G-FORCE 002: 96 BACK
We’re back with G-FORCE 002 and oh boy, how things have unfolded since we launched in February. As 96 Back says in his accompanying interview, it’s ‘Silly season’! There’s too much to unpack. But moving swiftly on from the drama in true FIA-style, we’re here with the ever brilliant Sheffield-born, London-based artist.
Opening with an iconic Kimi Raikkonen x Ferrari moment (one of his many goldmine radio moments), it’s a mix that challenges you in pace, ‘whiplashing from one mood to the next’, which feels very fitting as a soundtrack for the Japanese Grand Prix - the only figure-of-eight track on the F1 calendar, a challenging fast track. 96 Back captures the volatile atmosphere of race day, never knowing quite what you’re going to get, with that anticipation of chaos always looming around the corner.
Previously held in a late-season slot (the second to last race in the calendar), more championships have been settled in Japan than any other country with this season being the first time it’s held in April. Due to this scheduling, the race has a rich history of driver battles as they compete for those season-defining points - most famously between Senna and Prost (both at McLaren) who would deliberately crash into each other and force retirement, keeping the FIA on their toes as they work through loopholes and push the boundaries of the rulebook.
Introduce yourself?
Hi I’m 96 Back, been making music and watching F1 for a pretty long time. Most of my life really.
Who’s your favourite driver?
Kimi Raikkonen, he just always got everything he could out of his car.
What’s your favourite race? And if you had to pick a song to sum up that race what would it be?
2007 at Silverstone, Kimi really stealing the spotlight from Hamilton was exciting to see, plus Silverstone is somewhere I’ve been lots in my life.
Can’t quite explain why but this race kinda has the feeling of Bochum Welt - Micron to me.
What is it that draws you to Formula 1? Do you find yourself drawing influence from the sport?
For me I find it incredibly fascinating how we can push so close to perfection in the thousandths of a second with so many human and mechanical variables at play, there’s always this growth and strive to evolve that I find a lot of kinship with similar to music.
What are some of your favourite memories watching Formula 1?
My dads side of the family have always been huge into racing, my grandad raced professionally into his 80’s, I have hugely fond memories of being around my dad whilst he would have the Grand Prix on in the mornings.
As we’re putting you in the driver’s seat for this series, what would be your go to hype track or mix to listen to before a race?
Every driver has their own pre-race rituals from Max Verstappen playing FIFA on the morning of race day to Michael Schumacher peeing his race suit before the race started. When you are about to head to a gig or to the studio, what helps you get in the headspace for the environment you are about to enter?
Honestly, anything that takes me out of the space I’m in, usually a book is the thing, right up until showtime, really disappear into it.
During intense touring periods or dealing with creative blocks, what is your favourite way to disconnect? Do you usually have a go-to solution for when you’re feeling creatively tired?
Stupidly I always just power through blocks of intense touring or block until something breaks and then I retreat and see my friends and slowly build my energy back to place I can come back to it.
What was your approach to creating this mix? Any anecdotes related to the soundbites used within it?
I really wanted to capture the scope of what I feel watching F1, the giddiness, the tranquility of hurtling around corners whilst being so intensely focused, the devastation of a loss or crash, I wanted it all to feel liquid and transient, whiplashing from one mood to the next.
What are you most looking forward to for the 2024 season?
Team structure is super interesting right now, like Ferrari, I can see Leclerc clashing with Sainz which will be interesting to watch.
Silly Season!