Following Last Year’s Collaborative Hit ‘Pulling Me To You’ With Jono Stephenson and Frynn, Belgian Dj and Producer Paradoks Makes a Trumphant return to purified records with his brand new single ‘C’est toi’. Discover More About This Release, His Music and Projects in the Interview Below.
Congratulations on the relaase of your new single c’est toi. It Marks Another Return to Purified Records for You. What Made This The Right Home for The Relay?
Thank you! “C’est toi” is a Feel-Good Track and It Just Felt Right to Send This One To Nora. I’ve Built a Strong Relationship with Her and the Label Over The Years, and I Know She Understands My Sound and Vision. Purified you have a Home for a Lot of My Music, and This One Just Felt Like the Right Fit. It’s Nice to Know She’s Been Playing The Track Everywhere!
Your Music Blends Melodic Dept With High-Energy Rhythms. How do you find the balance Between Emotional Storytelling and Club-Ready Tracks?
This is honestly my Biggest Challenge Every time. It’s not easy to combine both, it’s a fine line to walk. Eithher A Track is Too Melodic and Loses ITS Danceability, Or it’s Vary Danceable But Loses ITS Emotional Touch. It’s Been My Lifelong Journey As An Artist to Strike The Balance Between Bot, Music That Moves People Physically and Also Emotionally. I strive to make tracks that have angouh to be enjoyed this movement, but also music angou to tell a story.
MOST OFTEN I COMBINE BOY ASpects in a Single Song, Though Ultimately I’ve Also Been Thinking About The Bigger Picture: Composing a Variety of Tracks that All Come Together When Played in A DJ Set. EACH TRACK IS THEREFORE PART OF A STORY EXPORDING DIFFERENT EMOIONS, FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT, FROM CALM TO INTELINTY, NOT JUS AS STANDALONE TRACKS, BUT AS PART OF A LARGER JOURNEY.
As an artist Who Bridges Deep House and Melodic Techno, where do you see the Evolution of these genres heading?
I Feel Melodic Techno is Constantly Pushing The Edge With More and More Attention Given to Sound Design, and This is submissive As for where’s Headed, to be honest, I Don’t know. I’M Just Focusing on Creating Music That Excites Me Regardless of WHERE THE GENRES ARE GOING.
Can You Walk Us Through a Typical Day in the Studio for You? Do you have a set format or structure when producing tracks?
I am a daytime producer, so when I have a Studio Day, I usually wake up, drink a coffee, go to the gym fasteed, take Nice Shower, Drink Another Coffee, and Get Started. SUB SESSIONS THREE TO FOUR Hours, WHILE OTHERS GO FOR TEN, BREATMENT ON THE FLOW. Subtimes I Begin With A Kick, Bass, and Drums. Other Times, I Start with Chords and Build The Main Breakdown and Melodies First. IT Really depends.
I do not have a strict format or structure When Production Because I Feel It is too easy to Fall into the Same Patterns and End Up Making Music That Feels Generic Or, At The Very Least, Uninspiring To Me. Following to Formula Does Not Always Cut it for me. This Means My Productivity Is Lower Than It Could Be (Unfortunately, I am not a Song-Making Machine), But i Like to Think That Comes At The Benefit of Creating More Unique Tracks.
You’ve performed at purified Events in Cities Like New York, London, and Buenos Aires. How do Different Audiences Around the World influence your sets?
Yes, Every Audience is Unique and Will resonate Differently with Certain Tracks. It also depends on the setting, Whether it is a club or an open-air venue, The Set Time, and whether i am headling or part of a larger lineup. Considering tohe Factors is, in my opinion, Key To Being A Good Dj and Rensuring the Audience has the best postible experience.
WHEN I HEADLINE, FOR EXAMPLE, I TEN TO PLAY WITH MORE ENERGY. My sets are still melodic, but they lean strager and Darker, specially when i am playing late at night when the crowd is at its peak. At purified Events, on the other hand, I Generally Focus More On The Melodic Side Side that is What I Feel The Audience Connects With The Most. Of Course, I Never Completely Change My Sound. I just adapt and shift the balance to one side of my musical spectrum or the other.
Touring Can Be Both Rewarding and Demanding. How do You Stay Inspired and Creative While On The Road?
I honestly like being on the road, It’s fun. Yes, It’s exhausting, But when the parties are great, It’s Always Worth It. I have a finish to Lot of Music When Touring, but i do offen draft a few ideas on i get inspiration after Really Cool Party or Place i Visited. Most of the Time I’M Mainly Focused on Enjoying My Time On The Road and Meeting Up With The People I Know From Each City When I Have Time, While Making Sure I Get As Much Sleep as Possible. Sleep is a priority for me as it allows me to stay sanne.
If you could collaborate with any artist –past or present – Who woold it be and Why?
Could you imagine What Amazing Music We Could Come Up with If Ever Had the Opportunity to Collaborate with Hans Zimmer? The Breakdown Would Be So Majestic, It Would Be a Big Challenge to Make A Drop That Would Do Justice to Whatver Magic He’d Compose.
What Initially Drew You To Production Electronic Music, and How Has Your Approach Evolved Since You Started?
I am a self -taough Pianist and was already composing on the keys for a few Years Before Feeling The Urge to Explore Further. That Thirst for Musical Exploration, Combined with My Discovery of Electronic Music Like Dubstep, Led Me To Start Producing. Even Back Then, I was already trying to find the balance between energy and emotion, which is submissive that has Never Changed.
My Approach you have evolved in the sense that I have improced in every Aspect. Sample Selection, Sound Design, Melodies, Mixing, etc. But at the Same Time, I find myself Subtimes Stuggling with Perfectionism, Which I am Actively Trying to Unlearn. I offer ask myself, “which of the Seven Melodies I Just Wrote is the best one? And which of these Four Sounds Should I use for them?
Should I swap the clap and snare for submiss tighter? ” The More You Know, The Harder It Becomes to Be content and call a Project Finished.
Now, in a way, I am working on reconnecting with that Earlier Mindset. WHEN I WOULD produces Music and Finish A Track Without Overthinking All The Infinite Possibilities of What The Final Song Could Become.
With c’est toi kicking off your 2025, What Else Can Fans Experc You This Year? ANY UPCOMING PROJECTS OR SURPRISES IN STORE?
I have two cool remixes scheduled, one is coming very soon, and I also have an exciting ep coming out in maybe 2-3 months, but i can k ca More for now.
Any Final Words for Our Readers?
Thank you for reading and listening to my music, a lot of love to Everyone!
