Is there a specific reason why you and Marlon have separate roles? Would you say this works better for you guys as opposed to touring and producing together all the time?
I knew very early that I wasn’t a DJ. I think you have to be a DJ, same as you have to be a producer. It’s something you are, not something you become. So we decided to work the way we do. I do sometimes tag along with Marlon on tours and that’s when we have the most fun. On top of that, it’s important to see for me what’s going on in the clubs.
What are some of the pros and cons of not touring alongside Marlon?
Pro: We do not easily get fed up with each other. Con: Marlon is usually in a sunny place whereas I am in Holland (where it rains a lot!)
Ralph makes it seem like he has it easy, but producing music is the most time-consuming and meticulous role in an artist’s job description. Countless hours are spent at the studio staring at a computer screen trying to strategically place each perfect tone or melody. Certainly anyone can give it a try, but only a select few truly master the art. Unlike your first college relationship, the Bassjackers make the whole long- distance ‘thing’ work.
One of the stops along the Grid Tour was at Club LIV in Miami, Florida. The spectacular venue and dance music enriched culture made this a perfect destination for Marlone to showcase the Bassjackers’ sound. The Miami crowd is always ready for this type of club event and I think it’s safe to say that everyone fully enjoyed themselves that night. It was the usual faces seen at LIV on a Thursday night. These party people never miss a chance to see huge electronic artists.
Marlon was wearing his usual beanie and giving off an electric vibe while in the DJ booth. His smile was contagious, his energy was non-stop and the crowd absolutely loved him. As he and Dyro introduced Grid to everyone, the mood shifted to create a different atmosphere. Going back-to-back, they took Miami on a ride through a soulful sea of sound until the early hour of 5am. Right before the night ended Marlon was kind enough to sit with us and give a personal insight on his role in the Bassjackers.
The purpose of tonight’s show is for your Grid Tour with Dyro, and it’s almost over. How has the journey been so far? What has been your best night on the tour and why?
All the gigs have been really good so far. All places were packed and all the crowds were really high energy! One that we’re especially proud off was Exchange in LA. Over 2000 people capacity sold out, huge line around the whole block and we kept it going until 4:30 am. Amazing gig.
During a tour, what do you do to make sure that each set is not exactly the same?
Never prepare the whole set list. I usually pick the key tracks that I really want to play. These are most of the time our own productions of course. From there I just go with the flow. Every crowd is different so you try to read it and adapt.
How does the crowd react when Grid is played in your set? In your opinion, which city so far has had the crazi- est reaction?
The response has been amazing. We use grid as a transition track between our set and Dyro’s set. Dyro made a special intro edit and I grab the mic during that intro to introduce the tour and ourselves. When the beat drops the venue goes off time after time. The best response was probably at Exchange LA.
Seeing that Ralph is known as the producer and you the DJ of Bassjackers, what input did you have on the production of ‘Grid’?
I always road test all of the tracks and give feedback from a DJ’s perspective. I’m more focused on what works in the clubs and Ralph is more focused on the musical and technical aspect. When I’m back in the studio we finish the tracks together to get the end result we are both satisfied with.
What has it been like to perform alongside Dyro?
It has been so much fun! Love his productions and style; he’s a great person. We both play hard hitting electro house with progressive influences but there isn’t that much overlap between our sets so it really complements each other. Besides that we have a lot of fun on tour. Always cracking jokes and stuff. If you follow us on Twitter, Facebook and especially Vine, you see what’s going on during the tour.
Are there any more future collaborations with him in the works? Yes… We are working on some new stuff ;) You actually just finished your set here at LIV. What do you think about Miami and the crowd’s vibe?
LIV is a beautiful club with amazing production and sound. It is known to be a VIP club, which usually means the crowd is a bit less raging, but to be honest tonight I didn’t notice. It went pretty wild and I had a blast!!
What’s next for the Bassjackers after this tour? Should we be looking out for a new album, collaboration, or EP?
Next up is our collaboration with Ferry Corsten – Collision. After that we have a new EP upcoming on Nicky Romero’s label Protocol Recordings. Were going to do some gigs with Ferry too and of course EDC New York next month which we really look forward to.
After chatting with both Marlone and Ralph, it became very apparent that Bassjackers are one of the most dynamic duos exploding into the dance music community. They take the word ‘teamwork’ to the extreme regardless of the distance between them. The challenges they face don’t seem to faze them, as they’re flawlessly progressing deeper into the scene and receiving more recognition around the world.
WORDS BY: MYRISSA GUELL PHOTOS BY: JOEY LOZANO
www.djmag.ca
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