Drumcomplex & Roel Salemink

Techno alert! The deadly duo unleash a brilliant new album on the mighty Intec label

Interview by Dan Prince


Arnd, Roel welcome to DMCWORLD. So a really exciting time for you now with the new album, how long did it take to create?

“Hey Dan, so we decided to do the album one and a half years ago. We started collecting tracks which took almost one year, the idea was to make a techno album which was musical but also worked well on the dancefloor. We finished all the tracks and worked separately also on the mixdown alongside Arnds brother who is a sound engineer to get the best results.”

Well 12 outstanding dancefloor weapons create the new album ‘Crossing Borders’, please give us a few words on each of your new musical masterpieces…

AMF – The opener of the album…

Attitude – Deep tune with a nice tone boasting a minimalistic melody

Bullet In My Head – Old school flavours

Clockwork – Peak time techno

Crossing Borders – The title of our album with a monster bassline

Friday – Its a hit-sound based tune

Glue – Funky & techy track for a high energy on the floor

Inside The Cocoon – Chordy based track

Overflow – Acid all the way


Roaring – Peak time techno tune with heavy snares


Suffering Soul – 6am in the morning and freaking out


The Force – Summer open air closing track
 


Check out the special album mix here : https://soundcloud.com/intec-digital/drumcomplex-roel-salemink-crossing-borders-dj-set

Which tracks have been causing the biggest damage out there?

“We are pretty happy that Bullet In My Headwas licensed by Carl Cox for the 25 years of Space Ibiza Compilation. We’ve played ‘Overflowthe whole year in our sets which always causes massive damage on the floor. Carl Cox was also playing Roaring’, The Force, Bullet In My Headand Glueduring his sets at some of the biggest festivals worldwide like Awakenings, Ultra and Tomorrowland with some great reactions.”  

How easy do you find it naming your songs, some producers tell us it’s harder than making the beats!!!

“Yes thats true, its really hard to choose the names. When we started we gave the tracks only numbers, but in the end we decided on the names really fast especially the album title which was easy to come up with. It has a good meaning for us because I live in Germany really close to the border and Roel has a similar situation, he lives in The Netherlands and close to the border to Germany.”

ADE yet again produced the goods, loads of good music and meetings and incredible parties. You rocked the gaff all the place…what were some of your Dam take home memories this year…
 

We had a lot of good meetings, especially with Jon Rundell from Intec. It‘s always been nice to meet once a year all of our colleagues and friends in Amsterdam, talking and having a good time. Was also really cool to play at Dockyard Festival and Paradiso.”

What was your biggest record of ADE?

“There are a lot of big tunes at the moment but for us at ADE it has to be our album ‘Crossing Borders‘.”

Arnd your label Complexed Records is going great guns at the moment, we are loving Kevin de Vries’ new two tracker ‘Codex Mendoza’…especially Mike Wall’s brilliant rework. What is coming out next from your imprint…?

I’m really happy to hear you like Kevin de Vriess new record on my label. Kevin is one of those new young talents which I support a lot. So keep an eye on him, big stuff will come for sure! I’ve signed a lot of upcoming tracks, we have new tracks from Sutter Cane, Marco Asoleda, Primal Beat and T.R.I.G.G.E.R . I am happy how the label is growing at the moment and from the start I’ve been working with my good friend Alex Vaveris from Advanced Music who has been doing a hell of a job in terms of label management.” 

The big 5 tunes in your box this weekend…

Marco Bailey – Blizzard

Mark Broom + Gary Beck – Borders

Simian Mobile Disco – Dervish

Tom Hades – Velvet Radio

Not a track, but Sam Paganini’s album on Drumcode is so great! 

 

Roel – what do your kids think of your music dude?



“My son Jay is 4 years now and he is already feeling music. He is dancing and drumming the whole day so I think he will get into music later on also. For now he likes my music so that’s fun sometimes. I think I will take him with me next year to a festival. Quint is only two years old so he too young for it!”   

A huge Australia Tour coming up early next year…you good traveling together, you gonna argue over the window seat?

We have spent a lot of time in the studio, at gigs together and we both never have a negative mood. So we both have the right partner for touring for sure.”

A massive gig for you Roel a few weeks ago at Tresor in Berlin…the world’s most underground club! How was it?

It was amazing Dan! I was really happy when Sebastian Krenzlin asked me to do that. I visited Tresor earlier to party so it was really strange to play there myself. It’s a legendary location to play and party.”   

 An up and coming producer we should check out in 2015…

“Kevin de Vries, Marc B and John V.”


Okay let’s rewind for a moment…



…your earliest memory of music as a child…

Arnd: “My parents had an old tape recorder from Uher and I recorded with my father music from the radio, mostly pop music.”

Roel: “My parents told me that I was always playing music and drumming when I was just a  kid.”

…how old were you when the idea of a career in music entered your head…

Arnd: “Knowing me, when I started to play the drums aged 3!!”

Roel: “I didn’t have a plan. I was doing it for fun but since 2008 things began to change.”

…early techno influences…

Arnd: “Depeche Mode, Speedy J, Acid House…”

Roel: “Carl Cox, Laurent Garnier, the older stuff from Umek…” 

…the first time you met Carl Cox…

Arnd: “You know, I’ve never met him personally but I really hope we meet soon.”

Roel: “That was during Dance Valley 2008. I released ‘Manalive’in that period on Bush. Carl invited me to Dance Valley and surprised me that day because he used that track for the Dance Valley mix Compilation.”

 …how did you two meet?

Arnd: “Roel booked me in 2006 to play at  his own party in Holland, it was years later though that we started working together.”

…what is the record you wish you would have made…

Arnd: “Mathew Jonson – ‘Marionette‘.”

Roel: Anne Bru – Headphone Silence(Henrik Schwarz Remix). love that tune.”


…the last time you played vinyl in a club…

Arnd: “That was 2006 at the famous Rex Club in Paris.”

Roel: “I cant even remember. I’ve been digital for many years now.”

 And finally guys, what is the next studio project you are involved with?

“There is a collaboration with Nile Rodgers and Carl Cox on it’s way!”

***

 

FIND INTEC ONLINE:

 

https://soundcloud.com/intec-digital

 

https://twitter.com/intecdigital

 

http://www.beatport.com/label/intec/15077

 

https://www.facebook.com/IntecDigital

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/IntecDigitalTV

 

FIND DRUMCOMPLEX ONLINE:

 

http://www.drumcomplex.de

 

https://soundcloud.com/drumcomplex

 

http://www.beatport.com/artist/drumcomplex/24533

 

https://twitter.com/Drumcomplex

 

FIND ROEL SALEMINK ONLINE:

 

http://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/roelsalemink

 

http://www.beatport.com/artist/roel-salemink/87453

 

https://www.facebook.com/RoelSaleminkOfficial

 

https://soundcloud.com/roelsalemink

 

https://twitter.com/RoelSalemink