Get to know Francis Inferno Orchestra, the house maestro turned ambient explorer

Sitting in a greasy spoon in Bethnal Green, Francis Inferno Orchestra is telling Mixmag that – gigantic English breakfasts aside – London is bringing him down. “It can get so fuckin’ intense,” he says.

One of Australia’s most interesting and innovative house exports is no stranger to the capital. Griffin James moved five years ago after ditching an industrial design degree and taking up music full-time following the explosion of a Melbourne scene that spawned peers Tornado Wallace, Andy Hart and many more. Since the move he’s put out music on Let’s Play House and Voyeurhythm, while also focusing on his own label Superconscious Records, which he started with old Melbourne mate Fantastic Man. With its punky art aesthetic and back catalogue of off-beat, unique house music, it’s become a go-to for dance music connoisseurs.

He’s a constant fixture on the touring circuit as well. A packed summer in 2016 saw him play Glastonbury, Love International and Farr Festival, Mixmag making him one of our breakthrough DJs of 2016. This year he’s turned out sets at venues like Concrete in Paris, Culture Box in Denmark and Claire in Amsterdam.

But this hectic cycle has sparked a change in direction, James swapping the steady thud of a kick-drum for no beats at all on his latest project. ‘Francis Inferno Orchestra presents Veranda Culture’ is 10 tracks of zoned-out soundscapes, weird synths and field recordings that will simultaneously hold you in states of contentment, reflection and above all else, Zen.

“I hope it’s an album that people can take mushrooms to and listen to at home,” he explains. “That’s the goal. You should be able to put it on when cooking dinner, or taking psilocybins with your friends in a field somewhere.”

Recorded over a three-year span, the album has also influenced his next move.

“I think I’m going to go home for four of five months because I haven’t been home properly for five years,” he tells us. “I’m gonna go back and do some bush-bashing, drive out into the countryside and be at one with nature and shit.”

Luckily, he’s got the perfect album to soundtrack it. Mushrooms optional.

Francis Inferno Orchestra Presents ‘Veranda Culture’ is out now on Veranda Culture. Buy it here

This feature is taken from the November issue of Mixmag