YOUNG PULSE

In the barmy realms of disco, where rhythms are flawlessly tight and melodies soar through the corridors of time, emerges a luminary DJ, Producer, and label owner who ignites dance floors with unique fervour and finesse.

Take a bow, Young Pulse.

Young Pulse’s journey burgeoned under the influence of iconic artists from the 70s and 80s. A fusion of funk, disco, pop, and new wave seeded the roots of his musical passions.

He recalls his first outing with a turntable.

“It became an instant passion, quickly followed by getting my first production software, and then I was unstoppable!”

He did his first gig at the tender age of 16 in a local pub with his cousin.

“We had to carry all the equipment along with records… and we were happy about it!” he states. “I was 17 when I did my first paid gig on the Concorde Atlantique boat on the Seine River.”

From modest beginnings in the studio with a simple PC to the expansive vistas of his current studio setup, he has come a long way.

“I had no idea what a MIDI keyboard was when I started! I was producing everything with my computer mouse, one note/beat after another.”

“I learned everything on my own, geeking every day! Now I’ve got a real studio!”

Producing mainly in the studio, Young Pulse also loves to get away from the city with a simple setup and experience freedom without time constraints. This is when he gets the most inspiration.

How does he create his masterpieces?

“Sometimes I begin by creating a drum pattern, and the flow goes from there.”

The voice of an insightful human who is aware that sometimes, we are mere vessels.

“Ashford and Simpson remain at the top for me. Their sensitivity, powerful musical arrangements, the joy, and melancholy they bring, is the best in my opinion.”

“It could be the synth bass or melody that takes the lead. Very often, the ideas come from my singing. Yes! I love singing!”Ohhhh! Perhaps a self-penned vocal track may be on the cards?

We were interested in who the current king of the remix is longing to… well, remix. “There are many great artists out there to remix, it’s difficult to pick, and sometimes getting the multi-tracks is impossible!”

He already has an array of remixes on his CV, but he has said we can expect more original stuff and dropped some rather interesting collaborations into the conversation.

“Last year I remixed Barbara Tucker, Mousse T, Kyoto Jazz Massive! I have a few official remixes releasing in 2024, but I’m mainly focusing on original productions.”

“Most recently, my single on Glitterbox in collaboration with Fleur De Mur and J-Kriv was a great one. I also have a project with Chicago legend Jamie 3:26 and Danou P.”

If Prince Was A DJ

There is a reason why one Young Pulse set is never the same as the other and therefore, you will never want to miss one. They are fueled with energy, DJ trickery and high vibes. He is king of the solid repeat beats and some of the hookiest hooks you could dream of.

“Choosing tunes for sets is a nightmare!” he bellows. “I own thousands of records and loads on digital too. It’s hard to make a selection, especially when trying to fit into a short 2-hour set!”

He could clearly play for hours on end!

“Usually I never really know what I’m starting or ending with, I just go with the flow. I add my own stuff, some unreleased material, but have no specific way of building a set.”

“It’s all about the flow, and I like switching styles and not just playing one genre.”

“This is going to be my first time in Gozo, I know the Liquid Spirit crew already, so I expect nothing but great vibes, people, and music.”

He recalls his years as a Hip Hop producer in Paris between 2004–2010.

“It was something amazing. We were young adults, and it was filled with pure energy and fantastic friendship. Then I moved to Washington DC and spent 4 incredible years working with the famous Jazz pianist Marcus Johnson.”

It was at 18th Street Lounge that he fell in love with house music, listening to the selections of Sam ‘The Man’ Burns, and then started to dig deeper into disco, to understand the true history of club culture.

“I’d say this was the big turning point in my career that led me to the artist I am today.”

What Doesn’t Kill You…

Every success story is laced with necessary shadow, and he recounts a moment that will forever keep his humanity in tact.

He was invited by Marcus Johnson to end the Baltimore Jazz Festival, and many of his heroes were in the audience. The likes of Bluey (Incognito), Chaka Khan and many more. His nerves were raw.

During the line check, he recounts everything was fine and working perfectly, but when the all-important intro came… absolutely nothing worked. “I couldn’t cancel, or do anything actually, so I started triggering stuff and it all came out wrong. It was a nightmare!” “I think it took me a week to get over it, I was so ashamed of such a poor performance. I can’t thank enough the musicians who made it look less terrible than I felt, but it was hard for me to get over!”

What's Next?

No dates or spoilers yet folks, but in the meantime, he is working on a few EPs – original productions, and on his first album. There is also an exciting project with Jamie 3:26 and Danou P on the cards and of course, he’ll keep dropping edits now and then.

“Life is short and unnecessary stress has no place in this journey.”

This fantastic French fella has grabbed us all by the stabbing disco horns, intertwining his soulful and sometimes crazy inspirations from the past with bouncy beats and serving it all with an infectious smile. His message resonates with profound simplicity:

“Love yourself, love each other, dance, be kind.”

Amen.

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Young Pulse at LIQUID SPIRIT Gozo 2024