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BAKERMAT: COOKING UP HITS

Bakermat is serving up the new gospel of laid-back house grooves

Lodewijk Fluttert’s near-accidental rise to prominence is every musician’s wet dream. After uploading his first track, ‘Vandaag’ to YouTube, he went from bedroom producer to overnight sensation. The video has amassed a staggering 23 million views to date, transforming Lodewijk into his melodic alter ego Bakermat. Now a successful producer known the world over for his sax-driven, gospel-sampling jams, Bakermat’s sleek beat-slinging has taken him from an internet sensation to hosting a stage at least year’s edition of the legendary Tomorrowland.

Now embarking on his first-ever North American tour, the melodic house pioneer is seeking to bring his sound to a whole new crowd, including stops at Ultra Music Festival and CRSSD, the festival that serves as little brother to Coachella. We were able to sneak a word with the Dutch DJ before he prepares to jet set into the American wild for his debut visit to the country.

When you released ‘Vandaag’, did you ever imagine it would be such a hit with over 23 million plays? How has that song’s success affected what kind of music you choose to make now?
Never expected it to be a huge hit. I made it in my room just for my friends and myself, then I put it on YouTube and it unexpectedly blew up. I don’t think it really changed the music I’m making. I did want to do something new so I tried gospel for the next single, ‘Teach Me’, and I’m experimenting with a lot of new stuff because I constantly want to do something different.”

You make such relaxed, melodic and minimal house, how did you find your production style?
I don’t believe in learning how to produce in a school. I really feel like if you want to be a producer with a unique sound you have to figure it out yourself, and the best way to do it is to just open the software and mess around with the buttons. You have to feel it out; that’s how I got the unique sound I got. Since I was 16, I just kind of felt it out. I don’t think when I make music, I just do what comes natural.”

What are your expectations for your first American tour, which cities are you specifically excited about more so than others?
It’s the first time I’m going to be in the US. I really want to see New York obviously, LA and Miami and all the cities I’ve always wanted to visit and am able to visit. I’m doing Ultra and a lot of side shows for Miami Music Week.”

You’ve finished your debut album, and, if I’m not mistaken, you’re waiting on sample clearance. Who is releasing this album and when can we expect it? Did you do anything different with it than on your previous works?
It can be really frustrating because I finished the whole album two months ago, and, now, I’m just waiting on the samples to be cleared, and it’s just the waiting that’s annoying. It’s a lot of work to clear because no one knows who owns it, so it’s like a search for the owner of the rights.

“[The debut album]’s pretty different, very broad. I wrote some ballads, like there isn’t even a beat on some tracks, and there are also some slower tracks like 100 bpm. It’s extremely diverse, and I hope people can appreciate it. I just wanted to see what I could really do as a producer.”

Do you use hardware synthesizers to create your music or is it all software? Is it a mix of both?
"I don’t use hardware synthesizers. I only use software, but I have some hardware external effects I use, like a compressor. I stay mostly digital. I actually use V-Station a lot because it’s a very easy synth, and of course Sylenth and Massive, as well as Omnisphere, which is great for strings or choirs."

Words: Steve Vaynshtok