A Pivotal Chat with Before Dawn
In a moment that would redefine their musical journey, Derek Andersen and Scott Land, the dynamic duo behind SLANDER, engaged in a conversation that marked a turning point in their careers. This dialogue illuminated Derek's epiphany about the necessity of evolving from merely spinning tracks as DJs to becoming full-fledged music producers, crafting their own unique sounds. This shift was not just about expanding their creative horizons but was a strategic pivot aimed at catapulting them from local acclaim to the global stage.
"When we sat down to make the album one of the things that was most important to us was having the space to actually try something new. ‘Before Dawn’ is a new transformation and we are extremely excited to share it. In our opinion, it is polar opposite to our typical sound and this is why we love it so much. We have been getting great reactions to it during our live sets, and we can’t wait to see where this new path takes us. Let’s enter the dark..together,” explains Scott Land to UCI News.
The aspiration was clear: to grace the lineups of the world's most prestigious music festivals. Dreams of playing at iconic gatherings such as Electric Daisy Carnival, Coachella, Lollapalooza, and beyond were not just lofty ambitions but became a roadmap for their future. This crucial decision to delve into production was about more than just music; it was about setting a new course for their careers, one that would allow them to share their sound with audiences across the globe.
“I still remember when Derek called me and we had that conversation. This profound moment hit him on how to be an artist, a music producer and a DJ. He told me, ‘If we want to get to the level of DJ'ing that we want to get to, we have to take this other path.’ We realized that as local DJs, there was kind of a cap to how big you can get. We needed to be artists and create our own music to achieve our dreams of playing places such as the Electric Daisy Carnival or Coachella or Lollapalooza or any other big festival," Scott Land tells UCI News.
By transitioning to producing, SLANDER was poised to not only expand their reach but also to deeply connect with fans through their original compositions. This marked a bold step forward for the duo, underlining their resolve to elevate their presence in the music scene and affirm their place among the luminaries of electronic music.
