Part of the new generation of French house music
Tristan Garner has been putting himself on the world dance map as one of the most talented DJ/producers of the NEW French generation following in the footsteps of the likes of Daft Punk and Cassius. The Parisian resident has risen to the forefront of the scene and received international recognition by having a string of hits including; ‘Give Love’, ‘Freedom’, ‘Caribe’, ‘Last Forever’ with Norman Doray and last year’s house anthem ‘Fuckin Down’ with Gregori Klosman. Fast-forward to the present, Tristan has been working hard on developing his newly launched Xtra Life Records imprint (a subdivision of Strictly Rhythm) and in the studio creating future floorfillers such as ‘Fallin’ and remixes of Redroche Vs Armstrong ‘Make Your Move 2011’ and Nadia Ali’s ‘Rapture’ which has had huge support from Swedish House Mafia, Armin Van Buuren, Above & Beyond and Cosmic Gate. We check in.
Words : Dan Prince
Hi Tristan, welcome to DMC. You moved to Paris for your studies when you were 20, but grew up in Nice in the South of France where if it wasn’t for a friend who told you about the Reason computer programme, you would still be listening to rock and nu metal. Tell us the story…
“Hey guys!! Yeah I grew up in Nice. I was really into rock pop and metal thanks to my parents musical background. Back in the 90s dance music was really commercial in France until Daft Punk came and launched the ‘French Touch’ phenomenon followed by Air, Cassius, Alan Braxe and many more. This new sound was a revolution for me and I became fascinated by the music production. At that time I used to be a real nerd, and I was really into computer programming. So I decided to program my own sounds on a tracker software running under QBasic environment! A real mess, only midi sounds with 4 channels. Until a friend of mine introduced me to the famous Reason program and since then my passion for music programming never stopped.”
Tell us about the year in Sweden when ‘Give Love’ went global…
“Even if I was passionate about House music, I never thought one day I could live on this passion. It was more of a child dream. In 2005 I moved to Paris then Sweden to finish my marketing studies and I got the chance to get signed on Pool E Music (a French label). We released ‘Give Love’ with the astonishing remix from my friend Arias, and the track exploded in the charts! It was really unexpected and a big surprise for me. Of course as I spent all my days and night with local Swedish DJs and club people I failed my exams so I decided to take one year off to focus on my music…it was 5 years ago!!”
How did you and your friend Norman Doray hook up to create ‘Last Forever’?
“Norman is a long standing friend and he’s a real music lover like me. I remember we made this song on Ableton Live with just simple elements and not so many tracks. It took us just one afternoon to finish it! It’s funny because at that time we didn’t have any mix/mastering knowledge so it was quite fast to produce a song! Then we got the chance to have Errol Reid on the vocal and it became a hit! The best ideas are always the simple ones!”
New tune coming out at the end of the month, ‘Punx’ – tell us about the track…
“‘Punx’ is a giant tribute to Daft Punk! I’m really proud of this track as it was a big challenge for me. I wanted to sound like the duo and include several gimmicks (the robot voice, the aero guitar, the lazer synths…) but with the 2012 electro-house sound. And without any pieces of hardware in my studio, it was really tough! It took me almost 6 months to be happy with the final master bounce. It’s also a new step in my sound. I have been a big fan of rock and nu-metal for years so I’m happy to bring back this electro-rock touch in my new productions.”
What is your current top 10 you are spinning?
“Wow, it’s hard to say as I’m playing 90% of edits and personal bootlegs so I can’t make a top 10. But the original tracks I play the most at the moment are:
– Vitodito & Oza – Kawaii (Original Mix)
– Gareth Emery – Tokyo (Original Mix)
– Dada Life – Kick Out The Epic Motherf*cker (Original Mix)
– Dirty South & Those Usual Suspects – Walking Alone (Arty Remix)
– Knife Party – Internet Friends (Original Mix)
– Skrillex & The Doors – Breakn’ A Sweat (Zedd Remix)
– Chris Lake – Build Up (Tommy Trash Edit)
– Michael Calfan – Resurrection (Axwell Mix)
– Nitrous Oxide – iPeople (Original Mix)
– Michael Woods – Airbone (Original Mix)
We saw you having fun at Techno Parade in Paris, how easy is it playing on a moving truck with your mates partying around you?
“It’s one of the best experiences for a DJ!! It’s just crazy! And yes it’s really hard to play because all the trucks are pretty close and sometimes you can’t hear what you’re playing. But the atmosphere is incredible. Around 1 million people dancing in the old-centre of Paris with 19th century monuments and techno music…priceless!!”
You have remixed some incredible artists, the likes of Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren, Erick Morillo, Cosmic Gate and Avicii – which re-work are you most proudest of?
“I’m proud of all of them but I’m very proud of the Tiesto and Morillo remixes because the guys had never heard about me before and I did it for fun first! It was more like “Hey guys, you don’t know me but I did this remix of your classic tune!! Do you like it?”. And I’m glad they liked them and put them on an official release. It was a great opportunity. I’m also proud of my Armin Van Buuren mix. We made more than 1.000.000 views on YouTube and they even shoot an official music video.”
After ‘Punx’, what has 2012 got in store for us from your Xtra Life label…
“I got several big tracks and cool remixes sleeping in my computer. I just need to sort them and choose the best ones. I’m currently thinking about a 4 track EP as an introduction of my upcoming album planned for next year. And every 6 months I organize a big Xtra Life party in Paris with my friends. It’s a cool way to have fun and play the records we want. Next one is this Friday and our guest is Tim Mason!”
You are known as the master of the bootleg – what have been some of your favourites looking back?
“Yeah I love bootlegs and edits!! My all time favourite is the ‘Teenage In The Air (Axwell vs Sander Van Doorn). It’s my favourite weapon and I keep playing it more than one year after! Max C’s voice + Axwell’s beat + Sander Van Doorn’s trance keys = the perfect track!!”
What is the finest record you have ever played to a dancefloor?
“To be honest I love my remix of Nadia Ali – ‘Rapture’. Most of the time behind the decks I try to adapt my DJ set to the country and the people’s habits but Nadia’s voice is universal. From Australia to Brazil this record is just an anthem!”
So we come back to your place after the club, what is the Tristan Garner Back To Mine top 10 you play us to carry on the groove…
“If you come to my place you’ll be very surprised because most of the time I don’t listen to House music and I don’t listen to my own tracks at all! During the day I listen to a wide range of tracks from classic rock to experimental Electro. It’s crucial for me as it helps me to change my mind and think out of the box when I’m back in the studio at night. So here’s my top tracks in my iPod at the moment, no specific genre, just awesome tracks…
– Queen – Bohemian Rapsody
– Marilyn Manson – This is the new sh*t
– Linkin Park – Krwlng
– Rob Zombie – Dragula (Hot Rod Herman Remix)
– Future Sound Of London – Papua New Guinea
– edIT – Ashtray
– Sigur Ros – Svefn-g-englar
– Supertramp – The Logical Song
– Above & Beyond Present – Tranquility Base – Oceanic
– Fatboy Slim – Talkin Bout My Baby
What did your parents think of your choice of career?
“They are very happy and they respect a lot my choice. I got the chance to grow up in a very open-minded family, surrounded with music.”
What fellow French producers are you giving high fives to at the moment out there?
“High fives to all my French buddies Gregori Klosman, Michael Canitro, Michael Calfan, Greg Cerrone, Norman Doray, Arno Cost, Sebastien Drums…they are all very talented and have their own sound. I can’t wait for the moment this new French touch will rule the world!”
How did the video come about for ‘Raven’ featuring footage from the Japanese animated movie Redline?
“I’m a big fan of sci-fi Manga movies and especially Redline. When I produced Raven I got this movie stuck in my head. I was looking for a very futuristic and punk sound to illustrate the race. It’s also a funny coincidence as the main character of the movie looks like me! So I decided to cut parts of the original Manga and build a track around.”
It’s your birthday – what 3 DJs do you ask to play and why?
“Axwell as he’s got mad skills in the studio and behind the decks. Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim because I’ve been a big fan for ages. The Stafford Brothers because they are friends and awesome party boys. I’m sure they’ll turn my house into a gigantic rave.”
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
“Don’t follow the trends – set them”. I always try to give my best in my productions and DJ sets. I take my time to sound original and different. And I never focus on my past hits.”
