The sensational Dutch dynamo tickles the world’s dancefloors with ‘Joker’
Interview : Dan Prince
Welcome to DMCWORLD Dustin, where in the world are you right now?
“Hi Dan! I’m in Schiedam, my home town in the Netherlands right now.”
When I told The Buzz Chart office I was interviewing you today they were obviously raving about your ‘Hunter’ and ‘Joker’ tracks, but they also said “it’s great to grab an interview with him at the start of his journey!”. But in actual fact, this isn’t the start of your journey at all. You have been causing massive shakes in the electronic world since 2009/10 with your first EP and also the HUGE ‘Dustindl Bootleg Packs’. Volume 3 has nearly 1 million downloads dude and is being played by the likes of Sander Van Doorn and Sidney Samson! So let’s kick back a few years before we talk about the new material…how old were you when you began to get a taste for electronic music and who were the artists / producers that influenced you?
“When I was 15 I first got into electronic music. I just really enjoyed the fact that there were so many different kind of styles and that people actually combined everything together. This made me want to put my own feelings into music and then I decided to start producing. The artist that really got me excited to get into the electronic music was Gregor Salto. In my opinion a genius when it comes to combining different styles and at that time one of the leading house producers in the Netherlands.”
Your first release in 2009 hit the No. 2 spot in the Dance Tunes Top 100, but your next production work was your first bootleg pack which received over 150,000 downloads. Why did you go down this route instead of creating more original productions?
“I thought it was so cool and exciting to turn a big pop/club track into one of my own! It’s such a challenge but then again so much fun. And after the first two bootleg packs people were really into my bootlegs so I decided to keep doing that, especially after I got so many good responses from the people that downloaded them and some big electronic artists.”
Whilst all this was going on, what did your family think of this career route you were heading towards?
“Actually my family thought it was great that I was doing something that I really liked. But my parents were always concerned about my future, since music isn’t something you immediately have a secure financial future in. But now that they realize it’s definitely going somewhere they completely support me and have my back.”
Tell us about your current studio set up…
“Haha, I probably have the most ghetto studio set up you’ve ever heard. I have a MacBook Pro, a pair of Stanton DJ headphones and a midi keyboard. I don’t have speakers I produce on, I do everything (producing/mixing/mastering) on my headphones. “
As mentioned, two massive tunes causing mayhem all over the world, ‘Hunter’ and now the follow up ‘Joker’ – great artwork by the way! Talk us through the history of ‘Joker’…
“Thank you Dan! Since ‘Hunter’ got a lot of support, and people really liked that style and thought it had something unique to it plus the fact that the Dutchy bleep vibe is something I’ve been doing from the start of my career, I really wanted to create something in that style again. So I came up with the melody in the drop and thought it had something dark but teasing to it. It reminded me of the Joker from Batman. I wanted to have a vocal on it and my manager and I came up with the idea of adding the voice of the Joker to it. “
Did you know you had created something very special on completion of ‘Joker’?
“I wanted ‘Joker’ to become the follow up of ‘Hunter’ and it had to be at least from the same level as ‘Hunter’ or even better! When I finished the track and the melody in the drop got stuck in my head I knew it was good to go.”
What would you say is the biggest development/change in your production style since your first began 4 years ago…?
“That’s definitely adding more melody and chord progressions to a track. I love creating chord progressions and add a vibe to it. 4 years ago I had no idea how all of that worked and didn’t think it was that important. But now I just can’t make a track without a solid chord progression.”
What is the top 10 you are currently spinning?
- 1: Dustin Lenji – Greenhorn
- 2: Deorro – Dechorro
- 3: Dustin Lenji – Gladiator
- 4: New World Sound & Thomas Newson – Flute
- 5: Mike Hawkins, Toby Green – Hot Steppa
- 6: Dustin Lenji – Joker
- 7: Martin Garrix – Animals (Victor Niglio Twerk VIP Mix)
- 8: Dustin Lenji – Hunter
- 9: Sandro Silva – Payback
- 10: Wiwek & Cesqeaux – Ritual
XS in Las Vegas looked off the hook for you this summer. Tell us about that night, you get fucked up?
“XS were two of the sickest nights I’ve ever played. I really love the atmosphere of XS, It’s such a beautiful club. It was my first time in Vegas, since I had just turned 21. The people were awesome and everything went perfect. Getting fucked up, let’s say I did have my fare share of drinks haha! “
How does playing to an American crowd differ from a European crowd, are they as musically knowledgeable?
“In Europe I guess were just spoiled. Electronic music has been around longer than in America. In America it just looks like it’s so new and the people get so excited when you play a big song where in Europe you really need to drop the newest stuff to get people really going. Overall I do love playing in both continents though.”
Where have some of the other DJ highlights been for you this year?
“Of course XS was one of the highlights since it was my first time in Vegas. But also closing down my agencies club night in Holland was sick! It went off and the place was packed until the final seconds of my set.”
Who are some of the producers from around the world you are giving high fives to right now?
“Much respect goes out to Deorro. He’s a good friend of mine and in my opinion one of the best producers out there. He has his own style, finishes a track in a heartbeat and every single track he puts out is sick. I also have a lot of respect for Cesqeaux. He’s one of the biggest upcoming producers and a great guy. He makes so many different styles of music but still keeps his own signature sound in his tracks. Last but not least my buddies from Blasterjaxx. They have accomplished so much in such a short amount of time and they completely deserve it!”
Biggest tune of 2013?
“Martin Garrix – Animals…don’t think anyone can disagree on that one.”
A post from your Facebook page from the start of the year…” How you can get inspired by one particular artist.. So amazing!!” – who were you talking about?
“Haha, I was definitely talking about GTA. These guys are just sick and they just create whatever they feel like and don’t care about what anyone thinks of it but then again they always stick to their roots and you can hear that in their tracks. Much respect for that since nowadays that’s not always the case.”
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
“Stay true to your own sound and have patience.”
Some quick fires…
The producer of 2013?
“Martin Garrix.”
The record you wish you would have made?
“Porter Robinson & Matzo – ‘Eayy’.”
The record that always reminds you of an ex?
“Ludacris – ‘Move Bitch’.”
Your finest piece of production?
“D-Rashid, Kid Kaio – Tokyo (Dustindl Bootleg). I finished this track in 2 hours, I stayed true to my own sound and eventually it became one of my biggest bootlegs in my Dustindl career!”
The cheesy pop song you always sing a long to in private…?
“Adele – ‘Turning Tables’.”
And finally, what is coming out next from the mighty Lenji studio…?
“I’m actually working on a lot of stuff! I have 2 new originals almost completely finished. Working on a track with Sidney Samson and also one with Deorro. Plus I have a track coming out real soon with a big name in the pop/electro scene I can’t say much about yet. But it’s definitely gonna be hot!”
https://www.facebook.com/DustinLenji
