Five Queries With… 003: Art Nouveau Records

The plan with our Five Queries series was to press on and catch up with a lot of artists across a diverse range of artists and labels. It’s pretty simple for us to do and there are plenty of people in the experimental/electronic music industry that we’d like to support so hopefully there should be a steady stream of these posts.

Next then, it seems apt that our attention turns to a new label from the Netherlands that have just released their debut EP today – Art Nouveau Records from Rotterdam. We caught up with label boss Aad Mouthaan who also kindly provided us with a House mix, including selections from Art Nouveau as well as work from Cajmere, Martin Landsky and well, Aad Mouthaan! We chatted to Aad about his background in music, his plans for his new label and his influences. Click the image above or HERE to visit the mix page on Mixcloud and why not read through the interview below as you listen?

IC: Hi Aad, firstly could you tell us a bit more about your background? How did you get into music?
AM: I grew up in Rotterdam in the 80s. I witnessed the hip hop, graffiti and breakdance scene coming over from the United States to Europe from close by. There was a youth center two minutes from my house where crews from all over Rotterdam would come to do rap and breakdance battles, do graffiti pieces and just hang out. I was too shy to mingle in but got a good perspective and feel of a then blossoming scene. So I am a very big 80s(!) hip hop fan. Later on I got into funk, rare groove and through all the breaks and loops from before mentioned genres I eventually started to listen to jungle/early rave. That was around 1992 and from there I slowly but surely started getting into house music. At the time house music was still eclectic in some way. People would play garage, techno and jungle all in one mix. I developed a liking for deeper vocal tracks. Whether it was funky house, speedgarage, progressive trance, deephouse or techhouse as long as it had a good bassline then I was into it.

IC: How did Art Nouveau come about? What is your vision for the label?
AM: Trends come and go but what I was missing the last couple of years in music was a funky, groovy sound with an emphasis on an organic feeling. Music made without a template and free from any (sub)genre constraints. Hence the name Art Nouveau. The Art Nouveau art movement was inspired by natural forms and structures, particularly the curved lines of plants and flowers.

IC: What have you got lined up for 2017 on the label?
AM: So far I have five releases lined up and I think they represent my intentions with the label pretty well. The styles range from nu-disco to deephouse, jacking house and techhouse. For release number 4 we have someone special on board. Someone who was in a popular progressive trance outfit in the late 90s and early 00s. He will release under his own name. Can’t tell anymore for now though.

IC: What are you listening to at the moment? Any favourite records from 2017?
AM: There’s so much music out there nowadays but producers I am listening to now are.. Los Pastores, System2, Rebute, Makanan, Mr KS, Djebali. My 3 favorite records of 2017 so far are 1. Soul Clap – Funk Bomb (Doc Martin & Blakkat Sublevel Live Remix) [Crew Love Records] 2. VanDoorn – Disco Sergio (Original Mix) [Art Nouveau Records 001] 3. DFRA, Bs As Deep, Mateo Defour – Feel The Rhodes (Instrumental) [Plastik People Digital]

IC: Who are your all-time favourite musical influences?
AM: There are so many I am afraid I may forget one but here’s a few in no particular order: James Brown, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Public Enemy, EPMD, Madonna, INXS, Nile Rodgers, Grant Nelson, Armand van Helden, Roger Sanchez, Erick Morillo, Didier Sinclar, Djulz, Mr C, Miguel Migs, Atjazz, Deekline, Peace Division, David Penn, Rene Amesz, Gerd

To listen to or download the debut digital EP on Art Nouveau Records (by VanDoorn), click HERE or hit play below