Daniel Dejman put out his ‘STTÆB’ EP on his Slow Dancing To Techno imprint last month, so we thought this would be a good moment to have a chat with the Chicago based techno producer.
Why music?
It’s my way of expression. I fell in love with electronic music at an early age, and I knew I had to do something with it!
If you weren’t making music what would you be doing?
Managing.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Buy the rumour, sell the news
What inspires you?
Friends, family, artists I look up to, live shows.
What’s the next big thing?
Trance, but who knows!
Best club experience?
What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
Worked at a deli, boss was an asshole!
How do you know when a track’s finished?
When it passes the car test!
What was your last day job and when did you realise you could give it up?
I worked at a hospital as a Radiographer. It always crossed my mind to give it up, but I came to the final realisation in 2015.
Which song do you wish you wrote?
Joey Beltram – ‘Energy Flash’.
What’s the easiest way to make it in the music industry?
Network, work on your craft, and keep creating content.
What’s the worst track you’ve ever released?
I’ve never released my early productions when I first started producing, but boy were they bad! Lol.
Recommend us a film.
Swingers.
Recommend us a book.
Medical Medium.
What or who is underrated?
In & Out Burger.
What or who is overrated?
Lebron James (#MJallday).
What are you addicted to?
Matcha (green tea).
What do you lust over?
Rolada (fruit & nut snack).
What is your greatest regret?
Everything happens for a reason, no regrets!
What one thing would most improve your life?
A music manager.
What’s the worst gig you’ve ever played?
A couple of years back in Chicago, we did a day time party, and the outlets where we had all our equipment plugged in kept tripping, and the music kept cutting off every 20 min.
Collaboration: rich creative experience or pain in the ass?
Creative experience for sure!
What’s the secret to a great mix?
It’s like a film, you want to grab their attention in the beginning, tell your story, and end with a bang!
If you could only listen to one more track, what would it be?
Sylvester – You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real).
How do you relax?
Steam room & hot tub.
What one piece of software/kit could you not do without? Why?
I would say Maschine, by Native Instruments. I’ve been using for the past couple years now, and it’s just so user friendly. You can create on the fly and put so many different elements in one piece of software, and basically create a track. I recommend for anyone who is starting to produce. Dave Spoon once said, “It’s not what you have in the studio, it’s how you use it’’.
Art or money?
Money comes and goes, Art is forever.
Ronaldo or Messi?
Messi.
Strangest place you ever wrote a track?
In the shower.
Must-visit record store?
Clone in Rotterdam.
What’s your single biggest frustration in the music industry?
Ahhh there are many things, but I would go with sending out demos/promos.
What’s your favourite label? Why?
At the moment I would say Hector Oaks label. They have a collection of artists that have put out some hard-driving Techno.
What’s the worst thing about making music?
Writer’s block, trying to finish a track.
What’s your motto?
Never give up.
Name something timeless
Studio 54.
Tweet us a tip. What’s the best production advice you can give in 140 characters or less?
Start with the percussion, then incorporate everything else around it to fit the rhythm. Bass, synths, leads, etc…
Complete this sentence: At heart I’m just a frustrated …
Introvert.
Can music change the world?
It has, and it still can. Many artists in our past have lost their lives for singing/preaching/rapping about the things they believe.
What are you listening to right now?
Kaytranada & The Weeknd.
What should you do before you die?
Whatever your dream may be, just go for it! And if you don’t, you may never know what the outcome may have been if you had tried!
Follow Daniel on Facebook
STTÆB is available here.