Exclusive: Inside Bromance Records’ Homieland Vol 2 Compilation [Part 1]

Paris-based record label Bromance Records has been steadily becoming one of the best underground labels to emerge within the last couple of years. With their strong and dark aesthetic and their equally well-organized output of music, combined with the incredible talent they have begun to call their own, Manu Barron and Brodinski have crafted together a brilliant record label that’s changing the game.

Last Friday they released their second Homieland Compilation, which features friend of the label Glenjamn on the front, and features label regulars like the boys of Club cheval, Louisahhh!!!, and of course Brodinski himself, but it also featured some unexpected talents like The Blaze and Feral, crafting together a compilation that will draw dedicated fans and newcomers alike.

We had a chance to listen to the compilation in advance, and we had a chance to ask some of the amazing artists on the comp some questions about what Bromance means to them, their music, and so much more. For more information on the album, check it out on iTunes here.

THE BLAZE 

Starting, maintaining, and being successful as a small label is immensely difficult, and yet Bromance has become one of the biggest and baddest to come out in the span of 4 years. What qualities drew you to the team at Bromance and/or the Homieland Compilation? Finally, how did getting on the compilation come about?

Releasing our first track on an independent label was more than a choice, it was a no brainer. It’s in our DNA. We need to stay on a path where we can live in absolute freedom. Bromance came as a happy encounter with Manu Barron becoming our manager, Louis Brodinski and other artists signed on Bromance, then the rest of team. They welcomed us, assisted us and offered us to launch our project thanks to Homieland vol.2. We said yes. We don’t know what will happen for us in the future but we’ll continue within independent structures. And being a duo with a human-centered project seemed relevant for a Bromance.

There is a huge emphasis on family and friendship, right down to the name.  Bromance ,Homie land, the use of Guillaume Berg on the first compilation and the use of Glenjamn on the second… what does bromance mean to you (both the label and the original definition of the word), and when it comes to the music industry, what importance does this relay?

This word should be added to the dictionnary. It would define the best part of a love affair, something you’ll remember when you’re 90. That very intense feeling we want to experience and for which we shouldn’t have a word. And inside the music industry, a Bromance is a beautiful defense.

Can you tell us a little bit about your track/remix on the compilation? Even with their lighter-hearted tracks, Bromance seems to be engulfed by a surrounding dark aesthetic, so going into the compilation, what influences did you draw from?

We composed “Virile” as a song you could sing the chorus along with you friends. We conceived that song for that moment when you’re at a party and you let everything go, the moment when you share your intimacy with the others. According to us, references are pointless, we won’t give any. We could just do some name-dropping but it’s up to you to decide if it’s relevant or not. 

Finally, the Homieland compilations are slowly becoming a year end/year beginning feature for fans. What were your biggest highlights musically in 2015, and what can we expect from you in 2016.

In 2015, we laid the foundations for the Blaze, and in 2016, it finally comes to life. Usually, blazes spread quickly, don’t they? I guess you’ll hear about us pretty soon, things we’d rather talk about when they’ll be out. Advertising is not our thing. For the time being, we’ll just say that we’ll back very soon. 

fJEFF CHERY

Starting, maintaining, and being successful as a small label is immensely difficult, and yet Bromance has become one of the biggest and baddest to come out in the span of 4 years. What qualities drew you to the team at Bromance and/or the Homieland Compilation? Finally, how did getting on the compilation come about?

The Bromance family is one of a kind, filled with tons of geniuses, yup I said it, geniuses. When I was introduced to Brodinski via social media and we connected, it was instant vibes. It felt like I knew him for years; he was showing me so much love. It was hard to believe it was so genuine. I met Sam Tiba shortly after, and the production I was being sent from these guys elevated my music to a whole new wave. (It) forced me to grow fast and learn things about my craft I didn’t know I could do. This made me love these guys even more. We released Cherubic 6lues fourth quarter last year, and now I’m apart of HomieLand 2 compilation. The rest is history in the making. 

There is a huge emphasis on family and friendship, right down to the name.  Bromance, Homieland, the use of Guillaume Berg on the first compilation and the use of Glenjamn on the second… what does bromance mean to you (both the label and the original definition of the word), and when it comes to the music industry, what importance does this relay?

Bromance means family to me, brotherhood. The label isn’t like a label, it’s more like, “this is my brother or sister and we helping each other reach like minded goals.” We love music, but the thing that makes us stand out is we have no lane, if that makes sense. Great music is great music and we are paving a way with what sounds and feels good. Everyone in the industry is following each other, while we come in with a solid foundation, showing that it’s cool to just do you. I’ll be the first to say we have the greatest fusion of music crossing sounds from different cultures. 

Can you tell us a little bit about your track on the compilation? Even with their lighter-hearted tracks, Bromance seems to be engulfed by a surrounding dark aesthetic, so going into the compilation, what influences did you draw from? 

“One call away” is the most personal record up to date for me. I love dark melodic records, growing up going through so much, it’s easier to paint emotional driven music through these productions. I wrote this record about my daughter the day she was born, and fast forward 3 years down I was able to lay it on the right canvas provided by Sam. All my influences come from real life experiences but it takes certain instrumentals to help evoke those emotions. 

Finally, the Homieland compilations are slowly becoming a year end/year beginning feature for fans. What were your biggest highlights musically in 2015, and what can we expect from you in 2016?

Of course Cherubic 6lues was by far the biggest bang for me in 2015. My record “Sorry” from Rolling Stones with DJ Esco helped me get the recognition from Bromance, so we can’t forget that. This year 2016 expect more music and a lot of visuals. Have a few surprises for the fans so stay tuned! Mufasa! 

COPING MECHANISM (Louisahhh & Joefarr) 

,

Starting, maintaining, and being successful as a small label is immensely difficult, and yet Bromance has become one of the biggest and baddest to come out in the span of 4 years. What qualities drew you to the team at Bromance and/or the Homieland Compilation? Finally, how did getting on the compilation come about?

L – Bromance has been my musical family since its birth.  The idea that the label is genre-less but still cohesive really works with how I play and what I want to create; it’s more about mood and energy than it is about typification and style-elitism, which is really forward thinking and freeing, and I am so grateful to have grown with the label in this way. 

I guess along these lines, Joe and I felt a personal and creative resonance and Homieland gave us the opportunity to put it to work and push the envelope with Coping Mechanism.  I recently learned that ‘pushing the envelope’ refers to aerodynamics, to push beyond safe limitations of an aircraft’s abilities to see how fast it can be flown.  I love that and I think it applies here. 

J- I’ve run a Techno label in the UK for two years.. Onnset.co.uk, and let me tell you, it’s not an easy thing to do, so when I see the success and badassness of Bromance I’m like, whuuuut? But I can see there is something special there, and they also have the team completely nailed. Communication and clarity springs to mind, as well as a fair bit of style and taste thrown in. The track with Louisahhh came about after she invited me to play showcase at her residency, following that we bounced ideas and shared inspirations.. Bromance was the only place to release the first track from our collaboration, made sense.

There is a huge emphasis on family and friendship, right down to the name. Bromance, Homieland, the use of Guillaume Berg on the first compilation and the use of Glenjamn on the second… what does bromance mean to you (both the label and the original definition of the word), and when it comes to the music industry, what importance does this relay?

L – I believe ‘Bromance’ was specifically defined as “a close, emotionally intense, non-sexual bond between two (or more) men.

It is an exceptionally tight, affectional, homosocial male bonding relationship that exceeds that of usual friendship.” As the only woman on the label, I think we’ve expanded the definition a little bit to be more gender-inclusive (or I certainly hope so!). However, the origins of the definition – the emotional intimacy and unusually close nature of ‘Bromance’ is true. 

For a while I’ve been holding tight to this idea of BMC standing for ‘Bromance Means Create’ – since day one, my musical family hasn’t accepted less than what I can do, and hasn’t asked me to be anything that I’m not.  This is hugely important in the music industry, and has even enabled/pushed me start my own label (RAAR, with Maelstrom).  Having true friends who are also your peers and heroes makes this work a labor of love even when it’s rough.  

J- I think the label to me means ‘welcome, come on in and join the party’. Ha, and the original meaning of the word, well it’s boys being boys eh. Much less bromance in the UK let me tell you..

Can you tell us a little bit about your track on the compilation? Even with their lighter-hearted tracks, Bromance seems to be engulfed by a surrounding dark aesthetic, so going into the compilation, what influences did you draw from? 

L- Our track is probably one of the tougher ones on Homieland, and as I said before, originated from a mutual resonance of taste.  I think the word ‘violent’ was used a lot in the initial email exchange.  Also, this is the first track I’ve ever written with someone else – we both worked on the lyrics – and it was exciting to share the process with someone in a new way and feel like the track is really strong for it.  The darkness is definitely inherent to the label, but even lyrically in ‘Sway Towards’, this gives room for some sort of perverse hope or growth: ‘keep your darkenss beside you/all your darkness belongs’.  I’ll take it.  

J- I would say ours is leaning toward the darker and harder side of the spectrum but it’s still playful. It’s an experiment really, to see how we could make something that took from our early electro / shouty influences whilst still trying to push into new direction. 

Finally, the Homieland compilations are slowly becoming a year end/year beginning feature for fans. What were your biggest highlights musically in 2015, and what can we expect from you in 2016?

L – At year end, I always do a review of the goals I wrote down the previous January…I thought my year sucked until I realized this year I started and released on my own label (RAAR), finished a solo EP and two releases with Maelstrom for Bromance, played in a bunch of new countries and made a lot of amazing friends and memories along the way.  I still haven’t learned French properly yet, but this is coming.  For 2016 I’m looking forward to continued work with RAAR, more solo material for Bromance and collaboration with Maelstrom and  JoeFarr and some awesome secret wizards I can’t even talk about I’m so excited. I also am really stoked to get to Asia and South America hopefully, and just keep growing spiritually and sonically. Stay tuned.

 

J- My highlight of last year was playing Berghain on the Friday and Showcase on the Saturday (showcase was more fun). My debut album is coming out next month on blocweekend.com,which I am very excited about. Got a new live set going which I played with last weekend in Verona and it worked very well so expect more of that. I am also building a new studio in a shipping container with custom build monitors, so that’s going to open up some new avenues.

Big thanks to all the talented artists who answered this interview. Part two of our exclusive will be out tomorrow. Purchase Homieland Vol. 2 here.