The Danish dynamo rolls into Egg London for a huge album launch party
Interview by Dan Prince
René a big welcome to DMCWORLD…where in the world are you today?
“Hey Dan, I just woke up in a hotel room in Berlin.”
The first piece of music you listened to this morning after rolling out of bed…
“That was my alarm clock telling me not to miss my flight. After that I put on the new album by Bjork to accompany me while showering.”
A massive night for London town is looming next weekend at your album launch party at Egg…and what an album! Please give us a few words on this incredible long player
“Thanks! It’s the album I always wanted to make and that’s why it took me years. I think it’s pretty diverse and show different sides of me a my taste in music and ability to write and produce more than just 4/4.”
‘Black’ featuring Caitlin. You originally had 2 ideas for this song and in the end put them together. Tell us more…
“That pretty much sums it up. One piece was kinda organic and soulful with classic rhodes keys and the other was more electronic with an Italo disco-ish bassline. I managed to fit both ideas into the production and kinda make the Italo disco bassline a surprise element and climax in the song.”
‘Around’ featuring Hayze. How on earth did you track down this Malaysian singer in the first place, it must have taken you ages?
“It took me some time to track him down, but I knew he was the right one for the backing track I had done back in 2010. I knew him especially for his tracks with Sandy Rivera and simply loved his vocal work and just had to work with him. Luckily for me he liked the music and then it all came naturally. Today me and Hayze have a great relationship even though we to this date still haven’t met in person.”
‘Let It Go’ featuring Caitlin. A very special song for you and a song that shows a real chemistry between you and this Berlin songstress. I guess there is a lot of inspiration between you 2 going on?
“Caitlin inspires me a lot. In fact what you hear on ‘Black’ and ‘Let It Go’ was not all the music she sang that you heard. She inspired me to take whole new directions and then we ping ponged ideas until we had great results. She has great charisma and that comes through when you hear her sing.”
‘Found Out’ featuring Richard Davis. It is funny how seasons inspire musicians. This track has obvious links to Denmark and it’s early dark days?
“’Found Out’ was the first piece of music I wrote after ‘Around’ and just like that song, I had a very specific idea of who I wanted to sing on it. It was darker and deeper than ‘Around’ but as it was written in October/November and released in January…it felt natural to make it darker because of the winter – short hours of sun and the cold of Scandinavia.”
‘Time’ featuring HRRSN. Loving the R&B and hip hop beats on this one, a throwback to your youth perhaps? Who were the artists from this genre you were into back then?
“It was and still is artists like Missy Eliott, Timbaland and Aaliyah. When I started DJing it was a 50/50 mix between hip hop/R&B and House, So I had a great love for both genres and I think that’s why a song like ‘Time’ came out of the whole album making and sounds like it does. I didn’t try intentionally to sound like someone but I guess in retrospect, it must have been my inspiration from the artists and producers I liked – and still like in R&B/Hip Hop.”
‘Explode’ featuring Chris James. This track’s inspiration came from you out jogging listening to your iPod Shuffle. What’s the story here?
“Only the idea to who should sing on it. I had made the song/backing track in my studio and was thinking about who to approach for vocals. I went for a run and heard a song by Chopstick and Johnjon in the middle of the woods and got the idea to contact Chris James (as he was singing on the song I heard) cause I felt he was a perfect suit for the music.”
‘In A Vacuum’ featuring Richard Davis. This one has odes to the 80s all over it. Who were the bands from that decade you loved?
“Depeche Mode, The Cure, New Order, Visage, Kraftwerk. I have a big 80s vinyl collection which I treasure and still dig into from time to time to listen to those great and obscure 12″. ‘In A Vacuum’ came very naturally to me. I didn’t think of it as an 80s song when I wrote it, I just did what felt right. I rested my ears on it for a week, worked on it to finish a rough demo and I could hear the 80s influences on it. I had no doubt that Richard Davis was the right person to sing on this song and did exactly what I had hoped for.”
‘My Fault’ featuring HRRSN. You admitted that whilst making this track, sometimes you felt HRRSN hated you! Why was that?
“I said that as a joke because I made him sing and write more all the time – and made him re-sing and pour his soul out there. I must have been a real pain in the ass! I just knew he had it in him and I think he is pretty happy with the result of the song too.”
‘Angel’ featuring Hayze. When I ask producers what they do to get rid of writers block they say things like “play computer games, go for a walk or even get drunk”. You though go out and buy new studio equipment, which I think is just what you did for this track when you hit a wall?
“Yes, that’s true. I had the idea for the track but just couldn’t execute it and felt I hit a brick wall and was stuck. So sometimes when that happens I buy some new soundbanks or synths to get inspired and hopefully have new ideas. ‘Angel’ was a perfect example for that. The bassline was created in Lush101 which I bought to have some inspiration.”
‘Glass’ featuring Symbol. Love the story on this one. You sent this to Symbol as a challenge, you thought perhaps this was one challenge too far even for him?
“Yes, but I also sent it to him for a reason; because he has these different ideas and can come up with incredible and sometimes unusual hook lines. I didn’t really expect much from ‘Glass’ because the backing track (the album version) was quite difficult to write on, but he really nailed it.”
‘Out of Control’ featuring Cari Golden. “Once this was done I knew it would be the closing track”. Why?
“It sounds like a lullaby to me. Something you sing for or play to a child when they have to go to sleep. So it’s the perfect track to end the album with. Goodnight.”
How long did the album take to create and what was more difficult, the making of the songs or the thinking of the titles?!?!
“The album took from summer 2010 when I created the backing track for ‘Around’ to November 2014 when I finished the album. So a little more than 4 years. Writing the music and getting the right vocalists on them was the hard part. The titles came easily.”
We mentioned you getting inspiration for ‘Explode’ whilst out running. What are some of the other songs on your iPod…?
“Usually I use it to listen to promos (from other labels) and demos (for Noir Music). I use my shufflepod for that so I cant see the titles but only use my ears to choose the music. I am sometimes surprised by a really good demo in between the promos. It’s a good way to discover new music and new talent actually. Besides that I have a lot of music that I grew up with: Depeche Mode, Massive Attack, Radiohead, Bjork, The Cure. Recently I have been listening to a lot of 90s music by Bomb The Bass, Soul II Soul, Incognito, Family Stand, etc.”
What are the 5 big tunes in your box this weekend…
“So I’ve picked 5 totally different tunes for different moment in a DJ set…
Ten Ven – Again (Original Mix)
Really nice, deep groovy track with hints of old school French filter house. I think we will hear more music like this over the summer period.
Tieks – Sing That Song (Tiga Remix)
It’s so simple and that’s what makes it work. I do have a weakness for a good vocal hook and a solid production to go with it. That’s what this is.
Jon Hopkins – Open Eye Signal (George Fitzgerald Remix)
This is a big underground tune. The chords and simple structures makes it work to the max in the clubs and it always gets great reactions.
Jay Lumen – The Line (Original Mix)
Big techno tune and probably my favourite Jay Lumen track to date. Solid groove and phat beats, the usual recipe from Lumen, but this one is extra special.
Noir & Caitlin – Let it Go (Raw Club Cut)
This has just been finished and mastered, so it is still fresh to me. This Raw Club cut doesn’t sound like the others I’ve done and it’s taken this electronica track to a really clubby vibe. Don’t know how I managed to squeeze yet another version of this song, but it’s working really well in the clubs and sits right where I want it.”
And finally, Egg London is one of the best clubs in the world right now. Sum this place up in one sentence…
“Great sound system, great crowd, great vibes and all rooms are worth playing and partying.”
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Friday March 13th – Egg London presents: Noir Album World Tour Noir, Mark Fanciulli, Durante (UK Debut) www.egglondon.net
For further information on Noir check…http://www.noir-music.com/
