A prominent and consistent figure in Amsterdam’s trailblazing music scene, Dutch producer Olivier Weiter delves deep into his sonic identity to deliver his three-track Tuscan EP – out now on Perspectives Digital. We caught up with Olivier to discuss his roots, his inspirations and penchant for playing all-night-long.
Hello Olivier! Welcome to House Music With Love! Where are we speaking to you
from?
Hi, thanks for having me! I’m currently in my hometown, Amsterdam (Netherlands).
Taking it back to the very beginning, what inspired you to begin making music?
I had a classmate, I think it was the first class of high school. He made mostly hip-hop instrumental beats with Fruityloops. I was so fascinated by this sampling, so I got myself a copy of Fruityloops and started from scratch, without any music knowledge or whatsoever, and learned myself how to use the program. Later, when my favorite genre became more electronic, I started to make more electronic music also. Back then it was mostly Hardcore and Hard techno music.
Can you share some insight into the inspiration behind your new ‘Tuscan EP’?
My inspiration for this EP came from Tuscany, its a region in Italy where my family used to go on holiday every year. When I think back to those times, together with my brothers Lucca and Georgio (which are both track names on the EP) I feel a sense of joy. Those where times without anything to worry about. Young and discovering the beautiful landscape of Tuscany, together with the amazing food. Those where the times!
The tracks on your ‘Tuscan’ EP showcase a diverse range of sounds and textures.
How did you approach the creative process to ensure each track had its own
unique sonic identity while still forming a cohesive collection?
They are different, but overall there’s one leading element in all of the tracks, which is about the main lead. In all tracks, the leads are pretty stretched and big room kind of vibe. I tried to create a different groove in every track. For instance, Georgio is much more “rolling” with the bass, where Lucca is more four to the floor approach. I basically start every track with the same process: Groove, bass. And melodic elements will follow later. For me its important to have some sort of basic drum sketch, so that I have something to hold on to while experimenting with melodic sounds.
You and Miss Melera are set to perform a back-to-back all-night-long set at your
sold-out event at Het Sieraad, Amsterdam on NYE. How do you prepare for such
extended performances?
When playing longer sets, I always make different folders in my Rekordbox. So instead of one big playlist, I’m dividing separate folders into chapters. Every chapter has about 20-25 tracks, lets say 2 hours of music. Part 1 is music that I like to play when people are entering the venue, chapter 2 goes a bit more to the peak time. Chapter 3 is more hypnotic and deep. And of course a chapter with classics. For me it’s important to skip between the chapters easily, because long sets are made for those musical adventures because there is enough time to play. While long B2B sets are in a way different, because you never know which track is going to be played after you.
How do you approach crafting a set for different venues, and what aspects of your
music do you think resonate most with Dutch audiences?
Bigger venues are more suitable for a big room sound, but it also depends on your time slot. When playing in more intimate clubs, I’m mostly playing more grooves with less breaks in the music. Timeslot is very important for me, because the flow of the night is more important to me, instead of playing all the hits you should always keep an eye on what time you are playing, and who else is on the line up. The aspects of my music that resonate most with the crowd is the mix between the melodic and the groove part. I love to play somewhere in between progressive house and melodic techno, with a bit of techno at the end. And always try to play at least 70% new music, to surprise the crowd (and myself)!
You launched your WEITER label in 2015. How has the label evolved over the
years?
When I started I basically had no idea what I was doing haha. Regarding press releases, promotion etc. But now after many years of experience I think it has become a steady platform for mostly my own music. I started as a platform for talented producers, but after the pandemic I had to re-invent myself. And also changed the look and feel of the brand. It is now become an easy way to release my own music, instead of the long waiting times when you send it out to other labels, which is for me very frustrating. The worst part is after you finished a track – because then you are basically still nowhere. Most labels are not even listening anymore because they receive so many demos, it’s insane. And after a couple weeks of silence, you start to think “Is my music maybe not good enough” etc. Now I have the freedom to release whenever I want.
Remaining at the forefront of electronic music requires authenticity and
dedication. How do you stay true to your artistic foundations in both production
and performance, and what advice would you give to emerging artists looking to
maintain their artistic integrity in the ever-evolving electronic music landscape?
I’m always looking for new music. Listening promos weekly for my upcoming shows is a must, I love to play as much new (unreleased) music as possible. Try to surprise the crowd, and also yourself with new music weekly is something that keeps me going. I’m searching for track IDs all the time haha, on social media, SoundCoud, YouTube. Also my promo inbox with hundreds of releases a week is something that I check every day.
But, because of this I also hear a lot of music that I don’t like haha. And a lot of copycats – when a certain track is popular, or a certain synth sound, you immediately hear a couple of weeks later all those copy cat tracks. My advice is not to try and copy for instance the newest hit on Afterlife, but dive into your own process without copying. It ruins the fun also a bit of the creative process. This, I would like to give as advice. The same is for playing sets, don’t only play all the hits. Everyone can do this. Try to find your balance, and adapt to the crowd. This is what DJing is about: playing the right music and the right moment.
Your extensive catalogue includes releases on prominent labels like Stil vor Talent,
Einmusika, Parquet Recordings, and Steyoyoke. How do you approach working
with different labels, and what do you believe sets your music apart within the
diverse landscape of electronic music?
It all starts with an email haha. Try to introduce yourself a bit if they don’t know you. Make a private SoundCloud playlist with the tracks – so its easy to listen to. Do not talk too much about non music-related stuff, be clear with what you want (releasing on the label). For me now its maybe a bit easier because I already have a strong connection with most of the labels and artist involved. But I once had to send that first email as well 😉
I think most of my tracks have a sort of “anthem” and are not copying the latest trend. I just make music I like to play, that’s all. And that works for me. It doesn’t really fit one genre, sometimes its more progressive sounding, and sometimes more electronic / rave. But it has one thing in common: I have to play it myself!
Your ability to take people on immersive musical journeys is well-documented.
Can you share a memorable experience or moment where you felt a particularly
strong connection with the audience?
Well, I have quite a few after 15 years of DJing, but the most memorable experiences are during those all night long, or all day long sets. You are really building up a sort of musical relationship with the crowd after so many hours. Also, the WEITER shows which I organized in the iconic pop venue Paradiso where something special. Sold-out, all night, than you only know one thing: People are here for you, and want to party! That feeling gives my goosebumps. But, also a bit of pressure of course. But this is what I need to stay focused.
Olivier Weiter’s ‘Tuscan’ EP is out now on Perspectives Digital