Fresh from their ‘Serenade’ release on German imprint Jeudi Records, veteran producers D-Nox and Beckers stopped by to detail the process behind the EP, their current focus and how exactly they keep rekindling the motivation and energy after all these years in the Game.
Keep an eye out for their upcoming appearance in the When We Dip podcast, what’s more the boys are headlining at Noisily festival this Summer (where you can also catch the WWD crew in action!).
WWD: Thanks for joining us guys!
Where are you right now and what’s on the to-do list this week?
D-Nox: Well I am right now on a flight from Washington DC to San Francisco and I am happy about having Internet on board. I am on my way to play to gigs in California this weekend and I just played a gig in Sao Paulos legendary techno club “D-edge“. Thats quite a trip and enough to do for the next 4 days.
Beckers: I just arrived back home from an awesome weekend. Played with Sandrino at Moulin Rouge Paris and at Paradiso Amsterdam. This Interview will be the last meaningful thing that I do this weekend before crashing on my couch.
WWD: 2016 so far, what’s it been like for you?
D-Nox: 2016 has been a wonderful year so far. I have moved from Germany to South America due family reasons and I enjoy the life style and weather a lot. Much better than being in the cold.
Beckers: Indeed this European winter is pretty ugly so far, but I try to ignore it by spending quality time in the studio and with my family. 2016 has been great so far. I moved to a nice new place, played already plenty of great gigs in the first few weeks of this young year and feel pretty inspired in general.
WWD: You work together, individually, on labels and Frank you also work with Sandrino. How do you go about scheduling when and where you work/collaborate?
D-Nox: To get together with Frank aint as easy but we always find our way. Before I moved to South America, I lived in Berlin and studio work only happened when I made myself time to meet Frank. That means 3,4 or 5 times every year. This way Frank has time to go after his other projects and his normal life.
Beckers: As Chris said, it´s not that easy as in the past, simply because of the distance. Studio time needs to be planned long time in advance.
WWD: Do you seek to take a distinct path with each project you work on or is it more go with the flow and the feel?
D-Nox: As for D&B we always walked with the flow, we made the music we felt and liked. Me as a DJ i have a very wide range of music that I like and that reflects on me when I sit in the studio. I like to be open and try new sounds & grooves. I personally think that the music we have produced during the last year was the best Beckers and me have ever written. and I am glad that with Beckers new project we could add some new sounds and feelings into our music.
Beckers: Of course my 2 projects are not the same and never will be, but as Chris said, we´re trying to avoid too much planning to keep the creative process as natural as possible. So I personally try to take as much influences as possible from my partners and at the same time I try not to repeat myself, cause then I get bored very fast…
WWD: You’re latest release has come via Jeudi Records. When did you produce the EP?
D-Nox: Yes this is our current release. I think we have produced it last summer 2015. it was the same week we wrote Secret Games that was released on Parquet. I remember. we had a very productive week and were very inspired. We have always liked to work with appreciator melodies. You can hear that in many older productions of us. Its nothing new but we didn’t use appreciator for quite some time. I liked this melody in Serenade right from the start and I felt that this track will be something special.
WWD: You been in the game a long time. In recent times, where have you gone to source the motivation to keep it fresh?
D-Nox: I love djing, I love to get out and make the people crazy with the music I play for them. That is and was my biggest motivation. I couldn’t imagine to do anything else. I was born to be a DJ: I do this since I am 13.
Beckers: As I have 2 projects now, everything feels more fresh then ever. I´m lucky to have a very wide range of gigs at the moment, so it never gets boring. Also as D-Nox already mentioned, I´m very happy with the music we write at the moment, which even after all this years gives us a deep feeling of satisfaction.
WWD: One thing you had enough of in dance music?
D-Nox: Social medias suck. they make fake artista become too important and quality is suffering. Seems that today you are a good DJ only if you have 500.000 FB likes and have a high end after movie produced by a film team.
Beckers: Politics! I hate to get involved in, if you play for them, then you can´t do…“ bla bla kind of shit. Politics and Connections have way more influence on Line Ups, instead of the pure quality of music and DJing. It´s a little sad sometimes..
WWD: 3 most underrated artists of the last decade for you?
D-Nox: would be easier to mention 3 overrated artist but I don’t do that 😉
Beckers: sorry, can´t answer this one. Even to find 3 artist, that are not underrated is not that easy 🙂
WWD: The one thing you’re most looking forward to this Summer?
D-Nox: get to hang out with Beckers at some wild festivals, have some beers, have a dance and meet friends that you usually don’t get to see often.
Beckers: Nothing to add to that .-)
WWD: What else production wise have you got coming up?
D-Nox: Next will be a remix we did for Nick Warren & Guy Mantzur on Bedrock. After an EP on Sudbeat.
Where can we catch live over the next few months? Will the Summer be spent in Europe?
D-Nox: March 12 in London, April 23 in Brasil, May 21 in Germany and so on …
D-Nox & Beckers ‘Serenade’ is out now on Jeudi Records
Grab it here – https://pro.beatport.com/release/serenade/1685602