Active Systems plays live with no laptop in sight: a Cirklon sequencer at the centre, four Intellijel Atlantix modules on bass duty and a 909 keeping time. After sets at Lost and Houghton and the release of The Red EP, we talk pattern-based performance, backup rigs, forced improvisation and the sorrow of a poorly played flute.
Attack: You make 99% of your music on the Cirklon. Was a hardware live set always the plan? What did you use before it, and what makes it right for you?
Active Systems: Honestly, I got my hands on a Cirklon at the perfect time. I was making most of my tracks using a pair of Minilogues, a DrumBrute Impact and a TD-3, all synced up with CV and running their own sequences internally. It was a hot mess, but I enjoyed the limitations, and decision-making was a lot different than it is now.
I also made tracks in Logic and merged them, but I knew a hardware sequencer was calling my name. I tried the BeatStep Pro, but it was janky and wouldn’t work. As soon as I saw demos and informational videos of the Cirklon, I knew for sure it was the perfect workflow for me. It has a great balance of hands-on functionality and deep capability. The UI clicked perfectly with my brain.
Your two ‘songs’ at Lost were each made up of around 100 patterns rather than composed tracks. How do you choose which patterns make the cut, and how much of the set do you improvise on the night?
Pattern selection is always trial and error. Keep what works and bin what doesn’t. The initial stage is loads of jamming with the whole setup to get used to how everything feels hooked up, then I eventually find a pocket I like.
By then, I’ve already got a few zones I can switch to and little combos of yummy basslines and chords. At some point I’ll have enough to start doing solid run-throughs, and then it’s a matter of filling holes in the set or cutting extras that aren't necessary.
With enough time to prepare I’ll have barely any space for improvisation. It’s great to be prepared, but sometimes I’m tempted to go into a set with a totally blank project. Maybe I’m out of my mind, but it could be a blast.
Are the drum loops on your 1010 your own, or found? No shame either way, just curious.
I’d say 95% of the drum loops are ones I’ve made. Making loops is heaps of fun; I’ve spent the last couple weeks recording all sorts of stuff. Playing sets has given me a much clearer idea of the sorts of loops I want to record, and doing it myself gives me far more control over the sound. My loops also seem to fit the mix much better, but maybe that’s a mental thing…
[quote align=right text="Sometimes I’m tempted by the idea of going into a set with a totally blank project. Maybe I’m out of my mind, but it seems like it’d be a blast"]
I could list a thousand influences on The Red EP, and I’ve enjoy