“My fans are the best, I love joking around with them, sharing stuff… It just comes naturally to me. I’m not scared of people, I don’t need to hide in a corner and pretend I don’t want the attention, acting like I’m better than everyone else. Haha, that’s such a stupid thought. I love twitter.“ – Rene LaVice 2016
[Rewind 2016]
No doubt that one of the acts making the biggest waves in drum n bass at the moment is Canadian Rene LaVice. Since he first appeared on the scene in 2009, he has gone on to become a legitimate headliner who has had his name on festival and club bills all over Europe and North America (including Glastonbury and BSTK Festival). He is also an official part of Andy C’s Ram Records, and he was also handpicked to remix The Prodigy’s ‘Rebel Rave’. Now, on the back of his second LP “Play With Fire,” Rene LaVice has announced his Australasian return for next month. We caught up with the mover and shaker before he touches down…
Hi Rene, thanks for your time! So you are part of the Ram Records family which is easily one of the biggest labels for drum an bass. What has being apart of the RAM family taught you about music, and more specifically, drum & bass?
That looks aren’t everything 🙂
What is it about drum & bass that drew you in and made you want to create it?
The sounds unlike anything I’d ever heard before. It had a conviction other genres didn’t, it had energy, it was imaginative, it was fun, it was extremely diverse… and the sub bass. Mmmmmmm the sub bass. It’s bad ass…
I’ve read that you’re also a filmmaker! What genres are you interested in? Would you ever combine these two loves in one project?
I love documentaries and comedy. Sometimes horror too, love action movies also. I would definitely combine the art forms. I have loads of ideas for that, I just need a budget and I need good collaborators.
What’s the best film you’ve watched so far this year?
Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict
Now to your 2nd LP ‘Playing With Fire,’ which was released late last year (the deluxe edition dropping last month!), how do you think your soundscape has changed in the three years since your debut LP in 2013?
It’s been an evolution and a journey that’s been really exciting to explore along side my fans who are always waiting to see what styles I’m going to blend or what twist I’m putting on things. I’ve developed my engineering skills tenfold in the last 2-3 years and because of that I feel that the stories I’m able to tell are so much richer now. I feel like I’ve spread my wings and I’m not bound by the limitations I had before. I owe it all to hard work.
Can you tell us a bit about the process you went through to create this album?
It was about taking genres I like and twisting them into the dance music I like, and then using that as a canvas for some of the stories in my life. A lot of the songs are about things in life that are universal to the human experience at one time or another.
The Prodigy x RZA – Rene LaVice D&B Remix
You’ve achieved a lot in a short space of time. Namely, supporting The Prodigy on their UK tour, remixing for the likes of Nero, Wilkinson, Rudimental and A-Trak and playing at festivals such as Glastonbury and BSTK Festival. What has been the highlight of your career so far?
When my single, The Calling ft. Ivy Mairi hit the A List on BBC Radio 1, I felt like I was on the moon or something. It was such a surreal experience being slotted in between Justin Bieber and Drake for the first time and getting in the car and having my song come on the radio. It was a feeling I’ll never forget and something that was totally unexpected.
You’re also big in the social media world, taking out the People’s Choice Award at the Bass Music Awards last year. Judging by your Twitter, it’s not hard to imagine why; you’re one of the rare artists who actually interact with their fans on social media. How important is this to you?
Yeah I guess most artists don’t do that eh? I don’t know, it comes naturally to me. My fans are the best, I love joking around with them, sharing stuff… It just comes naturally to me. I’m not scared of people, I don’t need to hide in a corner and pretend I don’t want the attention, acting like I’m better than everyone else. Haha, that’s such a stupid thought. I love twitter. Oh actually I just bought a book today because I went on a rant about something and a fan suggested a book to me, so I bought it right then and there. It’s a two way street.
To finish off, in Twitter’s style of 140 characters or less, tell us what Australia can expect from you when you touch down next month (emojis allowed)?
Australia, I’m coming to give you a musical experience unlike anything you’ve ever had before, it’s going to be better than sex. Cunt. (I just know that it’s something Aussies call their friends. Because Aussies are cool n know how 2 party)
Tour Dates
Friday 17th June: HQ Complex, Adelaide
Saturday 18th June: Bodega, Wellington
Sunday 19th June: Grumpy’s, Melbourne
Friday 24th June: Chinese Laundry, Sydney
Saturday, 25th June: Villa Nightclub, Perth
Interview by Isabella Olivieri
No one presents drum & bass as an eclectic genre quite like Rene LaVice. Whether it’s the tell-tale, grinding snare of ‘Where My Ladies At’, or the soulful vocal lead A-list record ‘The Calling’, he’s already demonstrated a creative aptitude, even before his first output on Ram Records. But following up on the monumental success of his recent singles, the Canadian producer again offers up two fresh new cuts exposing yet another side of his musical capabilities. However, what can you expect from an artist who’s played stages on both ends of the spectrum this summer; whether on the packed out platform of Download Festival, or the infamous Glastonbury.
‘Part of Me’ is vastly different from the rest of his discography, although still following the same explosive vibe prevalent throughout all his music. Providing a glimpse into the influences which have helped create his identity as an artist, the vocals crossed against a cinematic intro, underpinned with strumming guitar picks, presents the perfect embodiment of Rene’s creativity. Featuring renowned artist BullySongs, who helps to build each chorused crescendo, it’s a track which certainly sets the benchmark for Rene’s forthcoming LP.
On the flipside, ‘Untribaled’ provides a darker hue. Creeping, ominous and peddled forward on fluctuating beat patterns and growling distortion, that first break plunges you down through a gaping chasm of snapping hi-hats and clunking cow bell. An LFO-lead bassline takes you deeper into the mix, cut at interludes by zapping, lazer-like synth. Another step closer to his second album release, a precedent has been set.
And with anticipation only growing, this final single increases the appetite for
Rene’s next LP ‘Play with Fire’.
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