Switzerland’s Turntill has been a constant presence on Bboysounds since our early days, and the homie just keeps hitting hard, dropping sounds in a range of genres, specializing in Bboy music and dance tunes of all sorts.
Dig one of our favorite Turntill joints is his classic collaboration with Bronzon called “Rise to the Top”:
We were very lucky to catch Turntill (@turntill) just before the release of his latest vinyl “Groove On EP” (happening today!) which you can purchase at Juno, and we got to hear about the music from the man himself!
Who is Turntill?
That`s my name. I am a DJ, B-boy, event organizer and producer from Berne, Switzerland.
Since 2005 I run the label The Chosen Few, and in 2010 I opened it up to a worldwide organization in and around Hip-Hop culture.
There are already a number of “Classic” Turntill bboy tracks out there, but not everyone realizes you’re working in other kinds of music as well. Tell us about that.
Originally I started with rap productions, but then realized that what I actually wanna do is make people dance.
Through my bboy heart I felt in love with breakbeats, also I love to combine old music with new elements, or putting different styles together.
As a DJ, I often play many hours on the same evening and I always think it`s fresh to kick tunes from the different soulful black music genres we got, such as reggae, funk and soul…
If the people are ready I also can do a little baile funk, but this depends on the crowd. The way I DJ is the way I am trying to produce, always to party or if a chill tune with good message involved.
You’ve got a new vinyl coming out very soon, can you tell us about it?
Right, it`s coming out the 12.01.2015 on Nova Gain Records (@novagain), which is the label of a DJ friend called Mr.Confuse (@misterconfuse) from Germany.
My dream come true, I always wanted to have my own black gold in my hands!
On Side A you have my song “Groove On” and the Mr. Confuse Remix of it, on side B you got “Rise to the Top” also with the Mr. Confuse Remix. Then on the digital version there are two more remixes by Quincy Jointz and Zamali.
The vinyl was mastered in a castle in Germany, printed in the UK and it just sounds like a bomb. It always sounds perfect when Nova Gain Records releases something. I used to play their stuff before and that was the reason why I wanted to release it over them.
What are you working on today?
I am working on new tunes in my typical Turntill bboy style. Then I got a reggae project going on where I already got 17 mastered songs on a riddim that hopefully will drop out in 2015.
Many peoples of The Chosen Few are on it and from different countries like Jamaica, Africa, Mexico, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Bulgaria, Spain and on.
What are you listening to when you’re not working on your music?
At the moment if I am cooking I love to listen some disco funk tapes that I bought more then 10 years ago in Montpellier and Paris. Just found them at my parents’ home in a old box, I remember how inspiring that was.
There are still tunes on it that I don`t know today. Also a music finder app didn’t helped.
When it`s cold outside I like to bring some fire in with some roots rock lovers Reggae sound or some old school Soul which feels sometimes similar to me.
If I am traveling, especially on the train, I listen a lot of Rap, cause they bring stories.
How did you get into Bboy music?
In 1995 I came to Hip-Hop culture, bboying was always interesting. This time I was a graff writer and played drums.
Later in 1999 I also started to bboy. In 2000/2001, I started DJing as well, and in Rap, I always preferred beats that are based on samples.
During my bboying I danced to Rap and Funk, also I tried some locking. The locking did not stay with me, but I still love to watch it so much!
When I hear Funk music, I think of the lockers and see them and it fits perfect, same thing with the bboys.
But there have to be different sounds for different moods I would say, sometimes you like pure organ 70s Funk, another time you like some hard breaks, for a beginning or to try new things you might like a 90 bpm Rap beat…
But if I do music I wanna try to give it a new flavour and pimp it up, let`s say we take that Funk in a time capsule to pimp it up, so the DJs don’t have to play the song back to back and repeat the break, you can produce it to let it play and keep the most powerful parts in the tune.
I also try to produce what I would like to dance to.
What is your favorite Bboy track?
If I just could say one tune, i like to name that one:
BARRY KÜNZEL “Supervisor”
He was a drummer and used to do drum bboy sessions on the streets in Germany together with Battle Squad`s Swift Rock and Storm.
I ordered his two very rare LPs over him directly and he gave me a 10″ as gift with it. I can recommend that, write him on his official page and try to get one of these black gold goodies as long as he has some left!
Do you have a message for the bboys and bgirls around the world?
Big up for all you good dancers and grooving party bboys, I mean it is so normal that DJs often get payed for their gigs, like the rappers as well..
Often the bboys are dancing 2 hours on any Funk and Hip-Hop parties and not getting paid. For the love, the organizers of those events should see what they get, cause there is always a good atmosphere in the club when there are bboys around!
Have fun, do those battles, keep the session-vibe alive and keep the balance!
Don`t forget to teach the next generation and feed them with knowledge!
Make sure to support the homie Turntill and buy his new record, check out his website, Like him on Facebook, and follow him on Soundcloud for the future funk!
Also make sure to check out The Chosen Few and Nova Gain Records!
