Goose | Te Ahi Top 10

Taking out the top spot on this week’s Te Ahi Top 10 is local Ōtautahi DJ and Producer Goose, with his song, ‘Kick It Funky’. Taken from his debut EP the track is a delightful combination of house and disco elements.

Making his name in the scene as a DJ performing with the TwoMinds collective, Goose has emerged with his debut EP ‘Things I Notice When I’m High’. The three-track project sees Goose firmly establish himself as a producer/DJ double threat.

We caught up with Goose to chat about how the track came together, working with the TwoMinds collective and future plans.

Hey there! Congrats on taking out the top spot on this week’s Te Ahi Top 10! Can you tell me a little bit about who you are and what you do?

I’m a Christchurch based house DJ and Producer that’s lived in the area for almost 20 years. I’ve been playing gigs for around a year and a half and have recently committed to the name Goose which is in some part due to the goose tattoo I have on my leg. 

If I was to describe the vibe I’m going for with my music and DJ sets, I would say it’s funk house but am never afraid of throwing in some classic funk, disco or even hip hop as well. Just enjoy anything groovy that gets people dancing.

You’re a DJ playing shows with the TwoMinds collective, what started first for you, the production or DJ’ing?

DJing came first a few summers ago, after my third year of uni. I was in a flat full of people who could mix and naturally ended up doing the same. Production was always something I had intentions of starting, but only really dived into last year during lockdown when I downloaded the Ableton free trial.

What has been your most memorable gig?

Tough question but probably I would have to say Tora Bombora this year was pretty special. Felt like I knew every other person at the festival and it was the first time I played one of my own tracks in a set which was a massive milestone to tick off a year after playing my first ever gig there in the previous summer.

So the track comes from your debut EP ‘Things I Notice When I’m High’, tell me more about that project?

Releasing my debut EP in June was a goal I set at the start of the year as I felt like I had got to a point with production that I could make something I would be proud to release. I see the three songs on the EP as all having their own vibe to them and collectively somewhat sum up my taste in house music, or at least my taste at the moment. 

With this EP I wanted to create something funky and fun but also with a bassline that was heavy enough to play in a club setting.

When you’re producing, are you making these songs specifically with a live audience in mind? Or is it a bit more free-flowing?

I definitely keep in mind that I want to be able to play them in my sets but try not to let that influence it too much. I think you can do so much with the start and the end of a song that often isn’t heard in a mix but a good intro/outro adds so much to a track.

Tell me a little bit more about your production process? What software do you use and how do you go about making a track?

I initially downloaded Ableton simply because they had a free trial. But the way it works makes sense in my head so I’ve stuck with that. I use a lot of samples from platforms like Splice and Loopmaster to provide a lot of the instruments and then use Serum and some other plugins when writing basslines and some other elements. 

My process is a very unorganized one and I don’t ever have any plan in my head of how I want the song to sound. Usually, I will create a drum loop and let that play continuously while adding other components. There is a lot of trial and error and the songs vibe or bpm will often change multiple times while making it.

Who would be some of your musical influences?

This EP had a lot of influence from artists like Joey Negro and Da Lukas who combine elements from funk and disco with the classic four on the floor house thump. From a mixing perspective, I really look to acts like Folamour and Frank Booker for inspiration. Folamour in particular is the epitome of style in my opinion and isn’t afraid to play things others won’t.

What’s your favourite venue in Ōtautahi?

Flux FLUX FLUUUUXXXX, love everything about that place and I spend far too much time and money there.

What does the rest of 2021 have in store for you?

I have a fair few gigs coming up in the next month including a pretty special one that TwoMinds will be throwing on the 17th of July. I’ve taken a small break from producing but am diving back into it at the moment and have some collaborations planned for another project with some Christchurch hip hop artists providing some vocals. 

So I will be looking to release another EP later on this year as well as some singles. I’ll also be jumping on the RDU airwaves in the next few weeks hosting a new late-night show called Fergs Emporium and then will hopefully be wrapping up the year with some summer festivals!

You can check out Kick It Funky Below.

The Te Ahi Top 10 is our weekly chart as voted by YOU, our audience! Presented live every Thursday 3 – 4pm on RDU 98.5FM. 

To vote for the Te Ahi Top 10 simply download the RDUnited app and click the like icon for a track you love when it’s played on air. The tune with the most likes each week will be crowned the winner! Simple as that.