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Hardsoul presents Dutch Talent: exclusive Q&A with Traxsource
We sat down with our friends over at Traxsource.com and had a chat about our latest release and what running Hardsoul Pressings all entails. It turned out to be a nice little read that gives you an insight into our A&R work, our influences and more!
- Tell us about the new Dutch Talent EP on your label Hardsoul Pressings?
As the title suggests it’s a collection of some of Holland’s hottest new house music talent, some tracks from guys we’re working with and developing, such as Dave Mayer and Dutchican Soul, and also some tracks that simply landed in our inbox that we thought deserved some exposure to the world. All the guys are very excited about reaching that all important No. 1 Traxsource chart spot... .for some of the guys it actually their debut release!
- Do both of you A&R the label and how much work is it for you?
Yes, we both take on A&R duties. We get send tons of promos and demos so its hard to keep up but we do listen to everything and try to keep our eyes and ears open to all that goes on around us. And there is a lot going on right now!
- There seems to be a lot DJs and producers in Holland making noise at the moment…Why do you think the Dutch scene creates so much talent?
It must be something in the water ;-)... Maybe it’s because house music in all its forms is really big in Holland and has been for quite some time now. Seems everybody is producing and DJing nowadays and most importantly working together, so all the guys learn from, and inspire, each other.
- With all of the talent in Holland, how did you choose the tracks for the Dutch Talent EP?
Well, from our time as Soulfuric recording artists we learned one simple rule from head honcho Brian Tappert and that was “we don’t have to like it, we have to love it!”. It sounds really obvious but trying to keep this up on all levels is a lot harder then you might think.
- What’s the club sound these days in Holland? Is it moving in any particular direction?
House is the dominant factor right now in clubs when in used to be trance and harder styles of dance music. People in Holland still like their house sounds to be very energetic and pumping but this traditionally was always the case. Quality house like our stuff and music on labels like Soulfuric and Defected is not as big as it used to be. But it will come back…it always does.
- Are you optimistic about house music in general?
That depends on what day you ask me, hahaha. Maybe there is too much going on right now: too many DJs, parties,producers and labels all fighting for the same space. The whole scene changes so quickly right now it’s hard to say where it’s going.
- How do the two of you split the studio duties on your Hardsoul productions…does one person programme and the other play the music?
We can both play and programme. I ( Greg) used to work the desk and the outboard but since we have gone “inside the box” we share programming and playing duties. If thing get really musical we hire a proper musician to play.
- How did you get started DJing / Producing?
We have been producing since childhood. Roog used to have a setup in his bedroom at our parents house and I was just always there wanting to make music too. When he realised he couldn’t get rid of me he decided to let me play along and the rest is history..;-).
- You have worked with a lot of singers…what do you look for in a vocalist?
We like to work with singers that not only have a great voice but can write as well. It makes life much easier if you have a singer that knows how things work in the studio and how songs are made. We used to work with singers from the U.S. and the U.K. a lot, but there is some real talent emerging now in Holland like Mitch Crown, I-fan and Dorothy Sherman.
- How do you decide what songs you do (lyrics, melody, other)?
We have no specific rules for making a song. Sometimes we get inspired by an old tune. Sometimes we just produce something that needs a vocal and sometimes its the other way around, we lay our hands on a great vocal that needs a good production! We have done many instrumentals as well but vocals gives a track something special.
- Who are your main musical influences?
There are so many people and styles of music that inpire us . The usual suspects like Prince, Quincy Jones, James Brown,Herbie Hancock, etc. but also Kate Bush, Tori Amos and Coldplay. You can hear in our productions that we are easily bored with making just one style of music. It would be so much easier to keep doing the same trick over and over again but we need to keep things fresh and exciting for ourselves.
- What else do we have to look forward to from Hardsoul Pressings?
Things have been a little bit quiet on the Hardsoul Pressings front due to the fact that we had no-one to run the label but ourselves. Being busy DJs and producers and simply not the types to sit behind a desk and calculate statements and stuff, we were looking for a partner to handle that side of things. We found just that with BeYourselfMusic . So now we can focus on producing and signing more stuff for the label and coming out with more original Hardsoul productions. The next release will probably be my own: Hardsoul presents Greg van Bueren ‘Waiting For U’, with mixes by Baggi Begovic and Se:Sa We are also signing new tracks for another talent EP, bringing yet more new talent into the spotlight. .
- Tell us something we don’t know about Hardsoul?
Hmmm…I don’t know if I should be telling you this, but before we were Hardsoul, Roog and I (plus a guitarist) were a hip-hop/metal outfit called Napoleon…!
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