Last month You Need To Hear This released their full-length documentary 'Fantastic Man' about the mysterious Nigerian musician William Onyeabor.__Next month, on Record Store Day on the 19th April, 'WHAT?! - William Onyeabor Remixed' will be released. It features a series of fantastic Onyeabor covers and remixes by Hot Chip, Daphni, Joakim, Justin Strauss, The Vaccines, Scientist and many more. As a taster for the record, Noisey has got one of the remixes from JD Twitch, of Scottish DJ duo Optimo, available as a free download. In a recent interview, he talked us through his contribution to the forthcoming record.Noisey: I know you're a big fan of discovering and championing "obscure" music figures, so how did you first discover William Onyeabor?
JD Twitch: I started exploring African music in the mid to late 90s and around that time there was a bit of an explosion in compilations being released which was my main entry point to discovering more artists. Around 2001, Strut released a compilation called "Funky Lagos" that had his "Better Change Your Mind" track on it which I became obsessed with. I started looking for more of his music but kept drawing a complete blank. Eventually I found a couple of his albums on Ebay (thankfully before the prices for his records went crazy) and found another couple on my travels. Almost without exception, every time I played one of his tracks in a DJ set someone would ask about it so it seemed self evident his music had a broad appeal and the Luaka Bop reissue has definitely proved that to be the case.What is it about his sound and story that you find so appealing?
There is something quite ecstatic about his music. It is life affirming and also transcendental and just takes me somewhere else. His musicianship, lyrics, voice, use of female vocals and especially the way he uses and plays synthesisers melts my heart. Being a great lover of music that uses synths and also music from across Africa, before I heard about him I used to dream that someone like him existed and it turned out they did. The backstory just adds to it all.In remixing the track, what did you decide to hone in on, and what did you what to bring to the track yourself? Can it be scary remixing artists you really love in case you don't do it justice?
It can be very scary remixing a track that I love so much and also that is so unique and perfect as it is. For that reason i decided to do a cover version rather than a remix and used just a tiny sample from the original, recreating everything else including recording new vocals for it. This was quite liberating and meant I could take it in a different direction from the original without worrying that I was butchering it or being disrespectful to it.What did you think of the Onyeabor documentary?
I thought it was fantastic. Very entertaining and informative yet it left me within even more questions about him and his music. It's almost impossible to be that enigmatic in these times but he remains an enigma and it seems truth is stranger than fiction. Lots of people I know who had never encountered his music have fallen in love with it as a result of watching the documentary and I think what we do and perhaps even more what we don't know about him only adds to the experience.What do you think a listener who has just discovered Onyeabor, would take from his sound today?
I think there are various things a listener can take from his music; that he was doing something very unique, and is peerless, not just amongst African music but when considering all music, that his music is timeless, often has a conscious message and most of all is just joyous, beautiful music that is wonderful to listen to or to dance to.
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JD Twitch: I started exploring African music in the mid to late 90s and around that time there was a bit of an explosion in compilations being released which was my main entry point to discovering more artists. Around 2001, Strut released a compilation called "Funky Lagos" that had his "Better Change Your Mind" track on it which I became obsessed with. I started looking for more of his music but kept drawing a complete blank. Eventually I found a couple of his albums on Ebay (thankfully before the prices for his records went crazy) and found another couple on my travels. Almost without exception, every time I played one of his tracks in a DJ set someone would ask about it so it seemed self evident his music had a broad appeal and the Luaka Bop reissue has definitely proved that to be the case.What is it about his sound and story that you find so appealing?
There is something quite ecstatic about his music. It is life affirming and also transcendental and just takes me somewhere else. His musicianship, lyrics, voice, use of female vocals and especially the way he uses and plays synthesisers melts my heart. Being a great lover of music that uses synths and also music from across Africa, before I heard about him I used to dream that someone like him existed and it turned out they did. The backstory just adds to it all.In remixing the track, what did you decide to hone in on, and what did you what to bring to the track yourself? Can it be scary remixing artists you really love in case you don't do it justice?
It can be very scary remixing a track that I love so much and also that is so unique and perfect as it is. For that reason i decided to do a cover version rather than a remix and used just a tiny sample from the original, recreating everything else including recording new vocals for it. This was quite liberating and meant I could take it in a different direction from the original without worrying that I was butchering it or being disrespectful to it.What did you think of the Onyeabor documentary?
I thought it was fantastic. Very entertaining and informative yet it left me within even more questions about him and his music. It's almost impossible to be that enigmatic in these times but he remains an enigma and it seems truth is stranger than fiction. Lots of people I know who had never encountered his music have fallen in love with it as a result of watching the documentary and I think what we do and perhaps even more what we don't know about him only adds to the experience.What do you think a listener who has just discovered Onyeabor, would take from his sound today?
I think there are various things a listener can take from his music; that he was doing something very unique, and is peerless, not just amongst African music but when considering all music, that his music is timeless, often has a conscious message and most of all is just joyous, beautiful music that is wonderful to listen to or to dance to.