Introducing: Emalkay and his album 'Eclipse'

Caspa’s Dub Police imprint has helped change the face of Friday nights at fabric. It was he who first booked David Rodigan, re-positioning KISS FM’s voice of dub reggae for a club crowd and ever since the start of their tenure here they’ve constantly brought their A game, providing lineups that marry a worryingly high level of intensity with their label ethics. This Friday Dub Police return to Room One to launch Emalkay’s debut album, ‘Eclipse,’ the debut long player for the label as well as for the artist behind it, with a suitably staunch and powerful array of performers set to grace Room One. The Birmingham based Emalkay joins Caspa and other Dub Police family, The Others and D1, Distance – whose fresh of the major label release of his tune ‘Falling’ – DJ Madd and one of the most influential grime DJs ever, Slimzee, who’ll be performing a super special 2002 set. So in anticipation for his impending ascent, we caught up with him, shot him a few questions and asked him to let us stream you his set from the last Dub Police event on 18th Feb. Stream: Emalkay – Live at Dub Police, 18th Feb 2011 We’re also giving away Emalkay logo tee shirts... to get yours email us with the words “Dress Me” in the subject header before Friday. Winners will be notified by email next week. So it's your album launch here on 22nd April - how are you feeling? Excited, I can't think of a better place to celebrate it. I've always said fabric is by far my favourite place to play in the UK and I was over the moon when I heard we were throwing the launch party there. Can you tell us more about how 'Eclipse' came together – did you get to a point after the success of 'When I Look At You' when you thought it'd be a good time to focus on an album, or had you started writing it before? Well the label asked me if I would be interested in doing one not long after the release. I thought one was long overdue so I said yes and now here we are. I did try and start writing one a couple of years before then, but I think it was too soon and I really struggled with it. I actually ended up using a few parts and ideas from that project with this album, so it all worked out in the end. Why is the album called 'Eclipse'? It's simple really, looking at an eclipse it represents going from one phase to another and there seemed to be a gradual shift in style and approach to my music that had been happening in the months leading up to the start of the album. For instance I started to break away from the half-step more and things were getting a bit more energetic and it's something I'm going to continue to develop... this and also an Eclipse is a pretty much dark occasion! Did you feel a lot of pressure when writing it, as not only isit your debut longp layer but also the first artist album on Dub Police? The only pressure I would say that got to me at times were the deadlines, and I say deadlines because I think I missed three of them! I have to admit there were times when I did feel the weight of expectation on my shoulders, but I guess all you can do is write your best and make sure you're happy with it first and foremost. How involved were Caspa and the Dub Police family whilst you were making 'Eclipse'? They pretty much let me get on with it, which is a good thing. There were a few tracks Caspa noticed early on such as Fabrication and Crusader which were made pretty early on during the project, he seemed excited about them and encouraged me to finish them for the album. Aside from this there was no real pressure to actually make anything, I kept it low key and took my time with it... maybe too long but oh well. With the album done, and launch parties to be had, we've heard that you are already working on new material, is this true? Can you tell us more? At the moment I'm really excited about making music, I've changed the way I go about things since completing the album, my set up has changed and it seems to be having a positive impact on the music. Things you can expect in the future... well one thing is certain, not everything is going to be dubstep, I've been dabbling in different tempos and I love it. I'm still adjusting to things but it feels like I'm discovering music-making all over again. Finally, do you have any special requests for next Friday, as afterall it is your party? Yes, mine will be a scotch on the rocks and make it a triple.