OXIA, a prominent figure in the French electronic music scene for over two decades, has made a significant impact as both a DJ and producer. His work has graced respected labels like Kompakt, All Day I Dream, and Hot Creations, while also featuring on his own imprint, Diversions Music. OXIA’s career stands out for its successful collaborations, popular tracks, and unwavering drive to innovate.
Photo credit: Sebastien Veronose
In this exclusive interview with EG, OXIA discusses his recent projects, including his remix of Teho’s ‘Continuum’ and upcoming releases on Diversions Music. The French artist also shares his insights on the current state of the electronic music industry, touching on topics such as the closure of ASLICE and the impact of AI on music production.
OXIA’s influence in the electronic music world is undeniable. His classic track ‘Domino’ has amassed over 100 million streams, while his live stream for CERCLE exceeded one million views in just a few days. As he puts the finishing touches on his third studio album, set for release in spring 2025, EG sat down with OXIA to learn more about his recent projects and future endeavors.
EG: Hi, Olivier! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How have you been? Where are you right now?
OXIA: Hi, thank you, it’s a pleasure for me to be here too. Everything is fine thank you, I hope you are too. I’m at home in Grenoble, France.
EG: First of all, congratulations on the drop of your new remix for Teho’s ‘Continuum’! You must be very excited to finally be able to share this one. What has the initial reception been like so far?
OXIA: I’m very happy to have done this remix for Teho, he’s an artist I really like, so yes I’m happy to be able to share it. We’ve already had really good feedback from many DJs and the press, and people’s reactions when I’ve played it have been very enthusiastic.
EG: So, how did this opportunity come about? What’s your relationship with Teho & Labo T. like?
OXIA: We’ve been in contact with Teho for quite some time now. He quite simply asked me to do a remix for one of the tracks on his 2022 album, which I really liked, but I didn’t have the time at the time. I told him we’d see for later, for his next releases, and so he asked me again for his latest album, ‘Shifting’, released this year. This time I said yes.
EG: And what was it about ‘Continuum’ that caught your attention? With the experience that you have acquired over the years…What do you look for in an original track when thinking about remixing it?
OXIA: To tell you everything, I hesitated quite a bit before choosing which track I was going to remix because he sent me the whole album and asked me to choose one track to remix; the one I wanted. I hesitated with several I liked, and ended up choosing ‘Continuum’. There aren’t really any rules, it’s often done by feel, but I have to like the original track, otherwise, generally I don’t accept. Then I have to already have a vision of what I could do, to add my touch. When it’s a melodic track like Teho’s, it’s easier, because we already have a very good base.
“I don’t pretend to know what makes a good remix. Everyone has their own opinion about a track or a remix; it’s all subjective”
EG: In your eyes..what tends to make for a good remix? Should it be wildly different from the original source?
OXIA: I don’t pretend to know what makes a good remix. Everyone has their own opinion about a track or a remix; it’s all subjective. But it’s true that I generally like remixes that retain the essence of the original track, but add a different, personal touch. If it’s really too close to the original, there’s not much point in making a remix.
EG: By the way, your own Diversions Music is currently on its 26th release. Where do we find Diversions at this moment in time? Is there anything that you can anticipate on that front?
OXIA: Yes, we’re only on our 26th release (well, 27th with the new EP from my partner, Nicolas Masseyeff, as ‘Crush On You EP’ comes out this month), but we’ve picked up the pace a little for just over a year, with Dorian Craft’s album, plus the singles and remix EPs. There was an EP from Nicolas in April, and I also did an EP in June. And before the end of the year, there’s a single from Dorian Craft and Da Mike, followed by an EP from Wild Dark & Julian Prince (the boss of the SXM festival). Then, I’m finally finishing my new album, which will be released, if all goes well, in spring 2025.
EG: On to our current scene…this month, the closure of ASLICE opened up a big discourse surrounding the ‘big players’ and the lack of awareness in the DJ/producer dynamic. How do you feel about this?
OXIA: To be honest, I didn’t actually know this platform existed, and I also asked around, and nobody did neither. So I went to see what it was. And so a platform that paid producers by charging a percentage to the DJs who played the producers’ tracks. It’s hard to tell you much about it, as I only had a quick look, so I’ll have to go into a bit more detail. But it’s a pretty interesting concept, and a good idea because apparently they were based on the principle that copyright societies don’t properly remunerate artists whose tracks are played in clubs, festivals…That’s probably not completely untrue in a lot of cases, even if it may not be systematic. But I don’t know why the platform stopped, it’s probably a shame.
“I think that creativity must continue to come from the heart”
EG: And about the surge of AI in music, what are your thoughts on this? Do you think this will drive the scene forward or make it harder to navigate it?
OXIA: AI is an incredible tool, but at the same time it can be dangerous depending on how it is used. As for music, it might advance the scene, in a certain way, but I would find it really unfortunate if artists used it to make their tracks entirely. I am not against the fact that it helps us, notably to go faster, especially when it comes to mixing or sound processing… but not that it does everything for us. I think that creativity must continue to come from the heart. AI does not have a heart.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, Olivier! We wish you all the best for the future. Take care!
OXIA: Thank you very much, I wish you the best and take care too!
Teho´s ‘Continuum (OXIA Remix)’ is now available on Labo T. Stream and download here.
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