Julien Chaptal is one of the key players of the blossoming Amsterdam music scene: a multitalented dj, producer and live-act with a string of quality club hits to his name. He will play at Jungle Experience this weekend for their 11th of February Midnight opening so we catch up with him just as he is boarding his flight here to Koh Phangan...
https://soundcloud.com/savedrecords/julian-chaptal-illin-original
Hey, so are you looking forward to coming to Koh Phangan?
I haven't been on the island for several years now, and it is my absolute favorite place to be so... Yes!
Have you been before or what have you heard?
Several times, and I've heard it's still hot!
What have you been up to already this year?
It's been a busy start of the year with gigs. Some of the highlights so far have been the release party of my upcoming EP in the mighty Folklor club in Switzerland and the start of a new live set project with Tobi Neumann, Alex Picone and Maayan Nidam, called The Kicks. We had a pretty wild kickoff in Berlin 2 weeks ago.
On the production side, David Labeij and I have a string of releases planned for this year on our MFD label, starting with an EP we've produced with San Proper, coming out in 2 weeks. And my first solo release in a little while on Fantastic Friends Recordings comes out in March.
You're playing Jungle Experience, have you heard how awesome it is?
I have heard the most amazing stories about the party, this is probably the gig I am looking forward to the most for the coming period.
I visited Phangan with friends a few years ago and ended up in the jungle for a half-moon party which is one of my most memorable party experiences to date. No doubt this one has the potential to top it on the list!
What will you bring that is unique to Jungle?
I won't divulge that just yet, you'll have to lookout for it on the night.
What are your main projects for the rest of the year?
I have had a great big burst of inspiration in the studio lately which should translate into a string of releases throughout the year. And of course performing live or DJing wherever, and whenever I get the chance!
And leave us with your music philosophy....
I'm feeling truly blessed to have the chance to live a life filled with musical adventures the last 15 years or so, and very conscious of it when offered to play in magical places such as Phangan.
I have learned to take things as they come over the years and mostly to try and find the sources of inspiration for my music in the smallest of things. Experimentation is key, it is all too easy to get stuck in familiar patterns when producing and playing dance music.
The duo I formed together with David Labeij is the best example of the kind of energy I like to have when making music, we let our machines run, press records and let a flow grow organically, that's how we get that feeling of discovering new musical grounds each time we meet.
Keep updated with phanganist.com by following our Facebook page.
