House music, which far outdates EDM as a genre, has a pretty fascinating history continuing to redefine and segment itself with each new generation of music. Withstanding the test of time effortlessly, House music today maintains relevancy by sticking to its core vision–keeping a dance floor steady grooving all night. Few artists represent that spirit better than Parisian DJ/producer, Shiba San, an emerging force partially responsible for the prevalence of the hip-hop influenced subgenre, G-House. Building each song around an enormous bassline, Shiba truly engineers for the club making his live sets infectiously danceable, often outperforming headliners at major festivals. Casual fans may know him best for his addicting hit single, “Okay,” which found its way into the sets of DJs literally in every corner of the world, but Shiba has also built a dedicated following on his Soundcloud almost purely through the posting of his flawless sets, which include endless unreleased originals and remixes. As of late, though, he’s been unleashing full versions of these potent tracks as he prepare to release an EP next year.
We had a chance to catch up with Lord Shiba, as we like to call him, about his inspirations, favorite places to perform and his future plans with newly joined label Dirtybird Records. Check out the interview below and enjoy some of Shiba’s gems, including his most recent remix above, through out the article. If you have a chance to catch him live (upcoming dates here), we’d highly recommend copping a ticket and bringing all the turn-up available.
TMN: First of all, thanks so much for taking to time to answer some questions! How’s the road life treating you?
Shiba San: Tough!!!!! It’s obviously nice to travel all over the world, meet new people and discover new music but I’m not getting a lot of sleep!
TMN: What is your first musical memory?
SS: Classical Piano.
TMN: You started DJing at a pretty young age in Paris. At that time, what kind of music were you spinning and how did coming up in that unique scene shape your sound?
SS: I started with Chicago House, then got into Hip Hop. I was nuts about scratching.
TMN: Artists such as yourself, Amine Edge & Dance are really bringing G-House to the masses. For those not as familiar, how would you describe the sound you guys are developing? And what is your relationship like with the Cuff artists?
SS: Amine Edge & Dance invented G-House. I was interested because the mix of hip hop with Chicago house sounds was getting me back to my roots/first love. I don’t really know the other artists from Cuff, I only released one EP on Cuff. Amine Edge & Dance are great people, they are friends, I love what they do and the way they are.
TMN: As a fan of both genres, I always love to see the ways hip-hop production styles trickle into electronic music whether it be in dubstep, trap or, in your case, G-House. Who are some hip-hop producers and artists, past and present, that have been particularly influential in your sound?
SS: I’m not sure they influenced me but DJ Premier and Pete Rock are my all time favorites. But I would say that DJ Mustard is the closest to the G-House sound.
TMN: On a similar note, if you had an opportunity to do a full project with a contemporary emcee or hip-hop producer, who would it be?
SS: Drake, Jay Z or Rick Ross.
TMN: I’m sure you get a question about “Okay” in just about every interview, but it really does a great job of capturing your sound with its fat bass line and minimalistic big-house sound. What is your approach when you sit down to create a track?
SS: I don’t have a particular approach. I basically turn on the computer and play what goes through my mind. Sometimes it’s cool, sometimes it’s not. I make it rest for 2 days, if I find it interesting I keep it, if not I throw it away.
TMN: “Okay” dropped as part of the Dirtybird BBQ compilation tape. What’s your relationship like with the Dirtybird team and how did it come about?
TMN: We’ve heard nothing but amazing things about your live sets so really looking forward to your show tonight at DNA Lounge (full set above). How do you approach your live sets and how does that change in different venues?
SS: A set during a festival is very short, usually one hour, so I play mostly my own productions, old, new and unreleased. In a club I obviously play my own tracks because people are coming to hear me play my own tracks, but I’m always trying to play new stuff, promos that I am sent , or even demos from upcoming producers, I love that, it’s good promotion for them and I’m playing tracks that nobody heard before.
TMN: Based on your touring schedule, it seems like you’ve been pretty much around the world at this point. Are there any places that stood out either from a cultural standpoint or just as an audience?
TMN: You’ve clearly been making tons of music that can be found in your various mixes and live sets. Do you have an EP or album on the way? If so, can you tell us a bit about the project?
SS: No album yet but I have a new EP on Dirtybrd coming in 2015. I did a few remixes recently and I have quite a few unreleased tracks in stock, I’m trying to organize releases so not all releases/remixes come out in the same month.
TMN: What’s your current favorite song?
SS: “The Yeah/No” and “Wake Up”–these are from Ardalan‘s new EP (out December 1st on Beatport), which is great.
TMN: We already know you love BBQ but what’s your favorite food to eat when you get home after being on the road for a long time?
SS: I love local food, I’m always trying to eat local food, I’m into discovering new things. But BBQ & Pizza are a safe bet.
TMN: Where is your happy place?
SS: In my studio in Paris
TMN: Is there anything else you’ve got coming up that you want to tell your fans about?
Special thanks to Shiba San for taking the time to answers some questions. The fans love you too!
photo cred: Alex Bershaw
