Today marks the release of Audien’s sophomore album; First Love. The 12-track project lands via Armada and is a vibrant, uplifting collection of vocal-infused progressive house anthems. To celebrate the release of First Love, we sat down with the mastermind behind the project and delved into what progressive house is, working with a label, what is most important in a production and more! Dive in below and make sure to check out his recent LP.
How do you describe Progressive House? There are sounds such as yours, but also Eric Prydz, which would also be considered progressive house.
To me, Progressive House is very melodic, uplifting, and euphoric house music. It nods to a period, particularly in the U.S. around 2013-2014, which felt very connective—some people call it the Golden Age of dance music in the U.S.
The term is heavily debated. People who have been around a lot longer remember artists like Sasha & Digweed and Eric Prydz. To me, that’s the same progressive house, just an earlier version of it that has evolved into what it is today.
What makes progressive house so special to you? Why do you think it may have had a slow few years?
I think that melodies and emotions in music took a backseat to certain trends. In my opinion, a lot of what’s prioritised in the dance music scene today has nothing to do with the music itself. My goal is to bring the focus back to the music—the melodies, emotions, and vocals that people feel in their hearts and remember forever. I want to put that front and centre again.
You released your debut album independently and your second via Armada. What were the main differences between these two approaches?
I wanted to do the first album independently because I just wanted to try it. While I had a lot of creative control then, working with Armada on the second album has been great because they also gave me total creative control. The process felt essentially independent. I created every aspect of it, from the visuals with my friend Cole to all the music. They let me do what I wanted and didn’t give me any pushback.
Your sophomore studio album ‘First Love’ is finally out! We’ve gotten so many singles already that it feels like we’ve been on this journey for a while and it’s finally complete. What can you say about the project now that it’s finally here?
The whole focus of the album is exactly what ‘First Love’ means to me and what it can mean to the listener; that’s what the concept is about. It’s about bringing melodies back to the forefront and giving people music that I would have fallen in love with when I was in high school. The aspects of that music that made me fall in love with the genre are front and centre in every song -there’s no filler, it’s all really emotional.
Ultimately, I want these songs to be the soundtrack for whatever the listener is going through at that given point in their life. Whether it’s heartbreak or a relationship getting more serious, I hope this album is what people listen to when they are going through their own struggles. I want these songs to help guide them through those moments, the same way this kind of music guided me through my life.
You might have saved the best for last with the new lead single from the album, ‘Make Me Forget’, with the brilliant Skylar Grey. What was it like working with her?
Working with Skylar has been surreal. She’s been on so many huge songs that have impacted me in different ways, and to now have her on one of my songs, in my most personal project to date, is incredible. To be able to make an impact on our fans together… wow. I’m so happy to share this with the world.
From the vocal to the melody to the sound design—can you order what you find most important in a production?
Number one is the chords. Not just the melody, but the chords. That’s where all songs start for me. Number two is usually the melodies that counter the chords. Vocals are number three. At this point, I really only make vocal records. It always starts with the chords—they’re everything.
Your track ‘Cold’ was an experiment with drum and bass. Where did the inspiration for that come from? It performed quite well, especially for a different sound.
Thank you. I just love drum and bass. I’ve loved it since the Pendulum days back in 2009-2010. I’ve been listening to drum and bass on my own forever; it’s a bit of a guilty pleasure. It’s having a big moment right now.
Many of your most-streamed records are remixes. How do you approach remixes and why do you think they’ve performed so well?
I treat remixes like they’re originals. For the ‘Pompeii’ remix, for instance, if you took the vocals off, it would be a completely original record with nothing from Bastille on there. I only need the vocal. Very rarely will I use parts of the instrumental; I like to build a whole new world around the record and reimagine it.
Obviously, you are a big proponent of progressive house, but your style differs slightly, with elements of future bass and pop. Do you try to make your own mark on the sound?
I don’t try to put myself in a box; I allow the song to be something unique. I think a lot of people try to use sounds that they know work, but I try to do something different. Although some people would call what I make progressive house, it’s really its own thing and doesn’t sound like anyone else. That’s my goal. I want to sound unique and stay true to myself, which is harder but more fulfilling.
For the Progressive House Never Died shows, how do they differ from your normal shows?
The Progressive House Never Died shows usually have a lot more production. We’re also doing some cool things with large props that are centric to the album. The emblem for the album is a chrome heart balloon, and that is a through-line for everything. I would also say the music separates it—the sets are very nostalgic and bring you right back to that golden age.
What were the video games you played that sparked your interest in electronic music?
Back when I was in high school around 2007-2008, I used to play a lot of Counter-Strike. People would make montage movies of their teams playing, and they would be really well-edited and use dance music. That was my first exposure to it. The first kind of dance music I discovered was UK hardcore, which was around 170 BPM—something you would never hear today.
You’ve had a long-standing collaboration with ARTY, on tracks like ‘Tomorrow’. What is it about that creative partnership that works so well?
ARTY and I have been friends for over a decade. When I started making music, he was my idol, and I would try to replicate what he was doing. To now have records with him and be friends with him feels very full circle. When we come together, we just make really authentic music that’s true to ourselves. We don’t try to be anything other than who we are, and that’s what makes it great.
Dive into Audien’s new album below.
