Few men have the talent to woo both the biggest of EDM stars and the princes of the underground. Montréal producer Eekkoo, however, does. The studio whizz has had his electronic blend snapped up by both Henry Saiz’s Natura Sonoris and Deadmau5’s Maustrap imprint. This is a real testament to the skills the producer possesses, particularly in the fickle, dismissive world of dance music, which currently surrounds us.
Ahead of his much anticipated appearance at Montréal’s AIM Festival this weekend, the main man kindly took the time to answer a few of our most pertinent questions.
WWD : Thanks for taking the time to chat, great to have you here!
Talk to us about the 4th Bell release with Flowers & Sea Creatures! How did it come about?
The singer from Flowers And Sea Creatures reached out to me on SoundCloud. We exchanged some tunes including an early version of “4th Bell”. Making it a collaboration seemed to be the next step. An early version of “4th Bell” was ready for the Eekkoo treatment. Haha!
WWD : Delving into the creative process for a minute, what can you tell us about putting together the key elements of the track?
Well, the vocal is the main element of the track. Everything else needed to be there as a supporting piece. I felt that the track needed big and warm drums though. I love how the voice is blending and mixing with these loud kicks and snares.
WWD : Where did you make the connection with Henry Saiz?
Through his label manager. She felt like the track was the right fit for Henry and his label Natura Sonoris. He wasted no time and jumped on a remix session. And the end result is absolutely phenomenal.
WWD : Almost paradoxically, you’ve signed tracks with both Deadmau5 and Henry Saiz. We think that’s a testament to the fact that genuine quality comes first for real producers and their labels. Have you any thoughts on that?
Even if I’m a realistic person and know what the deal is in this industry, I feel like music should always speaks for itself. In the years to come, when we look back on it, the only thing that will last and be relevant to talk about will be music quality not the label or the artist behind it.
WWD : Do you think your connection to the EDM scene has in any ways affected the way your music is viewed in the “underground”?
Oh absolutely. Some people can’t resist general categorization.
WWD : You’re schooling many Montréalers in the art of music production, any up and coming guys or girls really catching your eye right now?
Robert Robert is doing great things. Keep an eye on him!
WWD : There’s a great buzz around Montréal ahead of AIM Festival, you must be very excited! Will it be a quickie for you or are you planning on enjoying the weekend?
I’ll be there all weekend. Should be fun! And I want to support this local organization who are doing great things for our scene here in Canada.
WWD : What can you tell us about your live set-up?
Ableton Live with my own productions, stems, extra loops and lots of music that I like.
WWD : Is there anyone on the bill you hope to catch if you have time?
Jamie xx, The Martinez Brothers, Martin Buttrich, Pig & Dan. It’s a great line-up.
Before we leave you, what are the other big dates coming up for Eekkoo?
I’ll be representing Piknic Electronik Montreal in France, at the Astropolis festival. Should be a great one!