#RvC Ask: Aly & Fila

Courtesy of Colosseum Club

We put Aly & Fila in our list of interviews since we started the blog. Few times we watched Fadi of Aly & Fila performance, finally we had a chance to sat down and talked about their latest album, Beyond The Lights. This interview took place before performance at Colosseum Club on 30 November 2017.

First of all, congratulations for “Beyond The Lights” album!
Thank you very much!
 
Can you tell us about the process of making it?
The process was like straight after we finished the album Quiet Storm. Normally when we do working on an album, when we finish it we have 15 tracks at least. Sometimes we have more than 15 tracks that aren’t finish. When we finished Quiet Storm, there are already some tracks in the process that we didn’t finish it yet. We started right away, working afterwards, for Beyond The Lights album. It took us 2 years after Quiet Storm.
 
Like in process of any album, you just give it a time. When it’s done, it’s done. We finished it, released it, and we’re already working for the next one.
 
How about the collaborations? How did you choose the artist?
It’s not like choosing. You always be with great artist. For example, I know Emma Hewitt since long time, we’re good friends. Last time I met her before we did a collaboration, I said it’s about time to work together and she agreed.
 
It’s not like business proposal, more like personal relationship. The same approach goes with Haliene, Ferry Tayle, and everyone we did collaboration with. They are good friends of ours. That’s how we work with people. I don’t want to do tracks with someone that I don’t have any communication.
 
From the album, which track did you find rally difficult to finish?
The hardest one definitely a track with Emma Hewitt, because it has orchestra part, and it was us who played the orchestra. It’s not like we hired someone to play the orchestra part. That was challenging for us.
 
What is the different between this album and the last one, Quiet Storm?
Well maybe you can tell me the difference as listeners. For me, as Aly & Fila, in this album we produce not only in Uplifting Trance style, but other style as well. It has a little bit different than Quiet Storm. I think every album you will see differences, but we always keep the trademark sound of ours. We have to be balance, to be artistically, to do something new, and capable of doing something different. In the same time, also doing music that people love from us.
 
This year, FSOE launched another label for Progressive called FSOE UV. Tell us more about it!
I always like this kind of music. Back in the days, I went to Global Underground party with Dave Seaman, John Digweed and Sasha. I love these guys so much. I never actually produce it, I did it for fun. I was waiting for the right time for play it and produce it, also have a label for it. Paul Thomas is our A&R Manager for it and he is amazing. When I found Paul, I thought that’s the right guy to handle a label. I was waiting for the right moment and the right person to take care of it, because I can’t do everything. I have to take care of main label and all the labels in general, but I need a proper A&R Manager for each label.
 
I’m a huge fan of Progressive house. Like tonight, I will be playing Progressive House in the first hour and then take it to the Trance sound.
 
Outside your work life, what kind of playlist you have at home? Your everyday playlist, to be exact.
The most enjoying thing I do is listening the radio. Tune in to my favorite radio station and listening to whatever music they’re playing. I like to be surprise. I keep an open mind. Sometimes I hear oldies track that has so much memory and makes me happy. I don’t like to have expectation.
 
Sometimes I also listen new set from different artists, like Solomun, which has totally different sound than ours. His sets are so good, so I downloaded it, put it in my phone and listen to it while on the plane. However, I don’t know what he was playing at first. Then I go check the track list and select which track that suits for me.
 
I like to be surprise more rather than listening to something I know I going to listen. That’s why I play lots of ID in my sets. To make you also guess the track. Keep it more special.
 
What is your plan for 2018?
Like I said earlier, we’re already start working for new album after Beyond The Lights released. I don’t think it will be finish in 2018, due to touring and also I have 2 kids now (laughs). We’re expecting will be finish in 2019.
 
The main focus will be on the labels. With the labels, FSOE now is complete sounds that covers everything. From Progressive House to Progressive Trance. From Trance to Uplifting Trance, Tech Trance, everything. I think we can handle any lineup in any event from A to Z. So I’m looking forward to do more FSOE Club Nights, to have stages like in other festival like we did in Tomorrowland this year. Plus the celebration event, the big FSOE event.

That night, Fadi kept his promise by playing Progressive House in the first hour and then crashed the dance floor with Trance tracks! He played tracks from the new album and also classic tracks like "We Control The Sunlight". 

After the performance, we were catching up with him again. He told us that he was so happy every time he played in Jakarta because of the heartfelt support from the fans. He also said he always happy to play at Colosseum Club and can't wait to be back again.

Fadi also gave shoutout to Rave Colony's readers in video below.

A post shared by Rave Colony (@ravecolony) on Dec 2, 2017 at 3:27am PST