Amsterdam’s D Stone is emerging as a distinct voice in modern house, blending live instrumentation with electronic production and a deep sense of musicality.
Photo credit: D Stone – Official
A graduate of the Dutch Royal Conservatory, his work bridges true house, proto-disco, and warm percussive elements, as heard on his celebrated release ‘Total Unison’.
Now, the Dutch producer makes his debut on Dam Swindle’s Heist Recordings with the five-track ‘Time Selection’ EP. Featuring vocal collaborations, retro synth work, and a full-circle connection with one of his earliest influences, the record represents both a sonic evolution and a personal milestone.
In this conversation, D Stone opens up about the creative process behind ‘Time Selection’, his connection to Heist, and how staying true to yourself is more important than ever in today’s landscape.
EG: Hi, Daan! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How have you been doing?
D Stone: I’m doing really well. Right now, I’m in the Dominican Republic, soaking up the beautiful nature, working on new music, and playing a couple of shows here in Latin America.
EG: First of all, congratulations on the drop of your new EP, ‘Time Selection’! You must be very excited about this one. What has the initial reception been like so far?
D Stone: Thank you! I’m really happy with how it turned out, and the reactions have been amazing. I can already feel it doing some real damage on the dancefloors and getting picked up by some great names out there.
EG: So, what can your fans expect to find on ‘Time Selection’? Is there a concept or emotional trigger connecting these five cuts?
D Stone: ‘Time Selection’ really represents my more musical and melodic side of house. With this EP, I wanted to showcase all the styles that, for me, fall within that spectrum. For example, ‘Move Over’ is a proto-80s inspired track, ‘Yes I Am’ is straight-up 90s house, and ‘One Thing’ has this almost pop-Italo vibe to it.
EG: And what was the recording process for these tracks like? Do they stem from the same “session”?
D Stone: Most of the tracks were made around the same time, about a year ago. The process for ‘Move Over’ was especially fun; working with ELY and her amazing vocals brought a lot of energy and joy to the studio sessions.
“The biggest challenge is finding a balance between what people want to hear and what you genuinely love to do”
EG: This record also signals your debut on Dam Swindle’s Heist Recordings. What does it mean to you to be able to release on Heist? How did the connection with the brand come about?
D Stone: The music from the Dam Swindle guys was one of my first real introductions to house music. I was already listening to their releases when I was a teenager — the musicality in their work has had a huge influence on me and really defines what house music means to me. Later, when Lars from Dam Swindle became my art coach at the Conservatory, the goal of releasing on their label started feeling more and more real. And now, seven years after first discovering their music, I’ve released my own EP on Heist. It’s a full-circle moment.
EG: You are fresh out of the Dutch Royal Conservatory, right? Congratulations, by the way. Did you go in knowing that you’d end up focusing on electronic dance music, or had you not made up your mind by then? How did the conservatory shape the sound we hear today from you?
D Stone: Yes, I graduated this past summer. The program really gave me a lot of insight — especially into what music actually is and why you do what you do; more the philosophical side of it. I also started collaborating more with session musicians and became very focused on shaping a more analog sound in my productions. You can definitely hear that influence on this EP.
EG: And what are some of your hopes for your career as D Stone?
D Stone: My biggest dream is simply to be happy to do what I love most: make music, share it with people, and explore the world through it.
EG: Now, stepping outside of the studio… Given your understanding, what are some of the biggest challenges artists will face in the near future?
D Stone: I think the biggest challenge is finding a balance between what people want to hear and what you genuinely love to do. In a time where social media and going viral are almost the only ways to build a name, it can be really hard to stay authentic. I think this will only become more intense in the future. That’s why it’s so important to really understand what makes you happy and stay true to that.
“My biggest dream is simply to be happy to do what I love most: make music, share it with people, and explore the world through it”
EG: What’s next for D Stone? What milestones are you looking forward to now? Where can your fans catch you next? Any tours on the horizon?
D Stone: There’s a new single dropping in December that I’m super excited about. After that, I’ll be heading on my first Asia/Australia tour early next year.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, Daan! We wish you all the best in the future. Take care!
D Stone: Thank you so much, it was great to give you all a little glimpse into what I’ve been up to.
D Stone’s ‘Time Selection’ is out now via Heist Recordings. Stream and download here.
Follow D Stone: Spotify | Soundcloud | Instagram
