated to electronica – and DJ culture (he discovered Squarepusher and The Prodigy). The producer acquired his rep with big remixes (Joan Reyes' Shakedown) and crossover tunes ($pend My Money, featuring Stellar MC). He's issued music through elite, if unexpected, labels, such as John Acquaviva's tech-house Definitive Recordings. “The track I released on there went to number one on Beatport, too. It's called I'll Be OK. Even the B-side, called Oh Yeah, went to number eight at the same time. I'm pretty sure John would remember that release! I hope so.” The Canadian Acquaviva, who originally set up Definitive with techno pioneer Richie Hawtin, is “a super good guy”. He and his present partner Olivier Giacomotto are, Tyson divulges, “massive foodies” who enjoy serving him “gourmet” dishes and Armagnac – “which is like Cognac, but sexier”. Tyson also presides over his own Vacation Records.

Tyson's musical tastes are more diverse than ever. He's a “big time” reggae fan. The Aussie hasn't yet heard Snoop Lion's contentious reggae album Reincarnated with Major Lazer, but he approves of the former gangsta rapper's new peaceful platform. “I'm all about supporting the anti-gun movement.”

Tyson, who sang on 2012's single Make Me Forget, is industrious. He has “a whole bunch of originals and collabs” in the pipeline. There are releases like Gum with Jimi Frew on Big Fish, Less Is More on Vacation, and a new BKCA single I Want More on OneLove from Tyson and singer/songwriter (and ol' Loki member) Chris Arnott. He's lately remixed the Reecey Boy and Naylo tune Take A Look At Us Now, featuring Ron E Jones. “I got a bunch of support on that from Tommy Trash.” And Tyson may still embark on an 'artist' album. “I did one a while ago that was more like just a collection of tracks I'd been working on at the time, with a few new ones as well. But I wouldn't mind doing another one right now. It's probably not my main priority. I'm more focused on doing the singles. But I'm still open to it. I think, when the time feels right, yeah, I might do it. I wouldn't mind doing one, though, where, when I release it, you'll have never heard any of the songs – like they'll all be completely unreleased ones. So I'm just having more of a think about it. I'll release singles in the meantime. When I think of the right kinda concept and vibe for it, I'll do it then.”

Ironically, the canny Tyson only DJs in LA bimonthly. “I try not to play too often,” he says. “I try to make every time I play a special event.” He's just launched his own party, Klephtomania, named after his iTunes podcast series, at the Hollywood venue Playhouse. “It's a great massive big club,” he raves. They had a full 'crime theme' with costumes, showers of fake money, and “all ridiculous shit”. Klephtomania will happen quarterly. Tyson likewise plays the pre-EDM era superclub Avalon plus the “underground” Sound (which nevertheless has “a bottle service VIP vibe”).

Tyson is amped to return to Australia with his dynamic semi-live DJ set (he harnesses Native Instruments' Maschine groove box). He'll air that new music in addition to “some special bootlegs, remixes, and tracks from my other producer buddies” and “kinda mash the whole thing together into a whole bunch of craziness – a whole bunch of Klephtomania”.

“I'm really excited to do this tour – I can't wait,” Tyson extols. “I'm really looking forward to flying over to Australia and catching up with everybody I haven't seen. It's been a year since I played back there. I'm stoked to come back, and I'm gonna get to almost all the major towns around Australia. So, hopefully, I see everybody and we all get to party together and catch up and I'll play a bunch of music and just have some good times.”