Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but now bouncing between the US and his newfound home in Germany, Julian developed an early affinity for electronic music in the cutting-edge clubs of his home city. Having quickly developed an international following for his unique style & sound, Hools now brings us original productions as the next chapter in his musical journey. A journey with a mission that goes beyond creating a groove; to provide an emotional recall, and to recreate in the present those amazing feelings past and always treasured.
To mark the return of Hools to Mirror Walk with his new ‘Arkady’ EP, we sit down with the Argentine globetrotter to find out more about the new drop, his creative process, the evolution of his music, and much more.
Electronic Groove: Hi Hools! Welcome! It’s great to have you with us. How have you been doing? Where are you based at the moment? What’s it looking like for the nightlife over there?
Hools: Hello! Thank you for having me! I am doing fantastic, life is starting to return to the ‘new normal’; I have just completed my move to Berlin, which was a pre-pandemic project that was delayed due to all the closures and travel restrictions. I will divide my time between the German capital and my home in the US, and I am grateful to be able to hang out and work with all my European friends again! Setting up a studio at the Funkhaus in Berlin and being enveloped in all that crazy energy and inspiration has been a goal of mine for some time. And clubs are reopening! One of the first places I went to was Sisyphos which is one of my favorites, it’s great to be out again.
Electronic Groove: Let’s kick off from the start. How did you get into electronic music? What was it that ‘got you’ about electronic music, soundwise?
Hools: I guess one day a long, long time ago, I heard this music and felt something special. I was a big fan of new wave and various synth music styles, and early techno. I was inspired by the sounds and melodies of people like Vince Clarke and Martin Gore. And clubbing as a teenager gave me an early taste for heavy beats and loop-based music. So I guess it came from there and eventually moved towards deep house, progressive and melodic techno. Not just listening, but mixing behind turntables and decks really has been a passion for years. Finally, I am a serious nerd for computer programming, electronics, and also music theory, so producing electronic music feels natural and exciting to me.
Electronic Groove: Do you have a favorite electronic album or composition? What is it that makes it special to you?
Hools: I don’t have a specific one but many albums stand out, the oldest being ‘Substance’ by New Order and ‘Violator’ by Depeche Mode. Interestingly enough, I went through a phase of listening to progressive rock such as Rush and Marillion, and ended up in progressive house, which is kind of funny to me. It’s more about the feeling I get from the music than the specific track or artist.
Electronic Groove: When did you first start producing? Did it take you long to find your own rhythm?
Hools: I produce because I love music and I want to make a contribution, to add something personal and meaningful. I am actually a fairly new producer, only started seriously in early 2019. I was already a casual DJ, but it really came together from participating in Burning Man every year since 2013, where friends and I offer a theme camp and art car, as well as attending and playing at smaller electronic music festivals. I had been wanting to produce my own music for a while. I knew the sound I wanted, but had to learn the production skills first. I guess now after a few releases I am starting to find my own rhythm and my personal sound, but still have a long way to go. My ambition may exceed my experience level right now but that’s OK, that’s how we grow and improve.
“I produce because I love music and I want to make a contribution, to add something personal and meaningful”
Electronic Groove: How would you describe your sound by now? How has it evolved since you published your first track?
Hools: My sound is strongly melodic and searching for emotions, hopeful and nostalgic; it is a bit retro/future. I usually start from a melodic theme driving the bassline and lead, with a stable musical structure, and build up layers from there. As far as evolution, I am always improving my quality, with sparser, more sophisticated groove and finer sound design. Drums & percussion are probably the most important aspect of this type of music, but I also really love creating new sounds and textures… it’s so easy to lose yourself playing around with synths and get very little music finished!
Electronic Groove: Speaking about your music, you’re returning to Mirror Walk this year after your smash hit ‘Volatilus’ in 2020. What’s the story behind this one?
Hools: I was really pleased that ‘Volatilus’ was so well received. I originally meant to remix an obscure, 80’s synth-pop song but my emails to the publisher went unanswered, so I refactored a couple of those ideas into a totally new, pretty intense, and clubby melodic house track. For this new release, ‘Arkady’, it has a similar vibe and I was grateful to return to Mirror Walk. They are a great small label, picky, and very focused on quality and consistency. They also have incredible talent, who are sometimes underrated but really top-notch, and they added two superb remixes to the EP.
Electronic Groove: Is there an ‘unspoken’ need to replicate some sort of success when returning to where one did good things? Do you find it advantageous to let those feelings come into play?
Hools: Maybe? My favorite track is always the one I’m working on; I produce without having a destination and just see where the track goes. Of course, we all want our new tracks to be as good or better than our best one, but that can be a treacherous path with a lot of discarded projects. However, I’m a perfectionist and pretty stubborn reworking a loop over and over until I feel it’s ‘almost perfect’ before moving on to arrangement. I still tend to somewhat over-produce each song…so finished tracks have been slow to arrive, but I am very proud of my releases.
Electronic Groove: What is your dynamic in the studio like? Has the pandemic and current situation stifled your creativity in any way? Where does inspiration come from for you?
Hools: During the pandemic, I had to work alone from my home studio in the US. Lots of time available, but it was isolated work and very introspective. My biggest inspiration, which is experiencing music from a festival dance floor or behind club decks, just was not available. No matter how loud your studio is, it is not a real club! Still, I used the time to focus and improve my technique and I am very happy with the results. I am also thankful and encouraged by my listeners who have enjoyed my DJ sets and productions, and this inspires me to deliver more music and even better music.
“We all want our new tracks to be as good or better than our best one, but that can be a treacherous path”
Electronic Groove: What else can we expect from Hools in the future? What new milestones are you looking forward to in the coming months?
Hools: After ‘Arkady’ on Mirror Walk, which came out last week, I have a release coming next month on Inspired By Trees. This is my second collaboration with my dear friend David Guzy, and comes with dope remixes by supremely talented producers Yuven and Ron Flatter. From the production side, an exciting new EP is well in the works, and once fully settled at my Berlin studio, I want to crank up production to a new level. I am experimenting with vocals and new grooves. And like other DJs, I want to catch up behind the decks; I have already started playing gigs again and I am feeling energized to perform live and to make new music!
Electronic Groove: Thank you for your time Hools! We wish you all the best for the future!
Hools: Thank you for having me and for the support. I hope to see you all on the dance floor soon! Cheers!
Hool’s ‘Arkady’ is out now via Mirror Walk. Grab your copy here.
Follow Hools: Facebook | Instagram | Soundcloud | Spotify
