BIGSOUND Artist Profile: Urtekk

Member/Role: Ben Smith/Drums 

Hometown: Adelaide

Short description of your band and your music: We're an electronic band with a mainstay focus positioned at the dancefloor. Think techno played with traditional instruments not just machines.

Has the party side of the music industry been all you were hoping for so far in your career? Sure, however there's way more 'work' involved than party. Although when we do get time to party we definitely make up for it! 

What is the best thing that's happened to you/your band so far? Being invited to play at Rainbow Serpent, WOMADelaide and Wide Open Space festivals — seeing new faces and big crowds get down to what we do is a highlight for sure.

Are your ambitions mainly artistic or commercial? It'd be fair to say that a healthy dose of both keep us sane and economically viable.

Is your music best rendered in the studio or the live realm? Live, without a doubt, we're a party band. It's dance music, so with a dancefloor and the crowd's energy we can't help but feed off it and explore other worlds. 

If you could have any act past or present join you on your next tour who would you tap? Caribou, Holy Fuck, Floating Points, Battles, PVT, Ricardo Villalobos, Rocketnumbernine, Four Tet, Nicolas Jaar — I could keep going.

What industry lessons would you like to take away from the BIGSOUND conference? I don't know yet, maybe hit me back after BIGSOUND and I can tell you in retrospect.

What acts are you looking forward to checking out at the BIGSOUND showcase? I was just sent this band the other day, Slum Sociable — they seem really cool. Also other Adelaide peeps include guru Timberwolf, Grenadiers, Horror My Friend, Skies, Jesse Davidson and K21. They're all killing it. 

Why should people come and see you from amongst the many cool bands at BIGSOUND? There's free beer at the venue (I don't know that for sure). We'll give you a beer.