We recently had a chat with one of the most prolific producers in Organic House.
House music is a beautiful thing. And perhaps the most delicate branch of House is Organic House, a genre known for its subtle melodies, progressive-evolving nature, and, of course, a bunch of organic elements, from percussion to real instruments, ambience, and so much more.
Out of Organic House, one of the leading record labels currently atop the game is Lee Burridge’s All Day I Dream (ADID), and out of All Day I Dream, we sat down with one of the best exponents of their sound. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, we got the chance to interview DIM KELLY.
He who’s been releasing a bunch of stuff lately and is on his fourth consecutive year gracing the ADID grounds with original tracks, is now enjoying a bit of rest and unwind after a North America tour and a three-tracker signed to Lee’s, the Homily EP. And so we’ve asked him a few burning questions we had been holding for a while!
From acknowledging his class and quality to inspirations, struggles, favourites, and everything in between — buckle up, and read on, as we dive into the mind of DIM KELLY.
The Interview
Do you remember a time in your career when you first had that feeling, while producing, that you had something truly magical in your hands?
I remember when I composed the sketch of ‘Nocturna Animal’ and Kid Crème stopped by my studio and said, “Whoa, that’s really good!“, which was extremely rare for him to say. We were living together at the time. We both had this little challenge of wanting to create a track in the style of Pepe Bradock’s ‘Deep Burnt’, which we had listened to a lot at home, and he said to me, “You’re ALMOST holding your Pepe Bradock“, hahaha.
Out of everything that has come to you via your music career, what’s one thing you didn’t expect would happen and surprised you for the good?
That I would be able to bring people together and share on stage. Honestly, I have always been very comfortable in my studio, and the idea of putting myself out there as the center of attention scared me, it was almost paralyzing. But in the end, I’ve learned that something magical happens on stage! I receive a lot of feedback from people who love the vibes and tell me that I radiate positive energy. I’m still surprised whenever I hear this, and it still takes me ten minutes to stop trembling when I get behind the DJ booth every time. So yes, I really threw myself into what scared me the most, and the result is amazing. In fact, I love it!
So yes, I really threw myself into what scared me the most, and the result is amazing. In fact, I love it!
-DIM KELLY
Where, or when, do you feel inspired to start new ideas?
Anywhere and anytime, and when it comes, you have to catch it because it can leave as quickly as it arrived. Of course, listening to music helps a lot. When I’m in a club, I pick up on the grooves that work, so it’s pretty important to listen to others in the club. In my everyday life, I listen to a lot of rock, folk, classical music, and electronic, but very little actual club music. All of these genres inspire me immensely, as I try to bring an emotional dimension to my music.
What would you consider your biggest struggle while working on a track?
Creating a structure that works, taking people on a journey, and finding the right balance between the energy of the break and the drop. Plus, I don’t really like using the trick of silence between the end of the break and the drop… so that makes things more complicated.
I know this is a tough one but, if you had to pick your favourite track from your discography, which one would it be?
Maybe ‘Glow’, because it has a seemingly simple, self-evident quality that’s actually hard to achieve. It just came to me, and it happened very quickly. In a few hours, the track was done, which is pretty rare for me. Plus, its style is timeless; it could have been released ten years ago or ten years from now. Who knows, maybe one day it will become a classic.
Tell us a bit about how your most recent Homily EP came to be, how it all entwined during the creation of the three tracks.
I didn’t really plan to create three tracks for my next EP all at once. I tend to work a lot; I’m in my studio almost every day for eight to ten hours per. I composed ‘Rising Child’ in winter, during a period when I was listening to a lot of classical music and wanted to create something orchestral, but which still bordered on club music — essentially, a club track to listen to at home. I’ve been working with Maya Safar for a long time. We’ve had several collaborations together, some of which have been released on All Day I Dream. I love her voice and lyrics; she has a powerful soul. We have other tracks together that we haven’t released yet, but they’re more folk than electronic oriented. Someday, I think I’ll do a folk EP with Maya.
As for ‘Homily’, a friend once played me a track he made with Mondingo, and I was totally struck by his voice and melodies. So, I contacted Mondingo and visited his beautiful studio by a river in the Belgian countryside. It was incredibly inspiring! We created a track together there, which I think will also be released soon with All Day I Dream. When I got back home, I had the instrumental for ‘Homily’. I sent it to him, and two days later, he sent back his vocals, which I loved. I then spent a month trying to piece everything together, finding the right structure, the perfect break, and the ideal drop. I’m not a pianist, so I do all my piano parts with a mouse, which takes an insane amount of time because I have to imagine things without hearing them. But that’s just how I work.
If you could go back in time, say, 5, 10 or more years. Was there anything young Dim worried about more than necessary? What would you tell him to do, or not to do?
Stop thinking and release your tracks!
How do you think your life would look like had you not ventured into the musical path?
I think I would have worked in visual arts, probably drawing, because it’s what I’ve been doing since I was young and it’s also what I was studying before meeting Kid Crème, who completely steered me off course, haha, for the better in the end.
(End of the interview)
Final Words
We’re incredibly thankful for this interview. It’s always not only interesting but also nurturing to hear things from another point of view, and even more so when the words come from an artist as passionate and talented as Dim. Thank you to him and the team behind who made this one happen. We truly hope you can get something from this interview and apply it to your life — I know I do!
Keep in touch with DIM KELLY by following him on his socials. Also, be sure to check out his latest Homily EP, right here. And stay tuned to our page for the latest news and views from our beloved Dance music industry.