Danton Eeprom is set to kick off his monthly Saturday residency at The Nest this weekend and we’re all pretty hyped about it. Now recognised as a skilled, underground French techno DJ, Danton has set his mind to many a musical endeavour in his time. Forming part of a modern rock act soon led to an experimental, rock inspired electronic project that saw memorably mind-distorting live sets and a highly acclaimed album, Yes is More, charge through the heart of the scene.

Nowadays, Danton spends time seeking to undercover the most creative pathway in the act of DJing, flitting between surprisingly unhurried BPM rates of around 118-132. Momentum is never compromised and what results is nothing short of a packed, engaged dancefloor locked in until the lights go up. Mr Eeprom has prepared a characteristically slomo mix especially for The Nest where every sound layer comes to the fore, and primitive and tropical minimalism is the name of the game.

THE NEST: First of all, welcome to The Nest Danton! What has attracted you about our club as a space to hold your monthly residency?

DANTON EEPROM: Well, I liked the feel of the club, the slighty dirty / sexy atmosphere, and the sound system is definitely one of the best around… So it wasn’t too difficult a choice, really.

TN: You once said you see DJing as “telling a story”. What do you mean by this and what sort of journey will you be taking our dance-floor dwellers on?

DE: It is especially true with long sets like the ones I do at The Nest. Long sets allow you to take the dancers on a journey, and go through a multitude of emotions. At the same time, it is the kind of story you can jump on at any time without being lost because you missed the beginning.

TN: You flit between 118 and 132BPM when DJing, is this one of the ways you ensure the dancefloor’s attention is locked?

DE: Well to be honest it is the kind of tempo I am comfortable with. Lots of people, DJs included, think 118bpm is way too slow to get a dancefloor going, but I don’t think that’s true at all. If you convey enough emotion and energy, and play the right piece at the right time, any tempo can do, really.

TN: Do you prefer playing live or DJing? Can you achieve the same levels of creative inspiration with a DJ set?

DE: That’s a tricky one. I started by playing live and it’s definitely part of me now, but I like to get out of my comfort zone and I found DJing pretty exciting lately. You can definitely achieve a lot with a DJ set, even though I’ve managed very intense moments of madness when playing live, it’s a more personal thing and people are often able to feel this.

TN: Many of your original and remix productions sound like they’re created strictly for night time (especially those pervaded by sounds of fuzzy interference). Do you approach a production with a specific mood in mind, or are you always thinking about intense, twilight club spaces?

DE: I like night time music it is true, but I’m a musician first and to me, music is music. My first LP “Yes Is More” is not restricted to night time or to club music. It’s got songs in it, day time songs, dawn songs, dusk songs… It’s more about the state of mind you’re in and there are no restrictions whatsoever.

TN: How has your Fondation Records imprint evolved since the ‘These Eyes/Strictly Erotics’ release in 2007?

DE: It’s been quite an adventure, not always an easy one, but I believe we’ve brought up some cool records on the market and got quite a few new talents in the spotlight.

TN: You’ve written and recorded alongside a multitude of underground electronic artists. What has been your favourite collaboration project and who has complemented your way of working/output the most?

DE: To be honest the collaboration I like the most is the one I do at the moment with a British singer here in London. I cannot say too much about it right now but more about it soon…

TN: Living in London, would you agree that the UK electronic scene has experienced surge of unique creative output in the past year? Are there any up-and-coming artists you’ll have your eye on in 2011?
DE: It has experienced a blossoming of new music indeed, but what worries me the most is the decline of the club scene… We’ve experienced more closures than openings lately, and I’d like to see more places with interesting line ups to boost the scene. The Nest is a notable exception to this phenomenon, I hope you guys will hold the fort..

TN: When can we expect a second Danton Eeprom album?

DE: It’s in the works, so hopefully later this year!