Egyptian-born and now Barcelona based, as an artist Raxon is a testament to the adage that passion and determination will take you where you want to be. Days, nights, months, and years in the studio have contributed to a string of revered releases in recent years on the globe’s most sought-after imprints. His love for music comes from the late 90s in his early teens, with major influences spanning rock, hip-hop, trance, house, and sci-fi movies.
His journey through sound led him to the awe-inspiring Barcelona in 2014, where he started to release music with some of the most respected labels on the dance music scene such as Kompakt, Ellum, Cocoon, and more.
A DJ for over 20 years, his exposure to countless trends has helped shape the signature stripped-back melodic techno-driven sound he is best known for.
In this interview, we chat with Raxon about his musical inspirations, trajectory, thoughts on social media, and his coming-up release ‘The Fall‘ on DSK Records.
EG: Hi Raxon! Welcome back. It’s been a long time. How have you been and where are you right now?
Raxon: Hey! Good to be back 🙂 Long time indeed. I was actually having a look back at my very first encounter with EG and it was a podcast in 2010! Good times 🙂 Right now, I’m in my home studio here in Barcelona.
EG: That is absolutely right! Time flies! Congratulations on being selected for the first release on DSK Records! Can you tell us a bit about your involvement in the EP and how you feel about being part of this new project?
Raxon: My relationship with the Dskonnect family runs deep. We have been working together for about 7 years now. So when they decided to create the label I was more than happy to step in with a strong track and set the tone for future releases and give the artists on the roster confidence in the label.
EG: Can you walk us through your creative process when producing the track ‘The Fall’ for this EP?
Raxon: There’s really not much to it, to be honest, I’m constantly jamming and messing around in the studio, and if/when I hear something interesting or weird happening, I start recording.
In this case, I was playing around with the pitch of the main hook and it just made me tick, and the rest of the track just wrote itself. After many years doing this, I learned not to waste too much time on something that’s not working. All you need is just a few simple elements. I know It’s been said a million times before but it’s so true, “less is more”.
EG: Your music has been released on some of the most respected labels in the dance music scene. What do you think sets DSK Records apart from the rest?
Raxon: The exciting thing about DSK Records is that they are releasing music from its own artist booking roster to showcase its production side.
EG: What would you say has been the biggest challenge in your career as a DJ and producer so far, and how did you overcome it?
Raxon: There are many, and I don’t think anyone can completely overcome everything, but I guess that’s what makes us human at the end of the day.
I could mention the recent one which is not to be too engaged or affected by what everyone else is doing, basically “the noise”. I focus on making music and keep pushing to try to be more creative in a real way without gimmicks, and stay true to myself. It’s a marathon and a way of being.
“The most recent and prominent change now is stats, numbers, and tailoring everything to the algorithm… music is becoming less and less important and that makes me so sad.”
EG: How do you balance your time between producing music, performing live shows, and managing other aspects of your career?
Raxon: Keeping a clear head is very important, silencing all notifications on my phone and not having/using WhatsApp is a main part of how I keep my head clear. You’ll be surprised how much doing that really frees you up to do everything else without these endless distractions. At least that’s what works for me.
EG: You’ve been in the industry for over 20 years now. How have you seen the dance music scene evolve during this time?
Raxon: Oh, in many ways…we can talk about this for days. So many eras happened and will still happen, and it has their positives and negatives, but that’s in everything in life. We constantly evolve. But I think the most recent and prominent one now is stats, numbers, and tailoring everything to the algorithm… music is becoming less and less important and that makes me so sad.
EG: Do you have any advice for up-and-coming DJs and producers who are just starting out in the industry?
Raxon: In my mind, the real DJs/producers never wake up one day and decide that they wanna “become” a DJ or a producer, they just are, they are constantly thinking and dreaming about it. It might seem all fun at the actual events, but it takes a lot of time, energy, passion, and love. So my advice for the young ones would be to mute the noise, and keep at it all the time, the less you are affected by what others are doing, the more original you will be.
EG: What are your thoughts on the role of social media in the music industry today?
Raxon: It’s a very powerful and important tool if used correctly, no doubt about that. You can reach people across the globe instantly. But sadly the algorithm dictates what is to be shared, even when; to get the most traction, and that’s killing the music and creativity.
EG: How important do you think it is for artists to have a strong social media presence?
Raxon: Sure, it’s important in the sense of reaching people that might be interested in what you do. But it doesn’t have to consume you.
“Music is so powerful and it definitely brings people together without any doubt, that’s the essence of it.”
EG: What do you think about the current political climate in the world, and do you believe that music can play a role in aiding our times?
Raxon: Music is so powerful and it definitely brings people together without any doubt, that’s the essence of it. I’ve been traveling the world as an Egyptian DJ and I get to experience this firsthand. Music blurs all boundaries 🙂
EG: How important do you think it is for artists to use their platform to address social and political issues?
Raxon: Sure it’s important, some people are natural activists, and others are shy from the spotlight but help in other ways. It all depends on the intentions behind it.
EG: How do you feel about the current state of the electronic music scene, and where do you see it heading in the future?
Raxon: To be honest I’m just happy to be a part of the scene, and I promise to keep contributing to it with music without any compromises.
EG: You’ve been based in Barcelona for several years now. What do you think sets the city apart from other electronic music hubs around the world?
Raxon: It’s a beautiful laid back multicultural artistic city where you can walk everywhere, experience the beach and the mountains within minutes, and the weather is just fantastic, you get to experience all the seasons, and you never miss the sun here 🙂 I really love it.
EG: Finally, what can we expect from Raxon in the coming year? Are any exciting new projects or collaborations in the works?
Raxon: I’ve got ‘The Fall’ coming out on DSK Records on March 10th, and after that, I’ve got a long-awaited track, ‘The Cage Of Love’, finally coming out on Ellum on May 5th. Then an EP on Cocoon in the summer, and then my second album should drop sometime by the end of the year/beginning of the next, so keep an eye out for all 🙂
EG: Thanks for the time and we wish you the best!
Raxon: Absolutely my pleasure EG 🙂 Thanks for chatting.
‘The Fall’ will be out via DSK Records will be out on March 10th. Pre-order your copy here.
Follow Raxon: Soundcloud | Twitter | Instagram
