Part of the Detroit wave that slipped through the cracks, Keith Worthy had been steadily applying his trade as a DJ for a good many years before he started to produce records. When he did finally press his talent to wax, it was for his own label, Aesthetic Audio, which he set up in 2007 and which has been home to releases not just from himself but also Juju & Jordash, Tony Lionni, Steven Tang and more. From the outset Worthy has trodden some familiar ground, that deepest of Detroit house and techno, that raw sound of emotion pouring through the machines it was created with. It’s a palpable thread through Worthy’s work, from the aching strings of “Shelovesmenot” through to the plaintive leads of “Rockit Science” hinting at cosmic heartbreak — emotion is everywhere you turn. With his debut album soon to be released, LWE wanted to uncover more of the Keith Worthy story and so tracked him down to talk about his label, the album and what it takes to produce honest music. He also mixed together our 181st exclusive podcast, a timeless mix of heartfelt house and techno, made up of freshly minted and age-old classics.

Download LWE Podcast 181: Keith Worthy (78:02)

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Tracklist:

01. Robert Hood, “Who Taught You Math” [Peacefrog Records]
02. Erika, “Tow Ride” (Marcellus Pittman Remix) [Interdimensional Transmissions]
03. Fred P, “Dawn” [Finale Sessions]
04. Regen, “Kraft” [Deeplabs]
05. Diego Gamez, “As Dirty As They Come” [Underground Quality]
06. Basic Soul Unit, “Breathe” (Jerome Deradji Remix) [Still Music]
07. STL, “QRZ” [Something]
08. Baaz, “Can’t Take It Away” [Slices of Life]
09. Joey Anderson, “From One Mind To The Other” [Latency]
10. Norm Talley, “Beats on Broadway” [NDATL Muzik]
11. Baby Ford, “No Day” [Perlon]
12. Black Jazz Consortium, “What Up With The Love” [Soul People Music]
13. Joe Drive, “Amnios” [Aesthetic Audio]
14. Santiago Salazar, “Gaff’s Theme” [Finale Sessions]
15. Omar S, “Don’t Let Dis Be Hapnin!!” [FXHE Records]
16. Jay Daniel, “I Have No Name” [Sound Signature]
17. Big Strick, “How High” [7 Days Entertainment]

Hey Keith, how are things going? Is everything wrapped up with your debut album or are you still putting the finishing touches on it?

Keith Worthy: I appreciate you asking. There were some other remix deadlines to meet for other labels, but I am putting the finishing touches on my album now, as well as building a cohesive theme for the project.

Can you tell us a bit about the recording of the tracks for the album? When did you decide to make it and was there something you wanted to convey differently to what you do with your 12″ releases?

The process for recording this album was intermittent, intense, moody, and emotional, and I believe that the project collectively captures this. It typically requires me to first be in the right state of mind and inspired to create music I believe is interesting, different, and meets my personal standard.

So when did you start producing? Do you feel getting into the production game relatively late either helped or hindered you?

It is what it is as far as my production timing, but obviously, being an American, it would have been more beneficial for me to have been engaged earlier. It was also important to me to take an organic approach to the craft to ensure that I had a legitimate interest and love for producing my own sounds before I put them out there. On the other side of the coin, I’m confident in my skill set when it comes to DJing for live audiences, and my passion is fueled by this aspect of business.

You fairly quickly established Aesthetic Audio as not just an outlet for your own productions, but as a means to release other artists as well. Did you have this in mind when you launched the label? Did you already have in mind other producers who you wanted on the label?

The focus for Aesthetic Audio is to articulate the interesting art that I am passionate about, but when I come into contact with like-minded people it’s a blessing. So the label becomes an outlet not only for me, but for others with similar visions to convey as well.

How are you going about finding the music for the other releases? Are you contacting producers who admire or are people getting in touch with you?

I typically receive many demos from people all over the place who have in some way, shape or form gravitated towards the Aesthetic Audio brand, but I have also reached out on occasion.

Your fairly modest discography hints that you take quite a bit of time in putting out your productions. Is this the case or is it a matter of finding the time to be in the studio?

I view it in the same vein as conducting good conversation: one should probably only speak when there is some thing of value to add to a conversation. For me personally, the business of music can be mentally taxing at times, because the business of music is not about making music anymore. It’s important to keep a balance in your life so that special things remain special. Putting out a lot of records doesn’t mean anything other than you’ve put out a lot of records. Connecting with people is special and requires making calculated moves.

What’s the recurring theme in your Moments in Rhythm releases?

The Moments in Rhythm releases all have a raw yet strange melodic beauty to them, but I’d like to think that although these deep, tech-inspired pieces share the common thread, they are also each different from the standpoint of individual mood and focus.

You recently released a 12″ as Lamar. Can we expect more output under this alias? Do you have any other tracks you’ve been working on which may need another alias for their release?

I’m inspired by a number of things, but Lamar is the alter ego, the raw side. The $ of Non-Conformance is a combination of my many different sides and then channeling that energy into one project. But to answer your question, yes, there are definitely appearances from Lamar on the album project.

What can you tell us about the mix that you’ve put together for us?

My personal mission is to always take my audience on a journey, so the mix has some newer beats, music that may not be in your favorite DJ’s favorites, some older but dope stuff, up-tempo and deep bangers. My goal is to tie it all together and hopefully have the audience feel me without saying a word.

What can we expect from Keith Worthy and Aesthetic Audio over the next year?

I’ve given a piece to Still Music (Chicago) for the upcoming In the Dark Pt 2. project, and I’ve also just sent off a couple of remixes for a couple of European imprints. The Unusual Suspects release on Aesthetic Audio is next and although I don’t typically make an issue on my birthday, I’ve chosen this as the date to release my album. I am also planning to follow up a great compilation album, which is currently in the plans to be released via partnering with one of the major European imprints within the genre.