Recognised for his melodic and powerful releases on the likes of Stil vor Talent and Purified Records, Swiss/Belgian producer Paradoks has seen a rapid rise over the past few years. Focusing on his productions and studio time at the beginning of 2022, we got the chance to chat with him about his journey so far, his hobbies outside of music and the impact he hopes to have on the music scene.
Hi Paradoks – how would you introduce yourself to our readers?
Hi! I’m Kobe, a Swiss / Belgian melodic electronic music artist under the name of Paradoks. I would define my sound as melodic and powerful.
What have you been up to so far in 2022?
I started 2022 with a much-needed break in Mexico, since 2021 was very hectic for me. Now, since the end of January, I’m back in the studio and really focusing on producing my next songs. I’m not playing so much at the moment, as I really want to focus on creating the best possible music and don’t want to be too distracted.
How did you discover your skill for producing?
It all started with the piano. I had taught myself to play the piano for a few years and got really emotional and deep with it. Later, I began composing songs on the piano, and I wanted to start exploring more possibilities. I was also listening to a lot of electronic music, so I really wanted to create my own piece of that new “sound”. That’s when I discovered FL Studio and dove deep into the infinite world of music production. My strength is really in the melodies, they just come naturally to me since I have these years of piano under my belt. Now I work on Ableton.
Did you always want to become a producer, or did you have any other career paths in mind?
I never really thought of it, until I did. A few of my friends, when they heard me play the piano told me “you will live out of music”. I always took that as a joke, as a “that would be nice!” but never really took it seriously. However, I remember listening to Dubstep back then, on the bus to go to school, closing my eyes and seeing me playing and sharing this music to a passionate crowd at a festival, feeling that rush of adrenaline. Of course, those were day dreams, and I never really thought about making it real. I did a bachelor’s in economics & management at HEC, Lausanne, and music was something I was doing for fun on the side. In my third year, I was on exchange in Buenos Aires and I started playing more and more, testing my own productions. I remember vividly that many people came up to me asking me for that “track ID”, and it was my track. After that I realized that maybe I do have potential to make a path for myself as an artist and decided to give it more focus. I finished my bachelor and started giving it more attention. Instead of starting a career in business, I did small jobs here and there in order to keep the flexibility to choose my hours and make more music. I guess that deep inside, in my unconscious, I was always visualizing such a life for myself.
How have you shaped your sound?
My sound has really evolved through the years. Initially, before Paradoks, I used to make more chill piano & guitar beats as well as Chillstep. Then, my first Paradoks songs where more of a dark and deep tech house, until I started opening myself up to the emerging melodic techno. And nowadays, more than ever, I focus on melodies and emotions, while still maintaining power to keep the dancefloor active. But I’m also currently making softer tracks again, reconnecting to that past part of myself in a more mature way now.
What do you like to listen to when you are out of the studio?
It depends. I think I will never listen to music like most people do, since I’m very often unconsciously analyzing the music I’m listening to. So sometimes I will listen to genres that inspire me for my own music and learn from it. But there are days that I want to relax and not use my brain to constantly analyze, in which case I listen to music that is really different from what I do. Right now, looking at my Spotify library, I have IDM next to Pop, Disco, Soft piano, Chillhop, Melodic Techno and so on. My library is full of different genres, but they all feel like me somehow.
Very often I also just like to listen to podcasts that give me a good mindset.
What are your hobbies outside of music?
I love going for walks in nature, meeting friends, riding my motorbike (though it’s winter now), sports, reading, meditation, yoga and chess.
How do you hope to improve the state of the music scene?
Love that question! To begin with, I reflected on my own mission as an Artist. I want to create special and meaningful moments in people’s lives. This can be either through listening to my songs or by performing live. I also want to instill a sense of connection and bring more positivity, kindness and less ego. To create a sense of community rather than a sense of hierarchy.
These are nice words and can feel a bit fake, but it’s 100% true. When I played during my last South America tour and really felt that positivity from the people towards me and my music, I was incredibly fulfilled because that’s what music is all about: these priceless emotional moments and that feeling of connection.
I’m not pretending that “I will change the music industry!” or “I will change people’s lives!”, but I will do my best as a person and artist to add a greater sense of depth and have an emotional impact, as little or as big as it might be, on the people that listen to my music.
What are your plans for the next few months?
I want to continue making new music. I really want to bring out music that is special to me, music that “is” me. And I feel that I really need to take my time for this, both as a person and as an Artist. I do have a few shows booked in the UK, Germany, Switzerland and more, but for now it’s mostly studio hibernation.
What are your tracks of the moment?
At the moment I’m listening to calmer music. Most of these aren’t for the dancefloor, but they inspire me a lot:
“Gimme Some” Weval
“Killing time” Helsloot & Boy Wolf “The Mirage” Agents of Time
“In my mind” Wallners
“Across the sun” Aldebaran & Filippo Nardini
Connect with Paradoks on Instagram.
