He’s young, he’s Swedish and he’s most definitely talented. A sure fire recipe for success which John Dahlback has been using to his advantage since his first release on Deep4Life in 2002.
Now it’s 2006 and his discography is growing at a frightening rate. John not only releases using his real name but also the two pseudonyms of HUG and Huggotron which have helped his name to fill the record crates of the world’s best DJs. Driving this success are some opportune signings with influential labels like Steve Bug’s Dessous and the Kompakt offshoot, K2.
It’s impossible not to feel a bit jealous of Dahlback with his overtly musical family background that has helped shape an artist who now finds himself dominating the upfront Swedish scene. Both of John’s parents are musicians by trade, and John has been known to team up with cousin Jesper Dahlback on occasion to produce some tech house hits under the outfit name, Hugg & Pepp.
We caught up with this multiple label owning Swede while he was in Japan for the first time to discuss albums, Swedish pop and multiple personalities.
> Interview : Mark Oxley (HigherFrequency) _ Introduction : Nick Lawrence(HigherFrequency)
HigherFrequency (HRFQ) : Up until 2005 you had a couple of EPs and many singles but no albums then suddenly out came two albums "Man From The Fall" and "Shades of a Shadow". Were these made up of material you had already recorded or was 2005 just a very productive year?
John Dahlback : Yeah 2005 was a massive year for me, because I did like so many tracks and I went in the studio almost all day every day and all night. Like, what I made from the beginning - 2001 - (compared to now) and say 'Man from the Fall' was a newer sound from me, so...I did both of them at that time.
HRFQ : Was everything that you made for each particular album, for 'that' particular album or did you kind of go ' ok I'll put this one here, and this one there etc' ?
John Dahlback : The first album, "Shades Of A Shadow", I did first ! So I did like, about 16 tracks for that, and then 16 for "Man From The Fall".
HRFQ : No overlap ?
John Dahlback : No.
HRFQ : What about the new album, "At The Gunshow", what can you tell us about that?
John Dahlback : It is a bit harder and it is coming out on my label Pickadoll, and it's more my sound now than "Man From The Fall", it is quite dark and more harder and stuff, than before.
HRFQ : Is that simply because of how you feel, how you have become? I mean did you want to produce darker sounds before?
John Dahlback : No, it is quite into the Pickadoll sound, and it is 'easier' than "Man From A Fall" there aren't as many things happening, it is quite simple.
HRFQ : Is there any difference in your music when you produce under your real name compared to when you record as Hug or Huggotron?
John Dahlback : Yeah I think the John Dahlback name is starting to go a bit more to the commercial side-funky and electro - and Huggotron is more into the techier style, and Hug is minimal, only for Kompakt! Like if people ask for a John Dahlback mix, I make Electro House, something 'easier', Huggotron, is darker.
HRFQ : Your music has received support from many different labels including Steve Bug’s Dessous so why did you decided to start up three of your own labels? (Jackmoves, Pickadoll, Dahlback Records)
John Dahlback : The first one was Dahlback with my cousin Jesper, and we did that because we wanted to release our own stuff and then I started Pickadoll, because it is my own, really my own label, I get to choose everything. Those two are like the main labels, and then we have like Jackmoves, which is a label which is more like a project.
HRFQ : So Jackmoves is when you decide to do something completely different?
John Dahlback : It is together with my friend David, so it is basically what we do in the studio, but Pickadoll is what I do in the studio, the music that I like.
HRFQ : Do you and cousin Jesper Dahlback have any sort of rivalry when it comes to producing music? Do you compete to see who can release the biggest tune or the most tracks?
John Dahlback : No I don't think so, because the main reason I started producing was because of Jesper, so I don't think there is any rivalry between us, there are just friendly music vibes. We sit in the same studio, there is sort of like a big basement, with six studios, me, Jesper, Joel Mull, Thomas Enora, Supersill, so everyone goes into each studio and says what they think and stuff, giving CD's to each other, it is a friendly place.
HRFQ : Is that in your basement?
John Dahlback : No, it is in another area, kind of a secret, there were a few studios robbed in the city so that is one reason we are now out of the city.
HRFQ : Your brother is a pop producer, has the thought of taking that route ever crossed your mind?
John Dahlback : Actually I Have worked a lot with a Swedish pop singer called Anna Ternheim, whom my brother is involved with. I remixed her. I think it is fun to remix pop and maybe it is the future when I am a bit tired of running a hundred labels!
HRFQ : How successful is that?
John Dahlback : It is quite successful in Sweden, but not international, because it is a typical Swedish pop song. Only a few artists make it outside of Sweden.
HRFQ : In Groove Magazine’s reader’s poll last year you received numerous accolades including 6th best track for the year with Hugg and Pepp ‘Snabeln’ as well as 7th best producer. How do you take this kind of recognition is it a surprise, does it make you happy, do you take any notice of it?
John Dahlback : I didn't really know, they didn't tell me or anything, I just read it in a magazine, but it is nice, but when I started producing I was so young, I was 16, so I heard a lot of talking behind peoples backs, so i learned to not care what people say, but of course when this comes I take it as a good thing.
HRFQ : You are still quite young for a producer and are obviously from Sweden. Both these attributes are quite popular in the industry at the moment but do you ever get tired of people focusing on your age and nationality?
John Dahlback : No I think it is positive, because the more people will probably listen to it, than if I was a thirty year old German producer, so I think it has been positive for me as an artist.
HRFQ : You are here for Metamorphose, are you looking forward to it?
John Dahlback : Yes of course, It is my first time in Asia ! My first gig here.
HRFQ : I'm sure you will love it. Thank you very much nice talking to you.
End of the interview
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