Martin Solveig Interview

Inline with his debut artist album release Hedonist, Toni Tambourine catches up with the exotic flavoured house music entrepreneur, Frenchman Martin Solveig for an insight into then hedonistic ways and lifestyle of one of the few French 'Super-Star DJs'...
Martin Solveig image

Why the title "Hedonist"?
"It’s mainly to do with my state of mind while I was working on the project. I had a lot of fun and didn’t think about things too much. I’d always wanted to be eclectic, to condense all the pleasure that music brings me and share it. Then the album probably has a slight flavour of the 60s and 70s, which have always embodied a certain freedom for me, a child of the 80s, the economic crisis, the condom generation… Then I’m into wine, parties and low necklines, so I feel quite in tune with the title."

Doesn’t the eclecticism you mention, which characterises the album, run the risk of destabilising it?
"Yes, 'Hedonist' is definitely an atypical album, in that it explores different singers and different worlds too. Most of the time, it’s a singer exploring styles or a style explored by different singers. Having said that, I think that my way of producing and writing is becoming distinctive. I’m still young and I hope my personality will assert itself, but on first listening to the album, I’ve often heard 'that’s Solveig', which gives me a lot of satisfaction."

What will your first fans think, the clubbers and house music lovers?
"I think - I hope - that they’re a little like me, getting older and their tastes changing. Most of them will probably focus on the singles - the most "club" tracks, the easiest to grasp - but for those who want to go a bit further and find out what’s behind it all, I wanted to come up with something personal. An album is inevitably personal and that’s why I’m so fond of the Long-Playing format. You can say more and - even if the public knows me from a DJ/club angle - I wanted to say those things. Working on a true ballad, for instance, not basing everything on energy. DJs have a beat, but they can also have a heart…

"What’s more, my DJ sets today are a little less focused on repetitive music. I realised that clubbers knew the structures of 100% sequenced numbers by heart. Adding a live touch, slipping in a disco, rock or soul standard… that surprises them and produces a reaction. When you manage to time it well, the kids react twice as much to a Clash or Supremes track than the club smash of the moment."

Who is "Hedonist" aimed at?
"I don’t like things to be too compartmentalised. It’s paradoxical and difficult to defend in these days of ultra-formatted music, but I want to believe there are still certain openings. I’ve already had some great surprises meeting fifty-year-olds who are into "Sur la Terre" (On Earth). I certainly didn’t work on "Hedonist" in an elitist frame of mind. I have a fondness for simple things and I try to follow the shortest paths to put across an idea, a musical theme. I’m aware that this album will be a bit harder for the youngest to take on board, since they expect more energy from a DJ album. Having said that, there are enough artists who do that better than me. Overall, I think that everyone can find something in there."

After the success of "Madan" & "Rocking Music", is it valid to start off with a single like "Everybody"?
"Doing tracks that are like your previous successes makes things simpler and can bring faster results. The risk for the artist is that they’ll lock themselves into a microstyle and won’t be able to get out of it again. The best thing is to have an identifiable style that suggests your old and new numbers are from the same mould, although they’re not really comparable. I think that "Everybody" is a reflection of me and I take full responsibility for it, as much as for my previous singles. I felt like doing something a little radical and tougher than usual, while still remaining myself. The song points to a change without breaking with the past, so I think it’s a good ambassador for the album."

Why a Serge Gainsbourg cover?
"Firstly, because 'Requiem pour un con' (Requiem for a Jerk) means something special to me. The man who wrote it is a master and I wanted to pay humble tribute. The song provides a little break in the album’s progress, as well as a French touch that I’m attached to. I think the best songs are made to last and be covered. New versions always have something new to add, even if they never achieve the magic of the original."

What’s going to happen next?
"I’m going to free up a bit of time for my friends and family, since I’ve only seen them on and off for the last year. Otherwise, I’m going to spend some of my summer in the clubs and on the beaches. In other words, I’m going to travel and party. Even if I sometimes grumble a bit from tiredness, I’m a child blessed by fortune and very happy in his everyday life. I should quote Karl Lagerfeld: 'Holidays are for people who work'."

Thank you to Defected Records, Toni Tambourine and of course Mr Martin Solveig for the interview time!