Rui Da Silva, world renowned DJ, Producer, self owned record label boss, creative and all round musical innovator returns to the forefront of dance music yet again with a wealth of new slick club material for a brand new era of progressive dance music set for release early 2014, followed onwards with a brand new album release. A certified sure fire ‘Ones To Watch’ for next year.
Fashion Soundtrack caught up with RDS to chat about catwalk soundtracks, chart success and 2014 releases…..
Your sound has developed over the years. When did you move away from straightforward house production?
When I did a sabbatical a few years back and went to live in Ibiza… whilst there I took some time to re-evaluate and think about my life and work, up until then I was on this continuous rotation of recording sessions in the studio and gigs on weekend… I was growing tired of that feeling of hamster wheel and that I was not growing as a person and as an artist, the constant touring and music making process had become stale for me, so while out in Ibiza I decided to instead start all over again by re-learning my tools in the studio as if I had never used them before and decided to explore into other sonic places and music styles.. this was the year of 2009.
What are your current musical influences?
My current music influences are vast and they change regularly… sometimes wish my work would allow me to listen to more music than I can actually do as when you are producing long hours in the studio you are unable to be listening and appreciating other peoples work, something that for example someone that works in design or coding can do all day long. this year a landmark album for me was Kanye West – Yeezus and been listening to some classical composers from the beginning of the 20th century.
You’re a man of many talents! Do you prefer Djing or producing?
Both complement each other very nicely, but I do prefer producing especially working with other artists and musicians… when you are DJing you are basically an entertainer, you are there to entertain people and give them a good time. but when you are producing you are creating things. from where before there was nothing, there was just a blank page and silence you create songs that will then go out to the world and will give other people infinite hours of enjoyment. It is a privilege to be able to do that.
We know a lot of your original material was developed in Lisbon. What’s it like to return and DJ amongst the Portuguese club culture?
When we first started in the beginning of the 90’s there was no club culture in Portugal, so to return and play Portugal after all these years is always a pleasure, somehow the welcoming of the people there is always great, they are always very warming, welcoming and proud of having me back. Off course the music created in Portugal in my early years have a very special place with me as they were so important in shaping not just who I am today but also shaped the dance culture in Portugal. It is always special to DJ in Portugal and I wish it could happen more frequently.
Your 2001 hit ‘Touch Me’ is the ultimate floorfiller. It paved the way for dance music to cross over into the mainstream charts. How was this experience for you?
The success of Touch Me in 2001 started a new chapter in underground club records entering the mainstream charts. It also started a endless stream of similar releases straight after as many people tried to create a similar sound. Touch Me became a pivotal record in many DJ boxes all across the board, still to the date of today it’s a go to record to many DJs, just few weeks ago someone uploaded a video on Facebook where Carl Cox was playing the record at some daytime after party, everyone still loves this tune, there is something about the song that makes it very unique.
How did you choose the most suitable vocalist for Touch Me… Did you already know Cassandra Fox?
I didn’t choose her I found her one evening walking through Leicester Square going to meet my wife who was running the guest list at Home nightclub. The moment I heard her sing I knew I had to get her in the studio. So I got a friend to get her number for me and the rest is history. She came down to the studio and we wrote and recorded the song in 2 days.
What’s your opinion on the current production of dance music in the charts?
I think its amazing that what started as a underground culture in the 90’s has now invaded mainstream culture, yes there are many people that have jumped on the bandwagon of house music that did not belong here but that’s ok if they have something valuable to add to it. The culture has become so huge that to differentiate it from the original house music culture this more mainstream vein has been re-branded EDM.
Old house heads fell defrauded by it and frustrated from being left behind, but I think it is great for the whole culture to have exploded in such a way, the level of quality needed now to reach success has been raised and this is something that many old timers are having difficulty to understand.
Sometimes the moaners in this industry should try and channel their energy in making better music instead of bitching about their peers. In the past few years we are witnessing more and more behaviours that have nothing to do with the music but to do with attention seeking and that is across the board from the underground scene to the mainstream.
I think the quality of the music has increased tenfold in both worlds in the underground world and obviously in the mainstream EDM culture. To see such a wide range of talent achieve unimaginable things by making electronic beats in what most times is just a bedroom studio is incredible. I look forward to what still awaits us ahead.
We know fashion and music come from the same place of creativity. Have you ever Dj’d or soundtracked a catwalk?
Yes….. over the years I have created soundtracks for fashion shows and DJ on a few catwalk shows., every time it as been a great experience, very different from a nightclub set as you work with a brief and are challenged to come out of your comfort zone and create something very specific and new, totally something i want to continue doing in the future.
Who would you like to collaborate with in the future?
There are many artists I would still love to work in the future, I think my wish list would be artists like Hot Since 82, James Blake, Calvin Harris, Depeche Mode, DJ Koze, Daft Punk or producers like Dr Luke, Rick Rubin, Jamie XX or musicians like Chick Corea, Gilberto Gill etc I think the list is still endless.
We’re excited for your album next year, what are your musical plans for 2014?
I’m currently recording a series of EP’s for Kismet records that will be seeing the release date through the beginning of 2014, I’ve also been busy developing other artists and writing in many genres, and doing the odd remix, but for sure the highlight will be the album towards the end of 2014.
Rui Da Silva releases ‘New Lover Ft. Penny F’ and remixes on Kismet Records 24th February followed on by a new album release in 2014.
Rui’s latest body of work spawns his new track ‘New Lover’, an in toxic mix of all his finest ingredients that embraces all the unique elements of his finely honed and recognisable sound. It’s a track packed with hypnotic layers and haunting tribalistic vocal’s with a collaboration from one of the UK’s most freshest rising talents, Penny F, an undeniably lustrous mix.
