Q+A : 5 minutes with Space 92
Hailed by critics as “one of techno’s most sought-after acts of the decade” Space 92’s recent rise to superstardom has been meteoric to say the least. One of the best selling techno artists in the world for the third consecutive year in 2021, the prolific, in-demand Frenchman now looks to inaugurate the New Year in the same abounding fashion in which he concluded the last, as he drops his latest EP, The Door. Out now via Reinier Zonneveld’s Filth On Acid, the epic three-track offering sees Space 92 return to the esteemed Dutch imprint for a third time, following the Beatport chart-topping success of EPs Atlas and The Game in 2021. We caught up with the Frenchman to find out more:
Hey, Space 92! It’s great to chat with you. First off, happy new year. Are you a New Year’s resolution type of person?
Pleasure is mine! I also wish you a very happy New Year. To be honest… not really. I always stick to my objectives and I remain constant throughout the years. I stay focused on what I do and try to always give my best.
The past two years have been strange to navigate, especially for dance music. What’s kept you going and fuelled your creativity over lockdown?
The past years were very complicated indeed. Luckily, a lot of very interesting events took place before -or despite- the pandemic, that allowed me to try out new music. Moreover, lockdown left me a lot of time to create music and share it publicly on a very regular basis, which, for me, was a good thing because I was able to maintain a connection with the electronic music community including my fanbase. People wanted to party but unfortunately weren’t able to do so, so they were very receptive and provided a lot of positive feedback that kept my energy and creativity flowing. I was even more determined to always push the limits and do my best. For me, this is really a factor that allows me to move forward, be positive and hope for better days.
The type of music you make is basically programmed for peak time, big room energy. We felt it last year on Insomnia with POPOF and now perhaps even more on The Door. What sort of spaces did you see yourself dreaming of when making this EP?
I totally agree. My music is definitely peak time material because there are melodies as well as lots of party energy. For this new EP, I still wanted to keep a balance between the melodies and strong sustained Techno rhythms but I also wanted to dig up new sounds and even more creative elements. I wanted to continue exploring the possibilities that my music offers and the style that I have come up with. In ‘The Door’, there’s melancholy and a feeling of weightlessness combined with some heavy techno beats designed to keep up the energy and boost the crowd to the maximum.
Tell us more about your relationship with the label, Filth On Acid. You’ve had a few releases with them now, how have you found your space there as an artist?
I’m thrilled because I’m able to create what I really want without any restrictions. It all initially started with Reinier Zonneveld liking my stuff on social media, which was awesome because so many labels choose to restrict themselves to their own specific niche. This is what I love about FoA: they have such a diversity in terms of artists and musical genres, so I feel very comfortable with them.
Clubs in your home country are set to re-open next month. Do you have any plans to share this new material in a live setting any time soon?
Yes, clubs are finally going to reopen after a few weeks’ hiatus (since December). I am very happy because I’m due to perform in my hometown, Toulouse, on February 19th. It’s going to be a marathon set that’ll last 5.30 hours. This will allow me to express myself fully – and also experience something that I’d never had the opportunity to do before! My sets usually last for two hours maximum so this will allow me to build an intimate connection with the crowd for quite a long time. I’ll be able to set-up a special atmosphere and make people embark on a journey with me. I am very impatient to reach this moment.
You’ve been named one of the top ten best-selling artists on Beatport for three years in a row now. What do you think it is that people connect with most in what you make?
This is a very interesting question, because I myself was not able to find an answer right away. In any case, I did not expect to have such success in the beginning. It took me a while to get it, but through the many feedbacks I received, it looks like what people enjoyed was the way I was blending a bunch of melodic elements and an energetic Techno that could be listened to anywhere at any time. This ‘formula’ was not planned at all, it all happened very spontaneously based on my gut feeling and I’m very happy to see the success it has today. I understand that this type of electronic music is easy to “consume” – even if I dislike this term. However, music has a very short life cycle these days. It is necessary to constantly produce and offer new content and I am very happy to see that my tracks remain popular in the charts and streaming platforms.
Dance music is such a community driven scene, not just on the dance floor but behind the scenes too. Who are you currently listening to, or being inspired by?
This is quite true. Actually, I listen to all genres of music, I don’t really have a particular preferred style. I listen to Rap music, Pop music, Rock music, French songs… I really enjoy music in all its diversity. Weirdly enough, I don’t listen to a lot of Techno music outside of the parties and the studio. In terms of Techno artists inspiring me, Stephan Bodzin, Tale of Us, Artbat, among others, are major influences.
Is there anyone you’re itching to work with?
My dream would be to do a collaboration with Cirez D. I have always admired his work. Otherwise, I am due to work this year on a bunch of collaborations with several talented artists and I feel very lucky. You will find out more later in 2022!
What can we expect from Space 92 in 2022?
A lot of new material because I worked a lot during the latest lockdown that lasted a few weeks. And also, a lot of parties all over the world! I am very happy to be able to share my music with more and more new countries and cultures and especially with crowds that share my passion and feel the music’s energy.
Listen to the title track from The Door below.
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