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For the next episode of their weekender sessions, We Are E is taking you to the French side of things with one of their friends from the South, Rodriguez Jr. With a remix on the first release of the We Are EP label and an energetic performance during the release-party earlier this year, this former member of F-Communications’ The Youngsters returns to present his new album, Bittersweet, in Amsterdam. Just before his visit this weekend we got to ask him some questions.
You recently released your first full-length album, how is it being received?
“Feedback on Bittersweet is very good so far, so I guess people and press enjoy it. It’s quite a pain in the ass to sell records these days, but the mobilee crew did a great job to push it forward. I am a happy man.”
Rodriguez Jr. – Bittersweet album – mobileecd013 by mobilee records
Your sound has developed into something more ‘housy’, compared to some of your older tracks. How come?
“I can’t do the same thing every time. The strong melodic identity is still very present, because that’s the most important part of my sound and background. But I’m also looking for something warmer and sexier. This is why my beats have evolved into something more housy and slightly slower. Early Chicago house has been a huge influence when I began producing dance music in the 90s, but I’ll probably come back to a more techno mood later. You never know.”
In support of your new record you engaged in a European tour that’s taking you to countries & venues you’ve never played before. Any culture shocks so far?
“No culture shocks, but a lot of beautiful encounters with nice people. I love travelling, it’s such a nice experience to share your own music with different crowds all over the world. And of course I’ll be popping by Amsterdam again, really looking forward to another gig together with We Are E! Unfortunately I missed ADE this year, so I need some Dutch madness. It’ll be good fun to see my friends again and to share the decks with talents like Nuno and Olivier. I’m sure it’s gonna be a big night.”
Has your live set changed a lot since the last time you played in Amsterdam?
“I play some new tracks from the album, but also older ones like Lila and Kids Of Hula. I try to improve my set each weekend, depending on the feedback from the dancefloor. It’s all about details, but it can make a big difference. I might also bring extra pieces of equipment for this gig, since Studio 80 is a great place to experiment.”
You also DJ sometimes, what was your latest genius discovery (artist or track)?
“The Polish scene is super hot at the moment: Marcin Czubala (his forthcoming EP on Mobilee is a sex bomb) or Catz’N Dogz with their label Pets Recordings. These guys show that house music can still be innovative and forward thinking.”
You’ve been in the studio with Marc Romboy remixing stuff, can we expect more collaborations like this?
“Marc is a good friend and his hometown is very close to mine. We enjoy hanging out for long discussions about music and life, and eventually cool studio sessions with sushi and optional beers. We’ll release an EP in December with a remix by Deetron. It’s very different from what I’m used to doing by myself, but it’s good to do something else. I’ll obviously cooperate some more, but that’s absolutely not calculated.”
Last time we spoke to you, you told us a full-length record would be the biggest accomplishment for you as a solo artist. So what’s the next step for Rodriguez Jr.?
“I still have a lot of things to improve production-wise, so the next step would be a second full-length album! Producing music is a never ending quest. I’m also working on a new set-up for my live shows, which is very time-demanding since we’ll integrate synchronised video and new kinds of controllers. I want to keep things fresh and exciting.”
We Are E with Rodriguez Jr (Bittersweet Album Tour)
When: December 3rd, 23:00 – 05:00Where: Studio 80, Amsterdam
Tickets: €12,50 in presale
Line-up: Rodriguez Jr, Nuno dos Santos, Olivier Weiter, Arjuna Schiks, Rauwkost
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