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 You may not have read much about Finnish dance talent Darude in recent months so it’s a good time to catch up with him in our exclusive interview...
Anyone who knows their trance music will be aware of Darude's contribution to the scene back in the earlier parts of the last decade. 'Sandstorm' will go down as an all time dance classic and back in 1999 it was the record that pushed Darude into the spotlight. Fast track ten and a bit years and where is Darude today? He's had three best selling artist albums with his last coming in 2007 called 'Label This', an album as Darude goes on to mention in this interview is one he is very proud off. He has every right to be as it was an excellent album with Darude's distinctive sound throughout. It's a sound he has not fiddled with over the years to much which contributes to why he is still one of the biggest electronic artists on the scene with a packed out tour schedule. We managed to get the chance to get inside his thoughts and it makes for an interesting read.
i:Vibes: It’s a pleasure to be able to catch up with you Darude, an artist who we’ve not heard much off on i:Vibes for a while. It seems a long time ago that you first thrust into the scene but looking back, what got you into dance music?
Darude: One morning when I was about 3 years old I refused to get out of bed because I didn't hear the song that I had heard two previous mornings... I didn't understand that it had been on the radio (a Finnish cover of the Boney M song 'One Way Ticket' was a hit then in Finland), and my parents didn't have control over what was on. They gave me a tape player a little later so I could listen to songs again and that way they avoided my morning tantrums :) I've loved dance music as long as I can remember, recorded on the radio and bought CDs, gone clubbing and to concerts, but it wasn't until I was around 20 when I started making music of my own after I saw some of my class mates making music with just a pc and a tracker program. I wanted to try that so I bought a PC, and I got hooked, really bad.
i:Vibes: Growing up in Finland, what sort off electronic influences did you have from where you spent your days growing up?
Darude: Pretty much all my initial childhood influences came from a couple of radio stations, one nationwide with one or two dance music shows a week, and one or two local stations, all of them had DJs who were into different sorts of EDM, really varying from top40 disco to reggae to German style hardcore gabber or something. A lot of my friends listened to 80's metal, rock and punk bands, and I love several of those bands myself as well. I think that's where my wide taste in music comes from, and also the somewhat commercial, or at least hook-driven, style of my own. I don't care what genre music is if it moves me. I like the energy of punk stuff, I like rawness of some rock stuff, and I like the unlimited sounds of electronic instruments.
i:Vibes: Who were your idols that made you seriously think about getting into producing music?
Darude: At the time I started making music I was really liking a lot of different kinds of edm, but to name names here are some of the biggest and most meaningful ones: Scooter, Westbam, KLF, Faithless, Bad Boys Blue (yeah!), Pet Shop Boys, Prodigy.
i:Vibes: ‘Sandstorm’ was a track that really put you on the electronic music map and was one of the biggest singles from 1999. How did you come up with the idea for a track that made you such a household name on the trance in particular?
Darude: * I can't really claim that too many of my tracks are carefully planned, they just happen really. I start from somewhere, for instance get inspired by someone else's track, or a cool synth sound, and then just start playing some keys with it, and building stuff around it trying to make sure everything sounds great together and on its own. It took two years to create ‘Sandstorm’... kind of... In 1997 I was making another track when I came across this cool sound and I made a little melody with it. I put it aside because it didn’t go anywhere at that time. Almost two years later I went thru some old projects on my hard drive and I found the melody again. I heard something nice in it this time and especially after putting it thru a distortion unit it sounded amazing to me. I got very inspired and it took me maybe a day to get the basic track done and about a week or so to tweak things before I burned the first demo on a cd and took it to some local djs and eventually to Jaakko "JS16" Salovaara. The original melody was made in a tracker program called FastTracker2 from where I exported it to Cubase where I put the track together using Korg Trinity Rack synth sounds and Propellerhead ReBirth drums. When Jaakko got involved we updated most of the sounds except the original lead melody using the gear in his studio; Clavia Nord Rack 2, Roland JP8080 and JV1080 and Ensoniq ASR10. A fun bit of trivia is that it was, as was the whole first album, sequenced with Cubase on Atari ST and mixed with Mackie 24/8 and recorded to DAT.
i:Vibes: How do you think the electronic music scene has changed from back in 1999 to today from your point of view having been a DJ and producer throughout the best part of a decade?
Darude: * The evolution of genres is the thing that keeps it interesting! Mixing and matching sounds and artists from different genres has been the trend the last couple of years, and I like that a lot. These days the DJs seem to be playing a wider variety of styles in their sets and not only 'trance' or 'house' etc, so the sets are more interesting and that way might be of interest for wider audiences as well. I think the electro house wave of the last couple of years has brought a breath of fresh air to dance music, because there has been several top40 breaking tracks so the general public has been exposed to the sound as well, not only the clubbers. Trance has been merged with all kinds of things like electro, rock, r'n'b and it's all exciting, it keeps the music alive and approachable for both long-time producers and new-comers.
The scene itself has gotten more and more competitive on all sides of the business, and also with the modern technology being so advanced, there are tons and tons of new producers and more music out there than ever. Cheap computers and software alone won't lead to great music though, so it feels to me that there is also a bigger percentage of not-so-good music out there than there was a decade ago.
i:Vibes: Who for you have been the most pioneering artists on the dance scene over the past ten years?
Darude: Ummm, that is rather difficult to answer... I'd say Paul van Dyk, Armin van Buuren, Tiësto, Paul Oakenfold, Ferry Corsten and Above & Beyond all have their hand in bringing edm to the masses with their own productions and their labels. You can't really mock Tiësto playing at the Athens Olympics opening ceremony, or Above & Beyond playing for hundreds of thousands in Rio for instance, I mean trance doesn't get much more commercially exposed than that, yet you couldn't really say that the above-mentioned are the most commercial DJs or producers, but club DJs and quite far from pop star status, yet still having huge comparable crowds and fan bases. My hat's off to them!
i:Vibes: ‘Before The Storm’ was your debut artist release back in 2000 and followed it up with the sequel ’Rush’ back in 2003. Both had a very edgy style to it but your last artist album ‘Label This’, as the title suggest was a toughie to categorise but had a distinct rock flavour to it. Out of the three albums so far, which one would you say you’re most proud of?
Darude: * Haha, yeah, right... Like I could choose one of my babies over the others?! But I can explain why I'm proud of them all: The making of 'Before The Storm' was my first introduction to professional music production. I'd call my tinkering on my own before that just 'noise-making', I didn't really have a clue of techniques and styles, I just made music by ear. As I was rather inexperienced in many ways regarding writing and producing music, so it was amazing to get a chance to learn from the best, my idol JS16, and to have him make sure that what got out and my name printed on it was top-notch. We got 3 radio hits and a very successful album, so that's something to be proud of, I think ;)
With 'Rush' there was pressure before we started working on it, but then we figured out that the success of the earlier releases was of course only a good thing and especially 'Sandstorm' was so big, that it'd be crazy to assume that we can just top that by snapping our fingers... So, we decided to shake all the pressure and go and make music that we loved, we decided to try and create a similar atmosphere of excitement that we had when we worked on the first album, and we got there, we had a great time in the studio. We picked the first single to be 'Music' which was not an obvious top40 pleaser, but we knew it would work on the dance floor, and it did, and while it didn't break sales records, the fan and DJ feedback and dance chart positions around the world made us really proud.
'Label This!' I'm really proud of because I was in charge of everything myself for the first time. I produced and mixed it on my own (except two tracks I co-produced with my fellow Finns Heikki L (Tell Me) and Joonas Hahmo (My Game)), had my hand in writing lyrics for a couple of tracks and I composed most of the tracks as well. I definitely needed the production help with the first two albums, but with 'Label This!' I felt that I was ready to take it on, on my own, and it was a great experience, it taught me a lot. As a producer I needed to prove myself something, and I pulled it off, and that was a great feeling. Being alone in the studio, and not having anybody filtering my ideas and sounds made it possible, and more fruitful to mix different ideas and styles. When I went to the studio I basically told myself to do whatever I wanted and then later on to decide whether it would be something that could be used on a Darude album, and that was so much fun, and so deliberating.
i:Vibes: A highlight from ‘Label This’ was an 80’s cover of ‘A Flock of Seagulls – I ran’ which was huge back in 2008 with a top notch remix by Gareth Emery. What was the drive to remake such an iconic 80’s track?
Darude: From day one it just burned in my brain, the chorus is so catchy and there's this cool vibe in the original song. I had heard the song in passing before in some movies and also in the GTA game, but it actually wasn't that big a hit in Finland in the 80's, or at least I hadn't registered it back then, and I wasn't too familiar with it until a couple of years ago when I was introduced to the track by a friend of mine.
i:Vibes: Have you a great love for the music and sythn driven sounds that came from the 80’s?
Darude: Well, I guess, yeah. I think it's the melodies... It's not like music today is bad, not at all, but these days there are other factors, and other points of interest in music, too. I don't know if I'm right, but earlier with less technology used in making music the melodies were in the centre stage and production values were less important, so being grown up in the 80's and 90's I've heard a lot of that synth pop and dance music and some of that has definitely been translated to my own music. A big thank you to the Erasures and Pet Shop Boys etc of that era!
i:Vibes: Your music has always seemed to carry along a tough rocky edge to it, where did the drive for that kind of sound come from?
Darude: Like I mentioned earlier, I listened to a lot of different types of music when I was growing up, and I'd say Bon Jovi, Bad Religion, Green Day, Metallica, Scorpions, Judas Priest and the like on the rock side have left a mark in me! Music creates moods and feelings and the other way around, and my listening to music most of the time has had something to do with good vibes, good energy, like going out with friends, or skateboarding or roller blading, so that'd explain the drive I guess.
i:Vibes: We have not heard that much from Darude the producer over the past year but you have been touring around on the DJ circuit. What have been your favourite parties from 2009?
Darude: * The 10th Anniversary of Afterhour Power at Avalon in Los Angeles was most definitely a night to remember. Gorgeous venue, great crowd, really festive vibe with all the visuals, dancers and other performers. Perfecto in Las Vegas is always great, the booth is a dream to play in, and Vegas has become a destination for edm fans, so the crowd is there for the music, and appreciate what the DJ spins. Fun times!
i:Vibes: One highlight we thought you might want reminding is your appearance at Perfecto in Las Vegas last October where you dropped the excellent ‘'In The Darkness’. How did that track come out?
Darude: This cool chick, Jonnaemilia, came by one day since we'd agreed to try out a little co-writing session. I had a piano melody with chords done for her and what do you know; she'd been in my studio for less than an hour and she had already written the lyrics and we had recorded the first demo takes! I just laid out some beats so she had a solid rhythm to sing to and off she went. I just hit record, sat back and enjoyed her awesome performance. I ended up changing the track quite a bit from what I first had in mind, but Jonna's vocals kept the same vibe going throughout the process anyway. I made two different mixes myself and got Mike Shiver and Ocheanos to do banging remixes of this track to create a full package.
i:Vibes: After such a sensational record with Sandstorm, did you find it difficult to follow up that success?
Darude: The thing about any big club record is that there are so many variables in the making or breaking a track, it's pretty impossible just decide and make something like that. If only I knew why this track became the huge success it did, I'd surely make another one or 5 more. There's luck, contacts, hard work, the cycle of the industry internationally (Is trance hot, is house hot, is r'n'b hot?), direction of the wind, position of the moon etc etc. I've let go of the idea of trying to replicate the success with a similar track, because I didn't plan the success in the first place, I just made music that I liked. I've realized that the "phenomena" that happened with 'Sandstorm' was something more than just a piece of music that I created; the success snowballed, the track had a life of it's own for some reason. I call it a happy accident and I'm looking forward to coming up with another one, but that'll just happen when the circumstances are right, when enough people hear the same thing the same way I hear it. Until then I'll just make the best music I can, loving every single minute of it! I've got three albums full of tracks which a lot of people have told me they love and that, and being able to make my living out of making music and touring around the world, to me is the success that I'm after.
i:Vibes: Have you got any plans at the moment for artist album number four?
Darude: Yeah, I'm planning, but it's not an active album-to-be-done project at the moment. I'm working on tracks, my own, some collaborations and remixes at the moment and when I have a good bunch of tracks ready and road-tested, then I'll start putting together an album.
i:Vibes: What musical direction do you think the next Darude album will go into?
Darude: * I think it'll continue what 'Label This!' started, it'll be similar type of dance music that I've made before, but with more varied sounds and probably again a little loser in categorization. I think I'll always think of the dance floor first when making music, but I don't think that excludes anything, because any good song can be good in almost any kind of form, be it acoustic or electronic, rock or trance etc, and I'm thinking I'll try and challenge myself more and more in the future musically and production wise.
i:Vibes: What artists at the moment do you have the most respect for with what they are doing within the dance music scene?
Darude: My fellow Finns Weirdness, Joonas Hahmo, K-System and my US friend and business partner Randy Boyer are all on top of their game. All of them already have killer releases out, and this year I'm expecting the world to hear great stuff from them. Joonas and Kimmo (K-System) have their own labels and Weirdness is signed to my label and I'm partnering up with Randy to activate our label EnMass Music in 2010.
i:Vibes: Have you ever thought about collaboration with anyone for a new track?
Darude: Yeah, of course. At the moment there are at least tracks with Randy Boyer, Weirdness and a couple of singers that I'm working on. Some of them will be under my Darude name, some under something else
i:Vibes: You had quite a few brilliant collaborations with Jaakko Salovaara back at the start of the past decade under his JS16 alias. Are you still working with Jaakko and what is he up to these days?
Darude: * I'm not working with him on music at the moment, but we comment and critique each others tracks here and there and we're good friends. Jaakko is still making music, in fact he's been working on his own JS16 material recently, and he's producing for other people still, too.
i:Vibes: You will be off around the globe for a massive world tour this year that should see you jet off to America, India, Europe, Sri Lanka and North Africa. Where are you looking forward the most to playing this summer?
Darude: I love playing everywhere, but it's been several years since I last played in India, so I'll pick that. The culture is so different, the climate is different, but people love dance music, it'll be great to go back!
i:Vibes: What for you is the worst thing about touring around on the DJ circuit?
Darude: Late nights and early mornings and long flights are taxing, but not nearly as taxing as being away from family and friends, that's hands down the worst. On slightly lighter side: there are (sometimes) funny stereotypical beliefs of DJs, like that all DJs do drugs, all of them party like crazy all the time, all of them are promiscuous, ("hey man, I'm throwing an after party, why don't you come, I've got decks in my basement, got some girls coming, too..."), all of them want to listen to very loud music in the car going back to the hotel or airport right after their sets... When you talk about seasoned professionals who are still in the business, very few of the above are true.
i:Vibes: Have you anywhere you have not played yet that you really would like to?
Darude: I have not played in Japan yet, nor South Africa, and I've heard so many great things about both, so I definitely want to go, the sooner the better!
i:Vibes: With so many technological advances in DJ gear what do you use for your DJ sets at the moment and have you ever thought about doing a ‘live’ show, I can imagine ‘Sandstorm’ played live would be amazing?
Darude: When I DJ I use my MacBook Pro, Traktor Pro, EKS Otus controller/audio interface plugged to a Pioneer mixer. I actually used to tour as a live act bringing keyboards and other gear and singers, MC, percussionist, dancers and visuals with me, and I've performed 'Sandstorm' live numerous time in different ways, and it is always as amazing!
i:Vibes: If you could sum up the sound of Darude, how would you describe it?
Darude: Energetic, melodic, dancefloor-aimed music.
i:Vibes: What does the rest of this year have in store for the production sound of Darude?
Darude: I've got a couple of remixes done to be released later this year, and probably at least one, maybe two Darude releases coming out as well. My label should see its first releases pretty soon, too, and setting all that up will take a good bit of my time as well, both musically and behind the scenes.
Finally, we like to finish off we what we like to call the ‘i:Vibes Quick Five’:
i:Vibes: Where are you right now?
Darude: Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
i:Vibes: What car do you currently drive?
Darude: Lexus IS250
i:Vibes: What is one of your favourite tracks of all time?
Darude: JS16 - Stomp To My Beat
i:Vibes: What’s you favourite dance music festival?
Darude: Raumanmeren Juhannus, in Rauma, Finland in June during midsummer weekend. 100000 people over 3 days, several stages (rock, pop, hiphop, dance), pure craziness, pure Finnish partying.
i:Vibes: Who last bought you a drink?
Darude: A friend of mine called Ryan. We had Corona Lights.
Thanks from the whole of the crew here at i:Vibes to Darude for taking time out to talk to us, it's looking to be an exciting year for one of Finland's biggest electronic dance music talents. We await the new version of Sandstorm and as soon as we get details on it, you'll read about it here!
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