When your appetite calls for the finest flavors of filtered house, future soul, and cosmic grooves, the doctor calls for equal parts Darius and Wayne Snow. Together, the French producer and Nigeria-born vocalist have a history of producing dream-like, funky melodies, from their first collaboration “Helios” in 2015, up to recently birthed, “Equilibrium.”
The duo have mastered the art of balance, embracing their rich cultural and musical differences, as reflected in the title and message of the song. Wayne provides his warm soothing vocals to Darius’ hypnotic textured production, creating music made for both dancing and daydreaming.
It’s been three years since the pair’s last song, “Lost in Translation” and they’ve been busy making their mark on other projects. Following his stunning album Utopia, Darius has remixed for British pop icons like Dua Lipa and Jessie Ware, along with soundtracking campaigns for runway brands like Armani. Meanwhile Wayne released his own breakout LP Freedom TV, and has collaborated with influential musicians like Neue Graffik, Folamour and Noah Slee. If ‘Equilibrium’ is the first taste of something new to come, we’re putting our order in now.
We caught up with the pair on their colorful history and bright future together.
You’ve been collaborating with each other for years now—how did you initially meet and discover your synergies?DARIUS: In 2013-2014 I was a fan of a Berlin artist called Max Graef. I loved his universe with its electronic soul-jazz sounds. I had discovered many of his collaborations with Wayne Snow, including a track that touched me a lot called "Running". It was a direct crush, I remember that the video clip moved me a lot, because of his voice and the energy he gave off on the screen. Then I tried to contact him via SoundCloud and soon after we met via skype. We had a long discussion and the feeling passed very quickly between us. We knew that we had to create something musically. I had several demos that I wanted to test something on, including "Helios". A month later we met in the studio in Paris and finished the song together in one night.
WAYNE SNOW: It's crazy how time flies. It's been seven years already and I remember it like it was yesterday. Our meeting took place a few months after the release of my first EP “Red Runner”. Darius contacted me and wanted me to bring the same energy to some tracks he had been working on, so I flew to Paris to jam with him. We connected quickly and "amicalement" [amicably]. Everything was on point between us.
When you work together—do you stick to your roles where one creates the beat and the other writes the lyrics or is it a shared process? DARIUS: Usually everything starts from several demos that I store on my computer. I select a few of them beforehand and then play them back in the studio. Then, he lets me know what he feels inspired by. The harmonies of voices are quite fluid, building up as Kesiena's first takes, textures and vocal gimmicks go along. After that I isolate moments, sort and build loops to finally arrive together at a main melody. Then he thinks about the first drafts of lyrics and we agree on a theme that speaks to us. This sometimes influences the structure of the songs as well.
WAYNE SNOW: In our first collaborations, we stuck to our roles. Darius brought the music then I wrote the lyrics and sang. But as time went by, we started to create everything together from scratch.
“Equilibrium” is about finding balance between chaos and calm—in recent times, what are you doing personally to achieve stability while turmoil ensues all over the world?DARIUS:I try to enjoy the simple things. Taking the time for myself, to be with my loved ones. Also doing activities that I am passionate about next to music, be it in pictures, photography, video, painting, cooking, sports, decoration at home, etc. I do everything to create a setting / environment that inspires and enriches me for music.
WAYNE SNOW: I spent part of the confinement in the south of France and during this period I disconnected a bit from the world to refocus on myself. I have the feeling that in these troubled times my speech as a Black artist is important because some of the people out there are ready to listen. But above all I would like to express myself through music because it is the most honest language I know.
Darius, this song and much of your music has a strong retro/groove foundation - did you grow up listening to similar genres and was this always the kind of music you wanted to make?DARIUS: It's been a while since I wanted to create a song with that kind of energy. My own mother encouraged me for a long time to make music that was more danceable than what I've done before. I wanted to pay tribute to her in part because I know she's still very much ingrained in a period of her youth that left a deep impression on her. She used to go out dancing all night long with her friends in the 80s, and even today she still introduces me to a lot of artists from that time who inspire me in some of my productions today. We both realise that it's really something that's passed down, it's in the genes, some of the sounds I use come out as if I was unconsciously connected to her memories of her youth, and that made her nostalgic.
Can you each pick a record that influenced Equilibrium? DARIUS: All the more "4x4" tracks like Thundercat's "Friend Zone", Kendrick Lamar's "Wesley's Theory" / "King Kunta" / "These Walls" with Thundercat have definitely influenced Equilibrium.
WAYNE SNOW: There are many schools of groove that influenced us. “Let’s Groove” by Earth Wind and Fire on the album Raise! is among the strongest for me.
Photo: Charlotte Lapalus
Darius this is your first release in two or three years—what have you been up to during that time and why now?DARIUS: I've done a lot of image-based music, for some director friends and in the advertising world. It was something I've wanted to do for a long time, I needed to prove myself that I could do it and I've managed and continue to express myself in this field as I wanted to. It also allowed me to start taking a little more time on my project, to regulate the tours a little bit.
At the same time I continued to produce new things, looking for new sounds, working even more on my keyboard playing and all the science of harmonies, chord progressions by taking soul and jazz piano lessons. I enlarged my studio with new instruments, new machines to evolve in my way of producing. For a long time I worked only on my computer with my software and vst. Today I work on rawer things, more authentic & acoustic sounds. I really enjoy using analogical, real percussion grip all reworked, "treated" in my own way to bring something personal. The objective being to gain maturity in the production while keeping my old techniques.
Wayne, what about your native city inspires you creatively?WAYNE SNOW: I left Warri, my childhood city a while ago but I have the feeling that I draw part of my energy from there. This ecstatic state in which I find myself when I sing reminds me of the religious ceremonies my grandmother took me to. Spirits that wandered from body to body and made people do things beyond understanding.
You’ve also collaborated with a myriad of different producers from Max Graef to Neue Grafik to Noah Slee - who would you ideally like to work with next and why?WAYNE SNOW: If the opportunity presents itself with anyone, I'll grab it first and do the thinking later. That was my leitmotiv a few years back but I would definitely like to work with someone like Flying Lotus. His music has evolved so much that it would be like collaborating with an alien 👽
What’s next for you both this year?DARIUS: Unveil to people everything I've been storing and working on all these years. Collaborate with friends and artists I admire.
WAYNE SNOW: I'm about to finish my second album after two years of hard work. I had to unlearn many things during the whole process in order to regain my balance. I also met fantastic musicians who I look forward to presenting to you on tour. My new band has a full stage setup now: drummer, bass, keys and myself on keys, percussion and vocals. I really miss the stage and can’t wait to hit the road soon!
