Esteemed German techno virtuoso Solee kick-started 2024 in a rich vein of form with the release of his globally-acclaimed single ‘On The Other Side’ via his own Future Romance imprint. Following up on its mighty success, the electronic music maestro continues the label’s rapid growth with a brand new underground offering. Solee’s 2-track ‘Faith Healer’ EP is out now and we chatted
Hey Solee, thanks for joining us today. Firstly, congratulations on your new EP ‘Faith Healer’! Can you tell us a bit about the inspiration behind the title and the overall theme of the EP?
Hi guys and thank you! I found the bassline of “Faith Healer” very hypnotizing and somehow spiritual from the start, especially in combination with the healing vocals and the flowing and dreamy melody. I tried to build the whole track on this feeling. So, I wanted to name the track accordingly and since I firmly believe that music has the strongest power to keep us healthy, especially mentally, the title fit perfectly for me. With ‘Heat’ I wanted to make a more rave-y, energetic club track that heats things up right from the start and gets people partying. In my previous club tests during my gigs, it worked brilliantly.
What were your working tools and some of the techniques you used in the studio when producing the tracks?
All main synths are coming from the Pigments, Omnisphere, Legend and Diva VST. Everything In-The-Box. For the ‘Heat’ acidline I used the Acid V from Arturia for the first time. Almost all of the drums are coming from my large sample library that I have collected over the years. The biggest challenge was the LFO modulated bassline of ‘Faith Healer’, as it consists partly of just one note and partly of a chord, which was a bit tricky in terms of the mix and the spatial behaviour. It consists of 5 different tracks with different settings so that in the end it sounds controlled and yet rich and powerful.
‘Faith Healer’ marks your return to your own Future Romance record label. What motivated you to release this EP on your own label?
I’ve always liked releasing my music on my label. I have everything under control and keep an overview. It’s also a feeling of home and people know where to find my music. Of course, I also find it exciting to release on other labels every now and then if something suitable comes along. In May, for example, a production of mine will be released on another label that I really appreciate and I’m happy to be able to work with them. But today I can’t reveal which label that will be…
How do you balance the roles of artist and label owner, and how does each role inform the other?
Since I’ve been doing this for a while now, I’ve learned quite well to keep a balance. Nevertheless, it is of course sometimes quite difficult. Somehow the roles inspire each other. I also like to have a balance with producing music, a different task, especially a task where you have to work with other people. When you produce music you are mostly alone. I also love discovering other music and new artists. It’s very exciting and satisfying, especially if you end up helping another artist get noticed. On the other hand, I’m sometimes inspired by artists I work with on a label level, or artist-based collaborations that are created through the label. It just fits together very well!
Prior to Future Romance you ran Parquet Recordings for 15 years. Why did you decide to launch a new imprint and what are the significant differences between the two?
I launched Future Romance in 2021 because it was time for something new for me. A new chapter. My productions have somehow evolved and changed over the years, so I wanted to give them a new fresh home too. In my opinion, we live in a new time (not only musical), where a lot has changed, the artists/DJs, the music industry, the methods of promoting music, the clubbers, the listeners behaviours – so a new platform was needed for my music. But not just for my music but also for great music from other talented artists who fit into the melodic label sound. My ideal vision for the label is to feature mainly artists who write & produce their own music, in their own studios with their own ideas. No DJs with ghost producer. Preferred real musical artists.
As an artist who has been in the techno scene for quite some time, how do you see the evolution of the genre, and where do you see your own sound fitting into that landscape?
I’ve found the development of melodic house & techno, the genre in which I’ve always felt quite comfortable, a bit difficult for some time. Due to the extreme commercialization of this genre, a lot of productions in this area sound the same these days. It almost seems as if everyone wants to sound like the 1-2 most successful artists or labels in this genre. I miss creativity and the „stay true to yourself“ mentality. It seems as if everyone wants a piece of the big cake and is throwing away their creativity and identity to do so. I notice this especially when listening to the demos that I receive for my label. 95% sound the same. I’ve heard similar things from other labels in this musical area. I hope that changes soon when the peak of unimaginativeness has been reached and the general mass of people are bored with it. I think it won’t take long. I don’t know exactly where my sound fits into this landscape and I don’t really think about it that much. As an artist I try to do my thing and do what I enjoy regardless of trends. I understand that trends have always come and gone.
What’s your touring schedule looking like for the coming months?
I’m already looking forward to the summer, playing my music at some festivals again. Some great gigs have already been confirmed and I can’t wait to dance with you in the open air. Of course, you will also be able to see me play at some great club events, just follow me on my socials for more info.
And any upcoming music we can look forward to?
A remix from me will be released in April on my label Future Romance. The next single release is in May, but I can’t reveal which label yet. Otherwise, there will certainly be a lot more to come, I spend a lot of time in the studio, so stay tuned. 😉
