“Call You Mine” was a smash hit by up and coming producer Douchka, so much so that it intrigued me to ask him a couple questions. Check out the following conversation below to get to know a little more about the french artist.
How long have you been producing?
It’s been a little bit more than two years that I’m producing in a serious and consistent way, when I signed on Nowadays Records. However, I’ve always been into production and tried a lot of different ways to produce before that.
Do you remember the first beat you made?
Absolutely. It was with my first machine, before I even get a computer. I was using a secondhand SP-404 that I actually still use today. I was doing mash ups between modern artists such as Justice, MSTRKRFT or Crookers… A few beats still are available on webarchive.org but you have to know where to look ;).
Do you come from a musical family, or was your musical skill something you discovered on your own?
I started as a self made producer, and then I discovered Nowadays Records and all the artists that were part of it. To this day, this label is clearly identified for the unique sound its offering to people, at least in France. I also have strong friendships with other artists such as Les Gordon or Hi Levelz to name a few.
Your songs always have excellent sound selection. What are some of your go-to VSTs?
About the rhythm sections, I’m always looking for new stuff, I’m using freesound a lot, or the samples libraries of Converse Sample Library for example, that I discovered thanks to Mura Masa who’s using it a lot. For the rest of my sounds, I mostly work with my own sound libraries that I recorded with real MPCs or the famous SP 1200. About the synths, I work the analogic parts on a Moog Voyageur and a Prodigy that are in the Nowadays Records studio, and mostly use the Serum and Z3TA plugs in VST.
Your wide-ranging style gives you an unique, incomparable sound. Who would you say were some of your biggest influences?
I have a great admiration for Hudson Mohawke and his way to combine simplicity and power. I also have Hip hop influences such as No I-D and Apollo Brown who’s last album, Grandeur, was one of the best albums of 2016 to me. Son Lux is one of my major inspirations when it comes to melodies. Otherwise, I listen to a lot of different things; I buy a lot of discs whether it’s rap, pop, or more experimental and progressive stuff such as Nils Frahm for example.
How did you get involved Nowadays Records?
I released two EPs with them and will release Infantile, the third one, on April 21st. We also played a lot of gigs together. I had the chance to join them even if it kinda was a logical continuation for me cause I consider Nowadays Records as the only independent label that’s really involved in developing this kind of music, with substantial humans and financials investments. It also is a human sized structure that allows us to live of what we do, and I have to say that it’s more and more rare to evolve in this kind of company when most of the people only care about being number one and make money and not about the quality of the sound.
Your EPs both have had their own unique mood and theme. Were there any specific events happening in your life that you recognized were influencing your production style?
I did a long tour between April and December 2016 that told me how to conceive tracks not only made for home listening, but also for the lives. Some of the tracks such as This Mood (Ft. Hi Levelz) were only made for the live at first, but became real tracks worked in studio cause they were spreading a true energy during live performances. Being on tour and playing your own music every week end in front of people that sometime never heard about you changes the way you compose when you’re in the studio, even if you still keep that little something which allows people to identify you.
Who are some of your favorite artists out right now?
Like everyone else I’m waiting for the next Gorillaz album. I’m also a big fan of Sampha and his second album, Process. There also is a young French Producer, In Love With a Ghost, who’s catching more and more attention with wonderful melodies. Finally, I’d say that Giants, last album by Awir Leon, is for me the most beautiful release of Nowadays Records in 2016.
Any advice for up-and-coming producers, or artists just starting out?
Do what you like to do, and do it with people you love.
What can fans expect from you in the future? Any new projects coming our way?
After this next EP, I’ll be on tour this summer, mostly in France but also in Poland, Germany, Norway or the Colors Of Ostrava Fest in Czech Repubic this summer. It’s the biggest festival I’ve ever played abroad so I’m very excited about this. We’re also working very hard on our first album with LESKA that will come after an EP (also due to be release on Nowadays Records), that should be followed by a tour.
