Martin Solveig is a focused artist, hungry for experience. His first DJ sets (a few nights on the decks of the Palace club when he was 18) inspired a passion for electronic music and an ambition to make a career in this fascinating, elusive little world. As a student, he was successively resident DJ at Le Palace, Les Bains-Douches, L'Enfer and Le Queen. Assembling disco classics and “Guem” and “Carneiro” percussion, he soon learned to put together small, very simple pieces and produce his first samples…

First productions
… Martin's first production efforts were persistent, but inconclusive. Then, with the backing of friend and mentor Claude Monnet, he set up his own label, “Mixture”, and finally made his name with “Heart Of Africa”. This piece of percussion enlivened by raging saxophone riffs won acclaim from influential electro players, such as Joe Clausell, Frankie Knuckles and Bob Sinclar. Sinclar, who had just launched his “Africanism” project with DJ Gregory, asked Martin to join the team. The result was “Edony”, Martin's first hit, which sold 40,000 copies in vinyl. A surprising track, telling the story of an Egyptian princess over a derbouka backing, it reached the number-one spot in the French, Italian and Greek club charts.

First album: “Sur la terre” (On Earth)
Now it was time to take the plunge and put together an album combining these tracks with others, providing a wider vision of Martin's musical world. “Sur la terre” (On Earth) was released in 2002. It included “Edony” and “Heart Of Africa”, as well as “I'm a good man” (a powerful, old-school soul track), the slightly melancholic “Someday”, and “Linda” (a jokey Afro nod to his masters, Fela and Serge Gainsbourg). This first album was a strong critical success, drawing unexpected reactions from all around the world. It enabled Martin to work with international producers such as Kenny Dope (Masters At Work), and DJ Spen (Basement Boys) and also brought him offers of ambitious remixes for Cunnie Williams, Soldiers of Twilight and especially Salif Keita, for whom Martin wrote one of 2003's great club anthems, “Madan”.

A remix for Salif Keita: “Madan”
The story of this remix began unremarkably, with exchanges between record companies, but when the lively, universal song was heard, things started to move. Martin re-orchestrated the track, turning it into an afro-disco whirlwind. Pleased with the result, he decided to release it on his “Mixture” label. For nearly a year, Tony Humphries, Louie Vega, David Morales and others featured the remix in their sets. It was then aired by numerous radio stations in France , Italy , Portugal , Australia , South Africa , etc., a proud achievement for its creator. While sticking to Salif Keita's traditional message, he secured the backing of top DJs and won over a broad, not necessarily specialist audience. “Madan” has now been compiled more than 150 times in 21 different countries. It is included on the remix album “Suite” (Continued), a compilation of many of Martin's remixes and a few previously unreleased tracks, including “Rocking music”.

“Rocking music”
Martin realised that he had reached a turning point, that it was time to step back from African influences if he was to avoid getting stuck in a rut or acquiring the kind of label that always sticks a little too firmly to an artist behind their back. Another meeting with Jay Sebag brought the possibility of a rewarding partnership that would allow Martin to express his sometimes rather controlled (but uplifting) disco streak. “Rocking Music” was released in October 2004, greatly widening the artist's audience and winning over the UK public for the first time. Backed by Mousse T, Pete Tong and Erick Morillo, “Rocking Music” impacted on the 2004 Winter Music Conference in Miami, then swept across Europe on the air and in clubs (BBC Radio 1 playlisted it with high rotation).

Decks forever
Martin never lets his producer's cap get in the way of his DJ headgear. An artist endlessly roaming from venue to venue, he performs his music on the decks, touring clubs worldwide. The 2004 Rocking Music Tour took him to more than 20 countries. In Sydney , New York , Ibiza , Singapore , Barcelona , Zaghreb, London , Lisbon , Dubai and Paris , at events ranging from a private party for Karl Lagerfeld to the open-air festival of Carthage , Martin found unswervingly enthusiastic audiences, often displaying different sensibilities.

Second album: “Hedonist”
… This diversity of cultures and encounters along his musical path simply sharpened his desire to carry on the experience, especially in terms of writing and production. Without any real break, he embarked on a new album, “Hedonist”. Over a few months, its dozen tracks of varying inspiration took shape, united by the increasingly distinctive “Solveig” production. Martin's aim on “Hedonist” was to explore the art of writing further (he penned 90% of the lyrics and music), try out new fusions (combining the energy of programmed loops with the vitality of live music, or electronic textures with classical instruments) and, above all, have a great time mixing the cocktail.

“Hedonist” is to be released in France on ULM (Universal) in June, then internationally ( UK , Italy , Germany , Benelux , Australia , Spain ) in September.

Producer profile
# 2001: Worked on the “Africanism” project with Bob Sinclar and DJ Gregory. Martin's track “Edony” was chosen as the first single (club no. 1 in France , Italy , Greece ).
# 2002 and 2003: First Album “Sur la Terre” (On Earth) + remix album “Suite” (Continued) (70,000 copies sold worldwide)
# 2000: Work with Salif Keita and release of “Madan” (100,000 copies worldwide + over 150 compilations)
# 2004: “Rocking Music”, which conquered UK audiences and was playlisted by Britain 's prestige BBC Radio One (100,000 copies worldwide, club no. 1 in the UK , Australia , Italy )
# 2004: 5 nominations at the UK House Music Awards, including “Artist of the year” and “Single of the year” for “Rocking Music”
# 2005: Release of the album, “Hedonist”, and the first single, “Everybody”

DJ Profile
# 1997 to 2002: Resident DJ at top Paris clubs (successively Le Palace, Les Bains Douches, L'Enfer and Le Queen.
# 2001 until today: Martin still loves to perform on the decks, performing his productions live. He appears internationally, regularly playing in London (Ministry Of Sound), Rome (Spaoneiria), New York (Cielo), Ibiza (Pacha), Sydney (Tank), Barcelona (Discoteca), Singapore (Zouk), Anvers (La Rocca), Dubai (Trilogy), Copenhagen (Luxx), Paris (Queen), etc.
# 2004 Award winner for the best set of the season at the Ibiza DJ Awards.

The “Hedonist” album
The project was completed over a relatively short period, since the first “Hedonist” sequences were loaded into the sequencer in September 2004. In a few months, the eleven tracks took shape. Diversely inspired, their common denominator was an increasingly distinctive “Solveig” production. Martin's aim on the record was to explore the art of writing further (he penned 90% of the lyrics and music), try out new fusions (combining the energy of programmed loops with the vitality of live music, or electronic textures with classical instruments) and, above all, have a great time mixing the cocktail.

The result is not a house music album, rather a contemporary, electronic view of disco, rock and R&B, all led by 2 singers with strong identities: Jay Sebag and Lee Fields.

Already featured on “Rocking Music”, Jay has an astonishing range of vocal possibilities in terms of technique and sensibility. On “Hedonist”, he sings on 4 tracks, ranging from electronic funk to ballad. He is Martin's number-one musician partner, so obviously plays an important role on the album.

Lee Fields, a fifty-year-old bluesman, brings his special madness and a soul sweat that turns verses into a melodic lament. His take on “Everybody”, a powerful cocktail of house, blues and rock, totally changed its character. As the first single taken from “Hedonist', the track caused a stir at the 2005 WMC in Miami this year, with backing from Pete Tong, David Guetta, Roger Sanchez and Mousse T.

The rest of the album is performed by Stephy Haïk, Michael Robinson and Martin Solveig himself (with tongue slightly in cheek, but a certain sincerity too).

“Hedonist” will be released in France on ULM (Universal) on the 5 th June, then internationally ( UK , Italy , Germany , Benelux , Australia , Spain ) in September.

Interview - Questions put to Martin Solveig

Why the title “Hedonist”?
It's mainly to do with my state of mind while I was working on the project. I had a lot of fun and didn't think about things too much. I'd always wanted to be eclectic, to condense all the pleasure that music brings me and share it. Then the album probably has a slight flavour of the 60s and 70s, which have always embodied a certain freedom for me, a child of the 80s, the economic crisis, the condom generation… Then I'm into wine, parties and low necklines, so I feel quite in tune with the title.

Doesn't the eclecticism you mention, which characterises the album, run the risk of destabilising it?
Yes, “Hedonist” is definitely an atypical album, in that it explores different singers and different worlds too. Most of the time, it's a singer exploring styles or a style explored by different singers. Having said that, I think that my way of producing and writing is becoming distinctive. I'm still young and I hope my personality will assert itself, but on first listening to the album, I've often heard “that's Solveig”, which gives me a lot of satisfaction.

What will your first fans think, the clubbers and house music lovers?
I think – I hope – that they're a little like me, getting older and their tastes changing. Most of them will probably focus on the singles – the most “club” tracks, the easiest to grasp – but for those who want to go a bit further and find out what's behind it all, I wanted to come up with something personal. An album is inevitably personal and that's why I'm so fond of the Long-Playing format. You can say more and – even if the public knows me from a DJ/club angle – I wanted to say those things. Working on a true ballad, for instance, not basing everything on energy. DJs have a beat, but they can also have a heart…

What's more, my DJ sets today are a little less focused on repetitive music. I realised that clubbers knew the structures of 100% sequenced numbers by heart. Adding a live touch, slipping in a disco, rock or soul standard… that surprises them and produces a reaction. When you manage to time it well, the kids react twice as much to a Clash or Supremes track than the club smash of the moment.

Whois “Hedonist” aimed at?
I don't like things to be too compartmentalised. It's paradoxical and difficult to defend in these days of ultra-formatted music, but I want to believe there are still certain openings. I've already had some great surprises meeting fifty-year-olds who are into “Sur la Terre” (On Earth). I certainly didn't work on ”Hedonist” in an elitist frame of mind. I have a fondness for simple things and I try to follow the shortest paths to put across an idea, a musical theme. I'm aware that this album will be a bit harder for the youngest to take on board, since they expect more energy from a DJ album. Having said that, there are enough artists who do that better than me. Overall, I think that everyone can find something in there.

After the success of “Madan” and “Rocking Music”, is it valid to start off with a single like “Everybody”?
Doing tracks that are like your previous successes makes things simpler and can bring faster results. The risk for the artist is that they'll lock themselves into a microstyle and won't be able to get out of it again. The best thing is to have an identifiable style that suggests your old and new numbers are from the same mould, although they're not really comparable. I think that “Everybody” is a reflection of me and I take full responsibility for it, as much as for my previous singles. I felt like doing something a little radical and tougher than usual, while still remaining myself. The song points to a change without breaking with the past, so I think it's a good ambassador for the album.

Why a Serge Gainsbourg cover?
Firstly, because “Requiem pour un con” (Requiem for a Jerk) means something special to me. The man who wrote it is a master and I wanted to pay humble tribute. The song provides a little break in the album's progress, as well as a French touch that I'm attached to. I think the best songs are made to last and be covered. New versions always have something new to add, even if they never achieve the magic of the original.

What's going to happen next?
I'm going to free up a bit of time for my friends and family, since I've only seen them on and off for the last year. Otherwise, I'm going to spend some of my summer in the clubs and on the beaches. In other words, I'm going to travel and party. Even if I sometimes grumble a bit from tiredness, I'm a child blessed by fortune and very happy in his everyday life. I should quote Karl Lagerfeld: “Holidays are for people who work”.

Débuts
Martin Solveig est un artiste empressé, boulimique d’expériences. Ses premiers sets dj, quelques soirées aux platines du Palace à l’age de 18 ans font naître une passion pour les musiques électroniques et l’ambition d’aborder professionnellement ce petit monde fascinant et insaisissable. Alors étudiant, il enchaîne les résidences au Palace, au Bain Douche, à l’Enfer puis au Queen. Très vite, à force d’éditer les classiques disco, les percussions de « Guem », de « Carneiro », il apprend à construire de petites compositions toutes simples, à faire tourner ses premiers samples…

Premières compositions
… Les débuts de Martin en production sont aussi opiniâtres qu’anecdotiques, mais grâce au soutien de son ami et mentor « Claude Monnet », il monte son label « Mixture », et parvient finalement à attirer l’attention avec « Heart Of Africa ». Ce titre percussif, animé de riffs de saxophone enragés se trouve plébiscité par des acteurs influents de l’electro : « Joe Clausell », « Frankie Knucles », « Bob Sinclar ». Ce dernier qui vient de lancer le projet « Africanism » avec « Dj Gregory », propose à Martin de rejoindre l’équipe. Il en résulte « Edony », son premier hit vendu à 40 000 exemplaires en vinyl. Ce titre surprenant qui raconte l’histoire d’une princesse égyptienne sur fond de derbouka, se hisse à la 1ère place des classements club Français, Italien et Grec…

Premier album : « Sur la terre »
… Le moment est venu de se risquer à la production d'un album qui associerait aux morceaux déjà évoqués, d'autres compositions, donnant une vision plus large de l'univers musical de Martin. « Sur la terre » voit le jour en 2002. On y retrouve « Edony », « Heart Of Africa » mais aussi « I'm a good man », titre soul, puissant et old school, « Someday » un rien mélancolique, et « Linda » clin d'œil afro rigolo à ses maîtres : « Fela » et « Serge Gainsbourg ». Ce premier album obtient un joli succès d'estime et engendre des réactions inattendues à travers le monde. Il offre à Martin des opportunités de collaboration avec des producteurs internationaux tels que Kenny Dope (Masters At Work), et Dj Spen (Basement Boys). Il se voit confier des remies ambitieux pour Cunnie Williams, Soldiers of Twilight, et surtout Salif Keita pour qui il signe l'un des anthems club de l'année 2003 : " Madan ".

Un remix pour Salif Keita : « Madan »
L'histoire de ce remix commence classiquement par des échanges entre maisons de disque, mais la découverte de ce chant enlevé, fédérateur précipite les choses. Martin réorchestre le titre, le transforme en une bourrasque afro-disco. Satisfait du résultat, il propose de le sortir sur son label « Mixture ». Pendant près d'un an ce remix alimente les sets de « Tony Humphries », « Louie Vega », « David Morales », … avant d'être diffusé par de nombreuses radios en France, en Italie, au Portugal, en Australie, Afrique du sud... Un accomplissement qui fait la fierté de son créateur puisqu'il a su respecter le message traditionnel de « Salif Keita », susciter l'adhésion des plus grands djs et séduire in fine un public large, non nécessairement spécialiste. « Madan », est compilé plus de 150 fois à ce jour dans 21 pays différents… Il est inclus au remix album « Suite », compilation de nombreux remixes de Martin et quelques inédits dont : « Rocking Music »

« Rocking music »
… Martin réalise qu'il vit un moment clé, qu'il est temps aussi de s'écarter des influences africaines pour éviter la routine et les étiquettes qui collent toujours un peu trop fort dans le dos des artistes. Une autre rencontre avec « Jay Sebag » lui offre la possibilité d'une collaboration enrichissante, et de laisser s'exprimer une fibre disco et up-lifting parfois un peu contenue. « Rocking Music » sort en octobre 2004, et élargit largement le rayonnement de son auteur qui touche pour la première fois le public anglo-saxon. Plébiscité par « Mousse T », « Pete Tong », « Erick Morillo », « Rocking Music » marque la « winter music conference 2004» à Miami, puis traverse l'Europe en radio et en club (BBC Radio 1 l'inclut dans sa play-list en forte rotation).

Toujours les platines
…La casquette de producteur n'occulte jamais celle du dj, à la manière d'un artiste qui écume les salles de concert, Martin représente sa musique derrière les platines et sillonne les clubs du monde entier. Le « Rocking Music Tour 2004 » l'emmène dans plus de 20 pays. A Sydney, New York, Ibiza, Singapour, Barcelone, Zagreb, Londres, Lisbonne, Dubaï, Paris, d'une soirée privée pour Karl Lagerfeld, au festival plein air de Carthage, Martin découvre des publics toujours enthousiastes, aux sensibilités souvent différentes.

Deuxième album « Hedonist »
… Cette diversité dans les cultures, et les rencontres de son parcours musical ne fait qu'attiser son envie de poursuivre l'expérience, notamment en composition et production. Sans réellement marquer de pause, il se plonge dans la réalisation d'un nouvel album « hedonist ». En quelques mois émerge cette dizaine de titres, aux inspirations diverses, fédérées par une production de plus en plus identifiée « Solveig ». L'ambition de « hedonist » étant pour Martin d'aller plus loin en écriture (il signe 90% des textes et des musiques), de tenter de nouveaux mélanges : entre l'énergie des boucles programmées et la vie de la musique live, entre textures électroniques et instruments classiques, et surtout de prendre beaucoup de plaisir à l'élaboration du cocktail.
« Hedonist » sort en France au mois de Juin 05 sur ULM (Universal), en amont d'une sortie internationale (UK, Italie, Allemagne, Benelux, Australie, Espagne) en Septembre.