No matter what happens in the DJ world, however much musical tastes shift, or technology improves, one constant remains: Carl Cox will always be a legend. He was there in the beginning, spinning all the raves in the Second Summer of Love. He pioneered (no pun intended) playing on four turntables. And despite having the sausage-iest fingers in the business (I’ve seen him live), makes it look effortless. So, when Carl speaks, we listen, even if it’s when partnered up with a manufacturer.
And here we have Mr Cox extolling the virtues of Native Instruments’ new Kontrol S8, the #futureofdjing. With a pinch of salt, what he has to say is quite interesting, and the S8 seems like a natural fit with his needs. It isn’t even the first time Carl’s used Traktor, so this isn’t too crazy a move.
My take
Here’s the thing: Carl Cox is well and truly one of the old guard, but he’s consistently mixed up (again, no pun intended) his gear to meet his needs. Like Hawtin or Deadmau5, he’s embraced whatever new or old thing that’s come up and suited him. There’s no bitterness, no lamenting days gone by. His presence just gets bigger and bigger, much like the other two. Is this a coincidence? Personally, I don’t think so. Whether it’s the music they play, or the gear they use, they look forward as well as backwards, and you very rarely see Carl without his trademark smile. And that’s the thing… we endlessly debate about new vs old, when it doesn’t really matter as long as good music is well mixed.
Having worked with Pioneer throughout 2013 and 2014, the important thing to note is how Carl is using the S8 (with respect to the video): it enhances his setup, it doesn’t replace it all. This is what I believe the S8 is for… the best of both worlds. He uses his CDJs for that tactile feedback, and still benefits from Traktor and what the S8 can do. But, just how well does it do the job? You’ll have to wait for our upcoming review from Jared…