What makes an artist different in EDM can be narrowed down to a few general traits: look, sound, and the content they upload.
With pretty much every DJ piggybacking the successful style and strategy of the previous, it’s no surprise that all left to judge DJs is the music they produce (which should be at the forefront regardless) and even this area is arguably lacking in diversity and innovation.
Two Canadian natives have defied these norms, entering the EDM scene for only one reason: because they wanted to. Eric Muse and Gordon Huntley’s genuine, musically focused attitudes fuels their undistracted nature, ensuring Botnek is always fun for each other and bringing life to what is now their their creative, catchy image and sound. The duo are more concerned about make music that satisfies them versus what’s going to further the career. They live to for the moment and love connecting with their fans at shows, who are usually chanting Botnek’s name before they play the first track.
The story of how Eric and Gordon’s achieved many milestones is like no other. It began after years of music experience, multiple alias changes, and alot of personal growth. After arriving at a party, Eric noticed someone DJing in the corner and soon found himself wandering over and meeting Gordon. Gordon was new to DJing and was using Ableton, so Eric gave a few pointers and a conversation ensued. Years later, their friendship would lead them to enter a fate-changing competition.
Eric and Gordon didn’t know anyone else who made electronic music in their hometown of Halifax, so they decided to collaborate together on a remix for Felix Cartel’s “Skeleton” Remix Competition – pouring hours into their “Skeleton” remix in the studio and eventually winning the competition outright. After receiving the news and the inescapable “Holy shit!” moment ensued, the two knew they were in it for the long run.
After “Skeleton (Botnek Remix)” their career began a sharp incline. In no time, artists like Steve Aoki were asking them to join tours and tracks were getting played on BBC Radio 1. Botnek has entered into a new limelight faster than they ever expected.
Whether this was their intentions or not, the duo are most beloved by the main stage, club-loving audience, a scene that so many artists strive to be in; yet Botnek is exploding far more rapidly than the dozens of up-and-comers within their competitive category. Their history is, in part, to blame, as well as the extremely approachable, warm personalities.
flippin @porterrobinson A photo posted by botnek (@botnek) on
Of course, like any artist, the duo would be mere skeleton of themselves without their music. Botnek’s catalog of single is like a box of donut holes you just opened up: you’re ganna eat the whole thing. Eric and Gordon make sure to keep an open ear and include a range of musical variables and elements to their music. A certain amount of “wackiness” is in their music to keep things fun and light. In contrast, they also admit including unique and historical electronic genre influences, like elements of 1980’s 15o BPM techno, in some singles.
One of many reasons that drew me to Botnek was their ability to transform any overplayed single, injecting new life and originality into the song via a remix. Prime example: “Animals (Botnek Remix,)” Eric and Gordon bring in an entirely new drop, boasting incredible rhythms, raw leads, and intense bass. Your interest in the word “Animals” goes from “meh” to “yes!” in a split second. After “Animals,” another mega-hit remix took the internet by storm “#Selfie (Botnek Remix, ” which almost entirely removes the agitating dialog and replaces it with warped “shut the fuck up” and “fuck no” samples instead, but it’s the succeeding drop – filled with quick-monotonous bangs and blips- that fans walk away remembering most.
Giveaway
Every DJ’s story is one-of-a-kind, but Botnek’s incredibly quick journey from unknown underdogs to “Botnek” being up in lights around the world is truly remarkable, which is why it gives me great pleasure to present a plethora of awesome exclusive content for readers and loyal fans: WRR and Botnek have teamed up to bring you “Botnek’s Thanksgiving Giveaway.”
What exactly is this you may ask?
Two lucky winners will receive two free tickets to The Majestic As Fuk! tour, (with Kill The Noise, Milo & Otis, What’s So Not) and a meet-and-greet with Botnek themselves. The giveaway is for the Birmingham, Alabama show on November, 28th. All you have to do is enter in the PunchTab giveaway below.
Botnek Interview
What’s the most intense holiday party you’ve ever experienced?
Gordon: Dude, one time I went to this party with my family and there was a really great couch, warm fireplace, and some great festive treats. It was in my parents basement actually… and they were watching “Charlie Brown Christmas”… man, it was WILD.
Do you enjoy the holidays for more of the innocence and togetherness or do you prefer indulge in the Dirty Santa vibes?
G: Man, I love Christmas. I know it’s kinda corny or whatever you wanna say about it being about corporations selling shit, but I totally buy into it. I dunno it’s nice. I’m not really about the gifts and all that as much as the Christmas cookies and watching “Home Alone” and feeling pleasant and stuff – count me in.
You guys played TomorrowWord, played b2b sets with Martin Garrix, and spend night with some of the biggest names in the industry. What’s your secret? Is it all about your Sounds? A good team? or more?
G: Haha I dunno, I think the secret is in just being dope. In a lot of the moments, like doing b2b with Martin, for example, we just do our thing and go into DJ mode and don’t consider it that much, but later when we think about it we’re like “Haha, who did we trick ?” But I feel like if you’re doing dope stuff the right people will come to you. so just be dope.
Do you both DJ/produce equally? How does the creative relationship work during live shows and in the studio between the two of you?
G: Totally. when we met we were both dummies who wanted to make electronic music, and we learned entirely by teaching each other things, we both learned along the way. Since Day One it’s been like: Erick will learn some sweet production trick and call me all like “duuuude”, and I remember I bought CDs and called him like “yoooooo”. so now we both work on the tracks and always DJ b2b just like friends do.
How did the MAJESTIC AS FAK! tour lineup come together? And for the matter.. how did the actual tour name come together?
G: Hahah you’ll have to ask kill the Noise. I’m pretty sure he knows how to spell cuss words correctly but I’m not 100% sure, no guarantees. That name is totally his biz. My theory is the tour came together becuase he just called up his buds and was like “wanna get on a bus and dj in lots of places with me?” And we all just went “sigh fine.”
Do you have an opinion on seasonally themed electronic music? Would you ever release a “Christmas mix” or something similar?
G: Ive heard some Christmas trap songs and they were 100% certified poop. We should make some badass remake of some Christmas classic carol and play it out proudly every time. I think that’d be tight.
For the hundreds of DJs who are jelly of Botnek right now, could you name a few key business tips that helped you get to where you are?
G: I’d say just be nice and don’t be full of shit. People love working with people that don’t suck. We make homies with the crews at venues and the other DJs and openers and that just cos why not. we don’t need special treatment… we’re just a pair of bros that made some songs that people like, so no need to be a butt. The dance music community, at the end of the day, is a bunch of friends who want to work together and share their music with each other, so being cool is the way to go!
What genres/sounds have you been loving the most these last couple months?
G: I haven’t been listening to a lot of 2014 dance music lately actually! I’ve been into a lot of 80s Italo Disco lately, just really simple melodic stuff, but also listening to a lot of Blink 182 and Metallica records haha. If you asked Erick he’d for sure say “blah blah this techno record i found” or still the same five Prodigy records hes been listening to since he was 0 years old.
Connect with Botnek
http://www.facebook.com/botnek
http://twitter.com/botnek
https://soundcloud.com/botnek
[H/T] onlythebeat | emeraldcityedm | dimmak
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