“Most of the music released nowadays is empty of any soul and emotions”: Folamour on modern dance music
The Marseille-based artist shares his hopes for the music industry in a brand new interview.
Image: Folamour via Instagram
French electronic DJ and producer Folamour has lamented the state of modern electronic music and the way it is, in his words, “empty of any soul and emotions”.
The Marseille-based artist — who recently performed at the Hideout Festival in Croatia — told Complex that he hopes to see “a comeback of meaningful and messageful music in the electronic/dance scene.”
“Nowadays, I feel that sharing a message, values, even stories, is often overlooked,” he explains, adding that “most of the music released nowadays is empty of any soul and emotions, and I regret that.”
“Making music for people to dance to is great, but music 30 years ago carried a stronger social message, actually telling something to the world. So I’d love to see that come back.”
When asked about the one trend or scene that ‘absolutely needs to die right now’, Folamour doubles down on his previous comments, saying “All the soulless music made for people to get drunk on. Music should be more than that.”
The musician also shares the inspiration behind his latest mix at Hideout, saying “I didn’t think much about what I was going to play before my set, so I followed the flow of the night. It was warm and electric, and I think it pushed me into starting funky and moving to the housier part of my spectrum towards the end. The energy in Croatia is always special.”
Citing his remix of Udo Jürgens’ Peace Now as the one track he just had to include in the set, Folamour says, “Udo is a legendary German artist, and I was humbled to be offered to rework this gem of his. It has found a very special place in my sets these days with its universal love message.”
“I always express something in my sets and each track is selected for a reason, and this one has a clear message about peace that I truly cherish.”
Speaking with MusicTech for the May digital cover feature, Folamour elaborated on his values as an artist and producer, and explains why he is always the number one fan of his music.
“If I’m not dancing, something is wrong,” he said. “When I’m listening to my own music, I try to separate myself from it. I’ve been making music for almost 10 years, and there are some songs that I forget that I’ve made. I listen to music on Spotify, and a track comes on and I’m like, ‘Wow, this track is cool. I don’t remember who it is.’ And I find out it’s myself, in a weird way.
“So even with Manifesto, sometimes I would sit and listen to it like I’m someone else, and try to understand the message. I try to put myself in the case of someone discovering it. And it’s really important for me to still enjoy it, no matter what. Because if I’m not one hundred per cent a fan of something I do, it’s not meant to be out.”
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