The 94 mix for HMWL is compiled and mixed by Mat aka Sovnger based in Paris. It a smooth ride from house to techno with big love for bass. Check your ears for Sovnger x Eastmask – Concrete Groove mixed in at 09:11 and Sovnger – Set Me Free (Chaungo vs 1984 Remix) at 49:56.
It’s a good old HMWL tradition to always interview the artist with the mixtape
HMWL: Tell us a bit about Sovnger, you are from Strasbourg but currently based in Paris?
Hi guys, I’m Sovnger, a french producer of electronic music. I was born in Strasbourg, then I lived in Paris for 6 years and now I’m back in Strasbourg, simply because living in Paris is FUCKING TOO EXPENSIVE aaaaaand because Strasbourg is also cool 🙂 But I really want to try other cities, in Asia, in USA…anywhere! I lived in Seoul during 1 month and it was really cool!
A Month With Sovnger – Tour Video
HMWL: How long time have you been producing? it looks like you have been on the DJ/Producer journey for quite a while? Tell us about you previous releases, How it all started, The Sovnger musical influences?
WOW, that’s a lot of questions in one! ^^
First of all, I started with the Hip Hop culture, including scratching, graffiti (not B-Boy dancing because I suck at dancing…), even Mc some times but in private only ^^ SO yeah, my first gigs was Hip Hop, with scratch and beat juggling. I was Dj Knuckles at the time and when I moved step by step into the electronic music, I erased the “Dj” and kept the Knuckles.I’ve released many EP with Knuckles, some really cool, like the remix I did for Blake “What I Like” and his really good clip in the subway https://vimeo.com/12235444.
But check here, you’ll find all the tracks I made with Knuckles: https://soundcloud.com/knucklesisdeadThen, because I wanted to have my own and original identity, I’ve changed my name for Sovnger, a created name who comes from the danish word “søvngænger” (which means “sleepwalker”) that I changed a bit to make it like I wanted.
With Sovnger I released many Ep and most of them were played by big names like Justice, 2 Many Dj’s, Boys Noize, Ed Bangers crew…Regarding my influences, because I’m a Dj before being a producer, and because I think every “real” Dj must have an open mind, I like many styles of music so I can’t just name some producer of one kind of music but here are some names which are very important for me and my music and which have always influenced me: Boys Noize, Modeselektor, Trentemoller, Vitalic, Q-Bert, D-Styles, The Chemical Brothers, Thom Yorke, Portishead, Etienne de Crecy, Alex Gopher, Soulwax, Tiga…
But once again, my biggest musical influence is all the people that I met, that I work with and everyday I feel inspired by the world around me.
HMWL: What are you future plans? Is there a certain sound or art form you are willing to achieve? Any notable upcoming releases?
My first album is coming in 2014, it’s gonna be surprising because it’s gonna be quite different from my previous EP, it’s gonna be more a soundtrack than a compilation of bangers so I can’t wait to see the reaction of the people who listen my music.
Beside, I’ll release new EPs, remixes and great collaborations so, keep in touch with my news and enjoy!
Here’s my website with everything on it: www.sovnger.comHMWL: ell us about your studio setup? Hardware, software, favorite plugins?I’m not a big geek regarding softwares and instruments but I enjoy trying things and let things happen therefore I’m working with a dozen of differents synth, a Macintosh with Logic and a RME (Babyface) for the sound card aaaaand a looooooot of little things, gadgets, shakers, toys, spoons (…) to try differents sounds.HMWL: Your top 3 favorite tracks / producers at the moment?This kind of question is always difficult but let’s say:
