Review Fix chats with Swedish DJ ESQUILLE, who discusses his new EP “Rock This Club Down” and his future in the music industry. Now returned to the music scene after a decade away from the game, ESQUILLE is an old school DJ that’s willing to play with the newest sounds in dub-step in order to create a more original and catchy modern-day electronica sound.
Review Fix: What made you want to return to music?
ESQUILLE: I have just really missed sitting and creating songs. I’ve understood that my purpose in life is to write and work with music.
Review Fix: What do you think you learned while making this EP?
ESQUILLE: That it is hard to compile an EP, haha ! Seriously, I had a hard time deciding how it would be compiled. I’ve been really creative the last year and I have written songs in different genres. I decided to put some different styles, both old and new sounding songs, on the EP yet keeping a red thread within house music.
Review Fix: What’s your creative process like? How do you come up with beats?
ESQUILLE: I continually have some ideas I want to fulfill and try out. If the idea I have doesn’t work out within the hour I scrap it. But many times an idea becomes something totally different than what I was planning. More often than not I like the latest that I’ve made and enjoy the result. Just after a finished song I’m in a natural state of ecstasy and feeling really good. When I get that feeling I’m convinced that there are other people who also feel good from listening to what I’ve created. Paradoxically, the feeling doesn’t last very long and I get nervous about not being able to create anything good again. It doesn’t matter that I’ve been working with music for a long time, this sequence is repeated often.
Review Fix:“Music Electronica” is a catchy tune. How did you come up with it?
ESQUILLE: That song is from early Spring 2012. A DJ friend of mine played some hot hard dub step songs and I said to him, “what about making soft dub step?†“What do you mean†he said. “Well something chill and soft with solid beats and dub step influences,†I said. I finished the song and liked it very much, but several other songs came in between and I almost forgot about it. I feel very glad I now get the chance to present it on the EP. I love that song. The Spanish voice saying “Musica Electronica†is from one of my old sample libraries. The words could have been about anything, I just liked the smooth voice and the pronunciation. Besides modern synths and beats the song contains a lot of old samples and sample loops back from the 90s.
Review Fix: What do you think is the current state of dance music? Where do you see it in a decade?
ESQUILLE: I think it’s very cool that dance music has become so popular. Dance music today is more like pop music was just 10 years ago, it’s what you hear on the mainstream radio. I also like that dance music has become melodic again after some time with almost no chords. I love chords so I hope the dance music will continue staying melodic. In the future I’d like to see more styles mixed, what about raga on dub step beats? I would also like to see more groovy dance music around 120 BPM like real house music sounded like. What you call house today is not at all what I refer to house. Well, it really doesn’t matter, the great part of today’s dance music is that no style is wrong or right. Anything can be liked and become a hit.
Review Fix:What did you listen to growing up and how do you think it affected your career?
ESQUILLE: In my teens I only listened to soul, funk and disco. Groups and artists such as Change, The Whispers, Brothers Johnson, George Duke, Mason, etc. I loved reading the record cover about who had produced and mixed, and which musicians had played on the recordings. Imagination was also one of my big idols. I loved their debut album “Body Talkâ€. Over the course of the years, my musical taste broadened. I worked as a full time DJ for many years and played many different styles. For a while I was even into rock music. Today I’m a true music lover who can enjoy all types of music. However I will always have the soul, funk and rhythm inside of me and that is what still inspires me when I’m creating music.
Review Fix: What track do you feel is most indicative of your sound?
ESQUILLE: That’s a hard question. I really can’t tell. The songs describe different kind of moods I’ve been in.
Review Fix: How do you want this EP to be remembered?
ESQUILLE: Oh, you are free to remember it as you like! I have for sure put a lot of work and genuine soul into the songs but it’s not a masterpiece. Just solid dance tracks meant to be played loud and give you energy! If you don’t get happy and energy from listening to it, just choose something else!
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