The Records That Made Me: Courtesy
With The Records That Made Me, VF uncovers the vinyl releases that have influenced and shaped our favourite musicians, DJs and artists.
DJ and producer Courtesy has built a reputation on her ever-morphing masterful takes on electronic music. Whether delivering euphoric house, garage or immersive ambient soundscapes, the Danish artist and Against Interpretation Club label and arts platform founder is a tour de force.
Ahead of her upcoming performance at community led music and arts festival RALLY at Southwark Park, VF sat down with Courtesy to learn about her relationship with vinyl and her favourite records – an eclectic mix of diverse sounds, reflective of RALLY's line-up.
What are your earliest memories of vinyl?
I actually think it’s when I would make bowls out of vinyl records in arts and crafts class as a kid. That’s the first someone allowed me to touch one and we made these extremely ugly bowls. That would be my first hands on vinyl memory. Other than that I just have a very generic sort of ‘listened to Queen in my parents house’ type of memories.
Why do you think vinyl has continued to hold so much importance to music fans and artists?
I think it has a lot to do with the lack of physicality of time based art and music. It makes sense that it has the potential to become a physical artwork. Obviously vinyl is really important not only because music is important but because visual art is important. I think most of the legendary records had legendary artwork as well. I think these two are linked together and why there is continuous potential with vinyl and why it will continue to be interesting even with all this dreadful AI stuff going on.
How does it feel for you as an artist to have your music on vinyl?
I would prefer if my music was only on vinyl but obviously that would make sense for very few people in terms of reaching them and then the limitations of some countries. For slightly more democratic reasons I’ve always released my stuff digitally as well. I don’t really care so much about a mass market and super accessibility and playlists .. I think this commitment people make when they buy a vinyl and it becomes a special object to them, I think that’s important as an artist and that’s why I personally lean towards it. With the artwork of vinyls you also have so much more potential of doing something great with the sleeve.
What can we expect from your upcoming set at RALLY Festival?
I think for my set at RALLY I will play as eclectic of a set as the above selection.. except I will not be playing any Danish Hip Hop and I will not be rapping.
Read on to discover the records that made Courtesy.
Pipilotti Rist
Video Installation Soundtracks & Ear Fruits
(Self-released)
This record I feel is very relevant now. Pipilotti Rist has this compilation called Video Installation Soundtracks & Ear Fruits. She’s a Swiss conceptual artist that does a lot of video art and is also a musician. One of the more loud (and undeniably the most famous) pieces is this cover of Wicked Love - her version is called I am a victim of this song. It’s her yelling these Chris Isaac lyrics and it's brutal. in ‘Ever is Over All’ she is smashing cars - people can look that up.
Prefab Sprout
I Trawl The Megahertz
(EMI)
This record was very influential to me for my last album - particularly this one song which is a 22 min piece which is something between a piece of poetry and a sound piece. I love this record - I’ve probably listened to this more than any other piece of music for the last 3 years. Influencing my decisions regarding music writing and the lyrical aspect of the work that I do.
Drexciya
Neptune's Lair
(Mother Records)
This has continued to be a record that I have worked with, listened to for enjoyment but also played as a DJ throughout the last 10 years. I mostly got to know Drexciya through the Tresor reissues.
Aphex Twin
Syro
(Warp)
I’m sure Aphex Twin appears on everyone’s list.. maybe not this album though. I included this because I still play the track 180db_ in almost every DJ set. The thing about all the different genres I’ve touched upon the many years I’ve been DJing to kind of see records like this where I continuously play them and don’t get tired of them is special.
MC Clemens
Regnskabets time 97
(Medley Records)
This is the first body of music that I was obsessed with. I wanted to be the first female rapper in Denmark. As a 10 year old I would rap the lyrics of this record, just me and a mic in music class. Everytime he would say dick I would change the lyrics to chess. Obviously that career didn’t really work out but I think that was my first attempt at becoming a musician.
Courtesy plays RALLY Festival this weekend at Southwark Park. Tickets are on sale here.
