Get To Know: Andre Crom
What age did you start DJing?
19
How did you learn to produce and DJ?
The DJing was pretty much self-taught, producing was (and is) for me a matter of learning from collaborating with more experienced producers.
What inspired you to get into this business?
The love for music and the strong desire to lead a life according to my own rules.
What was your breakthrough moment?
More than one moment, the whole last 18 months were the key, when OFF transformed from a small underground house label into one of the leading deep house labels of the planet; and my own career followed up more recently.
Which DJs have influenced your style of producing?
I have so many influences so that it’s hard to name only one DJ that inspires my productions - but I can say that the 2 video interviews I recently saw of my favorite DJ, Dixon, certainly influence the way how I think about producing, running my label and concept my sets.
Which 5 DJs do you listen currently to the most?
Dixon (when i manage to find a set of his ;), Disclosure, SBTRKT, Deetron, DJ Tennis
Who would you most like to play b2b with?
My main production partner Chi Thanh, and there will be loads of B2B’s coming from us soon :)
Which 10 artists would you choose to perform at an Andre Crom electronic festival?
Easy: all of OFF’s core artists:
Kevin Knapp
What was the first record you bought?
Michael Jackson - Thriller
If you were not making music what other career path would you have gone down?
Probably acting.
Your rapidly rising record label OFF Recordings has grown so much over the past few years, has there been a stand out breakthrough moment that shifted OFF onto all new heights?
Not really one moment, it was a combination of elements: 1. growing a core artist family, 2. finding a musical vision and sticking to it, 3. focusing on the essence; signing only the best and most fitting music for the label.
What do you look for when signing a production onto OFF?
Style-wise it’s a bit open, I love many different shades of house and techno - what unites all OFF releases is a stripped back sound design, the essence of a production has to shine through clearly without any clutter around it. And there has to be something memorable about our signings.
Andre you have performed all over the world. Has there been a stand out memorable country you performed in for any reason and why?
Lima was particularly amazing, played there at an open air party in front of the sea, and the energy was mindblowing. Our first OFF-BPM-Party in January 2013 in Mexico was also something special.
Taking into account the rapid rise in popularity of house music over the course of this year, what do you think about the house scene currently?
I think it’s a truly amazing time for house music nowadays. Underground deep and tech house is popular all over the world, thanks to the internet people in Lima can find and fall in love with the same music as people in Berlin, New York, Mexico, Amsterdam, Melbourne or Bangkok - so it’s a global underground phenomenon. I find this fascinating. And now, that people in north America start to mature and get a bit sick of the EDM crap, this is a new emerging, or let’s say re-emerging territory for good house music. So I’m really happy with our times.
What advice would you give up and coming producers?
Find your USP (unique selling point). What makes you special? And then build on that.
Are there any up and coming producers you tip to make it big time?
Chi Thanh and Kevin Knapp.
What track would you play to rescue a dance floor?
Leftwing & Kody - I Know (out soon on OFF)
Where do you dream of being in 5 years time?
Still doing what I do today, and continuing to grow professionally and personally.
What’s next for you?
Continuing my South America tour with 3 more weeks of sun, amazing parties and many new friends!
Upcoming gigs
20/12/13
Deep Loop, Goiânia, Brazil
24/12/13
Baum, Bogota, Columbia
25/12/13
Teatro Amador, Panama City, Panama
27/12/13
One Disease, Guayaquil, Ecuador
28/12/13
All the Toys, Yakumama Hostal, Cuenca, Ecuador
30/12/13
Terraza del Cuartel Fijo, Cartagena, Florida, Columbia
31/12/13
Merida, Mexico, Mexico
04/1/14
BPM Festival: OFF & Mexa Showcase, Tato's, Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
14/1/14
Nordstern, Basel, Switzerland
18/1/14
Bonsoir, Bern, Switzerland
24/1/14
Bullitt, Munich, Germany
25/1/14
Fire, London, UK
30/1/14
Andre Crom Invites..., Chalet, Berlin, Germany
31/1/14
5 Years: OFF Label night, Red Room, Peterborough, UK
01/2/14
Tribal Club, Colchester, Uk
07/2/14
5 Years: OFF Label night, La Centrale, Paris, France
14/2/14
5 Years: OFF Label night, Egg, London, UK
21/2/14
Woods, Bristol, UK
21/2/14
5 Years: OFF Label night, Box Club, Southend-On-Sea, UK
28/2/14
OFF Showcase, Beatport LIVE, Berlin, Germany
5 Years: OFF Label night, Ritter Butzke, Berlin, Germany
07/3/14
5 Years: OFF Label night, Hive, Zürich, Switzerland
08/3/14
5 Years: OFF Label night, Indigo, Istanbul, Turkey
28/3/14
The Grand Social, Dublin, Ireland
29/3/14
5 Years OFF Tour, The Astoria, Portsmouth, UK