Emily Tan knows I love deep house music. Maybe that is why she introduced me to NativeOrigin303. I pulled him up on SoundCloud and was hooked… This dude hails from Denver, Colorado and has been producing music since the late 90s. When I listen to him I love the vibe… His talent to blend from one track to the next. Polished blending is something that has always impressed me about a DJ. Take that and throw in his deep house/lounge groove and you have a sound I can’t stop listening to. Emily only works with the best, and this is no exception. I became a quick fan. It is my pleasure to introduce you to NativeOrigin303.
Tell me more about the name. NativeOrigin303 is quite unique.
A lot of people think it has to do solely with Colorado, but the 303 part is a tribute to the [Roland] 303 bass [synthesizer]. That sound was really what drew me into dance music as a teenager. I was hooked from the minute I heard it. That was really the beginning of my musical journey, thus the “origin” part. The “native” part does actually have to do with Denver as I was born here and I am a product of all my life experiences while in the 303. So the name holds a certain significance.
You recently released Unveiling Moments EP and I can’t stop listening to it. The sound is incredible. Tell me more about the release and what you’re hoping to accomplish with this EP?
Thank you very much. I named this EP Unveiling Moments because I planned on it being my breakthrough EP that would get me in the charts for the first time. A good friend once told me, “Trust your sound and believe in it,” which is why the tracks are all very different. I went through a phase where I was trying to make more industry sounding tracks but realized I don’t enjoy that at all. The songs on that were really me testing the water and everything went according to plan, so I am pleased.
You run Blue Records, a tech/minimal record label. Tell me more about Blue and some of the other artists you’re working with?
Blue Records has really been a great experience so far. It’s great to see releases coming out consistently and the feedback has all been very positive. Many of the artists we work with are people I look up to, which is really cool. On the other side of the coin, there are many future releases planned from relatively unknown artists. I like the hustle that new guys have and I want Blue to be a platform that gives them inspiration to take their journey as musicians to the next level. Next year we will be expanding into the techno realm, as well, which I am looking forward to.
I’m also hooked on the new John “00” Fleming release. He is a legendary deep house/minimalist DJ. You take things a bit deeper than that. Have you heard that album? What artists inspire you? What about these artists do you find inspirational?
Wow. Thank you so much! That’s a great compliment. I have heard it and I love John “00” Fleming. To be completely honest, I have a small number of artists that I draw inspiration from. This is primarily because when trying to create something original, I try my hardest not to listen to other electronic music until the work is done. Then I stop creating for a short while and get caught-up with the new stuff again. I really like Riva Starr, Carl Cox, UMEK, Lee Burridge, BOOKA SHADE. Richie Hawtin is definitely my all-time favorite as he drew me into techno.
What can fans expect from a live performance? When I listen to your music, I picture myself on a rooftop at 2 in the morning just dancing the night away.
I’m actually a big fan of rooftop parties, so that sounds awesome! My live sets are very old school. A lot of continuous blending for sure. I always try to have both tracks playing together 70% of the time. I’m very focused on the quality of the mix so I constantly check trim levels to keep things consistent and never go into the red which seems to be something very forgotten these days. I’d prefer not to blast my audience with distortion. I don’t arrange my sets beforehand because every crowd is different so I just adapt to the energy in the room. I don’t need to hype the crowd up with tons of showmanship because I can feel if people dig it or not.
Tell me about your new release, “It’s On Us,” out now on Blue.
I feel like tech house has become very cookie-cutter. I wanted to write something that incorporated different elements and wasn’t so traditional. I threw the breakbeat section in there and a very heavy bassline in the beginning. It was also important to have something which gave some insight into who I am as a person so the spoken word resembles how I feel about life. I feel like there’s so many DJs and it’s really cool when you know more about them as normal people rather than just entertainers. I try to connect on a more personal level which is usually brought out by the dark themes in my tracks.
You are originally from Denver, Colorado. What’s the music scene like in The Mile High City?
There’s definitely a lot of good music in Denver. I enjoy the scene here because I like variety. What type of show I attend usually just depends on my mood. What I enjoy most is the attitude of people at Denver shows, it’s a very friendly atmosphere. We could certainly use more house music as I can only take so much bass music. I enjoy dubstep and trap as I grew up on metal and rap, but every weekend is too much. (Laughs.)
People can listen to your music on Spotify and Apple Music. Where else can folks learn more about you and your unique sound?
The best way is to check out my website. I have a media player with links to all my new releases and I will also be starting a weekly podcast/video series in the coming months.
I’ve been to a lot of late night shows. I was just in Miami and there is a club there that doesn’t even open until 1:00 am. Speaking of live shows, what is the best concert you’ve ever been to?
As far as concerts go, I would say that Atmosphere at Red Rocks has always been my personal favorite. In the dance realm, I saw BOOKA SHADE a while back and had a pretty amazing time. There’s so much good music out there!
What are you playing in Vegas during EDC (Electric Daisy Carnival) Vegas Week this year?
The event I’m playing is called “Yayfriends! Presents: Sound Check 3 Silent Rave on the Monorail.” I’m very excited about this event! It’s a silent disco with Donald Glaude on the Las Vegas monorail. I enjoy silent discos because mixing inside your headphones reminds me of being a teenager and trying not to upset my parents late at night. Event proceeds go to the National Association of the Deaf, so it’s a great cause. It will definitely be interesting to see how my perfect set theory goes when I’m being tossed around on the train! (Laughs.)
I could literally put your EP on repeat and listen to this all day! It’s really that good, man. Over the years, how has your sound matured? Do you find yourself always trying to push for something new or are you trying to make each track sound similar to the last to fit this deep house/minimalist vibe?
Hey, thank you very much for that, my friend! It’s always so nice to hear that people enjoy my music. I think my skill set with production was largely built from the many years of DJing. Every track starts off with the intention of being light and danceable but somehow I always end up on a dark path which is okay because that describes my state-of-mind many times. I try to make each one different in terms of effects and that sort of thing but overall I aim to keep it dark and deep. The new material I will be releasing over the next year is all different in terms of sound because I wanted to show versatility.
Not sure if you were trying here, but you’ve got a new biggest fan! I am very impressed with what I’ve heard thus far. What’s next for NativeOrigin303?
Again, thank you. As far as what’s next goes, there’s a new EP on the way and a trip or two to Europe in the near future. Amsterdam is most certainly in the works for Blue. I have a large catalog of music stocked up, all of it which I really like, and I can’t wait to play it out!
Thank you for doing this. In all of the interviews I do, I always give the artist the last word. Go.
Thank you so much for interviewing me. I just want to thank everyone who has been supportive of my music over the years. When you are trying to build something, there are always hard days, but family and friends give you inspiration.
About NativeOrigin303
A dedicated house music DJ and producer, Denver’s NativeOrigin303 throws down the freshest beats when he performs live in front of a savvy nightclub audience. Having cut his DJing teeth at underground clubs throughout Chicago, he now launches himself from the mile high city of Denver. Always with a heartfelt respect for old school house music – his productions have earned him support and praise from the revered techno producer and DJ, Richie Hawtin, among many others – NativeOrigin303 nevertheless draws from a multitude of musical genres during his DJ performances. As a producer, NativeOrigin303 is completely focused in the recording studio, often working and reworking a record until daylight becomes night becomes daylight again.
NativeOrigin303 got his start DJing in the late ’90s when ravers could go to an underground party expecting to hear varied styles of electronic music played in a single night, sometimes in a single DJ’s set. In a modern era when producers are following trends more than ever before, NativeOrigin303 has made it his mission to keep the genuine grooves of classic house music alive.
As founder and label chief of Blue Records, NativeOrigin303 is forever scouting new music and promising talent, making him as much an A&R scout as a solo artist. Blue Records has recently signed releases from Angelo Ferreri, Alex Raider, Alessio Cala’ and Eddie Amador, aspiring artists at the top ends of the Beatport and DJ charts. When not DJing in Denver and Chicago, NativeOrigin303 can be found spinning the hottest parties in Las Vegas, LA and other key U.S. cities. NativeOrigin303’s music has graced the radio airwaves across the U.S. and the rest of the world and his live radio broadcasts have aired on leading radio stations, including “ElectroCity” on Dash Radio, live from Hollywood. As America’s younger EDM generation grows-up and matures into a deeper, more progressive house sound, NativeOrigin303 will be right there to greet them.
Connect with NativeOrigin303:
Website: http://www.nativeorigin.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nativeorigin303
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nativeorigin303
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nativeorigin303
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/nativeorigin303
