Interviews
Kronic – Feel That
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By: Jamie Steinberg
Q) How would you describe your sound?
A) My sound is constantly evolving. Most of the records I’ve released in my career have been club records, and as a DJ, that will remain a basis of my sound. What I’m working on now is taking the club sensibilities I’ve become known for and combining it with a lot more hip hop influencesto create something unique. “Feel That” is the first step in that direction.
Q) Who are some of your musical influences?
A) Kanye West. Let me explain. When I first stepped into dance music, I was inspired by guys like Chuckie, The Crookers and Laidback Luke. Listening to their records taught me the more technical aspects of production, like sound design. Now I’m taking what I’ve learnt in that arena and working on creating the best songs that I can. And as a producer, Kanye creates what I feel are the best songs and that’s inspiring me to try bolder musical ideas.
Q) Your new single “Feel That” is out now. Where did the idea come from for it?
A) That beat was actually supposed to be Tyga’s. After I produced “Bend Ova” for him and Lil Jon, I sent Tyga some instrumentals and he picked “Feel That” as one he wanted to work on. But the more I listened back to it, the more I wanted it for myself. We tried to get into the studio, but we could never find a time where both of us were available. Eventually, I just thought, “Fuck it,” and decided to finish it as Kronic release.
Q) How did you come to work with Raven Felix on “Feel That? ”
A) I met Bonics, one her managers, in Australia at the end of 2013 because he was out here on the Wiz Khalifa tour. He showed me Raven’s stuff and immediately I liked what I heard. Raven’s music really captures the spirit of being young, partying and not giving a fuck. That’s exactly the vibe I wanted for “Feel That.” I sent her the instrumental and she came back about a week or so later with the verse. We got in the studio together in LA a few months later to put the finishing touches on it while I was touring in the US.
Q) What kind of fan response have you gotten to it?
A) The response has been absolutely nuts. Ever since I previewed “Feel That” in a mix earlier this year people have been messaging me repeatedly asking when it was coming out. When the people are asking for it, you know you’ve got something special. It’s completely overwhelming. I’ve never had so much positive feedback from anything I’ve done. It’s spread faster than anything I’ve released before and my Twitter mentions have been going crazy! Life’s good.
Q) What is it about the song that fans have connected with?
A) Unlike my previous records, “Feel That” is something that wasn’t made exclusively for nightclubs and festivals. “Feel That” was made to be the best song it can be and that’s what I feel people are gravitating towards. The song does have that real party energy to it, but it’s anchored by heavy drums so it feels like a rap record, in a sense. Also, Raven’s raps are dope as fuck on this. That’s got a lot to do with it, for sure.
Q) What is your process like for creating a track?
A) It all starts with an idea, like, “Lil Jon would sound good on a Jungle Terror record,” or “Would these chords work into this drop,” for example. Once I’ve got the idea down as basic beat, I like to get into the studio with vocalists to start creating a story with the track. In the course of recording the vocals, I’ll figure out how the rest of the song plays out. And then I go and do it. “Beast” came about because I thought Lil Jon would be dope on a Jungle Terror thing and “Feel That“ started as something I thought would be special for Tyga.
Q) What can fans expect from a live Kronic performance?
A) Intensity. I’m a performer. I’m not the guy who just plays music and puts his hands in the air for three minutes at a time. No offense to those who do that, but that’s not what I’m about. I cover a lot of genres in my sets, but I keep it moving so fast you didn’t realize I’ve taken you from a rave to the trap and back again inside of ten minutes. I come from being a hip hop DJ, where your only objective is to rock the crowd. Every set of mine is unique because every audience is unique.
Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a track in the future?
A) Kanye West. Kanye’s music is elaborate, intricate, intimate and aggressive. You can feel the anger on Yeezus, but it’s presented in such a dramatic way like “Blood On The Leaves.” Most artists can only express one or two ideas on a single record, but Yeezy manages to combine 4 or 5 ideas in song, yet still have it come across as a cohesive piece of music.
Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with fans?
A) It’s important because it’s a two way street. I respond directly to comments and messages and it brings me and my audience together into a larger discussion. And that’s really unique to my generation. Social media is most effective when it’s on a personal level so I try to make it more than just a platform for me to promote whatever gig I’m playing or whatever record I just released. It’s important to have fun with it and be authentic with it.
Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your music?
A) I’m grateful for anyone and everyone that supports me. So, the first thing I’ve got to say is, “Thanks for being a legend!” I’ve been doing this for a long time and I feel a responsibility to all my fans to make sure everything I do is better than the last. To everyone who’s been sharing my music and telling their friends about me, I won’t ever let you down. Thanks to everyone for rocking so far, but we only getting started. And I’m glad you’re all here with me!
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