With nearly a decade of experience in the Electronic music industry, byDJBLVD keeps pushing his own boundaries and placing his name higher on the list of DJs and music Producers to follow closely. With a blend of elements from Deep House, Disco, Funk, Soul to name a few, this artist displays his signature style and sound with each release he shares with the world.
Now, we’ve invited byDJBLVD to share insights about his musical influences and the sounds that have inspired him and continue to do so, as his music journey unfolds.
Hey byDJBLVD! How are you?
Hey! I’m good today, thanks for asking. Happy to be here and checking in with you. I love discussing my musical influences, so I’m excited to dig in. Let’s get to it.
Take us back to the start, what was your first introduction to music? Did you find a love for Electronic Music early on, or were there other genres that initially sparked your passion?
Oh man, jumping back to my first introduction to music takes me back a bit. When I was younger, my dad put me on to a Deep House CD series called Bargrooves, specifically the Cosmopolitan CD. I had to be no older than 6 or 7 when I first heard it. Ironically, as a kid, I wouldn’t say I liked the CD. I couldn’t understand how anyone could repeatedly sit and listen to the same beat. As I aged, I realized how simplistic yet complex Electronic music could be, and furthermore, House music. This album also introduced me to the Deep House artist Ross Couch. He drew me to develop a love for Electronic music after listening to his album Summer Sounds Vol. 2.
Listening to Ross drew me to seek out soulful artists like Kerri Chandler and Fred Everything. Since then, I’ve continued incorporating that soulful and jazzy feel in all my sets and productions. I feel it’s ingrained in my spirit.
Who are your biggest inspirations within Electronic Music?
As a relatively new producer on the block, my biggest musical inspirations within Electronic music are folks I mention all the time across UKG, Jackin and Deep House, Ross Couch, Demarkus Lewis, Demuir, Scott Diaz, Sebb Junior, Mike Millrain, etc. My friends who are fellow Electronic music Producers inspire me the most among both DJing and production techniques. Some of my close friends and famed producers, such as SRRMN, Eli Soul Clap, Sammy Bananas, and others, inspire me simply by watching their continued success, DJing, and studying their productions.
One timeless inspiration will always be Frankie Knuckles. I did a research project on him back in college, discussing the rise of Disco House and its roots in the LGBTQ+ community. Legends like him, Larry Levan, Kerri Chandler and others drew me into exploring my love of electronic music more deeply.
What are you listening to currently? Do you think there any newcomers to the Electronic Music scene that are doing particularly exciting things?
Currently, I’ve had a lot of Jazz and Hip-Hop on replay, specifically many artists from France and Japan. The French group, the Jazz Liberatorz stays on repeat, especially their hit album from 2008, Clint D’oeil. Japanese Jazz-Hop producer Kenichiro Nishihara is another one that stays on repeat. His collaborations with global rappers, such as Substantial, always put me at peace. Finally, how could I forget another Japanese producer, Dela. If you haven’t checked out their album series, Atmosphere Airlines, what are you waiting on?
As for new artists on the scenes, one recent guy I became close with is doing some amazing things in the UKG world. He goes by a couple of names, but I met him under “67th & Bird.” We share a couple of releases across several UKG labels. His style screams raw UKG, and I love it. He has an upcoming vinyl-only release under “Web 13 Records.” A couple of artists that I love to keep up with and continue to influence the Deep House, Jackin House and UKG worlds are “Sebasti,” “SRRMN,” Vasily Umanets,” and “Martin Depp.”
Can you tell us your top five favourite tracks of all time?
Absolutely! My five favorite tracks of all time are:
A Gentleman’s Song FK – Mark Di Meo
Move Your Body – Marshall Jefferson
Love is The Message – MFSB
Pearls (MAW Mix) – Sade (House Mixes 2)
El Mar – Mettle Music
What do you find more inspiring, is it music from new artists, listening to your favourite tracks or going to live shows?
Over the years, I’ve learned that I pull inspiration from so many places that show its reflections in my music and life. As for what inspires me most recently, it’s listening to music from both new and older artists on the UK Garage and Deep House scene. Some artists who inspire me daily include Scott Diaz, Mark Di Meo, Ross Couch, Frankie Knuckles and Miguel Migs.
When I’m not listening to House or similar, I’m typically grooving to Brailizian funk, Japanese funk, Jazz-Hop, Muzak or G-funk to grab inspiration. Quite the span in music – I told you I pull from many places.
I actually only recently started going to live shows on my own. However, when I go to shows, I focus much more on the art of DJing rather than the song selection. I focus on how to continue to strengthen my skills behind the decks.
Do you think your musical inspirations have changed over time as you’ve evolved as an artist? If so, how?
I wouldn’t say that my musical inspirations have changed over time. However, I learned to pull inspiration from various places. Exploring other cultures has allowed me to understand that just about anything can inspire you musically. One of the only things that has not changed in my musical sets and productions is my love for Jazz and Soul in my sound. In almost everything I play or I create, you’re bound to hear hearty instrumentation or vocals that will send shivers down your spine.
What are some of your favourite artists outside of Electronic Music?
My listening habits are all over the place. As I mentioned above, Jazz and Hip-Hop are my go-to’s in most cases. I love Southern US Jazz, Soul, and West Coast US Hip-Hop and R&B a lot. A couple of my favorite artists that will always sneak their way into my rotation include:
Frankie Beverly and Maze
2nd II None
Blxst
Ness Julius
Samajay
Maxwell
Do you ever take inspiration from your own personal experiences? If so, how do you think this materializes in your work?
I absolutely take inspiration from personal experiences, mostly when traveling internationally. I typically limit myself to only listening to Jazz, Funk, Soul and Lofi when traveling to allow myself to focus on the environment, different sounds and the people around me. I show my love and appreciation for each culture I explore in my music production and sets. I may take a couple of songs from some of their culture’s most prominent musical figures or go to a local venue and listen to different instruments and sounds they identify with. I believe this is why I’m always eager to continue exploring the world.
Is there an artist that you enjoy listening to that might surprise fans, perhaps a guilty pleasure?
What a great question to end the interview on; no sarcasm intended! I mention this sparingly, but I love Japanese Indie-Pop and Funk, and one of my favorite groups is BREAD & BUTTER (ブレッド&バター). Not many folks I run into have heard of them – I love their song, Japanese Woman. Electronic producer Coeo sampled the song, and it’s one of the remakes I feel does a song justice. Honestly, anything Japanese is a “go” in my book; so much I love about their culture.
We thank byDJBLVD for his time talking with us and wish him the best on his future endeavors, and as he continues delivering fresh tunes at a constant pace, it’s clear that his musical journey is far from over.
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