Cleverly blending house & electronica facets, Fabrikate is a Montreal-based duo that have been crushing the scene for a few years now with several successful releases. They mess with a bunch of sultry vibes and stand out with their ability to get the listeners head bobbing with ease. Their signature sound has received backing from various artists, such as Oliver Heldens, Don Diablo, Major Lazer and Diplo, just to name a few. The enigmatic duo keep on producing tracks, solidifying their reputation as one of 2019's most intriguing talents.
Fresh off the release of their beautifully downtempo ‘Luxe', we sat down with the Canadian producer duo to talk about their latest releases, future goals, memorable moments, while they also explain their anonymity. Read our exclusive Fabrikate interview below.
V1. In our recent article, we described you as “mysterious” and “enigmatic.” Is this mystery around your profile, something you would like to cultivate and hold on to in the future?
Fabrikate: There are a number of reasons as to why we continue to keep the anonymity but it will always predominantly be because we want Fabrikate to be about the music, the world we're introducing you to and less about us and our good looks 😉 It doesn't mean that we'll keep it when performing but you'll have to come and see for yourself.
V2. What does Fabrikate stand for? How did you come up with the name?
Fabrikate: We always were lovers of music that went beyond the commercial format that sometimes feel a little bit bland and predictable. We always despised the fact that some of today's major acts market their lavish fabricated lifestyles and place their image before their music. We thought that it would be ironic to name ourselves Fabrikate and just drop good music without divulging our identities. We're all about the music, always.
V3. How did the two of you meet and form a music duo in general?
Fabrikate: Would you like the real story or the story or the fictitious one. (We're gonna assume you want to hear the simplified true story); one of the two of us was working for a record label. There was a remix competition launched by the label which again, one of us ended up winning. It was love at first sight, one thing led to another, and we created BODIES (released in 2015).
V4. Recently, you've released a track called NYCM. How would you describe the creative process of this song? Are you satisfied with the final output?
Fabrikate: We're releasing an album this Spring. NYCM felt like it was the perfect teaser to put out as an introductory single. We wanted to make the ultimate minimalistic banger that had an 80's vibe and a cinematic predominance. We made the song pretty short compared to today's standards, but we made sure to write it in a sense that the whole song is arranged around its hook. NYCM is the first scene of a much larger story that we're about to unveil. We are extremely satisfied with the response so far, as most people tell us that it makes them feel as it was an 80's song, they're intrigued about what's to come. As they should be!
V5. How would you describe your music and sound in general?
Fabrikate: A 70's classic pornograhy film starring Ron Jeremy with a blend of scenes from Thank God it's Friday.
V6. What tools, instruments or programs did you use for recording the song. Maybe you could tell us a little bit about your work in the studio in general when you're recording your own songs.
Fabrikate: We love to blend analog technology with the the flexibility of modern electronic software. We usually hunt for original old tape master and multitrack recordings from the 70's & 80's (from a source we can't divulge, sorry!) and transfer them using tape machines straight into our computers. We then re-edit everything in Logic Pro X, and mix the hell out of it to make everything sound huge. We add melodies from our favourite synths and drum machines and flip everything just enough to give the song what it needs. There's no secret here, really.
V7. You were pretty active while doing remixes for artists like The Weeknd and now it seems like your focusing on original productions. What are the main differences between original tracks and remixes for producers like you?
Fabrikate: We always try to get a few remixes out there, especially ones of great tracks we just can't say no to. Abel (The Weeknd) and his label are friends of ours and gave us that opportunity a few years ago which was a lot of fun to make. We've since remixed our fellow Canadians Keys N Krates and very good friends Sterling Grove on their recent projects. We would never say there is really a difference on how we approach remixes but we always make sure to respect the original production and sound of the artists we're remixing.
V8. What do you have planned regarding releases and songs for 2019? Anything you can already reveal to us?
Fabrikate: Yeah this year is going to be a big one and there's so much to come! We're putting out a few singles in the weeks to come leading up to our second full length album. Just that is going to be huge for us. We're also working on a special project to be released on vinyl on a German imprint. Also in the works is our exclusive Fabrikate parties which are being put together to put forward the best vibes in the coolest venues in and around Montreal and eventually worldwide.
V9. Thank you for this very interesting chat and we really hope that 2019 will be an incredible year for you. Any final words for our readership?
Fabrikate: Keep an eye out if you'd like to see our story unfold. Each artwork and track tells a story leading to our 2nd album release where it all comes to life. Hope you enjoy the ride as much as we did making it.
