After years of worshiping Kryptic Minds and later the solo artist known as Leon Switch, I was fortunate enough to sit down with the man himself and talk about his history and vision. I can honestly say he was one of the most genuine, nicest people I’ve had the pleasure to exchange 10 minutes of conversation with. His thought of making music to make you feel cool in your own little moment really connected – as in my opinion, that’s what electronic music is all about. As he educated a group of up-and-coming Denver producers in the Sub.Mission organized production clinic, he shared fun anecdotes and offered loads of technical advice. Then, as expected, he absolutely murdered Cervantes, dishing out plenty of familiar unreleased Leon Switch tracks along with some fresh, unheard jaw droppers. 

How did you get involved with music production? 

I started in bands year ago. My first instrument was the guitar. I played in bands for years and years and did loads of gigs. I played in 50/60’s rock bands, heavy metal bands. I found that musicians in general are always stoned or always drunk. And to get 5 people in the same room at the same time, can often be hell, especially on a regular basis. I wanted a set up where I could just play with myself (tehe). I could be the bassist, the drummer, the keyboard player. I could multitrack the whole thing up. My first studio – I had the intention of making a band – my own band. A friend of mine introduced me to drum and bass – he had a sampler. And he was very much like – ‘you gotta check this out’. So I got into drum and bass and got into producing with samples rather than instruments. I became addicted and its grown and grown. 

I feel like your new material, while similar to music made as Kryptic Minds, possesses a bit more energy and hyphey-ness.  How would you distinguish between the music you're making now as Leon Switch versus your material as Kryptic Minds? 

It’s almost a bit more personal. With it just being me now, I’ve got more control over the whole thing. I’ve always been a little bit more aggressive I suppose in the sound. I’ve always been wanting to make tunes that were a bit more having it than what we did as Kryptic Minds. We did tunes like Six Degrees which was quite having it. Things like Deadlock were more my cup of tea. 

You've been showcasing an impressive collection of unreleased music in mixes, but have only had a few releases. Are you keeping things relatively quiet on purpose?  

I’ve signed exclusively to Distance on Chestplate for two releases. He took the first release which was Deadlock/Persepolisia. Basically, the music took sort of a weird direction, so we’ve just kind of been waiting back. We didn’t want to put out tunes where people weren’t sure where this is going. But I’ve literally just signed the next release to Distance. So yea I’ve basically been holding off for Distance. 

Why do you think your music tends to lean towards the dark side? Where does it come from? 

I don’t know really. Some of my early influences were like Photek and Dom & Rolland and they all had that darker edge to them. And the kind of films I like were like Alien and Blade Runner and these kind of films all had a bit of a darker edge on them. Also, the early music I listened to was a lot of piano music, which also has a tendency, some of it, to be quite dark. I loved a lot of classical music as a kid. Like Chakoffski which was very high energy and also very dark. I don’t intentionally go dark. It’s not like I start a tune and I’m like I’m gonna make this a big, bad, dark tune. I just do what I do and that’s how it ends up. I think it’s my choice of sound naturally. 

You mentioned during the production clinic that your dad produces. Could you expand on that? 

Yea, my grandad was a session drummer which was quite big in the UK and Europe in general in the early to mid 70’s and early 80’s. He did a lot of TV shows and that kind of stuff. And so music has always been in the family. So I naturally got into guitar from a very young age. My dad was an artist – a painter. Over time, my dad started playing my guitars and then he’d have a go with my samplers. He sort of made this crazy music which was incomprehensible He just put like layer upon layer upon layer. Overtime, he’s kind of evolved. In the same way I have, he’s sort of grown with it. He makes some really really interesting stuff bits. 9/10 times it’s loud – super loud. But yea he’s a cool guy –a really cool guy. 
  
Sub.Mission’s motto is to move people through sound not hype. What’s your .mission? 

My mission is for it to be more of an experience. I like the idea of the sound engulfing you. Like when you put a pair of headphones on, you kind of end up somewhere else. I like the idea of it being not just a track. Something you experience – the Leon Switch experience I suppose. Similar to a film – you’re engulfed and it takes you over.