LA experimental hip-hop artist Teebs lets us in on the making of his debut album Ardour and his feelings behind the Brainfeeder label

Mtendere Mandowa, who goes by the name of Teebs, is an artist in both the musical and visual senses. His artwork is intricate and emotional with recognisable elements and themes smudged and blended into a cohesive whole. The same can be said about his music. Teebs creates deep instrumental hip-hop tunes that carry an ethereal quality to them. His latest album, Collections 01, acts as a ‘mixtape’ break after his critically-acclaimed debut album Ardour was released on experimental hip-hop label Brainfeeder in 2010. We chat with Teebs ahead of his live DJ set at XXX this fortnight – his first gig in Asia.

Where did the inspiration come from for the Collections series?
Initially it started with the idea that I have these tracks that I really like but I didn’t want them to be collected into a new album. I wanted them to come out but I didn’t want them to be looked at as a full length ‘next thing’, but more like a regrouping of tracks. Almost like a mixtape.

Are the tracks from Collections 01 left over from your work on Ardour? How do you know what’s destined for the album and what’s left over for the mixtape?
I don’t know usually until I have a body of work done. I try to pick out things. Once I have a bunch of music done I try to make out the ones that tell a story. That’s usually the next album and the rest that are left over become the Collections. But some are actually newer. I think it was more like an 80/20 kind of thing.

So was the making of Ardour in fact… arduous?
The process was long and exciting. It really was a roller coaster of emotions and half the time I didn’t know I was in the process.

Can you tell us where did the name Ardour came from, then?
The name Ardour... it’s just what I had felt at that time. I wanted to express warmth. The feelings I was going through. Really, just the idea of being able to feel something at all.

We keep hearing stories about you rooming with Brainfeeder label-mates Flying Lotus and Samiyam. Are they true?
Sam and Lotus were living there for a while before I got there. When I moved in I think it was just shy of a year. Me and Sam were roommates in the same apartment and Lotus was literally the door next to us. Everyone moved out but [Flying Lotus] lives up the street from me now. We’re still pretty close.

What was your place like?
It was this artist’s colony… a two-storey building that was gated. And everything around it looked pretty normal and regular − a bunch of apartment complexes. But when you got to ours there was a really funky-looking gate. And once you walked through the gate, you were greeted by these headless samurai statues… and there was weird stuff everywhere.

Was it a space that was conducive to creativity?
It was cool. It just had the freedom where you can do your thing and no-one would bother you. It was really interesting.

Do you think having the backing of a prominent name like Brainfeeder has had a profound effect on your career so far?
Definitely. Lotus is a pretty influential guy to a lot of people. Anyone who is influenced by him and really loves what he does would probably be bound to fall into my stuff and actually give it a chance. I think it definitely did that for me.

Tell us about My Hollow Drum.
It’s a group of 10 guys. We’re just a crew, kinda. We started off with DJing together. Some of those guys are my roommates now and some of those guys taught me how to DJ and they were taking me out when I was first getting into music. Now we put out our own music. It’s kinda like a mini-label thing.

What role do each of these labels play in your music?
I think Brainfeeder, for me, that’s my label label. When I put out a new album I go to them. And then My Hollow Drum is kind of like my family… my crew. We kind of do really fun side-projects. I plan on making a little collection of music and making little tapes – making weird one-offs and things like that with My Hollow Drum.

So, would you say that My Hollow Drum is more experimental?
It’s more my work. It’s easier to do something really off-side things – smaller, weird projects. For me, I can do that there. I feel better.

Interview: Andrea Yu
Photo: Theo Jemison

Teebs plays at XXX on Friday January 20. Tickets: $150.