Interviews
Matstubs Talks New Platform Designed For Indie Artists — BitSubmit
Check out our interview with DJ & Producer Matstubs, who is the founder of BitSubmit. This is a powerful platform designed for indie artists like yourself. A new tool that will speed up the whole marketing process so that your music can get noticed among labels, radio stations, and blogs. Learn more below.
1 – What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned since funding BitSubmit?
I have learned that musicians are not putting nearly enough into their marketing strategy. It took me a long time to realize that this industry is a lot more than simply making music. So many artists go unnoticed, even when their music is incredible. Imagine a painter leaving their art in a basement for no one to see. It’s a shame because there’s a ton of music out there that deserves the spotlight.
2 – What benefits and opportunities do this platform offer to indie musicians?
BitSubmit allows artists to easily connect with the very best in the industry. Spotify & Apple Music Playlist curators, YouTube music channels, record labels, Soundcloud promoters, music blogs, radio stations and so on. We made it as easy as possible to send music to hundreds of places in seconds – it’s mind blowing how easy it is to automate releases with it.
Something that holds back a lot of musicians is the money for guaranteed promotion. Sometimes placements can run into the thousands of dollars for a single promotion – that is way too unrealistic for a lot of upcoming artists. We wanted to level the playing field, so instead all artists will get an equal shot at submitting their music to the largest promoters.
3 — How many people are behind this project?
For the first year, it was just my partner and I as we built the platform from the ground up. We built it alongside both artists and networks because we wanted to make sure we developed it right and got everything that was needed. After we launched, we saw a lot of growth and interest in the platform, so we decided to bring on a few more developers and a customer relations team. Every day we work together to make BitSubmit a better platform.
4 — Do you think there are other similar platforms on the web? What makes BitSubmit stand out from the rest?
Sure, there are some others, but they don’t do the job. I am a musician myself under Matstubs, so I’ve tried all the different submission platforms. I came into a ton of things that were straight up amateur… bland websites, hard to use interfaces, low-quality networks. Ultimately it was a waste of money. This is why I set out to create BitSubmit. Not to sound arrogant, but anything that these other platforms do, we do it better. I can only say this because that is exactly what our goal was when developing BitSubmit. Our platform is by far the most simple to use and straightforward. Our networks are the highest quality in the industry. Our artists get results and it’s as simple as that.
5 — As a marketing tool, what’s probably its best feature?
Let’s go through what happens when you don’t use BitSubmit. You make a track… Okay, now you need to think of the top 100 electronic music networks that you want to send it to. That’s going to take you a bit of time to research. Not only that, but you actually have to go and find the contact for each of these networks. More time wasted. Once you finally have all the contacts in your spreadsheet, you need to send an email to every single one, hoping that your email doesn’t get lost in their inbox.
These networks are getting hundreds of emails per day – yours probably isn’t even getting opened. Now you can sit and wait for a few weeks and maybe you’ll get a reply – but most of the time, you’re in the dark. The process sucks. Now imagine doing all of that in 10 seconds. Imagine that you are guaranteed to get listened to. Imagine you can track exactly when each network will listen to you. Imagine getting valuable feedback from them. This is what BitSubmit will allow you to do. Essentially we’re putting your marketing on steroids – and at the same time allowing you to spend more time making music.
6 — How about pricing? What’s the difference between the premium and the professional plans?
The main difference between the plans is the amount of bits you get per month. Bits are used to submit your music to different networks. I would suggest at least the Premium plan for artists that are serious about getting their music out there.
7 — What record labels and blogs are working directly with the platform?
There’s too many to list… EDM·com, Trap Party, ZIAS, Royal Music, NightBlue, Diversity… we’ve got hundreds of powerful outlets. We have local radio stations, internet radio stations, music blogs, YouTube Channels, streaming playlist curators (Spotify & Apple music), Soundcloud promoters, Instagram pages. If the network is quality, then they are most likely with us.
8 — Can you talk about the contest you have recently launched on the platform?
For sure! We’re always giving away awesome things to help our musicians get to the next level. We just recently gave away KRK Rokit studio monitors and a pair of studio headphones. We want to do more for our artists than simply help them market music. We want to help artists get to the next level in any way we can. We write up blog posts with helpful tips, give away cool equipment, and most important give you a world leading marketing platform.
9 – What temporary challenges are the users currently facing on BitSubmit?
There will always be a challenge to get heard. Although we make it extremely easy to make connections, your music still has to be on point. Musicians need to consider the fact that every single one of us has our own bias towards our own music and we may not agree with feedback from others. But handling objective feedback is such an important part of growing as an artist. This doesn’t mean that artists need to give up their creativity or choices when it comes to making music, but if 9/10 people think you’re singing flat, you’re probably singing flat.
10 – Finally, what further improvements would you like to implement in the near future?
We have something big in the works for our artists. I can’t discuss it in detail just yet, but it is going to be extremely powerful for connecting with brands and other alternative outlets. We’re very excited about pushing it. We have a lot of room to grow, but we’re working hard every day to make it happen. We’re excited about the future.
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Paul Mayson‘s first-ever album, ‘One Life,’ is like a special mix of his love for House music, blended with different kinds of sounds and cool collaborations from artists all over the world. You definitely don’t want to miss this interview!
1 — With the release of your debut album ‘One Life,’ what are your expectations for how listeners will connect with the music?
My goal was to showcase my story and my sound. And for it to be an uplifting, positive, and summery album. Hopefully, it feels like that! It’s a collection of songs made at the moment, to make you feel happy and free. It’s about embracing life, the good things and the bad. And about doing what makes you happy.
2 — You’ve teamed up with a diverse range of international artists on this material. Please let us know how these collaborations came to be.
It was really exciting taking elements from different genres, working with a group of great artists who come from very different backgrounds, and bringing all of these sounds and flavors together on one project. A lot of artists I meet myself, reach out to the people I’m interested in. I often travel abroad to work on music together and do sessions in London or LA. Sometimes collabs can also happen through the label or the publisher, but ultimately it’s great to have an artist-to-artist relationship.
3 – What compelled you to emphasize the themes of life, freedom, and diversity in this album?
I’m very passionate about House music culture and the way it started. Which was all about positivity and celebrating life together. I love that message and think the soulful, feel-good element of House music is what always really attracted me to the genre. And to music in general, including other genres like Soul and RnB.
4 – Can you share more details about the process of integrating experimental elements into the music production of your album?
A few of the songs (like “Tell Me How” and “I Want You”) were basically made during one big jam session. It’s me just trying out completely different sounds, textures, and rhythms and experimenting with live drums, guitars, and whatever I feel like. Letting go of any rules connected to dance music allows for a really fresh approach to the album songs.
6 – How does the artwork complement the album’s concept?
It emphasizes the feel-good element and the overall message of the album. Life is in front of you, it’s there for the taking. You’re in the hallway, step into the light and embrace life.
7 – Will there be another amazing music video like “Have It All,” dropping in the near future?
We released a really cool art piece and visualizer for the album which I’m very excited about!
8 – Given your ambition to push boundaries within the Dance genre, do you think the bunch of producers already out there could make it tough for you to really stand out?
I think individuality is key. Doing something you’re passionate about. Telling your own story. If you go into that process, the outcome will be unique. Not following trends and doing my own thing is what helps me stand out and allows me to be ahead and I try to keep pushing myself.
9 – Among your studio essentials, what’s the item that you consider the cornerstone of your setup?
Quite a lot of my work is digital. I carry my laptop around and can produce and write anywhere with it, whether it’s my home studio, the studio in Amsterdam, a hotel, or even an airport. That’s what makes it flexible and international! Just being able to work anywhere and get the creative process going. At home I also love my Adam A77x monitors and I also use a Prophet synth.
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In this exclusive interview, Swedish producer Tobtok discusses all the details about his latest single as part of the ongoing countdown to the upcoming ‘My Friends’ EP. This is a collaborative effort with farfetch’d that you definitely shouldn’t overlook.
1 — Congratulations on the release of “My Friends.” Please tell us more about the influences and musical style that shaped this cool track.
Thanks! This tune has taken inspiration from bits and pieces of tracks I’ve been into over the last 10 years, everything from Daft Punk to Fred Again. It contains a lot of micro samples and vocal lines that are in a similar vein as old French House records, but we also wanted to experiment with the current UK rave sound, which we think ended up in a pretty unique and interesting way.
2 — How did you and farfetch’d navigate the creative process together, especially when faced with differing ideas or disagreements?
We were kind of on the same page with most things to be fair. Jerry from farfetch’d is a very creative guy and he loves to bash out new ideas, which worked well for me to develop into full songs. We worked on every track together in my studio and finished them off together. Of course, we had some different ideas about certain things but since none of us had a big ego, we just compromised. I think when you like the same kind of music, you usually think quite alike.
3 — What sets this collaboration apart from your previous singles?
I think this is possibly the strongest single from the EP. It feels catchy and is super simple yet not too boring. It also has Jerry’s voice in it which is unique to any other of our tracks.
4 — Can you share any funny anecdotes about specific moments while crafting “My Friends”?
We have hidden a few wacky voice notes in it as a sort of ambiance. It can be heard in the second verse or whatever you wanna call it. You clearly hear Jerry laughing about something, but I can’t remember what it was.
5 — Is this tune part of an upcoming album or EP?
It’s track no.3 from our ‘My Friends’ EP which has a total of 6 tracks. It was released via Perfect Havoc on 29th September.
6 — What are your emotions when your music receives recognition and praise from other producers in the industry?
It’s always so much fun to get praise from your peers and colleagues. These people live and breathe music and probably hear way more stuff than the average listener, so I guess they tend to be less impressed by music.
7 — Has your signature sound as Tobtok undergone changes over the years?
Haha most definitely. I started out with French House which evolved into Nu-Disco. I later jumped on the Tropical House train (quite early on in my defense). Left that and tried something cooler with my track “ABER,” and from there, it’s been more of a mix between UK and Deep House.
8 — Is there any specific music genre you’re eager to explore?
Old School Disco and Soul. I’m a big fan of the 70s as a whole, that’s why I’ve bought a few vintage Roland pieces in my studio and a Rhodes Piano.
9 — Considering the global nature of music today, are there any international artists you’d love to collaborate with?
I love Jungle right now, for reasons made quite obvious in the previous question. They’ve mastered this cool retro 70’s/Motown sound and yet managed to make it sound fresh somehow. I’d love to just hang out in the studio with them and see what they do.
10 — As we conclude, do you feel that there’s a certain formula that artists can follow to produce chart-topping hits?
Nowadays, it’s all about doing something that stands out from what everyone else is doing and probably also adding a sprinkle of nostalgia and familiarity into something. A good example is the new Peggy Gou record which is a massive hit that takes inspiration from ATB but puts it in a new and interesting context. It doesn’t hurt to have a massive TikTok following either lol.
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You must read this interview with Kouss! He used to rock it as a badass drummer in the Stellar Revival band, but now he’s spilling the beans about how he switched things up and got into making electronic dance music (EDM). The spotlight is now on his latest track, “Can’t Go Back.” Learn more here.
1 — Putting your sound into words, how would you convey the mood and sensations that your music evokes to someone unfamiliar with it?
My music aims to be an uplifting and thoughtful blend of Progressive House and Dance-Pop. Even though the music is very dancefloor-friendly, the songwriting is very Pop-forward. I also love mixing live instrumentation with electronic production to create layered recordings. As a drummer, having live elements mesh with the electronic really brings out a unique texture.
2 — Your transition from Rock music with Stellar Revival to EDM is quite remarkable. Can you tell us more about it?
The transition from Rock to EDM is an exciting and natural creative evolution. I’ve always been passionate about electronic music, so finally being able to fully immerse myself in the genre as a producer and songwriter has been fulfilling. My background as a touring Rock drummer also gives me a unique musical sensibility that I try to incorporate into Kouss Records.
3 — As a drummer, you had to adapt to a different genre. How did you translate your rhythmic background into this new realm?
When approaching any genre, especially Dance music, I’m utilizing my background in percussion to create grooves and drum patterns. The drum parts still come from the same creative place whether I’m sitting behind a drum set or drawing with a MIDI controller. I will say that with EDM I find myself focused more on groove and restraint.
4 — In what ways have Illenium, Zedd, and David Guetta played a role in shaping the sound of your new single “Can’t Go Back”?
Illenium, Zedd, and David Guetta definitely influenced the melodic and atmospheric vibes in “Can’t Go Back.” Their music motivates and challenges me to produce massive soundscapes on the highest level. They’re all melodic magicians, and I continue to be inspired by their work. I also feel like I put my own spin on “Can’t Go Back.” It’s almost like the line between EDM and Pop became blurrier on this track.
5 — What’s the story behind the song title?
“Can’t Go Back” is generally about moving forward and not dwelling on the past. For me personally, it’s about evolving as an artist and person.
6 — Anna Kline’s presence on “Can’t Go Back” adds a unique dynamic. How did this collaboration come about?
I was introduced to Anna soon after starting the Kouss project by “Can’t Go Back” co-producer and dear friend Phil Barnes. The second I heard Anna sing I knew I wanted to work with her. She’s an incredible songwriter and an awesome human. It was an organic collaboration that we’re both stoked about. Definitely be on the lookout for more collaborations with Anna in the future!
7 — How do you aim to connect with listeners on an emotional level through this single?
I aim to connect with listeners on an emotional level through the authenticity and musicality of “Can’t Go Back.” It’s about delivering that special feeling to the listener. We crafted this recording from a place of passion as artists. The lyrics are relatable and cathartic, and Anna’s vocals draw you into this sonic world we created. We also tap into some nostalgia with the Big Room House vibe. But overall the goal was to give listeners an authentic musical experience that resonates with them, regardless of what genre they usually listen to.
8 — For “Can’t Go Back,” did you experiment with a combination of electronic elements and live instruments?
Yes, “Can’t Go Back” mixes electronic production with live drumming and live guitars. The live instruments give the song a dynamic texture and human feel. Not every Kouss song will have live instruments, but it’s definitely a major part of the debut EP coming in 2024.
9 — Looking ahead, how do you envision your music style evolving?
I want to continue bridging the gap between organic and electronic. Creatively, I think there’s a lot of meat on that bone. I also don’t want to limit myself to a single genre or style. I love all types of music and ultimately hope to develop a sound that draws from those diverse influences and experiences.
10 — Lastly, reflecting on your journey so far, what’s been the most memorable or rewarding moment of your music career?
Working with talented musicians and creators who are excited about my music has been humbling and inspiring. I didn’t expect it, but the reaction to “Can’t Go Back” has been both unexpected and validating. It’s so cool to see the song played in clubs, gyms, and cars. I’m truly fortunate to share my passion for music and connect with listeners who share the same passion.