UK Trance Alliance The Dude recently found the opportunity to have an interview with Rikard Frederiksson aka Probspot. Read on to find out about his upcoming album and a lot more...
- First of all I’m real happy you want to do this interview.
My pleasure
- Rico, you’ve just released your first album. How long has it been in the works?
I started with some basic ideas back in May/June 2004. I made the intro track “waveform” first. But I didn’t have much time to work on the album during the summer. Due to lot’s of remix work and some vacation. Most of the work started in the fall of 2004. And it continued in to early 2005. All the vocal recording was recorded in London in January. The last track “highlight” (only on vinyl) was finished at the end of March.
- What’s the basis for this album? I mean, where does it come from creatively?
I had a pretty clear idea on what I wanted for this album. In my opinion a good album is a mix of different styles. And that’s what I went for. Since most people have heard only the latest style of Probspot, I wanted to give them something new. So I did some drum n´ bass, dark break beat, ambient etc. And together with my usual style, I think it turned out really good. It has something for everyone I believe. Another reason why I did some different styles is that it reflects a bit on my earlier work. I made a lot of drum n´ bass and more experimental music before I got signed.
- Which of the tracks is closest to you? Why?
I would have to say that the drum n´ bass track “Obsession”. It’s the track that I’m most satisfied with, both production and music wise. And it also took me the longest time to finish. It sounds very much like my earlier work several years ago, but at the same time it sounds new. And it was very nice to get back in the drum ´n bass genre again after a long time.
- You’ve tried your hand on a few new genres. Are we going to hear you venturing into new genres again, or will you remain true to the progressive trance sound you’ve established?
I will do some break beat stuff in the future. But I don’t want to confuse people to much by venturing in to completely new styles. Not under the Probspot name. An album is a good place to try different styles. But not singles. So, Probspot will still be about progressive trance/house and the occasional progressive breaks. Although, if there ever will be a second Probspot album there will probably be more different genres on it.
- You’ve garnered a lot of credit over the last year or so, but you’ve been a player on the scene for since 98/99. Tell us a bit about how you first started getting your tracks out there.
I managed to do two remixes to the Swedish acts Antiloop and Pinocchio around 1998-2000. This was a good learning experience for me. At that time I wasn’t all that serious about my music. It was more of a hobby thing. But it gave me inspiration to continue and get my music to the next level. And the remix I did for Antiloop got me in contact with an American house label that signed my first original release “You and Me” in 2001, and got released in 2002. At that time I also made my tracks available on mp3.com.
- Many of your older tracks sound like they have a lot of potential; do you consider these tracks as work in progress or finished work?
It’s both actually. I have used some older ideas on the album. Not whole songs, but melody lines and samples. Since they never got released in the first place I feel it’s ok to use something if it sounds good. There is a melody line in the album track “hard or soft” that is taken from an old Probspot track. There are actually two older versions of that song, so it’s the third and last time I use this melody, hehe. But I leave most of my old tracks to rest as they are.
- You’ve ventured into the deep house genre for a period in 2000 and 2001, this lead to your first vinyl release “You & Me”. How come you stopped working in that particular genre when it was that genre that earned you your fist release? A bold move some would say!
I never intended to start a career in the deep house scene. “You and me” was actually the first deep house track I ever made. And it got signed. So I did some more deep house tracks but, to be honest they didn’t come close to the first one. Even if some of them have some interesting ideas in them.
The label that I worked with also went down due to economical problems. So I decided to try something new. I started venturing into world of progressive house.
- Since Foreplay your releases have been mostly remixes, and very successful remixes indeed, how come the next move after “Foreplay” would be a full fledged album?
Yes, most Probspot productions 2004 was actually remixes, besides the foreplay EP, “Blueberry” and Rico Soarez “TV-dinner/Timeless”. The album decision was made by Lost Language. They offered me a full record deal with plans for an album at the same time they signed the foreplay EP. A bold move since I was fairly unknown at that time. I was quite surprised by their offer, but off course I was thrilled about the possibility to make my own full length album.
- Tell us a bit about what you’ve got planned for the near future.
Right now I’m doing some remix work. And I will probably do some more during this year. I’m also working on an EP that might get released in fall. Lot’s of people have asked when I’m going to start DJing. But I feel that’s probably not my thing after all. I’m quite happy with just producing at the moment.
- What do you reckon will be big in 2005 in the progressive scene?
I have no idea what so ever. Hopefully one or two of my own tracks, hehe.
- The house genre always seems to grow a bit bigger during the summer, could you imagine producing house tracks?
I can’t see why not. House in all its forms have always been a big inspiration for me and my music. And I have considered my self as a house producer for a long time. It’s only the last year or so that my music has turned more into progressive trance. But there is still a small amount of house in all my productions, especially in my beats. I work a lot with house samples and house loops. And if things go as planned I might do some house tracks with my studio neighbour. He’s more of a house producer.
- Sweden seems to be chugging out genre kings all the time. Do they breed you on a secret factory outside Stockholm, or is there something in the tap water in Stockholm?
Maybe it’s in the tap water hehe. I honestly don’t know. Sweden has always been successful in many music genres ever since ABBA. And during the nineties a few Swedish producers were responsible for the success most international pop acts like Britney, Backstreet boys and the rest of the boy bands. It’s kind of cool that a small country like is Sweden having such influence on the international music scene. Perhaps it has to do with the modesty of the typical Swede; We are quite reserved and rarely speak about our feelings and emotions etc. Maybe the music is a way to get all that out.
- You remix all the time, but you’re rarely remixed yourself. How come?
Yeah, I did a lot of remixes last year. Things have slowed down a bit now. I did make a slower version of my track “midnight” for the album. But that’s it. I might do a new version/remix of foreplay in the future. At first I was thinking about doing a remix of foreplay for the album vinyl, but I didn’t have time to do it. So I decided to let a new young unknown talent called Robimon have a go at it. And his remix turned out really good. I think that’s one of the points of remixing, to let some one else try some new ideas on your track that you didn’t think of your self.
- How is your work process? How does a track begin life in the Probspot lab?
It’s seems it’s different every time. Sometimes I start with the melody by playing around with some different sounds until I get something that sounds decent. And then put drums to it. And other times I begin with the drums. I usually have an idea of what I want the track to sound like. But in the end, the result is always something completely different hehe.
- There’s no denying that Antiloop has had a major influence on your sound and you can more or less thank them for giving you your first break. But you necessarily have to divide your career in to two phases: 1) Pre-Foreplay 2) post-Foreplay (no pun intended!). Why do you reckon that track turned out so big?
I was fortunate enough to get to know them at the same time I was starting out with Dance music. So they helped me a lot. I spent countless hours in their studio to get grip on music production. And their music has been and still is one of my biggest sources of inspiration.
I think most artists have one track that stands above all their other productions. And for me I guess that’s foreplay. I think one of the reasons it got so popular is that it’s a borderline track between house and trance. It appeals to both trance and house fans. And melody wise it didn’t sound like anything else at that time.
- Will we see Probspot emerge with another summer time anthem this year?
Hopefully yes. Since the album has just been released, there is a good chance that at least one or two tracks will be getting some plays.
- Probspot’s debut album will be out medio/primo June on Lost Language. You can also purchase it on amazon.co.uk, where you’re also able to pre-order it.
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Interviewed By : warpsmith