Meet: Adamski and his new This is 3 Step EP

Adamski is back with a new E.P., I say back but he’s never really been away. DJing his eclectic sets around the world and working on various projects either under the classic Adamski moniker or aliases like ‘Adam Sky’. We sat down to talk to Adamski about his new E.P. and his ongoing obsession with The Waltz.

Adamski explains that he’s always had an interest in the Waltz even as far back as in his early years as a busker on the London streets playing ‘green sleeves’ to the passers-by but his real obsession with the waltz took hold after spending months at a time in Venezuela absorbing the traditional folk music. Traditional Venezuelan folk music is mostly in 3/4 time he explained “you would hear it everywhere, in the taxis, restaurants and shopping malls and I started hooking into that groove”. He started to research the origins of Waltz with trips to Italy and Budapest and armed only with a laptop and a pair of speakers as his mobile studio he would take Hungarian gypsy music and infuse it with modern beats and bass to create new 3 step “as long as it fits the fundamental steps of traditional waltz”. In 1500’s Vienna the Waltz was frowned upon and regarded as the devils music, the gentry saw it in poor taste for people to be dancing in such close proximity together, especially when it was participated in by mixed classes. As Acid house in the 1980’s was also demonised, albeit mostly by the Tabloids Adamski felt a connection with both music genres which goes in some way to explains his Neo Waltz obsession. Bringing The 3/4 time of the Waltz back into modern music Adamski feels somewhat of a ‘Dr Who’ like character travelling between the two time periods and combining them both in his music.

Adamskis Dj sets now consist purely of 3/4 tracks and if your lucky he may even take to the mic which is how the title track of the E.P ‘Last Waltz’ came about. After singing Engelbert Humperdincks classic ‘Last Walt’ at various gigs over his own beats he asked mutual friend David Mcalmont to sing the cover in the studio for the official release. The backing track for the track is dedicated to the late Frankie Knuckles and it’s intro is a nod to his classic ‘Your Love’

House Vibes a plenty on the second track on the E.P. with ‘Detonate My Love’ which is destined for the clubs with a bouncy bass heavy and catchy vocals sung by ‘Harmony’. ‘Belle of the Speedball’ sounds like classic Adamski and drops into lush string between some rhythmic synth trickery. You’d better hold on to your hats for ‘Pump up the Waltz’ with its relentless bass and emotive plucky lead will send you into a bit of a spin (Vocals by ‘Buck Dexter) and last but not least Cuckoo Blood which has Yodelling over a glockenspiel coupled with old-skool vibe, trust me, it works.

The E.P. comes as a teaser for the forthcoming (very Ltd) box set which will be 10 x 10″ Vinyl contained within a special wooden box with laser printing based on a Viennese cake box . Asked to hold back material from the box set before its release (Last Waltz and Pump up the Walz) Adamski described seeing the reaction to the songs at his gigs as frustrating and he couldn’t wait for more people to hear them “I was dying to get the music out and see the reaction”. As well as featuring some big names such as Lee “Scratch” Perry, David McAlmont, Bishi, Congo Natty, Asia Argento, Rowdy SS there are also collaborations with some fresh faces like Shanki, Betty Adewole, Eloise X, Sirena, Harmony Boucher and more. Adamski reflects “the whole thing has been a big surreal adventure” one which has seen him travel the world collaborating with numerous talented artists. Look forward to a very diverse collection encompassing many genres ans styles but all in the 3/4. Expect to be hear more from the Neo Waltz movement in the future, especially from ‘Waltz Activist’ Adamski.