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01 – Niklas Harding known as a Producer and a crazy character in the Dj booth, do you believe that the combination of both producing and Dj-ing can musically educate the concerned person more than just being separately a Producer or a particular DJ ?
Definitly... i would say, you dont become a good producer, before you as a dj have experienced what works well on a dancefloor, and it also works the other way around. If you’re a skilled producer, you have better flair for the musical part of a club night, how to build up the set, when to play what etc. So yea its definitly an advantage if you’re doing it combined.
-- How different is it for you?
Ofcause the producing world and the dj world are somewhat different, but I really enjoy both. Production wise, you can sit inside at whatever time of the day you preffer, and really get into the music. Sometimes my roommates doesnt see me for a whole day because I’ve barricaded the door, turned up the volume and just been sitting making new beats and melodies for a whole day straight.
The dj aspect is the one that brings the party animal out in me, it is actually a bit of the opposit feeling than producing, when you’re out dj’ing you meet alot of new people, and interact with the crowd when you have your 2hours of fame in the dj booth. It is the next best feeling in the world after sex, to play one of your own tracks infront of 7000-8000 people and you just see them go crazy, and really enjoy the night. That surely gives me goosebumps.
02 – Nowadays, major changes are occurring in mixing/producing techniques and that is due to the marked progress over the planet. How do you look at Electronic Dance Music now in general, and how do see it coming in the near future?
The electronic scene has always had a hard time compared to the general MTV genres as, pop and r’n’b... but with consistant commercial releases of good housy tracks, more and more people start to dig the electronic scene, and as a electronic music lover i can only clap in my small hands and hope that it will continue, I really wish before I turn 50 the main genre on alot of radiostations and music shows will be with some sort of eletronic influence.
03 – As it says, the Music industry has its own magical world aside from the real complicated one we’re living in. How far can Niklas adjust between being a Producer-DJ and an Economics student at the same time?
Hehe... both of these things are very time consuming, if I spend to much time on my school, I get behind production wise and get outdated if I dont have a release out in the stores for half a year, and if I spend too much time on my music I dont pass my exams. So its really a matter of finding the right balance as it is now, sometimes I have to do priorities in both the musical and the school direction, but so far I think I’ve managed pretty well... heey at least I’ve passed all my exams untill now
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-- Does music influence you in real Life and vise versa?
Ofcause it does, music is a part of my daily life. Sometimes it’s just listening to some new tracks on the ipod in the metro, and some times it’s playing infront of a crowd at a club in a city you have never seen before, and sometimes it’s drumming the table with your fingers, there are a lot of aspects to it, and I enjoy them all.
04 – Your latest remix for Adrian Ivan’s production named Before Sunset has been seeing the light for a quite some time now on the Romanian digital label Well Mixed. What else does Niklas have to offer to us anytime soon? Any interesting musical projects in the making?
Yea I recently changed sequencer, so over the summer (when I’ve not been at the beach) I’ve gotten to learn this program. So im working on a housier track these days, and a new melodic progressive trance tune is in the makening too.
-- Any artists in particular to get inspired from while producing?
Nowadays, I collect inspiration from alot of different artists, everything from Björk, to Eric Prydz and Tiesto, so no artist in particular.
05 – Do you find the yearly Dj election by Dj Mag a good reliable preference for worldwide dance music fans and Why in your opinion?
The Dj Mag vote is reliable in terms of popularity. There will always be people whining about this list, but the fact is that music is a very personal thing when it comes to taste. So i guess it’s just a matter of which dj that can gather and make most people happy with the music they produce and play.
-- So what are your personal anticipations for this year’s election?
I just hope I’ll get into the top 250 this year. Fingers Crossed.
06 – Any upcoming musical tour being planned?
My gig schedule is getting filled up for the rest of the year and the start of the New Year, so gig wise it’s really looking promising. In the past years time I’ve been really concentrated on the UK, to build a fanbase there, as I think that is one of the strongest areas when it comes to electronic music, and I hope things will take off from there.
-- What would be the most likely place for you to play at and why?
Amnesia at Ibiza. I’ve never been to the party island my self yet, but what I’ve heard there is just something special about that place.
07 – In your opinion, which one of your original productions can truly reveal the musical background (more specifically Trance music) of Niklas Harding and Why?
I would say the track I did with my mate named Ice Beach, because it was made in the summer time and has a lot of aspects to it, funky groove and percussion and melodic parts.
08 – Your House Music charts aren’t any different than the Trancy ones: quality music production, and good artist collaborations. Who are your influences and what does mostly inspire you when it comes to House music in general?
I’ve had some major influences for the past years time, when I’ve really started to play and produce more housy things. People like D. Ramirez, Dirty South, Deadmau5 and Eric Prydz has left a big mark on the housy scene in my world. The thing that differs a house track from a trance track is mainly the melodic parts and the tempo, and the thing I’ve been most fascinated about is the bassline groove and percussion feel the good house tracks has, compared to a standard offbeat trance bassline.
09 – Thus any specific House producers you would like to work with in the future?
Deadmau5 on his calm beautifull tracks and D. Ramirez for an energetic club banger.
10 – How much do you think that diversity/variety can play a role in educating musically the person, Dj/Producer?
I think it’s an important thing, to make people last longer. If people widen up their music horizon and listen to a lot of genres I think they will last longer and not get too tired of it, as if they only are really focused on one type of music. That is also one of the reasons why I try to play a wide genre of tracks in my sets.
11 – Envision this scenario: you are spinning at the very last gig of your DJ career, and a crowd of thousands from all around the world has gathered to bid you farewell. You deliver the set of your life, blowing the minds of all your fans, though the time has come for you to step down. But before you do, one last track needs to be played out, the track that would be engraved in history as Niklas Harding’s final offering to his followers. What is that one single track you would select?
It would be my own track ‘Blue Circles’, as that was the first track I got finished. And it really meant something special to me getting that signed to a major label.
12 – What are Niklas’ most highlighted hobbies aside Producing and Djing?
Enjoying my time off the decks and my time off the school books, with my friends and my girlfriend. Enjoying competing in any sort of sport with who ever challenges me, i really hate to loose. It doesn’t matter if its a tennis game, computer game or a match of poker, I want to win; and what is more fun and satisfying than beating your mates?
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13 – Aside from mixing compilations, will your marked progress in producing and remixing melodic uplifting/progressive productions make you work one day soon on releasing a Niklas Harding album? What other sounds you would actually focus on as well?
There has been alot of artist albums on the market for the past years time, some better than others. When it comes to an album of my own, it will come when I feel the time is right, and it would consist of a wide mixture of genres and tempi.
14 – If you were to produce a vocal track, any interesting current vocalists you would like to work with?
Jes Brieden, shes is to me the best electronic music vocalist there is.
15 – Would you like one day to come and perform live in The Middle East, Lebanon to be more specific?
Definitely, there is nothing like music, smiles and beers at an event that brings people together. It gives you a really nice feeling inside to see that everybody you play for, really are having a good time, and I’m sure Lebanon is a place where people know how to combine those 3 words above.
16 – Any final words for your fans and especially the Lebanese people?
Thanks for the support and kind words I’ve received on MySpace and email, I hope I’ll be able to make your feet jump at an event sometime in the near future.
Official Website: www.NiklasHarding.com
