Because I can’t interview everyone face to face, I have decided to do some blog spotlights of artists that should be getting a lot more love than they do, but I just can’t get to them!
For the last few months, I keep returning to a particular album, The Go Round, by Inf. Inf is a Dutch beat maker and producer who might be better known back in the day as the emcee, Infinite. No longer an emcee, Inf has created a wonderful instrumental album that was released this year by Austin label, Beats Broke. Inf was gracious enough to be part of this Q&A.
The Backline Show: What is your musical history? Did you start playing an instrument at an early age?
Inf: My musical history concerning musical lessons is pretty poor. I was never educated musically, two lessons of playing a recorder (flute) at school is the closest thing when it comes to education, hahaha. Everything I know was either self taught or passed on to me by friends who studied music. I’m known in Holland for digging up weird records and finding samples. I used to write a column for a Dutch hiphop e-mag about cratedigging. So I guess I just learned from listening to other music as well.
I started as an emcee (20 years back or so). Started making beats when I was 14 (16 years ago). I quit emceeing couple years ago to focus
on producing. Along the road I did 2 solo albums (as producer/emcee), 2 group album as an emcee, and 2 albums for Dutch emcee’s – Kapabel & PerC. I also did Sneaky Pete’s single last year and some remixes here and there.
The B.S.: What are your biggest influences to your sound?
Inf: My biggest influences are now probably old library records like stock music for movies in the 70s or whatever else. But I also like new stuff like Menahan Street Band, Shawn Lee, The Natural Yogurt Band, Budos Band, Lee Fields, Jesse D, Amy Winehouse, Eli ‘paperboy’ Reed. Basically anything that is good and has a pure, raw and honest emotion.
My addiction to collecting vinyl has somewhat been tempered. Perhaps it has something to do with becoming a dad, ha. But my new craving is
collecting and playing or at least trying to play real instruments instead of using samples. Our house, to great grief of my girlfriend, is crammed
with pianos, organs, synths, brass instruments, percussion and guitars. Basically everthing to start a large band with is here…except for a drumkit!
The B.S.: What got you started with instrumental hiphop?
Inf: After doing several productions, I wanted to explore boundaries. So an instrumental album felt like the most logical step forward. Every album and project I did was different than the former one, either with the setup and the approach or the feeling and the mood. I like challenges and exploring new things.
The B.S.: Let’s talk about your 2009 release, The Go Round,…what was this process like?
Inf: After deciding to make an instrumental album, I dug through all the beats I had done in the past two years. I selected the ones I felt were instrumental worthy, added instrumentation and tried to make little stories and mood settings of the beats. The sketches and ideas were not all made for this album so I added instruments, layers, voices and whatever else to all tracks after I decided to make
The Go Round. I felt that if I didn’t do this the cohesion would not be there. Some tracks however were built from the ground up during the process of crafting this album. Some moods and vibes were not represented, so i felt I had to add those.
The B.S.: So tell me…where are some of these samples from?
Inf: I can not answer that question 
But look for black plates…and you will find gold.
The B.S.: In your bio it said you had a seizure making this album, is that true? What happened?
Inf: The story on the CD walks a thin line between fact and fiction. A seizure…no. But I do suffer from panic attacks and during the period of crafting the album I had a period of the worst attacks in 8 years. So mentally and physically I was ‘out of the running’ and put on prescription pills. That’s a true fact in the story.
The B.S.: How did a label in Austin, Texas find you?
Inf: I met Ryan, the owner of Beats Broke via emcee, Max Fischer, a couple years back. Things clicked between us and signing to Beats Broke just felt right. It’s basically like family now.
The B.S.: What goals do you have with your music?
Inf: Apart from world domination, and world peace, in that particular order. Having fun, making tunes, meeting people, collaborating and exploring.
The B.S.: What is next for you? What are your plans for 2010?
Inf: I’m juggling around 5 or 6 projects now. So there will be a release in 2010 for sure. One thing on my list is a release with a singer; it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Also, there may be a new episode of the Infstrumentals, a rap album with Max Fischer. Dutch emcee Kapabel is working on a follow up of The Adventures Of and his solo release. I’m also doing a remix album for the Dutch Beluga Recordings label (all their albums are free downloads. Check Black Gold 360 – Suite 17 out!). With some luck there will be a small Inf release as a free download on Beats Broke soon. But i don’t want to ruin the suprise…so stay tuned!
The B.S.: Any chance you will tour the US in 2010?
Inf: No, since I now play 90 percent of the instruments myself…a live show is not an option. Plus the panic attacks keep me close to home, which is a good thing in a way…because I will be in the lab working hard.
