In Conversation With… Helium Robots
El Puto Guiri first met the mysterious Helium Robots in 2003, whilst sharing a house in West Ealing (London), an experience as close to a bacchanalian carnival of sin as you will ever find off Uxbridge Road. Amidst the horseplay I was also introduced to some astonishing records at seminal parties he DJed at such as The Dogstar in Brixton and Harmonica at AKA (upstairs at The End) which not only reshaped but redefined how I heard music, encompassing everything from Max Sedgley to A Hundred Birds via Minnie Riperton and New Order. Thereafter, Helium Robots moved into production and he has kindly agreed to chat to us about his current projects.
Hello Helium Robots, tell us about Helium Robots! Where are you at? Where are you heading? When are you recharging?
Ha! Hello indeed. Helium Robots was a name I made up so I could try and release music without using my own one. They were created when I found out my very first record was coming out on Andy Blake's Dissident label. I think my favourite name on that label was The Tommy Walker 3. Sounds like something John Shuttleworth might be part of if he grew up with acid house. Nowadays I'm shoehorning music in between helping my two boys with homework and driving them around, which in turn is shoehorned between my own job. I have a lot in my shoes. Recharging ports are located on the couch and in bed.
You have new music out. I heard some recently on Mr Beatnik's NTS radio show. Is this a new project or have I completely slept on it?
Yeah, I have a new EP on a fledgling label from Germany called Unsure. I've been working with them since late last year and really enjoyed creating some music for them. The new Helium Robots EP is called Miniatures, which is the first release. The guys who run it are really enthusiastic and great to work with. They had a previous label but wanted to relaunch with some new ideas. They gave me a bit of licence to experiment, which was fun, so there's a little sprinkling of sounds from a softsynth from Psychic Modulation which has a real Boards Of Canada tone to it. I'm releasing it as Helium Robots. My output is the opposite of prolific so at least keeping the same name gives the releases a connection across the vast expanses of time.
Are you working with anyone atm?
It's just me at the moment. But Helium Robots is plural so you never know.
Who/What inspires your music now? How did you originally get into all this?
I think for anyone who really loves music the search and discovery part is the best bit. I loved spending ages in the record shops in and around Soho, like Fat Cat and Vinyl Junkies. It was a real shock when Fat Cat closed down. I suppose Helium Robots vaguely have a type of sound, but my own listening goes everywhere. I'm enjoying the rediscovery of Cymande's self-titled first album. I think you can feel they're a UK band, even though the rhythms transport you to a tropical beach somewhere. The brass adds the kick amongst the hypnotic dubbiness. Charlie Megira is great too. David Holmes was talking about him on the radio the other day and that set me off on that trail. I started by djing which was loads of fun. Then along came all the music software. I remember the first time trying Cubase without knowing anything about it and all we could get was the click track and that took ages.
Do you envisage Helium Robots being upstaged by artificially intelligent robots?
Yeah, it's all a bit of a headspin. It feels like you won't know what's going to happen until it's happened. So far the music I've heard created solely by Al isn't so good, but I haven't been digging around too much. My guess, and it is just a guess really, is the better stuff will end up being made with humans having some input so it'll probably be humans that like music and want to learn how to use Al to help create something that'll move things forward. Hopefully not into the abyss.
Does the wider prospect of Al robots replacing overpaid, undertalented, egomaniac superstar DJs fill your heart with dread or joy?
Happy for Al to replace Paris Hilton as a DJ.
Helium Robots has new music out which can be purchased at PHONICA RECORDS and heard across the socials, including this excellent MIX he recently put together.