Nightsteppaz steps into focus with the release of ‘After Dark (Vol 1)’, a mixed album that brings together key moments from his catalog while highlighting collaborations across the house music spectrum. Built as both a retrospective and a curated statement, the project connects his work as a producer with his role as label head.
Photo credit: Nightsteppaz – Facebook
Through Vibe Me To The Moon, Nightsteppaz has developed a platform rooted in classic house values and artist-driven curation. ‘After Dark (Vol 1)’ reflects that direction, bringing together original productions, remixes, and collaborations into a cohesive listening experience.
In this conversation, Nightsteppaz opens up about the making of ‘After Dark (Vol 1)’, his approach to collaborations, and the philosophy behind his label.
EG: Hi Nightsteppaz, welcome to EG. You recently released your debut full-length mixed album, After Dark (Vol 1)—a retrospective snapshot of your catalog to date—featuring an all-star cast of collaborations and remixes from the likes of Roland Clark, Mr. V, Joeski, Angelo Ferreri, Mihai Popoviciu, and more. What inspired the concept behind this project, and what does the title ‘After Dark’ represent to you in the context of your sound and identity as an artist?
Nightsteppaz: Thanks for the invite. The inspiration for my album ‘After Dark (Vol 1)’ was to release an album that would summarize the Nightsteppaz releases, including singles and remixes up to this point. However, ‘After Dark’ is also a “best of” album, because only the best Nightsteppaz singles and remixes were included on this release.
EG: Given that this is essentially a retrospective snapshot of your larger catalog, how did you go about narrowing down which tracks made the final cut? What criteria were most important in that selection?
Nightsteppaz: That is a good question! There were way too many tracks and remixes to put on one release and DJ mix, so I chose the best tracks and remixes from each EP, while also doing my best to showcase the style of Nightsteppaz and Vibe Me To The Moon Records music, by including a variety of music from a handful of producers and remixers.
EG: You’ve collaborated with true house music royalty on this project, including Roland Clark and Mr. V. What has it meant to work alongside artists of that caliber, and how did those collaborations come together?
Nightsteppaz: These collaborations came together because I am a huge fan of both Roland Clark and Mr. V, so I asked Roland Clark to do vocals for a group of Nightsteppaz tracks, and Mr. V did both a remix and recorded vocals for Vibe Me To The Moon Records. All I can say is that it was a pleasure and a privilege to work with these gentlemen!
EG: Did working with voices like Roland Clark and Mr. V influence your production approach or workflow in any way? When collaborating, did you provide the vocalists with any ideas in terms of what topics certain tracks might cover?
Nightsteppaz: I would say my productions were inspired by Roland Clark and Mr. V, both as producers and vocalists.
When collaborating with Roland Clark and Mr. V, I would give them suggestions for some of their vocal recordings. However, then, they were only recording spoken words for Nightsteppaz tracks.
Roland Clark is one of the best lyricists in house music, and he writes lyrics that the instrumental track inspires him to write. I gave Roland Clark some ideas for the track ‘House Music’s Still Alive’, which we collaborated on.
Roland Clark has really expanded his vocal style, and he is now singing on tracks.
On the other hand, when working with many of the vocalists who were singers, I did not give them ideas for recording tracks for my label, other than maybe a working title. I gave the vocalist the working title ‘How Deep Is Your Love’ for one track, and she stuck with the theme for her lyrics.
“The core ethos behind my label is paying tribute to the music that I enjoy listening to and that I am a fan of”
EG: The continuous DJ mix included in After Dark (Vol 1) adds another dimension to the project. How did you approach constructing that mix?
Nightsteppaz: Once we had selected the tracks, I organized the tracks in terms of energy level and key, similar to how I usually organize any other mixes or podcasts. It made perfect sense to begin the mix with my original mix of ‘Real Love’ as it is one of my deepest productions, and Roland Clark’s vocal delivery in that track invokes a storytelling narrative which kind of sets the tone for the entire mix.
EG: When putting together the mix, what factors were most important to you in terms of track order and flow?
Nightsteppaz: Energy level was the most important factor. As with any DJ mix, there must be a logical progression from start to finish, which I think was achieved in the final mix.
EG: As both artist and label head, what is the core ethos behind your label, Vibe Me To The Moon, and how does After Dark (Vol 1) reflect that vision?
Nightsteppaz: The core ethos behind my label is paying tribute to the music that I enjoy listening to and that I am a fan of. And obviously, my productions as Nightsteppaz also pay tribute to the music that I am a fan of, and the same could be said for who I choose to remix each track. I would say 100% that ‘After Dark (Vol 1)’ reflects that vision of wanting to pay tribute to the producers, vocalists, and remixers who I am a fan of.
EG: Your label’s roster includes both established names and emerging artists. When selecting music for release, what are you listening for most?
Nightsteppaz: As I mentioned, one of the goals of my label is to pay tribute to music and to artists that I am a fan of, so when it comes to selecting music to release on Vibe Me To The Moon Records, I am listening for classic grooves and sounds, as well as originality.
“Only the best Nightsteppaz singles and remixes were included on this release”
EG: Looking ahead, do you see After Dark (Vol 1) becoming a recurring series?
Nightsteppaz: I would bet on there being at least one more Nightsteppaz – ‘After Dark’ volume, maybe more than one!
EG: Now that your debut album is behind you, what’s next?
Nightsteppaz: Keep an eye out for the Nightsteppaz – ‘How Deep Is Your Love?’ EP! I think it will be released in early summer.
Regarding what is coming up next on Vibe Me To The Moon Records, expect some deep house from South African producers, and of course, expect more new releases from Franck Roger, Demarkus Lewis, and more!
Nightsteppaz’s ‘After Dark (Vol 1)’ is out now on Vibe Me To The Moon. Stream and download here.
Follow Nighsteppaz: Soundcloud | Spotify | Instagram | Facebook
