Belgium’s Lost Frequencies aka Felix De Laet’s melody-enriched, big room house has seen him top charts around the world by asking the question ‘Are You With Me’, the title of his 2014 hit. The answer has emphatically been ‘Yes’ – to the power of over 202 million, the number of YouTube plays it has surpassed so far.
After releasing follow-ups ‘Reality’ and ‘Beautiful Life’, clocking up half a billion plays on Spotify and being crowned gold, platinum and double platinum in a few dozen countries, 2016 proved another defining year, with Lost Frequencies releasing his debut album ‘Less Is More’ via Dutch giant Armada. It was preceeded by debut single ‘What Is Love’, his cover of Hadaway’s Eurodance classic. Not even born when it was released in 1993, Lost Frequencies’ re-make flipped the vibe into a poppy slice of guitar-led EDM that shot staight to No.1 in his home country, underlining his knack for crafting modern day pop melodies.
Having also remixed Major Lazer and Justin Bieber’s ‘Cold Water’, expect him to kick off his first appearance of the New Year at Egg London with all these tracks in his bag, plus a whole load of surprises pointing towards 2017’s release schedule.
Lost Frequencies Interview by Fidel Trotman
How was 2016 for you and can you tell us about your personal highlights ?
2016 was an amazing year for me! Releasing my debut album ‘Less Is More’ was a big highlight. I also played at Coachella and Lollapalooza which was crazy, all those people singing my tracks back to me when I had followed the line-ups of those events for so long. I also hosted my own stage at Tomorrowland, very exciting!
Can you please tell us a little bit about where you’re from and your earliest musical memories?
I am from Brussels, Belgium! My earliest memory would be something to do with my father, playing his records around our home but the first festival in Belgium I went to was ‘I Love Techno’. That is one of my earliest memories of really being like “Wow!” at these guys DJ-ing into the night.
How did you first get into DJ-ing and music production and were there any clubs, djs or people that shaped you in your choice to pursue this?
I guess my father shaped my choice to make music in a way. He gave me his old computer and I was experimenting on Garage Band, Logic, learning some things from YouTube videos and that’s really how I started all of this.
When you uploaded your track ‘Are You With Me’ onto SoundCloud, how did you feel when the Bearded Man label signed it ?
It felt crazy, insane! Lost Frequencies was a project for me to take classic or sometimes forgotten tracks I was listening to and give them a new life. Never did I think that the tracks would be as big as they have been – having a #1 in my home country was a feeling like nothing else.
You collaborated with Sandro Cavazza on “Beautiful Life” and did you have fun working together on such a memorable track?
We did! I wanted the release that followed ‘Reality’ to be just as special and we really put in as much effort as we could. Sandro did a great job on the track and we were both really happy with the end result.
You also did a remix for Major Lazer’s ‘Cold War’ featuring Justin Bieber and how did this come about and are there any particular artists you would like to remix or produce?
There was a connection between our manager Nick Royaards and Diplo’s team whom he knows quite well and I’m a big fan of Major Lazer. They had a crazy busy 2016 too, so to be asked to remix one of the biggest songs of the year by them was great fun! I’d like to remix Flume as I think all of his music is great, and maybe something different from my usual Lost Frequencies sound like US hip-hop styles, I like Kid Cudi for example, his lyrics are really good.
You’ve played in every corner of the globe and what have been your most memorable parties, clubs, festivals etc and why?
Coachella this year, because it is known all over the world! I also had my own Lost Frequencies & Friends stage at Tomorrowland for the first time back in the summer with some cool sets from Robin Schulz, Ruby Rose.. and we had lots of fun times! I always enjoy playing more intimate venues like Egg London, so I’m really excited to be returning.
Bringing your night to Egg London again and do you have any secret weapons lined up for January 20th that you can let us in on?
You will have to come along and find out!
What three tunes never leave your USB stick and why?
‘Cold Water’ Lost Frequencies Remix – Major Lazer ft. Justin Bieber & MØ –
‘Never Be Like You’ Martin Solveig Remix – Flume ft. Kai
‘Money Maker’ – Throttle
Are there any producers or label that you follow and who are you tipping right now?
Throttle is a really cool producer and I find I’m playing lots of his tracks in my set recently and he’s going to be a lot bigger in 2017 I think. Angemi is another amazing talented producer who’s already done 2 remixes for my Remix album that’s coming soon.
And before we head out the door to your show, what can you recommend we listen to, to get us in the mood?
My debut album ‘Less Is More’ will give you an idea of what my sound is but in my live sets I often add in more louder, party tracks. So I would say maybe the Erick Morillo Remix of ‘Beautiful Life’
and my mix from the Tomorrowland 2016 ‘Elixir of Life’ album
Lost Frequencies plays Egg Presents… on Friday January 20th at Egg London and all info on www.egglondon.co.uk
