Interview with Noir: Sheekagoh EP on Octopus and the Future of Techno

We loved your EP on Octopus. Tell us about your connection with the label. Is that your first release there? What is special for you in this label?

This is my very first release on Octopus but probably not the last. It all happened pretty quickly as i got in touch with Sian (label-owner) over completely different matters and he reached out to get some demos from me. I sent him ”Sheekagoh” and ”Deelaitte” which was intended to be a vinyl only release without my name on it. I wanted the only info to be the titles and nothing more. Sian liked those 2 tracks a lot and wanted them for Octopus and i had 1 more in me that was close to being finished that i felt was suitable for that release. So i finished ”Treet” and that eventually became the A-side of the release. Had Sian not signed the tracks i don’t think i would have finished ”Treet” and the 2 others would have ended up on vinyl only.
So the special connection with Octopus was the fact that they really liked the music and not just wanted it for ”my name”. Later on (at Sonar) i met the guys and played their party and already felt like part of the family – they are a really good bunch of guys behind that label.

 

 

Noir Music

What are your plans for your own imprint?

I do 1 day at a time. Noir Music is a reflection of what i like and play myself, not a label where we try to sit on the top of the charts and make money. In fact people have often told me that i abandon ”a sound Noir Music helped create” once its about to become really popular and i would be able to really milk it….. Its not intentional though. Its just me following and trusting my ears. I could never sign something i wouldn’t play in a my own sets. I need to be excited about it to be 100% behind it. I am just a music lover and i don’t care too much about the genres. I sign, i play and i support what i feel is good music. Simple as that.
To reveal a little bit of the future we are working on some exciting ”Dark Stars” releases on the label which is a project that i wanna build super strong and make the loyal artists benefit from. Next one ”Dark Stars 002” should be out in late fall.

What is the main payback from quitting your day job and devoting yourself to music full time?

Thats an easy and short one: Living the dream.

How are things going in Ibiza from your point of view? Is it really becoming dull as some say? They local government cancelled Tini and the gang’s events on the beach, Space is closing…

When something closes down or gets cancelled due to law and restrictions……. something new will pop up and rebel against it. Ibiza has always been popular but with electronic music and dance music in general dominating mainstream charts these days…. of course it affects the island to become more mainstream, more about the party- brands than the actual music.
But its like its always been in ibiza. If you spent 5 minutes researching you can find the good parties, the great djs and the fantastic experiences and those will always be there.
That said……. Space closing is like and end of an era and that saddens me a little.

 

So where is Techno going?

It’s the question that is always asked, but still. Maybe you have your view on the subject?

I dont know if its going anywhere but like we experienced with deephouse a couple of years back it has become popular and will probably sneak into the mainstream as well in some sort of form. The strength of techno is it’s power and energy. It suits big festivals really well and its one of the main reasons why techno now probably the most ”popular underground” genre.
5 years ago clubbers were dancing to deep house grooves at 118 bpm…… Today the same people seem to wants at least 125 bpm and a more banging experience.
I love how it always changes. 5-6 years ago only the techno djs played techno. Now everyone is playing techno…… again.