Let the Sick music craze continue! Stunning new ‘I Am’ Axwell and Taylr collab…
Interview : Dan Prince
Jim, Ray welcome to DMCWORLD. Where in the world are you right now?
“We are at home in The Netherlands in a city called Hilversum, it’s good to be back in the studio this month we’re trying to finish a lot of originals we’ve been working on lately.”
You have the planet dance jumping around again thanks to one of your productions. This time it’s the massive Axwell and Taylr Renee collaboration ‘I AM’ that is getting us all happy. Tell us about the history of the tune…Axwell’s contribution must have been a dream come true?
“Yes actually was a dream come true, we’ve always looked up to Axwell’s productions skills and he has proven us his one of the best. Finishing details and sound are his key elements.”
What did you learn from working with Axwell?
“Many things but here’s a example. It’s a detail but producers will know what we’re talking about. We are used to make our kicks really deep, low and fat, the problem is when you do that your track loses a lot of warmth and you won’t hear that deep low when you don’t have the right speaker set up. Because of our collaboration we’ve learned a lot about how getting this warmer without losing any feeling. Filling up your production on all freq not just one part in the low end makes you enjoy a track a lot more.”
The track is a driving yet euphoric progressive house track taking clubbers from level to level. What was it like working with Taylr, this Californian vocalist is going to be a superstar!
“Taylr has an amazing voice and is really talented, when we heard her singing for the first time we knew we had to work with her. She has done an incredible job on ‘I Am’ and we feel a lot more is coming for her in the future!”
A massive North American tour kicking off next month, dates in New York, San Fran, LA and beyond. How do you find DJing in the States in 2013 – they are just getting the dance bug, do you have to adapt your set in any way?
“It’s really fun, people are ready for us and we love seeing our fans singing along with the songs we’ve created the last couple of years. We haven’t adapted our set in any way to comply with what people are used to in the US cos we think what we are doing suits the States. We really had a lot of fun at the last gigs in Boston and New York, We can’t wait to come back and have a good time!”
Where on the tour are you really looking forward to spinning?
“It’s our first real tour in North America, so actually we can’t wait to check all the venues and cities! Excited for every gig!”
What is the current top 10 you are playing?
1. Sick Individuals & Axwell ft Taylr Renee – I Am (Original Mix)
2. Dannic & Sick individuals – ID (coming soon)
3. Sick Individuals – Lights of Neon (Original mix)
4. Sick Individuals – Pepper (Original mix)
5. O.B. & Ricky L – Again Babilonia (Sick Mashup)
6. Kryder – Pyrmd (Original Mix)
7. Dannic – Bring The Funk (Original Club mix)
8. Sebastian Ingrosso & Tommy Trash – Reload
9. Deorro – Yee (Original Mix)
10. Dberrie – Malfunction (Original mix)
Where have been some of the stand out gigs of summer 2013, Sri Lanka SunFest looked amazing!
“Our gig in New York at Governors Island was our first ever US gig and we’ve got so many good reactions – def one of our favorites at the moment.”
What was your favourite highlight of SunFest?
“7000 people inside, 2000 people without tickets wanted to come in, additional 300 police officers were called to make sure everything was under control, we’ve never experienced something this intense – pure rock ‘n roll! It was the first sold out concert in Sri Lanka ever and man people had a good time. Make sure you check out our short after movie on our Youtube channel…
What has been your anthem of the summer?
“Sick Individuals & Axwell ft Taylr Renee – ‘I Am’!”
The Dutch scene continues to show the rest of the world how to do it. Who are some of the producers from your native country that you are giving high fives to at the moment?
“Dannic, Hardwell, Nicky Romero and Don Diablo.”
Okay let’s find out some musical stuff about you…
What is the record that always makes you cry?
Ray: “I don’t really have a record that makes me cry, but I do have a record that makes me completely relaxed and think about life a bit. When I was younger my mother was a singing teacher and she always played piano and sing classical music while I was upstairs playing with my toys. I really appreciated and enjoyed her singing. Janet Baker – 4 Lieder Richard Strauss “Morgen!”, Op. 27/4.”
Jim: “Not what you would expect I guess, bad production and very simpe but it’s beautiful and a good song makes me relax and think about the bigger things in life. Söhne Mannheims – Und wenn ein Lied.”
The record you always do at karaoke?
Ray: “Frank Sinatra – ‘Fly Me To The Moon’, because I know the lyrics and is one of my favourite Frank Sinatra songs…”
Jim: “Michael Jackson – ‘Beat It’, I used to be a professional dancer and this song makes me dance and karaoke!”
The record you wish you had made?
“The Aston Shuffle vs Tommy Trash – ‘Sunrise’.”
Your best ever piece of production you have created?
“‘Orion’ (a new track but it’s not finished yet – kinda premiere for DMC this title).”
The big cheesy dance record you always jump around to when it comes on the radio?
Joep: “Gigi D’ Agostino – ‘The Riddle’.”
The record you hate that is on each other’s iPod?
Jim: “Las Ketchup – ‘The Ketchup Song’.”
Ray: Los del Rio – ‘Macarena’.”
What is coming out next from you guys?
“Next up is our collaboration with Dutch DJ DANNIC, it’s an insane track for the dance floor, longer than you hear nowadays and has a lot of elements, it’s def a blueprint for tracks we liked to make in the future.”
You first met at the School of the Arts – what were you think career wise back then?
Jim: “I wanted to produce for other DJs, I always enjoyed trance music back in the day.”
Ray: “I wanted to produce Pop/Jazz and also produce Hip-hop and House beats and sell them in the US.”
Jim…favorite ever trance tune?
“O.T Quartet – ‘Hold That Sucker Down’.”
Ray you are a vocalist and also a guitar player. Who is your guitar hero?
“Stochelo Rosenberg from Rosenberg Trio. Master in guitar and can play faster than the speed of light.”
Funniest thing that has ever happened to you at a festival?
“Someone grabbed us in the nuts on stage and told us we very cute.”
Lovely! And finally – you are two very versatile producers; you don’t like doing things twice or doing things over and over. When was the last time you had an argument about music?
“The funny thing is we don’t really have arguments about the music, never really argue or fight about things, we always follow each other and it seems to work! Sick Chemistry it is!”
For more information on Sick Individuals…
http://www.sickindividuals.com
https://twitter.com/SICKINDIVIDUALS
https://soundcloud.com/sickindividuals
https://www.facebook.com/sickindividualsofficial
