Born from the creative synergy of Mourad Kehailia and Sebastian Fischer in Cologne, 9OASES is a dynamic duo redefining genre boundaries with their innovative soundscapes. Blending influences from hip-hop, house, techno, and UK garage, this promising act has quickly captured the attention of the electronic music scene.
Photo credit: 9OASES – Official
Their rise is marked by a debut EP on the Kompakt label, featuring the standout track ‘Streetpoet,’ which has earned praise from artists like Kölsch. With an upcoming release on Diynamic Music, 9OASES is cementing their position in the industry.
From their chance meeting as DJs in Cologne to their current work on a TV series soundtrack, Mourad and Sebastian’s journey is as intriguing as their sound. Their creative process—involving spontaneous jam sessions and collaborative refinement—reflects the duo’s unique approach to music-making.
In this exclusive interview, EG sits down with 9OASES to explore their artistic evolution, discuss their recent successes, and delve into their perspectives on the changing landscape of electronic music. We’ll uncover the story behind their transition from individual DJs to a cohesive production duo, and gain insights into their experimental approach to crafting tracks like ‘New Ballad’ and ‘Streetpoet.’
Join us as we dive into the world of 9OASES, discussing everything from their genre-blending style to their views on the controversial topic of AI in music production.
EG: Hi, Mourad! Hello, Sebastian! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How have you been? Where are you right now?
9OASES: Thank you, it’s a pleasure to be here for our first interview with you. Things are going really well for us at the moment. We’re currently in our studio in Cologne, working on the soundtrack for a TV series.
EG: So, first of all, congratulations on the release of your latest EP, ‘Streetpoet’ via Kompakt! You must be psyched to have this one out to share with everyone. What are some of your initial feelings now that the EP is out and about?
9OASES: We had a great feeling about the EP from the start. Michael Mayer was the first and only A&R we sent the tracks to, and he picked it up immediately. When we found out Axel Boman would be contributing a remix, we were blown away. Having a debut release on Kompakt, followed by an Axel Boman remix, really feels like the perfect introduction. Now, we’re receiving personal feedback from people across the scene, with Kölsch recently reaching out to tell us how much he’s been enjoying ‘Streetpoet’.
EG: Now, what can your fans expect to find on ‘Streetpoet’ as a whole? Is there a concept or emotional trigger driving this EP?
9OASES: The EP as a whole has this experimental energy. For ‘New Ballad’, for example, we recorded a variety of random synth sounds in key for the first time, shaping them into the production. For ‘Streetpoet’, we wanted to merge a Prodigy-inspired breakbeat with a four-on-the-floor bass drum, layering it with modern autotuned rap vocals and chiming bell sounds to give it a nostalgic, old-school vibe. And of course, having Axel Boman work his magic on the remix elevated this release sonically.
EG: There’s quite a unique blend of genres to your sound, forging something truly different. How did your connection come about?
9OASES: We originally met as DJs in a collective in Cologne. At that time, Mourad was transitioning from his hip-hop DJ roots into a house music project. We ended up throwing a lot of parties together and playing at different events, which naturally led to some back-to-back sets. Later on, while working on a production project in France, we shared a studio and realized that, despite our different musical influences, we clicked creatively in the studio. Since our studios were in the same building, we started spending more and more time together, which eventually led to the birth of the 9OASES project.
“There’s no set structure to our process”
EG: And was the idea for 9OASES an obvious one? Or did 9OASES take its own time to happen?
9OASES: We’ve been experimenting a lot and quietly collaborating with various artists and singers on the new 9OASES project. At this stage, we’re still exploring different directions, but one thing’s for sure, we’ll be releasing plenty of tracks featuring these collaborations. We’re really excited to share our music with the world and see how it connects with people.
EG: Obviously, we know that every track is different in terms of its construction, but do you guys have ‘set roles’ by now? Can you walk us through your usual workflow?
9OASES: There’s no set structure to our process. When we’re in the studio, we usually just start with something, sometimes it’s a sample, and other times one of us jumps on the synth and records an idea. Most of the time, one of us plays the drums while the other handles the synths, and we just jam, recording everything as we go. We exchange ideas back and forth until we land on something worth developing. From there, we each create our own version of the demo, and then come back together to refine it.
EG: And are you making the music you thought you’d be making when you first started out? Where would you like for your sound to take you? What would be the ultimate milestone for 9OASES?
9OASES: At the moment, we’re focused on continuing to develop this sound with 9OASES, but we’re also producing a variety of other things in the studio. We plan to release a lot of it under 9OASES, especially since genres are blending more and more, which we think is great. Artists don’t need endless aliases to release different styles of music anymore.
EG: Now, onto a hot topic… How do you guys feel about the rise of AI implementation in music? What’s your relationship with that like? Has any form of AI been used on any of your recent productions?
9OASES: We haven’t explored it much yet. A few days ago, a studio neighbor shared some AI-generated music he had created, and it sounded incredible. It’s a bit scary to think that this technology is only a few years old. I can’t help but wonder what the future holds. Still, at the end of the day, the real joy of music lies in the act of creating it!
“The real joy of music lies in the act of creating it!”
EG: Finally, what can we expect from 9OASES in the next few months? Where can your fans catch you next?
9OASES: We just wrapped up our first shows with the project in Cologne, and we’re really excited about what’s next. Our upcoming release is set for the end of November on Diynamic Music, and we’re looking forward to seeing where this journey takes us from there.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, guys! We wish you all the best for the future. Take care!
9OASES: Thank you! We hope to see many of your readers at our shows soon. Stay healthy, everyone!
9OASES’s ‘Streetpoet’ is now available on Kompakt Records. Stream and download here.
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