Words by Christopher Kevin Au

In the world of dance music dominated by computer-generated bleeps, bloops and wubs, it’s refreshing to hear a live instrument every now and again – and that’s exactly what Commandeur is bringing to the table.

Commandeur established himself as a local electronica mainstay as a member of Panama, the Future Classic group who earned high rotation with soaring singles like ‘Always.’ Now, he’s taking the solo route with his trusty drum kit in tow, and he seems to have a lot on his plate: He’s crafting big-name collaborations, local remixes and is also the live drummer for KLP and Tkay Maidza – the latter of whom he’ll be hitting the road with this November, including Falls Festival, Field Day and more.

With a jam-packed schedule over the coming months, we took a minute to chat to Commandeur about drumming, remixing and touring with Tkay – and also managed to squeeze in a question about Soulja Boy. See how it went down below:

You just dropped your remix of ‘Melancholia’ by Bel. What drew you to this track and how did you put your own twist on it?

Indeed I did. I think my music has a positive and uplifting vibe to it, and I saw this song as a challenge to see how I could make the lyrics work with a dancey beat behind it. I loved how strong the song was – not only in its production, but her voice and the message she was conveying. Bel is also such an exciting new artist (this is her first release that only came out a few weeks back) so it was great to work on something so fresh and new in the Australian music scene.

Australia had a big moment with electronica/dance bands with the emergence of Van She, Cut Copy, Modular etc a few years back. Now artists like yourself are bringing that same flavour with live drums. How do you think this affects the final product in a genre relying heavily on computer-generated sounds?

I have fond memories of the time when Modular was dominating. It was my entry into dance music – seeing bands like Van She, Cut Copy, The Presets and Midnight Juggernauts. It opened up my eyes not only to a whole different world of music, but also to a different world of drumming. Coming from mainly a jazz background (splash a few musicals and school bands in there for good measure), I feel like the drums played a slightly different role. Obviously their role is to accompany and compliment a band, but when overplayed they can also be obtrusive. I learned that in dance/electronic music, simplicity is key.

So when I drum nowadays, I try to keep it simple, tight, in the pocket, and only add flare when there’s room for it. Follow the song like a drum machine, but add your flavor. I think taking that approach allows the song to still follow the feel of an electronic/dance track that would often be programmed, but it has that extra human element that people appreciate and can connect to.

You’re also part of the Zanerobe/Barney Cools collective. What are some of your favourite iconic music/fashion crossovers in history?

Alongside the rest of humanity, I’m a big Pharrell fan. N.E.R.D, The Neptunes, just the man himself – everything he touches is tasty. In terms of clothes, his Billionaire Boys Club label was so good. And now he does some cool collaborative stuff with Adidas which is pretty fresh.

You also take up drumming for Tkay Maidza on the road. How has it been seeing an Australian rapper get so much international love, from collaborations with Killer Mike to Martin Solveig? What are your plans for the live show after her debut album is released?

Yeah, we’re two shows deep so far! We just played Bigsound, there was so much buzz after the single and anticipation for the album. It’s great to see her get that attention – it’s so well deserved. After the album comes out next month we hit the road for an Australian tour in November. Then onto summer festivals – Southbound, Falls and Field Day! It’s been great working with Tkay on a different kind of show than what I’m used to – I’ve never drummed for a rapper. And some of the songs are quite heavy and trappy, I can’t wait to see the show go down at a festival.

How does it feel going solo after the success of Panama and the Future Classic collective at large?

Being involved with Panama and the Future Classic team is pretty special. They’re obviously doing great things in the music scene, and it’s exciting to be a part of that. However, it’s really exciting to finally be putting music out on my own, it’s essential to keep entertaining your own creative needs in any capacity you can.

You played the EP launch of rising Sydney producer Kanyon earlier this year. Who are some of the other emerging electronic talents you think that Australians should be aware of?

That was a great show to be on, Kanyon’s a boss. There’s so much good Australian electronic music out there, we really are spoiled for choice. There’s a guy from Wollongong called Hounded that just put out a tasty number ‘Feel So Right.’ Feki does great things. Golden Vessel is a gem. And some of my other favourite electronic acts at the moment (not sure if you’d call them emerging) are Kilter, Young Franco and Set Mo.

How good is Travis Barker’s drum remix of Soulja Boy?

Haha, it’s pretty damn great. TB knows his way around a drum kit, that’s for sure. Can smash a drum.

You’ve also got a few collabos under your belt. What do you think is the key to a good collaboration? Do you ever feel artists within the dance/electronica realm are too reliant on big name guest features that might lack chemistry?

I think with the rise of computer generated music and bedroom producers, we have definitely seen a rise in feature artists.

I feel there are a few elements to focus on when bringing in an artist for a feature. Going for a big name isn’t necessarily the best idea when, as you mentioned, there is a lack of chemistry. Think about your strengths and weaknesses and bring in someone who you know will compliment and solidify the parts of the track that you’re unable to. Also try looking for something unique and unexpected – sometimes they’re the best collabs. You grow when you’re outside of your comfort zone; so trying something completely new style-wise could open up your world and see you writing something you never though you had in you.

What’s on the cards for Commandeur for the rest of 2016?

Writing music. Drumming. DJing. Eating.

Following this remix, I feel it’s time to put some original music out too. So come November, you’ll hear what’s been cooking with a good friend of mine. I’m also writing for a bigger body of work, which should see the light of day early next year. I’m working with a few different artists to get a few flavors stewing – not just Aussies either. As mentioned before, I’ll be on the road with Tkay for the rest of year for the album tour and festivals. I’ve also started DJing the past few months, which I’m really enjoying. I’m currently playing every week somewhere, and hopefully as we get in to summer I can snag some of those epic parties that Sydney’s great at putting on.