HEDEGAARD Unleashes Hard-Hitting "INFERNO / Ratchets" EP With Jaw-Dropping 3D Visuals + Exclusive Interview

Out Now on His Very Own OneHundred Label under Spinnin’ Records

Artist: HEDEGAARD
Title: INFERNO / Ratchets
Label: Spinnin’ Records/OneHundred
Release date: November 24, 2023

Download / Stream

Danish producer HEDEGAARD returns with his hard-hitting new EP consisting of 2 tracks – brand new “INFERNO” and previously released “Ratchets,” aptly titled after the project’s two tracks.

The EP has the musician-turned-DJ/producer’s signature “car music” sound, which he invented back in 2011 by unofficially remixing Dr. Dre’s “The Next Episode” when he fused urban and EDM styles at around 100 BPM, which generated over 24M views on HEDEGAARD’s YouTube channel and was used organically in thousands of video memes back at the time, generating over 200M views in total.

On display from the beginning of the ominous opening beats of “INFERNO,” the track incorporates robotic vocals and bone-shaking basslines with mechanical synths for a distinct video game-esque vibe, which is followed by the more club-oriented “Ratchets,” with its rap-inspired vocal hook and rhythmic beats. HEDEGAARD also unveiled a stunning 3D, AI-fueled visual show to accompany the EP, which he tested at one of his recent gigs at the Atlas Super Club in Bali to rave reactions. INFERNO / Ratchets is out now on HEDEGAARD’s label OneHundred, operating under mighty Spinnin’ Records.

Since the release of an unofficial remix of Dr. Dre’s “The Next Episode” in 2011, introducing the audience to HEDEGAARD’s unique sound, he has produced several of the biggest Nordic hits in the last decade, generating more than – mind blowing – 1,4B streams across streaming platforms. “Happy Home” with Lukas Graham and “Twerk It Like Miley” with Brandon Beal and Christopher are just a couple of the major hits HEDEGAARD has released and produced over the past years, resulting in several #1 all over the world. With the release of the single “NYC BABY” and the localized version “BEIJING BABY” – released exclusively in China – he took the top spot once again on the weekly QQ Music EDM Chart. Later on, the single took 2nd place on the quarterly version of the same chart for the entire Q2. The follow-up singles “BORED” and “The Ones We Lost” entered the Top 20 and became HEDEGAARD’s 4th and 5th Top 20 entry in a row, underlining his status as the hottest EDM artist in China. That status was recently further substantiated by enormous viral attention on the Chinese social media Douyin, where HEDEGAARD accepted a remix challenge from the influencer Sander Kole, resulting in an 8-minute video that has generated more than 71M views and 2M+ likes. The reward for his work does not only come in the form of impressive streaming numbers but has also resulted in nominations at award shows. HEDEGAARD has previously won several DMA awards, DJ and Club Awards, and as the top nominee at the Club Awards 2024 in five categories, and with a big share in a nomination in a sixth category, the feat is second to none in Denmark.

After hearing this EP, I was blown away… Who is this guy and why haven’t I had him on repeat?! He has released several other bangers like “P.I.M.P. – HEDEGAARD Remix” and “JUMANJI” featuring CANCUN? both with tens of million Spotify streams. To help support this EP, I reached out for an interview.

HEDEGAARD (born Rasmus Hedegård Sørensen) is a Danish DJ and music producer and is making a name for himself on the dancefloor. This was so much fun for me, and I encourage you to turn it on, turn it up, and enjoy this conversation. It is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to HEDEGAARD.

You just released your new EP INFERNO / Ratchets. Only 2 singles… But wow, man. This is fantastic. Tell me more about the release and why these 2 tracks?
That’s great to hear. Thanks a lot! We released these tracks together because they have a very similar sound and energy. Also, we got 3D animations made for these tracks since they both match the energy of the 3D robot.

You are based in Aalborg, the 4th biggest city in Denmark. What are some of your favorite clubs in the area? There are a lot of good clubs in Central Europe!
I honestly moved to Aalborg to get away from the nightlife and get less distractions. I rarely get time to go to nightclubs besides when I’m performing. But I love going to clubs out of the country. Most recently, I had a great night at The H Club SCBD in Jakarta, which was next level. We had a private host and got food, shisha, and great drinks. That was the day before I actually performed at the club.

The album art for this EP is creepy. I love it!!! It fits the vibe of this release perfectly. Who designed that for you and what inspired this layout?
We got 3D animations made for the songs, which can be seen live on the big screens. That’s why the robot is on the cover art as well. I can promise that it’s even more creepy live!

“Ratchets” has over 4.5 million streams on Spotify. But I like “INFERNO” more. That’s just my opinion! Of the two, why do you think “Ratchets” is seeing more success
“Ratchets” was released a couple of years ago and was re-released on this double single. “INFERNO” is the most popular of the 2 tracks right now. We re-released it because the song fits so well with the animation, and it was fun to combine 2 songs in 1 video.

How it was to work with Lukas Graham on “Happy Home”. That song has 79 million streams (original and remixes combined).
Me and Lukas worked a lot together back then, and it was always a pleasure. He’s a very talented singer and songwriter. I produced several tracks for him as well. “Better Than Yourself” and “Golden” are some of the better-known of these.

Tell me more about your record label OneHundred and how you affiliated with Spinnin’ Records.
It’s a dream come true to work with the kings of EDM. They understand the genre better than anyone, and our minds are completely aligned. They can help us to expose our music to the right audience around the world.

The EP is paired with a 3D animation (mix of both tracks) that was tested at your gig at Atlas Super Club in Bali. How was that show and the crowd’s response to the 3D animation, and did you have fun in Bali?!
It was super fun to debut the animation in Bali! It had the exact effect that I was hoping for. Everyone stopped dancing and drinking and just looked terrified at the screen. I can’t wait to try it out in even bigger venues and bigger crowds.

Bali is a paradise. Everyone should go visit!

Wait a second… The animated avatar will accompany you during your live shows moving forward and will be used on more forthcoming releases. That is awesome. I can’t wait to see this thing!

You’ve been making music for a long time… How has your sound changed since 2009 and where do you see it going from here?
Yes, it has been quite a journey. In the beginning, I accidentally developed my sound because I tried to make remixes of slower hip-hop tracks in the house genre. But house music is typically 128 BPM, and hip-hop at that time was around 100, so it started sounding different from the beginning. Since then, I’ve developed my sound. It has more hip-hop elements now, but also more cinematic elements and occasionally sounds from everything from dubstep to tech house.

What headphones are around your neck?
B&O, always. Live and when I’m working on headphones.

Where do you find inspiration for your next single? And how do you decide what to remix? Do they just fall in your lap, or do you work with music and musicians that you like?
I try to get inspiration from as many unlikely sources as possible. So, I listen to all kinds of music and live shows (Tomorrowland, Ultra, EDC) on YouTube. I also go to DJ concerts when I have the opportunity. My favorite place is definitely Ibiza. Ushuaïa Ibiza and Hï Ibiza. From there, I just wait and see what my mind comes up with. The best ideas usually come at weird times, so I use my phone to record memos or write down concept ideas.

I also really enjoy brainstorming with my label team, who have a lot of ideas. And the artists we’ve signed: CANCUN? and Matt Hawk. And I’ve worked with Brandon Beal for ages. He’s extremely talented across all genres, and we frequently meet up.

Any plans for a big tour in the New Year? I’d love to see you live, man. Ideally in an old dark warehouse or something. Perhaps at Berghain until the wee hours of the morning!
Oh man, Berghain is on my bucket list!! I would love to experience it. We’re still wrapping up the spring and summer tour, but it looks like a crazy year! With everything from most of Asia to the biggest festivals in Denmark to another tour in the US. I’m super excited!

You have a Public Playlist on Spotify. How often are you listening to and/or updating tracks on This Is HEDEGAARD?
Yes, CAR MUSIC by HEDEGAARD. I update it all the time. I’m following a lot of upcoming producers and find a lot of amazing tracks coming from them.

Speaking of seeing you perform, what can fans expect from seeing you live? I’m sure it’s loud! But are you doing the same songs night after night or do you pair your set to the vibe in the room and on the dancefloor?
Yes, it’s definitely loud! My set mainly consists of my own tracks, but I try to spice it up with my own edits of current tracks I love. I often do new edits. If there’s a cool EDM track, I will likely change the arrangement if I like the second drop better, for example. And maybe add vocals from a pop song. I even change the tempo drastically sometimes. Maybe the verse is 90 BPM with singalong vocals, and it then builds into a 150 BPM drop!

What’s next for HEDEGAARD? Can we expect more singles, another EP, or are you working on a full-length album? Whatever it is, I can’t wait!
Right now, I’m mainly focusing on singles. Most of my tracks are low tempo (Car Music), but I like to experiment with other genres in between as well.

Where can folks at home learn more about you and your music?
Spotify is great. My playlists: CAR MUSIC by HEDEGAARD and REMIX by HEDEGAARD represent me well. Other than that, there are more unofficial releases and interviews on my YouTube channel. And Instagram/TikTok.

This new EP is fire and I’m glad we got the chance to chat. We’ve talked about a lot today, but what else? What else can you tell me about HEDEGAARD?
I’m very glad to hear that. Thank you for taking the time to form these great questions. Right now, our focus is mainly on building the label (OneHundred), creating new music, and building my live show. There’s a lot of international tours at the moment, so we’re focusing on expanding that and improving the live show.

Thanks again, man! In all of the interviews I do, I always give the artist the last word. Go.
I’m super grateful to participate in this interview and hope the readers want to follow me on my journey. I think musicians and artists should always try to experiment and have fun following their passion rather than copying each other. So, I hope that the fun and passion shine through and can be felt by the listener as well.