Previous releases on record labels such as Last Night On Earth, Get Physical, and Einmusika Recordings have seen America’s Enamour build a brawny and extensive catalogue of original music.
The Washington-based DJ & producer continues his lasting run of form with a brand new EP for UK house and progressive mecca Anjunadeep. Titled ‘Revelator’, the release brings three fresh productions that will delight fans of both artist and label.
We spoke to him recently to chat about the new EP, how he finds working with a vocalist in comparison to an instrumental track, remixing club classics, and what else we might see from him in the coming months. Get the full discussion with Enamour below.
Hi Enamour, we hope you’re good. What have you been up to so far this week?
Hey, yeah doing well. I just got back home last week from a two-week long trip so I’ve been doing a lot of catching up. Worked on a number of projects in the studio, created content for my Patreon, checked out a ton of new promos, and got back into my yoga practice.
Summer is sadly coming to an end, though it was our first real summer since 2019, what were some highlights for you this season as a DJ?
I had a big spring tour, so my summer was a bit more relaxed. I focused on writing a lot of new music and enjoying my last summer in DC before I move to LA. That said, I had a few great outdoor shows around the US, as well as some fun sets at Burning Man.
You’re back on Anjunadeep with your ‘Revelator’ EP, which features such a wide range of sounds, how do you approach things in the studio?
My mood and inspiration on a day-to-day basis definitely guide where I go in the studio (and I try not to consciously interfere) but as you guessed, these three were all written at different times and one in a different location.
‘Cause & Affection’ is from late 2019 when I was crashing in a friend’s basement during an apartment move and 2 months of nearly nonstop traveling. I essentially set up a studio in his basement, it was pretty funny, and wrote a lot down there. I continued to refine it over the years and gave it a facelift more recently ahead of the release.
‘Healer’ and ‘Revelator’ were written in my current studio, about a year apart. ‘Healer’ was just an instrumental for a while, but Anjuna connected me with Margarida and the track took on new life with the vocal.
How do you find working with vocalists in comparison to instrumental tracks, does it change how you produce?
I really enjoy working with vocals because they add so many creative possibilities to a song. I rarely start from scratch with a vocalist in the room though, rather, I’ve got a beat or instrumental as a starting point. So it doesn’t change my process too much, as the backbone is often already completed before I seek out a vocalist.
That said, successfully incorporating a vocal into an instrumental requires a lot of discipline and willingness to let go. I almost always end up stripping back the instrumental to let the vocal shine; it’s an exercise in restraint.
You also recently returned to Armada to release your remix for Arty, Nadia Ali, and BT’s ‘Must Be The Love’, how did that come together?
My team had sent Armada a couple of tracks for consideration, around the same time the label asked about doing a remix of ‘Must Be The Love’. It seemed like a great opportunity to rework a classic into the modern age, so I said yes.
And did you feel any added pressure when making the track, as the original is such a classic?
I don’t know if I’d describe it as ‘pressure’, but I did consider the fans of the original when making production decisions. I wanted to retain the euphoric and accessible nature of the original while updating the sound palette and energy level for today’s dancefloor. A lot of this was probably subconscious though, at the end of the day, I’m just doing what feels right in the studio.
Are there any other classic club tracks that you would love to put your spin on?
That’s a great question I haven’t thought much into honestly. A lot of the edits and bootlegs I do are often of non-dance songs or music in the current zeitgeist. There’s a lot of fun to be had when tossing a throwback into a set vs. a reboot.
Hmm…. it could be cool to put a melodic techno spin on Lancelot – ‘Givin’ It Up’ or Wankelmut – ‘My Head Is A Jungle’. Or one of my all-time favorites from the EDM era: the Adam K & Soha Mix of Kaskade’s ‘4 AM’, but maybe that one doesn’t need to be touched. I’ve wanted to make an edit of Caribou – ‘Odessa’, but trying to clean that up to fit with current music has proved difficult.
You have released your music on labels like Last Night On Earth, Anjunadeep, and Get Physical, do you have a typical process when it comes to signing new music?
I try not to think too much about a label when writing music, but once a song is finished, I consider what labels it would fit on and which would do it justice. My music is so varied that it can be tough sometimes, but it usually works out.
And which other labels might we see you on soon?
After this Anjunadeep EP, I’ve got a single with Warung coming out on Armada and a remix for one of my favourite indie artists on BMG. Then something with DAYS like NIGHTS, Factory 93, Sum Over Histories, and a few others I can’t say just yet.
Thanks for answering our questions, is there anything else you would like to plug before we go?
In addition to the ‘Revelator’ EP, I recently posted one of my sets from Burning Man on Soundcloud. I’m also 1.5 years into running my Patreon page, where I post exclusive music and set recordings, plus a ton of educational content and demo feedback for producers.
Enamour – Revelator EP is out now on Anjunadeep.