2020 was a whirlwind launch for Atlanta based Sam WOLFE who’s sound can be described as a blend of big, dark, and aggressive energy.
His Debut EP Triangulum reached #1 overall Beatport release. This landed his music the attention of Spanish techno powerhouse & founder of Reload Records [Techno], The YellowHeads who teamed up for their debut collab Hippodrome , reaching beatport #4 techno hype #16 techno world top 100, receiving support from various techno legends including UMEK From there he’s released his debut EP on Christian Smith ‘s imprint, Tronic, which again topped the Beatport overall release charts at #1, and received support from Bart Skils, Joseph Capriati, Richie Hawtin, Marco Carola, Steve Lawler, Monika Kruse, Oliver Huntemann and many other tier 1 techno acts. He’s even crossed over with support from Trance and Progressive giants Markus Schulz , Ben Gold, Genix, & Paul Thomas. 2021 is set to be a record smashing year for Sam WOLFE with his first
INTERVIEW
– Tell us about your last collab with The YellowHeads “Unhinged Lullaby”. How would you describe the sound of this track and how did the collab came to be?
It started off with wanting to make a vocal track, something simple but groovy & my vocalist Andrea and I had been wanting to do something together for awhile. We just thought of something dark, and kind of creepy & almost weird to think about. We shot the idea over to the YellowHeads & they loved it. The rest is history.
– Are you happy with the feedback and the overall success of the track?
Very happy, we cracked the top 10 on Beatport hype & it’s been crushing in my sets.
– How would you describe your style of production and DJing?
My style of production is pretty simple, I aim to make something big that would play out really well live for a crowd. When I produce I am very big on getting feedback from others around me, I have a lot of friends that I’m always seeking feedback from and it really helps push me to get music done when I’m stuck. My DJ style is simple, just have fun, take the crowd on a journey and enjoy yourself – No need to complicate things.
– How does where you’re from affect your musical influences/upbringing?
This is a good question, because I came up listening to Dubstep in Baltimore and Atlanta loves bass music, that has absolutely shaped my style of techno to have a bigger, more aggressive sound that Bass music fans can get down too. Our hometown club “Believe Music Hall” is primarily bass music, so when they bring me out I need to make sure I bring the energy.
– What do you believe is your purpose as an artist?
I just want to make people happy, and selfishly I love this music so I’m producing just as much for me as I am other people.
– Do you have a mentor in music and how important is to have one?
Yes – and I preach the importance of having a mentor to everyone who asks me how I’ve managed to gain so much success in such a short amount of time. I work with an artist named Rebel Boy on a consistent basis and we have several collabs in the works together.
My first and most important piece of advice for those just starting in production, is to find a mentor or a group of mentors that can help you along the way…. It’s imperative because music is such a big and daunting Journey it can’t be done alone.
– How important is branding and marketing for a DJ in todays electronic scene? And how much of your time do you devote to that aspect?
I have been fortunate enough to get close insight from UMEK; so I will say what he told me…. He believes social media is 50% of the equation to success. The Music is 25%, your talent as a DJ is 25%… so if you’re a great DJ and have great music but no social media / marketing… you’re only halfway there.
I’ve heard it said that the only difference between you and the bigger artists you look up to, is that the bigger artists have just connected with more people. Figure out how to connect with as many people as you can, and that’s how you grow as an artist. The music is a major part of that equation.
– What is your dream spot to play at?
Untold Festival in Romania, my favorite festival.
– Top 3 favorite tracks at the moment?
Heerhorst – Burnin (Rebel Boy Remix)
Mauro Somm – Groove Reader
Sam WOLFE – 7AM
– What can we expect from you in the next few months?
A ton – I have a big 4 track EP just released on Phobiq, along with a big release February 05 on Senso Sounds, a Remix on Gain Records & and a fun special surprise having to do with my more chill side releasing on Nora En Pure’s label Purified in March.
