Finding Your Sound: cktrl
The multi-instrumentalist, DJ and producer discusses sleep as an indicator that his work is complete, how mixing a DJ set can influence mixing an orchestra, and his debut album, spirit.
by Will Griggs
When cktrl visited the Tidal HQ in New York earlier this month to celebrate the release of his stunning debut album, spirit, it felt like a homecoming, even though the multi-instrumentalist (real name: Bradly Miller) is a Londoner. The album was playing at full volume in our listening room, allowing attendees to give the music their full attention, which it rightfully deserves. Released by R&R Digital, home to similarly genre-bending sonic adventurers like Dijon and Mk.gee, spirit takes listeners through delicate moments (opener “undo my eyes”) and dramatic, classically inspired crescendos (“april interlude”) alike. Miller’s saxophone performances are expressive and melodious, enveloping the listener throughout the album’s 10 tracks.
We took a break from chatting with his friends and collaborators to discuss the LP’s creation and inspiration.
When did the creative process for spirit begin? When did it end?
Basically, the process of knowing when things are finished for me is when I feel like there aren’t any more things I need to change about it. And then I fall asleep. And that’s how it usually goes. Like, I’ll be mixing something and if I don’t have to mute, EQ’ed in a different kind of way, I’ll just nod off.
At what point did the record start to come together? When did it start feeling like a collection?
There were two pieces I made in April, both actually called “april.” Then I was working on music for a while but it wasn’t until November that the sessions felt like the album was initially finished. Then there were some sessions in February and at that point, a lot of loved ones said, “Are you sure it’s finished?” And I thought, “Yeah man, obviously!” But I listened back and they were actually right. Let’s take the best of these three times, and that became spirit.
Can you talk about the recording process itself? After spending time with the album, it feels like the rooms it was recorded in, those collaborative spaces, give the music a very alive feeling. Where did this record come together in terms of studios, cities, locations?
Mostly at home in London. I live in Brockley, in a two-bed house. Most of the album was made in the second bedroom. The only thing that wasn’t recorded at home were some of the keys, and all of the orchestral strings were all recorded in Serbia.
How were you able to translate the sounds you had in your head, around how you wanted those strings to sound, into what we hear through the middle sections of spirit?
To be honest with you, it was really difficult. For one thing, I’d never been to Serbia. And there aren’t really Black people in Serbia. When we actually got into the studio, all of the musicians don’t speak English. The conductor that we brought with us helped translate everything. There are times when there is just the orchestra by itself, which didn’t have to have strict timing. But the conductor helped translate the emotion that I wanted to come alive. I don’t think the orchestra was used to playing music in that way — it took a lot of takes.
Can you talk about your work as a DJ and how it connects, or doesn’t, with your creative process as an artist putting out your own album?
I guess until just now, I hadn’t really thought about it. I think DJ-ing is just a part of me. All of my music in a way, because there is so much music that I love and appreciate. When it comes to the mixing process, I’ll mix things a different way. They usually don’t mix orchestras with lots of low end frequencies. They just don’t push it in the same way.
