New Talent Exposed: Interview with Michiel van Eekhout aka Microvibez
Microvibez’s real name is Michiel van Eekhout, he was born at 16-02-1979. Coming from Arnhem, the capital of Gelderland in the east of Holland. Microvibez had followed the musical trends from the age of five years old. As a little kid he played the violin directed by the piano played by his mother whose studied piano and violin on the university. From that day on music became his niche. So he grew up with music around him. Since the introduction of electronic music he decided to practice his mixing skills. From the start he played Drum&Bass but nowadays he only plays Techhouse, Progressive and Techno. Because of his big interest in how the sounds he mixed are created Microvibez decided to produce music by himself. When his skills came at a higher level he met more and more people in the dance scene and those people also learned to know him. This resulted in the start of a producing career. Releases Due the friendship with a colleague producer, Microvibez met Michel Beugel a.k.a DJ Milo.nl. Michel Beugel, owner of Refuge Record ( High Fashion Music) told him that he really liked Microvibez’s sound.
From that day on Microvibez’s mixing & producing future was settled. Microvibez has joined the Record label of Michel Beugel and his first release was born. After his first record was released on the 16th of February 2010, international remixes and some nice techno / techhouse and progressive productions of himself .
Due this and his latest TECHNO releases he already is supported by big names for the likes of: Jean Claude Ades, Marco V, Gareth Whitehead, Tom Novy, Michel de Hey, Bush Records (Steve Mulder, Roel Salemink e.o),Joachom Garraud Ferhat Albayrak ( Jeton records ) and many others. Refuge Digital In 2010 the owners of Refuge Records decided to launch their sub label for the underground music. They asked Microvibez to be part of and manage the sub label Refuge Digital by promoting the label due names like above, cooperating with labels like Moda Music, Kiss my Kick, Bonzai and sign up dj’s for the likes of Roel Salemink (Bush Records, Intec, Bullet dodge), Ken Abel(Funky Bastard), Bugle & Smit e.o..
Microvibez already has been charted as one of the best newcomers of 2010 f.e. on www.1mix.co.uk and announced to get big in the techno scene for sure.
2011 is already signed up for Roasted records with remixes by Robot needs oil & Rosie Romero & Jeton records!
Definitely he is a great upcoming talent in the modern techno scene and for that reason I wanted to have an interview with him. We manage to organize it and here it Michiel aka Microvibez in a very cool interview where you can read about his foundations in EDM, his present releases and his future plans.
Interview is written and conducted by Dimitri Kechagias “Flux Bpm On The Move”
Dimitri: When and where you were born?
Michiel: I was born on the 16th of February 1979 in Schagen, Holland
Dimitri: Are you fortunate enough to come from a family that has any kind of connection with music and maybe particularly electronic music?
Michiel: Yes I am actually. My mother achieved a masters degree at the conservatory where excelled as a violinist (academy of music)
Dimitri: Did you have the support of your parents to pursue your musical career?
Michiel: Always. As a small child the music of Mozart & Bach were part of my favourite repertoire as I played on a small violin accompanied by my mother playing the piano. Nowadays they love to see that my passion for music never ceased.
Dimitri: Is it possible to list for us the Top 5 djs or EDM producers that have the major influence in your style of your productions and give us a short comment about each of them?
Michiel: Len Faki, different tracks but so full of sound
Adam Beyer, I have always loved his drumcode department, a true King!
Chris Liebing , because of his livesets
Speedy Jay, great appearance and totally wicked livesets
Richie Hawtin / Plastikman…One of my heroes from the beginning. …
Adam Beyer, I have always loved his drumcode department, a true King!
Chris Liebing , because of his livesets
Speedy Jay, great appearance and totally wicked livesets
Richie Hawtin / Plastikman…One of my heroes from the beginning. …
Dimitri: For which label was your first production and which track was the one that you believe that has helped you to get more recognition and support in the techno scene?
Michiel: In the beginning of 2010 Refuge Records started the sublabel Refuge Digital which includes the Techno &Tech house styled music productions. Michel Beugel, owner of Refuge Records gave me the opportunity of managing the sublabel. So my first production was on our own label. With my remix (together with Roel Salemink) for Ferhat Albayrak’s Ater Modus EP on Jeton Records I actually got more recognition. I Started to show up in playlists. My latest track on Jeton Records received massive feedback by global dj’s resulting in a recognition boost which I tremendously enjoyed.
Dimitri: Do you have professional training in music or are you self-taught?
Michiel: As I mentioned I was influenced by my mothers musical talent, but since the electronical era expanded, I taught myself the ropes as a producer.
Dimitri: Do you think it very important for a young producer to attend music composition classes or you feel as many people that formal training kills creativity and innovation and nowadays its easier to learn to produce with amateur video tutorials from you tube?
Michiel: It depends… By exploring each and every single technique on my own, and with my musical background, I relayed on my own tecnical interpretations, feelings and developments. And as a result, certainly not the best example of one following courses and tutorials. As a result of the last 10 years, I followed my own musical instinct and was able to achieve my own style and sound. Nowadays classes and youtube tuts could be a shortcut to achieve the same level in a much sorter time, but it can also harm your own style by being pushed into one direction… For me, in the end it’s all about getting my passion & creativity across, weaving my mindset and emotions/feeling into my project… I believe that’s what producing is all about… For me, it has nothing to do with time
Dimitri: Please take on a virtual tour in your home studio and let us know the kind of hardware that you use. Do you have favorite music composition software that you love to use and you can recommend to other artists as well as reliable and with vast creative possibilities?
Michiel: So on my left and right I observe two beautiful KRK Rokits nearfield speakers … I use an m-audio midi keyboard to stretch my vingers and create melodies, tunes etc. I use an M-audio Audiocard which I have had for a long time, subsequently it records and plays on big time quality. For making beats and some nice drumpatterns I use my baby…The NI Maschine…This is also a great device to use when I’m doing my livesets. I sold most of my hardware, because of the new nice sounding VSTi’s. As a Daw I use Cubase…Once I started producing with this DAW I never got rid of it. Ten years ago everybody I knew worked with this DAW, but with the new software releases like Ableton (which is fabulous, I must say) a lot of producers made a jump. Not for me…I know this Daw from A to Z. So it really takes a longer time to get to know Cubase inside out, but if you are skilled with Cubase you really do know what all the specific terms of use in producing mean. If you are just starting and want to create music in a fast way, I would recommend Ableton Live actually… This one I use for my livesets in combination with some of my hardware.
Dimitri: Is it possible to tell us under which circumstances did you met Dj Milo.nl., what is your opinion about his presence in the EDM scene and how did you end up releasing your tracks in his label?
Michiel: I met Milo.nl by a collegue producer. We started talking about doing things together, because he didn’t really know the ins and outs in the Techno scene. By listening to some of my tracks and seeing the potentional in my music he decided to give me the privilege of releasing the first track on Refuge Digital. After this our professional relation developed into a valuable friendship till this day on.
Later on he decided to give me opportunity of managing the sublabel. It is evident that his presence in the EDM scene is already picked up by big names like Armin van Buren and Tiesto, just to name a few.
When you listen to his tracks and high positions in the charts I can only be a proud friend and colleague!
Dimitri: Can you describe to us the sound that you are producing. Is it the classic sound of techno or is it a future form of techno that incorporates variety of influences?
Michiel: Techno…but in every possible way. My niche is a driving sound that gets into the “hands up” festival ambience. I like a deep sound, buth within some bright vocal/synth spheres.
But then again sometimes I lean towards a slower techno productions, just to take my own personal break and get influenced in another way. For example I created the Anthem for the "Have A Nice Day Festival". That one is also listed in the Jean Claud Ades Radioshow
Dimitri: Can you explain the way that you produce a track. Do you start always from the start of it or you work first in the break and then with the rest of the parts?
Michiel: It depends. Sometimes I hear a sound, just anywhere, and it starts to form it's own life within my head, giving way how to incorporate the drums into my fantasies, inspiration, dreams and creativity. When that happens I work from the middle to the beginning and from the middle to the end. Eventually I do have to work from the beginning to the end right? For remixes this is the way I always start my arrangements.
But sometimes I just freak around by creating drumloops for the beginning and built it up to the climax…I put in sounds that inspire me at that very moment and see what happens. So I do not work in one specific way or follow well known standard path…
Dimitri: Your current releases include tracks on Jeton records and Roasted records. Can you please tell us which tracks are you going to release on this label and how did you manage to get the attention of them?
Michiel: My release on Jeton is coming out this june the 30th 2011. It is called Microvibez – The Synced EP. This package ,with wemixes by Ferhat Albayak, Invite an Roel Salemink has gotten huge support. I met Ferhat Albayrak (Jeton Records) by doing a remix for him together with Roel. So he liked the style and we decided to stay in contact. After a while I decided to send him some material of which I thought he would like. And that’s when my The Synced EP on Jeton Records became a fact.
For Roasted I also signed two tracks. They will come out later this year. Roasted was founded by Roel Salemink who I ave known for quite some time now. I maintained contact with Roel because us having that same techno insanity/ passion and also since we lived close by in the eastern part of Holland.
Dimitri: From the tracks that you have released so far is it possible to choose your favorite that you believe is going to become a classic and pass the test of time?
Michiel: Basically I have to choose one out of each genre.
For Techno that should be: The Synced (Jeton), or Confused Mutants (Roasted). Sorry can’t choose between these two…yayks!
For techhouse definitely «Have A Nice Day «The Anthem (Refuge Digital)
For techhouse definitely «Have A Nice Day «The Anthem (Refuge Digital)
Dimitri: When was your first ever dj gig and how did you felt about this experience?
Michiel: Well let me think, it was something like 5 years ago when together with a friend….shaky hands, sweat on my head and nervous as hell… but when the needle touched the record I had wings.......
Dimitri: Can you reveal to us the main reasons that you want to get involved with dance music industry and djing?
Michiel: Is it just only for the pure joy of music or is also about fame, money and being popular amongst women? Well that one is simple. The joy of music and everything that comes with it including getting big in the scene I suppose. For me music is a feeling, a necessity. Feeling is the most important thing in my life. And music feels good…It makes me happy any time of the day.
Dimitri: One of my favorite questions to all the djs is that one about self-reflection and self-criticism. Out of 10 with what score do you rate the various elements of your dj performances and why?
Michiel: a) your mixing skills: 8, because it always can be better, but when party peeps and people from the organization say “next time again please… it was like WOW” , that feels good, so an 8…
b) your ability to choose the right track for the right occasion: 7. That is the hardest part I guess .I create my livesets before I have a gig. I’m working on the fly as much as possible by jamming on the NI Maschine combined with all my own created bass- /synthlines and absorb, observe and sense what happens on the dancefloor. I got a specific style that works best for me and most of the time also for the audience. I normally install and program my liveset for a special occasion and know what kind of audience is around. But it’s always good to have some well recognized dancefloor killers prepared just to be sure…
c) your friendly attitude towards the fans that are coming to shake your hand when you perform and after that? 9…I’m sorry but that’s the way it is. I love to have a chitchat with people, besides creating nice sounds it’s my biggest hobby … Without fans there’s no Microvibez right? haha Sometimes people ask me all about my set and I don’t even have enough time to explain, but that’s the way it is…
Dimitri: Are you use active and passionate user of the internet and the social networks? Everyone nowadays talks about the facebook or twitter generation after the MTV generation. Do you believe in the importance of facebook or you feel is a bit exaggerated and overhyped from the media?
Michiel: I think Facebook and Twitter are already the best tools to reach, profile and stay in touch with my fans etc. With the incoming of digital releases I believe it surely helps not only to reach the Die Hard fans, but also the people who might be interested. It’s a nice way of showing the world what you stand for, especially in the music scene.
Dimitri: It would be great to tell us your opinion about the club scene in Holland at the moment. Do you see many people going every weekend to the clubs or the majority of people are visiting big events like Sensation or Trance Energy or Inner City?
Michiel: Well it’s great…I think the club scene in Holland is one that stands on it's own. With a lot of very big and small festivals in summer and great club openings between fall and spring accomplished by a lot of good organizations. The crowd always goes wild here, so do I need to say more…???
Techno is getting bigger and bigger in Holland for sure. You see more and more festivals get a real “techie” line up…I like it …we love it!
Dimitri: Can you give us your message to the people who will read this interview and particularly to any young people who wish to get involved with production and djing?
Michiel: Of course…Always stay close to your inner self and do what YOU like to do…but keep an open mind.....Being pushed into a direction by letting go your niche will definitely work against you in the end. I also tried different styles to get or create my own style. When I listen back to my oldest tracks I can filter down the sounds that really belong to me and that’s what makes me happy. For me, a production must be a reflection of my own feeling or conscious.. Only this way I feel good about the result…
Dimitri: Many thanks for devoting some of your time to reply on my questions, I hope you found them interesting and intriguing
Michiel: Thank you Dimitri, It was my pleasure
