Want You In My Soul’ – one of those songs that stops you in your tracks
Interview by Dan Prince
Long before the arrival of ‘Instagram House’, Lovebirds featuring Stee Downes ‘Want You In My Soul’ essentially laid down the modern blueprint for deep house. This April, Island will issue the definitive release, licensed from Winding Road Records, accompanied by new remixes.
Basti a big welcome to DMCWORLD…what was the first piece of music you heard this morning after crawling out of bed?
Some bebop as I was listening to a bebop/jazz radio station at home. In my head was the remix I was working on until 3.30am!
A big moment in your family about to happen for you and your family, you are moving from Hamburg to Berlin in a couple of months. So, why now?
After 20 years in Hamburg I felt it’s the right time to get some new inspiration, influences and surroundings. The music scene ain’t too bad there either…
Another big moment coming up is May 3rd with the re-release of ‘Want You In My Soul’ feat. Stee Downes swinging our way on Island. Three years on, still sounding beautiful and now coming with Shiba San, Illyus & Barrientos remixes. So we are guessing now was just the right time to give the record a proper chance, a real spin out there?
Yeah – the original record had a big impact on the scene without any sort of promotion whatsoever. So I guess it made sense to give it a proper PR and see if it can attract a wider audience.
A little bird tells DMCWORLD you’d have quite liked Mood2Swing to have had a go at remix duties…?
I love them…Lem Springsteen and John Ciafone were absolutely amazing back them. And they also did killer remixes. Only a few people can handle a vocal properly and only a few deliver great remixes constantly these days.
Growing up you were influenced by some fabulous artists, the whole late 70s, early 80s funk, disco and boogie stuff paved the way for a love of A Tribe Called Quest, MAW, Todd Terry and Inner City. Miami Music Week last week was dominated by the sound of house music – it’s back with a capital B. It’s great isn’t it?
Hmmm yeah house music – one name and a million meanings. Same with ‘deep house’…to be honest the scene and music is going so mainstream is not really my thing. So much hype, big names…it’s not really my world. I like small clubs, real people that don’t stare at a DJ during his whole set.
It’s funny how genres can be so ‘in’ one minute and treated like dog shit on your shoe the next. Is that the way you like to stay away from labeling your music, for instance, you would never call your music deep house. House is just fine huh?
No but it’s also because I´m not really doin’ a lot of deep house. Stuff like’keep Comin’ on Freerange I would call deep house, but most of my stuff is disco funk influenced dance music. Well house is disco funk influenced or rooted dance music I guess anyway.
What are the 5 big tunes in your box this weekend, please five us a few words on each…
Jimpster – Head Spin
… lovely disco percussion afro meets deep house
Dauwd – Jupiter George
… reminds a little of sound stream
Session Victim – Stick Together
…no top 5 without session victim
Klaves – People
…what a tune – works anytime
Urulu – Banshee Boardwalk
…dirty breakbeat loop, dark stabby chords – Detroitish
What can you tell us about…
…your Chopstick Remix
Was talking to Thien (Chopstick) about a studio room in Berlin and he asked me if I would be up for it. I usually get the parts and see if anything happens which I kinda did. It’s a nice summery remix – perfect for the upcoming season
…your work with Corbu
Anton from 3beat contacted me and sent me the original. I was surprised to get an indie rock tune sent for remixing but I do also darker stuff that’s not so much boogie-deepish, so I gave it a try and it worked awesome. I came back 3 am this morning from the studio, almost done!
…a possible Lovebirds album
Actually working on two! Wanted to put out an instrumental Lovebirds album with some of my fave tunes that never saw a release so far. But my main focus is a pop album with a Japanese singer that lives in Berlin. The project is called Minako & The Lovebirds and will be out later this year. It’s somewhere between Phoenix ‘alphabetical’, Little Dragon, AIR with a heavy Lovebirds touch!
What are 3 bucket list adventures you wanna do in your lifetime?
Hmmm adventures? As a producer I am obviously dreaming about a lot of gear. I wanna have an prophet 5, an 808 and an ssl console one day…
Where have some of the stand out gigs been for you over the winter months, Belgrade sounded cool…
Really enjoyed Paris in January with Jimpster. Great classic ballroom kinda venue, amazing system with great monitoring which is something promoter and clubs usually don’t give to much attention to, but the better the monitoring the better you will feel the music and therefore play better sets! Please consider that! everybody!
I loved this post on your Facebook site back in January…” What could be better than watching Ronnie O’Sullivan doing his magic during an after lunch listening break?” – seriously? You’re a fan of the Rocket and snooker in general??
Oh yeah! I love playing pool! Not many snooker tables around in Germany though. I don’t play pool much either, but I just found out that Thien from Suol Records does too and I guess we will be playing more when I move to Berlin. But I love watching snooker on TV and I would love to see a great match (maybe the Masters) one day live.
And finally, Jimpster. The most dangerous person to go drinking with?
We only see each other once or twice a year but it always ends a bit messy. Next up is Prince Charles in Berlin in April…
https://www.facebook.com/lovebirds.official
