Carré

With only a few years of producing and DJing, Carré has moved quickly. She also runs Fast At Work, an underground LA based parry which recently had it’s London debut. We asked her to introduce herself.

Who are you?

I’m Carré; I’m an LA-based producer and DJ, and the co-founder of Fast At Work, a future-minded underground party in LA.

Where are you from?

I grew up in a remote area of California called Humboldt County, in a town called Arcata. It’s the Northernmost part of the state, a 6-hour drive from the nearest big city, San Francisco.

I went to university in the San Francisco bay area, plus spent one year in London, before making my way to Los Angeles where I’ve lived since 2014. I never thought I would live in Los Angeles for this long, but it’s now home.

What do you sound like?

My sound is a mix of bass music and percussive left-field techno. I’m partial to the higher BPM range, but think that my music still manages to come off as somewhat restrained, not exclusively built for peak time, even though it does well in that time slot.

The title track on my debut EP is a 150 half stepper that still has enough 4×4 energy to work for non-dubstep-leaning DJs, and the B-side is a sub-heavy track that leans more techno / electro.

I like making tracks at 150 BPM, because when I DJ, I like to play between 140-160, and it’s nice to have tracks that help you build. Also, I love a pitched-up indistinguishable vocal sample, so you’ll hear that in most of my tunes.

I think people often look down upon LA when it comes to nightlife and dance music culture here in general.

Why should we follow what you’re doing?

If you’re a DJ looking for sub-heavy (peak time!) rollers, I think you’ll like my music.

And if you want to go to a DIY party that’s comfortable, showcases more subversive dance music styles, and cares about high production value (sound, lighting etc), you’ll want to come to my party, Fast At Work.

I think people often look down upon LA when it comes to nightlife and dance music culture here in general, which can be accurate in some ways (cue: Burning Man, lack of proper nightclubs, etc), so I am adamant about representing and contributing to the growing, vibrant scene we have here and owe a lot of my personal growth to the support I’ve received here.

Which of your tracks sums you up? Why?

The title track on my debut record on SPE:C, ‘Tilted’, really checks all the boxes for the type of song I love to play as a DJ.

It’s a half-time roller that still feels suitable for a non-bass music crowd. It’s pretty heavy, but still fun and maybe even a tad cute. When one of my friends heard it for the first time, they said that they rarely hear an artist’s music that sounds exactly like them as a person, but this sounds just like me. I really think that’s the highest compliment!

What have you got coming out in the near future?

My debut record is out on Darwin’s label SPE:C on July 21st (Bandcamp exclusive).

I also have a remix for Maude Vôs coming at the end of July on the LA-based label Lots of Practice. Lastly, I have a really exciting record coming out this fall that I can’t wait to share! It will be released by a label very close to my heart.

What or who is your biggest influence and why?

My biggest influence is probably, unsurprisingly, UK dance music – I spent some formative years there that really set me up to play what I play and make what I make.

Attending showcases by Hessle Audio, Night Slugs, Hyperdub all had a lasting effect on me as a fan, and now as a producer, I think (and hope) it shows.

How did you get into DJing/producing to begin with?

I’ve been deep in dance music professionally and personally for a long time – so I think it’s been a long but somewhat expected journey for me to find a new relationship with it eventually.

Actually playing out as a DJ began just after the pandemic when I wanted to launch a party that I felt was missing from the LA scene. Fast At Work started as a residents-only party so we could establish the community and sound of the party before bringing in out-of-town talent.

Once I started DJing, I felt like I wanted to be able to contribute in a new way – so I decided to take a crack at Ableton. I’m lucky enough to have some really amazing producer friends around me to show me tips and tricks and share much of their knowledge with me. The barrier to entry for production is quite high, so friends helping friends is incredibly important. I hope I can do the same for other producers in the future.

What are three things on your studio shopping list?

I primarily work in the box, so I have the Arturia V Collection on my list. As for hardware, I would love to own the Moog Minitaur. Also thinking of upgrading to the Arturia KeyStep 37.

Who or what have you sacrificed for your art?

I think the main thing I’ve sacrificed is general downtime – with a full-time job it means I really have to dedicate my free / personal time to focus on my music and on Fast At Work. It is nice to have a stable income that allows me to make art purely for my own enjoyment.

What’s been your favourite place to play so far?

I just made my (and Fast At work’s) international debut at Corsica Studios, which was a big moment for me and our crew. Playing room 2 at Corsica was a dream! That room is built for the music I love to play. 

Where can we hear your music?

You can hear and buy my music on Bandcamp. You can listen to my music on DSPs on July 28th.

What one song would feature on the soundtrack of your life?

One of MANY songs that would be on the soundtrack of my life would be So Many Times, So Many Ways by Mount Kimbie. That whole album unlocks my core memories from a pivotal time in my life.

What motivates you?

I think I have such a strong desire to contribute to culture that I am motivated by that. I also don’t like to start a project without finishing it, so if I decide to do something, it will happen.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.

People still find it interesting to learn that I have two different color eyes.

Complete this sentence: At heart I’m just a…

Soft California kid who loves live music experiences..

What’s the best bit of advice you’ve received?

Recently I was telling a friend about a dream future goal of mine, and I was giving excuses as to why I thought it couldn’t be done. They stopped me and said, “You can’t wait for someone else to step in and make something you want to see happen. You need to do it yourself”.

Where will you be in five years’ time?

Hopefully, I’m still putting out music that I love and moving closer towards my goal referenced above (that I’m not ready to share more info on yet…)

‘Tilted’ by Carré is out now. Find Carré on Instagram.

Pics: @donslens

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