Crafting an ode to the dancefloor, Montreal-based Andrew Pololos delivers the lead single off his forthcoming 2021 album, Until We Dance. Oozing with sultry vocals and sizzling deep house sensibilities, ‘Control’ ft. JT Soul provides a glimpse into what’s to come from the bubbling producer’s upcoming venture. DMCWORLD dives in…
Over the last few years, you’ve had an extensive touring schedule — what do you miss most right now about performing your music live to an audience?
I miss making people smile and dance. I miss celebrating with old friends and making new ones. And I miss the feeling of working a dancefloor and the energy that’s exchanged back and forth.
As a Montreal native, what aspects of your surroundings do you find creatively inspire you?
Montreal is the perfect combination of European charm and American influence. It’s multicultural and open-minded. It’s freezing cold and sizzling hot. All these things are reflected in my music as I don’t constrain it to one genre or sound when creating.
How did you get started producing and DJing electronic dance music?
I started as a DJ first and then later got into production. My father was a DJ growing up, hence my love for music and the craft of DJing from a young age. I got my first decks as a young teenager and started throwing my own parties before I was old enough to spin in clubs. As they say, the rest was history.
What’s your experience been like as a resident DJ for The Yacht Week Worldwide?
To travel the world through DJing with them has been a dream come true really. Sailing crystal clear waters, exploring the uncharted and partying with so many fun people from around the globe is just like their slogan says: ‘Nothing like the real world’.
What’s your favourite part about producing house music, and are there any other dance music genres you enjoy making and/or listening to as well?
I got into producing so that I could differentiate myself as a DJ and play my own tracks in my sets. Although I believe there is beauty in all types of music and I really love listening to all genres, I have such an extraordinary passion for house music. I’ve always gravitated towards it because of the powerful feeling it has on a party. The dance music community is special and those who really appreciate it, love it for life.
The first single off of your forthcoming debut album, ‘Running’ featuring Andria Piperni, has garnered over 102,000 combined hits across all platforms in just a little over two months since its initial release — what’s it been like seeing such impressive streaming numbers, and does it get you excited for the full-length album’s eventual release?
I’m so eager to unveil the project and super excited for people to hear it. As an artist, you’re always your own toughest critic and you hope as many people as possible get to hear your music. So it’s really awesome to see people enjoying the first single.
For your upcoming single ‘Control’, what was it like collaborating with multifaceted 21-year old musician JT Soul?
He is so so talented. I was searching for the right vocalist and sitting on this beat for over a year. After I heard his track ‘Gossip’, I immediately hit him up. Fast forward… and I’m driving over to his studio for what I thought was going to be an extensive writing session. He hummed the vocal melody in one take, freestyled some words in the next and then came out of the recording booth and wrote the lyrics. He nailed the dark and mysterious mood I was going for in an hour!
What was your production process like when making ‘Control’?
For ‘Control’ I was very set on making something sexy and unconventional while still keeping my DJ hat on and channelling the dancefloor. I later realized I was subconsciously inspired by some of my favourite artists. The opening synths and pads remind me of a throwback Weeknd track, the guitar plucks are ZHUesque and the fat deep house bassline is made for a big sound system. I brought over the initial track to my buddy Kevin Figs who helped bring the track to life. He has a 1960’s special edition Eric Clapton Fender Stratocaster that’s got this incredible tone and he laid down all the catchy guitar layers. Then after getting JT Soul’s vocal stems, I tweaked the structure and arrangement endlessly. Some tracks take hours to make and others take months. This one definitely took some time and effort but, in the end, I am really proud of it.
You’ve received support from dance music mainstays by the likes of Claptone and Nic Fanciulli — what does it feel like as a musician to have support from these renowned industry heavyweights?
I have a great admiration for so many DJs and OGs doing it at such a high level for such a long time. The support on ‘Love So High’ was really cool and encouraging and has inspired a whole other underground house project for later next year.
Can you tell us a little about what to expect from your upcoming debut album, Until We Dance?
‘Until We Dance’ is a fun, feel-good dance/electronic album that was completed during lockdown. With everything going on in the world, music has always been my elixir, and so I hope it makes you as happy as I was making it. After all these years as a DJ, this album is my first, but most definitely not my last.
