Blazing into the new year, Scorchin’ Records drops Scorchin’ Sessions Vol. 1, and it’s the powerfully uplifting sound we all need!
Super8 & Tab launched the Scorchin’ Records label in 2019 and in 2020 they added the sister-label Scorchin’ Progressive to what Tab affectionately refers to as the Scorchin’ Family. We sat down with Tab to talk about the growth of this family, and the new compilation Scorchin’ Sessions as well. Before we get to the interview below, let’s dive into the release first.
Compiled in under three months, Scorchin’ Sessions Vol. 1 brings forth 17 tracks from the range of styles that Scorchin’ Records and Scorchin’ Progressive have championed. It’s filled with tunes in the realm of trance and progressive from the likes of BetweenUs, Emerge, Sam Heyman, Nick Hayes, and Avenia & Jorza. There are also two tracks with spoken word segments that truly called to me: “Each Of Us” from Angel One and “Astronaut” by Tom Klay.
To round out the range of this compilation, With The Winds brings some larger than life sounds with “Polaris,” a track that’s a perfect fit for the main stage at a festival. Another stunner is the Reliquary remix of Reznor’s “2800 Miles.” This remix really has it all – a bangin’ club beat with a melodic bridge, swooping vocal samples, an unexpected drop, and a rhythm that will drive you forward.
There isn’t a better way to start 2021 than a great set of new music. Music unites us through difficult times and this compilation is a prime example of what a group of talented artists can do together. I’m so proud of our Scorchin’ artists for going the extra mile and pushing these tracks after the challenging year we all experienced.
JANNE (TAB)
Be sure to get your copy of Scorchin’ Sessions Volume 1 from your favorite platform today and read on for the interview with Tab to dive deeper into the release.
Stream Super8 & Tab – Scorchin’ Sessions Vol. 1 on Spotify:
Hey Tab, how’s it going? When we last spoke you were enjoying the pause that the pandemic had presented, but also probably thought we’d be past the isolation by now. How have you continually adjusting to these changing times?
When this all hit us in February last year we definitely thought that some shows would be back in autumn and then this year would be normal. But as we know, that’s not gonna happen, and it doesn’t look good that it’s happening this summer either. So even though the vaccine is coming, we don’t have that much of it. Are festivals gonna happen with 30,000 people someplace? I don’t know, it’s tricky.
It’s not all bad, people are making music in the studio and taking some rest. You know, it seems that a lot of artists need this break. Spending time with the families and stuff like that. And I’m sure that a lot of us, Super8 & Tab included, will try to maintain that balance between touring and family life and working on music.
You don’t realize how much you are actually doing stuff and going on tours until they take it away. You realize, shit, I was actually super, super tired. Even though it’s fun, it’s really taking a toll, flying around the world all the time. It’s been great to take time with family. But obviously, I’m sure that everybody wants to go back to clubbing and normal life as soon as possible.
You noted previously that you spent the early part of the pandemic sick, although not with COVID, and that the longer days of sunshine were helpful. How are you doing, physically and mentally, as the winter takes hold?
[Laughs] Yeah, it can be pretty dark in Finland, especially if there is no snow. But now we have almost a meter in the Helsinki area, which is really rare these days. And snow is white for a reason [Laughs] it gives you the brightest days. So it’s been actually pretty good.
Yeah, during the first part of the pandemic, for almost six weeks I was sick. I’d tested negative for COVID a few times this year. And I don’t have the antibodies in my system, so it seems that I haven’t had it. It’s been a lot of restructuring, work and family, and doing new things and concentrating a lot, actually, on Scorchin’ Records. That’s been this year’s main focus for 2020.
We understand you are a big fan of the Finnish countryside. Have you been able to get out and enjoy that lately?
This summer was pretty awesome at the midsummer party. I don’t know how many years it has been, maybe 20, that we’ve been doing some sort of gig during the midsummer. This time I could spend it with my family and friends. And it was awesome! We rented a car and drove all around Finland to different summer cabins and spent time in the countryside. It was super nice. Helsinki, and Finland in general during the summer, is nice because you get like 20 hours of sunlight. And it’s green, clean, and safe. Yeah, it’s good.
Scorchin’ Records is getting rather mature at this point. Scorchin’ Progressive is still a little more nascent. Where is your focus on the label at this time? And in between those as well?
We had been talking for many years about starting our own label. There are few very talented guys in our studio and it was a good time because these guys were putting out really good music. We love progressive trance as well and we were listening to it a lot. When we’re doing longer sets, like, four to six-hour sets we want to build up the show or the set starting with progressive. We were also receiving so many good tracks that were not fitting into our core trance genre. So we were like, you know, let’s do a side label. I think they are side by side now is it’s not a sub-label or anything – it’s just the Scorchin’ family. It’s been growing well.
Many artists have taken to Twitch, as you have, in these challenging times. Others have locked themselves in the studio. Have you made peace with the current challenges and found a balance that works for you? If so, please share your secret!
[Laughs] Yeah, we started streaming in April or something like that and we were streaming quite heavily. And it was super fun! The Twitch community was so welcoming, you can play whatever you want and as long as you want. I think one of the sets was something like 12 hours and 40 minutes. It’s fun to play the music you love and want to play. But then, if you are doing like 13 hours or more you’re pretty knackered after that, you cannot do that much every set.
Hats off to Dave Dresden, he’s amazing, he just keeps doing it. It’s crazy how he built a new culture around it, too. Everybody else has been kind of following that, and the community and everything, it’s great. Luckily, there are two of us so that helps a lot, too. We each can get some rest when the other is doing something. We took some time off during the summer to charge our batteries and now we’ve been pushing hard the last five months in the studio. We haven’t been doing that much streaming, to be honest, but we started the Scorchin’ Sessions stream. That’s been good and is a part of what’s coming from Scorchin’ Records in the future.
That’s a perfect segue because when we last spoke in June you had the release of These Little Stories (Part 1) and today you are releasing your first Scorchin’ Sessions mix. What is your expectation for the mix series?
I’m super excited about this and I think it’s the best mix compilation we have ever done, to be honest. Not only because it’s on our label but the music is so fresh. There’s this sort of excitement you can hear on every track. Working with these artists has been really rewarding, helping them out, giving them advice, and then how they surprise you when they are coming back with new versions. It’s been like, wow, you got it! I think it’s a really good showcase of what is coming from Scorchin’ Records in 2021.
What was the process of making Scorchin’ Sessions Vol. 1 like for you? Is it natural to you or something that takes a lot of effort and time?
Let’s say we did a mix compilation for Anjunabeats or Armada, it will contain mostly released tracks. The process is pretty straightforward. We’d have our favorite tracks that we’d ask from other artists, then a list of label tracks, and finally a few of our own. But this time we could start from scratch. It wasn’t easy since we didn’t have any completed tracks to start with this time.
Around the end of October, we started asking if artists had any new tracks, and most didn’t, but they got to work on something new for us. Our goal was to have as many of our label artists on this compilation. I think we got like 99% of our artists in there, and some of the new ones as well.
But every single track was produced for this compilation, which is sick! It shows how much effort everybody has put in for this album. While we did a lot of work to put those tracks together, it was the artists that were putting their hearts and minds into this to have their tracks on this compilation. So I’m super happy and proud of all our artists and how much energy they put into this project.
How do you happen to discover these artists? Is there a magic formula that helps you figure out who is a good fit for the Scorchin’ family?
New artists send us a lot of tracks and we listen to every track that is sent to us. Some just work – those are doing their own magic. With our experience from producing music, DJing, and such, we know what works in clubs, what is good for listening, and what is a solid production.
We want to work with our artists and if the track is something we can support 110%, then we start working on it. That’s how the process goes. There isn’t any secret formula. It’s more being dedicated to finding good music and listening to every single track we receive.
So no secret formula, but what is the biggest piece of advice that you can offer rising artists in the scene who are aspiring to release music on Scorchin’ in the future?
Do your own thing! I think it’s as simple as that. If the label likes your stuff, that’s great. If it’s not for that label, I’m sure that there is some other label that wants your music. These days you can start by putting your tracks on SoundCloud and asking your friends to listen to them. The more critical feedback you’re getting the better because that keeps pushing you forward.
Another suggestion is to play it on different sound systems: on your iPod, your home stereo, in a car, at your friend’s place. It’s important to hear the music in different environments. We love to hear new music, from all kinds of artists. So use our demo upload form on our website, and send your music to us.
Aside from the obvious “play live in a club or festival” what do you desire most when lockdowns are over?
More freedom to see your friends and go out and get a little bit crazy in the club enjoying the big sound system speakers. In general, hopefully, people will look after each other after this pandemic is over. What I’ve been trying to do is structure my life a little bit better than not just doing music all the time or concentrating on music all the time. There are other things as well. But let’s see, see when that happens.
I’m hopeful! As I said, this pandemic is not all bad. There’ve been a lot of positive things as well, relaxing with family, and new business models, too. Together we can get through these difficult times!
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