Chronical Deep

Interview

Chronical Deep is a versatile music producer a co-founder Of WayUpMusic. He’s worked with the likes of Wolta, KingTouch, House Victims, Tahir Jones, Tee-R Da Vocalist, Ed-Ward and others and featured on a list of quality labels including the influential Stay True Sounds. As a rising star of South African house music I managed to get some time with the man himself for a chat and for him to drop an exclusive guest mix.

Great to be able to chat Chronical Deep - do you want to kick off with giving people an idea of how you first got into music?

I started my music career back in 2007 at a friend’s place where I first saw a DAW called FruityLoops version 7 and started experimenting with it till I figured out everything about the DAW. Then I would make my own music and play them on my way to school and let my friends listen to it. I could say my career and love for music started as an experiment, then later became my passion.

What or who were your biggest influences back then? DJ’s, people, labels?

This one is interesting because growing up I was a dancer and would travel a lot, and I would follow people to dance battles in different provinces and I would hear different taste of music every day. At the time it was the era of Oskido’s Church Grooves, Dj fresh 12 Definition of house, Durban Finest V3 (Manoo - Agoe to be specific) and labels such as Soul Candy, Sheer House, House Afrika records. Those days the music mentioned above influenced me to be who I am today.

Do you see yourself as a producer or DJ more than the other?

Both because I see myself as a producer more because I become a whole person on another dimension in space discovering the new me and being a DJ helps me explore more, meet new people and get out of my comfort zone and be who I am meant to be.

Why is deep house so big in South Africa, what makes it so popular there?

All I could say is Deep House in South Africa is our pulse it is more than just music, it connects us and makes us one.

The scene seems to be growing and bringing so many new creative talents right now - what’s behind such success?

South African Creatives are talented and the feeling they bring for the is what has been missing for so long. Many of them have familiarized themselves with the digital world and now the world can listen to them everywhere.

How has the lockdown been for you? Have you managed to keep connected to other music people and the fans?

Lockdown caught me let me say it caught everyone by surprise. The last time I worked it was in October 2019 to February 2020. I was beginning to pick up where I left of and March was the release of my EP with Stay True Sounds, this was the month Lockdown started. Together with my team was in a vision of starting a touring of the EP Nothing Is Impossible. We were unable to continue with it because it was the beginning of the pandemic. I have recorded few live acts for my fans and will be aired soon.

What are your top tips for people wanting to get into the music business in South Africa?

The environment we live in is very tight and it can only be opened up by your drive, talent, motivation and word of mouth. Know what you want and go get it.

What’s your usual preparation for a set? Picks tracks, sleep…?

I am the type that preps a day before the set, why? Because I want to be in the middle of the event and still feel like I did not prepare for my set.

Favourite places to DJ?

Deep Sat (Cape Town)

Centurion Shisanyama (Centurion)

Neighbourhood shisanyama (Richards Bay)

Kwa Max (KZN, uMlazi)

Sabatho Shisanyama (Limpopo)

How did you get into producing music from DJ’ing initially?

I had a friend back in Kwazulu Natal and together we formed a group call Sonz of Soul back then I did not know how to DJ my main focus was on producing music. In 2010 the friend went behind my back and released all my music under his name that way I finally learned DJ’ing so that way people don’t go behind my back.

Do you have a work routine for producing or just wait for an idea to come?

I meditate a lot. I listen to different music so that I could get inspired, watch a lot of tutorials on how to make my own preset. Lockdown brought back a lot of inspiration and since now I hardly attend classes I’ve spent my time making music, finishing off 2019 project and 2021 projects.

What does your usual production set up consist of?

Headphone, Computer, Studio monitor, Soundcard, Moog synthesizer and Midi Keyboard.

What releases are the standouts for you personally?

Yo a lot man, I think Fauna, my 2019 release before Nothing Is Impossible release. I did the track that is part of the ep back in 2016 and named it Neo because it reminded me of my late friend who left without saying goodbye. I can really say it travelled and made a lot of people happy and introduced me to a lot of corporate work, new life changes and new people.

You’ve collaborated with some great names, which have been the most memorable and any stories to tell from them?

Tahir Jones. Tahir Jones and I met through Wolta and together we did a track called Love Therapy which was released in 2018 and which is still a lovable song till today. The most memorable day about Love Therapy it was on a day of a video shoot of my friend Syler Griffith’s “Slow Jam 45” along the way a friend of Syler played a song on a mix tape asking me if I knew the song who it belonged to. When I told him who it belonged to they celebrated as if I won a Grammy award and till today we are still friends.

How do you choose one record label over another or does it just happen to be right track, right time, right label?

I have a list of labels and their entire catalog, that way I create the 10 track for the specific label.

What’s been the highlights of your career so far?

2019 I was nominated for the best remix of the year at the Dance Music Awards South Africa. The first South African artist to release under Blur Records Angola 2019. 2020 released under Stay True Sounds which is own by Kid Fonque which later on I got invited to be a guest on a show called Selective Styles on a radio show 5 fm. Performed a set on DJmix live on 1 KZN TV which now they have my track called Neo taken from the release Fauna EP as their background theme song.

If you could work with any producer in the world, who would it be?

Chymamusique, Bonobo and Jimpster.

What labels are you looking out for right now - tracks you’re playing and loving - especially from SA?

Candid Beings Records, Stay True Sounds.

What does your average week look like balancing all your work stuff?

These days I try to finish 3 songs a week as I am working on my next project for project. I wake up 6:00 am every day, help my mum to prepare for work. I clean the house the go back to making music.

What keeps you going, pushing the music, promoting, DJ’ing…?

The people man, each and every day I get a text or inbox from my fans wishing me well in my career. This shows that I am bringing change into my people.

What is on the cards for the rest of 2020?

The rest of this year my focus has been on paper work securing for the next 10 years and releasing another project introducing the next 2021 projects.

Where can people follow you?

Facebook

Instagram

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Chronical Deep

Interview

Chronical Deep is a versatile music producer a co-founder Of WayUpMusic. He’s worked with the likes of Wolta, KingTouch, House Victims, Tahir Jones, Tee-R Da Vocalist, Ed-Ward and others and featured on a list of quality labels including the influential Stay True Sounds. As a rising star of South African house music I managed to get some time with the man himself for a chat and for him to drop an exclusive guest mix.

Great to be able to chat Chronical Deep - do you want to kick off with giving people an idea of how you first got into music?

I started my music career back in 2007 at a friend’s place where I first saw a DAW called FruityLoops version 7 and started experimenting with it till I figured out everything about the DAW. Then I would make my own music and play them on my way to school and let my friends listen to it. I could say my career and love for music started as an experiment, then later became my passion.

What or who were your biggest influences back then? DJ’s, people, labels?

This one is interesting because growing up I was a dancer and would travel a lot, and I would follow people to dance battles in different provinces and I would hear different taste of music every day. At the time it was the era of Oskido’s Church Grooves, Dj fresh 12 Definition of house, Durban Finest V3 (Manoo - Agoe to be specific) and labels such as Soul Candy, Sheer House, House Afrika records. Those days the music mentioned above influenced me to be who I am today.

Do you see yourself as a producer or DJ more than the other?

Both because I see myself as a producer more because I become a whole person on another dimension in space discovering the new me and being a DJ helps me explore more, meet new people and get out of my comfort zone and be who I am meant to be.

Why is deep house so big in South Africa, what makes it so popular there?

All I could say is Deep House in South Africa is our pulse it is more than just music, it connects us and makes us one.

The scene seems to be growing and bringing so many new creative talents right now - what’s behind such success?

South African Creatives are talented and the feeling they bring for the is what has been missing for so long. Many of them have familiarized themselves with the digital world and now the world can listen to them everywhere.

How has the lockdown been for you? Have you managed to keep connected to other music people and the fans?

Lockdown caught me let me say it caught everyone by surprise. The last time I worked it was in October 2019 to February 2020. I was beginning to pick up where I left of and March was the release of my EP with Stay True Sounds, this was the month Lockdown started. Together with my team was in a vision of starting a touring of the EP Nothing Is Impossible. We were unable to continue with it because it was the beginning of the pandemic. I have recorded few live acts for my fans and will be aired soon.

What are your top tips for people wanting to get into the music business in South Africa?

The environment we live in is very tight and it can only be opened up by your drive, talent, motivation and word of mouth. Know what you want and go get it.

What’s your usual preparation for a set? Picks tracks, sleep…?

I am the type that preps a day before the set, why? Because I want to be in the middle of the event and still feel like I did not prepare for my set.

Favourite places to DJ?

Deep Sat (Cape Town)

Centurion Shisanyama (Centurion)

Neighbourhood shisanyama (Richards Bay)

Kwa Max (KZN, uMlazi)

Sabatho Shisanyama (Limpopo)

How did you get into producing music from DJ’ing initially?

I had a friend back in Kwazulu Natal and together we formed a group call Sonz of Soul back then I did not know how to DJ my main focus was on producing music. In 2010 the friend went behind my back and released all my music under his name that way I finally learned DJ’ing so that way people don’t go behind my back.

Do you have a work routine for producing or just wait for an idea to come?

I meditate a lot. I listen to different music so that I could get inspired, watch a lot of tutorials on how to make my own preset. Lockdown brought back a lot of inspiration and since now I hardly attend classes I’ve spent my time making music, finishing off 2019 project and 2021 projects.

What does your usual production set up consist of?

Headphone, Computer, Studio monitor, Soundcard, Moog synthesizer and Midi Keyboard.

What releases are the standouts for you personally?

Yo a lot man, I think Fauna, my 2019 release before Nothing Is Impossible release. I did the track that is part of the ep back in 2016 and named it Neo because it reminded me of my late friend who left without saying goodbye. I can really say it travelled and made a lot of people happy and introduced me to a lot of corporate work, new life changes and new people.

You’ve collaborated with some great names, which have been the most memorable and any stories to tell from them?

Tahir Jones. Tahir Jones and I met through Wolta and together we did a track called Love Therapy which was released in 2018 and which is still a lovable song till today. The most memorable day about Love Therapy it was on a day of a video shoot of my friend Syler Griffith’s “Slow Jam 45” along the way a friend of Syler played a song on a mix tape asking me if I knew the song who it belonged to. When I told him who it belonged to they celebrated as if I won a Grammy award and till today we are still friends.

How do you choose one record label over another or does it just happen to be right track, right time, right label?

I have a list of labels and their entire catalog, that way I create the 10 track for the specific label.

What’s been the highlights of your career so far?

2019 I was nominated for the best remix of the year at the Dance Music Awards South Africa. The first South African artist to release under Blur Records Angola 2019. 2020 released under Stay True Sounds which is own by Kid Fonque which later on I got invited to be a guest on a show called Selective Styles on a radio show 5 fm. Performed a set on DJmix live on 1 KZN TV which now they have my track called Neo taken from the release Fauna EP as their background theme song.

If you could work with any producer in the world, who would it be?

Chymamusique, Bonobo and Jimpster.

What labels are you looking out for right now - tracks you’re playing and loving - especially from SA?

Candid Beings Records, Stay True Sounds.

What does your average week look like balancing all your work stuff?

These days I try to finish 3 songs a week as I am working on my next project for project. I wake up 6:00 am every day, help my mum to prepare for work. I clean the house the go back to making music.

What keeps you going, pushing the music, promoting, DJ’ing…?

The people man, each and every day I get a text or inbox from my fans wishing me well in my career. This shows that I am bringing change into my people.

What is on the cards for the rest of 2020?

The rest of this year my focus has been on paper work securing for the next 10 years and releasing another project introducing the next 2021 projects.

Where can people follow you?

Facebook

Instagram