Inperspective Records

Inperspective Records was formed back in 1997 but last year only fulfilled release number two in their schedule. A slow start you may be thinking? But if you cast your mind back to the year in question you might remember the booming tech-step scene headed by the likes of Virus, Prototype and No U-Turn. The establishing of a new forward thinking label harnessing the more musical and atmospheric strain of drum and bass would not be in Chris Walton's favour as meetings with distribution companies would prove. Not one to give up a fight Chris re-launched Inperspective Records in the autumn of last year.

Learning a classical instrument such as the violin and taking music exams at school was the familiar start for a future music producer and record label boss like Chris. So was tuning into pirate radio stations like Weekend Rush and Kool to catch the first taste of hardcore at a friend's house. Experimenting with Amiga and software called Optimate resulted in the first trial tunes. Having parents from Grenada who listened to calypso, rhythm and blues and a big sister who collected a lot of popular eighties music meant exposure to a whole amalgamation of different music.

"I started the label in '97 because I was just a bit pissed off with not hearing what I really wanted to hear. There was like 'Gangster' and all of them tunes, I wasn't really in any of that, but was always on the Source Direct, Photek, Crystal stuff, anything on Certificate 18, Good Looking, Reinforced, Moving Shadow and Metalheadz. All that was wicked but it still wasn't enough for me, I just wanted to add my little two bobs worth and that's where the label was born really. It was really very painful, you know, the money, the time and effort and no-one really wanted to listen to what we had to say".

So putting the label on hold for the last four years was the only option for Chris. During this time he kept involved with the music by going out, helping to run a pirate radio station called Pure Vision from a place he used to stay and got involved in helping with promotion here and there. The closing of Section 5 in 2000 upset Chris and made him even more determined to re-start his imprint. Whilst on the internet he would frequently visit the Good Looking site, browse the guestbook and leave messages asking if any promoters would be interested in hiring him as a DJ. Communicating with someone else who was in the process of setting up a label led to the meeting with James Clements (ASC) and further artists.

It seemed a natural move to get the label going again after meeting all these talented artists. Also since Inperspective's second release last year Chris has started a new night called Technicality, a first wednesday of the month affair that is held at an intimate but stylish venue called Herbal in Shoreditch, East London.

"Technicality is just a progression from the label because we just want to be able to play what we want to hear and in our instance it is so niche because you only have Logical Progression that serves that style of music. I thought 'let's do a mid-week alternative but maybe with more emphasis on breaks'. I still like Reinforced, Paradox, Photek, Source Direct, even guys like Square Pusher and Aphex Twin. Those are the guys that still make me want to hear beats you know what I mean?

As good as the musicality was within drum and bass there still wasn't enough beats. It's all very well having a nice tune but if it's not going to make you dance then it's just lounge music, you may as well play it in elevators! So the emphasis with Inperspective is certainly on the beats, like the catchphrase, it's all about the beats. You can make the nicest strings or chords in the world but it's a bit more difficult to do what the likes of Paradox, Equinox, Senses, Blame or Blu Mar Ten do. There's a bit more to it than just banging out a two step beat. I would like to see things get back to how they were in the day, you know, let's have some diversity again. That's really what Inperspective is about ingenuity, diversity and TECHNICALITY!"

Chris praises a lot of artists for pushing the atmospheric scene forward and sticking to their guns. Paradox is repeteadly mentioned, as is Seba, Blame, Blu Mar Ten, PHD, Pariah, Intense, not forgetting the before mentioned artists and record labels. During the course of the interview it is clear that Chris is feeling frustrated at the associations and comparisons that have made between Inperspective and Good Looking. Chris says that without Bukem and the GL organistion Inperspective would have not been possible but states in no uncertain terms that he is heading down a different route and if you listen to any forthcoming releases you can see what he means.

As said earlier Chris has ventured into producing but he comes across as a bit of a perfectionist and never feels 100% satisfied with his craft despite the fact that DJ friends have been cutting these same tunes. As well as forthcoming releases by Pariah, ASC, Equinox, Ochre, Senses and Multistage Chris is just in the process of recruiting Bassbin artist Polska from Ireland. A lover of all different types of music and wishing to reflect that 'Spiritual Network' will be set up later this year and act as a sister label to Inperspective catering for some smoother d'n'b, house, experimental grooves and as Chris says "anything that is not conventional but at the same time still viable for a release". Chris hopes to line up some personal material for this label as well as welcome in Pivotal Entertainment's Acrylic for a start.

Inperspective Records are the latest artists to be endorsed by Aerosoul Clothing along with Acrylic, Black L.I.B, Fredi Kruga, Paradox, Rareform and Rodney P. Blame and Paradox have both made return visits to Technicality in February and March, in forthcoming months you can catch: Trixta's Nu Directions LP launch (april), Intense (may) and Seba (june). Meanwhile upstairs you can catch a mixture of house, hip hop and breaks with Tim AM from Groovetech and special guests to come include DIY Digs and Woosh. Don't forget these nights are on the first Wednesday of each month at Herbal in Shoreditch.

You can contact Chris through www.inperspectiverecords.co.uk, he is especially interested in hearing from any promoters wanting to push the Inperspective sound. Shouts go out to Cadence Recordings, Heath from Warm Communications plus the whole of the AIM family.