Hit play and let the rush of impassioned and nimble sounds envelop you in a canopy of cascading emotion. Every lick of sound is magical, transporting you to a land of hope, beauty, and warmth. You never want to leave the imagination of Jerro.
The fast-rising Belgian artist has been at the forefront of melodic electronic sounds and has built a discography that is filled with works of true feeling, highlighting an artist that is in control of a grand apparition brought by sonic narratives that — at times — help brighten someone’s day or — even — allow some to let go of hardship and shed tears to remind themselves that they are alive. He is an exemplary artist that deserves the recognition for an art that can often be muted or forgotten in times of digital indulgence. With works like “The Fool”, “Pantheon”, “Tunnel Vision”, and “Holywell”, Jerro brings back honest, raw emotion, felt with every swirl of sound. It is why he has quickly built a strong fanbase and has made his mark via Lane 8’s This Never Happened and the Anjunadeep imprint.
Fortunately for all of us, Jerro has returned and released his poignant and incendiary EP, “Closer”, once again, on This Never Happened. The 5-track EP is a transformative experience that descends listeners into emotive swaths of aural stimuli. It’s nothing short of amazing and is another wondrous experience that will brighten anyone’s day.
With the release of the EP, we felt it was time to sit down and talk with Jerro about his musical influences, writing, and more. Here is our exclusive interview:
Hailing from Belgium, what would you say are your biggest influences from that region? And how did they influence you to dive into electronic music, in-particular the melodic and downtempo sound?
Actually, I feel like melodic house and indie-electronic haven’t really had their moment in Belgium yet, and that in a way, it motivates me to try to fill up that gap a bit. Don’t get me wrong, Belgium has some absolutely incredible electronic artists… Just look at how Belgian artists helped shape the house music sounds in the 90’s. And even now with artists like Netsky, Charlotte De Witte, Amelie Lens, and so on, Belgium is super well represented in the electronic music world. But, I feel like not there aren’t as many Belgian artists making the style I love to make.
Walk us through your writing process. What comes first, the beat or a melody?
I almost always start with the melody. Then, when all of the elements are there (chords, lead melodies, vocals samples), I start building the drums around that. On some occasions, mostly when I’m going for a more experimental sound, I start with the drums though!
What are your writing inspirations? Is there a particular environment that you prefer to write in?
This might sound a bit weird, but I feel most comfortable making music when I’m in my pajamas or dressing gown. I haven’t really had a studio session with any other artists tho, so it’s just myself in my room, and I don’t really feel the need to put on actual clothes hahaha!
One of my favorite elements of your work is the poignant melodies. Where do the ideas come from? Are they born from your life’s experience or your feelings at the moment?
Yes, I mostly try to make melodies based on the way I am feeling. I’m all for having a positive mindset, and that’s why most of my tracks have a positive and uplifting vibe to them. But sometimes when I’m working hard on a track and it isn’t turning out the way I want it to, I just say “fuck that, I’m gonna try something different”. That’s usually when I make the most experimental stuff!
How do you want your sound to be remembered? What is the story you are trying to tell?
I want to take listeners on a journey with my music. For me, listening to music has always been a way to escape from reality, and I hope I can give that same feeling to people who are listening to my tracks.
What themes do you explore on “Closer”?
With the Closer EP, I tried to explore some different themes. For example, “Mouie’ and “Closer” have that more chill and relaxed vibe to them, which I absolutely love. Whereas, “Sturdy” however definitely has more of a club vibe, which I really love too! So, for “Demons” and “Ignis” I tried to walk the line between a relaxed and club vibe.
If you could choose the perfect location to listen to “Closer” where would it be?
Wherever you feel at home and comfortable! Could be on a beach, or a club with friends, or on a couch just by yourself!
How has Lane 8 and TNH influenced your career?
Daniel has always been one of my biggest idols, from the day I started exploring melodic house music. It has been such a pleasure to see him grow bigger and bigger every year. To me, he’s one of the most talented and most friendly guys in the scene. Same with his This Never Happened label, seeing all of their success and support they get with every release makes me so proud to be a part of it. Everyone working at TNH is so passionate and experienced, and it really shows.
I LOVE “Tunnel Vision”. One thing I noticed, up until “Tunnel Vision”, your work never featured vocals. Was there a particular reason for that? What was your thought process in deciding to bring on Kauf and then Sophie Bel?
My management brought up the idea to have vocals on “Tunnel Vision”. I was fine with how the instrumental was sounding, but I am sooooo happy I let them do their thing. The first time I heard Kauf’s vocals on “Tunnel Vision” was mind-blowing. I love how a good vocal can give the track so much more dimension. Same with Sophia Bel, that was an idea from my management as well. They have such great taste when it comes to finding artists for my tracks, and I completely trust them in the process of finding new vocalists!
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Oooeeh, there’s so much I would love to share but can’t yet
To stream “Closer” continue down or follow the link here. For more information on upcoming Jerro releases, stay tuned to CULTR.
