{"id":46301,"date":"2017-09-25T12:25:21","date_gmt":"2017-09-25T10:25:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.deephouseamsterdam.com\/?p=46301"},"modified":"2017-09-27T12:38:29","modified_gmt":"2017-09-27T10:38:29","slug":"interview-le-loup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.deephouseamsterdam.com\/london\/interview-le-loup\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview: Le Loup"},"content":{"rendered":"

Le Loup is a French producer known for his diverse and ever evolving sound. His productions have moved from deeper house through to slick minimal and angular microhouse, and has released on labels like Slow Town and Concrete 7am, Eklo and Hold Youth (which he co-runs and is also the name of a duo he works in with Seuil). He is also a well regarded and diverse DJ who has played all over the world since breaking through nearly a decade ago. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Now though, he\u2019s started a new label with his partner Pura<\/strong> called Shadow Play<\/strong>, a home for his latest productions and a range of other music that inspires him and oft goes beyond the dance floor. Here we speak to him about how it came about, what it will relate, the role of Pura and much more besides.<\/p>\n

“We just want to make something we love and express ourselves in the most sincere way we can.”<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n

You have started a new label Shadow Play, right? What made you do that?<\/strong>
\nThe idea came for the label popped during summer 2015. We were at home and having a conversation like we always do about music and the scene. Pura my partner has this thing where she will always push me to see things with another perspective\u2026 on any topic.<\/p>\n

Suddenly she brought to the table the fact that I wasn\u2019t running my own label yet. And actually I was surprised, I literally stopped for a second to think about it. Indeed I had thought my commitment with Hold Youth was enough and maybe my own label was not a priority for me right at that moment but after she asked me that question everything changed. I felt like the time had come, as Pura suggested it and it made so much sense. So after that night we knew we were about to create a new chapter with this project because it was obvious to both of us that we needed to express our passion and love for music on a new platform.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the theme – what informed it? Where does it come from?<\/strong>
\nOur passion for music goes beyond electronic music, we are always listening all kinds of styles. But all our inspiration comes from Jazz music. That\u2019s the main reason the name is from a Jazz LP from my own collection, by L.A. Express, that Pura and I always listen to at home. It really means a lot to the two of us, a very significant album.<\/p>\n

How important will art, format, and developing artists be? Or is it just about 12\u201d singles?<\/strong>
\nSo our approach to the aesthetics mirrors that which you find in a lot of Jazz releases – especially in the design. Pura already had a vision in her mind and that included working with Edurne Lutz.
\nThey are close friends but Pura had this belief that Edurne was the perfect match for us to express our identity as we really admire her work. (see MOJ label) We want to involve people that inspire us and elevate us in this project so that\u2019s why she became part of it. We decided to set up a vinyl-only label, we are just old school. So for us it\u2019s a sacred object and there is no doubt this format is the one for us. Music is the most important thing for sure and, for us, vinyl complements the music better than any other format.<\/p>\n

What do you hope will be the identity of the label? What do you hope makes it stand out?<\/strong>
\nWe have very different tastes in music and we want to express that. It will not be a simple electronic label, we want to go further and mix genres. We like the kind of music that has no particular classification. No matter if it\u2019s something for the DJ or something more attuned to home listening, we want to release the music we feel deeply and stuff that we really believe in.<\/p>\n

How many releases are lined up? Do you take demos or is it just music from you and friends?<\/strong>
\nDemos are always welcome but its true that we favour friends and artists that have an impact on us.
\nFor the moment two records have already been released; \u2018Ancient Way\u2019s by myself and then a collab called \u2018Technical Failure\u2019 with my friend Chris Carrier. We have two more scheduled to drop in the coming months, it\u2019s great because we don\u2019t have any pressure with release schedules, we do what we feel.<\/p>\n

The next one is from Scott Edward, a UK producer who released mostly during the 90s, his name totally disappeared from the scene and I was trying to find out what happened to him. I finally succeeded in finding him last year and managed to get in contact him. I was so happy to make this happened because his music fits perfectly to the label\u2019s ethos. He really succeeded in defying genre boundaries and produced hybrid music mixing jazz and electronic influences. It\u2019s exactly the type of music we want to support with Shadow Play.<\/p>\n

Tell me about your girlfriend – how long have you been together, is she involved in music?<\/strong>
\nWe\u2019ve known each other for a long time but we started our relationship in 2015. She\u2019s not a producer or a DJ but she has a really good understanding of the scene thanks to her past experience living in Ibiza, working as a DJ tour manager and also working at a booking Agency. She has really good ear and great taste because of her curiosity and sensitivity.<\/p>\n

She is involved with this new label right? What’s it like working with her?<\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s a real collaboration between us two. She knows music and I take her opinion very seriously, and she mine. We always make decisions together and talk a lot about our plans, thoughts and opinions. It\u2019s always good to have a different point of view in the process of creating and exchanging ideas. She has great vision so it helps me to grow as an artist.<\/p>\n

What is her background? Same or different from you, musically?<\/strong>
\nShe has always been into all kinds of music but she\u2019s definitely a girl from the 90s. Like me she has early RnB and hip hop roots but also an appreciation of Latin music. She held dance classes that were based around a mix of Jazz and hip hop for a few years. Music and dance have a significant place in her life.<\/p>\n

Any labels you really admire you hope you might be able to replicate in terms of style or success?<\/strong>
\nWe don\u2019t want to replicate any label really. Of course there are a lot of labels we admire and love but we are not imitating anything. We just want to make something we love and express ourselves in the most sincere way we can.<\/p>\n

What are the key things to get right for a label in order to survive and stand out do you think?<\/strong>
\nI think one of the key things to survive nowadays is to build an identity that is strong and true to yourself, not trying to be like someone else. Even if it\u2019s not really working initially, you have to keep in mind this is a long process. You need to show through every release what is really representing you. Be true to who you are, stick to what you believe.<\/p>\n