Pioneering Danish musician-turned-DJ/producer HEDEGAARD continues to awe audiences around the world with his innovative artistry. His latest EP INFERNO / Ratchets showcases the deep yet suspenseful musicality that he has honed over the years.
Nicknamed the "inventor of car music," which is a blend of EDM and urban sounds oscillating around 100 BPM after he released a bootleg of Dr. Dre's "The Next Episode" in 2011, HEDEGAARD wows us again on this latest release, with EP being accompanied by a jaw-dropping 3D animation.
In conversation with Earmilk, HEDEGAARD chats about the process behind creating the EP and the impressive animation, weaving AI into his craft and what he’s keen to experiment with in the future.
Tell me a bit about your new EP and the creative process behind it?
It is a release of two songs: “INFERNO”, which is brand new and a re-release of a song called “Ratchets” which I did a soft release of a couple of years ago, without doing any promotion.
We chose to combine these two songs on one release to emphasize the core of my sound in context with the AI robot that can be seen in the animated video. I see the robot as an alter ego, representing the darkness in my sound.
How would you say your sound has evolved over time and where do you see it going from here?
Since the beginning of my career I have been developing the low tempo Car Music sound. It has evolved from being mainly used in my remixes, to creating original songs; Mostly with a big focus on what you could call “dark beats“ combined with rap vocals. In time my sound has become slower than it was in the beginning, because I love the deep and heavy vibe it brings. I am also applying more cinematic sounds these days, to create a bigger suspense and a more dramatic feeling in my music.
You’ve also unveiled a 3D, AI fuelled visual to accompany the EP. How did the idea for this animation come about and what was the process of working on it ?
There are two sides to my sound: The up-tempo party songs and the deep and heavy songs. The robot was created to represents the latter. Secondly, as a DJ playing live it has always been a bit challenging to find interesting visual elements for my live shows. The robot is a great add-on and extra feature in the live experience and works really well in combination with light programming and special effects.
The AI avatar will be accompanying your musical journey to large extent going forward. What inspired this idea? And what’s been the reaction towards among audiences?
It is the plan to incorporate the robot as a part of my project and identity/branding as an artist in the future. The first reactions have been incredible. Both on my live shows, and on the YouTube upload. The animation adds a theatrical element to the live shows, and it was mainly intended for such use, so it was actually a bit surprising (but very nice) to see the positive response on YouTube as well.
The EP features your signature “car music” sound, this has become something you’re known for. Is there any other sort of sound or style you’re super keen to experiment with in the future?
I always like to listen to new trends and styles, but I am very focused on my own sound. So although I am super inspired by the current techno trends and the “Meduza-trend” before that, I stick to my own sound. That being said I enjoy using elements from new trends in my own way. I feel it is very important as an artist not to chase trends, as you can end up in a rat race becoming a copy of existing artists, and find yourself switches lanes every time a new sound and trend erupts. The best thing you can do in my experience is to focus on developing your own unique style.
Finally, if you had to describe what people can expect HEDEGAARD’s artistry in three words, what would they be and why?
Hip-hop meets EDM: I have always believed that these huge genres can be combined and that they work very well together. That is what I am trying to do and what I will keep on doing.
Experimental: Music should never be static, so I try to be playful and creative in my work by combining unexpected styles and sounds to create something new.
Cinematic: I am very inspired by the way movies impact us. I try to incorporate that feeling into my live shows and songs.
Connect with HEDEGAARD : Instagram
