dublon is the Oslo-based producer harnessing feel-good euphony and mindfulness in speckled jazz-house compositions. Pivoting to production when he was just 14, dublon found and finessed his soporific sound after a residency in the Norwegian capital. Inspired by the mercurial energy shift that occurs after-hours and memories of Scandinavian summers on the coast, dublon’s debut EP ‘Nectar’, out today via Delicieuse Musique, is a placid injection of his core influences: pop, electronic, classical and jazz. Bringing together collaborators like Nathan Haines, Stockholm collective TABLE, Texan artist Deza and Tour-Maubourg, ‘Nectar’ places dublon firmly in the beat-driven Soultronic category.
Road-testing a sound that moves mellifluously between club and noir grandeur, culminating with a marquee show at The Jazz Cafe in London, dublon lets CLASH in on his origin story while curating an exclusive mix of unperturbed bliss. Tune in now.
—
—
Where are you from in Norway?
I’m from a small coastal town called Risør in the southern part of Norway.
Do you come from a musical family?
My mom has been playing piano and singing since she was a kid, and my father has been doing musical theatre for many years. Also, all of my siblings have been playing instruments like violin, cello, trumpet and bass throughout my childhood.
At what age did you seek out music as a creative outlet?
I started playing the classical violin when I was seven years old because my older sister did it and I got inspired by her to start. I also played drums for a few years before I switched over to producing music on my laptop when I was 14 years old.
Your music evokes your Norwegian roots; it has a strong sense of place and the people that occupy it. Tell me a bit about what makes Norway so special and how it feeds into your creative repertoire?
First of all Norway is crazy cold during the winter, so I don’t feel bad for spending almost all my time in the studio from October to April. Also, the ‘Nectar’ project was inspired by Scandinavian Summers and culture.
Tell me how you came upon the jazz-house hybrid sound that’s now become your signature? Which artists/albums in the jazz and electronic realm inspired your musical origin story?
It all started when I got a DJ residency at a high end hotel in Oslo. I felt like I had to play music that fit people in suits and nice dresses, but also music that fit grabbing a drink on a Saturday evening. I started researching and found artists like Chaos in the CBD, Tour-Maubourg, St Germain and a new artist with only one song out, Berlioz.
Can you pinpoint a live musical experience by an electronic artist that galvanized you?
I got to see Chaos in the CBD play live in Oslo last year. That was the first time I had seen them live and they played a crazy good show. Their song-selection, mixing and vibe was on another level. I got so jealous of their record collection.
As a producer, what’s your method? Does melody come first and then the feeling? Do you go into the studio with a firm idea of what you want to create?
Most of the time I start with making a groove. I feel like in the house genre it’s really important that the groove feels good on its own. Then I sit by the piano and play around with chords until I play something that feels fresh. A lot of times I also bring some of the grooves to a great pianist I work with, Ole Petter. I bring him grooves and ideas and he plays chords and solos over the tracks. I also try to imagine a place or feeling when I work on the tracks, like an oyster bar or being in Paris in the summer.
Why did you settle on the name ‘Nectar’ for your debut EP?
I feel like Nectar is a good way of describing how the songs on the EP sound. Soft, natural/raw sounds mixed with the electronic house elements. I’m also obsessed with how the word looks!
What’s your favorite song from the EP?
My favorite song from the EP is ‘As If’. That song started out very different and just fell into place a few weeks before the deadline. I love how it’s so slow but still feels groovy enough to play in a club set. I got a few great musicians on the track with me: Ole Petter Ålgård on keys, Anders Hefre on sax and Elias Løstegaard on bass.
Tell me a bit about your collaborators on this EP and what they brought to the table?
I’m so happy to have some amazing musicians and artists join me on my debut EP. Deza is a good friend of mine that I have been working with the past four years. She’s an insane singer, songwriter and producer and I’m always blown away by her skills. I’ve been really inspired by Tour-Maubourg since I discovered jazzy house music, so I’m so happy to have him on this project. He’s a great producer, DJ and just a good guy!
Nathan Haines was a dream collaborator for me. His sax and flute solos are insanely good, and I had been listening to his music for a long time before I finally asked him to join me on the EP. The final collaborators on the EP are the boys in TABLE. They’re great producers and musicians from Sweden. I’ve been talking with them for over a year and we’ve sent demos back and forth the whole time. I’m really happy they wanted to be a part of the EP.
What do you want listeners to feel when they experience ‘Nectar’ from start to finish?
When listeners listen to Nectar from start to finish I want them to feel like it’s a warm summer night somewhere in Europe drinking wine in a hip bar with friends.
Which contemporary artists are you impressed by right now? Anyone new or upcoming we should be checking out?
I am really impressed by TABLE. They shine through in the jazz house space with great productions and mixes. It feels like they bring something fresh to the scene.
Your CLASH DJ mix is an extension of your sound, tailor-made for long summer nights. Languid but rhythmic and sensory. Tell me about the tracks from other artists you included and how they fit into this world you’re building with your own original releases?
I mostly included new songs from people I listen to at the moment. The Teuteu remix is a new favorite of mine by a super talented producer and musician within the jazz house space. I randomly discovered the track a few weeks ago in a playlist and had to buy it straight away. Of course I had to include some TABLE originals and also Nathan Haines’ great new collaboration with Chaos in the CBD. I feel like there’s a lot of great new music being released at the moment, so it was fun showcasing that in this mix.
You’ll be performing at The Jazz Cafe. That’s a pretty huge affirmation of your talents. What can we expect from your set?
I can’t wait for that show! I’m going to play a lot of my new music but also showcase old tracks I have been inspired by. For the CLASH mix I only mixed new songs, however during The Jazz Cafe show I’m going to play a lot of older songs from the 2000s mixed in with the newer songs.
Looking to the foreseeable future, what can we expect from you?
You can expect a lot of new music and exciting collaborations with both singers and producers. Also continued touring all over the world at club venues and festivals.
—
Tracklist:
dublon – As If
dublon – Viceral
dublon – Belle
Michael Benedikt – Highway (Teuteu Remix)
dublon – Pollen
dublon, Con Cook – Deja Vu
AVA Lava, Makèz – Closer
dublon, Nathan Haines – CPH
Soul Groove (UK) – Late Night Caller (Retromigration Remix)
dublon, Tour-Maubourg, Manon – Raining but it’s ok
TABLE – Cosmo
dublon, TABLE, Deza – Salve (unreleased)
Chaos in the CBD, Nathan Haines – Love Language
dublon, deza – Evolution
—
Join us on WeAre8, as we get under the skin of global cultural happenings. Follow Clash Magazine HERE as we skip merrily between clubs, concerts, interviews and photo shoots. Get backstage sneak-peeks and a view into our world as the fun and games unfold.
