French firecracker Adrien Calvet shacks up on those sun-kissed Bali shores providing a luscious EP for Pantai People’s fifth release with a great remix by Cinthie. Soulful serenity underpinned by bumping house grooves with that distinctive French feel.
On the A, the title track ‘Le Doigt De Toto’ kicks off the journey with its infectious bassline, sweeping pads, and absorbing vocals. Beachside or boothside, this one hits just right. Berlin’s Cinthie then works her magic giving it a late night, heads down, deep house rework.
Flip it for another two gems, the jazz-infused, acid-tinged ‘Riesling’ featuring Coupe Melba that slips down like a smokey Negroni with an added kick and the slap bass channelling, cosmic percussive workout ‘Esperance’.
You can now listen to the full premiere of Cinthie’s remix while reading the great interview we had with Adrian exclusively on When We Dip. Enjoy!
WWD: Hey Adrien it’s great to talk to you thank you for taking the time.
Pleasure is all mine.
WWD: Where are you today and what are you doing?
Well, today is Monday. I am working my day job in the family wine business! I got to admit, love being part of this industry as well. Goes well with music!
WWD: Where are you from exactly and where do you live these days?
I was born in Bogota but raised in Bordeaux, France. My mom is American- Korean and my dad is Bordelais. Yes, I know quite a mixture (haha).
WWD: How long have you been DJing and what were some of your first gigs?
I have been DJing since 2017 when I was studying for my Bachelor’s in New York, and my first gig was in a random club in Brooklyn. I hosted the event with my friend at the time. The venue was way too big for the number of people that actually came through (haha). It was nonetheless the beginning of something special.
WWD: You are playing out right now on the Paris scene. Where was your most recent gig and how was it from behind the decks?
My most recent gig was last Friday. It was for the release party of one of my records. As expected, the venue was packed. Great times!
WWD: What kind of vibe might we hope to hear in an AC set?
I have evolved a lot in my music style and taste. You know when you start it’s never what you actually end up playing a few years down the line. I guess everybody goes through early stages until they find their sound. I would say that my foundation is House. Could go anywhere from funky to electro. I have recently been gravitating toward the harder stuff like minimal / breakbeat / UK / electro.
WWD: You spent time living in New York?
I was studying in the Big Apple for 4 years. It was quite an experience. Mad parties and cool people. I will never forget my beginnings there with residencies in places like TBA Brooklyn and my internship at Public Records. However, I think that 4 years was enough. I was ready to hit the big European scene!
WWD: You have released previously on Nervous Records. Tell us a little about that release and how you got signed to the label?
I had been talking to the A&R of the Nervous for quite some time (around 2018). I sent him a couple of demos, but they were not what they were looking for at the time. One summer, I landed a loungy groovy production. I sent it to Nervous, and it got signed immediately.
WWD: Pantai People is a new kid on the block. How did you hook up Marc Roberts?
I had been listening to all the releases on Pantai People. I thought the label had a special way of sampling, and the music sounded fresh but with an old-school touch. I decided to send an email to Marc. He wrote back to me a couple of days later with a positive reply.
WWD: Where did you create this EP?
I created this Le Doigt de Toto EP in 2018/2019, so it is dating back a little. I made it between New York and the seaside in the South of France. I am a nomad producer because my inspiration comes from traveling and meeting new people. It is hard for me to stay productive in the same environment. I only need my computer, Ableton, a small keyboard and a pair of headphones. Don’t get me wrong, I do have my studio in Paris, but I frequently need to move to find inspiration. I also find traveling for my gigs can open up my creative side
WWD: Talk us through the EP a little.
I am actually very proud of this EP. As I said, I made this project back in 2019! At one point, I honestly thought that this EP was not going to come out due to all the delays that vinyl plants have been facing in the past few years. It was taking so long…I truly thought it was never going to come out! And also since the EP has aged a little since I produced it, I thought that maybe the sound would have gotten old for the scene that is constantly changing at a rapid pace – got to be relevant! However, the number of reassuring and positive messages I received from DJs who listened to the promos made me realize that the tracks did not get a single wrinkle. Globally, this is a groovy house project with some jazzy touches. Cinthie brings the dancefloor heater, and a dancefloor is required in every house project!!
WWD: How did you go about getting Cinthie on board?
Marc is a very close friend of Cinthie’s, so the link-up was fairly simple. She listened to the project, approved it, and picked the track that she wanted to remix. I feel blessed that she spent time remixing one of my tracks! Man, I am super happy with the results. I feel that it was the final milestone of having a professional project! Again thanks to Marc & Cinthie!
WWD: What are you working on next up?
I am working on my own label. It is going to differ from this project as I am searching for a harder sound – more minimal and electro. I have some big remixers on the project. It should be out in early 2023. Stay tuned!!
WWD: Where can we catch you playing soon?
You can catch me in Paris almost every weekend playing a gig! The next one will be my residency at the Rotonde Stalingrad. Marc actually played there in June, it was a blast!
Release Date: October 28th, 2022. Buy Here
Cinthie: Facebook // SoundCloud
Adrien Calvet: Facebook // SoundCloud
Poesie Musik: Facebook // SoundCloud