This is not only an interview – it’s almost an argument. See how I argue about musical value of the “Now and Them” album and how Adam defends his rights. Was he convincing? I assure you, that after the hot work we were both contended.

Sound Revolt: What did you dream of when you were releasing your first DJ album?
Adam Freeland: Dream? Well, you want as many people to hear what you do. I really had no idea how it would do or how many people would hear it. I was proud of it.

Sound Revolt: And what about “Now and Them”? What was your goal this time?
Adam Freeland: Well this one is much more ambitious.

Sound Revolt: Ambitious? You think so?
Adam Freeland: Yes, for me it is. I’ve had a bigger vision with this one than I did with the “Coastal Breaks”.

Sound Revolt: I was wondering if the nu-skool Adam is ever gonna come back? Did you leave the underground for good?
Adam Freeland: This is an artist album. It’s different then a DJ album. It’s a different thing!

Sound Revolt: I am aware of that! But your style has changed thoroughly.
Adam Freeland: Well, that’s the point! You’re always evolving. Because if you stay with one style...

Sound Revolt: Ok, but is evolving to a wrong direction a point?
Adam Freeland: But if you think it’s the wrong direction... I feel it’s the right direction.

Sound Revolt: For me it is. It’s too mainstream for me. I prefered it the way it was.
Adam Freeland: Ok, fair enough. But the world’s changed since then. A long time ago. The artist album is totally different headspace to a DJ album. I mean you heard “On tour” right?

Sound Revolt: Right.
Adam Freeland: That’s a pretty deep album

Sound Revolt: Yes it is
Adam Freeland: Ok, my next DJ album will be deep as well but the artist thing is a different thing. A band is a whole different story. When I DJ it is different to what I do with a band. It’s another level. Creatively you want to express yourself in different ways. For me, lyrics are a really good way of actually saying something. So if you gonna have lyrics you might as well say something you feel passionate about.

Sound Revolt: That’s what I want to ask you about. We hear the lyrics against consumerism, materialistic possession, constant quests to acquire wealth but on the other hand we see a mainstream album with “made to earn money” written all over it.
Adam Freeland: I’m not necessarily against. If you have a good album you want to get it out. I can see your point. How do I deal with a fact that I’m releasing a product?

Sound Revolt: Yes, in a way...
Adam Freeland: I have no problem with releasing a product. As an artist you want as many people to buy your album as possible, because you want people to hear your music, right?

Sound Revolt: Right.
Adam Freeland: It’s not a little boys’ club - “no this is just for me and my friends”. Obviously your irony is involved because of the track “We Want Your Soul”, which is not necessarily anti commercialism. It’s anti fucking force fed bullshit consumerism. There’s plenty of things I want to consume as an individual. I want cloths, I want a fucking Mac computer so I can make music. I want a fucking Ipod so I can listen to music. I’m a consumer! But the point is - if I can buy an organic cotton T-shirt rather than something that has fucked the environment to do it, I will. The point is having ethics with the way you do things. I haven’t signed to Sony. I haven’t seen my track on a McDonald’s TV commercials. We’ve done this independently. It’s been very hard to maintain independence and not do those commercials. I had to risk everything I’ve got to do it. I had to re-mortgage my house, because I wanted to stay independent, because I wanted to stay true to what I’m about. I hear what you’re saying but you have to get real. In a real world we are all commodities. We live in a world where you have to buy things to survive.

Sound Revolt: I know but I’m talking about the higher level of having and buying. You’re on it, and you’re against...
Adam Freeland: I’m against unethical bullshit!

Sound Revolt: I know! I know what you seem to be against...
Adam Freeland: I’m just telling you what I am against

Sound Revolt: Ok, so this veil is not just a marketing trick?
Adam Freeland: This is me. I spent four years of my life sweating to make this album. It’s what I believe in. It’s what I feel. This is me. You might like it, you might hate it. You might like me, you might hate me. That’s all you can do. I can only be me, I can’t try to be somebody else that I’m not. I’m really proud of this record.

Sound Revolt: The true reason of my irony was to provoke you. I wasn’t sure if Free*land was all honest. If you tried try to cheat me I would tell.
Adam Freeland: It’s all right. I appreaciate it. It’s good to have this conversation. I think it’s good to get these things out, because some people think - “oh, he’s got tracks with vocals on! He must have sold out”. For example “Supernatural Thing” - a few people said something like that. And actually Ben E. King’s original is one of my favourite tracks of all time. And I think Allison has an incredible voice and I’m really proud of the cover version I’ve done. But the problem is people hate vocals sometimes, because there’s so much bullshit vocals! Do you know what I mean?

Sound Revolt: You bet I do.
Adam Freeland: “We Want Your Soul” is a vocal track, but it has something that is fucking real. It’s not “Take me higher”! “Supernatural” is a beautiful lovesong - it’s a fucking song with soul. I fucking love the way she sings that song. Allison is the most incredible person. But the nu-skool breaks mafia are going like “oh, he’s done a vocal, he’s sold out”. I say “OK, I’ve sold out, whatever”. In the real world I’ve made the song that touches people and it touches me. You can only make music for yourself.

Sound Revolt: Well, you don’t really seem to have much contact with nu-skool breaks DJs like Lee Coombs or Meat Katie.
Adam Freeland: Not that much.

Sound Revolt: Quite noticable. I read your recent interview for a Polish website and you had no idea about last year’s breakbeat albums. And I said to myself “he was proclaimed the king of breakbeat and doesn’t have a clue what’s going on now on the scene?”
Adam Freeland: But the point is - You can believe the hype. You can read the magazine. I don’t read dance music magazines. I listen to my ears. I get sent all of those records and I listen to them. If I like them I keep them and If don’t I give them away. And if I didn’t know those albums that’s probably because I didn’t like them. It’s very easy to believe the hype. To play all the new promos, because they are the new promos. “I’m playing this new TCR record, because nobody else has it”. Oh fuck off! I’m playing a record, ‘cause it’s good, not because nobody else has it. There are some things that get through your ears and some things that don’t. I play breakbeat, because it’s a mixture of all different styles of music. Remember that when I did “Coastal Breaks” there wasn’t a breakbeat scene. I wasn’t listening to other breakbeat artists. I was listening to all sorts of music, putting them together and I made a mix album - that’s still my mentality. Now there is a scene and everyone is “oh I wonder what this...”. I couldn’t give a fuck! Because as soon as you say “this is what the sound is” you stop evolving! I like Lee Coombs’ records. His remix of New Order was just fantastic. I haven’t heard his album though. Has he got an album?

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