60 Seconds With… Geil
With another stunning release just around the corner on the SSOH imprint, Geil stopped by for a quick 60 Seconds to tell us some more about this future release and what is in store for the new year.
You have worked for some time under a different name, delving more into the techno sounds, what pulled you towards adapting your sound into the Geil sound we now know today?
Well, i make music since a long time and never i could stay focused on only one style as well as dj or producer, it has always been a big problem because with my Techno name i was trying to make some different stuffs than what for i’m known and i was feeling that my usual followers was sometimes lost … A lot of peoples are following an artist for what he usually makes and when this one is trying to make something different they can be very hard, specially when styles are extremely opposed … So i decided to create this alias to make absolutely all what i want without to be worry about what the peoples will think and just make the music that i have in the heart at the moment i compose it.
How do you think growing up in France has helped shape your sound?
To be honnest i don’t know if the fact to having grown up in France really made my sound, my influences are coming mainly from the music of England, USA or Germany but i come from a small village of the east of France where nothing special was happening so may be it helped me to be curious and to try to discover a lot of different music via Internet and medias and to find my way …
Who were your biggest french influences within the music scene?
I think it comes as well from the old french artists like Serge Gainsbourg, Charles Aznavour than guys like Daft Punk or Pop bands like Rita Mitsouko or even some Punk Rock bands like Burning Heads … I have always listened to a lot of french music, even if sometimes it’s far away of my own sound.
How did your relationship with SSOH come about?
I am a close friend of Claude Monnet, the owner of SSOH, he was my confidant during a period where i was totally lost with the styles of music, i was making a lot of différents tracks but i was not sure it was a good idea to release them under my usual name Citizen Kain, we was talking a lot about this, he helped me to make the choice to take an alias and he decided to help me to develop Geil.So when he asked me if i wished to release this project on SSOH, it was obviously yes …
What is it about SSOH that makes it so suited to your productions?
SSOH is a very versatile label, for Claude, the main thing is to don’t stay focused on only one style but to release the music he likes and in which one he believes … After all the discutions we got about the choices i had to make, it was normal for me to stay close of SSOH.
Where did the inspiration come from for My Aim and what did you set out to achieve?
Recently i have again listened to a lot of old bands like Joy Division, New Order, The Cure, Depeche Mode … I’ve been very influenced by them, so i took my guitar and tried some very simple stuffs, i found this tune, it was cool but i was thinking that vocals was missing, so i called a old friends with whom i’ve got bands in my childhood and he came to record them.
What pulled you towards handing the reigns over to Melokolektiv ?
First of course because i love their music, we was in contact since along time, seeing ourselves in party cause they lived also close to Montpellier, so i thought it was a good idea to ask them a remix of My Aim and they accepted.
So as 2015 begins to draw to a close, what do you have lined up for the your New Years Eve celebrations?
I will play Under my other name in an amazing place in Toulouse (France), a lot of friends live there and come, so i know by advance it will be a great party.
What can we expect to see from you in 2016 ?
First of course because i love their music and we was in contact since a long time, We was often in the same parties cause they lived also close to Montpellier, so i thought it was a good idea to try to ask them a remix of My Aim and they accepted.
And finally, what are your top five tracks for you right now?
- Damian Lazarus & The Ancient Moons – Vermillion (&Me Remix)
- Dave Davis – The End (Kiko Remix)
- Kollektiv Turmstrasse – Sorry i’m late
- Adana Twins – Heroe (Dino Lenny remix)
- Maceo Plex – Polygone Pulse
‘My Aim’ is set for release December 11th via SSOH.
