We sit down with Maltese DJ and producer Carl Bee to celebrate his recent release ’Tunnel’ on There Is A Light Records. We discuss the changing scene in Malta, hardware, the inspiration between his sound and more…

How are you, how has the year been?

I’m very well thank you! This year has has been amazing so far. I have some good strong releases lined up which have already been heavily supported by big names in the scene and also my calendar of shows and events have taken shape into a very busy year.

How did you first get into dance music in Malta? Radio? Live DJs? Internet?

It was a very natural move for me since my father was a DJ and my cousin also, who eventually thought me how to DJ when was I was 14 years old, so I grew up in a very musical and DJ environment at home. I remember my father buying vinyl which was mostly soul, funk and various albums and we used to listen to them almost everyday. When I grew a bit older into my teen days, I started to go to my cousin’s house and listen to dance music, everything between house , techno and trance and remember clearly begging him to teach me how to DJ which he did when I started to get more into it. Fast forward to today, here I am doing everything in music from DJing to producing and promoting.

How has the scene changed since then?

It has changed quite a lot I must say. Back than it was all about the clubs and venues, every club had its own style and sound with its resident DJs whilst nowadays the people follow more the artists and the acts.

Generations have also changed and their options are quite wider compared. Back in the day we had to travel to experience parties and favourite DJs or even to simply follow dance music and be involved in the scene, you had to either listen to a lot of radio or browse the internet for live mixes and DJ sets, travel or buy magazines. There was no social media. Music and the scene nowadays is more wide and accessible from every corner.

What makes it unique? What sounds are popular and special for Malta?

The techno and melodic techno genres are quite popular on the island, as well as house and obviously the more mainstream dance music which is mostly played in all bars and on the radio for their day playlist.

Having said that, our underground scene is quite niche and there are some one off events and acts which makes it slightly a bigger event in numbers but they’re not as big if it’s not a festival or a concert in Summer.

What are your own sounds and style, what’s the signature in your music?

My signature is definitely the groove, whether I play techno, melodic or even a more housey set, I always tend to have my signature groove. It’s very crossover, as it depends in which environment I’m playing, the set time and most importantly the audience. I always try to adapt to every situation without loosing my signature sound.

Why do you take a less is more approach as it says in the PR for your new one?

The simplicity very often works best in music. I always try to focus on the main elements of the tracks and go around them (sometimes I get to over do it with sounds when i get carried away, but I always end up removing sounds at the end). The audience have to have something catchy and simple to relate to or remember a tune so keeping things simple will definitely help in achieving that goal.

Do you limit the tools you use, the software and hardware, to make your music?

Yes, I find it very important to do so actually. My best tracks and productions were made either on the sofa or on the kitchen table with just my laptop. If need be I change something using hardware just to reach some organic movement in certain elements to the tracks. Nowadays you can do everything with just a computer and maybe to have more flexibility, a A midi controller might help you speed up your workflow. When I buy new gear, I often take time to learn it before I actually finish something

So yes, I try to minimise my palette to also be more creative with the tools I have.

What inspired your new one on There Is A Light Records?

Im lucky enough to play a lot of DJ sets and almost all of them are in a peak time slots or in front of a good numbered crowd, so when I’m producing I always try to write something for the dancefloor that works in big room situation. So I wanted to make something simple with a huge climax and percussive elements. I was playing around with the Moog DFam Semi Modular and came up with this percussive synthy loop which turned out to be the main line of “Tunnel”. I then resampled a one shot from the same loop and created the breakdown climax with the same percussion. Here is the perfect example of limiting yourself and working with what you have

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

To be patient and persistent and to never take rejections on a personal level. If you believe in yourself and in what you’re doing, these things should never leave your head. Three of the most important things to keep in mind if you are about to start in this industry.

What is next for you for the rest of the year?

I have a lot of releases coming out on some amazing record labels. I have an album on a new alias project name with non club music, more for home listening and chill, euphoric, downtempo and Breaks music.

I am looking forward to my shows at Eden in Ibiza and in Malta with ABODE plus all the GRINGOS events at UNO with some amazing artists for the Summer season as we just confirmed another International GRINGOS show in August for the second year in a row at AfroBar in Catania with the guys from With Love.

Stay tuned because alot more will be happening as we speak .

Carl Bee single “Tunnel” is out now on There Is A Light Records
Grab it here

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