One Time @ Bandcamp With... Freddie Joachim

It's time again to meet another Bandcamp artist. On Monday I reviewed a few of his projects, peep them here. A couple weeks ago we talked via email and now I'm presenting this to you. The guy known as Freddie Joachim represents the real So Cal, San Diego. He makes awesome instrumentals that evoke much feeling and are more often than not the perfect mood music. Scroll through his discography, grab a couple jams and peruse this conversation.

Members Only: Introduce yourself, who you are, what you do, how long you've been at it and where you do it all from?
Freddie Joachim: Hey, my name is Freddie Joachim. I'm a producer/DJ from San Diego, CA. I've been involved with music for over a decade now.

MO: When did you know you wanted to make beats?
I believe it was sometime right after high school. I got into more of the technical aspects of music, which eventually led to me producing music.

MO: Was Hip Hop what inspired you to produce?
Ultimately, yes. But other genres inspired me to experiment with other types of production.

MO: Have you collaborated with any emcees? Who would you like to work with?
Yeah, I've been working with people for a while. It wasn't until recently, that I've been releasing strictly instrumentals, but I still continue to work with artists. I'm down to work with anyone on the same page as me creatively. It'd be nice to work with artists that have truly inspired me throughout the years and that I have respected a great deal growing up - De La Soul, Common, Mos Def, Kweli, etc.

MO: Who do you find yourself listening to on a daily basis?
Recently, just a bunch of hip hop and soul... more specifically: Hudson Mohawke, Exile, Blu, Afta-1, Flako, Kweli, Eric Roberson, FlyLo, Free The Robots, Clara Hill, Andy Allo, Jose James, Eric Lau, and much more.

MO: Are you a big digger for vinyl? What's your stance on sampling vs. non sampled beats?
I'm not a huge vinyl collector. I purchase what I enjoy listening to. As far as beats, I make both, so I enjoy both. I feel sampling has a feel and vibe that's difficult to express or duplicate through not sampling. I respect the art of musicianship, so I really enjoy it when a producer can play everything on a beat.

MO: Is AM suppose to be a collection of tracks that just fit the morning vibe? Did the music inspire the name or did you aim to make tracks designed for the morn?
AM is just a collection of beats I had laying around. A couple I made specifically for the EP. Usually when I put out free little albums, they'll have a central vibe or feel. AM was mainly to express the morning.

MO: What are you working with to make your beats?
I do most of my music on the computer, using Ableton Live and Reason, also a handful of 3rd party plugins and instruments. I also like utilizing live instruments and percussion, and records when I'm sampling.

MO: Did you go to college?
Yeah, after high school I took a few recording courses at a local community college in SD. Then I went to a trade school for engineering in LA.


MO: How do you see the internet changing the face of music making and music business?
The internet has made it easy for artists to connect with one another, and for fans and music lovers to listen and keep up with their favorite artists. But the internet has also made it easy for people to download and bootleg music for free, which hurts artists, record stores, and labels. Independent ones especially. I encourage people to purchase music.

MO: What your favorite book?
I really don't know. I'm mainly into non-fiction, books with facts. Occasionally I'll read sci-fi stories, about the future, space, and time travel. I really enjoy art and photography books as well.

MO: Favorite album?
That's a little hard but the following albums have always been in rotation:
Reflection Eternal Train of Thought, A Tribe Called Quest Midnight Marauders, Pete Rock Petestrumentals and Jay Dee Vintage.

MO: We're in Seattle, have you heard any recent Hip Hop from the town?
Unfortunately I'm not too familiar with the hip hop scene in Seattle. I know of Jake One and Blue Scholars.

Freddie Joachim "A.M."

Taking a page from rappers today, San Diego based beatmaker Freddie Joachim has been flooding the Internet with an assortment of releases. Coming across him on Bandcamp (yes this is another Bandcamp entry, watch Friday for the interview to drop with dude!) and a few blogs I first downloaded his tape A.M. which at only 7 tracks had me replaying it for hours.

Joachim is great at capturing a mood. Perhaps it’s an endless cycle, whatever he names the project your preconceived notions will influence how you feel the music. I don’t think the tunes here would fit if he had named the collection “Summer Jams.” Over an assortment of drums and samples Freddie crafts the perfect morning music. I’ve been playing this in the morning for the last couple weeks and it never sounds old upon waking up!

While researching the guy to send off questions I also discovered a few other releases. He has two shorter, five track mini albums - Nights Alone and Dust. Dust evokes a feeling of dusk to me, all the tracks are a little more subdued then what you find on A.M. and vocal samples are more present. “From Yesterday” features some great chops on vocals throughout the song. Joachim has an ear for great sounds to flip. His drums are never alike, yet always raw and hard. He gets his sound crisp.

Nights Alone was the final project I really wanted to touch on here. This project may be the most full of emotion, and I guess with a name like that it’s only right. Here he once again sets a mood quite well. Choosing some awesome vibes to play over the crunchy drums on the opening track “Silent” sends you down a path of contemplation and realization. We’ve all had those nights we stay up late, perhaps it was because we were having a good time but maybe it’s because their just isn’t anyone else in that moment in time to listen. So listen to this and let the music hold you.

Freddie Joachim has been at this art for over 10 years now and throughout these (and other projects of his - find his Olive Juice Love Remixes Vol. 1 for some awesome vocalists over his own tracks) different albums of his I’ve listened to I’ve heard a continuity to his style. While he trades themes and certainly makes unique tracks I believe you can squarely associate his songs with the man, a trait that generally is reserved for only the legend's in this game.

Give A.M. a listen below and bounce over to Joachim's bandcamp site to hear and download more! If you like dude support and cop his full length offering Midway.