words Rob Boffard // images Romain Kedochim

Beatnik caught up with several of the artists at this year’s Soundwave Festival on the shores of Croatia. First up in the series of interviews is DJ Format, a UK producer and DJ itching to venture outside of his hip-hop roots.

If nothing else, you have to give DJ Format props for trying.

The lanky DJ is standing by the Beach Bar at Soundwave in Croatia after his fourth and final set of the festival, and we’re talking about his somewhat misguided attempt to get people to listen to local music.

“Last year, I brought a couple of Croatian records,” says the Format. “I was playing them expecting everybody to go ‘Yeah!’ and I realised that everybody here is English, so this year I just brought one. And nobody fucking recognised it! I mean it’s a really funky, psychedelic track. I played it on the boat party, and everybody was dancing, but not one person said, ‘Hey! A record from the former Yugoslavia!’ Not even the guys who worked on the boat. Nobody was listening to the detail. No point trying to be too clever. I’ll just stick to the stuff that I think people are going to enjoy.”

That may be easier said than done. Relaxing in the baking Croatian sun, Format (born Matt Ford) sounds relaxed and confident – and is clearly having one hell of a weekend, several beers notwithstanding. Yet one wonders whether he’ll be able to recapture this confidence with a new record.

His last full studio album, If You Can’t Join ‘Em, Beat ‘Em, was released in 2006. It was dope, and showcased his slightly cheeky crate-digging abilities and his pretty damn fine beatmaking chops. It was also heavy with verses from his close collaborator Abdominal: something that worked in 2006, but would sound very samey if done all over again.

Give Format credit though: he is nothing if not innovative. “If I did another song with Abdominal, we’d have to do something very, very different before people stopped saying, ‘oh, it sounds like the old stuff,’” he says when asked about his as-yet-untitled album.

“This time I’m working with different rappers and musicians. I’m listening to more kind of 60s rock – though I’m absolutely not trying to make a 60s rock album, you can hear in the kind of hip-hop that I’m making that there is an influence there.

“That’s probably the difference. I really feel confident that [my audience will get that] because the people I’ve played it to are so enthusiastic. And I don’t just play my records to my friends who are going to say, ‘yeah! I love everything you do!’ [I play it to] honest friends who will tell me if something is not good enough.

“One song I was working on, a couple of friends were very honest and said it sounded too much like my old stuff. When I’ve done the more rock-orientated samples, it’s not so different, but I think people will move with me. There’s a gap in the market for funky hip-hop. What I’m doing is still gonna be funky, but just a bit more…” he scrunches up his face, “funky rock, more heavy guitars, I don’t know. It’s hard to describe.”

This innovation is something Format has made a habit of. It didn’t get much press, but his most recent project saw him at his most experimental. A collaborative record with Sureshot La Rock, Lungbutters was a distinctly odd (yet strangely cool) spoof radio show that showcased unreleased and rare material from old-school rappers. That, plus his work with the group The Simonsound, which allows him to indulge his passion for 60s psychedelia. Let’s just say he’s keeping people on their toes – and keeping busy.

And one thing’s for sure: whether or not you vibe with Format’s bizarre musical outlook, the man can blow a crowd to smithereens. Along with Mr Thing, he headlined the Main Stage on Saturday night, and managed to turn the area into one massive moshpit.

“We just make it up as we go along!” he laughs. “We decided that [Mr Thing] can start off first and play some hip-hop. Everybody plays garage, so we figured we’d get it back to where we want to be and once he’d done that he moved into breaks, ready for me to start playing some funk and latin stuff. After we’d done a little section each, we decided to play a few records at the time to see whatever came into our heads…we have a good understanding. It’s just fun. It’s not preplanned.”

Soundwave is a festival that rewards experimentation, that doesn’t stick too closely to schedules or plans and which rewards the artists playing as much as it does the punters crashed out on the beach listening. Format first played the festival in 2009, and loved it so much he asked to be allowed back – and to play more. Strangely enough, his throwdown with Mr Thing was not his favourite performance of the weekend.

“It’s a difficult one to pick. The boat party I did on Friday was just so much fun that I’m tempted to say that…the atmosphere on the boat was insane. People were all around you and up in your face, and it felt like we were all in there together, whereas up on the big stage, you’re the big artist and the crowd isn’t [as intense]. I don’t like that so much – I’m kind of shy. I prefer it when it’s a party with everyone else on the boat. I’ve still had such a good time.”

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DJ Format on MySpace