Skip to main content

Q&A: GOLDFFINCH

A chat with the new Dirtybird signings

With praise from Mary Anne Hobbs and a string of releases on pivotal imprints Numbers, Audio Culture and 877, Belgian double act GoldFFinch have wasted no time in establishing their name since they appeared on the scene back in 2011.

In that time, tracks like 'Funky Steppa' have helped to secure their reputation in delivering dancefloor-ready productions, rife with heavyweight grooves and weighty drops.

The duo's latest project appears as a rather more gentle venture, an EP entitled '11th Hour' (listen below) to be released on leading dance label Dirtybird. We caught up with GoldFFinch's Yoann Janssens to discuss their inspirations for the EP, their move to another label as well as some of the highlights of their year so far...

Listening to your new EP for the first time, DJ Mag was surprised by the more sombre, reflective sound, certainly in comparison to previous dancefloor tracks such as 'Funky Steppa'. What were your intentions for this release? 

Yoann: “Even though we will always like writing tunes dedicated to the floor, we recently started to explore different directions with our music. This record reflects it pretty well, we tried to focus on atmosphere and layers of sounds. It was the first time we went so far in that direction.”

With reputed house artists such as Justin Martin and Claude VonStroke on the imprint, it's intriguing to hear you taking a completely unique angle on this EP and not simply following the crowd. Was this intentional or was the resulting sound quite organic?

“It wasn’t intentional, we wrote a few tunes (some more dancefloor) and Claude picked up these two. We are really happy with this choice. The EP is coherent and we already received loads of good responses on it.”

What attracted you to Dirtybird?

“We have been playing music released on this label since day one, so when Claude first contacted us it seemed really logical to join the team.”

What impact has your signing to Dirtybird had on your sound, compared to the releases you've had on Numbers, for example?

“It didn't really have an impact on our music as Claude never gave us any guidelines or restrictions, but on the visibility side of things, it has had a pretty big impact.”

With the growing rate of new 'bass music' producers, do you feel there's a pressure to stand out from the crowd these days?

“Not really to stand out, but more to stay true to our sound and not jump on the mainstream bandwagon style, as many do.”

What genres have influenced you?

“We are both listening to calmer music at the moment, going from Boards of Canada to Mount Kimble to old Pink Floyd and other old albums, so it has probably had an influence on these last more laid-back tunes. But again, we have plenty of good stuff waiting on the hard drive.”

And any new discoveries which have impacted on the latest EP?

“We just bought a new synth (Virus Access) and this was one of the first tunes we made with it. More than an influence, this tune was really a process of discovering this new synth by doing a fun, melodic tune.”

How do you feel the scene has changed since you started out?

“We started two years ago, so it's hard to see major changes in the game in such a short period. Even though it s clear that there are a lot more people involved (artists, labels, promoters), it's a good thing certainly... when the music is good!”

In terms of your DJing, who is hot on your radar at the moment — who, or what tracks can we expect to hear in your sets?

“We just discovered Shift Key thanks to Breach in his Essential Mix, we really want to hear more from that guy.”

Will the more experimental vibe of this EP infiltrate into your DJ sets?

“Experimental might be a strong word here! We always tried to mix different kinds of music into something coherent. Going from bass to house to hip-hop to electronica. But always with an attention on the quality and the energy. Our dancefloor sets will remain energetic.”

Your highlight night of the year so far?

“We played a few awesome gigs already, but we are really looking forward to playing in Ibiza and Tomorrowland. The release of '11th Hour' was also a really good moment.”

You recently remixed a French Fries track, also on Dirtybird. What can be expected from GoldFFinch for the future — any more remixes or collaborations in the works?

“We are currently working on tunes with NYTA and Sinden, and we just finished a remix of My Nu Leng & Majora for 877 Records.”