Having long known her way around a recording studio, Skunk Anansie singer, electronic music DJ and radio broadcaster Skin previously preferred to let an engineer handle the tech while she concentrated her preformance. Lockdown changed that, however, and she found herself spending several few months honing her personal studio space at her home in New York.
‘First I upgraded the software, which meant upgrading my computer, then my DJ speakers weren’t precise enough, then I couldn’t get the vocal sound I wanted through my original interface, so that also needed an upgrade,’ she recalls.
She now uses an Austrian Audio OC16 mic with Audient’s iD22 audio interface for her radio show on Absolute Radio, and records to Logic Pro X. Monitoring is via Eve Audio SC207 and Avantone Eve SC207, switched using a Baby RAM Heritage Audio switcher.
It was Skunk Anansie guitarist, Ace, who had recommended the iD22 from British manufacturer, Audient. ‘It’s quick and easy to use and understand,’ Skin reports. ‘It has loads of versatility as I can have two of us singing and playing/recording at the same time, but mainly my vocals sound great so I’m able to really enjoy singing.’
For other aspects of recording, she has a collection of mics from which to choose: ‘I use a variety of mics depending on what I’m doing,’ she says. ‘I have a Neumann TLM 49, a Spirit Black from Aston Microphones and a variety of Shure mics – SM58 Beta, SM57 – all of which sound great through the iD22, whether its vocals, guitar or percussion. The iD22 is the backbone of my studio; it’s the dusty piece of gear that never changes.’
She was so pleased with the iD22 that she has picked up the more compact iD4 for recording vocals on the go. ‘It’ll save me from having to dismantle my NY studio,’ she explains. ‘It’s a little beauty, just perfect for travelling and sounds great.’
Skin has just finished a song for an imminent BBC Series, SAS Rogue Heroes and is working on a forthcoming Skunk Anansie album. Her passion for her studio is also ongoing: ‘It would be interesting to try out the Audient ASP800,’ she says.
More: www.audient.com
