Clan Brude’s originality and confidence to keep pushing his own boundaries continue to result in music that is distinctly innovative and unique. Supported by his passion and enthusiasm for the genre, Clan Brude has crafted a signature sound that is hard-hitting and powerful, blending elements from genres like House, Future House, Progressive House, and Techno. With such an inventive approach towards his creativity, we’re thrilled to be joined by Clan Brude in this exclusive interview to dive deeper into his artistry, learning more about the inspirations and influences that continue to drive his musicality and his approach when it comes to creating impactful music.
Hello Clan Brude, how are you?
All very well thank you. It’s good to be properly back after two enlightening start-of-the-year trips to Berlin and then Cape Town.
To start, can you tell us, what inspires your creativity the most?
Music itself, sounds, sonic ideas, weird patterns that go around the brain! Conceptually, I get a lot of inspiration from life events, things that are happening around me or in the news. Also, through travel and how it allows you to see different perspectives on life, as was the case in January. It varies and is quite dependent. For instance, my latest EP was created through a series of life events that occurred during my time in Shanghai. However, looking to the future I’m drawing more on organic sonic elements and have started using more live instrumentation.
How do you motivate your creativity? Do you have any tips and tricks for getting your creativity flowing?
This one is tricky because it’s not always possible to summon the creativity when needed! There are a couple of things I do try, however. Firstly, even when the creative juices aren’t flowing, I can work on small parts of a track, for instance, tweak a sound design element or a bassline. I often find after starting with something small that something more profound follows. Another option is to listen to other music. You never know when you might hear a feature or a track that sparks some inspiration for something you are working on. If these don’t work, then maybe it’s just fine to call it a day and do something to relax. Coming back with a fresh mind is never a bad thing.
Do you ever struggle with feeling uninspired? If so, what do you do to overcome this, can you share any advice?
In general, I wish I had more time for production and music creation, but it can be a time-heavy pursuit! It’s rare that I will sit down in my home studio, and nothing flows, simply because I may not have had a whole lot of time to be in the studio and therefore really have to make the most of my time there.
However, in terms of advice, you can follow the recommendation I gave in the last question if you get a creative block. Another thing I do is upload whatever part of the track I have to my SoundCloud as a private track. I can then listen to it on my earphones while out and about. This also really helps at the mixing and then mastering stages as I get a different perspective through the earphones and in the outside world.
Do any other creative mediums inspire you, outside of music, like movies or art?
I’m a big fan of museums. There are a lot in here in Amsterdam, you could probably go to one every weekend and pick up some kind of inspiration.
Can you tell us, what was the last thing that inspired you?
On my recent track, ‘Not Going Home,’ I was inspired through messing around with different kinds of scales, so this pushed my own musicality. I got playing around with a Locarian scale, which you would usually get in Metal music, and it became the main riff for that track. Of course, the vocalist was amazing too (shout out to Ivy Marie) and pushed the track to the next level.
How do you wind down after creating?
Good question! When in the flow, time flies by so you can forget to wind it down at all. I definitely can’t go straight to sleep after a producing session. A beer doesn’t hurt (also doesn’t hurt during creation), otherwise stick a movie on.
Do you have any tips or tricks for someone unsure of how to create in a unique and individual way?
I think this develops over time and you hone your workflow and approach. You will find that you develop templates to work from for various aspects of your production style. For instance, you may have a drum track that has a few key samples already loaded that you know would work for a certain vibe and that you can use to suit your style. You may also have a few synths that you have developed over time that have a unique sound design. This helps with the signature sound, but it won’t come at the beginning as you learn as you go what you enjoy working with and how that fits your personal style.
Is there a specific environment that makes you feel inspired to create, like your studio or somewhere else in your home?
I walk a lot around the city. I get a lot of thinking space this way. As mentioned, I’ll sometimes have a track on that is in the works and the walk will help my build on that. Otherwise, the studio really is an escape, and I can gather a lot of creativity from that.
Finally, what keeps you motivated? What continues to drive you to create?
The pure enjoyment of the pursuit or producing. It’s meditative for me and takes me to another world!
As we round off our conversation with Clan Brude, we start by thanking him for his time and for allowing us the opportunity to gain more insight into his creative practices and process: sure to continue building upon his craft, finding new and fresh ways to stand out, Clan Brude no doubt remains an exciting talent to watch out for within Electronic Music today. So, make sure not to miss out on any of his new releases or projects by staying up-to-date with him via social media.
Clan Brude Online