SHA Interview // Eelke Kleijn

With his new release Levengenieter unleashed last week on Outside The Box Music, SHA’s Craig catches up with DJ, producer, composer, mastering engineer and pretty much anything else you can throw at him, Eelke Kleijn.

EELKE KLEIJN

Welcome to SHA Eelke Kleijn! How are you today?
I’m very well, thank you

Your new EP Levensgenieter was released on January 16th on your own Outside The Box Music imprint. What was the story behind this release and how has the reception been?
Well Levensgenieter was a record I wrote somewhere mid 2011. I’d been getting great feedback on it during my live gigs. I had also decided I want to release more of my own material on Outside the Box, so I figured this would be a good way to start 2012. Flierefluiter, the B-side, was a bit of a deeper cut to complement the peak time – housey vibes of Levensgenieter.

Eelke Kleijn – Levensgenieter / Flierefluiter by Eelke Kleijn

You’ve been making music since around 2003 but made your breakthrough when Nick Warren selected your track 8 Bit Era for his GU30: Paris compilation. How did you get started in music, was it always what you wanted to do?
I think I was 15 when I realised I wanted to work in music while going to clubs. I’d been taking piano lessons since I was 12, and had also started to work on my own music. The first release came in 2003 when I was 18 and it just gradually took off from there.

Following from the track featuring in GU30, Global Underground signed you up and released your debut album Naturally Artificial which received widespread acclaim. How did it feel to be signed and promoted by such an influential label?
That was really a wonderful feeling. You know, I was already really thrilled to have my track 8 Bit Era appear on Nick Warren’s mix CD on GU, but getting my album signed there a few months after was off this world. I think that really launched my career when the album came out in 2007.

With a successful album under your belt you were now travelling the World djing. From Argentina to Ibiza via Dance Valley in your native Holland you have played clubs and festivals alike. What have been the highlights of your far spread travels?
Well the number one highlight is still Moonpark in Buenos Aires. It’s one of the best events to play at, with 9000 music lovers going crazy to your music from the first second to the last. But it’s really closely followed by Warung Club in Brazil. I really love to play there, it feels so intimate yet you can fit 3000 people inside. And the vibe is like nowhere else.

You started your own label Ouside The Box Music in 2006 and the label celebrated its 50th release in 2011 with the album The Sound Of Outside The Box. What challenges have you faced to reach this milestone and how did you celebrate?
Well I think the number one challenge is the one everyone in the music scene is currently dealing with, the drop of sales. When we just started the label and had no name in the scene whatsoever, yet we easily sold 500 to 700 copies of an EP, even from unknown artists. Nowadays the numbers are far lower than that. It’s got to the point where the label is just mainly used for promotion and not a source of income anymore. However, if you look past that and accept the fact that people consume music in a different way nowadays, I think the quality of our releases has only gone up during the last years.

Not content with djing, producing and running a label you also host a monthly podcast, offer mastering services and have created scores for film and tv. Wow! When you get some time off, how do you relax?
I like to do a lot of sports. I go climbing, mostly indoors occasionally. And I also like to swim or work out in the gym. I try to go out the practise some sport every day, being locked up in the studio or in an airplane seat is just not good for anyone. I try to get at least some movement every day.

You have remixed for the likes of Sander Kleinenberg, Way Out West and Hybrid. Is there anyone you take inspiration from and would like to work with one day?
Yes, definitely. I’d love to remix some of the bigger acts out there like Unkle, Depeche Mode or the Cinematic Orchestra. They all inspire me in some way or another.

What can we expect to see in 2012 from yourself and Outside The Box?
More music from myself on Outside the Box Music. I want to try and release more of my music on the label, I’ve already started on this path in 2011 with Doordrammer and early this year Levengenieter, more is definitely to come.

RELATED LINKS

EELKEKLEIJN.NL
OUTSIDE THE BOX MUSIC
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
SOUNDCLOUD