Bud Light House Party Tour and interview with Nervo

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By Dominic Wren

As it comes to no surprise, Bud light pulled off another killer night for their Bud light House Party Tour when it made it's third stop in Montreal. It’s great to see a major beer company allowing fans to be closer to there favorite artists as it really brought the community together. At 10pm sharp, the long awaited Aussie DJ duo, Nervo, came to stage, opening their set with their brand new single “What Would You Do For Love” (Sedliv Remix). The crowed freaked.

For a party of a capacity of about 100 people, it felt like there were 500 partiers. This was some of the best artist to crowd interactions I’ve ever seen. People having posters, Nervo responding, smiling and talk to individuals in the front row. The two Australians keeping the party to a Big Room House (pun not intended) vibe, they were rocking with “Blah Blah Blah” by Armin Van Buuren (Bassjackers Remix) and “Dreamer” by Axwell Ingrosso and many more.

The next morning I sat down with these world-renowned artists for an interview. While the Nervo twins created a very chill and relaxed atmosphere, I first asked them what they thought of this idea of playing at a house party. They both jumped to express their love of the idea. The two-minute-older sister, Olivia Nervo, mentioned that it was a great vibe: “normally big shows and festivals are all about entertaining the crowd, but this was more of an intimate night between us and the crowd” just a “great vibe.” Mariam Nervo expressed that “variety is the spice of life” so playing at these rare opportunities is truly special for them. The Bud Light House Party Tour has been rocking through out the whole summer, stopping in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. Bud Light smashed their first stop with French Montana in Vancouver, then Ty Dolla $ign in Toronto and finally the major beer company reached out to Nervo to host their last house party of the summer in Montreal. “We were super excited for the gig” said the Nervo sisters.

These two ladies work insanely hard to make the best music they possibly can. They casually explained that they frequently fly between LA and London just to get the sound that want. While sipping her tea in the hotel lobby after a big night, the older twin, Olivia, said: “sometimes we fly to London just to finish a mix. The mix we get in our room over there is just… Better.”

The question was brought up about why there are so fewer female DJ/producers in what is known as “the top 40”. The younger twin, Mariam Nervo, voiced that female DJs tend to stay in the techno world, but today we are seeing more and more female DJs become more “mainstream.” Olivia pitched in with a very good point expressing that when they started making music, they made melodies on the piano and wrote down their songs on paper then they would go to a producers house where they could use his computer and his system to produce and it was always a little bit intimidating. Now software and professional programs are easily accessible just from your computer in your bedroom. “Within the next ten years, I think the number of female DJs and producers will explode” added Olivia. It’s a part of the industry that will soon be changed.

Source: Nervo FB

According to Nervo, the knowledge that coming from a certain part of the world is unfair for people trying to “make it” is completely untrue. “Any industry, if you want to be at the top, it’s hard” said Mariam. The duo also mentioned that most people think that LA is the artistic hub of the world but artists who live in LA trying to “make it” say that they feel it’s over saturated. Olivia confidently responds: “It’s a fair playing ground, you just have to be the best.” She added that she’s received an email from an Iranian producer seeking help claiming that he is one of the few EDM producers in Iran because that genre of music is actually illegal there. So to conclude that segment, anywhere you are in the world, it’s a grind claims the Nervo duo.

These two ladies were off going to Fabulous Las Vegas the very next day of the Bud Light House Party. Nervo will be on the road from now until October 13th where they’ll be touring in many cities from the USA to Europe to Asia and South East Asia. If Nervo is playing near you, then make sure to grab your ticket and your best friend and take part of a memorable night.

 

 

 

 

In the 6ix with Loud Luxury: life on the road, interesting gigs, surprises on stage at VELD music festival and more... (Video interview)

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By Sinejan Ozaydemir 

EDM Canada had the pleasure of sitting down with DJ Duo Loud Luxury in Toronto last month during SPIN/CO's 4th anniversary celebration. The charity event celebrated at Rebel Nightclub raised money for Right to Play. Loud Luxury was happy to be a part of the charity event, live-DJing the spin class. 

The duo's song "Body", which now, since the interview has surpassed 135 Million streams, is enjoyed in many ways- one of which is in Spin/Co's spin classes. We chatted with Joe and Andrew about their crazy schedule, their love for the 6ix, their experiences with the greats like Tiesto and Armin Van Buuren, the most interesting gig they have played so far and what fans should expect from their upcoming shows such as VELD and new music. 

Loud Luxury is certainly on the rise globally. To keep up with what is new with LL you can connect with them on Instagram and Twitter.

We talk “Presence” : 10 questions with Petit Biscuit

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By Sinejan Ozaydemir

This week, EDM Canada had the pleasure of speaking with Petit Biscuit about his newest album “Presence” and about his experiences on tour. The 18 year-old, French DJ, who is most well known for his hit “Sunset Lover”, released his second album this November. The album contains songs that are “cinematic” and “eclectic”, featuring an enhanced version of his personal style of production and songwriting. 

Here’s what he had to say about it and his journeys on tour: 

Your newest album is titled "Presence", why did you call it Presence? 

One of the tracks in the album is called "Presence" too. For me it sounds very cinematic, but also quite supernatural, somewhat worrying. It is exactly what I wanted to represent in this album: something as beautiful as disturbing. That's why I choose that track name as title of the album, it seemed fitting to the overall atmosphere.

How would you describe the sound of your album? 

This album is very eclectic, there are poetic tracks, soft and full of love, and there are darker tracks, something I hadn't really unveiled in my previous productions.

On this album, you have had the chance to collaborate with other artists. How do you go about choosing which artist/vocalist to work with? 

The stories behind each artist I chose are very different, and it's what gives this unique touch to each and and every collaboration. For Lido, we met in Paris and hit it off instantly. For Møme, we bounded quickly when touring the same festival during the summer. However I knew what I wanted for each collaboration. This is not just a story where everyone comes and bring his touch on a track - it's rather about trying to come together and create something completely new.

How do you feel about the reaction to the vocal clips that you use in your songs that are almost a make believe language of their own? It must be so interesting to hear people sing along! Do you or would you hide any secret messages in these songs or anything like that? 

For all the voice cuts that we often call ‘vocal chops’, there is no secret message but rather an universal language: melody. At the start of my career I was only interested in melodies and their harmonies, and it’s crazy to see how people can sing these wordless melodies during shows. Today, I try to produce around lyrics, hence my collaborations with singers and also the fact that I started to sing on some of my tracks. There are two on the album with my voice!

The song "Follow me" is such a wonderful example of a musical journey. When you have songs without lyrics, how do you go about naming your songs? (By the feeling you get when you listen to them, or the feeling you felt while you created them?) Do you have a story that emerges in your imagination? Like why did you name that track "Follow me" for example?

It’s true, it’s a story that builds alongside the production process in my head. I close my eyes and listen to the music on a loop to try to understand it not only in a pure producer standpoint, but also with a certain distance, imagining what it could make reference to. On ‘Follow Me’, it is precisely an idea of a journey, to take off towards an unknown destination. From the beginning to the end, we discover new elements, hence this idea of unknown. There is something very comforting in this track. And that's why I ask people to follow me.

Do you feel more comfortable on the stage or in the studio? 

The one doesn’t go without the other in my opinion. I enjoy so much the stage and my progression as a live performer that I cannot live without it now. And those moments of loneliness, self-reflection, but extreme serenity when I'm composing are priceless.

For anyone who hasn't seen you live yet, how would you describe what a Petit Biscuit show looks and feels like? 

Petit Biscuit live is a story of balance between a visual show and an instrumental parts, without losing the dynamism of electronic music. I have my guitar, percussion, but also electronic gear on stage. Concerning the tracks, it is a blend of some that people already know and others that are still unreleased. Moreover, some tracks from the album and EP are reworked in a live way, which leads to re-discovery for the audience.

What is your favorite part of being on tour? 

I can’t prefer one moment or another! I have always been passionate about travel, exploring and music. Today, I travel, discover and grow up, while playing music in front of thousand of people. I live the life I've been dreaming of.

Who are your main influences right now?/Who do you find inspiring in the music scene right now (either within electronic music or other genres)? 

What I enjoy is listening to music from artists, not specific genres. Some artists are types of music by themselves, like Flume or Tame Impala - hybrid music between pop, rock and electronic. It gravitates between a lot of different styles and it’s both confusing and captivating.

Do you have a message we could pass along to your fans in Canada? 

The Fairmount Theater, Osheaga and The Velvet Underground in Toronto were three amazing live shows for me. I can’t wait to come back in 2018 for lots of new shows in Canada, as the Danforth Music Hall in Toronto (01/17) as well as Igloofest in Montreal (01/19)! I hope to play in more cities in Canada for this next year. May 2018 be the year of poutine for me! :)

Later this month Petit Biscuit will be at the Danforth Music Hall on Wednesday, January 17th. It will be a big show, well worth checking out an up and coming artist on a weekday. For tickets, click here. 

Petit Biscuit will also be in Montreal to perform at Igloofest on Friday, January 19th - click here for tickets. 

Sinejan is Toronto's correspondent for EDM Canada. You can follow her on twitter: @Sinejantweets.

Talking to Sam Feldt about his Surprise Album release "Sunset" (Interview)

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This past Friday (November 24th) Sam Feldt surprised us all with the release of his "Sunset" album consisting of 12 songs to complete his earlier release "Sunrise" released in early October. EDM Canada had the great opportunity to ask Sam a few questions on release day with regards to his new release Sunset, his experiences this past year and more!  

Sinejan Ozaydemir: Congratulations on the release of your Debut album Sunrise and now part 2 Sunset!!! How does it feel? / How have the last 49 days (OCT 6-Nov 24) been since the release of your debut album Sunrise?

Sam Feldt: Hey guys, thanks for having me for this interview! The last 49 days have been amazing! The response on the first album has been overwhelming both online and at the live shows. I am currently on tour in the USA for my “From Sunrise to Sunset Tour” and on my way to Los Angeles for a show tonight.

How are you looking to share Sunset in the next 49+ days?

We kept the second album a secret on purpose until it’s release, to make sure Sunrise got the attention it deserved. Now that Sunset has been released, I can finally start sharing all the songs with my fans and start playing them during my live set. I can’t wait to see the responses!

What do you give your fans in this part 2 of your release that you haven’t yet since you have started producing and performing?

I think Sunrise to Sunset is my biggest and most diverse release to date. The album contains a lot of surprises and interesting collaborations, including ones with Shaggy, Sam Martin, Joshua Radin, Akon, Inna and many more. Every song on the album is clearly “Sam Feldt Music” but they all have their own vibe and story behind it.

Sunrise to Sunset, you are a busy guy! How do you document feelings and changes that happen to you in any given 24 hours and turn them into songs with such a busy schedule? How do you document ideas that pop into your head when you are busy?

When I’m on the road, I use the iPhone voice recorder a lot to make sure I don’t forget about any melody ideas that I have. Also, working with inspiring vocalists from different genres and areas of the world helps a lot! I just get so inspired when I visit different countries with other cultures and musical styles.

What part of the day makes you feel most inspired? Sunrise or Sunset? And why? 

You might not expect this, but I’m actually a morning person. When I wake up early in the morning (preferably before anyone else) I feel very focused and awake.

Sunrise is full of songs you want to listen to if you want to start the day fresh, lively, get energized and start a positive day. How do the vibes differ in Sunset?/What kind of vibes should we expect as listeners?

Where Sunrise was all about daytime vibes, Sunset is music made for the night. But then in the broadest sense of the word: it’s definitely not (only) club music. It’s also music for stargazing or walking your lover home after date night.

You are currently 24 years old. What was a lesson that year 24 taught you and how has that influenced these last two album releases(sunrise & sunset)? What one message or tip would you give to your 23 or 22 year old self after being through this experience of releasing this 2-part album?

Good question! I would definitely recommend him to stress less about little things that don’t really matter in the end. This year, I’ve definitely learned that it’s OK for things to go wrong sometimes - that’s just the way life is.

How has it been getting to collaborate with so many amazing people on this?

It’s always great to collab with different inspirational musicians! Since my songs are very vocal and melodic, I’ve always been a big collaborator. I’ve always chosen collaborating with live musicians and vocalists over collaborating with other DJ’s, because that makes for the most interesting end results. I think that reflects on the album in a huge way.

What was your favourite collab on the Sunset part of the album? Or most exciting? Or one you didn’t think would ever happen but did? And why?/what about it makes it so special?  

Every collab on the album has it’s own personal story and is invaluable for me. One collab I want to feature to answer your question is the track I did with The Federal Empire called Shot By My Own Gun. It was a fun challenge combining their rocky sounds with my dance sound. In the end, for that track, less turned out to be more! In the end, it became one of my favorite tracks off the album!

How involved are you at the songwriting process: particularly in writing/choosing lyrics for example? Do you write/choose lyrics and songs to work on that tell a story that you also relate to personally? Example from Sunset? 

I’m very involved! For me, this album has been about telling a story. A story of Sam Feldt, but also a story of my life so far (hence the 24 tracks, since I’m 24 years old). Therefore it was very important that the lyrics of the tracks resonated with me and my story.

After listening to Sunrise and Sunset, I, as a listener, felt like the songs were quite uplifting, almost like telling the listener that he/she is not alone in the world.

Especially in “Leave me alone”; lyrically I feel like the concept is upsetting in a way (although it is about trying to do what’s best for everyone involved, the singer is asking to be left alone when he would rather not be). But the instrumental section comes in and its like this feeling of hope floods right through our ears and you just can’t help but feel uplifted. Is giving your fans this sort of warm feeling of community and the feeling that they aren’t alone a goal of yours that you have in mind when you are creating?

Definitely! After every Sunset comes another Sunrise, so don’t worry about the dark and bad times because this too shall pass. That’s a strong message I’ve tried to implement in the album and the songs on it. Leave Me Alone is a good example of a track that has emotional lyrics and meaning but has an overall feelgood vibe. I always like contrasts like that. It’s easy to make a happy song or a sad song - making a sad song sound feel-good is more of a challenge.

What’s your favourite feel-good moment on the album?

When we play the track Sensational live with the live band during my shows.

“Don’t have to say a word” is about using non-verbal language. What is one way your fans show you that they are really into the music at your shows? (ex. Do you have a lot of people really expressing themselves through dancing at the shows? Do they bring any cool or interesting fan art/posters/props/glowsticks that they waive around?)

Since I can’t really talk to the audience at shows, communication is almost exclusively non verbal. When I see people having a good time and dancing to music, a synergy is created between met and the audience. This gives me the energy to give everything I got, which then translates into more people have a good time. It’s a circle :)

What has been a great/special highlight of your current US Sunrise to Sunset tour so far?

Every show so far has been great and special, but if I had to name one I would go for my own show on Times Square in New York at the Playstation Theatre. So special that we can fill up a theatre with die hard Sam Feldt fans on such an iconic place!

What is next for you in the new year? Where are you wanting to visit/perform? Will you be touring any places you haven’t even been before?

The calendar for next year is already filling up nicely! I’ve played in pretty much every country that has dance music events over the past 4 years but I still would really like to go to Russia once, since I’ve never visited.

If you were a fan of yours who had just heard your sunset album for the first time and wanted to share it online with all your friends, how would you describe it?

The perfect introduction to everything Sam Feldt stands for.

How can your fans get involved in this project? Any special fan parties or events you are thinking of throwing? Where would fans find the latest info on Sam Feldt?

Definitely, sign up to heartfeldt.me and make sure you add the name of your city to your profile to stay updated!

Our thanks to Sam Feldt for taking time out of his busy schedule (his "From Sunrise to Sunset Tour") to answer our questions and keeping us in the loop with the latest info on Sam Feldt! No need to feel left out! >>You can listen to "Sunrise to Sunset" below on Spotify or on Apple music. 

https://open.spotify.com/album/3DXfe2cEsCdAjORfXw0NDK

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/sunrise-to-sunset/1304688490

Written by Sinejan Ozaydemir, follow her on Twitter or Instagram. 

Catching up with Felix Cartal following his #1 Hypem hit for "Get What You Give" (Interview)

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Felix Cartal has entered an exciting phase of his career. He's redone his entire production setup and has since released a number of memorable vocal driven chill tracks over the past 8 months. The biggest track of them all is "Get What You Give", giving his unique spin on the classic 90s lyrics by the New Radicals. Since its March 24th release, "Get What You Give" has reached #1 on Hypem, 500,000+ plays on Soundcloud and 700,000+ plays on Spotify. An impressive feat, and with an album on the way later this year, this Vancouver based artist is just getting started. 

In the following interview Felix Cartal talked about his new tracks, reflected on his past productions and moving away from his hard electro sound, up and coming artists, and his plans for the future. 

EDM Canada: I listened to “After Dark” (2014) and “New Scene” (2014) yesterday, and it sounds exactly on what's in right now. Do you feel that your early work was ahead of its time?

Felix Cartal: I think yeah, with the vocal chops. It's funny because some people say that I jumped onto things, but I feel like I was doing it before it became a thing. I don't feel like I pioneered the vocal chop though.

With “New Scene”, that was a really good song to figure out what works for me personally and collaborating with Ofelia was a really big step because she was the first writer that I really jelled with. “New Scene” was where I found my “voice”, because I felt it was something that differentiated me from the typical guys in the dance scene.

Was I ahead of the times? I don't think so. I think the timing was right to be honest. I feel like when people are really ahead of the curve, they sorta become obscure, but I think I caught the wave at the right time.

(Author's note: Both of these tracks could have been released in 2017 and would have done extremely well)

Do you feel like you are entering a new creative phase of your career?

I really am. I was in a sort of a crossroads of my career as I was doing label stuff which halted a lot of my music releases. At the time I felt really frustrated, but it gave me some time to step back and think about what I wanted to do musically. I had this moment where I updated my software because I wanted to innovate. So I gutted my whole production setup and started from scratch. I felt like a kid again and started creating stuff. That was really inspiring and made music fun again. I began writing things more honest because of that.

What kind of software did you upgrade to?

I was a Reason guy and was using that since 2005 and maybe earlier. Reason is cool, it's like a DAW, but it is sorta like a VST because you can wire it through other DAWs. Other DAWs were moving so quickly and easy to use so I moved to Ableton and never looked back.

Have you fully moved away from your former harder electro style from a few year ago?

There's always going to be elements of heaviness in my songs, but will it sound like back then? Probably not. The harder and grungier stuff that you heard was just me learning. A lot of those sounds were just happy accidents in a way. I don't know if I was capable to write a polished song like I can do now. Back then I took the punk rock type of attitude of “fuck it” and I'll just make what I can make and go with it.

I don't know where that hard electro stuff fits in anymore in my own career. I love it, but only in a moment of nostalgia. I also think it's dangerous to get known for only doing heavy stuff, because the only way forward is to “out heavy” yourself, and you're put in a corner. That's not really conducive to good song writing.

Even back then I would have songwriting on my records, even though the production might have been grittier. I was still trying to write songs with a verse and chorus. Sonically it's a departure but at it's core I'm still trying to do similar things. I'm thankful that I have fans that tell me that they stuck with me since the beginning.

Tell me about your latest release “Get What You Give”, how did it come about? Were you a little nervous on putting your own spin on such classic lyrics?

Super nervous. That was a really seminal song in my life, and the lyrics make more sense to me the older I get. The lyrics fit in what I've been doing lyrically lately, so that made sense. Of course I ignored the “don't touch the classics” statement that everyone says, because if you listen to everyone all of the time then you will never do anything.

I didn't feel like I was trying to improve it as I just tried to do my thing. Because it came from a genuine place of actually liking that song, I think it turned out pretty well. People seem to like it, so I'm happy with it.

Who was the vocalist that worked with you for “Get What You Give”?

Fjord, it's a group out of Quebec. I heard their cover of a Neil Young song and I cold emailed them about this project and went from there. It was really cool.

What do you have set up for your 200th episode of the Weekend Workout?

To celebrate 200 episodes, I thought it would be fun to start the mix with the first dance song I ever heard which was “Daft Punk” by Daft Punk. It came out in 1995 but it still sounds like it comes from the future to me. I thought it would be fun to do this chronological mix to showcase the stuff that has influenced me. So I mixed an hour and a half of tracks from 1995 up until now.

From here on out, I will move Weekend Workout to once a month with a 30 minute mix by me and a 30 minute guest mix. It's really taxing to do it all of the time, so this output will be way more conducive for me to focus on creating new music.

Who's an upcoming artist that's on your radar that fans may not have ever heard about yet?

I like this guy named Petit Biscuit from France, but he's already blown up a little. I think he's only 17. I'm also into Lucian and Robotaki.

What else have you got planned for the rest of the year? Any upcoming tour dates?

We have a video for “Drifting Away” that was shot in South Africa. I also have a tour that I'm announcing for June and July. Will probably do another single for May/June, and then work on my album which I will put out in the Fall.

My thanks to Felix Cartal for giving this interview. Make sure to follow him on Soundcloud (https://soundcloud.com/felixcartal) and be on the look out for his special 200th episode of his radio show, the Weekend Workout (https://soundcloud.com/weekendworkout).