Souleance is the result of the partnership between producer Fulgeance and DJ Soulist of What The Funk.
Fulgeance has been building a reputation in the beats scene with his awesome releases on the French label Musique Large. Leading and managing several projects (Fulgeance, his solo project and Claude), this talented producer and remixer is well known for his devastating beats and stunning live performances. Focused on hypnotic and electronic Hip Hop, Fulgeance subtly mixes his influences to create his signature “Low Club” groove.
Soulist, the French funky president, is the founder and resident DJ of Paris’ clubnight What the Funk, which recently celebrated its sixth birthday. A man with an obsession for Disco, Soul, Funk, Hip Hop and Latin, he’s shared a stage with some of the biggest names in the worldwide scene including Cut Chemist, Keb Darge, M, Quantic, DJ Numark, Dudley Perkins, Madlib and Pilooski.
Soulist and Flugeance met in 2006 while performing and from that friendship the Souleance project was born: a mixture of Soulist’s organic influences and the raw energy and production skill of Fulgeance. The EP covers many genres, taking in Hip Hop (Manana), Breaks (Le Monde and One Step) and even the funkier end of the 80s (Cool FM). The debut EP was a huge success, winning fans across the globe, including BBC Radio One’s Gilles Peterson who included Manana on his Brownswood Bubblers 4 compilation. 2012 saw the release of their debut album ‘La Belle Vie’. Souleance released la Beat Tape in feb 2013 and Brotha Ep in November 2013.
Last year’s ‘Brotha EP’ solidified the French duo’s status as producers who know how to create dance floor dynamite. This time Soulist and Fulgeance have reached into the extensive Brasilian collection of Alice Dufay, the lady behind the fresh and distinctive artwork of all Souleance releases, to bring us the ‘Jogar EP’. After the World Cup, the sounds of South America are a natural choice for summer 2014 and Souleance’s offering is as funky as you’d expect.
Hi there, how are you and what are you up to today?
Hello there to, all good! Up to some music, good food and maybe meeting friends.
To those not familiar with you, how would you describe your sound?
Souleance is based on beats made out of Samples that comes from very versatile genres. So hard to describe in a few words, but our common ground would be Black Music from Soul, to Funk, to brazil to disco even house influences .. Electro Funk maybe could do it as a description.
What are the 5 albums and artists that have influenced you the most?
Always hard to say this, what comes to my mind:
Prefuse 73 – Vocal Studies + Uprock Narratives
Don Blackman – Don Blackman
Cymande – Cymande
Dabrye – Instrmntl
A Tribe Called Quest Midnight Marauders
What other artists do you really like at the moment and why?
Max Graef, Dorian Concept, Fatima, Mo Kolours, Kaytranada. They all have a very Different style but they make music exciting and that’s why I like them.
What are some of the key pieces of gear you use to write your tracks?
We use various tools, Reason, Live. Fulgeance usually plays keys and drums on some tracks. I played some keys on last Ep but I’m not really a keyboard player hehe…
What’s the best gig you have ever done and why?
Many good souvenirs, Well I would say the most surprising ones were Nuits Sonores in Lyon (Electronic music Festival) 2011 and The worldwide the same Year. The whole feeling of the live set , the festival were great , we have many good memories.. Lithuania also was incredible…
What’s the worst gig you’ve ever done and why?
A show we did some time ago there was no energy , the few people there were not into it at al, the sound was bad .. just made this all night just terrible .. A night to forget.
What are you opinions on the following genres?
Classical
I think i will get into this music very soon .. know too little to have thoughts about it.
Blues
The roots, the foundation.
Soul
It’s all about what we try to do…
Hip Hop
A culture and a genre, one our our strong basis for Souleance. we grew up with it and still live with it.
Folk
Good Music to walk to and trip to. I enjoy listening to some Folk.
Dubstep
Uk style , it has broke some boundaries.
Trap
Do not know if it’s a genre? Trendy i would say.
Do you have any information regarding upcoming releases, projects, DJ mixes or collaborations in the pipeline that you would like to tell us about?
Yes we are releasing a 7 inch called “Jogar” on 14th of July on First Word Records. This EP is all made around samples of Brazilian music. Of course we are performing this summer at Soundwave Croatia. We are working on new material for this winter and also on a new live set .. New Souleance music and live energy is about to arrive soon.
Catch Souleance at this years SOUNDWAVE festival, Croatia, alongside other artists like: Mr Scruff, Madlib and Fat Freddy’s Drop!
