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[INTERVIEW] Paradoks Guides Us Through His Journey, Live Performances, Recent Music, + More
Prepare to delve into the captivating world of Paradoks, where melodic mastery meets pure talent and creativity. This Belgian-Swiss producer has already left an indelible mark on the electronic music scene, with releases on the renowned of labels Purified, This Never Happened, Stil Vor Talent, and his own imprint, Antinome.
Paradoks' musical prowess has earned him support from an impressive roster of artists, including Tale of Us, Lost Frequencies, Lane 8, and Above & Beyond. His tracks have graced the airwaves of BBC Radio 1 and Tomorrowland Radio while lighting up iconic festivals like Tomorrowland Mainstage and Coachella.
Following his Electric Zoo debut last month, we had the pleasure of chatting with Paradoks about his live performances, 2023 EP Surrender, his intriguing backstory, and more.
Check out iEDM's exclusive interview with Paradoks below.
iEDM: The Swiss and Belgian music scenes have their own distinct flavors. How has your background influenced your musical style, and do you find inspiration from both cultures?
Paradoks: I was born in Belgium, but I don't go there that often. I go maybe once a year to visit my family, and I initially left when I was three years old. So Belgium didn't necessarily have a big impact on my music.
Switzerland probably had a significant impact though because of all that nature it has. I usually do not directly take inspiration from nature and put it in my music, but if I am in a calming environment, that certainly has an impression.
I live about 20 minutes away from Zurich, which is Switzerland’s biggest city. However, there is a forest right in my backyard and mountains close by. These elements of nature can share similarities with the melodic vibe of my music.
I would say that the number one impact on my music doesn’t actually pertain to the countries I'm from. It is more the music and artists I listen and have listened to that influence me.
iEDM: You mentioned having a dream of playing music for thousands of people on stage. How did you first get started in pursuing this dream, and what were the initial obstacles you faced?
Paradoks: I started music with the piano. Instead of going out and playing with kids, even though I still had a social life, I had this curiosity that led to me diving into piano for around two years. I was learning how to play songs, mostly on YouTube, and practicing reading notes via tutorials. I spent hours upon hours doing this, and eventually got to the point where I was good enough to do concerts.
One friend who was touched by my music told me that I am going to live out of it. Back then, I was 14 or 15 years old, so I kind of took it as a joke. But as I started to listen to more dubstep and drum & bass, I would close my eyes to imagine myself performing that on stage. I would picture myself playing that type of music, sharing its energy, and getting energy back from the crowd.
After high school, I did my studies, got a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree. Yet, I was always doing music on the side. When I was 19 during my freshman year at the university, I played for the first time at a party with 700 people. It was terrifying but simultaneously amazing. There was such an adrenaline rush and I realized this is exactly what I wanted to do.
My parents are from a more traditional background that emphasized studying and getting a degree, which was fair enough. Plus, I wanted to do that for myself anyway. It didn’t stop me from consistently pursuing making music and performing on the side.
When I launched Paradoks, I knew I was going to take this project far. The name Paradoks actually comes from the biggest hurdle I faced, being the pressure and work I put in to succeed. I put so much pressure on myself that I couldn’t really sleep anymore. This is a bit of a paradox in itself because you are working insanely hard and putting yourself through the ringer for something you truly love and enjoy. Once music transitioned from being a hobby to pursuing it full-time, it was a struggle to stay happy at all times.
It is definitely an obstacle I have overcome because I have managed to work super hard and position myself as a full-time musician now. I am pretty chill about everything and do not put as much pressure on myself as I used to.
Another hurdle was building connections in the industry from scratch. I did not have a single person in my life who knew anything about the music space or was involved in it. Obviously making good music was important, but I also had to go out to the club alone just so I could talk to the club owner. I would drive for an hour and a half to get there and stay out until 5 AM, just to be ghosted by the person I was supposed to meet. These things happen though; there will be a lot of defeating moments so it is essential to keep pushing and not let them get to you.
iEDM: What memories and emotions does “Always” trigger when you listen back to it? If you were to close your eyes while listening to it, what setting would you picture yourself in?
Paradoks: I generally tend to not listen to my songs anymore after they have been released. I am not going on Spotify to play one of my tracks. When I play my songs out, I don’t imagine myself anywhere else but where exactly I am at the moment.
Although, there are some emotions and memories tied to “Always”. I remember exactly when I launched the idea. I actually started composing the track in January 2022. Later on, it was produced over a couple of months. Every time I worked on it, I added a few new bits and pulled from different musical influences in my life.
iEDM: What are some of your go-to plugins right now? Are there any particular genres or soundscapes that you are currently experimenting with?
Paradoks: When it comes to plugins, I keep it very simple. Most of my songs just have saw waves. I always use Serum for certain things, that’s my number one. Another one I always use is Pro-Q 3 by FabFilter. I use multiple of them in the same channel. These are my top two but I also use Prophet Rev 2.
There are so many different plugins so it just depends on the track. I have Nexus and Omnisphere; I have Kontakt for my libraries, whenever I want to put some cellos or pianos in the project I’m working on. I should do more plugin exploration but like I said I am just quite traditional when it comes to writing music right now.
We are in such a special time when artists used to make underground music are doing more commercial stuff, but the good commercial stuff. I always used to avoid commercial, but now I am embracing a little more of the side. As long as the music is good, it does not matter to me if it is more commercial.
Yesterday, I was working out and listened to some new drum & bass. I love the harmonies, the groove, and rhythm from liquid DnB, so I might start exploring the genre some more.
iEDM: What sonic or thematic similarities do the three tracks in your Surrender EP share? How do they collectively build a narrative or underlying mood across the compilation.
Paradoks: In “Surrender” (the song), there is a synth that stems from a drop synth in “Depth Above”. I used part of that sound as a layer in the main melody of “Surrender”. Then, I used a part of that melody to make the main melody for “Levitate”.
Another similarity is that they were all written in the same period where I was crafting a very melodic and cinematic sound. All three tracks are cinematic in their own way. I made them and liked how they fit together, which ultimately led to me deciding to make an EP out of them. I wrote them in winter of 2022 in a two-month window, this gives them a sort of sonic and thematic cohesion.
iEDM: What makes Surrender a solid match for its encompassing label, This Never Happened?
Paradoks: Sonically it matches with the label, but also visually and the overall aesthetic. When This Never Happened told me they thought it was a good fit, I agreed and simply said “yeah, let’s do it”. I didn’t even think too much about it.
iEDM: Which song in Surrender pushed you the most out of your comfort zone as a producer, and why?
Paradoks: “Depth Above” is different from the others because it is more cinematic. I have this movie trailer vibe to it. Every song I make can be difficult because I am always trying to challenge myself. I get bored with writing the same stuff. I have a lot of great tracks on my laptop, but I just don't feel them because they are too similar to something else I wrote. Not that the track itself is objectively boring, however it is boring to me in a way because it did not challenge me enough.
iEDM: What sparked the idea to launch your own label? What does its name Antinome symbolize, and how does it reflect your vision for the imprint?
Paradoks: There were a couple of things that lined up in my life to where starting a label just made sense. I recalled that the few times I did music-related things by myself, they went well. I also have a background in business, which helped with starting and running the label myself. Going off of this, I write a good amount and one day I wrote that “all the dots connected today. I didn’t get my masters degree for nothing. This all ties together and I should make my own label”.
There’s no more barriers when you have your own label, no more gatekeepers. I want to give access to my fans to listen to all types of my music. That being said, I completely understand that record label owners have a vision for their label.
The name comes from antimony, which is basically a synonym to paradox. I thought Antinome sounded cool and there was already an artist called Antimony so I didn't want to have copyright issues about a name. It serves as an extension of Paradoks, supporting the name and whole philosophy behind it, exploring the paradoxes we face through sound.
There is going to be a variety of my own music on the label. For example, if there is a very chill song that is still beautiful but not something I would play for the dancefloor, I can release it on Antinome. I also have the ability to release some bangers or a piano-centric EP. The only line I will follow is that these will all be my tracks. You can generally tell that a track is mine, despite the difference in energy and soundscapes.
It is a nice extension of where I am in my career because I am not planning to expand the label to other artists at the moment. It is basically an outlet for me to release my music on and have full creative direction, while keeping the rights to each song.
iEDM: What role do visuals and stage design play in your live performances, especially at venues like Electric Zoo and The Brooklyn Mirage?
Paradoks: I care a lot about the scenery I play in and always analyze the setting where I will be performing my set. What time am I playing? Will it be daytime or nighttime? Am I playing open air or at the club? Am I playing a 5,000-person or 300-person venue? There are tracks that work in a huge setting that probably won’t work in a small, more intimate environment. So I always adapt my music and cater the performance based on the answers to these questions.
When I am going to do a stream outside, I definitely pick my more melodic tracks. For example, playing in nature rather than streaming a set in a warehouse, which would be a higher energy set. Nowadays, especially in New York, I have played almost only my own tracks. I thought this was a nice challenge to take on. Since the takeover was hosted by Purified, I have quite a lot of releases on there.
As of now, I don’t necessarily think of the stage design, more so the environment. But at one point, hopefully, I will be able to look into more visual aspects for my sets and create a visual show surrounding my music.
iEDM: Playing mostly your own tracks during this set must have been a significant moment in your career. What prompted you to take this approach, and what mixing techniques did you utilize to keep the crowd engaged?
Paradoks: I was walking with Nora En Pure in Switzerland and we talked about the E-Zoo show, which was two months ahead. She said that I better play my own stuff. During a few of my past Purified performances, I didn’t play all of my own music. I of course agreed to the challenge and got super productive in the studio.
I managed to match the energy that I generally bring with the tracks other than my own productions. This made me super happy because now I have a lot of upcoming tracks that are more upbeat and better primed for the dance floor. These tracks are definitely more festival-based music.
Normally, I wouldn’t play all my own stuff because it was very melodic-heavy. Every so often, I need a banger to bring up the energy in my set. It wasn’t a specific mixing technique that kept the crowd engaged; it was the energetic songs I produced in the months prior to my performance. I rearranged some of my tracks so they worked better. Because it was a daytime set, I started out quite soft and finished around 127-128 BPM.
iEDM: What challenges does solely playing your own music present, and what advice do you have to overcome them?
Paradoks: As a DJ you control the energy, you control the story. If you don’t have enough versatility in your music, you cannot always solely play your stuff. In the E-Zoo scenario, everything worked out nicely, but there may be times when you are playing after a DJ who is known for having sets with really high energy. Let’s say you make pretty soft, sunset-esque music and they put you in a late-night slot, you will have to make adjustments.
It is good that you embrace yourself when performing. However, if you are not yet a triple A artist and people are coming to the venue specifically for you, then you need to find a balance of your music and tracks the crowd will resonate with. It always helps to have versatility in your production, representing different vibes and levels of energy. This way, you will usually have the right track of your own to choose from.
iEDM: What is the coolest destination or spot in nature that you have performed a set at? If you could pick anywhere in the world to mix at, where would you go and why is it special?
Paradoks: Out of the three in nature I did, the most impressive one was the first live set I made. It was in Bonaduz, Switzerland. This was a very homemade set in terms of the camera and visual production. But for me, I loved the aesthetic and location the most. I was on this 360° platform while blasting music that was echoing across the mountains behind me.
I would want to go somewhere really special, like otherworldly. Off the top of my head, I would say maybe Antarctica or the Uyuni Desert, though that’s already been done.
iEDM: You have had the privilege of working with artists like Nora En Pure. How important is collaboration and mentorship in your journey as an artist? What are some of the best parts about working with Nora specifically?
Paradoks: Nora has been an amazing influence and collaborator for me. She truly understands my music and cares about releasing it in the best way possible. I think we are also just really connected, not only musically but as friends. She’s played a very big role in my project, and I have her to thank for being able to play at Brooklyn Mirage and E-Zoo.
Working with her and Purified has allowed me to showcase my music on a larger scale, along with growing my influence in the U.S. and all over the world. She opened up a bunch of doors for me and I am extremely thankful for this. The whole Purified team is great, enabling me to embrace my sound and having a significant role in my journey so far.
iEDM: What thoughts and predictions do you have in regard to the growth of the melodic house and techno scene over the next five years?
Paradoks: Melodic techno is starting to become to new center of EDM, for example with Afterlife taking over the world, which I think is great. It is more mainstream now than it has ever been, and is even becoming commercial in some aspects. I am super happy because I never made this type of music thinking it would blow up; it always came from my passion and natural love for it. Existing within the genre is great for me due to it now being a sound that is more accepted. In my opinion, it is heavily influenced by trance but is more cleaned up a bit.
In the next five years, I honestly have no idea. Music comes in waves, so in five years it will either still be one of the most listened to genres in EDM, or it might die out completely. For the latter, I really do not think so because it is so accessible and powerful stories are told through this music.
I do know that AI is going to have a substantial impact on music. I see this as an opportunity to focus even more on the human aspect, such as tweaking imperfections and working on the personal storytelling of the music. AI will never be able to replace an artist’s unique identity, experiences, and influences that are present in their music.
iEDM: Can you give us a glimpse into the creative process behind your upcoming releases? What can fans expect from these new tracks?
Paradoks: The next track, which will be out in November, is more upbeat and energetic but still melodic. It is going to be a vocal track with a super nice incline and new sounds that you have never heard from Paradoks before, while still having my signature touch. I made a tech house banger as well and have been experimenting with a lot of different music.
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Photos courtesy of Paradoks.
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