January 2012 ~ The Pulserusher Blog ( With Johan De Kock )

We chat to Mr. Sakitumi about his magic 8 ball, his favorite "Grrrl" and I get wrapped over the knuckles.

Whether you say “Sakitumi”, “Sock it to me” or Sean Ou Tim, one thing is sure, as a multi-instrumentalist technical genius, this is a name that’s on everyone’s lips… tell us a bit about yourself, where does the name come from, how you got it and why you decided that this would be how you represent yourself?

A:
I'm not too tall and I'm not too short either, although the hat does add some extra height. I can blend in amongst a group of Asian tourists, although easy to spot, as I will be the one without a camera.
You can't see me in the darkness, well, you can't see anyone in the darkness.
I play various instruments, using them with electronic music and vice versa.
The name actually came out of joking around. I started doing beats on my sampler (electronic music device) and began moonlighting here and there, til one day I got booked to play a gig.
i was told i needed a name, so i jokingly came up with 'Mr Sakitumi', which seems to have stuck around;)
It's a play on how it sounds, puts a smile on people's faces. Sometimes when I'm greeted, it gets pronounced in many ways and accents, which is pretty cool.

Q:

You’re style of music seems to merge sounds both old and new, to create something that consistently stays fresh, tell us a bit about your process, what inspires your production, and what are your biggest influences?

I'm fortunate, in that being a multi-instrumentalist, i'm able to approach writing my tracks from a different angle (instrument) each time. it does help me to realize some of the bits of melodies i hear in my head.
most of my ideas come out when i'm away from my studio, my phone being the first device i hum/sing (pretty badly) into.
when i'm back in my studio, i'll play through a list of recordings and see what grabs me to take it further.
then there are those obvious days of jamming around in the studio, where something might come up.
i've actually taken the time to list my influences on my myspace page....does it still exist, i hope so? i wrote down quite a lot.
there are also amazing producers locally, who inspire me to keep at it.

Q:

Your distinctive sound has graced many a dance floor, as Mr.Sakitumi and what a lot of people might not now, as a founding member of the pioneering “Max Normal TV”, with Waddy Jones, better known by some as “Ninja” from the highly controversial “Die Antwoord” do you still have a lot of contact with Waddy, and what are your thoughts on “Die Antwoord”?

A:

Correction, it was just 'max normal', here's a short chronology for those who don't know:
in order leading up to today:
the original evergreen => watkin tudor jones jnr=> max normal (waddy, sibot, mark buchanan and myself) => constructus=> the fantastic kill=> maxnormal.tv => die antwoord
the thing about ninjas, is that they are so sneakily stealthy, that it's not easy to see them when they are around;)
die antwoord has captured the imagination of the world and that has been fascinating to see. the way they broke out of the country also deserves kudos.
i personally don't think their ideas will dry up, so i'm interested to see how they evolve and what will be next. one thing is for sure, it'll be extreme and pg rated ;)

Q:

Thanx to organizers, like the amazing people over at “Griet”, underground electronic music, is getting a major platform in South Africa, and people are opening up to styles and genres much more. Where do you see electronic music in South Africa and the world going in the near and distant future?
A:

So many organizers (like griet, sshadoworkss) and sponsors (like redbull studios cape town) have worked hard to build the scene here, i mean, i feel fortunate to be able to do what i do in south africa.
there has been amazing growth to the point where some of our guys headline electronic parties, stages and festivals locally as well as abroad.
wrt the second part of the question, i asked my magic 8 ball and it said... "ask again in the near and distant future"

Q:

Your debut album “Secret Asian Man”, is an incredible piece of musical art… and seems to catch a true glimpse into who Mr. Sakitumi is, up to and including the title… “Secret Asian Man”… what don’t we know about Mr.Sakitumi? any hidden talents or hobbies?
A:

Thanks,I appreciate the appreciation.
I can write cursive backwards quite fluidly, suppose boredom in class led to it, but one day, that great purpose will be revealed....where's my magic 8 ball?

Q:

I recently read somewhere, that your wife is in the Industry as well… Do you ever worry about her getting a lot of unwanted attention from fans, or is it the other way around?
A:

In the industry? is she? really? where? ;) she's her own person and handles herself really well.
check out www,facebook.com/thegrrrl

Q:

You’ve collaborated with a vast array of impressive and diverse artists including Goldfish and Johnny Clegg, is there anyone specific you’d love to work with in future?
A:

Shirley bassey (she sang a bunch of the old classic james bond themes)

Q:

What’s playing on your IPOD/Mp3 player/Car radio at the moment?
A:

The new lark album stuff, we're playing again soon and i need to refresh the songs in my mind.

Q:

You work with an arsenal of instruments and hardware, which you use to their fullest potential… is there any software that makes it into the mix… and is there any one instrument or piece of hardware that you still really want to get and use in your work?
A:

Softwarewise, i use abelton live + maxforlive + native intruments + mspinky for all of my stuff.instrumentwise, funny you should ask, i've just started cello.

What can we expect from Mr. Sakitumi in the near and distant future?
A:

2nd album, music video, more collaborations.
as well as a mr sakitumi with a better magic 8 ball? (it does tell me this article will be out in the near future)
thanks for the interview:)