One of the most exciting new producers of 2014
Forget the parents, this kid is the REAL DEAL. One of the most exciting producers of 2014 rounds off the year in fine style with his brand new ‘Other Side EP’ on Pig & Dan’s Elevate label. Dan Prince checks in to discover how Dantiez switched from throwing hoops to spinning discs and just what it was like growing up surrounded by the biggest muddafucker producers on the planet!
Dantiez welcome to DMCWORLD! Where on planet earth are you today?
“Hey Dan, I’m waking up bright and early in Brooklyn NYC!”
How did you celebrate Thanksgiving last week?
“I’m living in NYC this year, so I spent Thanksgiving with my East Coast fam., just hanging out catching up, having family time and eating lots of turkey, of course! Hey, did you know that the night before Thanksgiving is like one of the biggest club and party nights in the US? I guess everyone gets home from wherever and are just itching to get out!”
Really exciting news coming from your studio with your debut release on Pig&Dan’s excellent Elevate label – two producers I know you love. Please talk us through the sound and history of your ‘Other Side EP’ that you created with P-Ben? He hails from the beautiful Carcassonne in southern France, when did your paths first cross?
“We took up the “Other Side” project very soon after I’d signed some demos P-Ben had sent to the KMS team for review. Since I’m heading up A&R for the label, I get to hear everything that comes in and I immediately took an interest in him and his unique funky sound. We actually linked up via Facebook, got to talking a bit, sharing music etc, and then I had this feeling that we could probably make some wicked tracks together, so I sent him a few unfinished tracks and the next thing ya know BAM we started a track together and one track turned into two, which quickly turned into 3, 4 and so on. To be honest, we weren’t exactly going for any particular style, we just went with our instincts. In the course of just a few months, we finished up 3 melodic-ish, unique Detroit & French influenced sounding techno dancefloor tracks, which are now known as the “Other Side EP”. The first track we made laid the foundation for the EP, so the other two tracks were sort of built naturally on that solid base.”
How do you think your production skills compliment each other?
“Well, I think the fact that both P-Ben & I have some Detroit influenced sounds, as well as that we are both mainly dancefloor oriented producers, definitely helps us create some strong grooves & definitely brings the energy to our productions.”
Your genre of choice growing up was Hip Hop. Who were some of the artists that were doing it for you back then?
“Yes, it’s definitely been an evolution of sound for me…Eminem, Royce Da 5’9, Lupe Fiasco, Kid Cudi, Wiz Khalifa, Biggie Smalls, Snoop Dog, Drake, Dr Dre, The list goes on…”
Musicians must have been around you from a very early age… Who are some of the names that struck a chord with you musically back then – I know Carl Craig remains close…
“Kenny Larkin, Derrick May, Mike Clark, Juan Atkins, MK…are a few of the names that I was around a lot & musically inspired by back then and they remain close friends & mentors to me today as well.”
Music has obviously been all around you with such musical parents, it wasn’t until 2012 and at the age of 20 that you decided to take the plunge into the music industry. Why did you take a while to start your career in music, was there anything else you saw your future career wise?
“I think music was something I kinda had to find on my own without being pushed into it. To be honest, the thing that really started to spark my interest was seeing my friends and peers starting to get into electronic music like 4 or 5 years ago, the interest became contagious to me and I was hooked! I went from hitting the local shows, clubs and festivals in Detroit & Chicago to (in a year or two) producing my own tracks and starting to DJ gigs. Before music, I was big into sports, basketball mainly. There was a time when I even saw myself becoming a college ball player.”
Can you remember when you started to realize that your father was quite an important figure in music?
“I always kind of knew that he was someone important in the music scene, but I guess it wasn’t until after I had started my own musical journey that I was able to actually really understand & appreciate what a significant strong backstory & impact his legacy has for the music scene, especially electronic music & Detroit techno.”
What are the 5 big tunes in your box for this weekend?
1. Kill Frenzy – All Night Long
2. Green Velvet, Harvard Bass – Shake It (Original Mix)
3. Dantiez Saunderson & P-Ben – Melodique (Original Mix)
4. Vinayak A – Sands Of Goa (Pig&Dan Remix)
5. Inner City – Pennies From Heaven (The Night Remix)
And I somehow managed to get a hold of an advance on a new mix…GHOSTS FTRING LAURA WELCH (KEVIN’S GHOSTS OF DETROIT MIX)
What was your favourite DJ gig of 2014?
“I think my gig at Electric Forest was amazing! It was in this magical forest on a ranch in Michigan, mind-blowing experience.”
What is the record that…
…reminds you of your childhood?
Inner City – Big Fun (Original Mix)
…always gets you jumping around?
Green Velvet, Harvard Bass – Shake It
…reminds of you having your heart broken?
Dantiez Saunderson Featuring LaRae Starr. – The Harp (Original Mix)
(Coming out soon on my Defected EP in 2015)
…you wish you would have made?
Rhythim Is Rhythim – Strings of Life (Original Mix)
Some producers that have killed it for you this year?
“Pig & Dan, Solomun, Dusky, Adriatique, Harvard Bass, Green Velvet, Shadow Child, MK, Jamie Jones, Kill Frenzy, Saytek….”
What have you got coming out next studio wise?
“Lots of new material coming in the new year, including 2 singles on Nervous Records, a single + an EP lined up for KMS, an EP on Defected Records, and various collab projects & remix work coming out on different labels as well.”
What is exciting you about electronic music in America right now?
“It’s really good to see my generation, & younger even, getting immersed into the electronic music scene in the States these days, listening to electronic music of various kinds & going to clubs, festivals & other venues. Its something that I never saw my peers interested in at an early age, so to see this happening now is pretty awesome & I think is a real benefit to helping electronic music and the scene itself as a whole grow & expand.”
And finally, what is the best piece of advice your father has ever given you…
“Its not possible to please everyone, so don’t try to, only continue to doing what you love whole heartedly with no regrets.”
Dantiez Saunderson & P-Ben – Other Side EP (ELEVATE) is released 8th December 2014
Listen Here: https://soundcloud.com/elevate-6/sets/dantiez-saunderson-other-side
For more information on da main man check…https://www.facebook.com/dantiez.saunderson
