We have the pleasure of speaking with hot new and upcoming talent Beau Lyons ahead of his debut EP ‘Keep Thinking / Under Cover’. We find out the story behind the Londoner and his prowess in the studio. We find out more about what inspires his sound, his musical upbringings and influences. This artist is one to watch this year!
Hi Beau, pleasure speaking with you! How are you?
Hey, the pleasure is all mine- thanks for having me! I’m great… very excited!
How has your 2018 been so far?
2018 has been very exciting so far in terms of my music. Like a myriad of other online bedroom producers, I’ve been dabbling around on Soundcloud and Youtube for the last couple of years (producing a lot of hip-hop and chilled/soulful music). Up to this point, I’ve been dependent on the odd repost here and there, which has been a bit slow, but a great learning curve. It’s an amazing feeling to have your music appreciated and enjoyed, and I’ve learned a lot about the music industry along the way as well as fine tuning my production skills.
This year is the benchmark for me, starting from scratch and creating a whole new sound, from the ground up. I’m taking all the skills and experience, along with the setbacks and hard times that come with being a young producer, and I’m putting it all into something new that I hope will have a big impact and put me on the map next to some of the top players in the game. I’m really excited about what this year has in store!
Tell us a bit about your new release. What was the inspiration behind it and what went in to making it?
Being my first official release under the new alias, I wanted something that was going to cater to the vast and diverse audience of deep house and tech – something that was going to hit hard. I want to take people by surprise, raise a few eyebrows and force them say: “Wow – who is this kid?” So, I’ve kept it short but sweet (for now), with two powerful tracks that take a similar format to lot of great anthems that have come out recently, but with a deeper, darker twist. Admittedly, ‘Keep Thinking’ steps a bit further into commercial territory than I usually go, but you can expect a lot more experimental stuff in the future (and there’s a lot more to come). Nevertheless, I think that the EP really establishes my sound and I’m hoping that people are going to like it as much as I do.
Who would you say are your main influences when it comes to your music?
I’ve been obsessed with music since I can remember, and I have to admit, I’m an absolute sucker for vintage. My mum has a really cool and eclectic music taste, so growing up, I was listening to everything from Barry White to Bob Marley. From today, artists like Maya Jane Coles, Dennis Ferrer and Jamie Jones are big influences, but I can’t discredit the old stuff. I think theres a lot of elements in my music- especially the synth sounds that come straight out of the 70’s and 80’s.
How would you describe your sound?
Nowadays, especially in this field, which I suppose fits under the general bracket of ‘house music’, genres have become pretty blurred due to the weird and wonderful ways artists are pushing and playing with boundaries. I think my sound has some classic house elements, some progressive elements and, at times, some tech elements… but to be totally honest I’m not even sure what any of that means. I just like to describe it how it sounds. Deep!
Were you always musical growing up?
Yeah, always. I started out playing the piano and drums at school until I found computers in the music department, equipped with good old Garage Band, so I locked myself in there for hours on end. You’d find me there at break times and lunch, which quickly turned into mornings and after-school, mainly just playing around with sounds, recording different instruments and watching Youtube tutorials.
What inspired you to make dance music?
My mum lives for Ibiza in the summer and she took me there for the first time a couple of years ago. I fell in love with the place, with the music, with the way it made me feel and I vowed that I would return as one of its contributors – giving people that same feeling that I got when I listened to a great track on the beach. Sounds pretty cheesy but it’s true… I want in on the action.
When you’re not producing or DJing, how do you fill your time?
I’m a big foodie- I love to eat, drink and travel! I’m also lucky enough to work for a really cool company called Syck Talent and we put on nights in London. They’re always great fun!
If you could play your music anywhere in the world where would it be?
Ibiza. All day, every day.
Would you say being based in London has had a positive effect on your sound and your career?
I haven’t lived anywhere else for a long enough period to compare it to, but I think that London is a place of great musical possibility and opportunity, of course being home to a lot of great house labels like Defected and Hot Creations. Having said that, I think the world is changing and the music industry with it. A lot of people can get really far in the world of music nowadays just from the comfort of their own homes thanks to the internet and social media, and we’re also a lot more connected. So, while I think that London has probably played a big part in terms of the kind of music I’ve been listening to, I can’t say for sure whether or not it would have been the same anywhere else… although I’m a BIG fan of UK garage, so it’s a tricky one.
What does the future hold for Beau Lyons? Any further goals or ambitions to achieve.
Honestly, this is just the beginning for me – I’m aiming for gold… See you in Ibiza 😉
