Betta Watch Out: Renaissance Man
Hailing from Helsinki, Renaissance Man are among a handful of pioneers of a growing percussive tech house movement that has been keeping many a Brooklyn waistline busy this year. As proud members of their budding fan base, we asked the boys (Ville and Martti) if they would be up for a short interview. With music this good and a name so reassuring, we were eager to hear more about the duo.
Interview and mixtape after the jump
How did you start DJng?
Ville: I’ve been making music in some way for pretty much my whole life, started to DJ at some friend’s parties maybe seven years ago.
Martti: Yeah I think it was just a natural extension/excuse for being heavily into electronic dance music.
Did you meet through music or something else?
V: We actually met while working in a same architect’s office in Helsinki. We eventually ended up designing a new club where we started our own monthly night together which lead to where we are now.
So are you really polymaths? What are your other passions?
V: I think were both very actively interested and involved in a lot of stuff like arts, architecture, science etc. Martti is an architect and I’ve studied design.
M: ‘Contemporary culture’ at large.
Both born and raised in Finland? Are you still there now?
V: Yes, born and raised in Finland, now living in Helsinki and Berlin.
M: I was born in Finland but spent most of my childhood in Holland. Lately I’ve been around a lot: New York, Berlin, back to Helsinki and next up to Paris. It’s getting a bit exhausting to be honest.
Your sound takes us all around the globe and then straight back to Finland. What’s your dream destination?
V: Guess I can’t name one dream destination. Club-wise I think something like Panorama Bar, but otherwise I think I’d rather go to Bali or Galapagos… at least while it’s winter in Europe.
M: Any place I haven’t been to. Lately I’ve been obsessed about Ïle Amsterdam. I guess dj’ing won’t take me there, unfortunately.
The Hare Krishna mantra is sampled for your track, “What is Guru”. Are you influenced by Hinduism and its philosophies?
M: Hah, no. It was mainly a reference to the abundance of the mantra in the history of popular music.
Do you plan on sampling any other ‘world’ music sounds?
V: We sample a lot of sounds but it’s never been only about ‘world’ music.
M: More or less every track we make includes sounds from quite surprising sources. A big thank you to the excellent Finnish music library system and amateur web content.
Do specific sounds ever inspire a song for you? Sometimes we imagine the Aloha Dub to be inspired by a raving giant blue whale, um haha.. as an example?
V: Some tracks can be built around a certain sound, but not all of them. We like strong themes as long as they serve the tracks, not the other way around.
What are you looking forward to most this year?
M: New places, new faces, excellent parties and the usual. We have a tour coming up that has a special place in our hearts. Can’t tell more about that yet unfortunately.
Ranaissance Man – “Mix for Dazed Digital”
Renaissance Man – Mix for Dazed Digital
Unknown – Unknown (Unknown Remix)
Blind Minded – To The Bus
Moodymann – Freaky Motherfucker (Catz’N'Dogz Remix)
Audion – On My Way To The Center
Renaissance Man / Christian Martin – Christian Man (Robosonic Blend)
Renaissance Man – Car Thief Bootcut
DJ Hell feat. P Diddy – The DJ (Paul Woolford Remix)
Nicone & Sascha Braemer – Nur Mal Kurz (Philip Bader Remix) RM Edit
1:09 am on October 18th, 2009
[...] Check out this wonderfully groovin’ mix from Renaissance Man over at Palms Out Sounds – my new home boys. [...]
1:02 pm on October 20th, 2009
LOVE RENAISSANCE MAN!! At last, he get some POS press!!
4:48 pm on October 29th, 2009
[...] riva starr remix) all get your feet moving. Check this beatport review of th spraycan ep and this interview with palmsout. All of their stuff is available at Beatport and juno. Alright, lets get this! Originals [...]