NOMDECODE SPARTACUS X CANADIANRAVERS [STORY BEHIND THE NAME, DJ INSPIRATION, BIGGEST SUPPORTER]

Inspired by the French Wave of the 1990s, Nomdecode Spartacus are Parisien Duo Simon Beaudoux and Martin Chourrout (of Exsonvaldes and Ravages) both on a mission to bring filtered basslines and hypnotic grooves back to both the dance floor and the street alike.

THE INTERVIEW

CR: Hello Simon and Martin, Glad to have you on Canadianravers how are you doing?

NS: Very great actually! We just released our second single “Hum Hum” and it is really satisfying to bring this project to life, as it has been on our minds for quite some time now. We are also very happy to release a track that pays tribute to our French Touch and French House roots.

CR: Tell us a little bit about yourselves, what is the story behind the name ‘Nomdecode Spartacus’?

NS: Nomdecode Spartacus is a project we created to fulfill our need to create more electronic music (we already write French pop music together under the name Ravages). The name is a reference to the Stanley Kubrick movie starring Kirk Douglas. At first we wanted to call ourselves “I Am Spartacus” but we then decided that we needed to have some French words in our name too, so that’s were “Nom de code” (Codename, in French) comes from.

CR: Growing up were there any artists who inspired you into becoming a Producer/DJ?

NS: The whole French Touch wave that hit when we were in Middle school and High school: Daft Punk of course, Air, Cassius, Etienne de Crecy and then a bit later Soulwax (who like us came from an indie-rock background) and Alan Braxe or Digitalism. Also, some classic House, and maybe some New Order or OMD. More recently maybe Caribou, Marek Hemann or Christian Loffler. We listen to a lot of music and electronic music has always been a big influence for us, even if we couldn’t express it as much as we wanted in our previous project.

Also, I think we need to confess an unconditional love for Miami Sound Machine’s “Dr. Beat”.

CR: Your recent track ‘Hum Hum’ got a little funk to the beat, tell us a little bit about the producing process, as well where did the inspiration come from?

NS: We recently got a new studio in Paris and we were experimenting with it. From what I remember the song almost wrote itself! We tried to put ourselves in the mindset of those artists from the 90s who didn't work with computers and were digging for loops as songstarters. We found a funk sample that we tweaked and built the track from there. We ended up replaying it after a whole because it wasn’t giving us everything we needed, but the spirit from the 90s was there :)

 CR: For your tracks is there a method you follow or just create based on playing around with the instruments to get that right sound?

NS: With Spartacus it can start with a beat, a sample, a word. There’s no rule really, we just need it to be fun. If it’s not, we start over! Also, we like to listen to a lot of old tracks and find ideas for directions to follow.

CR: Who has been your biggest supporter since your guys started your producing career?

NS: Definitely our Record Label and publishers from London, DRRT Records and North Note. 

We had some tracks for years on our hard drives and didn’t know what to do with them. We needed someone to give us the motivation to push these ideas further and they were the ones to do it. Also, they always have great input and we really trust their opinion. We’ve been handling most of our projects ourselves for years and it’s fun for once to have someone to give us feedback and help us think about the next steps, the image of the band, etc.

CR: If you had the chance to play an opening set for any artist around the world, who would it be and where would it be?  

NS: Soulwax. Or Daft Punk if they ever play again! 

CR: What has been your biggest accomplishment of 2021 personally and professionally?

NS: Releasing Nomdecode Spartacus’ first single “Work Out”, of course. Also being able to play live, after 2 years without any live show.

CR: You guys are busy as it is, what do you like to do during your downtime? 

Simon: I like to bike around Paris, cook, go to the movies, but most of my free time is dedicated to taking care of my two sons (1 and 6).

Martin: Cook, listen to the radio, go swimming, hang out with my girlfriend or some friends… That question is harder than the other ones :)

CR: What are some of your goals for 2022, anything our followers should know about?

NS: 2022 will see more music from Spartacus, for sure. Even an album, maybe. And a live show.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Texting or talking?

Simon: Talking

Martin: depends on the people on the other end

Coffee or tea?

Simon: Coffee

Martin: Tea, no milk no sugar

Hard liquor or Wine?

Simon: French wine!

Martin: Wine. Liquor makes me sick.

Cake or pie?

Simon : Pie

Martin : I’m not sure about the difference

Hot dogs or hamburgers?

Simon : Hamburgers

Martin : Depends on the context. For instance : in Germany: Hot Dog. In the US: Burger.

Xbox or PlayStation?

Simon : Game Boy

Martin : Super Nintendo

Movie theatre or arcade?

Simon : Movie

Martin: Young me: Arcade, Now Me: Movie Theater

Guitar or piano?

Simon : Guitar

Martin : Piano

Marvel or DC Comics?

Simon : DC

Martin : not sure about the difference…

Dog or cat? 

Simon : Cat

Martin : not sure about the… Cat

Hot weather or cold weather?

Simon : Hot

Martin : Definitely hot weather 

CONNECT WITH NOMDECODE SPARTACUS

SUBFILTRONIK X CANADIANRAVERS INTERVIEW [ BEHIND THE NAME, TALKING ABOUT RIDDIM, PROCESS BEHIND MAKING TRACKS]

Corey Smith, also known as Subfiltronik, is an esteemed dubstep DJ/producer based out of the U.K. A pioneering trailblazer of the riddim subgenre, the renowned talent has paved the way for many in the landscape. Over the years, the Manchester native has been featured on various imprints the likes of Buygore Records, Circus Records, Disciple, Never Say Die, and many more. He’s also graced the decks at venerated nightclub venues and events such as Sydney, Australia’s iconic Chinese Laundry nightclub, Santa Ana, California’s Yost Theater, and Paris, France’s Redlight, to name just a few.

Learning how to craft relentlessly unyielding beats from a very young age, the musician eventually took his passion to the next level and pursued a degree in it during his undergraduate studies. Blending different styles together in his signature brand of dubstep, the multifaceted creative force has released tracks featuring influences from hip-hop, R&B, drum and bass, and drumstep. Subfiltronik’s recent tracks from 2020 include his remix of UZZI's ‘Longboi Pit’, ‘Too Tough’, and his collaborative hit with Aweminus ‘Subminus’.

THE INTERVIEW

CR: Hello Corey aka Subfiltronik, glad to have you on Canadianravers, how are you doing?

S: Hello there its nice to meet, yes I am doing well thank you.

CR: Tell us a little bit about yourself and a little backstory about your stage name Subfiltronik?

S: As you all know that I am Subfiltronik, my real name is Corey and I was born and raised in Manchester, England.

CR: Your recent track 'Vendetta' on Malignant Vol.2 is a great track overall, did you create the plugins from scratch or were they pre-sets created beforehand?

S: Thank you, on the track vendetta I made the new sounds from scratch and before the breakdown the aggressive wobble bass was an old bass I created years before I created Vendetta.

CR: You are a pioneer in Riddim, has it changed a lot since it started as a subgenre in the Dubstep scene?

S: Yes most definitely we have all been blessed with wonderful new talent showcasing new sub-genres like future riddim that is breaking through the dubstep scene very nicely. There is a lot of things I could say that changed the genre and made it better as a whole but for you, all I can say is that the scene is growing and

expanding through other countries.

CR: We know Dubstep and Riddim scene is growing in the UK, how did the culture and scene influence you as an artist? Also, which club in the UK is your favourite to attend?

S: I wouldn’t say the dubstep scene is growing in the UK anymore but to be honest drum and bass takes that title for shows over here in the UK. The culture has influenced me in different ways to try other genres and create something out of my own comfort zone. My favourite club in the UK that I played at is Moho live. The venue itself is not around anymore but when I was younger I would say it was my favourite place to be in my hometown of Manchester.

CR: Can you describe the process and idea of a track to a complete track? How long does each step take before you go to the next? Do you get an “in the zone” feeling when you do create a new track?

S: To be honest I don’t really feel anything when I am making music as I am technical with my work. There is no right or wrong to creating music sometimes I start an intro or just go into the drop first and create that and then I make a bridge that compliments the intro or the other way around. Some people

might start with a vocal sample its all down to preference. I would say in the past I use to get a gut feeling when I made a good bass but other than that I drink coffee and sit for hours on end to complete a track. My advice is to know about the fundamentals first like short keys as it will help you move faster when creating

music.

CR: Tell us a little bit more about your music taste, what is your favourite genre and some artists?

S: My tastes are different haha I listen to a lot of rock music and Hip-hop music, my favourite band is ‘protest the hero’ which are based in Canada and for Hip-hop am more of an old boomer and like to listen to artist like Lloyd banks, Kendrick Lamar, RZA, Dr Dre and mobb deep.

CR: What was the single event that has changed you and the way you view life?

S: I would say my first major show in Belgium the event was called blackline event in petrol, I got to meet loads of artistes and get to see them live at a big venue back then in 2011. It changed my life as I never felt bass hit me the way it did when I was performing in UK as you might know some sound systems work better than others but at this venue it was on a whole different scale, so it made me carry on making more hard hitting music.

CR: When you are not performing or producing music, what does an average day look like for Subfiltronik?

S: Haha like everyone else, working a day job being responsible adult.

CR: Since it is the New Year, what is your New Year Resolution and What is 2022 looking like for you?

S: My new year resolution is to go hard on music in 2022. To do a lot of shows and to everyone to enjoy my music globally.

LIGHTENING ROUND

Texting or talking? Talking

Coffee or tea? Coffee

Hard liquor or Wine? Red wine sometimes hard liquor

Cake or pie? Pie

Hot dogs or hamburgers? Eww none, I love animals.

Xbox or PlayStation? Xbox

Movie theatre or arcade? Arcade

Guitar or piano? Piano

Marvel or DC Comics? Marvel

Dog or cat? Dog

Hot weather or cold weather? Hot weather

FOLLOW SUBFILTRONIK

SHOWTEK X CANADIANRAVERS INTERVIEW [ STORY BEHIND THE NAME, DABBLING IN OTHER GENRES, GETTING READY FOR 2022]

Showtek is a revered Dutch DJ/producer duo consisting of Wouter Janssen and Sjoerd Janssen, who’ve been actively producing their unique take on dance music since 2001. The brothers dominated the underground hardstyle scene until 2011. They were most known for their songs,  ‘FTS’ , ‘The Colours Of The Harder Style’ and ‘Black’, just to name a few. After a decade of being on top of the hardstyle scene, selling out solo shows and releasing two artists’ albums it was time for a change and a new challenge. 

The following year, their style of dance music slightly shifted with the onset of the EDM boom, which paid off in the form of multiple groundbreaking smash hits. These include 2012’s collaborative track with Hardwell, ‘How We Do’, 2013’s ‘Get Loose’, ‘Cannonball’, ‘Booyah’, ‘We Like To Party’, 2014’s ‘Bouncer’, and platinum-awarded ‘Bad’ with David Guetta and VASSY, all of which currently collectively sit at an impressive 564,000,000 combined streams via Spotify and almost 1 billion views on YouTube to-date. Nearing two decades since its inception, this well-established act is now creatively pursuing the world of pop in full force, with a worldly, culturally-infused urban flair.

THE INTERVIEW

CR: Hello Wouter and Sjoerd, Glad to have you on Canadian Ravers how are you doing?

W: Thank you! Feeling inspired!

S: Doing great! Just moved into my new place in LA, so it’s been hectic but good!

CR: Tell us a little bit about yourselves, your musical journey and where did the name ‘Showtek’ come from?

W: We are two brothers from Eindhoven, in The Netherlands. Started making music out of a passion for music. Wouter played the piano since he was a kid and had a love for hip-hop and dance music. Sjoerd was captured by harder styles of dance, and when we combined our passion and common interest Showtek was born which has our initials in it.

S: Yes, it was originally Sjowteck! (Sjo from Sjoerd and ow - from Wouter). We then changed it to SHOWTECK because it sounded better. The TECK comes from us loving TECHNO music and that’s what we started to produce first back in 2000. When our first single was pressed on vinyl, it came out wrong and it said: Showtek , which looked even better! We decided to keep it!

CR: Vérité hasn't been around for very long, how did you connect with her, and what were your inspirations for the track ‘Pour It Down’?

W: Vérité is a great singer. She was introduced by a friend from NYC where I (Wouter) live part time. We both love her writing and the sound of vocals.

S: The idea was to produce a pop/house song with a good vibe. Something that you can listen to in a club, in the car, or on the beach. It’s just a vibe!

CR: You guys have been in the scene for so long and have changed your style of music as the scene has evolved, what is that one genre you like to dabble in that your followers might not be aware of?

W: We both love 'drum n bass' influenced dance music, so be prepared. 

S: Yeah, acts like Prodigy, Faithless, and Rudimental inspired us a lot! We like to blend music and cultures, so it never gets boring!

CR: Since you guys have been to Canada before, which show has left the best impression on you? Are you planning to come back this year?

W: We both spend a lot of time in Toronto. Sjoerd is in Montreal a lot, Wouter in Toronto. Canada is an amazing country, beautiful scenery, great people, and just one of the best places in the world!

S: Yes, both our spouses are Canadian! I go there 3 times a year to visit family and obviously do shows! We just played ILESONIQ in Montreal not too long ago and it was super cool, but obviously there are great parties everywhere! I have to mention that I love Vancouver too, it’s an amazing city!

CR: As a DJ/Producer, what is the best advice you’ve received and who gave it to you?

W: There hasn't been one particular quote or direction someone gave us, but I think the freedom of following our curiosity which our mom always supported is the best thing that happened to us. It's very important to let someone figure out their path in life. Advice is only applicable if it is mouldable to an individual situation, otherwise it's too personal and not relevant, and just someone's own experience.

S: We have worked with a lot of different artists and from all of them we have learned something: Tiësto, Major Lazer, David Guetta, etc. It’s very important to be open-minded and don’t let your ego block your growth!

CR: We know it is fun producing/DJing with your brother, has there ever been a disagreement between you two over a track you produced?

W: You have to disagree in a group or multiple person situation in order to find common ground, that’s also the only way to move forward. So yeah many of these moments, but they are relative. We try to treat Showtek as a thing we're both committed to in our own way, doing what's best for Showtek.

S: I knocked wouter’s teeth out a few times, but for the rest it’s all love :)

CR: SKINK, your record label, consistently releases new music from established and emerging

artists alike. Is there any advice you’d share with aspiring producers?

W: Don't follow the trends, create your own.

S: I agree. We try to create a platform for musicians and producers who can have creative freedom to make something fresh and innovative.

CR: What is a regular day like for you guys when you are not producing music and DJing?

W: I'm in the studio all the time. I like my coffee break and workouts. We both work out a lot.

S: We are actually always working, if we are not producing music we are on the road. But on real off days, I spend time with my wife or friends. No matter what day it is, I always manage to get a workout in.

CR: What are some of your goals for 2022, anything our readers should know about?

W: We are working on our album and a couple of collaboration projects; we will push out way more music!! The pandemic was a great time to focus on production, new ideas, reinventing the sound, the direction, and creating unique and fresh ideas.

S: On a personal level, I’ve spent a lot of time with my friends and family over the last two years. It made me realize how precious those relationships are. Work will always be number one, but the time I had with my friends and family is very special and I need to keep that happening.

Lightning Round

Texting or talking?

W: Depends on the day, mostly text

S: Talking

Coffee or tea?

W: Coffee in the morning, tea at night

S: Same here

Hard liquor or Wine?

W: WINE

S: Kombucha

Cake or pie?

W: Apple Pie

S: Apple Pie, YES!

Hot dogs or hamburgers

W: Burger (Beyond ) We don’t eat meat

S: Impossible burger is good too :)

Xbox or PlayStation?

W: PlayStation

S: Nintendo haha

Movie theatre or arcade?

W: Movie Theatre

S: Movies

Guitar or piano?

W: Piano first

S: Samples, haha

Marvel or DC Comics?

W: No preference

S: Marvel

Dog or cat?

W: Dog

S: Dogsssssss

Hot weather or cold weather?

W: Man, this is impossible, 50/50

S: Fuck, I love the cold, but I need some sun!! 50/50

SHOWTEK SOCIALS