Basic Details :

Names : Gareth Thomas
Record Label : None
Home Town : London
Website : www.myspace.com/thepuzzlefactory http://soundcloud.com/puzzlefactory

Top 5 tunes of the moment :
1 - Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites-Skrillex
2 - Dreamweaver-Loki
3 - Orbit-Misanthrop
4 - Lost Cause-Noisia & TeeBee
5 - Perfect Stranger-Magnetic Man

Top 5 producers of the moment :
1 - Skrillex
2 - Foreign Beggars
3 - Amon Tobin
4 - Bonobo
5 - The Cinematic Orchestra

KRISISDnB : Thanks for being interviewed for the KRISISDnB.COM website. Firstly can you give us a brief background to how you got into DnB?

PUZZLE FACTORY : I used to be into DnB years ago (in my student days when i shared a house with a DnB DJ), but stopped listening to it for a long while. Not because i particularly disliked it but was just getting into more down tempo style of music like RJD2, Herbalizer, Cinematic Orchestra, Boards of Canada, Aphex Twin etc etc... Then a few years after being out of the scene i was talking with a friend of a friend who was still heavily into the scene and he gave me list of names and tracks i should check out. The names he gave me were all the big names in the neurofunk scene, Noisia, TeeBee and Calyx, Spor, Phace and Misanthrop. I instantly loved it. I loved the mixture and contrast of the ambient/cinematic intros and breakdowns with the big beats and dark twisted, gnarly, wonky reese based basslines. Listening to that music inspired me and so i set about making music like it.

KRISISDnB : Can you tell us the projects you are working on at the moment?

PUZZLE FACTORY : At the moment i'm working on tracks for a forthcoming EP release at the beginning of next year and for an album further down the line. I've also been getting into writing some Dubstep tracks and will soon be starting a collaboration project with a vocalist.

KRISISDnB : What can we expect from your sets you play at?

PUZZLE FACTORY : I'm very much a Tech-Step/Neurofunk fan, so lots of that. Like i said before i love the contrast between powerful cinematic music and dark, hard, twisted beats and basslines. So when i'm going through Beatport tracks thats what i'm looking for. Recently i've noticed some crossovers to and from other genres such as Dubstep and Electro House, which i think is really interesting and something i'm going to aim to incorporate into my music in the future.

KRISISDnB : How long have you been mixing and producing and what got you started on both?

PUZZLE FACTORY : I've been producing for about 10-12 years if you count it from when i first started to learn. When i first started going clubbing i became fascinated with dance music and the PUZZLE FACTORYs it evoked in clubbers on the dance floor. I wanted to make that sort of music and so saved up a couple of weeks wages and bought an old MC-303 Groovebox and taught my self with that. Later i went to college and uni and started learning about synthesis and sampling on stuff like the old Akai S3000 samplers and synths such as Roland JP-8000 and Korg Z1 and recording on early versions of Pro Tools and the old Tascam tape machines. Obviously things were different back then and a lot more expensive and i couldn't really afford to do both production and DJ (record collecting is also a, expensive hobby) and so i didn't really get into mixing at that time. Now though, when everything can be done on your computer, including mixing, i've started getting into DJing too. I've got myself a copy of Traktor and Vestax controller and have finally taken the plunge. I'm thoroughly enjoying it and hopefully be playing out soon.

KRISISDnB : What other types of music do you listen to?

PUZZLE FACTORY : All sorts, i have a quite eclectic taste in music. Some of the artists i've got on my ipod include DjShadow, Jurassic 5, DJ Cam, Magnetic Man, Gorrilaz, Cinematic Orchestra, Muse, Smashing Pumpkins, Portishead, RJD2, The Crow Soundtrack, Pearl Jam, Skrillex, Unkle, Coldcut, Faith No More, The Prodigy, Venetian Snares, Son of Dave and Evil Nine just to name just a few. So i have quite a broad interest in music and try to take inspiration where ever i can find it.

KRISISDnB : What are your targets for the next year or 2?

PUZZLE FACTORY : Just to keep homing my art. Every track i write seems to be better than the last so hopefully i can stay on this upward trend. Like i said i want to get an album together by next year and hopefully branch out into other genres and mediums.

KRISISDnB : Who are your favourite DJs and MCs worldwide?

PUZZLE FACTORY : Whoa, thats i difficult one. My favorite mix album of all time is Coldcuts Journeys by DJ so guess them on the DJ front. MCs, i guess Roots Manuva and Tuna Fish.

KRISISDnB : As usual in our interviews we like to make ours a bit different from other interviews you may have done, so here is the 10second round..

KRISISDnB : Vinyl or mp3?

PUZZLE FACTORY : MP3

KRISISDnB : Online record shop or local record shop?

PUZZLE FACTORY : Online

KRISISDnB : Promo or Picture disc??

PUZZLE FACTORY : Promo

KRISISDnB : Mixmag or Kmag?

PUZZLE FACTORY : Kmag

KRISISDnB : One Nation or Random Concept?

PUZZLE FACTORY : Random Concept

KRISISDnB : Innovation in the Sun or Innovation at the Dam?

PUZZLE FACTORY : Innovation in the Dam

KRISISDnB : What have been your biggest achievements so far?

PUZZLE FACTORY : I guess making it as far as i have and knowing what i know. Hopefully it's just going to get better.

KRISISDnB : Anything you want to mention that we havent covered already? Any shout outs etc?

PUZZLE FACTORY : Just a big shout out to all my friends and family, they know who they are!

KRISISDnB : Cheers for being interviewed for the site.