Sharam Jey has been shaking up the world of dance music since the early 90s with his infectious and accessible dance-floor ready grooves. Over the years, the Iran-born artist has racked up numerous accolades and achievements including releasing 2 acclaimed albums (4 Da Loverz in 2005 & In My Blood in 2009), having over 100 releases on some of dance music’s most established labels (Toolroom, Cajual, King Kong Records) and amassing a remarkable remix resume of high profile artists including; Zayn, Moby, Gossip, Faith No More, Faithless, Diplo & Don Diablo and Mason & Roisin Murphy.
With all of this success and experience in tow, the time has come for the talented German to release his much awaited third long-player, Invisible – comprising of 14 stellar tracks inspired by Jey’s passion for song-oriented, synth-driven melodies, boasting guest vocal contributions from the likes of electro-pop’s Little Boots, Grammy award-winning duo Dirty Vegas, Australia’s Kristy Lee Peters aka KLP, the Berlin-based Kat, the multi-talented US-born Dacia Bridges and the Danish/Egyptian star Ashibah.
DMCWORLD checks in with the main man…
Hello Sharam, welcome to DMCWORLD. How are you and where in the world are you today?
Things are going pretty great at the moment as 2018 is a busy year so far with a lot of touring and a bunch of releases and collaborations already being out and still coming. So I am quite happy right now.
You’ve just released your third artist album Invisible, please tell us about it and what you wanted to achieve with it?
My inspiration for this album was to not follow a trend but to put together my musical vision which mainly derives from my 80s electronic influences. I wanted the album to have a melodic-synth-approach. And, I want the people to listen to it at home, in the car, at work or just when you prepare yourself for a club night. It’s a very personal album as it features material from the last 8 years. So the tracks really accompanied me over the whole time.
How does Invisible compare to your previous albums and what are your favourite tracks and why?
It’s actually not that different from the other albums. All have a distinct 80s vibe. But of course they slightly differ. The first had a more funky, groove inspired sound. The second featured a more electronic-oriented sound. And, this new one has an indie dance / nu disco feel to it. The thing with artist albums for me is that they are much more personal than say the club tracks I released and so to choose specific tracks is really hard.
As a dance artist, why do you think albums are still important within the current climate?
I don’t know if albums are still important for every musician but for me it’s like taking the privilege and just make one. Despite everybody saying that it is all about singles and club tracks. With an album you can actually paint the whole picture and lift your music to a whole new level. I am really happy to have the chance to do that.
You’ve been DJing and producing music for over 20 years, what would you say have been the main highlights of your career so far?
Well, that I am doing this for about 25 years now is actually the highlight itself. At least for me. You know I come from a little town in Germany and I would never ever have dreamed that I will have the chance to do what I love the most. And here I am doing exactly that.
What has been the biggest change or challenge that you’ve experienced as a DJ/producer over the years?
The biggest challenge in this business is to find the thin line between staying true to yourself and your music and finding a way to always newly invent yourself. For me it has always been about electronic music of course but I also was always aiming to give it a new twist and evolve.
You own/run two record labels Bunny Tiger and King Kong Records, how would you describe the overall sound of both labels and what releases do you have coming up?
King Kong Records was my first label founded in 2000. At first we released mainly house music. This developed to a broader more electronic oriented sound. Bunny Tiger was established 5 years ago with the simple goal to put out music which didn’t fit with King Kong mainly nu disco/deep house stuff. Things have developed so well that we also founded a sub label called Bunny Tiger Dubs which is more tech / tech house-oriented. And to celebrate this 5 year anniversary we have a compilation out which will feature Bunny Tiger classics newly remixed. But, at the moment it is all about my album ‘Invisible’ and its singles.
You’re lucky enough to tour all over the world, what counties or cities do you most like performing in and why?
Yes, I am really lucky to meet people from all over the world and to perform for all those crowds. I know that this cannot be taken for granted. And concerning countries and cities I like performing in; at the moment, I’ve been receiving a massive response in South America, Brazil and Argentina. It is really great to play there and connect with these people.
Where in the world would you most like to perform but haven’t had the chance to yet and why?
As already said, I am very happy to play in so many corners of the world. And, at the moment, I can’t think of any specific places I’d like to perform. That does not mean I’ve played the whole world but I don’t know of a place I wish I would play right now.
Lastly, any funny/memorable tour stories that you’d like to tell DMCWORLD?
Mmm, difficult to tell. I mean the whole business is crazy. It’s kind of a circus meeting a jungle. So that makes it actually hard to pick a funny story.
ARTIST: SHARAM JEY
TITLE: INVISIBLE
LABEL: BUNNY TIGER
RELEASE DATE: 24 SEPTEMBER 2018
FORMAT: DIGITAL + PHYSICAL (CD & VINYL)
Beatport pre-order HERE + Apple Music preview HERE
TRACKLIST:
- Sharam Jey Feat Dirty Vegas – Ready or Not
- Sharam Jey – Over The Moon
- Sharam Jey Feat KLP – Lost
- Sharam Jey – Planet Love
- Sharam Jey Feat Kat – Dangerous Game
- Sharam Jey – Invisible
- Sharam Jey – Rollin`
- Sharam Jey Feat Little Boots – Fridaycity
- Sharam Jey – Roadtrip
- Sharam Jey Feat Dacia Bridges – All That Remains
- Sharam Jey – Computer Love
- Sharam Jey – Down Under
- Sharam Jey Feat Ashibah – Only You
- Sharam Jey – Memories
TOUR DATES:
07.09.18: Magic Island Festival, Florianopolis, Brazil
08.09.18: TBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
15.09.18: Joinville Square Garden, SC, Brazil
05.10.18: Cholula, Puebla, Mexico
06.10.18: Nuevo Leon, Monterrey, Mexico
17.10.18: ADE @ The Club Up, Amsterdam, Netherlands
FIND SHARAM JEY ONLINE:
https://soundcloud.com/sharamjey
