"When I make music for the club, I feel like I can do it with my eyes closed," said Alan Fitzpatrick in an exclusive interview with worldmusic.blog. "I do this so often – it goes without saying for me."
Since his appearance on the techno scene more than a decade ago, Fitzpatrick has amassed an impressive musical canon, from the smash hit “We Do What We Want” to a remix of Shannon's 1983 electro-funk record “Let The Music Play”. Just last year the Brit released a whopping 24 – yes, 24 – original tracks, including two EPs with his under-the-radar electronica alias 3STRANGE.
But in 2019, Fitzpatrick decided it was time for him to try something new and step out of his creative comfort zone to release his first album since 2010. And Machine Therapy, now via Anjunadeep, was born.
Completed during the pandemic, Machine Therapy is a 12-track cinematic journey heavily inspired by classic ensembles, futuristic sounds, and the mixed feelings of lockdown. The album's name derives from Fitzpatrick's hardware-heavy approach to his rich, orchestral soundscapes.
“The machine is the hardware to put music together and the therapeutic benefits of writing music at a time when we weren't sure what was happening,” he said. "It was nice to convey this power of sound only with what I have on my fingertips."
In addition to the conscious integration of emotions, the format of Machine Therapy also differs significantly from the EPs from Fitzpatrick's past. Instead of pouring in ideas from every corner of his archive, the artist composed each track from scratch to keep this specific project in mind. It's a concept piece, he noted, and is meant to be experienced from start to finish in one session.
"One [track] is nothing without the other," said Fitzpatrick. "While it isn't, this feels like my debut album – my first real cohesive music project that works in conjunction with itself."
With its tracklist reorganized and rearranged "about a million times", the final arrangement of Machine Therapy sprinkles references to the British '90s rave scene of Fitzpatrick's youth between techno, house and ambient synths. Songs like the album opener “Berlin Morning Calm”, an incredibly thoughtful instrumental, and “The Sweeper”, a dark and dirty rave track, sway gently between moods and sound structures.
Then there's “Something Wonderful,” which juxtaposes breakneck drum lines with a heartbeat bass line and ethereal vocal chops. Inspired by early drum-and-bass and jungle music, synths fan out like waves under an audio sample from British electronics pioneer Goldie.
Machine Therapy also features a number of high profile collaborations with artists such as Kele from British band Bloc Party; Drums & Bass Main Supports High Contrast; and LOWES, previously tapped by the likes of CamelPhat, OTR, and Franky Wah. Lawrence Hart can be seen in both “Closing In” and “Warning Signs”, the latter being referred to by Fitzpatrick as a “goosebumps track”. It pairs a four-on-the-floor beat with distorted techno tones and Hart's muffled vocals that emerge as if coming underwater.
“It's been so long since I made an album and it could be 10 years before I do another. So I thought, 'Let's just get started. When we want to do something special, we make it special by working with people you don't get the chance to see often, ’" said Fitzpatrick of his selection of employees. "I really respect these people … in a way, a dream comes true."
“I think there is a lot of music that could possibly be my best work on this album. I think that was because I pushed myself to do something different. "
Dan Reid
Putting it all together is the "Unite" project, which is based on the audio of Charlie Chaplin's last speech from his 1940 film "The Great Dictator". Fitzpatrick hoped this would round out an overall message of "people unite and hope," he noted. “You, the people, have the power – the power to create machines. The power to create happiness. You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure, ”Chaplin urges over heavenly chords and another bass heartbeat.
Fitzpatrick hoped this example would round out an overall message of "people who unite and hope" in the face of adversity, he noted.
“There was a lot going on while the album was being made. It was certainly a time when none of us as humans had ever gone through anything like this, ”said Fitzpatrick. "Hopefully the people who hear it can relate to the difficult emotional experiences we all had during the pandemic."
With the worst of COVID-19 seemingly behind us, Fitzpatrick is now looking to the future and preparing to release a track every month in 2022. While Machine Therapy was built out of his "blood, sweat, and tears", it belongs to the people now, and he is ready to begin a new chapter in hard techno club music.
First up is "Flashing Lights" with British newcomer Bklava. “She's a great DJ, great producer, and great singer,” Fitzpatrick said. It will appear on its We Are The Brave banner on December 10th and will follow a Machine Therapy remix package with reinterpretations by "really cool artists," he said.
“If people thought I was going to take a six month break from production after the album, they'd be in shock. There's so much music to come, ”suggested Fitzpatrick. "I have a new energy to perform again and I look forward to meeting fans again and making music around the world."
FOLLOW ALAN FITZPATRICK:
Facebook: facebook.com/officialalanfitzpatrick
Twitter: twitter.com/alanfitzpatrick
Instagram: instagram.com/alanfitzpatrick
Spotify: spoti.fi/32Oqsa3
