“I wanted to get more humanity in modern electronic music… most of the time it felt too machinery, lacking soul.”
I have to admit I am always fascinated by this tendency many have, to classify musical genres, based on highly objective criteria. The first one obviously being, quality. Quality based upon what? If this is the mastery of the instrument, the creativity of the piece and a bit of risk taking you like, Mees Dierdorp is to his genre what Jarrett is to Jazz.
Chapter 1: Comprehend music as a science
Mees Dierdorp is part of those artists that took a quite unique path before breaking into the industry. Funny part, however, is that he had it figured out all along. His passion was to understand. He wanted to understand the power of music on the human brain and body. Not with a sociological approach, but a very scientific one. What does music have to do with memory recall, stress relief, pain reduction or pure expression of joy? To understand, Mees studied neurobiology and the phenomena related to music frequencies, audio waves and the brain.
A few years later, it isn’t as a scientist but as a producer that he released the results of his findings. With the help of two classmates passionate about jazz, he composed his first album between two science experiments, while two classmates would play the piano and guitar on selected songs. Adding to this a few electronic textures, organic sounds and the magic of modern software, Wild Window was out.
I didn’t mention Jarrett at the beginning for no reason. Dierdorp is a huge fan of jazz. Of risk-taking. Of improvisation. Of that mystical asymmetry that we denote in some of the greatest jazz productions that still manage to surprise us even after the 100th listening. Not only he asked his friends to play for him, but he injected this feeling of unexpected into this first album.
Chapter 2: Judge me by my own rules
Back in time, in Amsterdam, he had no visibility or budget. After composing with the means at hand, he sent the result of his work to some labels around. The almighty formula “spy, copy, avoid risks” that modern labels blindly follow didn’t play in his favour. No doubt the opinions were positive on his talent and creativity. The potential for sales and to blend in homogeneously with what was already done on the market, however, were other issues. Most appreciated the work but weren’t willing to distribute it.
“During that time, I didn’t realize it because it was my sound and for me it was not very new, it was what I was making for the past few years. I now understand that for the big labels it was different, and that they wouldn’t dare to jump, maybe.”
Magnetic Mag - Mees Dierdorp bringing soul melody to dance music
How should labels provide for a rising demand of novelty if they set boundaries to creativity? Mees refused to play the same game. He created his own label, Mees Records, to give the opportunity to artists to mix words, sounds, feelings and poetry, without fear of not being distributed, of being on-the-edge in the perception of very ordinary-seeking labels.
Progressively gaining in popularity, Mees managed to get his new EP’s released also on labels that shared the same vision (Poesie Musik, Eskimo Recordings). He started performing in Ibiza, Berlin, New York, Istanbul, Budapest and the UK, sometimes bringing peculiarities to a public pleasantly surprised. (I dare you to go and watch videos of the general reactions his unusual beats).
Chapter 3: As a personal feeling
I have to say I hold great importance to Mees’ work. He has achieved in my opinion what most don’t even consider. We may all agree that music has this fascinating capacity to recall our memories, whether of a person, a place, a moment. For me, it is the moment that reminds me of his tracks. Imagine the feeling of a moment indissociable from the music you were listening to.
When I remember being on the roof of a truck travelling down the southeast Asian countryside, I cannot picture it without this track, below, which I was playing on repaeat. When I listened to it again back in Europe, it was like I was back on this truck, instantly.
Basic electronic beats cannot retain such a strength. It is rather the reflection of experimental art and atmospheric stories that are added to deep tech-house base, with control and precision.
“The pure elements in life certainly light my fire. But besides love, pain and nature, I receive inspiration on the most unexpected moments (…) anything can be inspiring to create if you remain on open vision in my experience.”
Deep House Amsterdam - Exclusive interview Mees Dierdorp