ILLEGAL DATA

CLUBNIGHT & LABEL

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Since its foundation in 2018 by Mun Sing and DJ NE$$, Illegal Data has been responsible for putting on some of the city’s most unusual, electrifying parties. Characterised by the fierce eclecticism of their line-ups – always mixing DJs and live acts – these have featured local artists (Kinlaw & Franco Franco, Boofy etc ) alongside talent from further afield (AYA, Container etc,). What can you tell me about the original intentions behind Illegal Data, and the experiences of live music in Bristol that influenced your nights?

Mun Sing: The original idea behind Illegal Data was to put on a FUN party night with plenty of room for pop music alongside all the other more head-y dance music. The aim was to reach out to new people and make friends who had a shared interest in pop, vaporwave etc., as we felt like there was a bit of a gap in the Bristol Music Scene ™ in this area. Another important aspect for us was to always put on nights that showcased a range of abilities and genres. From people playing their first ever show to seasoned touring DJs – I feel like everyone can learn a lot from each other this way! We got bored of going to nights that are centred around just one genre. We wanted to mix everything up as much as possible and give people a platform they might not have had access to before.

NE$$: I think our MO from day one was to avoid any 'serious' or chin-stroking/ edgy vibes and to just facilitate the nights as more of a party and unrestricted space for all involved. In the words of the philosophical Andrew WK: "a party is a situation where people can feel free to truly be themselves, and where anything is possible ” True Pop music to me is a sense of universality and freedom, accessible to any who wish to participate. We wanted to capture that feeling for our nights and I think the artists, audiences and spaces responded positively to that intent. The eclecticism of the line-ups was also paramount, and I think came from our own backgrounds playing amongst diverse line-ups of bands, DJs and experimental acts. Variety is the spice of life!

A year after these nights began, Illegal Data also began operating as a record label with the release of IllegalData Compilation #1 You’ve since released another compilation, as well as EP and LP projects from TEEN, Zoee and Sarahsson What drove this development?

MS: At this point we’d built a small community around our nights We wanted to extend this to those outside of Bristol, and think a bit more #internationally in terms of how we can all connect around our shared musical interests. It was a chance for us to work with some of our favourite artists, and help them get their artistic vision out in to the big, bad horrible world

Illegal Data’s curation is partially distinguished from that of many other ‘experimental’ vehicles in the city by embracing various shades of ‘ pop ’ music. Your compilations place dark, gritty cuts from Fever 103, Silver Waves and others alongside bright, sugary pop-facing tracks from the likes of Mouse and Marged. The first album you released was Zoee’s Flaw Flower, which nods clearly to 1980s pop music. What draws you to promoting music that embraces more conventional notions of ‘ pop ’ , alongside artists who subvert those notions?

N: Our own musical tastes are very broad, so we'd both individually be listening to Pop music often alongside experimental/ avantgarde/ metal or whatever else anyway. Our approach to curation and releases probably just reflects that. Pop music as a genre or term resonates with us, as it could be argued any genre could fit into Pop Music really

Last year you released Sarahsson’s debut album The Horgenaith What can you tell me about the process of releasing this album?

MS: We have always admired Sarahsson, both as an artist and a walking flesh prison (human being) for a while before we worked on the album together. We felt like competition winners when they said they wanted to release it with us. We had absolute faith in their vision for the album. They’re a genuine inspiration to me.

N: As long-time fans (Sarahsson had performed at an earlier ID night) we were blown away when Sarahsson approached us. We felt a strong responsibility to help support, facilitate and take care of that release to the best of our abilities, as we both knew it was going to be amazing Then we both heard the album, and it was even more amazing than we ever expected! I cried! The process taught us all so much, and to be honest gave me a lot of respect for DIY artists and labels working together to release music, as it can be a lot of work! The feeling of releasing an innovative and impactful record can't be understated –it's an incredible feeling.

Illegal Data has held shows in various spaces around Bristol, such as The Mothers’ Ruin, The Old England, Exchange, Take 5 Café and Strange Brew How would you describe the landscape of Bristol’s small venues?

N: We were lucky to have been able to start putting on nights pre-pandemic and explore as many spaces as we did. The Old England was certainly a bastion of our own unique chaos I think the landscape has changed post-pandemic though, as many venues either closed or decided to do away with music events generally, which is a real loss. Still though there's some great new venues and spaces, and music will always find a way.

Is there an Illegal Data night you are particularly proud of?

MS: We’re proud of all of them [Ego Mode: activated]. For me one that comes to mind is our night with Golin, Swan Meat, Sarahsson and I-Sha. That felt really special. It was our first proper night postcovid, and it was very humbling to see a lot of people turn up for it. Every act that night blew us away, and it’s nice hearing that the artists have stayed in touch and even collaborated since that show.

N: That first big one post-pandemic was an amazing experience That sense of the artists staying in touch is another unique part of the nights we've had since early days with ID. At most of our nights, ourselves and the artists have formed close bonds, and it almost has a family vibe at times. It's quite moving to be honest, and a big reason why we do this and try to book national and international artists.

Illegal Data’s work clearly values unpretentiousness Show announcements are paired with long, whimsical artist-bios, with past examples claiming Swan Meat “gets through 8 stress balls a week” and Kai Whiston “refuses to eat hot food due to an irrational fear of steam” I see this as subverting the grave seriousness with which a lot of ‘experimental’ vehicles frame their activities, and some of the genres you represent are often perceived How far would you agree with this, and why do you present Illegal Data this way?

MS: The silly artist bios are a way for us to poke a bit of fun at the serious artist writeups we’re all so used to seeing. It hopefully sets a tone for the nights and helps artists and audiences to not take themselves too seriously. We also didn’t like the idea of always using cool labels, affiliations or accolades to justify an artist’s worth to an audience. It’s sometimes not the best way to quantify good or successful artistry. I think humour can be a good way to cut through all of that – and it’s fun for us too.

What would you like to imagine people taking away from your shows?

MS: Hopefully a new favourite artist, and to be inspired to start DJing or performing: whether that’s because they want to join in on the fun, or because our night was so bad that they need to do a better job Oh, and at least one Illegal Data T-shirt, a Sarahsson necklace and a Zoee cassette

N: That music events should be an accessible, inviting space: accommodating a celebration of our own and each other’s individual weirdness

While This GLORIOUS MOMENT IN MUSIC CONTINUES, What RESOLUTION Can we Reach?

Friends, we find ourselves in a CHANGED WORLD.

BRISTOL’S NEW MUSIC

The profile of this city’s music, Once broadly overlooked, has RISEN DRAMATICALLY:

Heard on the radio

Written about in publications

Seen at far-ranging festivals and venues

Recognised by the UK industry

The Uk Music Industry

The agency of our major arbiters, So brutalised by this publication, PRESENTS NEW FLAWS.

We have watched: New Music Media Fracturing

(signalled by the demise of Q and print-editions of NME) Major Labels’ Power Expanding (not least via their shares in streaming platforms) Commercial Radio’s Venomous Rise (and marginalising of specialist new music programming)

This momennt in music GROWS DEESSPITE

The Transformed Strength of Agents Against The Prosperity Of All That is CHALLENGING, COURAGEOUS and ALIVE, Through these artists’ CONTINUED WORK and MUTUAL SUPPORT. WHERE TRULY GREAT MUSIC PULLS ITSELF INTO THE SPOTLIGHT, noblest where it is IDEOLOGICAL in vision and EXTREME in realisation, IT WILL BE MET IN THE END WITH LOVE.