FJ003 - RENAISSANCE MAN

If you were smart about your game plane at Stereosonic last year, you wouldn't have missed Renaissance Man on the highly popular Outrage Stage. Bounding to fame with their catchy and unique style of tribal tech and minimal madness, the Scandinavian duo can do no wrong if you ask us. We recently caught up with them before they come back down under, logging up a few questions for the readers at home to get a better idea about the interesting guys!

The definition of a Renaissance man is a person who knows a little bit about everything but has mastered nothing.

It’s safe to say none of this applies to these guys. So boys, how did you do it?

Luck, a bit of skill and good timing! "Eighty percent of success is showing up." -Woody Allen.

What can we expect from your upcoming original EP? Do you agree the shift in musical preferences has changed what it takes to make a true banger?

In regards to our latest, EP... expect some genre bending house featuring a plethora of human voices. And yes, we definitely agree. Now it's more a competition of making the blandest and most generic tech house possible. Well, seriously, every now and then some quality music manages to penetrate the top 10 (Beatport) but most of the time we tend to avoid looking at it. It really does make you sad.

Come June, can we expect some cheeky surprises when you both venture back down under?

Most definitely. We have been pretty productive lately and have loads of unheard material waiting to be played out. We had a great time at Stereosonic however we are expecting to see more clothing this time.

Do you have any timeless beauties that have become integral in every set you play?

We always aim to play a good mix of old and new / timeless and contemporary. Derrick Carter's remix of Blaze's 'My Beat' is pretty integral in all of our sets.

Explain your thoughts on online media such as blogs. Friend or foe?

Well if one wants to accuse someone of stealing the finger shouldn't necessarily be pointed at online media as such - we basically built our career online. Then again it would be foolish for us to claim to know the future or the effects of the changes happening in the music industry. Everyone who claims that, and there are plenty around, is lying. 

Modern day inspirations?

Matthew Herbert, Roman Signer, Thomas Demand, Daniel Palillo, OK Do, jnejne.

How do you feel about incorporating vocalists into your productions?

Yes that's a thing we are working on at the moment actually (Editor note: maybe something we will see on their upcoming EP... we can only hope!).

Ever had a shocking gig? And while we are on the subject, tell us about your inspiration behind the ‘NOW’ night you started in early 2008.

Hah who hasn't had a shocking gig! The inspiration was just doing it for fun and the music. The best advice for people who are looking to throw a good quality event would be to build a real relationship with your audience and try to not be financially dependent on it.

Thanks for your time guys!

If you missed them last time, don't do it again! Check their Myspace here and be sure to keep up to date with them on Beatport and Facebook.

Hello Stereo :: Renaissance Man

For the past few years, Stereosonic has managed to round up the best artists from the dance music scene worldwide and ship them around the sunny parks and fields of Australia. In 2009, the crew are doing it all again and to a whole new level, one that adequately stamps Stereosonic as the fastest growing music festival in Australia. In the lead up to November 28th, when the tour kicks off in Sydney, we're showcasing six of our favorite artists from the insane line up, each serving as a comprehensive reason why you should be at one of the stops, if not more! Kicking off the set of six, we've got one of our favorite producers at the moment (no lies!), hope you enjoy.

Photo by Juliana Harkki

Renaissance Man

Let us set the scene by saying they are two Scandinavian DJ's, middle class by their own words. In 2008, they introduced themselves to their nation through party, a monthly night called NOW! in Helsinki to be precise. As they danced around in their own creative genius, rubbing shoulders with guest acts like Boy 8-Bit, Radioclit and Mowgli, something bigger began to prosper. It came in the form of 'Spraycan', the duo's first collaboration. Not only did the tune stamp their authority in the scene, it splashed something fresh in the face of club punters worldwide. It might leave you not knowing what to say, but if it leaves you'll be asking it to come back.

Turns out it wasn't a passing comment when Renaissance Man said they craft music without boundaries. Since the initial 'Spraycan' release came out on Switch's influential Dubsided imprint, the pairs tunes have hit punters via Sound Pellegrino (DJ Orgasmic's label) and Teki Latex, with future plans for the duo bordering on overwhelming. The Stereosonic tour marks their first appearance in Australia and with an arsenal of tunes and truck-loads of technical finesse, the two are more than ready to shock crowds. If you like your house music removed from the mainstream, you'll thank us for making your way to their set from start to finish. Expect a tribal mash of jackin', acoustic and melodic progression, and in saying progression, we mean it. You'll be there until they walk off the stage and the next DJ transports you back to that slightly more recognisable sound. Trust us, they are different. According to the two Scandinavians, they have a 75% change of changing the face of dance music forever and with what they've been doing lately, we like their odds. Enjoy these tunes, they'll keep you going until Stereosonic bumps through town (and dont forget to check back for the next 5 installments)!

Here's a bootleg/edit the two unleashed on their fans via Curb Crawlers, a blog they currently write for. It's an array of jazzy high-hat house, a walk through the jungle if you must.

Renaissance Man - Canto Della Kalimba Bootleg

This ones popped off Find Voltorb, Catch Voltorb (an excellent read at that) and is probably one of the more addictive Renaissance Man tunes we are to hear so far. It's a remix of Noob and Brodinski's 'Peanuts Club' tune and is as addictive as the original. Enjoy and thank FV,CV, then buy the tune when it drops

Noob & Brodinski - Peanuts Club (Renaissance Man PH 01 Remix) buy soon!

The have also two done a mix for Sixpack, a French clothing label (get your cool limited edition Renaissance Man T-shirt here). It drops a number of their forthcoming tunes and gives a pretty good cross-section of the sound they have got working for them at the moment. If you want the track list, I'd have a look in the comments.

Renaissance Man - Sixpack Mixtape

If your still begging for more hits of this new and addictive sound, here's another few jabs sourced via Hype Machine. If you like them, you should buy them. Beatport is a great place to start. Once you know the tune off by heart, you can catch them at any stop of the Stereosonic Tour this year!

Renaissance Man - Spraycan (Original Mix) buy this track
Renaissance Man - What Is Guru (Original Mix) buy this track

Renaissance Man on Myspace, Facebook, Twitter and Beatport.

Enjoy,
Sammy.