Solomun Interview

Leading the House music scene with his awesome tracks, Solomun is growing his name with his record label and there are a number of new acts introduced to Diynamic. The Bosnia and Herzegovina born House DJ and producer, takes the time out from making hit records to answer some of our questions.

How much planning goes into Pacha and your +1 night – do you pack certain records to play with certain DJs and guests or do you always take as much music as you can or….?

Nowadays  since I use an USB stick and so I have all the music always with me.

You seem to have introduced some new talent to the label recently – Undercatt and Roberto Calzetta & Twin Soul for example – how do you decide who you want on board?

This is always a long process before somebody can be part od Diynamic family. And the whole family has to be convinced. This is a process that can take like easily more then one year from sending first tracks, then releasing on Diynamic, playing a few showcases and see if there’s harmony between all the members.

Are relationships important with these people or is it just about the music they make?

It’s definitely both. Of course the music has to fit to what we think Diynamic is at the moment. But if the chemistry between the people doesn’t fit – than it won’t work. So it is always both.

They fit in with the Diynamic sound to my ears – whats the Diynamic sound to you? Emotive, main room house music, would you say?

When we started with Diynamic around 10 years ago it was all about melody, harmony, because the main sound during that time was minimal. Over the years it changed, so we have a wider range of what Diynamic sound is. From dreamy landscape sound till Techno, like e.g. “Rollox” from Adriatique. So what is Diynamic sound? It’s constantly changing, that’s what it is. It still is a platform for House and techno with all its colors and nuances. For artists like David August who likes it more slow and Stimming with all his little sound details in his tracks.

Tell us about the Diynamic Festival – why take this on, why now, what is planned?

We do Diynamic showcases and Festivals in Argentina, Brasil, Amsterdam and Turkey. And maybe some more, but this is nothing I can reveal right now.

And you have a Sonar party too – who is on at that one and how do you decide? Is any work done at Sonar, do you go check out other acts?

Sonar is always one of the highlights of our calendar. That’s why all of our artists will come there to play on our showcase on two floors. Of course you also go out and check out what the others are doing besides our big Diynamic showcase.

How has the BBC Radio 1 residency experience been?

It’s been great so far, I mean it’s a big honor to be chosen by BBC Radio1, so for me it’s big big fun to compile once a month the music that I discovered. And of course I hope the listeners feel the same too.

The Solomun +1 parties have just been announced, are you excited to get back to Pacha this summer?

Of course, it’s always a little like coming home. I’m excited for the summer.

How did you go about choosing who would play with you for this series?

Some of my +1-artists I know since long time, some of them not so long but all of them have something in common: absolute passion for the music and for the party.

You’re also making your Cocoon debut this year, what have you got planned for that?

Tough question, I have to impress Sven Väth, this will be hard enough, haha.

What’s your all-time best Ibiza moment?

Every Sunday, when I land after a stressfull weekend in Ibiza for my night at Pacha. This always gives me new energy.

I hear you have a remix album coming – is that right? Who is on it and how did you put it together.

Yes, that’s right, one day I realized that I did quite a few remixes over the last years, I guess it’s gonna be a double CD. I havn’t compiled it yet, the main work was to get all the tracks licenced. Without saying too much: Dealing with major labels no matter on what is always pain in the ass. But finally we managed it to licence all the tracks I want on this compilation. To license my own Remixes that I made for them, that’s funny, eh?

Mighty you ever do an artist album do you think? Have you thought about it?

You’re right, it’s quite a while since my first album. But honestly I am not so sure if another album is the right thing to do. At the moment I tend to do some more EPs instead.

Have you got any 12”s coming this summer – what inspired them or influenced them? Can you always write music on the road or do you need to be in a studio?

I just released a remix for UK band Liu Bei on 2DIY4, then a remix for Paul Kalkbrenner will come out soon, also a remix for US-Indie giants Interpol. Then at least one EP on Diynamic is planned, so: there will be some new music. I collect ideas, no matter where I am. But to really work on music I need a studio place.

What do you think will be hot in terms of tracks this year – can you give us three future summer anthems?

Honestly: this is really hard to say at the moment. There are a few good tracks that I play and a few new demos that i test at the moment. But if one of those can be like track of the summer? I can’t say. What I am pretty sure with ist he track „Sorry, I’m late“ from Kollektiv Turmstrasse has big potential to become a hit. I am playing this track since quite a while and Kollektiv Turmstrasse also have him in their live sets, the feedback is amazing and we already have some buzz going on with this track. So I’m curios if this one gonna be huge in the summer.