Alongside releasing music from names like Dennis Cruz, Mark Knight, and D-Formation on his own Stereo Productions imprint, Spanish DJ & producer DJ Chus has put tunes of his own out with Sol Selectas, Toolroom, and Saved Records.
The latest offering to come from his Barcelona-based studio finds him release a new 2-tracker with connected. Titled Dallallallum, the release features his original title track alongside an excellent remix from DJEFF.
We caught up with DJ Chus to chat about the new release, to find out what he looks for in a label when considering them for a release, what we might expect to see on Stereo Productions in the near future, and more. Get the full discussion below.
Hey DJ Chus! How are things in Spain right now?
Well, things are finally coming back to normal slowly but securely. Nightclubs are now opening at 75% capacity, and dancing is allowed, so it’s only a matter of time before normality will be restored at 100%.
The pandemic has put the club scene underwater for almost two years now, how have the different periods of lockdown been for you and your family?
I’ve been touring non-stop for the last 20 years, so this complete stop in activity was something like an actual holiday for me during the first 9 months, spending quality time with my family and friends. After that, it was annoying and even desperate to be honest, but at the same time it was the spark I needed to make a massive transformation in my life, a kind of awakening, a completely new beginning.
You recently released your new Dallallallum EP on connected, talk us through the original track on this one?
Dallallallum is a studio collaboration alongside Ukrainian DJ & producer Alex, aka Literatura, he showed me the vocals, and I instantly fell in love with them. We worked back and forth on the arrangement until the track was complete and both of us were happy with the result. It was like a return to my own musical roots, back to my early days of deep tribal and ethnic sounds. I loved the process and even more the outcome of it.
And it includes a great remix from DJEFF, what is your opinion on that?
DJEFF is a very talented artist from Angola, based in Lisbon, Portugal, I’ve had a long relationship with him, and when Alex told me that he was thinking of DJEFF for the remix, I agreed right away. Tiago gave the track a driving afro tech touch. I played the remix a few times, and it goes like a rocket!
You’ve also released music on Saved Records, Sol Selectas, and Toolroom in the past, what kind of things do you look for in a potential label partnership?
I love labels with a strong identity. As a record label owner, a few things really matter to me, the importance of small details like the artwork, press notes, artist care, and the personal treatment of the artist. And last but not less, the way they market the music.
And which other labels might we expect to see you on in the near future?
I have released more afro and Latin house on MoBlack and Madorasinthehouse. I also have new releases coming out on Redolent Music and Stereo Productions, and I would love to release on Crosstown Rebels, I’m already working on something for them, fingers crossed.
Your own Stereo Productions imprint has been at the top of club music for years, what can we expect to hear on there before the end of 2021?
We are scheduling one release a month regularly, and we are signing different kinds of genres. We don’t want to be pigeonholed into only one genre. Trying to keep away from repetitive formulas or commercial genres and always looking for new talents.
I love ethnic music, tribal dance, melodic, and progressive house, but also minimal tech and deep house, so for me, to be limited to one sound is a mistake. I love quality music. Tags and genres are for the critics, not for artists or labels.
We appreciate you taking the time to answer our questions, is there anything else you’d like to say before we wrap things up?
Please check out the music released on my new label Redolent Music, lots of love, passion, and great artists! my new baby and playground for now.
DJ Chus – Dallallallum EP is out now on connected.