The underground dance music scene in the United States has seen its fair share of trends. Many forms of electronic music have risen and fallen in recent times, with the rapidly shifting industry always turning its attention to the next installment of dance music’s long history in America. For the last decade, Amtrac has been one of the rare stalwarts. The LA-based producer is constantly evolving his productions and DJ sets to bring fresh sounds and ideas to the forefront. With a defining blend of deep & tech house, disco grooves, hearty basslines, and evocative vocals, Amtrac’s original production have surfaced on labels such as Toolroom and Exploited.
Paying homage to the underdogs of the underground, Amtrac launched his OPENERS label in 2017. The label serves as the home for his productions, as well as rising gem Durante and Amtrac’s collaborative project with Plastic Plates, Luces. As 2019 kicks into gear, Amtrac returns to Openers with the release of a single titled ‘Just’, a mesmerizing combination of deep-house and acoustic instrumentation with an emphasis on playful phased-out synth leads and bittersweet vocal cadences.
We caught up with Caleb Cornett, aka Amtrac, to touch base about the newest release, his growth in dance music, and what we might expect for the rest of the year.
WWD – Caleb, thanks for joining us. Congrats on the recent release!
Amtrac – Thanks for having me 🙂
WWD – You’ve always had a knack for utilizing memorable vocals, working with vocalists such as Anabel Englund and Forrest. On Just, we get to hear your own vocal chops. When did you start to involve your own voice into your production process?
Amtrac – I’ve always played around with putting vocals back into my work since my first album. There’s a moment when I’m writing a record and I’ll find myself humming melodies over top, that’s usually when I grab the pen and paper.
WWD – We’ve been huge fans of all the OPENERS releases so far. How has your career changed now that your a label head?
Amtrac – Aw thanks, it’s definitely changed for the better, knowing I have an outlet where I can put out whatever I want, when I want, is such a joy.
WWD – You’ve been at the forefront of the American house scene for some time now. Culturally, how has the underground scene shifted in the states since you began making music and touring?
Amtrac – From my point of view the underground isn’t so underground anymore, which I think is a great thing. The states have some big movements going on right now, from Night Bass to Dirty Bird to Desert Hearts I see it growing more and more each year. Mind you this is just what I see on the west coast. I feel the more we know the better. I’ve never considered myself underground, but I love a good warehouse party.
WWD – We wouldn’t consider Kentucky, where you were born and raised, the typical hotbed for electronic music. How did you get turned on to dance music?
Amtrac – MTV. That’s where I was turned on to everything, Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy, Animal Collective, Moby, Orbital the list goes on. Followed by trips to the local record store to put in orders of my discoveries. Once the internet came about it was game over for me, electronica forever.
WWD – How do you remain fresh and innovative in your productions while staying true to the ‘Amtrac’ sound that stands out in your work?
Amtrac – I have no idea how to stay fresh haha, every season my mood changes. I love pads and field recordings at the moment so we’re gonna keep that going for a while, see where it ends up.
WWD – Remixes have played a crucial role in your rise as a producer, working with artists such as Chromeo, Shakka, ZHU, and Kaskade. What do you look for in a potentially remixable track?
Amtrac – Vocals, Vocals, Vocals. I’d say 95% of the time that’s the only thing I use from the original. I like the freedom to take it anywhere. If you want a dub remix thats for just for the club, I’m probably not your guy.
WWD – Tell us the story behind Luces. How did you and Plastic Plates decide to collaborate so closely on this project?
Amtrac – Felix and I have been close friends for the better part of a decade. It kind of just happened naturally, we both lived in Los Angeles and met up for a few sessions. Now here we are 4 releases deep with another on the way. I can tell you we have loads of fun making the music, we’re just happy other people like it as well 🙂
WWD – We hear rumours of a second Amtrac album nearing completion. What else can we expect from you in the coming months?
Amtrac – Time will tell, but it’s at the top of my list right now. Maybe it’s already finished?
WWD – Thanks for checking in, see you on the road!
Amtrac – My pleasure <3
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