Can you tell us about your background and how you first got started in music ? How did you first become interested in electronic music and what drew you to it as a medium for self-expression?
I inherited the love of music from my family ! My parents are big fans of disco and funk, and my brother is an electronic-music digger ! The mix of these influences created in me a real passion for the French-touch, which was a good mix between these genres. At 17, I started to dj at friend’s parties, and I wanted to make people dance to the music I liked. After some time, I wanted to produce my own music to develop a musical identity.
Who are some of your biggest musical influences, both within electronic music and outside of it? How have these influences shaped your sound and approach to creating music?
It’s difficult to name a few.. I have a lot of names in my mind. But for my biggest influences, I can say : Mall Grab, Daft Punk and Leo Pol.
I discovered these artists at different times of my life, and they had an influence on my music for sure!
Daft Punk are my favorite artists, and I’ve always found them very inspiring, I remember listening to their track « Around the World » again and again when I was 6 years old. Years after I discovered Mall Grab, it was a revelation for me; this coincided with the beginning of my career as a DJ and producer. I was even trying to reproduce his sounds on Ableton to improve haha! Which undoubtedly left a mark in some of my music. When I got into the House scene I found Leo Pol and I couldn’t not mention it, his live performances are pure genius and I love the energy he has on stage. He is very inspiring and I would love to meet him one day!
I’m also a fan of video games, I often listen to video game OSTs from my childhood. It can give me inspiration when I produce and I get a lot of ideas from it.
Can you walk us through your creative process for writing and recording a new song? How do you typically begin a new track, and what are some of the key elements or techniques you focus on as you develop it
In a general way, I start to make a drums groove with my TR-8S. When I’m satisfied with it, I make a Pad or a Synth with my Juno-106 VST on my Korg Minilogue XD. Once it’s done, I try to make a groovy bass-line with my Korg Monologue, or with the VST Analog lab from my Arturia Minilab. I often use an arpeggiator on my bass, It makes it more groovy ! All these elements on my Daw, the structure of my track is done. For the samples, I use Splice, or a few elements from an old sample pack who helped me a lot for some rhythmic elements.
This is the basic process I have when I make music, but it can be different ! In my track „Fellas it’s me“ It only has drums and bass, and didn’t necessarily needed some melodic elements :)
Your latest project is really gaining traction, can you tell us about it? How did this project come about and what inspired you to create it? What was your approach to making it and what do you think sets it apart from your previous work?
If I had to define this EP, I would say that it is quite varied, both in terms of the moods of the tracks and their energies, ranging from very club songs to deeper sounds. The advantage of a 6-track EP is that it allows me to express several facets of my universe. This EP is a bit special because it brings together tracks composed between 2020 and 2022, two years that were very important to me, it represents in a way a retrospective of them. But despite the difference in period that separates certain tracks, we tried to keep consistency within the EP. I hope you enjoy !
What has been the highlight of your career so far? Can you talk about a specific moment or accomplishment that stands out as particularly meaningful to you?
Since the beginning of my humble career, I can say, it’s when I played at Sisyphos in Berlin. I was surprised by the warm welcome and the energy of this place. That was so beautiful… It was like I’m in Hogwarts of the Dj’s haha ! This place is magic, and for my first gig in Berlin, I couldn’t dream of a better debut !
Can you tell us about any upcoming projects or collaborations you have in the works? Are there any new directions or sounds you’re exploring in your music right now?
I have a lot of projects in progress. I got 1 EP forthcoming on my label Silver Steps, 2 Remix and 2 collaborations. And yes, in the future I would like to propose something more heavy and raw. I felt like I locked myself in a niche during those years, and I’m so excited to experiment with a different kind of sound. The time when I produced what I wanted without asking questions has faded with the time, and I would love to find again this kind of insouciance through my new sound.
As a musician, what message do you hope to convey through your music? What themes or ideas do you find yourself returning to again and again in your work?
Make you forget your daily life during the time of a set or with a composition that allows you to escape for a while while being in a positive mood. I attach a lot of importance to deep melodies and atmospheres, this is what allows me to get lost in my thoughts and detach myself from everyday life, and I hope to pass that on to the people who listen to my music.
Can you tell us about any challenges you have faced in your career and how you overcame them? Have there been any specific obstacles or difficulties you’ve had to navigate as an electronic musician?
Staying positive all the time is not evident everydays for an artist. The artistic lifestyle in general remains something uncertain for many of us. I like planning and making plans, but a career as a DJ can’t really be planned ! We don’t know what our daily life will look like tomorrow or in 1 year, and that can make me feel anxious sometimes. But that’s also its charm. I lived unique moments that I will never forget with my music career, I couldn’t have lived them otherwise, so I try to think about that more often, to stay positive :)
How do you see the music industry evolving in the next 5 years? What changes do you think we’ll see in terms of technology, distribution, and audience engagement?
I remember when Youtube featured a lot of house music, it was the Lofi-house era. There were a lot of house tracks that exceeded millions of views, it was booming and the platform was perfect for that. This has changed a lot and it was 6/7 years ago maybe? We could say those were the good old days haha I think now, beyond audio content, people want to see more of it. They want to be interested in the producer beyond his music. We have seen that with the rise of reels on Instagram or Tiktok. Video and short formats have revolutionized the way we consume content. And I think it affects music as well. We are less and less patient and captivated by complex content. We need quick access content that can be changed quickly. Technology wants that and we have to deal with it !
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians trying to make it in the industry? Are there any particular tips or strategies you’ve found to be particularly effective in building a career as an electronic musician?
Don’t compare yourself and be patient. Humility is important too, to keep creating and evolving. I think it’s important to keep questioning ourselves. Pull out of the game with an original, innovative identity. There are so many djs/producers that you have to try to offer something that sets you apart from the rest, to make the difference. And, don’t give critical importance to labels. If you can’t find labels for your music, develop your own project ! You might be surprised :)
What’s next for you?
I’m thinking of doing a Live project for my future gigs. I’ve always loved the creativity and energy that Live brings. It’s a great way to expand your musical imprint and I’m really excited to start this new project and to share it with you! I also plan to release during 2023 an EP on my own label Silver Steps Records!
Artist: Denyl Brook
Title: My Lovin‘
Label: Happiness Therapy
Cat: HT16
Format: Vinyl + Digital
Genre: House
Release Date: April 7th 2023
Denyl Brook is a Happiness Therapy mainstay. From contributing to the imprint’s Happy House compilation to releasing his first full-length EP last summer, the Lyon-based talent has become an imprint favourite over the years. Now he makes a welcome return, serving up some of his best work to date on the six-track My Lovin’. The lead track will see the light of day for the very first time, having been played to widespread acclaim on worldwide dancefloors over the last few months.
Denyl Brook is swiftly becoming one of France’s most talked-about rising talents. Head of his own Silver Step Records, last month’s New Home EP marked the label’s second-ever release, whilst My Lovin’ sees him return to another firm favourite imprint in Happiness Therapy. He’s no stranger to Shall Not Fade also, having made several appearances in recent years, proving himself as a leading tastemaker in upbeat, club-geared dance music.
