In Conversation With Flux Pavilion

Written by Maya-Rose Torrão

This is a musician who needs little introduction. Flux Pavilion’s hit ‘I Can’t Stop’ currently boasts over 98 million views on YouTube and is the artist that we can thank for helping bring dubstep to the mainstream. Flux Pavilion has headlined three US tours, two UK tours, and several festival DJ sets, including Glastonbury, Reading, Coachella, and EDC Vegas and has also performed live alongside huge names including Example, Foreign Beggars and Chiddy Bang.

The internationally loved DJ/producer has just curated and dropped an exciting compilation album titled ‘Flux Pavilion Presents: Earwax’ this week, featuring eleven brand new tracks from an exciting roster of breakthrough artists as well as ten previously released gems. The album was released via the record label that Flux Pavilion co-founded in 2009, Circus Records. The tracklist sees a range of established names making their Circus Records debut, including South African Khwezi with two contributions and legendary Japanese DMC champion DJ Kentaro who teams up with DJ Rafik and Yuto.

We thought, what better time to interview one of our favourite electronic musicians?
Stream ‘Flux Pavilion Presents: Earwax’ below while you read the interview.

We chatted to Joshua Steele AKA Flux Pavilion about his favourite festival experiences, fan madness and being in the studio:

Besides music, do you have any surprising talents or hobbies? What are they?
I play Dungeons and Dragons and cure meats.

Which comes first when you’re producing – the sound or the idea?
The idea for sure, the sound is dictated by the feeling of the track, don’t really care what it sounds like it if feels right.

Does your new material feature any collaborations?
Just had a new track out with a vocalist called Layna that I’m really happy with. Working on some new collaborations to drop this year too.

You’ve become a well-known name in your field. Tell us a bit more about your actual name and the meaning behind it.
Flux is the rate of energy flow and a pavilion is a place of entertainment, so it means energy in the club.

What’s on your current playlist?
Check out my Flux Radio playlist on Spotify and find out: https://open.spotify.com/user/fluxpavilionofficial/playlist/1LYczVk4kChQW6zxzjzyqS?si=W8_NphgtRNy2i0SiE4wNSw

Tell us about the chemistry you have with your fans on stage.
Sometimes I cry when they cry, it’s a beautiful thing.

Share one of your ‘wildest fan’ stories with us.
I played a show in Virginia beach where the crowd was quite literally hanging off the ceiling, that was pretty wild.

What techniques do you experiment with to get your original sound?
I think about my sound palette like an orchestra, pick the lead, double it with a second voice, split the chords among multiple voices playing a part, orchestration tricks but with electronics

Take us through a day in the recording studio.
I try to run my days like a day in the office, make sure I’m at the desk at least 5/6 hours a day so I can keep my skills sharp.

Was there a specific moment in your life where you thought, “this is what I want to do”?
Not sure, have been asked that a bunch and I can never pin down a moment to be honest.

Was there ever a time when you thought about leaving the music industry?
Well writing music isn’t mutually exclusive with being part of the industry, you can dip in and out. My studio is where I go when I’m dipping out.

What do you keep close by while you’re playing a set?
Headphones.

What has been one of your best moments on tour?
Headlining Red Rocks is always pretty special. Done it four times now I think and it doesn’t get old.

And a moment on tour that you would prefer to forget?
Airports.

Any emerging artists on your radar?
Chime is writing some pretty cool stuff and I LOVE Franky Nuts.

What gets your creative juices flowing?
Listening to the world.

Take us through your collection of gear, tech or software that accompanies your creative expression.
That’s a big one. I’m really getting sucked into modular synths at the minute, it’s like a puzzle that you don’t know what the end result will be, I love it

If you could collaborate with any artist, living or not, who would it be and why?
I’d love to sit in a room with Damon Albarn and get an insight into where Gorillaz comes from, also ElP from Run The Jewels is one if my favourite producers.

How have you refined your craft since you entered the industry?
Kept pushing and looking for something new, it’s easy to stay in one place.

Breakdown the news for us: what can we expect from you this year?
More music!

A big thanks to Flux Pavilion for the interview – my fingers are crossed for a dubstep and cured meats crossover club!

‘Flux Pavilion Presents: Earwax’ is out now – find it here. 

‘FLUX PAVILION PRESENTS: EARWAX’ TRACKLIST
01. KHWEZI – FRAGILE FEAT. LAURA GREAVES
02. ORK¿D – ROSALIA
03. FLUX PAVILION – SYMPHONY FEAT. LAYNA
04. CYRAN – ALL THE TIME
05. FRANSIS DERELLE & X&G – SLOW FEAT. KEVIN FLUM & EFFY
06. BIG VOYAGE – LIVE AND DIE FEAT. VINNY CHA$E
07. KENTARO X RAFIK X YUTO – KINMIRAI
08. DISKORD – LAST TIME
09. BIG VOYAGE – JELLYFISH BLOOM (PART 1)
10. ENGINE-EARZ EXPERIMENT – BLUE MOON FEAT. KATE HAVNEVIK & SHAHID ABBAS KHAN
11. 30 HURTS – DEHLI ROCK
12. SUBMOTION ORCHESTRA – 1968
13. LUZCID – LAID BACK
14. BROWN AND GAMMON – BE THERE
15. BIG VOYAGE – JELLYFISH BLOOM (PART 3)
16. RUSKO – HIGH
17. CRAYMAK – PLAY WITH FIRE FEAT. NEON DREAMS
18. KHWEZI – ALL FOR YOU FEAT. CASEY BREVES
19. GROWLZ – GLASS FOREST
20. MARK THE BEAST – FLOATING AWAY
21. FLUX PAVILION – IRONHEART FEAT. BULLY SONGS1

Follow Flux Pavilion:

Facebook – Twitter – Soundcloud – YouTube – Instagram  – Spotify