Interview with Boot Slap

Berlin based DJ/Live act Boot Slap is the meeting of minds of two artists who were brought together by their mutual love of electronic music.

Editor USM

Tue 6 Feb 2018

Hi guys and welcome on USM!
Hi, thanks for having us!

Where are you right now and what are you cooking?
We are sitting in our studio. It’s part of the Riverside Studios Community in Berlin. We love it because having so many like-minded people right next door gives us the creative exchange that is crucial for musical expression. Where else can you just knock at your neighbor’s door to get inspiration or a „neutral“ opinion. Right now, we are listening to the final versions for release no. 3 on Perplex. It’s coming from K.E.E.N.E., a very talented duo from Panama. Actually, they are even brothers. We are very much looking forward to having them on board. Welcome to the family. By the way, our 2nd release on Perplex is a burner from Thodoris Triantafillou that will be out in March 2018 - watch out for this!

How do you describe musically the year that passed and the new "ship" 2018? What you wish for this year?
Well, first of all, we had some great releases, one of which was out on Nite Grooves. This made us particularly proud because the label was home to many oldschool house legends - and now we are a part of it! And speaking of Thodoris Triantafillou - Who is it, our collaboration for Connaisseur, was quite successful. The tracks really got a very dynamic momentum - and that’s just how we produced them: We simply pressed record and let it go. In 2018, we will surely bring some burners to the world as well. And we are working on a brand new live act. One more personal wish for 2018 is being able to keep the balance between the creative and the, hmm, business part of making music. We are musicians to express ourselves after all.

We have already listen to your upcoming release "Fade into you" which also has a really nice approach of Boronas. Would you like to share some insights of this release?
Boronas is the winner of the remix contest that we made with MetaPop. He lives in Hamburg and is part of the infamous crew around Wareika. His remix of Fade into you is a drum-heavy reiteration of the original, giving it a late night, cavernous appeal. Well, it screams After Hour! With the release, we wanted to reactivate our own label Perplex. And as already mentioned, we have some great releases in the pipeline. But back to Fade into you: It’s driving, yet melancholic and Takis’ catchy vocal creates a spellbinding, complex atmosphere. We believe it’s a great starting point for our own label - but feel free to form your own opinion!

How difficult is it to stand as a duo in the electronic music scene? What is the key for a creative collaboration like yours?
Being a duo has advantages and disadvantages. It’s a little bit like being married. We both have special skills that complement each other. And even if there is friction from time to time, the result speaks for itself. The key is to let go and to trust. Never question the other one. You have to know exactly what the strengths of the other one are and put these in the foreground.

Tell us some words about the electronic music scene from your scope as an artist duo, what do you like and what you don't?
We really love the freedom that is fundamental to the scene. Everybody is accepted - no matter if small, tall, fat, thin, gay, straight… We are all equal on the dance floor! That’s what we are living. Another big bonus about being musicians is the ability to travel, to meet new people, to see many parts of the world and exploring them from another perspective than the average tourist. The downside is that some people tend to be unreliable and some act downright unprofessional. But that’s life, isn’t it?

What's your vision about the future of electronic music and business etc.?
The technological progress constantly changes everything from the creativity itself to the way music is consumed. We see that positively - because you can reach much more people than before. It’s good that there is development and we want to go with the flow. Be open to new things! The only question that remains is how to make a living in these days…

Now one favorite question... What's your opinion about the circulation of the same "popular" artists on every big festival? How can an upcoming artist/DJ survive on the scene if the possibility to perform at such events is minimum? There are a lot talented people in the shadows - what is your advice for them?
You have to stand out from the crowd. Because of the digital production possibilities, everyone can make music on their laptop, but very few people manage to develop their own style. That's the basis for success. It doesn’t help to run after every trend. And of course: Networking is everything! We recommend the book The Network always wins by Peter Hinnsen. Without network, northing works.

Have you any bookings for Greece in the short future? What are your plans for appearances ?
We are currently working on our live act that will be finished by summer. From then we are available again. At the moment we don’t have bookings in Greece. We had quite a few tours in Greece and it feels like we have been everywhere - and we simply love it: The sun, the food, the girls. There is nowhere as beautiful as in Greece.

What's your plans for today?
We have collected a lot of ideas for a new song. Today, we have to decide in what direction the track should go, what is essential. That’s often a difficult point during the production because it’s difficult to say: That’s it! And to stop looking for more new sounds and layers.

Share with us something positive and motivating?
Do not forget to have fun with what you do and stick to your goal. Do not give up immediately, many things will resolve themselves. Love and peace!

Thank you for your time and good luck! :) Positive vibes from all our team

Artist links
https://www.facebook.com/boot.slap
https://soundcloud.com/boot-slap
https://www.instagram.com/boot.slap

Pre Order Link
https://www.beatport.com/release/fade-into-you/2195337