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Can you tell us about your background and how Colored French Tourists came about? How did you first become interested in electronic music and what drew you to it as a medium for self-expression?
Well, some of the best ideas are born over a good drink, and the concept of Turquoise Colored French Tourists is no exception 😉 After meeting at our favorite bar Goldengrün a few years ago, we (Slawomir & Max) decided to create a live house music group. We try to create our own version of deep house, mixed with a pinch of hip-hop, funk and soul. Then, at the end of 2015, we released our first EP (Love is only moments away) on So Glad Records.
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?
When we were teenagers Daft punk, Aphex twin, The Prodigy, Cassius, Wu-Tang Clan and Nirvana were our heroes. While nowadays we might be more into Robert Glasper, Madlib, DJ Koze, Session Victim, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard and Yussef Dayes. All of these artists inspire and motivate us to find new sounds and create grooves.
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
It really depends, sometimes we start with a bunch of new samples and sometimes we just play around on our growing selection of old and new synthesizers.
How did your Monaco EP on Undaground Therapy Muzik 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?
Yes, that’s a funny story. One day after the release of our last EP (Pöseldorf Poolparty) we received an email from Henry (he is running UTM together with Roy Davis Jr.) and asked if we have some more tracks. Unfortunately, I (Max) read the mail one year later (it was in another mailbox) but answered anyway. Fortunately, they still wanted to hear new tracks from us – in the end these tracks became our new record. For the Monaco EP we wanted a bit more of a disco feel, so this time we recorded a lot more of our own material, opposed to samples. You could say the idea for this EP is the result of a longing for holidays, rosé and long club nights in an extravagant city like Monaco. (Of course, our money is rather enough for a far-flung suburb of Monaco 😉)
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?
That’s definitely the release of our first EP – the feeling of holding your own record in your hand for the first time. And then, of course, our label night in the beautiful (but unfortunately closed) club Farbfernseher in Berlin.
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?
Sure. We already have the next TCFT EP in the works (and yes, it will take us back to our sampling roots), and then Slawomir has the wonderful Pattak project going on, and the next Scharbatke is also on the horizon. And we are always open for new collaborations in almost all directions. Just hit us up.
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?
That’s a difficult question, or a very simple one. Because we (only) want to bring good vibes or a banging beat. I don’t think we have a deeper intention – except world peace of course :)
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?
We have been living far away from each other for a few years now. Of course, this has many downsides: you don’t see each other that often, producing via DropBox links and WhatsApp messages is not cool and getting drunk via facetime is not possible at all. But on the other hand, our infrequent meetings are very productive and full of creativity, and the most important thing is that a really intense friendship has developed as a result.
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?
Good question. On the one hand, everything will certainly become even faster and even more digital. The attention span even shorter. On the other hand, we hope that the need for real feelings, real vinyl and real instruments will never die out. maybe it is the right time to work on a LP for us.
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?
We still feel like newcomers somehow, so it’s not so easy to give tips for others. Except of course basic things like listen to your heart’s groove and don’t stress yourself too much. The world is stressful enough. But of course – if a label contacts you – please try to answer faster than we do 😊
What’s next for you?
Working on our new Live Set including developing the most effective way to carry around Drumcomputer, Synths and Effects in a backpack in a Ryanair format.
This April, German duo Turquoise Colored French Tourists are making their debut on Roy Davis Jr.’s Undaground Therapy Muzik label. The five track EP is funky house at its best offering five tracks of unadulterated groove with the duo’s signature synth flair flowing throughout. The duo met in their favourite bar Goldengrün, and soon bonded over their love of gin and music. Fast forward several years and they now create their own version of deep house, citing references including hip-hop, funk and soul.
It’s a landmark year for Undaground Therapy Muzik as for the first time the full back catalogue will be digitalised – all the records in Chicago have had to be recorded from vinyl and remastered – no mean feat! Roy is also gigging for the time in a while, and label showcase plans are underway! The 2023 release schedule was kickstarted with the reissue of the classic Men From The Nile ft Peven Everett Watch Them Come with new remixes. Press support includes; Beatportal, Ransom Note, DJ Mag, Faith Magazine, Juno Daily, Phonica among others.
„This EP means a lot to us in different ways. Like an imaginary day trip to the Côte d’Azur that starts relaxed, includes an intense night and ends in chaos at dawn. Our very personal Undaground Therapy Muzik“. Turquoise Colored French Tourists
