Crookers Interview

Pioneers of frantic, bass-heavy fidget and electro house in the noughties, Italians Crookers were originally a duo but in 2012 slimmed down to just joint founder Phra. Since then he's gone from strength to strength, teaming up with Defected to put out his new, housier direction while also running his own two labels, Ciao Recs and Lucky Beard.

Headlining Egg London on Friday April 15th, before the release of a new Defected EP in May, we spoke to Phra to find out how life has been since flying solo.

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Hi Phra. We've been fans since hearing 'Atomic Baile Boy' back in the days of MySpace. Can you remember the circumstances and feelings around making and releasing that track now? It was pretty much the beginning of the Crookers journey.

​"Ah fun, that song. I still like it! Actually the Crookers journey started way earlier than that. I remember this EP called 'Get it', released by a little Italian label in 2005. There were some strong house records on that label. The feeling they had was pretty much the same as I have today, try and release exciting club music​ ​and have fun doing it.​"

It seems like the style that you pioneered has warped and shifted, but the whole future house label seemed to steal from that Crookers' energy. What elements would you say make up your style these days? Are there any particular electronic labels/artists, or even other scenes beyond the dance floor, which feed into what you make?

​"It's so funny, what people are labelling as future house right now has nothing of the future in it! So I’m not really into that scene. What I like is groovy and sexy stuff. Smooth listening, but ghetto enough to dance to. I've got a couple favourites: at the moment I'd say parts of Heist Records, Defected for sure, Glenn Astro, Max Graef and all the guys releasing sick stuff on Money Sex Records. Also some records on Ninja Tunes, Classic, DJ E-Clyps, the whole of A-Sided, the list goes on forever... Actually there's a lot of music that I love which inspires me at the moment, it’s one of those good moments in music for me.” ​

One of your biggest remixes back in the day was Kid Cudi, but you've since gone on to work with the likes of Lady Gaga and Beyoncè. Do you get to meet many of the artists you work for? How do you decide to complement the original track? For example, your recent Bloc Party remix was pretty deep by your standards.

"​I'd say I've met the 0.3% of the people I've worked with. It's weird, maybe they’re scared because I’m Italian. Sometimes I’m scared about the studio catering (being Italian and used to the best quality food, this is an important concern) so I generally work over the internet. I get the stems/parts and share ideas the day after. I just go with the flow. I don't have a proper way I work with music, despite what most producers in the business think nowadays. Music is still art, not just little cubes in Ableton or ProTools, so I just make music with my stomach more than my brain. I did the Bloc Party remix on an average Milan grey rainy morning... and I think the sound is the consequence of it."

The Defected family welcomed you into the fold with the release of 'Withdrawals'. What is it like to be part of such as established house label?

​"It's an honour, most of my idols from the past all released or are releasing with Defected so it's a dream ​becoming a reality for me. It fits perfectly with my new music. It's really inspiring for me to have the opportunity to reach a new and different crowd with my music​ and thanks to Defected, its a 'Bingo' situation!"

You're released three studio albums, the last of which was a couple of years ago now. Are there plans for a fourth? Each has been packed with collaborations previously so have you been in the studio with anyone you admire recently?

"Today I woke up without even thinking of releasing another album, so for now I don't think I'll start to work on a full length anytime soon. I do music everyday, 99% of the tracks I do stay on my computer or go in my club set… It's the way I work. I do a lot of music and save a little bit. When I feel the need to release a new album I will probably choose the best 12 songs on my hard drive from the past two months and release it."

We hear you live in a small community in Switzerland. What do you get up to when you're not in the studio?

"​Luckily not anymore, I've just moved back to Italy. I was missing Italy too much, and now that I'm back I feel brand new! When I'm not in studio I generally go around the city with my bike, drink beers with friends talking about nerdy shit and music. I shop for stupid cheap stuff in Chinese shops with my girlfriend or drive to the seaside (not too far) and get some proper sun."

What else do you have coming up for the rest of the year?

"​I'll release a new record I'm really happy with on Defected in May, I'm working on four different remixes at the moment and I have got two new EPs ready on my desktop. My management are working out the release dates and all that stuff. I’ll play some shows, am releasing some music from a friend of mine on my labels Ciao Recs and Lucky Beard and in general keeping busy and sexy. Ciao!"