Introducing: Becoming Real

Becoming Real first appeared on these here pages last month as part of our Song Of The Day column. Since then, he’s begun work on taking his incredible sounds of the future – or “ghost-step” as he likes to call it – out into the live arena. With recent shows at cooler-than-thou London club night White Heat plus forthcoming support slots with Pitchfork-sensation Wild Nothing, the future is certainly looking bright for this London based producer. Rightly so too, but whilst the Becoming Real sound sits comfortably amongst the current wave of emerging dance talent (Blondes, Silver Columns et al) - it’s the sheer knack of making the chilling and apocalypse looming recent single ‘Fast Motion’ turn into something nearing on euphoric that really gets us hot under the collar.

Not only did Becoming Real used to be in a Sonic Youth covers band, but a gardener too! We fired over a few questions to Becoming Real to try and reveal the personality underneath the music.

For people out there that have never heard of you. Give us three reasons why they should..
Errrrm, I have no idea. Just listen to my music, if you dont like it go back to listening to pansy dance stuff.

Can you recall the moment when you first decided you wanted to become a musician?
I guess probably when i first heard Sonic Youth, like when I was 15/16 or something, and then just getting into bands like Jarcrew, Cat on Form and Murder of Rosa Luxemburg who just kinda blew my mind. There was so much awesome stuff like that going on in London, like real spazzy bands with these melting pots of electronic and organic sounds…

Where do your songs come from? What’s your inspiration?
I would say recently a lot of my inspiration comes from walking around London at certain times of the day and night.

Name your Top 5 records.
Hmmm, 5 records i really like are…
Growing All the way
Trim Soulfood 2
Rihana Rated R
New Crystal Castles
Actress Hazyville

What was the first gig you ever played and was it a success?
The first gig I did was with some friends from school, we were called ‘The Children of Hydras Teeth’ (after the Trail Of Dead… song), we played mainly covers of Sonic Youth, PJ Harvey and Hawkwind, we could barely play our instruments so I don’t know how well it actually went – but it was awesome fun!

What one piece of criticism has stuck in your mind and was it justified?
If anyone ever dared critiscise me or my work I would delete them from my life.

What one thing has caused you to waste your free time in the past 6 months?
Probably watching samurai films, or floating around London for no apparent reason.

What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
Well I used to garden, and one time I had to bury a dead cat, which was pretty bleak. I found it dead by my friends dads sink, its body was like leaking if y’know what i mean?

We’d like you to make us a mix-tape. Pick five tracks with a theme of your choice.
“Brink In Ya Forest”
DJ Nate: ‘Give That Man Room’
T-Pain ft. Missy: ‘Fire’
Burial: ‘Nightbus’
Crazy Titch: ‘I Can See You’
Mount Eerie: ‘Instrumental’