Interview #3: Soul Button

For the 3rd interview, we could ask a few questions to the producer Soul Button, from the label Steyoyoke. We’ve been following this label for some time, and appreciate its philosophy, that focuses on the quality of music and provides a mix between  music and art.

Soul Button is back with an EP called “Play Again”, after a first release on Steyoyoke, and some remixes. Check out this interview to learn more about his project, his approach to music, his label, and much more…

Here is some music from him, to be played while you read it:

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Hello Soul Button! To begin, could you introduce yourself? How and when did you start to produce music?

Hi guys :),

Soul Button mainly is more a project than a producer or a DJ, so I would spend some words talking about the concept of the project and not about myself. I produce music and work in the music business for a long time and what I have learnt is that the connections are more important than the music you produce. It looks like your music is better if you have a great photographer for the press kit or if you are sponsored by Nike or if you are friend of some big artist. I got bored of this, and I think we are still in time to come back to the roots when people were just enjoying the music, as product. I’ll never be tired to say this in my interviews. The music is the product and it doesn’t matter if the producer is ugly. All of this to introduce Soul Button’s concept. Soul Button doesn’t want to show his face because he wants people to just enjoy what he creates. That’s it. … And .. it’s not a marketing strategy like someone already said … I’m just happy to know that someone likes my songs  🙂

Ah … there’s another question … well, I produced my first vinyl when I was 19 .. I was producing completely different stuff … It was almost 15 years ago. There was no Ableton Live etc etc etc .. not even good PC .. just AKAI samplers, some Roland and a super small 7” computer with cubase 1.0 eheheh .. pffffff .. A lot is changed in the music in 15 years.

Why did you choose to remain anonymous?

I already answered to it. The only thing I noticed is that lots of people now are spending time to search infos about me instead of just listening to my music.

GUYS! It’s not important to know who I am. Just listen to my music, if you like it !!!

Your bio says you used to produce hip-hop. How did you come to move towards house productions?

I started making techno music. Not the techno everybody knows now but the old hard techno. Producing techno music in that time meant working with loops. We were just cutting loops from other songs and working hours on the start and end point of the loop. I didn’t know anything about chords and notes. Then I discovered Hip Hop music and I wanted to approach that kind of beats and going down with the bpm. I recognized I needed to know some music theory and this was the definitive meeting I had with the “real” music. I studied music and produced hip hop beats for years but inside there was always the instinct to make people dancing because techno anyway was my first experience and I have the 4/4 kick in my blood. When I got back to the dance music I felt in love with the deep sounds. And I didn’t say deep house .. I only said deep sounds 🙂

You’re releasing your work on the German label Steyoyoke, which develops a particular philosophy of music. Why did you choose to work with this label, and what makes it special?

Yes of course, I love Steyoyoke. And I didn’t decide to work with them, I’m part of them. We are a group of people working together with the same two goals: working professionally and producing quality products and with products I mean ART. We don’t make only music but we are working hard in order to create the perfect mix between music and graphics. We are organizing lots of parties especially in Berlin and the focus is to create a real environment inside of the venue with wood sculputures, illustrations and exhibitions with the wonderful works of our graphic designer.

You should come to our first Anniversary at Ritter Butzke in Berlin on 22th of February 2013. We are preparing something …………… Don’t miss it !! There will be lots of new interesting things that need to be seen !!

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What can you tell us about Berlin and its electronic music scene? Should we come to visit 🙂 ?

Yes I already told you. You should come to the first Anniversary of Steyoyoke in February 🙂

Anyway, yes the Berlin electronic music scene is absolutely interesting. All the best producers moved to Berlin in the last 5 years. I would say Berlin is now like London was 10 years ago. The scene is definitely more underground and in general all the different collective are quite open to new projects. Lots of old and well-known labels already gave us their support .. for example Get Physical. You def should come to visit us 🙂

 Your new EP “Play Again” will be out in January, can you tell us more about it? What were your inspirations to compose it?

Yes I’m really excited about it. I didn’t expect all this support from the “big” DJs. I got positive feedbacks from artists like Silicone Soul, Oxia, Doctor Dru, Marco Carola, Digitaria, Hot Since 82, Pele, Dirty Doering, Robert Owens, Dubfire, Luciano, Kolombo etc etc .. Absolutely amazing when the artists of the big scene spend good words about your music but I’m honestly interested to the reaction of the “normal” listeners. So let’s wait how people will react.

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Inspiration?? Well, this is a hard question mainly because the three tracks were born in different periods. As you did notice, I love vocals. 🙂

What I wanted to do with this EP was something haunting, something who could catch the crowd in the club, and I tried to do it using vocals and hypnotic and deep sounds. All of this together with groovy beats. This is what I like at the moment. Deep pads, vocals which can bring you in another dimension and groovy beats. The bpm doesn’t matter.

Do you have tour dates planned soon?

Honestly I have to say I played a lot the last months but at the moment, I don’t have a clear plan for the upcoming months. My booker is working on different requests from completely different countries. I got requests from NY, Detroit, South Africa, Italy and Perú, but now I can not answer very well to this question. I talked a lot with my booker and we are trying to extend our next gigs in East Europe. Let’s see !!

What are your projects for the future?

Nothing totally defined, because I just finished this EP but I’m working on different other songs at the moment. I’m working on a song with Stee Downes and it looks like Andre Crom from OFF Recordings is interested. Then I’m preparing something for Sincopat, the spanish label of AFFKT and there’s a collabo in the air with Nick Devon, a cool friend of mine. My long term project anyway is to prepare an album but I think it will be ready end of 2013. Nothing defined but all planned in my mind eheh.

Could you recommend us 5 tracks you’re loving at the moment?

Ok … I’ll tell you the first 5 songs that come in my mind exactly in this moment.

Tom Budden – “Norooz” is my fav song at the moment, then Stefan Obermaier – “Apia” .. I totally respect the producer Stefan Obermaier .. I love his style. (

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Marian Brito – “Cronos” (Li-Polymer Remix) is another song I love now … I don’t know Marian Brito or Li-Polymer but I discovered this song and I felt in love.

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Daniel Moreno – “Put Off” is a 116 bpm song .. totally slow but super cool. I’m following from months this guy Daniel Moreno. If I remember well he’s a young guy from Colombia but I’m not sure.

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And the last song that actually should be maybe the first is Habischman ft Cari Golden – Diabolic (Martin Dawson Remix). I think Noir had a great idea to give this song for free after Martin passed away. I think I’ll never forget him thanks to his song. RIP?

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Would you like to add anything?

Yes, maybe it can seem like a promotion message but it’s not like that. I would spend some words talking about the love for the vinyl. Guys!! The price of a vinyl is more or less the same like a cigarette box. Let’s save our lungs and buy a vinyl instead. It’s really important to save the vinyls. The factories of vinyls are less and less day by day. And this is really sad. We don’t need to have absolutely a turntable, sometimes I even enjoy to have some vinyls on the shelves of my room. Let’s support the vinyls. Don’t forget 🙂

Thanks a lot guys, I loved to answer your questions.

Thank you Soul Button! 

“Play Again EP” is already out in vinyl, and will be out physically on January 3rd. You can check all the feedbacks here. As suggested by Soul Button, you can purchase the vinyl here!!

You can connect with Soul Button on Soundcloud and Facebook.