26-year-old Bill Salas, aka Brenmar, is the All-American club producer who digs hip-hop and house.
Click images to enlarge.
Investing in his first set of decks when he was fourteen, Brenmar has been setting international dance-floors on fire with his fast-paced Chicago house sounds, ever since. i-D online found five minutes to fire questions at Mr B. File under infectious.
How did you first get discovered? Sending my music around, Discobelle were some of the first people to really get behind me and show support, they released my first EP in late 2010.
What was it like growing up in Chicago, the epicenter of the house music scene, was life one big party? I was born and raised in Chicago for the first 22 years of my life, it’s all I knew. House was massive in the 90s, it was all over the radio. I didn’t really think much of it because I didn’t know any better, I was young, I liked it but it was what it was. I remember singing along to Percolator when I was nine years old. I initially fell in love with hip-hop in my early teens, I didn’t properly get into house music until the late 90s, early 2000s when I started sneaking in nightclubs.
How would you describe your sound to someone’s who never heard the music
before? Hybrid club music… club music that borrows from multiple influences to find a unique middle ground. House/HipHop/R&B/Bass all rolled into one.
Which other artists inspire you? Timbaland, The Neptunes, Bangladesh, Rodney Jerkins, Tricky Stewart…
What are your creative processes when piecing together a mix or writing new
material? For tracks, I usually either start with a sample that’ll help set the vibe or maybe some drum work. Depends if I’m making something for vocals or more of a sample-based dance track. I basically try to write the best 16 bars I can and once I’ve gotten that perfect loop I start breaking it down and structuring the track. I try to keep things simple, rarely do I have more than four or five tracks running at one time. Easier said than done though, you really got to individually focus on each sound, making sure that each piece contributes and isn’t just filler.
What was the first piece of music you ever bought? With my own money, Raekwon,’Only Built 4 Cuban Linx’.
Where does success lie for you? I’ve already achieved my initial idea of success, making a living off of my music. So where do I go from here? I want to make the best music I can make. I want it to touch people. I want to ball hard. I want to break the Billboard Charts without compromising. I want to continue traveling the world and DJing. I want to support new music and new artists. I want to produce for a girl or boy R&B group.
Who would be the ultimate artist to support on tour? Ciara.
What artists would you tip for big things in 2012? Phlo Finister, Natasha Mosley, Dj Sliink.
What’s next? A new project I have called Chiefli out in early 2012 on Grizzly. A hip-hop/R&B EP on Mixpack. A lot of touring, hopefully hitting up some new countries. I’m moving to LA for a few months at the beginning of the year to work/play, a first for me as I’ve never spent more than a few days on the West Coast.
Curious for more? Tune into Brenmar on our Top Tracks of 2011 mixtape. Trip to Track 22. Go!
Text: Milly Mcmahon
Photography: Glenjamn.com
