France is responsible for some of the most inventive and successful house music of the past two decades (Cassius, Laurent Garnier and these guys called Daft Punk). It's also home to a slew of underground talents that consistently release quality club music and continue to impress on a global scale, week after week. One of the brightest talents of the bunch is Rodriguez Jr. His catalogue reaches right back to 1999 and after speaking with him it's obvious that the flame is still burning strong, even with a constant touring schedule and a new album due out soon on Mobilee Records.
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THUMP: What's up Olivier? It's nice to hear some new music from you lately. Are you content with releasing one EP per year or is that all that time permits with your touring schedule?
Rodriguez Jr.: I'm glad to spend time with my machines again! Touring intensively has not made it easy to get into the studio. I record a lot of ideas and stuff on my laptop while travelling, but I need my synths and studio environment to finalise the tracks. That being said the break has refreshed my inspiration. I'm currently focusing on my forthcoming material and already have a couple of EPs to be released.It's very rare to hear a DJ set from you these days, what drove your decision to step away from the traditional DJ set up towards your hybrid live show?
I still buy vinyl and play DJ sets at home where I usually have a very pleasant crowd! I used to do quite a lot of DJ gigs back in the day but now I feel more comfortable with live shows. Somehow, it's easier for me to connect with the crowd.Can you guide us through your live rig and the preparation you go through for each show? For quite a minimal set up you achieve a very warm sound, are you triggering samples of your analogue studio gear?
I have a compact setup consisting of a MacBook running Ableton, an Allen & Heath controller, NI Maschine, an iPad running ToushOSC and a MIDI Keyboard. I prefer using a few elements I know back to front than being lost through loads of gadgets and knobs. Regarding the sound, I have a lot of samples coming from my analogue studio gear. Nothing beats a Moog roaring in a proper PA! The drums are also processed with various bits of hardware gear before being exported for the live set. I'm currently working on a new live set up for next year, including more hardware and visuals.
Rodriguez Jr.: I'm glad to spend time with my machines again! Touring intensively has not made it easy to get into the studio. I record a lot of ideas and stuff on my laptop while travelling, but I need my synths and studio environment to finalise the tracks. That being said the break has refreshed my inspiration. I'm currently focusing on my forthcoming material and already have a couple of EPs to be released.It's very rare to hear a DJ set from you these days, what drove your decision to step away from the traditional DJ set up towards your hybrid live show?
I still buy vinyl and play DJ sets at home where I usually have a very pleasant crowd! I used to do quite a lot of DJ gigs back in the day but now I feel more comfortable with live shows. Somehow, it's easier for me to connect with the crowd.Can you guide us through your live rig and the preparation you go through for each show? For quite a minimal set up you achieve a very warm sound, are you triggering samples of your analogue studio gear?
I have a compact setup consisting of a MacBook running Ableton, an Allen & Heath controller, NI Maschine, an iPad running ToushOSC and a MIDI Keyboard. I prefer using a few elements I know back to front than being lost through loads of gadgets and knobs. Regarding the sound, I have a lot of samples coming from my analogue studio gear. Nothing beats a Moog roaring in a proper PA! The drums are also processed with various bits of hardware gear before being exported for the live set. I'm currently working on a new live set up for next year, including more hardware and visuals.
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Anybody that has seen a Rodriguez Jr. live show would know that you're a busy and immersive performer. What would you say helps you develop the best connection with the crowd when you're playing?
It's all about creating a moment. I don't have a recipe; I just try to give back the energy I receive from the crowd.Are you always testing and tweaking new material based on crowd responses? Have you ever played new material live and later decided that it's not worth finishing or releasing?
It usually works the other way around. I finish the studio version before anything else, and eventually adapt it to the stage with extra layers and improvisations. It's not always an easy process, but it makes both the live and studio versions stronger in my opinion. I mean the studio work is pretty much self focused so I prefer to deal with it without any external input, while the live performances are raw and improvised.You've released almost exclusively on Mobilee for the past four years since your breakthrough track "Princess Guacamole", and before that their sister label Leena. It seems like you and Anja Schneider go way back! What is it about the label and Anja that make Mobilee the perfect home for your music?
Ania and I have a long friendship that goes back to 2003. We met on her radio show and have been in touch ever since. She helped me a lot in developing my own sound when I decided to stop my former project The Youngsters. Nowadays, Mobilee gives a lot of freedom and power for developing projects. They're one of the only labels which is not only about releasing new music, but also building up projects and developing artists profiles.
It's all about creating a moment. I don't have a recipe; I just try to give back the energy I receive from the crowd.Are you always testing and tweaking new material based on crowd responses? Have you ever played new material live and later decided that it's not worth finishing or releasing?
It usually works the other way around. I finish the studio version before anything else, and eventually adapt it to the stage with extra layers and improvisations. It's not always an easy process, but it makes both the live and studio versions stronger in my opinion. I mean the studio work is pretty much self focused so I prefer to deal with it without any external input, while the live performances are raw and improvised.You've released almost exclusively on Mobilee for the past four years since your breakthrough track "Princess Guacamole", and before that their sister label Leena. It seems like you and Anja Schneider go way back! What is it about the label and Anja that make Mobilee the perfect home for your music?
Ania and I have a long friendship that goes back to 2003. We met on her radio show and have been in touch ever since. She helped me a lot in developing my own sound when I decided to stop my former project The Youngsters. Nowadays, Mobilee gives a lot of freedom and power for developing projects. They're one of the only labels which is not only about releasing new music, but also building up projects and developing artists profiles.
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Is Chrysalism a bit of a nod to what we can expect from you in the future, namely your forthcoming album? Would you say you are looking backwards at a more stripped backed and original techno aesthetic?
The stripped back aesthetic will be a big part of my album for sure. It allows me to focus on texture and melodies in a much more efficient way. I always think about my music in terms of contrast, so I'm also working on more complicated structures to give the album some depth and a range of flavours.
The biggest danger is getting lost in possibilities. I usually write or draw guidelines in a note pad before I start to work on a long project like an album. I have a funny trick which helps me with the recording process: I make a drawing of what I have in mind, with different shapes, lines and colors all representing the different phases of the album.It feels like a lot of the original French house and techno (Ludovic Navarre, Poumtchak, Choice etc.) has seen a bit of a resurgence lately, perhaps due to St Germain announcing his new album.
It's great to see all these talented acts coming back with new music. It also proves music is not only about trends but about talents. Some of them have been overlooked for years, and I'm glad to notice the younger generation giving them the attention they deserve and recognising their contribution to the French and international scene.
The stripped back aesthetic will be a big part of my album for sure. It allows me to focus on texture and melodies in a much more efficient way. I always think about my music in terms of contrast, so I'm also working on more complicated structures to give the album some depth and a range of flavours.
What about your biggest obstacles and challenges when approaching such a large body of work?
The biggest danger is getting lost in possibilities. I usually write or draw guidelines in a note pad before I start to work on a long project like an album. I have a funny trick which helps me with the recording process: I make a drawing of what I have in mind, with different shapes, lines and colors all representing the different phases of the album.It feels like a lot of the original French house and techno (Ludovic Navarre, Poumtchak, Choice etc.) has seen a bit of a resurgence lately, perhaps due to St Germain announcing his new album.
It's great to see all these talented acts coming back with new music. It also proves music is not only about trends but about talents. Some of them have been overlooked for years, and I'm glad to notice the younger generation giving them the attention they deserve and recognising their contribution to the French and international scene.
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Are there any artists from France that were criminally slept on? Do you still find influence from this period of French electronic music?
I still remember FNAC Music and the early days of F-Communications when Garnier, Navarre, Scan X and loads of others began. It was a blend of deep house, techno, trance and whatever, with influences from Detroit, Chicago, Germany, and of course this indelible twist of French romanticism. That's where my background comes from. I grew up with these albums, and I guess I have the same approach in my productions today…While we're on the subject of the earlier French scene, how was it that you stumbled across electronic music coming from a seaside village in the south of France? Were you making regular trips to Paris?
These cities in France have been often overlooked because everything was focus on Paris, the French touch and anything related to that scene. Though, South of France was also a fantastic place for dance music back in the days. For instance, Montpellier and Lyon were hectic, really. There were so many clubs, festivals and parties happening every week on beaches, in old houses, or in the country side. It was not easy with authorities and regulations as dance music was not as mainstream as it is now, but the momentum was fantastic. A lot of outstanding acts emerged in Grenoble, Marseille and Montpellier in the 90s: Agoria, Miss Kittin & The Hacker, Oxia, David Carreta… and I forget loads of them!Rodriguez Jr. is currently touring Australia.November 20 // Strawberry Fields VIC
November 21 // The Civic // Sydney NSW
November 22 // Garden Party // Perth WARodriguez Jr. on SoundCloud // Facebook // Twitter
I still remember FNAC Music and the early days of F-Communications when Garnier, Navarre, Scan X and loads of others began. It was a blend of deep house, techno, trance and whatever, with influences from Detroit, Chicago, Germany, and of course this indelible twist of French romanticism. That's where my background comes from. I grew up with these albums, and I guess I have the same approach in my productions today…While we're on the subject of the earlier French scene, how was it that you stumbled across electronic music coming from a seaside village in the south of France? Were you making regular trips to Paris?
These cities in France have been often overlooked because everything was focus on Paris, the French touch and anything related to that scene. Though, South of France was also a fantastic place for dance music back in the days. For instance, Montpellier and Lyon were hectic, really. There were so many clubs, festivals and parties happening every week on beaches, in old houses, or in the country side. It was not easy with authorities and regulations as dance music was not as mainstream as it is now, but the momentum was fantastic. A lot of outstanding acts emerged in Grenoble, Marseille and Montpellier in the 90s: Agoria, Miss Kittin & The Hacker, Oxia, David Carreta… and I forget loads of them!Rodriguez Jr. is currently touring Australia.November 20 // Strawberry Fields VIC
November 21 // The Civic // Sydney NSW
November 22 // Garden Party // Perth WARodriguez Jr. on SoundCloud // Facebook // Twitter