METRO AREA Morgan Geist > 2002 INTERVIEW > Environ

# What is the significance of your name, Metro Area? How did you get that name?
> I originally was going to do a label called Metro Area as a house sub-label for Environ. Darshan and I started working together and we decided to use the name.

# You come completly from a techno-detroit/deep school background, is that right?
> Yes, definitely. The first records I put out were definitely grounded in Detroit and more experimental melodic techno like Dan Curtin, Black Dog Productions, Stasis, A.R.T. and others.

# U use analog instruments + strings, guitar, flute, and percussion ... Who and what are your influences?
> Disco, boogie, techno, soul, hip-hop, new wave, you name it. Big personal dance music influences are Patrick Adams, early Detroit techno, early 80s Emergency records, Salsoul, West End, Supertronics, Larry Heard, lots of NYC club/loft/Garage tracks, old Chicago and NY house, etc.

# How would you describe your sound? I like the atmosfear in your sound... What images and emotions do you want your music to invoke in the listener?
> It's up to the listener. I do hope some imagery comes into play - I love human emotions and a live feel but the music that gets me the most has no real "face" attached to it and leaves imagery up to the listener's consciousness.

# What do you look for in a beat?
> Simplicity, funk and atmosphere. I like stuff on the ones, and I'm into 8th notes - sort of the opposite of what I was into when I got into dance music, which was 909 swingy 16th notes and tight 808 patterns.

# Quality and innovation... future projects?
> "Quality" is subjective but I think every release on Environ will be the culmination of a lot of work and struggle, but also love for the music and evolution. Innovation - it would be nice, but almost impossible to do outside recombining different forms of music. Upcoming projects are a solo EP from me, Metro Area album, a new project called Jersey Devil Social Club and other releases.

# How your live set evolve...? You start slow-deep and after? I'm very corious abuot... (I want to play with you!)
> I haven't done a solo live set in ages. The Metro Area live set is really a mix of tempos, very much like our records. It's more of a PA than a live set - unfortunately most people can't afford to pay for our musicians to come with us.

# The last: I love the little voice (oh oh ohoh!) in Miura ... is very boogie? who sing it? or you sample it?
> It's not sampled even though it sounds it! It's multitrack takes of Dei Lewison, a vocalist who happens to be the daughter of Woody Cunningham, who was in Kleer and did lots of session work on Salsoul.

# thanx in advance! +sorry 4 my bad english ;-P
> No problem. Mi dispiace che non parlo italiano!


> Morgan Geist METRO AREA Environ
# dax DJ