Since debuting in 2012, Seattle artist Andre Delgado (a.k.a. Homemade Weapons) has been leading the charge in pushing drum & bass forward in exciting new ways. His tracks are volatile and fierce, and stripped back to the key elements that make dancefloors move: drums and bass. By perfecting the genre’s obvious ingredients, Delgado has infused his music with ferocious intent and a freewheeling attitude to rhythm. Via early releases on Citrus recordings and Samurai Music, Delgado’s moody rapid-fire style started to turn heads in the scene and the wider electronic landscape; and by the time his debut album, Negative Space, dropped, everyone was hooked. A string of EPs followed last year on Samurai, Dispatch Recordings, and his own Weaponry imprint, further cementing his name as one of drum & bass’ most exciting producers.

Delgado’s DJ sets, too, are powerful and exhilarating. His minimalistic approach to music allows for dynamic blends and interlocking rhythms; and this side of his craft is on display on our latest podcast, a lively 70-minute mix of essential drum & bass.

Your debut LP, Negative Space, made quite a splash last year—did you think it was going to be so well-received?

No—as a producer and DJ, there’s a fine line between making what you think people want to hear and being true to yourself and doing you. My goal was to make some music that I would enjoy playing out, and that I would be able tolerate listening to a few years later. That aside, I’m incredibly pleased with the response and grateful for all of the support I’ve received for the LP.

How long had you been working on the album?

I kept writing after the Clarion Call EP. Some of those ideas evolved to make the final cut, but many did not. Overall, the process took most of February through July of 2016.

Outside of the album, how was 2017 for you?

I took some time off after the LP but eventually got back into the swing of things and put together the Heiress EP. I also did some traveling, played a few shows, and tied up some older projects.

What have you been up to recently?

Not resting enough. Aside from my own productions, I have several collaborative efforts and new names I’m working closely with that you’ll start to see more of later this year.

You’ve been recognized as leading the charge in new strains of drum & bass—where do you see the genre heading?

That’s quite a statement! I had not heard that one, but thank you. The foundation has been there for decades now just like rock, rap, punk, etc. I think it will continue to redefine itself with new sub genres. There’s an audience for everything, and if there’s not yet, there will be.

When and where was the mix recorded?

Last Sunday in my home studio.

On what equipment did you record the mix?

For this recording, I primarily used Traktor and also Logic for some post editing.

Was there a particular idea you were looking to convey?

Not really. I aimed to put a recording together that I’ll enjoy listening to down the road if it shuffles on.

How did you select the records you wanted to include?

Carefully. I always put a lot of time into planning my studio recordings. I think the flow and transitions are just as important as the tunes themselves. This recording consists of unreleased material from Weaponry, Samurai, and a few others.

What else do you have coming up this year?

At the moment, I’m finishing some new music with The Untouchables, Last Life, and Torn. I’m wrapping up some other projects with fresh talents to the Weaponry roster that will be unveiled in the coming months. Pretty excited about that.

Thanks for the opportunity.

Tracklisting

01. Ghost Warrior “Untitled” (n/a)
02. Homemade Weapons & Last Life “First Clip” (n/a)
03. Rainforest & Joakuim “Entheogenic” (n/a)
04. The Untouchables “Terrigen Mist” (samurai)
05. Shiken Hanzo “Courage” (hojo)
06. Brusten & Dyl “Stuck On You” (context)
07. Homemade Weapons “Nabilone” (samurai)
08. ? “Hollower” (weaponry)
09. Homemade Weapons & Red Army “Primary” (weaponry)
10. The Untouchables “Silence Your Ego” (samurai)
11. ?? “Phenomera VIP” (n/a)
12. Homemade Weapons & Red Army “Unavailable” (weaponry)
13. Torana “?” (weaponry)
14. ??? “Shamanism” (n/a)
15. Homemade Weapons & Torn “Specter” (samurai)
16. ???? “Acrid” (weaponry)
17. Es.tereo “Untitled” (TBA)
18. Homemade Weapons “Heiress VIP” (n/a)
19. Amit “Form & Dictate” (31)
20. ????? “Omen” (n/a)
21. Alex SLK & Underspawn “The Duel” (n/a)
22. Homemade Weapons “Ironhide” (n/a)
23. Ilk “The Heather” (warm)
24. Homemade Weapons & The Untouchables “‘Riddle” (weaponry)
25. Parallel & Relapse “Underthink” (n/a)
26. ?????? “Species Without Light” (weaponry)