More often than not, producers and DJ’s are overlooked when it comes to HipHop. They are the unsung heroes operating not-so quietly amidst a sea of spaghetti and LED’s to provide us with the soundscapes that keep our heads nodding like zombies for hours on end, so when we heard Lamplighter had a new instrumental album dropping, we decided to catch up with the man behind the music and shed some light on the situation.

1- Just to kick things off for those who don’t know you. Tell us who you are, where you’re from and chosen craft?

I’m Robin Legge aka Lamplighter. I’m a future-present hip hop producer from the North East of Scotland, who claims affiliation to the Orkney Isles. I now live in Glasgow.

2- How long have you been producing for and how did you start?

I have been producing for over 20 yrs, although often sporadically. I started out trying to imitate the jungle records I was buying as a teenager using tracking software and an old computer. Then I moved on to producing hip hop and bought my first MPC2000.

3- Who were you’re early influences in music and life itself?

Early influences in music included The Beastie Boys, Dj Krush and Rufige Cru. Music helped me see life through a different prism when I was young, and I’m thankful for that. In life I went to a school which had a really negative ethos, so growing up for me was more about rebelling against older people rather than emulating them, which I think is a little sad as obviously it’s a really positive thing when young people have good role models.

4- The Scottish HipHop community is notorious for being an island in itself so how the hell did you end up working with Edward Scissortongue and High Focus?

In a word, MySpace. Ed and I loved what each other were posting on the site and gradually, organically, we ended up working on our first record together - Better Luck Next Life.

5- Is this your first solo project of have there been others before HF?

There have been a ton of unreleased solo projects in the past. I would say this is my first solo album to have a proper release, although I put out an LP called “All is Vanity” back in 2010 and released my ‘The Senses’ EP on KMJ45 Records in 2013.

6- Ashlar Ghosts. Where does the name come from and what was the driving force behind the project?

Ashlar is a type of sandstone which was quarried from sites around Glasgow in the 1800s. I live in a building (where I produced the record) which is constructed from ashlar, and I loved the idea that the stones carry the memory of people who have lived in this building. This is not necessarily meant to be interpreted literally, but why not - ghosts helped me make this record.

7- Life on lockdown. Has it helped or hindered the project?

I produced this record before 2020. The vibe of the record mainly comes from how I was feeling about the world at the time. I’m talking about how late capitalism has made a lot of people so confused that they can’t find a way to enjoy their lives. Of course 2020 has made life harder for a lot of people, but I can’t say I’m unhappy to have seen elements of the system coming apart at the seams during this year. We’re supposed to believe free market capitalism is the natural order of things, but it can fall apart in weeks. Being a self-serving wanker is not the natural order of things, community is.

8- It’s a very bespoke sound you’ve created. As a fellow producer, I found myself asking how that sound was created? Hardware, software or blend of both?

Hardware mainly. I got into using hardware synths a lot, mostly analogue but some digital. I’ve really enjoyed learning how to set up chains of synths and hardware sequencers, building melodies from scratch. On every song on this album, melodies were the first piece of the puzzle. I want to do something different now on my next record though. I feel like I’m getting more open about trying new things and accepting advice from others.

9- What other equipment has found a home in the studio? What technology is bringing your ideas into this plane of existence?

A very long time ago, I thought that instrumental music could not be “about” something, that it couldn’t carry a concept or contain information. It’s now clear to me that is untrue. So, like a lot of artists, I’m trying to translate how I feel about the world into sound - and in the process representing experiences I’ve had. It’s very hard not to imagine lived experience as a linear track moving forward. I love the way basic hardware step-sequencers break down this process, and I’ve been using a KORG SQ-1 a lot. In the world of sound, I like to imagine chords as our experiences as we move along the (apparently) linear timeline. I’m always looking for new pieces of hardware that help me explore different ways of structuring chord sequences to help build these sort of components in any piece of music. So yeah, in that sense I see my music as a representation of my experience in this plane of existence.

10- Talking about that alchemy between worlds. Every track seems to takes you on a journey through different levels of an almost dream state. Was this intentional?

I love that this question has forced me to analyse what I have done a bit more. But, no, that was not my intention. Yesterday I was talking to someone about the dreams I have, and I often have dreams where I find a secret door that leads to another, hidden, place. The hidden place is always better than the surface.

11- Is there a process that helps get you in the zone? Do you allocate time to it or find it just happens and you react accordingly?

There are only two things that can get me to make music. Self-imposed routine, and the rare occasion where I am so inspired by a piece of music that I feel like I HAVE to create something. In terms of routine, I find it very helpful to have an allotted time every day where I try to make music. If I don’t create a routine, my work ethic really falls off. I sometimes spend months on end making no music at all.

12- So what’s next on the horizon for Lamplighter. What you sitting on that you’re able to share with us?

I’ve got another album slated for release this year, so look out for that. Other than that, I’m working on a new record which I think will sound very different to Ashlar Ghosts and my previous work.

13- And lastly, standard procedure...any final shout outs?

Shout outs to those who have helped me with various things at the post-production stage of this record, including feedback and support. I want to give huge thanks to Alec Cheer, Ed Scissor, and Chemo/Telemachus.

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