Tech Support: The ‘Shine A Light On’ Mix

His work rate as a producer has been on the up over the last few years. If he’s not sharing his solo work, which has formed releases for Nocturne, Together Alone, Futureboogie, Silver Bear and, most recently Ano Ano, he’s crafting his own self-released edits and reworks of legendary new beat, new wave and Italo Disco tracks like ‘Burning Down The House’, ‘Je Suis Passee’ and ‘Drop The Deal’. Lately he’s been making music under another alias, Asa Tate, with a track penned for this year’s Rhythm Section SHOUTS compilation.

For his Shine A Light On mix, he dives into the sounds we’ve come to know him for: there’s revving Italo, hypnotic Goa, groovy acid not acid and dusty progressive trance. Dig in…

Please introduce yourself… Who are you, where are you and what are you

Hey, I’m Ned, currently residing in Bow, East London, making and doing music things as Tech Support and now also Asa Tate.

What does your music sound like? Can you draw what you think it sounds like for us (an image from the old internet is acceptable)?

Where was the mix recorded?

Recorded in Mile End at Demi Requisimo’s studio aka Semi Delicious HQ – which I have the fortune of using on the odd evening every now and again!

What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?

I don’t know if it would be enjoyable but I think on a modestly sized boat in a big storm in the middle of the sea would be the right level of discomfort to make the tunes sound fitting – they’re not super weird or anything but it would definitely be an interesting spectacle wouldn’t it.

What should we be wearing?

Something you’d be embarrassed to wear on the bus but which still makes you feel oddly superior to everyone else onboard.

What would be your dream setting to record a mix: Location/system/format?

Somewhere with windows would be ideal, running water would be a plus. My previous place didn’t have either but I’d like to think I’m a little more civilised these days.

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

Rambal Cochet – Pure Inspiration. I’ve been having a bit of a Goa phase this month and I had no clue he was also Volta Cab who I love, admittedly never heard of this other alias until I went on a chuggy proggy goa hunt a few weeks ago – this tune is just a menace. It sounds like what our lizard overlords would have played deep underground in the 90s.

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

Clandestino 114 – A Love From Outer Space. I don’t know if I have a favourite but I do listen to this at least once a week which is definitely more than any of the other drivel I stick on at home. Just a total ode to chuggers…

If you could go back to back with any DJ from throughout history, who would it be and why?

Weatherall in the Deanne Day era, just next level – I can’t think of a more natural choice for what I like playing at the moment and he was a total hero that I’m always gonna be heavily influenced by!

What was your first DJ set up at home and what is it now?

I started with tiny Hercules DJ controller I bought for 20 quid at Brighton train station and a cheap Asus laptop. Thankfully I’ve now got a pair of 1210s, shitty Pioneer DJM-350 mixer and stone age CDJ400s – call me a tight arse but they do the job.

What’s more important, the track you start on or the track you end on?

The last – you can’t play something truly mind boggling for the first track, because what the hell would you play after that? That sets a dangerous precedent for what you’re going to play next, leading to just a boring banger-thon devoid of the good groovy dance floor fillers. I don’t like to end on bangers, bangers are boring – the closer should be something dripping in confusing melancholy feelings that make you sort of sad and really good at the same time. If I did that on the first tune it would just feel like a Netflix coming of age teen movie.

What were the first and last records you bought?

I can’t remember the first but it was a bundle of DnB 12″s that I’ve since lost. On the other hand I bought some nice bits in Jelly Records yesterday including the rather well known 2 Unlimited – ‘Get Ready For This’ for 3 quid which had a surprisingly nice and very overlooked house groover ‘Pacific Walk’ on the B-side – that’s definitely gonna be a staple for warm ups, out to Kev for the tip!

If this mix was an edible thing, what would it taste like?

Greggs sausage bean n cheese melt that’s gone a bit cold

If it was an animal what would it be?

An agressive sloth

One record in your collection that is impossible to mix into anything?

Projective Vision – Apocalypse. It’s just too massive and the track is too big too fit into the mix, can never seem to mix into it without it sounding underwhelming or mix out without it sounding anticlimactic..

Upcoming in the world of …

I’ve got another Asa Tate tune coming out in November on this year’s Rhythm Section Shouts comp, a Tech Support tune on the next Driving Blind comp for Les Yeux Orange, oh and remixes for Semi Delicious and Ulla Records, so not a bad end to 2022!

Anything else we need to discuss?

That’ll do I think, ty!

Tracklist
Spectral – Moonstone (Antoine Edit)
Rotciv – Tokyo Bay
Anatolian Weapons – Voyage Of Ulysses
Lerosa – Apollo
Bunzinelli – Nova
Undefined Pattern – Slightly Open Eyes
Tech Supprot – Writers Block
BF Treatment – Statement
Ambien Baby – Engendrx
Tech Support – Feelings Electric
The Hacker – Jalousy
Alberto Melloni – Blonde (Tech Support Remix)
Match Box – Quantum Transients
Rambal Cochet – Pure Inspiration
New Composers – Spitnik Of Life
Black Light Smoke – Brain Dead
Past Futura – Jungle Belly
Rossy De Palma ft. Max Skiba – La Dominatrix (Fabrizio Mammarella Remix)
Naranja – Lucile

Feelings is out now.