Next in our Lowdown series, we speak to Andu Simion about his forthcoming release on Eric Cloutier’s Palinoia imprint and the importance of having platforms dedicated to up and coming artists.
Your next release is on Eric Cloutier’s Palinoia label, how did your relationship with Eric begin?
I’ve listened to his Driftwood tribute mix a lot of times and I really loved it. After this episode, I decided to send a message to Eric and some of my jams with him, that’s where it all started.
How did you know that Palinoia was the right fit for this EP?
I didn’t know the full story about the Palinoia project. When Eric told me about his new label and some artists that he selected for upcoming EPs I was instantly interested. We decided that to schedule a release and Eric selected the tracks, so all credits are going to him for this process.
Palinoia translates to in Greek as “the obsessive repetition of an act until it is perfected or mastered” – is there anything besides music that you will work on until it’s perfected or mastered?
I’m a photographer and I really want to make my images in the perfect way. I have to admit, it’s a difficult process but the results are encouraging. I’m happy with my upcoming release because we’ve decided to put one of my images as the artwork for Palinoia 004.
Having only launched in 2016, are there any standout releases on the label for you?
The label’s debut vinyl was fresh, I’ve played this first release a lot. It’s perfect for all dance floor moments. Also, I’ve followed the next releases and I really like that the label is open to different styles. It’s very interesting for me to find nice variated music on a record label.
Now back to your EP, what’s the story behind it?
It was a challenge for me. Each track was finished in a different period and each one has a different vision. The tracks are kinda old, but I’ve reworked each one, trying to do my best for a clean sound.
There are so many platforms out there at the moment founded to champion fresh new talent. Do you feel that it’s almost easier now to get your name and releases out there to the people that matter than it would’ve been maybe 5 years ago?
The multitude of platforms is a good thing for us, the new producers / DJs, because it’s very simple for us to promote our work and share news, releases etc. Now it’s easier to make all the promotional stuff than 5 years ago. because their number increased. But the bad thing is it’s kinda difficult to be updated with all the news. So, I think it’s crucial to focus on your appropriate things.
Why do you think it’s important that targeted platforms for up and coming producers exist right now?
Targeted platforms are created for us to keep updated with new materials. It’s also nice to discover a new artist with a stunning release, or some news about your preferred DJs or producers. Platforms are playing an important role for informing all parties involved in this industry.
What advice would you give to new artists who are just starting out to get their releases on these platforms?
I regularly use social media for promoting upcoming releases, but I never used sponsored posts. I think it’s very important to do a good job in your domain, and then people will follow you. This should be an organic process. For sure, you can ‘skip’ some steps and use paid posts on social media to speed things up a bit. Of course, it’s very important to have articles on targeted platforms with a large exposure because each platform has its own followers and this should help a lot.
Stream Andu Simion’s ‘Heavy Glow’ EP on Palinoia below: