‘Soldiers’ – one of the biggest tunes in recent months sees the light of day on Doorn Records
Interview : Dan Prince
Mike welcome to DMCWORLD, where in the world are you right now?
“I’m in my studio in Denmark, just finished a heavy year so it feels great to be back working on new music for the whole next month!”
You have smashed into The Buzz Chart this week courtesy of your huge cut ‘Soldiers’ swinging our way on Doorn Records. Every big name in the world is all over this tune, Tongy loves it and it begs the question Mike, have you ever been to Egypt?!?
“It’s massive. I almost can’t believe it, I haven’t yet heard a single DJ who didn’t take well to the track, and everyone is playing it out right now. It’s such a great feeling to see the track doing so well, I really had good vibes about the tune when I was working on it, so it’s great to get my hopes confirmed. I’ve gotten mails from some of my biggest idols on the track, and last I checked it’s being played by everyone from Hardwell and Martin Garrix to Showtek and Dada Life – even tastemakers like Pete Tong and your own Guy Garret. I’m really thankful as it seems like Soldiers hits a sweet spot between all the jocks styles. I was so excited when I heard Pete was picking up the track, usually that’s a massive sign that the hype is growing fast – and especially it means a lot that a guy like Pete Tong who’s been able to “spot” the big releases for the past many years opens his show with the tune. I remember listening to his show for years, and I’ve always been excited when he premiered new music from some of my biggest idols.
I’ve never been to Egypt, and the whole Middle-Eastern / Asian vibe of the track was actually not intended, believe it or not. I just wanted to do something different, with no real “goal” in mind, but by the time it was done it had that kinda “Desert Storm / Warfare” vibe to it, which is how it got its name. I premiered it myself for the first time in Istanbul, the night when Hardwell played it as an ID in his show, and seeing the reaction I really knew I had something good on my hands.”
As you say it was a massive moment for you last Friday when Pete Tong opened up his show with the tune! Where were you when you heard your tune on the world famous Radio 1 towers…?
“I was actually just sitting at home with a bottle of wine – my January’s been so relaxing, which has really been needed. I got a text from the guys at Spinnin’ telling me to tune in to Pete Tong’s show and so I did – I was ecstatic, for lack of better words!”
Tell us a little history of this huge dancefloor anthem…
“It comes as my first “real” solo single after a good deal of collabs. Many people don’t realise it but I’m a producer by heart, I love producing, I’m really into the technical aspect of it as well, and I’ve produced long before I picked up DJing, so it’s almost weird that I haven’t been working on more solo material before now. Last year was essentially my breakthrough year, it was huge for me with tracks like ‘Hot Steppa’, ‘Jump’, ‘Ulysses’, ‘We Got This’ and ‘Let’s Go’, so it feels really natural to begin my 2014 with a solo release.”
You have just been granted your US VISA, where in the States are you really looking forward to smashing up?
“Anywhere Dan! It almost feels like homecoming, I’m half American on my dads side, a big part of my family’s from there and I’ve spent a lot of time in the states – with the paradoxical issue that I haven’t been allowed to perform. It’s felt kind of weird as I feel just as American as I feel Danish in many ways. Its a big part of my roots – so to get that official “Extraordinary Ability” stamp of approval from the states means a lot to me, and it couldn’t come at a better time – I just joined one of the coolest and most embracing agents in North America, and 2014 is going to be a big year for me in terms of both releases and gigs, so I’m happy to finally set foot in the states with another purpose than just visiting families or friends.”
Another track that has been causing mayhem is your ‘Storm’ track with the multi talented Toby Green which has had people jumping around all over the world. ‘We Got This’ and ‘Hot Steppa’ were two of your incredible collabs last year, what is coming next from you two…?
“So far we haven’t been in the studio yet, but I can tell you that some of the biggest tracks I’ve heard so far is coming from Toby. I’m so happy that I found my way to him last year – I don’t mean it as a dis, but the talent-mass in Denmark in electronic music is quite scarce, mostly because electronic music is not really that big here, so it feels amazing to have found such an incredibly talented fellow Dane, and I’m honored to be working with him and have him as part of the family.”
What is the current top 10 you are spinning?
Mike Hawkins – Soldiers
Vicetone – Lowdown
Bass Kleph – Raise Up Lights
Kairo Kingdom – Don’t Shake (Pegboard Nerds Remix)
Chris.SU feat. Mira – Together In The Night
Mightyfools – Go
Mike Hawkins & Toby Green – We Got This
Landis – Impact
Tony Romera – Hey Bean
Mike Hawkins, Henry Fong & Toby Green – Hot Steppa
‘Ulysses’ was a monster of a track in 2013, did you know on completion you were sitting on one very large tune?
“I think I knew when we nailed the break. I had a feeling that it wasn’t going to be the next “Beatport #1” hit, but it really presented a part of us, and me in particular, that I love to show – that melodic compositional side embodying a ton of emotion. I’m a very torn artist, on the one hand I have a strong love for “club bangers”, I love making music that “works” live – and at the same time I’m one of the most geeky harmony-freaks I know. I’ll sit for hours making some weird classical melody that evolves for 5 minutes. I’m really a melody person, and I feel like I got to show off a multitude of my melodic inspirations in 2013, including Hot Steppa and Ulysses in particular. At first, we were trying hard to find a place to sign Ulysses – then suddenly during the day we just got an email from Steve Angello, completely out of the blue, asking for the track. I was super excited, Steve’s a huge inspiration to me.”
Okay let’s rewind for a moment. You hail from Denmark, a country not really associated with EDM, what did your friends at school think of your love of this sound?
“As you might know, I spent most of my early days into the more odd sides of electronic music. I’m a rock kid by heart, and a lot of my early electronic music influences was stuff like Prodigy, Infected Mushroom, tons of Trance-music, and more melodic stuff like Chemical Brothers and Moby. To be quite fair, no one got my obsession. I think it’s a bit more “acceptable” for the youth today to be into electronic music, but 10 years ago no one here knew what it was. The closest they got to it was stuff like Eiffel 65 or early Daft Punk, meanwhile I was slamming my ears with electronic beats in all my lunch breaks, and spent all my past time playing around with Fruity Loops.”
You live in Denmark’s second biggest city Aarhus, a truly historical city that dates back some 1300 years to Viking times. It’s known as the world’s smallest big city and also the city of smiles. What is the music/club scene like there?
“Aarhus is one of a kind. It’s home to me, but it’s also not a city I’d like to spend the rest of my days in (if that makes sense) – it’s simply too small in many ways, including culturally. That said, it has a ton of charm and things to do, there’s just not that much electronic music. The club scene here has never really existed before me and a few of my friends and acquaintances put it here – and that’s not even an overstatement. I feel blessed to have had my musical upbringing here in many ways though, it’s the most impossible crowd in the world. I hear Dutchmen talking about how the Dutch are hard to please – they should try one night in snowy Denmark where you get boo’ed off stage if there’s no Rihanna. It’s taught me to read crowds and stay playful with my sets like no other, and I rarely confine myself to one “tempo” or genre through a whole set, I’m a sucker for everything from Drum’n’Bass to Deep House, and it shows in my sets. A huge eye opener for me was last year when I realized I could fill the biggest venue in Aarhus, a venue usually reserved for Rock concerts (which is big here), with electronic music lovers in a city that has never really had a scene before a few years ago. It makes me super proud to finally watch the growth of something that my generation helped spur in this country.”
What were your thoughts on trance when you first heard it?
“I was a sucker for it! I know it’s become a taboo, but I really loved trance. It was the melodies that got me, really, and it was such a universe to fade away into. I’m so happy I got into it, because it broadened my mind and opened me up to so much more electronic music than before. I used to think house music in its core was boring and repetitive – and while some might argue it still is (laughing) – at least now I am able to enjoy it, because I understand it. The early stuff from Axwell and Steve Angello really helped open me up to house music back in 2007 or so, as I’m sure it did for many.”
Who are some of the exciting producers out there at the moment you are giving high fives to…?
“I’m so thankful that I’m able to be around so many inspiring producers with new ears and talent. I’m not just saying this because they do stuff on Megaton, but some of the coolest producers I know currently include names like Toby Green and Filip Ilic. I’m also really excited about the stuff coming out from Matt Nash, Jay Cosmic and Garmiani at the moment. Just got a really cool tune for Megaton from Salvatore Ganacci as well that I’m sure you’re gonna love! Sebjak is also doing some really, really amazing stuff right now. I heard a few of his new productions and all I can say is that they kick mad ass.”
It was obviously a mighty year for your Megaton Records, what is coming out next from the label…?
“A new tune from two British kids, Jack & Jordan – they have a ton of raw talent, and while they’re still young and have a lot to learn, they have one of the freshest takes on electronic music right now. I’m super proud to have them join the label. Then there’s new exciting stuff from myself, Toby Green, Salvatore Ganacci and a bunch more. It’s going to be a really big year for Megaton, and I’m so thankful for all the dedicated fans we have. It’s been such a ride, Megaton’s always just been about picking up those odd / special tunes and providing a home for them, I never thought that within a year we’d be consistently charting and played in the sets of all the big DJ’s. I feel like we’ve been blessed to be working with some of the most inspiring artists last year, including names like Tony Romera, Henry Fong, Landis and Bass Kleph, who all put out some incredible tracks on Megaton.”
You admit that you have come from a rocky background, who are the artists you are listening to at the moment away from dance music?
“I’m really into Muse at the moment. I’m a bit late to that party, but in my defense I just found their stuff recently. Besides that I’m really into the really heavy metal stuff – and acts like Linkin Park and Serj Tankian will always have a space in my heart. I’m a musical paradox though, because when I go for long drives in my car, I fire up for the collective works of Beethoven. I generally try to bring a bit of that “rock concert” feeling to my shows though – that gritty, up close, ravey vibe that makes this genre so great. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely love the big scale stadium shows, but usually the up close and personal raves with tons of smoke and strobe are the most fun.”
“’Slump’ is definitely the bastard-child that came out of a really kinky one-night-stand.” Discuss…
“Haha, ‘Slump’ just felt weird, a little nasty, but incredibly good – much like it’s description. When Pablo and I worked on the track, we kinda just “let go”. We weren’t really sure where to take it or if it would work, but we went with what felt good, and it became an almost animalistic approach to producing. In general, I love working with Pablo as him and I have a special chemistry in the studio that I have with no other. We really let loose and encourage each other to piss around and have fun while we work. I think that’s audible in our collabs as well.”
Tell us about the early days of your working relationship with Pablo, he was into his Dutch House, you were into your big room rock/ravey big room sounds. Did it take for you two to gel or did it roll quite easily?
“When I met Pablo a long time ago, he was mainly a DJ and I was mainly a producer. I have a feeling that has been really great for our work in the studio though – at the time I didn’t have the best understanding of making tracks that “worked on the floor” – I’d do 6 minute breaks and 10 minute intros, haha. I feel like we taught each other a lot in the studio as we came from two completely different worlds – and in general my relationship and friendship with Pablo has been one of the most beneficial and long-lasting ones I’ve had. I’m very happy to have him as my friend and partner, and I know he has a great year ahead of him.
How do you two compliment each other in the studio, who excels where?
“I’d say I’m good at being too much and he’s good at holding back. It’s not a bad thing, but my creative juices have a habit of overflowing – I end up with a bastard child only a mother could love. Pablo often does the exact opposite as he always has the listener in mind. I think we compliment each other well in the sense that I’m great at coming up with “surprises” musically, and he’s great at finding a way to bring it to the listener. It’s almost like chefs, amazing food doesn’t really matter that much if its served on a splintery wooden plate all mixed up. Sometimes, how you serve and prepare the food is half of the enjoyment. With that said, though, I feel we’ve both come a long way, I’ve become good at knowing when to hold back, and he’s become good at “letting loose” a bit more in his productions, so it’s been a very beneficial relationship. I still send my stuff by him often though, just to ask if he thinks my new 64 bar windpipe melody is too weird.”
Not many people know this, but Mike Hawkins is really good at…
“Cooking! I’ve cooked all my life, and have a few esteemed chefs in my family that I always learned a lot from. I love cooking, and I love eating. I love finding a way to prepare unusual types of food in a way that will have your average joe in heaven. I spend a good deal of my time reading about new preparation techniques and ingredients, and being as I’m fairly eco-conscious and have been a vegetarian for a while for ethical and health reasons, I love the challenge in finding ways to prepare delicious food for people that are otherwise very steak-dependent. I sound like a hippie now, but it actually is possible to cook delicious vegetarian or vegan food – just last week I took my girlfriend to a two Michelin-star vegan restaurant in Copenhagen for one of the most delicious meals of our lives.”
Where is the strangest place you have heard one of your tunes being played?
“In a cab heading to the hotel from a gig. My song came on and the cab driver, an old grumpy guy, was like “can you believe this crap techno music, it sounds like shit” and switched off the radio while my tune was playing. Awkward.”
And finally, what is coming out next from the Mike Hawkins studio?
“I just finished 2 remixes for 2 of the biggest artists in electronic music that should be coming out fairly soon. Besides that, I’m working on a good deal of new collabs and solo material for 2014. I’m experimenting a lot lately, mostly trying to do a fresh take on that big room sound that still works well. I’m not like many of the DJ’s or producers out there preaching doom and death for “big room EDM” – I’m not against it, music is music however it sounds, and everyone has the freedom to push mute on music they don’t enjoy, but for me personally I need to play around with new ideas – they might not always work, but at least I’ve tried them out. The alternative if I don’t do it is much worse, I get depressed and my music gets stale – but tracks like ‘Storm’ and ‘Ulysses’ have been great outlets for experimenting a bit last year.”
http://www.beatport.com/artist/mike-hawk…
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