Your track ‘X‘ had been one of the most anticipated tunes of 2016 until it was released on Innervisions‘ Secret Weapons Pt.8, you also had the honor to remix Underworld this year and founded your label ‘Art Imitating Life‘ just to name some of your achievements in 2016. Would you say 2016 was one of the most successful years in your career and how do you measure success?
Eagles & Butterflies: Hello! Yes, 2016 was without a doubt my most successful year, when I look back it was really special for me. It‘s always lovely to release on Innervisions and the record was a big one for me, so to have it on my favourite label was great. I also got to remix some amazing artists like Underworld, RY X, Ludovico Einaudi and my brother Agoria, and played lots of really good shows like Circoloco, Sacred Ground, Awakenings, Mosaic for Maceo etc., and setting up my new label was the cherry on top! So yes , I am a super happy boy!
Dixon & Ame have been constant supporters of your recent work. How did the cooperation with them and Innervisions come about and how has working with Innervisions influenced your music?
Eagles & Butterflies: I just started sending Steffen and Kristian music a while back and they signed a record for Secret Weapons 7, then they started playing a lot more stuff and signed ‘X‘ for Secret Weapons 8. It‘s great to have their support as they are two of my favourite artists and it‘s still amazing to watch them both play my music. I wouldn’t say working with the label has influenced my music making so to speak, I don’t sit down and try and write another record for the label, I just make what I like, sometimes the boys like it sometimes they don’t.
You founded your label ‘Art Imitating Life‘. What was the trigger for you to start a label on your own and what is the label‘s goal in terms of music?
Eagles & Butterflies: I just wanted a fresh platform to release just my own music, where I control everything, the way it sounds and looks and I can put stuff out anytime I want to, that‘s it really. I‘m not trying to turn it to a huge label, just a nice little platform for my music. Each one is limited to 300 vinyl copies and it‘s always exclusive first with my lovely Muting The Noise family.
Remixing quite some artists is one thing, but if you could choose to work with any artist in the future, who would it be and why?
Eagles & Butterflies: Lana Del Rey, I love her music and her vibe, plus I love making that slow down tempo stuff, it‘s my favorite for sure.
What releases have been confirmed for 2017 and what can we expect from you this year?
Eagles & Butterflies: My next release will be on my label, which is 4 tracks from me. Then I have a release coming on another one of my favourite labels ,which is a 3 track EP, plus a collaboration or two and a few remixes.
You currently live in Los Angeles but you play a lot of places and countries around the world – so a lot of traveling is part of your life. What songs do you listen to during your travels at the moment?
Eagles & Butterflies: I listen to Ludovico Einaudi and Lana Del Rey a lot. I mainly listen anything that‘s not techno or club music to be honest.
How do you manage to cope with the lonliness during your travels?
Eagles & Butterflies: I love being on my own. I actually prefer it 90% of the time, I’m in my element locked away on my own in my studio or off on the road, a little sad maybe but that‘s the way I like it !
How do you perceive Los Angeles in terms of electronic music nowadays?
Eagles & Butterflies: It‘s great, every week you can see amazing talent here and some of the parties are great. You can’t compare it to Europe or South America etc., because it‘s a completely different vibe, but still the scene is really good.
Los Angeles is not the hub of the universe when it comes to electronic music. How did you first make contact with electronic music?
Eagles & Butterflies: Well, I’m English and only lived here for two years, before here I lived in Ibiza for three years and London before that. Daft Punk and the whole Ed Banger scene was what really got me hooked on electronic music.
Since you are based in Los Angeles, take us through a proper night out in L.A. Where do we start, what clubs do we attend, and where’s the afterparty?
Eagles & Butterflies: I actually never really go out in LA unless I play, because I‘m away every weekend and when I come home I pretty much don’t leave the studio unless it‘s to hit the beach.
Two turntables, a mixer, speakers, and maybe a few drinks. What else would you need to start a party and what would be your opening track?
Eagles & Butterflies: Just a handful of my favourite people would be perfect, and I would start with ‘Trauermusik‘ by Partial Arts.
https://soundcloud.com/held/partial-arts-trauermusik