This week we talk to, in our opinion, the first lady of DnB. Her soulful style opened up the scene to a wider audience and since signing to Full Cycle records she has gone from strength to strength!

Having worked with everyone from the top dawgs, right through to the up-coming talent, she consistently brings her emotive style to every track she records.

We discuss what she’s been up to since the release of her excellent album, ‘Dark Days, High Nights’ and her plans to release a book.

 

Bass Command : We hear you’re writing a book. How’s it coming along ?

Tali : Yes I’m writing a book, it’s about my experiences as a young female woman coming from a farm in New Zealand, and going to England to follow my dreams to become a jungle MC. Pretty different subject matter I think and possibly of interest to someone! I have had so many adventures on the road, some positive and some negative, and met so many characters along the way I want to be able to remember these and I thought writing them down was a start. I am still trying to work out how if I should include people’s real names or not, it’s not that I’m divulging secrets or dissing people (much) but I want to be sensitive to those included in the stories!

 

BC : You’ve hinted in the past that you might be working with Benga. Is there any news on this ?

T : Benga and I talked about doing some tunes together and he sent me three beats to choose from. I wrote and recorded vocals to one of them and sent them to him, but I have never heard anything back. In the meantime I have written for Xilent, High Maintenance, Artificial Intelligence, and have just been approached by New Zealand producer Trei to write for his new album. So it’s not like I’m short on work!

 

BC : The album has been out for a couple of months now. How has the response to it been ?

T : I have just relocated to New Zealand and within two days of being here I was off to tour Japan with Xilent. We had a blast! Now even though I officially live here in NZ I am also  on tour here with DrumSound, Mutated Forms and Phaelah. Last weekend we played Wellington and Christchurch, this weekend we are in the North playing Whangarei and Auckland. After this I am heading back down to Wellington to play a club night called ‘Trei and Friends’ and then I’m hitting the festivals with Rhythm and Alps in the South Island first, playing alongside Flying Lotus, Benga and Skream, Foreign Beggers and Grandmaster Flash, and for New Years I am MCing and hosting at La De Da in Martinborough with Dodge and Fuski, alongside The Wu Tang and some of New Zealand’s biggest acts. Next year I have more shows lined up and I hope to get over to Australia and back to Japan at some point.

 

BC : As one of the hardest working people in DnB, we know you’ll have plenty of stuff in the pipeline. Can you give us a hint as to what we can expect from you in the last part of 2011 & 2012 ?

T : Obviously this year my album ‘Dark Days, High Nights’ came out, but I have already started writing material for my new album which I want to release next year.  I’m hoping to collaborate with some New Zealand producers and create something with a different vibe. I am also looking into television production and presenting, and am hoping to establish some writing workshops once my husband and I find a house to live in! I have also been in talks with some South American promoters with regards to touring out there early next year, I really hope to make this happen as after ten years in the scene I still haven’t gotten down there!

 

http://www.audiopornrecords.com/artist/999938/tali

http://download.breakbeat.co.uk/lpsepslabels/audioporn/darkdayshighnights.aspx