Da Funk is an established DJ and music producer that keeps surprising with new and powerful releases in a constant basis. Some of his previous releases have been made through labels like Anjunadeep, Plastic City, Pacha, Forensic, iRecords, and Peppermint Jam, among others, which have seen him reach new listeners and followers all over the world. Between his hard-hitting releases, official remixes for artists like Ian Pooley, Kevin Yost, the Rulers of the Deep, and Tucillo and his widely popular weekly radio show Only Silk Deep Sessions, Da Funk continues to put his name high on the list of artists to follow. This time, with the release of his latest track ‘Overcome’ we sat down to ask him more about the behind the-scenes process of this single.
Hello Da Funk, how are you?
I’m fine, thanks.
After almost a year long hiatus a few years back, you started releasing music again. What was that all about?
I was burnt out form all the work I’ve done with producing close to 150 releases, running a monthly radio show and the label for years.
I desperately needed time to reflect on everything I’ve gone through and needed to learn to not define myself by works and re-focus to what’s really important. I initially thought I’d never make music again but the love for it was stronger.
‘Overcome’ your latest single is out now, what inspired you to produce this track?
I always make music out of a mood and ‘Overcome’ was made at a time when I felt that many things in this world were rapidly changing and not for the better. Out of this initial weird mood and the fact that life here on earth is temporary, suddenly came a peace of mind and the assurance of faith of what’s to come after this world is fading away. And with this peace which transcends all understanding, ‘Overcome’ came to me.
Which part of the track did you start with first?
I started with harmonies and melodies but as mentioned, I got to have some sort of direction and the vision of it in my heart first and then create it with sound. So that would be the real start, I’d say.
Did you use any plugins or samples during the production of this track?
All my productions always consist of a mix of synths, samples, programmed drums and various plugins for different tasks. When I started producing music over 20 years ago, I only used hardware, which means I wasn’t doing anything screen-based. I incorporated software into my productions much later on.
How would you say this song differ from previous releases?
I don’t think it differs. It’s a classic Da Funk production. I’m always trying to push my creativity with the music I make. I listen to and appreciate so many different styles and genres of music and try to encapsulate a variety of influences into my sound. Always with the hope that my music speaks to the listener in a way only music can, regardless of the style or genre.
How long did it take you to finish working on ‘Overcome’?
That’s impossible to answer, because I lose the feeling of time and space when I make music.
The initial Idea came quick though.
How do you know when a track is ready?
Good question. There’s this saying that ‘Art is never finished, only abandoned’ which is true. It’s important to me not to overthink or overcomplicate everything and to just let go when it feels right to do so.
What would you say is the best thing to keep in mind when making music?
To remind myself that music is a powerful universal language and it is my given chance to translate my most intimate feelings and emotions into sound.
What’s coming up for Da Funk?
I recently cleaned up my ‘unfinished tracks’ folder which contains a huge number of demos I have made over the years. I have started to finish the best ones with the idea to finally release them. Follow me on my Instagram, Facebook or Twitter where I regularly post snippets of music I’m currently working on.
Stream this new single below and on all other platforms here.
Follow Da Funk:
Website / Instagram / Soundcloud / Mixcloud
