Issue 12 / Our Chat With DJ And Music Producer Chris Macintyre

by Hina P. Ansari

Our Chat With DJ And Music Producer Chris Macintyre

Aug 28, 2015

Global DJ and music producer Chris Macintyre gives us some insights into his career as a music curator.

On Thursday, August 27, 2015, Toronto's Fairmont Royal York Hotel hosted its annual T WIFF Gala, a sought-after, ticketed affair that drew the attention of the city's notables. The Black & White party was held in the hotel's historic Imperial Room and it fêted the night with an ode to classic black and white cinema and a special fashionable ode to James Bond.

Over 500 guests wore their black-tie best as the room filled with scenesters, hipsters and fashionistas alike.

Overseeing the vibe of the evening was none other than global music producer and DJ Chris Macintyre, also known as Anti-Hero, who took some time to talk to us about his illustrious career.

Creating music for a themed event takes masterful skill. It’s not only an audio experience but also a visual one, as music completes a party's overall vibe, buoyed by guests' immediate embrace.

When the Fairmont Royal York Hotel approached Toronto-based Macintyre to ask him to host the TWIFF3 Gala, Macintyre did note that — although it's not too far from what he’s done for other clients — the experience still proved to be a wonderful opportunity to broaden his musical knowledge. “It allows me to explore the different types of music for the theme I’m going for. I’m a lover of all different types of music so that itself will feed back into my music creation because you take a lot of inspiration form that kind of work.”

^{The Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto

Photo Credit: Fairmont Royal York Hotel}

Macintyre, who noted that his love for music dates “as far back as I can remember,” dove into the DJ and music producing world full-time in 2007, when he was signed on by the Brooklyn-based Fool’s Gold Records. Since then, through Fool’s Gold Records, he has been featured on over 50 record labels as well as one-off releases by giants of electronic music, including Ministry Of Sound, Ultra and Mad Decent.

Macintyre’s “music curation” has spanned the globe, with appearances in such high-profile clubs as Fabric London and Output New York and at festivals such as Coachella and Hard festival. Not only does Macintyre profess his love for sound but he also enjoys blending the worlds of fashion and art. He's been invited to compose, curate and perform for the likes of Pink Tartan, TOM, Joe Fresh and Nuit Blanche as well as a variety of art shows and galleries in cities all over the world.

^{DJ and Music Producer Chris Macintyre

Photo Credit: Fairmont Royal York Hotel}

While he was busy jet-setting to his next gig, he and I had an opportunity to swap a few questions and answers over email. Here’s Chris Macintyre in his own words.

Hina P. Ansari: It seems that the art of the DJ has a renaissance feel to it, with artists creating music as their stamp, almost like how one would create a painting. How would you describe your vibe? Your stamp?

Chris Macintyre: Unpredictable. I try to not repeat myself and keep the listener guessing.

HPA: Is there a process that you go through while developing your music?

CM: Not per se, as it generally just flows. It depends on the environment around me to draw inspiration from.

HPA: Who are your influencers?

CM: So many — both in and out of music. I like music that challenges me, that doesn't follow the predicable formula that so many resort to. I also like so many forms of music that it's hard to just form a list. There are far too many to choose from.

HPA: Does it matter where the music is being created, i.e. in a professional studio or via DJ apps?

CM: In the end, for me, it's all about the output. The medium doesn't matter. A good DJ set is a good DJ set.

HPA: Has social media played a part in your overall branding?

CM: Pretty minimally, I'd say. I've always gone the route to let the music speak for itself rather than heavily use social media promotion. I've been lucky to work for amazing record labels that handle all of that.

HPA: For my generation, I call it house music. It’s now called EDM. What’s the difference?

CM: Both are completely vague blanket terms to simplify and describe a vast array of musical sound. Sadly, most people have no idea what either means these days. I tend to stay away from genre terms and listen directly to the music. People are too bent on categorization.

HPA: Have you ever used or sampled Bollywood songs?

CM: No, I haven't. I'm not someone that uses samples, but perhaps a Bollywood influence might find its way into my music sometime in the future.

HPA: What advice do you have for up-and-coming DJs or music producers?

CM: Never compromise your vision.

You can follow Chris on Twitter here.

^{Main Image Photo Credit: www.sfstation.com (Coachella 2015)}

Hina P. Ansari

Author

Hina P. Ansari is a graduate from The University of Western Ontario (London, Ontario). Since then she has carved a successful career in Canada's national fashion-publishing world as the Entertainment/Photo Editor at FLARE Magazine, Canada's national fashion magazine. She was the first South Asian in...