There’s something for everyone on FarFlow’s latest EP. A full spectrum package that flexes from empowering neurofunk drops to feel-heavy liquid melodies the Belgian duo once again bring their unique sound.
To celebrate this EP, they organised a house party and invited like-minded DJs, producers, and people in the D&B scene. 1 More Thing was lucky enough to get one of the invites to this party, and we got to enjoy sets from people from all over the Belgian (and even Dutch!) scene.
We liked it so much that we asked FarFlow to record their mix and release it in our series, so that everyone who wasn’t there would get the chance to experience what the Belgian scene has to offer…
You recently released your Running Out EP, and you organised a release party for this. This mix was a part of this release party, wasn’t it?
Wolf: Yes, that release party was inspired by Skrillex’s basement set after his Quest for Fire album. I was watching it on YouTube and I thought, let’s do something similar, but with people around us, in a cosy atmosphere. The masters of our EP were done, we were waiting for the release date, so we thought, “Why not try it?”.
1 More Thing was there, and we thought it was awesome! A cool space of like-minded people listening to the music we all love: drum & bass.
Raf: Yeah, absolutely. That’s why we made it invite-only. Everyone who was there was either a DJ, a producer, or someone heavily involved in the scene. We only ever meet backstage or at raves, so it was nice to see each other in the kitchen and living room. I really liked how the concept came to life, and I think everyone had fun.
Wolf: We wanted to create a crossover between a rave and a gallery type of thing, but then with music. This was the first time we organised something like this, but I think we did well. There are still things that we can improve. We’re excited to learn and grow from that as well.
You’re saying, “It’s the first time we’re doing this.” Are there plans to organise this type of event again?
Raf: There are ideas, yes. We are looking to organise it at other locations, and not just in kitchens as well. Cosy places, fun places, surprising places… It’s not going to be a monthly concept, that’s for sure, but it would be cool to have this type of event every once in a while.
Wolf: We can get creative with it, and we will. But for now, we’re still editing the content from the past edition. The feedback we got was amazing. That’s nice and it motivates us to do it all over again, and make it even better. We now know exactly in which direction we want to go.
What do you think is the power of house parties, instead of bigger and louder parties?
Raf: Number one is connection. For example, at gigantic events like Rampage it’s a challenge to make guests truly connect. Though of course, it’s a fantastic event in many other aspects. I feel that there’s a need for connection between people, especially in certain scenes, a place to really get to know people. That can be done in a kitchen and a living room with a terrace. You can have a pint together, have a chat, have a good time.
Wolf: You do hear a lot of established names calling for the underground to come back a little more. Creating intimacy and connection through our events, that is really the goal. A little bit of networking happened too, which was a nice side benefit.
You’re saying how you notice people craving for more connection. In what ways are you noticing this?
Raf: I’m noticing a lot more intimate concepts popping up in the scene. The parties that are more and more hyped nowadays, and attract a lot of people normally, are starting to struggle. There are open airs, day raves… Raves in coffee bars, bakery raves… There has recently been a shoe store rave. They are everywhere, and they make it as small and intimate as possible. A smaller setting makes it exclusive, and gives you a “I can’t believe I was there”-feeling. When you’re surrounded by 20,000 people somewhere at a festival, you’re going to reach more people and have a bigger audience, but if you were at that one party that Friday, with 50 people, and it had a sick vibe, then that’s cooler, it feels more exclusive.
Wolf: To name an example, USED has been organising rooftop events for a few weeks in June. When you think about how he normally plays the biggest arenas in Belgium, those events felt really exclusive. I remember Netsky and Andromedik doing a bakery rave, and also a rave at a small café in their hometown, Edegem. Even the big artists want to bring back the intimacy a little more. And that exclusivity is something that we wanted to have in our release party as well.
Raf: The setting also creates a new kind of experience. I’m thinking of Dom Whiting, on his bike. You have to know where he is, when he’s there, and you have to follow him. That’s something unique. People go for that experience and I think we definitely created a unique experience with our release party. It’s not really our goal to have a contender in the nightlife world, though. Maybe someday, who knows. This event was mostly a listening party for our EP.
It’s all about the power of community, right?
Raf: People need community. That is a need that has been there since the beginning of humanity. You need a community, you need a tribe where you have a sense of belonging. You can find that in hobbies, in sports, in music… The drum & bass scene is a very strong scene in Belgium. We don’t think there’s a lot of competition, there’s a lot of support. It’s a very loving scene in general, where there’s a lot of respect for each other.
Let’s go back to the reason you organised this house party: your Running Out EP. There are a lot of different styles on there!
Wolf: Yes, and we wouldn’t like it any other way. If we tried to stick to one subgenre, we would get bored and feel uninspired. It’s a creative experience, and it happens very organically. For example with our tune Simple, we really tried to keep it simple, just club-minded… But it didn’t end up that way, haha!
Raf: We’re never going to choose one subgenre and commit to it. Drum & bass, full spectrum, that’s our thing. We’ve always done that, when you go back to our very first release, you’ll find everything you need. From liquid to jungle to deep to dancefloor tunes. We make everything.
Wolf: It excites us, and defines us, too. In the first place, you have to make music that excites you, because otherwise you’re not going to be able to convince other people to get excited about it. Sometimes, when you listen to a track, you can really hear the emotion behind it. You can hear how much fun the artists had in the studio. That’s what we want to bring in our music as well. We want to convey that emotion.
So, that full spectrum of drum & bass, is that what you brought to this 1 More Mix as well?
Wolf: Yes! We have tried to bring the full spectrum of our sound, and we always try to tell a story with our mixes. That’s what we did this time too. We were able to do it in a way that feels organic to us. For example, at a certain point we went from heavier to more liquid, and we used our own tune, Loving You, for that. The first drop is quite heavy, and in the tune itself there’s a breakdown, and then the second drop is a liquid one. I hope everyone enjoys the set!
Running Out EP by FarFlow is out via Midas Touch Recordings
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