Sippin’ Phonic tonic – interview with Jon Phonics

If you’ve heard the first installment of Half Past Calm, you’ll be excited about this one. Jon Phonics has been around the block a few times since his full-length debut dropped in 2008, featuring tracks with some of the nicest UK MCs. This new album has some proper, off-the-beaten-track goodness on it as well – be sure. In the interview he talks about clocking in at the lab, playing live instruments and Guru’s death, among other things…

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1. What can you tell us about yourself? What was the last thing you watched on TV?

Hey, I’m Jon Phonics, I’m 23 and I currently reside in South London. I haven’t watched anything recently, but I’m currently reading ‘Keep the Apidistra Flying’, and loving every second of it.

2. What’s your favourite spot in your city?

My fav spot to be at in London is the studio. Apart from that you might catch me in Sounds of the Universe or in the back of Plastic People smoking a zoot behind the speaker doing a 2 step.

3. Half Past Calm was a banger and got a lot of heads’ attention when it came out in 2008. What can people expect from the second one?

Thanks. The second Half Past Calm is really a continuation of the sound I came with on the first. It’s intended as an accompaniment for that late night journey home, headphone music that you can get lost in.

With these albums where I am working with various rappers I want to show the whole spectrum of what we have to offer to Hip Hop in the UK, whether that be punchline rap or creative road bars, I would say my sound has developed in a natural way. There are a few tracks on this record without samples, and I’m playing a lot more live instruments on this one, where as the first record was completely sample-based.

4. Do you see yourself as part of a new kind of hip hop movement in the UK? If so, why?

I guess so, I try not to think too much about stuff like that because I feel once you start to see things that way, you might slow up your work rate or begin to rest on your laurels. My ethic is just to keep my head down an work, and hopefully by the time I look up for a breather I might be somewhere with this shit.

The UK has a lot of dope artists right now though, some crazy producers (shouts to my Louis Den family) and all angles covered MC-wise. I think we’re in a place where people are beginning to realise their vision and everybody’s sound is falling into place, just how they want it. There are gonna be a lot of albums this year that will once again take the levels up – which, in my opinion, is definitely a positive thing.

5. What are your thoughts on Guru’s death?

Guru’s death is a true shame and the aftermath of it all, with that guy that made his records acting like that (I ain’t airing his name – but you know who I mean) just goes to show how friendships can be chewed up and spat out through the music business.

6.What are some of your favourite records? have you got any rare vinyl in your collection? Which ones?

Some of my favourite records are Marvin Gaye ‘Trouble Man’, Teena Marie’s ‘Starchild’, Cannonball Adderley and the Bossa Rio Sextet with Sergio Mendes is my SHIT.

7. Any other message you’d like to get out there? shouts?

Thanks to Beat Bungalow, big up Brixton Basement Press, YNR, Papa Chemo, Louis Den and anyone supporting the album – stay tuned folks! Peace.

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