This week, Dutch producer San Holo is touching down in the country ready to debut a brand new live show and it sounds like it's going to be pretty special.
While he's been to the country before, he's developed a lot as a producer over the past few years. He made a name for himself with future and trap beats but he's been gradually moving into his own space. His latest drop I Still See Your Face reveals a distinct, individual sound for him with unpredictable drops and a soundscape that's dreamy and emotional. He's also now adapting live instrumentation into his set and will be bringing his guitar down-under with him.
Ahead of the tour, San Holo told us what to expect from the new show and whether he plans to keep evolving his sound into a different place.
You've had a pretty incredible year from SXSW to EDC. Highlights?
I did a lot of festivals this summer for the first time and it was awesome. EDC was definitely one of the biggest highlights, probably the biggest crowd I’ve ever played for. Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza were also great too. I also just played at Storm Festival in Shanghai last week and it was literally storming. But the crowd just kept going! They had to shut down the festival during my set because of all kinds of safety hazards. The CDJ’s were all soaking wet. Definitely another highlight. I think the Exchange LA show in April was great too, that was the first time I ever got to choose a full lineup and run a show “our way”. Plus, the first time we did the guitar show!
Your most recent releases, particularly I Still See Your Face are far more dreamy and atmospheric than your earlier work. What's influenced the sound shift?
I always like exploring new sounds and possibilities and pushing the limits of the ‘San Holo’ project. I don’t like to be tied to a certain genre or style. That search for new things inspires me a lot! I think that’s also the kind of mindset I have with how we run bitbird!
For those who have seen you in Australia this time around, what are they going to notice different in the set?
I have a lot of new songs since I last played here! Fond memories though from my first international tour. This time I’ll be bringing my guitar and making that a big part of my set. Will be singing too and have all new visuals. Excited for you guys to see it.
James Vincent McMorrow is an unexpected collaborator but one that works so well. How did that come about?
I’ve been a big fan of James for a long time. His voice is just something magical and he’s also a brilliant musician and a huge inspiration. We met through email actually. I sent him an email saying I was working on this song and looking for vocals. And he responded to my surprise! It’s such an honour to have worked with him. Getting to do our live session together and meet him in person after talking with him on Twitter and email for a few months was also amazing.
Is collaborations with vocalists from different genres something you're interested in doing more of?
Definitely! I don’t really care if the vocalist sings in a certain genre. I care more for a certain sound the singer has. The James Vincent McMorrow collaboration is a good example of that.
You've said that you were a musician before you were a DJ and you've been doing some incredible live and acoustic vids lately. Are there plans to adapt more live elements into the show?
Yeah, I started out playing guitar when I was 13. So, as said earlier, I’m bringing my guitar along and incorporating it into my sets. You’ll also hear more of it in my music moving forward!
The Trip videos are great. Will there be an Oz episode?
Thank you! Australia will definitely be featured in a episode…we still have some footage from Tomorrowland earlier this year plus Asia that needs to be put together but I’m excited to see how it all looks!
San Holo Australian Tour Dates
Thursday 12 October | Howler, Melbourne
Friday 13 October | Max Watts, Sydney
Saturday 14 October | Oh Hello!, Brisbane
