Bleu Clair, DJ/producer and devout curator of modern tech house elaborates the continuation of his very own New Age of House Music with latest release, “Underwater." As he embodies the undeniable force of water, Bleu Clair’s sound reaches the ears of others like none other as he conjures his own practice and philosophy of house music: the regenerative ability of creating new sounds of house music for the sake of enhancing the subgenre without subtracting from its main element. Strong basslines, a club-inclined vocal, and piercing percussion complete this track’s design which honors the imprint of Bleu Clair’s signature sound.
As a household name in electronic dance music, the “Shake What Ya Mama” producer plans to contribute more of his no-boundaries-outlook and personal artistic vision of house music among the scene and share the togetherness of community among his fan base this year. This tech-house-shooting-star accomplished new levels of recognition in 2023 such as reaching millions of streams and headlining debut performances at festivals he once dreamed of like Tomorrowland 2023.
This next musical chapter in his discography has become quintessential to him like the essence of water. Inspired and elated to share what is to come, I, Mary Mason, at iHeartRaves had the privilege to interview Bleu Clair about the album art and meaning behind “Underwater” as well as his ever-evolving relationship to house music.
iHR: Thank you so much for your time and congratulations on your newest release, “Underwater”! Despite your irresistible use of basslines and percussion in this track, the lyrics allude to vulnerability and fear; with the fear, it causes one to seek refuge to hide, “try to breathe underwater”. What inspired you to produce these lyrics that feel universal?
Bleu Clair: Thank you for having me! I just found that vocal sample on Splice, and I fell in love with how it sounds and the lyrics during the first listen. But, the original sample’s BPM was quite different and I had to do a lot of processing on that vocal. Nonetheless, I’m really happy with the outcome.
iHR: The album cover art for “Underwater” contains the Bleu Label stamp that reads: “New Age of House Music”. Can you tell us what this “New Age of House Music” means to you? How do you want to further support this new age with your music or creative vision?
Bleu Clair: It’s a tag that I always put on my artwork, merch, and show flyers. It’s just that I feel like the house music scene has always been here for a long time and I love the genre a lot, but I wanted to try to do something new on it without sacrificing the main element of house music.
iHR: If I’m not mistaken, you’re the second DJ (other than Angger Dimas) from Indonesia to tour in the US. How would you like to see the EDM scene give more representation and inclusivity to DJs from different backgrounds?
Bleu Clair: Yeah, and now we also have Papa Khan and Ootoro touring the States–I’m really proud of them. We feel like our music received more appreciation in the states compared to what we experience back home. But, it is understandable since dance music (especially house and dubstep like what Papa Khan is doing) is not the mainstream thing there.
iHR: As a lover of tech house, it was a dream to experience your B2B set with San Pacho at Decadence Arizona 2023! You both made the crowd feel extremely special on the dance floor during New Year’s. How did that experience change your opinion or perception of B2B performances altogether?
Bleu Clair: Thank you! That set was our second set together, and both of them are completely unplanned. Patrik is a good friend and very talented producer, so we just play what we like, try to match the vibe with each other. Super happy with how it went though haha!
iHR: I’ve been a fan of your music since 2022 and you remain as one of my favorite tech house artists! Surprisingly enough, I was also listening to a lot of lo-fi, ambient electronica when I came across your track “Hyperspace”. What inspired you to collaborate with Teza Sumendra on this mellow, relaxing track that sounds different from the rest of your discography? I LOVE this genre-bending track by the way!
Bleu Clair: I’ve always been a big fan of Teza and I think his singing is some of the best that I’ve ever heard. So, I sent him a couple demos, and he liked the hyperspace instrumental demo. Funny thing is: it only took around 15 minutes to record the whole vocal for that song. He works very quickly and efficiently.
iHR: Your fans absolutely love the groovy feel of your BLEUPRINT mixes! Do you feel as if you have more creative freedom to experiment with this side project? Also, would you ever want to experiment with an EDM subgenre outside of tech house?
Bleu Clair: I always try to release as many unreleased tracks on BLEUPRINT mixes as possible just so I can test which tracks receive good feedback and which do not. Sometimes I also release some unreleased tracks I like from DJs. Yes, the first time I tried to make music on a laptop, I started making dubstep and bass music since I was really influenced by Skrillex at that time. I think it’s very possible for me to start producing other genres.
iHR: Being a food-enthusiast, you never shy away from sharing delicious posts of food paired with music updates on your Instagram. What is your favorite food to eat while you’re on tour?
Bleu Clair: Local food in the city that I’m visiting! Everytime I visit a city I’ve never been to before, I always google “famous food spot in x city” before going there.
iHR: Your evolving discography has been wonderful to follow! What is next in store for you this 2024?
Bleu Clair: I'm planning to release another 5-6-track EP this year and edit packs! Super excited to share the music with you all!
