Hyper-talented newcomer Todd Helder is the new Dutch sensation delivering a fresh perspective on the electronic music scene. Debuting his creations on Martin Garrix’s STMPD RCRDS, the 21-year-old is dissolving genres one track at a time, dubbing him the frontman for the next generation of electronic talent. Extracting futuristic elements from the computer games of his youth, he promotes an alluring fusion of EDM, Trap and instrumental hip hop that lay bass for his 8-bit chiptune influences. His sound can best be described as Music made in an arcade hall. DMCWORLD dives in as he releases his new single NASA…
Todd… Welcome to DMC. You’ve had a pretty crazy first few years within the scene. Can you talk us through how you got here?
Suppp! thank u!! So I got into music production when I was around 15 years old, in the beginning I was just playing around, but when I entered a remix contest for Marshmello and found out I won, things started to become more serious however also a lot of fun!
For those of you who haven’t heard your music, how would you describe it?
I describe my music as follows: bass music made in an arcade hall!
You’ve just released NASA on Martin Garrix’s label, can you tell us about this song?
The track started when I was listening to some happy hardcore tracks on my way to STMPD RCRDS in the train. Feeling inspired I entered the studio with a sick idea in my head and after working on it for a while I started to get stuck on the track and that was when the STMPD team suggested to do a studio session with CESQEAUX. When he heard the demo he really vibed with it and after we made the craziest track which Martin plays all around the world!
What was it like to work with Martin and his label?
What I like the most about STMPD is their interest in new talented artists, they are not afraid to take risks if they really believe in the music. They have a small but powerful and personal team and I always love to just drop by in their studio for feedback and new ideas! being part of STMPD is a big honour to me and I’m sure to other members as well.
Your tracks often take inspiration from gaming, what are your top 3 video games?
I can give you a 200 page book with games which I like to play but my top 3 for now are:
Apex Legends, which is a battle royale game made by RESPAWN! It’s kinda like Fortnite but without the childish side and building mode.
Minecraft is a game that involves lots of creativity. You get to create and design things like your house and your world. There are many things you can create on minecraft, for example, a castle, a pool, a volcano, and a portal to a different dimension.
The seminal Space Invaders. The objective of SPACE INVADERS, is to pan across a screen and shoot descending swarms of aliens, preventing them from reaching the bottom of the screen. Fun fact: we celebrated the release of our new track ‘NASA’ with a game which you can play here for free: nasa.stmpdrcrds.com
What about artists… is there anyone who inspires you at the moment?
At the moment there are 2 artist which inspire me the most which are: AREA21 and Porter Robinson. I feel like the both fell out of love with the state of EDM and wanted to make something that they enjoy/different and they thought was beautiful rather than a club ready banger: make whatever you want and be different.
You’ve played at Ushuaïa Ibiza, Tomorrowland, ADE and New Horizons, where can we catch you DJing this year?
The fact that I got to play on the same stages as some of the most iconic musicians of all time was surreal! In 2020 we (my team and I) planned a few sick shows which I unfortunately can’t say yet so keep an eye on my socials.
Do you have any more new music planned?
I’ve got a lot of new music coming in 2020, This year I am going to experiment much more with genre’s than last year because I want to challenge myself more. I can’t wait to share them with y’all!.
Finally, what’s next for Todd?
Working on some secret stuff with the team, keep an eye on my socials @toddhelder
Thank u so much for having me!
