After a variety of remix work, French producer Kulkid has shared his debut EP and it’s a groove to be had. Defining a sound in the Parisian scene is no easy task. Citing influences of Laurent Garnier and Brodinski, his fresh take on house is welcome in our sets. Building dance floor ready vocals in a pumping 2 part release, Forget about Kul/ I need u is a must add for shaking it up behind the decks.

Proving that the French house revolution has much more to come, techno-heavy dance is making European love nest a breeding ground for electric trends. As up and comers like Kulkid spread their wings, we can expect the hot to get hotter. We chatted with Kulkid about the local flavor. With loads of tunes on the way, are keeping our ear on this one.

With your debut EP about the release, shed some like on ‘Where did Kulkid come from?’ As a French producer what influences have driven you to today?

I grew up in the French Alps constantly listening to music. My mom used to play a lot of classical music, my dad being more into the progressive rock end of things. I played the guitar, cello and keys in several bands when I was younger. Having a background playing these instruments has role in how I create the ambiance within a record and the way I approach melodies. I would consider this to be the influencing factor in most, if not all of my productions, although my musical palette is quite diverse as I listen to everything from Latin music to jazz and everything in between.

Define modern day French House.

The French scene is really really diverse. There’s a bunch of different genres, and sub genres, that are paving the way for French producers. There is a strong following for the techno scene with artists like Brodinski, Gesaffelstein, Laurent Garnier, and Agoria at the forefront paving the way for younger producers such as myself… On the other hand, a following has recently developed for artists that put a stronger focus on melodies as opposed to pure rhythm. Some artists off the top of my head are Para One, FKJ, Yuksek, and more.

This 2 track release boasts a healthy chunk of soul. What drew you to the vocal tracks in these tunes?

I searched pretty thoroughly through a library of old school tunes and acappellas as old school house and soulful vocals are infectious. When I heard these acapellas I instantly fell in love. The two vocals I used are different in many ways. “Forgot About Kul” is a more “modern” vocal with a low pitch and “I Need U” has a more old school feel to it.

French House/ Techno has changed in recent years with the spotlight moving from the Ed Banger solo days to the likes of the Bromance Crew, Yuksek, and Sound Pellegrino. Do you think there is any method to these trends or just a ton of nation talent succeeding in a sound that feels right?

The scene in France is a lot smaller in many ways than one might think. France is a country with a strong electronic background and is very open to the many different genres and sub genres. Producers always help each other, bouncing ideas off one and other ultimately trying to grow as musicians. Building a collective or a team to collaborate among each other is what many producers do.

You can definitely feel the presence Ed Banger still has on the scene here in France. They are notorious for hosting dope parties all around Paris and work hand in hand with Red Bull Studios.

Your Bootleg and Remix day got you to the present. Do you think this practice was essential while developing your original sound? Was it a calculated strategy or just natural to lead up to this debut EP.

Remixing records was great in many different ways from building a strong and loyal following to really giving me the opportunity to work and develop my original sound throughout. It wasn’t essential, but I love remixing tunes and I also love composing my own music. I have multiple originals that I’m really excited about releasing. This EP is just the beginning.

The tracks are going out for free through your own channels (Thanks!). What made you choose this above working with a label for distribution?

It only feels right to host this EP for free as most of my releases to date have been free downloads. I find that a large part of the Kulkid brand revolves around the idea of releasing free music. I think finding a balance between releasing enough free content to give back to those who support you daily is just as important as a paid release. There’s many ways an artist can benefit from working with a record label. One can gain a ton of exposure if working with the right label but there are so many trade offs. I’m sure I will work with a label in the near future although I’m in no rush and I’d really like to make sure it is the perfect family I’ll be joining that I can call home for the long haul. If the opportunity to build a collective presents itself I wouldn’t mind that either 🙂

What should we keep our ears out for over the next year? Now that you have originals hitting the deck, what are some musical goals for the near future?

There’s lots of great things on the go and I can’t wait to share for everyone to hear. Lots of originals, remixes and collaborations in queue. I don’t know if this will happen in the near future but the idea of building a live set with synths, guitars, drums, and several other instruments has definitely been on my mind for quite some time. I truly miss playing instruments.

 

Forgot About Kul

I Need U