Eric Cloutier
We've never been real promoters. We're music-lovers, Djs, clubbers, but definitely not promoters. Our parties are conceived out of music and feelings. After all, music is what feelings sound like. We encountered Eric's music about four years ago and decided that he must come to play in Tel-Aviv. Years passed, and now the day has come and Eric will be playing at our holiday party this coming Tuesday. An enigma to many local club-goers and music-lovers, we decided to ask Eric a few questions that will expose him to his many potential hosts. The result is more than we bargained for. Enjoy.
So, let’s start with a tough one – Who is Eric Cloutier to those who never heard him play? How would you describe your music in a nutshell (as big a nutshell as required)?
Hah, that is a tough one. My music in a nutshell…I don't like to really get in to semantics with people and I typically just tell people I play techno and house. Trying to really throw a billion adjectives and variants on each of those styles is getting too narrow and focused. I definitely lean towards a more hypnotic and trippy sound no matter which way that I go with music, but depending on the vibe, the venue, and the overall feeling of the night, I dip and dive in to all sorts out sounds and emotions. I'm really big in to letting people exercise some personal demons and work through all sorts of emotions when they come to hear me play, just as what I'm doing when I'm presenting it to them as the DJ. I believe music should be a journey, and its my goal to tell a story for my audience.
Let’s talk fashion. The likes of Skrillex and Deadmau5 are huge names. Do you think they deserve the amount of reputation they got? Does their music live up to the expectations or not?
Asking me about Skrillex and Deadmau5 is a pretty loaded question – I'm most definitely not a fan, but its damn near impossible to knock somebody for making it to that level, but more importantly, anybody in their position has a really tough job, but one that I can actually admire. As a whole, you can only hope that, of their millions of fans, if even a fraction of them decide to take a modicum of effort and google more music and slowly work their way down in to deeper, more artistic, and less commercial things, then all I can do is thank them for opening doors for more and more listeners of this kind of music that I and thousands of others of DJ's would have never reached otherwise.
Is there a vinyl that never leaves your case? Which one is it and why?
There's plenty of tracks that I constantly travel with or can always rely on, but if I had to pick one that never fails me and spends quite a bit of time in my record bag it would be the B2 of and old Jesper Dahlback EP called "What's the Time, Mr. Templar?" Absolute monster – never gets old!
What's the Time, Mr. Templar?
Nowadays you’re a part of the TANSTAAFL label. “There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch”. What’s your role in the label and how did you come by it?
TANSTAAFL is run by two very close friends of mine, John Osborn and October, so the transition to me being involved with the label was as a natural, almost predictable one. We all have the same vision musically, we all play and promote very similar sounds and artists. I've been taken on to help with the digital distribution of the releases, which we're doing through Clone's DGTL project. That aside, I will also be releasing with the label in the future…just as soon as I get some tracks done that I, and they, approve of. Hahah!
Even with forthcoming releases, we believe you are first and foremost a Dj – is this a correct assumption? Do you think a pure Dj can succeed in today’s scene without being a producer?
While I now have been dabbling with production for a couple years, I'm just now getting music out and hope to have a lot more coming out in the next six to eight months. I've been DJing for quite a long time now – started around 1996 – so for me to have never made a track but be playing the caliber and quantity of gigs that I've been doing is really rare. There's very, very few DJ only artists out there, and most of them also do something on the side, like run a label, so they do have something outside of a residency and a selection of vinyl to help them along. Personally, in this day in age, I think I'm the last of a dying breed, and I would be absolutely shocked if there was somebody young – I'm talking only been DJing for a few years – that plays huge gigs and hasn't made a record. Its really what people look for when they decide to book an artists, and it's primarily what gets you booked by promoters. I'm beyond lucky for what I've had offered to me, and I'm hoping to take it to the next level soon by breaking away from my "DJ's only" title.
Which (track/song) would you pick up to listen to at home after a long and hard day?
If its been a long and hard day of work, odds are I'm going to dig deep in to my dub collection and pull out something properly soothing. That being said, this one has never failed me, and never will – its an absolute gem.
Exozz vs Octal – Mining
Speaking of hard days – what do you like to do aside from Djing and working on future production?
Outside of DJing and producing, right now I've been dealing with the transition of recently moving to Berlin. Paperwork and bureaucratic stuff here has slowed me down a bit, but I'm greatly looking forward to getting a new bike so I can start exploring the city more (as well as enjoying the sunshine and getting some exercise), as well as getting my jogging shoes, which I foolishly left back home, back on my feet. But all of those things aside, the most important thing is spending quality time with my gorgeous fiancee, and we've been hitting lots of museums and traveling around Europe when we can.
You must have played too many times to remember them all, but try to pick the most special gig you've ever had.
All of these years have yielded me tons of different experiences and travels, but absolutely none of them compare to Labyrinth Festival in Japan. It is, hands down, the most amazing event I've ever had the honour of being a part of, and I always look forward to going there once a year to see old friends and have the time of my life. Playing there was just unreal; it still feels like a dream to me, and I constantly get goosebumps and shivers down my spine when I think about it. Just…magical. Russ, the promoter, has created one of the most beautiful places on the planet, except its only for three days out of the year. I encourage everyone to try and attend it at least once and have their minds completely blown.
The sun is rising and you’re outside playing. The crowd goes berserk but you have just one final track to drop as the sun comes up. Anyone in particular?
Sunrise tracks are always the hardest to pick, because its such a powerful moment that everyone looks forward to so you want to make sure its memorable and done properly. While there's some classics I could easily point out, something that's a bit more recent – Oni Ayhun's "OAR003-B."
Oh…sweet sweet sunrise
We understand it’s your first visit to Tel-Aviv. Got any expectations? Any message you’d like to pass on to the club-goers in this coming event?
First time to Tel-Aviv, yes, and I'm definitely excited for it. Always love a new experience – I have an open mind, and I hope that the crowd does as well. Should be a good one!
Which single album would you take with you to a deserted island?
Desert island albums – also a tough one to answer. But if I'm going to be stuck listening to one thing for the rest of time, I'm taking Grade's "Under the Radar." I've got a long history of punk and hardcore that most people don't know about, but this album has never, ever disappointed me.
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