Making his debut on RÜFÜS DU SOL’s imprint, Kaz James has delivered a dizzying twofer with his ‘Never The Same’ EP. Binding the two tracks by an escapist atmosphere, the EP swirls with mystical percussive elements and silky melodies that complement the dynamics of the pairing. Title track ‘Never The Same,’ featuring vocals by Nicholas Routledge of iconic electro pop band Van She, is led by lush piano chords and lustful vocals, while ‘Skin’ mesmerizes with its elongated instrumental builds. Combined, ‘Never The Same’ is an astonishing whirlwind of rich techno and electronica that will transcend dance floors near and far.
“I’ve been playing this EP out and it hits hard. I spent a lot of time getting these records perfect. It’s been two years in the making so I’m really happy how it all turned out. I couldn’t think of a better home for them than Rose Avenue. I really love the lyrics on ‘Never The Same,’ which I wrote with my boy Nicky, the lead singer from Van She. I feel they are really different and you don’t really get those kinds of indie vocals on a lot of electronic records any more. I’m also really in love with the other track on the EP, ‘Skin.’ It’s such a moment on the dance floor. l’m excited to get this release out just in time for summer.” – Kaz James
Hailing from Melbourne, Kaz James is a renowned producer, DJ, and label boss. Mastering the art of the turntables, James has performed across the globe and currently has a residency at the legendary Alemagou in Mykonos, Greece. As a producer, James has crafted an arsenal of hits including ‘Stronger,’ which was remixed by John Summit and DJ Tennis, and last year’s summer anthem ‘Footprints.’
You can now listen to the full premiere of ‘Never The Same’ exclusively on When We Dip and read our little chat with the artist below. Enjoy!
WWD: ‘Never The Same’ marks your first release on RÜFÜS DU SOL’s Rose Avenue Records. How did you connect with the band?
The first time I heard about the band was from my friend Adrian aka Ajax, who actually signed them to Sweat back in the day! He was the number 1 DJ in Australia at the time (bless his soul), but it was really Jon from Rufus and myself who connected properly years later on a crazy night out in Byron Bay! I remember we both had shows the next day, there were definitely a few missed flights and maybe even a search party out looking for us!! Since then I’ve run into the guys all over the world. I really love their work and all that they represent.
WWD: ‘Never The Same’ and ‘Skin’ complement each other well. How did these two tracks come together?
The first record I made was ‘Never The Same.’ I wrote the lyrics with my friend Nicky from the band Van She. Then, after chatting with Rose Avenue, we all decided that it would be best to do the release as an EP and so the work began on ‘Skin.’ I find that if you have one record as a reference to follow for an EP, the second record always comes along really easily. Hence why they work really well together
WWD: Can you tell us about your creative process and how you made ‘Never The Same?’
‘Never The Same’ actually had a few different lives. Where we started and where the record actually ended up were totally different directions! Originally it had female vocals, however I always felt that a male vocal chord would be a better fit so when I was in the studio with Nicky that happened! And then the original female ended up being used on the EP for ‘Skin.’
WWD: What is your favourite piece of studio equipment and why?
I really love the way PMC speakers sound. Even if you’re not trying to mix down the record, generally if you know what you’re doing your rough mix will sound good enough that you can still play it out. Thats important for me as I like to really test my sounds over and over until they are perfect. Sonically, you can really hear everything you need to hear, you can do surgery with those things! They are truly an amazing piece of equipment, especially when I spent most of my career mixing down records on NS10s. I’ve really fallen in love with PMC’s the last few years.
WWD: You got your start in Melbourne and now have a residency in Mykonos. How would you compare the dance music scenes in Australia and Greece?
20 years ago there were some similarities between both places but as the years continue, I feel that they couldn’t be more apart. Until recently with the boom of Keinemusik.
WWD: What are three essential tracks that are always played in your DJ sets right now?
Well, obviously ‘Never The Same’ and ‘Skin,’ but I am also still playing ‘Footprints’ often, otherwise people in the crowd may actually kill me!
WWD: Can you tell us about your new label imprint Krushes?
When the time is right you will hear a lot more, but let’s just say there’s some very big records coming out on Krushes starting from next month which is super exciting.
WWD: What do you have in store for Summer 2024?
I have a lot of new music coming out in the summer, plus a VERY heavy touring schedule. But, honestly I am just super excited and happy that I’m still out here doing what I love.
Release Date: June 7th, 2024. Buy Here
Kaz James: Facebook // SoundCloud
Rose Avenue: Facebook // SoundCloud