One of the most downloaded artists in his category, Popof is in very high demand for his remixes and has worked for famous artists such as Depeche Mode, Chemical Brothers, Moby, BookaShade, Vitalic, Tiga, Maetrik, Martin Solveig and many more. In addition to this he is also behind many official advertisements in collaboration with top international brands.

“I always composed music that I liked when I liked it, without questioning myself. My musical evolution is connected with precise moments in my life.”

You started making music when you were 16, when did you first discover dance music and who were the artists / producers that first grabbed your attention?

I discovered dance music around 15 years old with artists like KLF, Snap, Technotronic, Ace of Base and Culture Beat and I was really in love with this kind of music! It was so new for me with all those electronic sounds and it made me dance.

You’re currently touring a lot, from San Francisco to Detroit, Canada and the UK. Have you already dropped some tracks of your upcoming album and if so, which ones make people lose their mind on the dancefloor?

I’ve played several tracks of my album on various occasions and I’ve noticed very good reactions from the crowd to “Going Back” and “Lidl Girl”. When I was on tour in North America, fans were particularly enthusiastic! “Words Gone” and “Pack n Rollin” work also very well on the dancefloor.

Your ‘President’ EP at the end of 2016 was your first release on FORM in years, was there any specific reason for the hiatus and can we expect any more music from you on FORM soon?

Well, there’s not a specific reason. I was busy working on other stuff at the same time, mainly remixes. More importantly, I released my first full-length album “Love Somebody” on Hot Creations in 2015; it was radically different from anything I’d done previously, so it was challenging both musically and mentally. The process took a lot of time and effort. I didn’t really have time to focus on anything else, really. When things calmed down a bit, I found myself having more time to work on FORM and ‘President’happened.

Away from dance music, who are the artists you are currently into?

Otis Redding, Franz Ferdinand, Tyga, Ella Fitzgerald, Robin Thicke, Marvin Gaye, Jill Scott, Theloniouss Monk, Chopin…I listen to a lot of various music!

You’ve got a number of festival and club performances coming up – Do you tend to prepare any differently for a festival set to one as part of a club lineup?

I’m fond of a more spontaneous approach. I’ve got enough tracks up my sleeve to adjust on the spot to the vibe, the venue and the crowd, in addition to my mood at that specific time. This also allows me to play differently each time and to not repeat myself.

What else have you got coming up/are you working on?

The next weeks will be quite busy. I will notably play at Dreambeach festival in Spain on August 12, and I’ll be back to Ibiza on August 21st for the Cocoon party at Amnesia with Sven Vath, Dixon, Ilario Alicante and Adriatique. Otherwise I’m working on a collaborative EP with my good friend Julian Jeweil, which should be out in the fall. I’ll keep you posted!

The “Words Gone” EP, first extract of your album, is already out. The original track comes with three remixes from Luciano, Marc Houle and Jamie Jones. Three big names of the electronic music scene for three very distinct versions of the same track. What’s your opinion on each of the remixes?

Before anything else, I’d like to point out that artistically and humanly speaking, I really like those three artists. Jamie Jones’ remix brings a very melodic and kind of melancholic color to the track, with beautiful tones. Luciano’s version stays true to his image: it’s very dancefloor and matches perfectly the Ibiza spirit. The last remix from Marc Houle is quite crazy! He added a very catchy synth and remained true to his music.

Which spirit state do you prefer: that of a rave or that of a party in a club?

In these two circles, as long as people are there to party, it suits me. I have always felt good in both. From the moment when there is an audience following me, I am in my element. I feel more concerned about the music that I do and the audience that follows me rather than the price of entry and the politics of the place. When I moved away from hardcore to do something else, I was frowned upon by some people. I was treated as sold when I was just taking my own way.

Is it hard to connect with the crowd because it is so big? Do you have to play different tunes than usual?

On the contrary! The bigger the number, the merrier! The crowd is made of real fans of the genre and they respond 100% to what I play. I never prepare tracks in advance, in any of my sets, because I like to feel the temperature, study the crowd’s reaction and adapt accordingly, so no, no different tunes than usual because there is no usual!

In five years, do you see yourself mixing in a cellar with the guys from Heretik or on a Coachella stage?

https://soundcloud.com/popofofficial/popof-helicon