As the youngest member inducted into the once infamous Balance Record Pool (at age 24), Darin Epsilon is one of the names who immediately come to mind when discussing the next generation ofsuperstars in the industry. His work has received support from key players such as Hernan Cattaneo, Jody Wisternoff, D:Fuse, Noel Sanger, and a host of others. I recently had a chat with Darin, to discuss his successes, and touch on issues such as piracy, the digital age, and his studio set up.
“Bluephobia” seemed to be your breakthrough piece of work, when it gained worldwide recognition a couple years ago, after Hernan Cattaneo supported it on one of his radio shows. After learning of this, did you feel as if you had finally arrived?
“I was actually surprised that it blew up as much as it did. At the same time, I felt an enormous amount of gratitude that something I created reached such a wide audience. I didn’t necessarily feel as if I had “arrived” and probably won’t for many years to come. I’m always in a constant struggle to improve myself and get better at my craft.”
As someone who has been a musician since childhood, how do you feel about this digital age, which has made it possible for nearly anyone to produce music and get it released on a label?
“I think the digital age is great because it levels the playing field. Back in the early days, music production was only driven by the people who possessed enormous resources.
Now that music production is so accessible and affordable, nearly anyone can make a great track as long as they have the drive and the talent.”
You recently transplanted from Chicago to L.A. Was the move influenced by the fact that L.A.’s electronic music scene has been growing at such a large rate? How do you feel the scene in L.A. compares to that of Chicago?
“Los Angeles has always been the city that rewards hard work. I definitely felt that I was turning a page when I decided to move from Chicago to LA. I think it’s pretty safe to say that this city is a cultural haven and there are plenty of opportunities that lie in the entertainment industry.
In terms of electronic music, it is definitely growing at an alarming rate and I want to do my part in continuing to expand the music scene. To compare L.A. to Chicago would be very hard, but to me, Chicago always felt a bit more rigid because of it being the birthplace of house and its proximity to Detroit, the birthplace of Techno.”
You were once the youngest member of the currently defunct Balance Record Pool. Many artists and labels were upset with the way things just seemed to end out of nowhere with the pool – how do you feel about that situation, and do you think there will be a resurrection?
“It was definitely unfortunate to see an establishment like the Balance Record Pool end after so many years.
I still think that promo pools are relevant in the industry today. Maybe even more now than ever before, especially with the proliferation of new digital labels that pop up every other day. In terms of a resurrection, I would never rule anything out.
In the meantime, I am supporting MyPromoPool.com, which is the ProgressiveHouse.com promo pool.”
While music piracy is a downfall in our industry, some argue that piracy in fact helps many artists spread their name and music much quicker, which can in turn boost their influence in the industry. Do you get upset when you find your music available on blogs or file sharing sites?
“Probably not as upset as the labels would get. It’s definitely a double-edged sword.
On one hand, I’m glad to see my work being shared, but on the other hand, I know that piracy can hurt sales and ruin my opportunities of advancing in my career. Big labels like to see big sales numbers.
The internet has definitely made it easier for me to reach a wider audience. It also helps everyone else out at the same time, so it basically evens things out.”
There is an upcoming remix EP of Matthew Dekay’s classic track “If I Could Fly”, on the DEEP imprint; which includes a remix of yours. What kind of mindset or plan did you have going into the beginning phases of doing this remix?
“I knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to remix one of my favorite records of all time. At first I was overwhelmed with the task, but essentially I knew that the most important thing for me to do was to make a unique piece of work. That’s essentially all you really can do when remixing such a well-known tune.
The label also helped guide me in the right direction. They scrapped my first remix and I had to start completely over. The final version that we all agreed upon (the one that is hitting the stores) was like my fourth or fifth take.”
What is your production set-up looking like right now?
“Well, I have my Korg MS2000 analog synth, which I basically use as my MIDI controller; a MOTU Utralite soundcard; KRK Rokit 8 monitors; Native Instruments Kore 2 (for shaping some bizarre sounds); Korg Electribe EM-1 drum machine; Lacie external hard drive; and the most important ingredient of all, my Macbook Pro, with full upgrades.
As for plugins, I am using reFX Nexus; Rob Papen Predator; and Native Instruments Massive. Those are pretty much my staples. If I were still on PC, I would say Z3TA+ for sure. I’m also looking forward to trying out the new Spectrasonics Omnisphere.”
In a recent interview, Joel Zimmerman (deadmau5) stated that he dislikes DJ’s who do not produce their own music. Do you also feel that DJ’s are only credible in the industry if they are contributing their own productions to the market?
“I am one of those people that feel there is a distinction between DJ’ing and producing. Although the two artforms are related, I pretty much treat them as two separate beasts. To be successful at DJ’ing, it takes a certain level of understanding about musical pacing, structure, direction, and of course knowing what the audience expects from you. DJ’ing, to me, is a performance, and it’s all about interacting with the dancefloor. Certainly, Deadmau5 and many artists before him have been representing this hybrid combination of a producer mixing all his or her own tracks into a DJ set. I do feel that you can still be respected as a DJ, but it just gets harder and harder to gain credibility, given the over-saturation of the industry.”
Now a quick game of “This or That”: Obama or McCain?
I’m from Illinois, of course Obama.
Dubfire or Sharam?
Dubfire is the stronger producer but Sharam is widely credited as the better DJ. They’re both good at what they do.
Digital DJ’ing or Traditional?
I used to be a diehard vinyl addict, but later discovered that digital DJing is essentially the same. Other than the obvious sound quality issue, the only major difference is how bad your back feels after a gig. Digital for sure now.
Anything you would like to add? Any gigs or releases we should be on the look out for?
Make sure to check out my homepage at http://darinepsilon.com and sign up for the monthly newsletter to keep updated on what I’m doing. As for upcoming gigs:
11.13.08 – Showbox Sodo in Seattle, USA
11.15.08 – Pala Lounge in Portland, USA
03.07.09 – Socio Project in Eygelshoven, Netherlands
Editor’s note: Matthew Dekay – ‘If I Could Fly’ 2008 Remixes’ will be released November 19, on the DEEP imprint. It features remixes from Darin Epsilon, Kosmas Epsilon, Patch Park and Sebastian Davidson.
TIËSTO BURNS UP THE WORLD’S DANCEFLOORS WITH EXCLUSIVE REMIXES FOR ATARI’S ‘ALONE IN THE DARK: INFERNO’
