Two awesome new tracks causing serious damage from one of the best producers’ in dance music
Interview : Dan Prince
Few people have displayed the disciplined approach to producing that René Amesz has in the last ten years. Churning out a steady stream of his unique and dirty sounding tracks, the René Amesz sound has been destroying speakers all over the world and it looks like now, it is coming into its own at the opportune time. Here Dan Prince gets the exclusive interview as the main man brings us two huge floorfillers…
Hey René welcome to DMCWORLD! A very exciting time for you with not 1 but 2 massive tunes filling our dancefloors. Let’s kick off the tune that hit the No. 2 spot in the world famous Buzz Chart this week, ‘Dextro’…talk us through the history of the track…
“To be honest Dan…I made this track in just 3 hours! The only thing that took some time was tweaking and re-arranging the track after roadtesting it. It such massive potential so I took the time to put all details in place. And I must admit I got my inspiration for the rhythm of the lead bassline from the Dubfire ‘Dios’ track which was released couple of years ago. Timeless stuff!”
Next up is ‘Release Yourself’ a track that was smashing up ADE a couple of weeks ago, you must be very excited about this little baby? Everyone was all over it in Amsterdam!!
“Yeah. It sits perfectly in my schedule of releases. It’s a bit more housey then ‘Dextro’ but I think it’s a perfect example of that it’s perfectly able to release various kinds of styles with a producer’s own stamp on the productions…sound wise.”
Ten years ago you were releasing tracks on Sander Kleinenberg’s Little Mountain Records label. What do you think are the biggest changes in your production style from way back then?
“Well…I’m still using the same sample libraries which I was using back then. I use a lot of old skool samples and a lot of hip hop drum kits from Neptunes to give an example. Only thing is that my style got a tiny bit cleaner and better produced because mixing techniques and software also got better in the years. I can’t come up with another ‘Climb The Wall ‘now (which I released on Kleinenberg’s label about 7 or 8 years ago). It just sounds dull and outdated now.”
Cast your mind back to 2008 and you closing the Extrema Festival on the middle of a lake surrounded by 55,000 people. You have waited a while for this, so tell us what actually happened…
“Long story! To be honest, it wasn’t that nice. First of all I had no contact with the people listening. So I had to play like a robot. Putting out track after track without knowing if it was the correct playlist or not. But then it happened. The organisation which was responsable for the fireworks and light show needed the first 12 minutes of my set pre-mixed to make sure the show was timed perfectly on my music. So the first 10 minutes I was only able to mix a congaloop on top of the music but the rest I had to fake. I still mixed tho! (This by the way was the same case with Steve Angello’s set a couple of years ago at Dance Valley Festival in Holland….only thing is, he had a camera stuck next to him – I didn’t. So the majority of the shit that Steve got all over him was not really correct!) One minute before my show they told me I had no control over the premixed 12 minutes on my mixer. The sound was on my monitor speaker but that was it. I was not able to put down the fader with the premixed part. I was shocked but ok…let’s just mix in the first live CD then and keep it BPM matched with the premixed part. Because after all, I had it on my monitor speaker. All set and clear. The problem was that the premixed part was waaaaaaay too loud on my monitor speaker. When I tried to mix in the first CD I couldn’t hear it. So basically the only thing I heard for 2 minutes was the last part of the premixed tracks. So…I wasn’t able to listen properly if the beats were still BPM matched. The case was…it ended up in a total mess of beats fighting with each other. It was horrible when I heard it back after my set. The next day I read the online magazine’s and a lot of people were writing that I couldn’t mix and that I had to take DJ lessons.
And there wasn’t a thing I could do.
Just to watch those people bashing me down on the internet.
BUT NOW I GOT MY CHANCE…I PRAISE DMCWORLD FOR THAT.”
No problem at all Rene, glad we could put the record straight! The Netherlands is one of the biggest forces in dance music yet again. Just how difficult is it for a new artist to break through in 2013…without a great record behind you it’s hard right?
“It’s hard indeed. You need quality productions these days on big labels. That’s what I try. And it works pretty well. Hahaha! Also, if you’re good at it, you can lick other producer’s or DJs’ asses to climb your way up – but that’s not my way of working!”
What is the current Top 10 you are spinning?
1: René Amesz – Dextro (Toolroom)
2: Weiss – Ghetto Boy (Toolroom)
3: Mar-T – Unwritten Song (Sanity)
4: Jaceo – Dreamscape (100% Pure)
5: Filthy Rich – Rock The Disco (Off Recordings)
6: Sebastien Leger & Popof – Hell Yeah ‘Popov remix’ (Mistakes Music)
7: Wouter de Moor – Nymphi (Rejected)
8: Marc Molina – Mambo (Cray 1 Digital Works)
9: Astin – Dejected (Snatch!)
10: Andy Martin – Unknown ‘Vitor Munhoz remix’ (Frucht)
We loved your set at Global Gathering this year in the Toolroom 10 Arena – you know exactly how to play it in between other DJ sets, what is your message to the thousands of DJs who destroy the artists’ sets scheduled after them at events and clubs?
“What I always try is to keep it down all the way to the main act if it’s early. With early I mean till 2 am when doing a night gig – so guys ALWAYS check what the main act after you plays and do not play like you’re booked as the main artist and to be the hero of the night or festival. In the end…a real good warm up DJ will end up being the most respected DJ on that particular event. Only then you will be booked back! What I always try to do is when I’m booked peak time but have an act after me who is the main act of the night, is to start building up my set…peak A BIT in the middle of my set but build it down to the main act for the last 20 to 15 minutes of my set. I basically never go above 125bpm but that’s just my way of playing. In my opinion, a DJ is way more flexible with what he wants to play because the bpm is relatively normal. If you’re up on 128 or higher you’re hardly able to go back at a certain point, you think the crowd needs some rest! THE BIG EDM PROBLEM HAHAHAHA.”
What has been your biggest record of the summer?
“It’s quite dull to name my own record but I’ve always kept playing my remix of Mark Knight & Funkagenda – ‘Man With The Red Face’ on Toolroom Records. Still playing it!”
Where have been some of your stand out gigs of the summer?
“Global Gathering (despite the rain coming down from my first record on), Space Ibiza, Ministry Of Sound London and my trips to Finland, Brazil, Indonesia etc. Always nice!”
Are you one of these producers who works whilst on tour or is it simply a case of there is nowhere like my studio?
“Nowhere like my studio. I only do some bootlegs and edits while travelling!”
Your tunes always get supported by the superstar producers – who is the artist you always look for first to see if he has supported?
“Mark Knight , DJ Roog and Sander Kleinenberg!!! Top3 for me!”
It was the DJ Mag Top 100 last week, what is your take on this annual poll. Do you give a shit?
“Well everybody including me wants to be in that list one day. But to be honest…I see newcomers and other names in there that haven’t done shit yet in their careers. But…it’s a poll of who is most popular at this very moment. Not only history wise. My personal top100 would be totally different. And yes…I would also put in EDM acts. Doesn’t EDM mean Electronic Distance Meter?”
The island of Ibiza was awash with the sound of tech house this summer, if the deeper house sound was 2012, your sound was most definitely it this year. How do you feel about that?
“Haven’t thought about that! Don’t have a clue to be honest Dan! Just doin’ my thang not looking at what’s hot at the moment. We’ll see what happens…”
I love this quote from you from an interview a while back when asked what is the most important thing for you in the world? You replied, “girls, music and champagne!” Has anything changed?
“Hahahahaha. Well…I must’ve been drunk at the time. Was that really me who said that? Wow! Well the most important thing for me in the world are my sons. Nothing beats that feeling. I would give up music/everything for them!”
What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you at a festival?
“The thing I explained about the Extrema Festival. It wasn’t funny back then but now I laugh about it a lot!!!! Hahaha.”
What is the 1 record you wish you’d have made?
“Jaydee – ‘Plastic Dreams’. Everybody’s still playing and remixing that one!”
Not many people know this, but René Amesz is really good at…
“Studying and kick boxing! At least….I think I am a good Muay Thai Practicer – hahaha!…”
And finally, what is coming out next from you studio wise?
“Got a remix coming out on Milk & Sugar Recordings and on Hardsoul Pressings. I also got a new single release coming out on Toolroom in January and busy with finalizing a new single…also for Toolroom. Things are really going great at the moment!”
http://www.reneamesz.com
http://www.soundcloud.com/reneamesz
http://www.twitter.com/reneamesz
http://www.myspace.com/reneamesz
