Sweet and Sour, Bitch Shift style

Along with Japan’s DJ Warp and Alone Together, Ben Mill has been one of the true discoveries of 2008.

And while his name itself might mean very little to anybody (bar his mum in Melbourne, Australia), Mill is setting dance music critics’ chins wagging for his work under the ulterior alias of Bitch Shift – as an inventive producer and in-demand remixer, rather than a DJ.

“When I would go out and see a DJ, watch the crowd going right off to a track, I really wanted to make that happen. I would always see these DJs throw their hands in the air, asking for appreciation; they deserve it, don’t get me wrong, but I always wanted to be the guy coming through the speakers, not the face in front of the crowd.”

Mill is reflecting on the age-old DJ-versus-producer fuss from the relative (dis)comfort of his studio, heating up as it is in the last weeks December – down in Melbourne, after all, it’s summer right now.

And yet, even as the year fades, Mill’s production star looks brighter than ever. In the past few months he released his debut, self-titled EP through Digiticed Music, then was promptly snapped up by Sydney label, Elektrax, as well as IF? in Tokyo, for more tracks and a spate of devastating remixes for Little Nobody, Dale Baldwin, Psyborg-9, DJ Warp, and Magnet Toy.

“Initially I got involved with Elektrax through a good old introduction – Andrez Bergen [Little Nobody] introduced me to Simon [DJ Hi-Shock], who runs the label. He liked my work, and the relationship was born.” Mill laughs warmly. “I owe a lot to both of them. As a label, Elektrax has stuck to its guns and stuck by its artists. It is a genuine family-feeling label. I’m no techno boffin, but I’d be willing to bet that that’s hard to come by. That sense of belonging to a label/family. It feels like every step forward is a step we take together.”

Mill has now unleashed his next EP through Elektrax, a three-track masterpiece called ‘Citrus Funk’, that explores bass-driven funk/acid/tech with some tribal percussion thrown in for good measure – along with a remix by Warp. “It’s different, it’s not cut from the mould,” Mill observes.

On top of that, he’s one of three artists who remixed the classic Little Nobody track, ‘Depth Charge’, as a barnstorming techno offering – also through Elektrax this month.

Mill could easily be forgiven for feeling somewhat cocky, but he remains one of the more down-to-earth, easy-going people I’ve interviewed in an age.

He also downplays his own musical background.

“Well, you’d have to go way back. I was raised by a single mother, so quite often I was left to my own devices,” he intones.

The name of his production outfit is also something he seems reluctant to polish up and make more special than it actually is. “Why Bitch Shift? I dunno. I really love to change samples in to something I can relate to, and 99 times out of 100, I like the sound of something pitch-shifted down… so Bitch Shift was born.”

Influences and respected fellow musicans is always an interesting tangent to take, as Mill proves in his next breath.

“Hmm, a toughie. My all time fave is Chris McCormack; he blows me away. Label-wise, Jericho consistently puts out quality music – and, cliche as it sounds, my label-buddies, such as Little Nobody, DJ Hi-Shock and DJ Warp, are really doing some great things. One need only look at the feedback for the latest releases on Elektrax and Hypnotic Room to see it’s very, very true.”

He pauses just a moment to consider further. “Look, I’ve always been into tough, funky, loopy techno, so right now the likes of Karakasis, Koulemnos and Glenn Wilson are getting my attention. But it’s also an interesting time in this music. No one is really grabbing it by the throat, and in the meantime its champions are getting older – still making awesome music, but I highly doubt the reins are being handed over with confidence… do you?”

A good question…

Coming from Australia has its own baggage when you take a good, hard look at the history of electronic sounds, and dance music in particular. Severed Heads, SPK and Ollie Olsen (Whirlywirld) were trend-setters there in the 1970s and ‘80s.

Techno-wise, Melbourne has been a hotbed of creativity since the 1990s, with people like Voiteck, Zen Paradox, Honeysmack, Little Nobody, Digital Primate, Son Of Zev, Blimp, Artificial, and TR-Storm all emerging from that city.

“Now, this is a question to savour,” Mill breathes. “All of the guys you mentioned are good producers in their own right. I think what helps make Australia unique is being so far away. It can be both good and bad – it means we can miss out on fads and trends a bit. Melbourne is the second biggest city in Australia, and that’s what makes it number one for dance music. In my opinion, its a reaction to Sydney, its the role we must play. Dance music, which I produce foremost and upmost, represents unity and passion. There is nothing else beyond that for me. “

Mill laughs again. “On a lighter note, I once saw Honeysmack live, and he did a live remix of Technotronic’s ’Pump Up the Jam’, and it was… mind-blowing. Probably the best track I have heard. I’ve no doubt he did that because he was from Melbourne. Does that make sense?”

© 2008 Sam Foster @ Zebra DMC