Fulltone has ascended the ranks of the electronic music scene with his blend of deep house and melodic techno, most recently showcased on his Alba EP. Known for his immersive soundscapes and intricate productions, the producer and DJ from Egypt has captivated audiences worldwide, earning him spots at prestigious festivals and renowned clubs. His tracks, characterized by lush melodies, driving basslines, and a fusion of organic and electronic elements, have been released on notable labels such as All Day I Dream and Sol Selectas.
Fulltone’s ability to blend traditional Middle Eastern influences with contemporary electronic beats sets him apart. In our interview, Fulltone delved into his diverse musical influences, simple creative process, and future ambitions as he returned to Lee Burridge’s esteemed imprint with his newest release.
How do you think growing up amidst such diverse musical influences shaped your approach to music production?
It helped me appreciate good music in general, regardless of its genre. My taste in music became very diverse as well, I listen to everything from Bob Dylan, Nirvana, Pink Floyd, Erik Satie to Depeche Mode, Booka Shade, and almost everything in between
Can you share some insights into your creative process when making this EP?
When working on new music I usually don’t have anything planned, I go to the studio and play until something hits. For the title track “Alba” I was playing with a sus2 chord and because this chord doesn’t have the major or minor 3rd it allowed me to switch between major and minor scales easily, which is the main melody for the track. If you noticed the first loop of the chord progression is very open and happy and the second loop goes darker and more mysterious, and that’s me switching the melody from major to minor. One of those happy accidents.
What inspired ‘ Make Believe’ and how did the collaboration with Shyam P come about?
The chords for “Make Believe” came out of my guitar one day and I thought they had a vibe, so I recorded them and made a very basic arrangement. Months later I was speaking with Shyam about working on a collaboration together, so I sent him a bunch of unfinished ideas and this one caught his attention. He wrote the lyrics and recorded the whole thing at his studio, I almost didn’t touch the vocals because he had recorded them so well. I then built the track around it, making it more like a song, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, interlude, chorus. And like that a track was born.
You’ve mentioned that inspiration can be elusive, comparing it to fishing. Could you elaborate on how you navigate through moments of creative block?
I’m generally obsessed with anything that is part art and part science, and I think that good ideas are like a gift from the universe, I’ve made peace with the idea that I can’t be creative every day, some days I’m super creative and music just flows so easily, and other days nothing is working, I don’t like the sound of any chord or melody. On those days I try to focus more on the science part, I either mix unfinished tracks, or maybe create new patches on my synths, or try and learn something. But in all cases even if I don’t catch any fish, I’ll still go to the lake (studio) and do my work and just be ready for when good ideas come.
As a multi-instrumentalist, do you have a favorite instrument to incorporate into your productions?
My main instruments are the guitar and piano. I compose on any of them, but I’ve collected many instruments over the years. I can’t play them super well but it’s good enough to find a way to record what I want. If i have to choose a favorite instrument I guess it would be synthesizers for sure! I just love how I can manipulate every aspect of the sound.
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You’ve now released eleven tracks on All Day I Dream so far. Can you speak about why you enjoy working with this label and what you look for in collaborators?
Because I like the sound of the label and I think it fits what I do. But, mainly it’s because I love Lee so much. He’s such a cool man and I admire what he has accomplished with the label, he has created an army of producers around the world that make quality music.
What upcoming project are you most looking forward to and why?
I have some singles and remixes coming out this summer. A single is coming out on Klassified, Another collaboration track with Parallelle & a remix for Husa & Zeyada.
You have live performances on the horizon – what can audiences expect from your sets?
A bunch of new unreleased tracks, playing live sets with live keys and guitar (when the settings allow).
Are there any dream collaborations you have in mind for the future?
I just want to collaborate with talented people.
Looking ahead, what are your long-term goals or aspirations as an artist?
I feel like I still have a lot of things on my mind. I definitely would love to work on an album, I would love to play live concerts with live musicians and do a music score for a film.
Purchase Fulltone – Alba EP via this link.
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