Joining us at the KEF space in the Nexus Lounge, Amsterdam, we spoke with BlasterJaxx about their first dance music memories, the importance of audio quality, how to find your sound, and why you should always have contracts double-checked.
In the last decade, the Netherlands has produced many Dutch DJ double-acts, including the likes of Lucas & Steve and Sick Individuals. Among that crowd, Blasterjaxx have always stood out for their unique big room house sound as well as their ability to consistently produce outstanding hits like “Faith”, “Fifteen”, and “Narco”.
Sitting down to chat at this year’s ADE, we wanted to know where the love of dance music first began.
"It was twenty-four years ago, and dance music was on the radio… I had a small cassette tape and when I heard a track coming that I loved, I just pressed record… That's my first memory of dance music."
Turning to their upcoming projects, they said that while Blasterjaxx is going strong, they’re having a lot of fun going in a new direction with faster tempos and higher BPMs. In particular, they noted that they’ve shifted from 130 to around 150 BPM, finding that this resonates really well with audiences.
Last but not least, we always like to get an artist’s thoughts on what they’d do if they were starting today. Blasterjaxx had three essential nuggets of wisdom to share with young musicians; all centered around building your career.
The first is to get all your contracts checked by a “proper lawyer”. Time and time again, young musicians have become so caught up in the joy of success that they don’t pay proper attention to questionable contracts. The only way to make sure you keep control of your rights is to know exactly what you’re signing.
On a similar note, he also suggested that too many musicians become far too attached to their managers, stating that “not always, but 99% of the time, [your manager] is not going to make or break your career.”
Ending things on a slightly less business-focused note, he said that, as a young musician, you should “make whatever you feel like making and that you like doing… Stick to your own sound, stick to whatever you feel like, and one day your sound will have its momentum.”
Suppose you’d like to learn more about Blasterjaxx, their thoughts on audio quality, the most rewarding moment of their career, and the reason why they’d never want the power to read minds. Why not check out the full, exclusive Nexus Radio interview? You can also follow their social media on Instagram for all the latest about their upcoming releases/concerts.
