Capej is the culmination of subliminal and delectable grooves of a Shamanistic origin. His sound experimentation pays respect to ancient cultural instrumentation and philosophy on the foundations that became the genres we have experienced throughout the ages.

Now Capej comes with his first album ‘Cult:ure All:ure’ on his label Shamaan’s Hidden Cult. Here’s our conversation with him.

Electronic Groove: Hi Capej, thanks for your time. You are about to present your debut album. How do you feel about this achievement?

Capej: Hello all! Yeah, this is ‘Cult:ure All:ure’. It’s been my most rewarding release to date, at 55 mins, it gave me a lot of time to produce a story, rather than just one genre. It feels great to have it finally out how I wanted it.

EG: The LP includes 8 tracks of different genres. What was the inspiration to produce it? 

Capej: It was a collection of things. I wanted diversity but it had to be in the order of my vision. Some songs I love but are very different from my other stuff, but that’s probably why I love it. Very different production processes.

I was inspired to create something a little different and challenge my structure, some tracks more melodic and closer to “big-room” sounds, some raw and more underground. I draw inspirations from countless things when producing, and for the ideas of what to take into the studio. Art & Travel have always helped me develop new and interesting sound design, and for this LP linking some themes of Shamaan’s Hidden Cult to the context of certain tracks and even the artwork allowed natural progression to take over.

“I often develop ideas out of the studio, as opposed to sitting in and working on the fly, and forcing something out”

EG: Can you explain what was your production process?

Capej: I often develop ideas out of the studio, as opposed to sitting in and working on the fly, and forcing something out. I believe this to be a “truer” way of creating your best music. It’s like studying before a test or packing before a flight.

I have a hybrid system between digital and analog, and A/B monitoring. I take my time, develop themes, and have lots of ways to take a project, sound shaping and dynamics is crucial for me to feel happy and continue with a project, and I always use a series of templates I have developed which are of a more advanced standard and I can continue to build the music theory side on. When I am happy I usually leave it a few days and master my own audio, as I did for ‘Cult:ure All:ure’ and for other artists from my studio.

EG: You also have collaborated with two artists on the album. Who are they? How did you feel working with them?

Capej: Terence Terry did a remix of ‘Mamosa’ for me, he has been at the top of the game for ages and is one of my favorite producers out there, the French and Parisian scene really grabbed me from a younger age, (he’s) a great guy who’s in the industry for all the right reasons and his reputation will attest to that. His La Vie En Rose label has an incredible catalog of music.

Outline is one of my friends from Leeds, and has some great minimal releases, his productions just stepped up one day and just keep getting better and better. I love my french house and I love my minimal!

These two contributed greatly and very thankful for it, we may be working together further in the future!

EG: This is your first release on your label, Shamaan’s Hidden Cult. What’re your next steps for yourself and for the label?

Capej: My next EP, diving into a more minimal house release-only, and the next artist to release on my label. Before the year is out I want at least these two on the SHC catalog, maybe some more. I will still be releasing elsewhere when it feels right. Demos are welcome for the label!

EG: What’s your album’s favorite track?

Capej: ‘Shaamrock’; the name, the context, it all fits the theme. If you could only listen to one track from the album, I’d pick that one. I’ll let the track do the rest of the talking…

“As long as you enjoy your personal development and the standard you are working at, you will find a sound that you want to take with you into the future”

EG: What would be your advice for aspiring producers?

Capej: The mix is so important and hardware can make such a difference. What else helps is knowing how to use it… (laughs). Don’t let ear fatigue ruin your mix, leave it for 3+ days and go back to it fresh, also others with a good ear can really help, more producer ears the better. Mixes can take months, it took Jay-Z 1 and a half months to get 1 track right, but others he finished in 3 days. When it feels good, roll with it, don’t stop the magic from flowin’.

It’s also important to find a sound, but there is room for experimentation. As long as you enjoy your personal development and the standard you are working at, you will find a sound that you want to take with you into the future. This album was a collection of ideas I had, but for upcoming releases, they will be more refined to where I want to take my sound for instance. This was a more creative way to do an LP for me, and it only makes me more excited for what I have upcoming!

EG: What’s your favorite part of being an artist?

Capej: Travelling, meeting new people in and out the industry, just learning and adapting. It’s great to see the personal journeys of artists and performing around the world. But I do love finding a spark when producing and when something becomes “special” when the work pays off it is very rewarding to see another body of work in your back catalog!

Capej’s ‘Cult:ure All:ure’ is now available on Shamaan’s Hidden Cult. Grab your copy here.

Follow Capej: Facebook | Soundcloud