Metronome #066: Cedric Gervais

Insomniac’s Metronome series features mixes from some of today’s fastest-rising electronic stars, as well as championed legends. It takes listeners deep across a wide range of genres, movements, cultures, producers, artists and sounds that make up the diverse world of electronic music.

For any artist in the game as long as Cedric Gervais has endured—over 15 years and counting—remaining relevant is both the key and the challenge. Deservedly, Gervais and artists of his ilk have earned the right to define success by their own terms. But that’s not to say his résumé isn’t full of bragging rights.

Yes, Gervais is most widely known for his worldwide smash hit remix of Lana Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness,” which topped both the Beatport overall charts and the UK Singles Chart and hit the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, going double-platinum in the US. The track also garnered him a Grammy in the Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical category in 2013.

His tracks have been used in the Michael Bay film Pain & Gain, and he’s also remixed the likes of Miley Cyrus, Florence + the Machine and Katy Perry in the pop world and Borgore and Odesza in the electronic world, in addition to multiple singles, EPs and full-length albums.

By now, Gervais has reached and surpassed the top of the top, which puts forth a new challenge for the French-born, Miami-based producer. Gervais now takes the next logical step with Delecta Records, his newly launched imprint under the Armada Music umbrella. He kicks things off via “With You,” a dance-tinged pop monster with mainstream crossover appeal written all over it. Featuring Jack Wilby on vocals, the track is exactly the type of mega hit to define this year’s summer season and set Gervais on track for world domination.

With the launch of Delecta Records, Gervais takes complete control of his sound and style. If his Metronome mix is any indication of what’s to come, expect this to be a party-rocking romp.

Let’s talk about your latest endeavor, Delecta Records. Why, after more than 15 years in the industry, have you decided to launch your own imprint now?
I’ve been writing a lot of music, and I simply wanted to have a platform where I can put out some of my own records and be in control of the A&R process. I’m also excited to be signing some new artists and releasing and collaborating along the way.

Will Delecta serve to release your own music exclusively?
The first few releases will be my own, and then we’ll be looking to release music from up-and-coming, young producers.

What defines a Delecta artist? What will represent the sound of Delecta in the years to come?
Essentially, it’s house music. I want to release records I can play in my sets. I hope the label will evolve gradually, but the emphasis will always be on big club records.

Why did you decide to partner with Armada Music to launch Delecta? What is it about the brand that attracted you?
Armada are an amazing music company and group of people. They’re a great team who has been running labels for a long time. It felt like the perfect partnership. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together.

When creating Delecta, did you ever consider the issue of oversaturation of so-called “vanity labels” within the electronic world? It seems most every DJ today has their own imprint.
As DJs, we are living in the music and club space, so who better to run a label? We’re seeing, first-hand, records that are moving people—or not. I wanted to be involved in creating a brand and a team, in bringing in new acts, and giving some young producers the opportunity to put music out.

With the foundation of Delecta, you’re now in full control. Will you take this opportunity to explore new and unexpected sounds and styles?
There are a couple of projects I’ve been working on that aren’t necessarily my signature style or sound, but we’ll have to wait and see. For now, I’ll be putting out club singles till the end of the year.

As one of many artists to hold a lucrative residency in Las Vegas, what’s your take on all the recent backlash in Sin City toward so-called “overpaid DJ fees”? Has Las Vegas run its course as a hot spot for dance music?
If you look at Vegas and the electronic space, it’s developing, diversifying and growing, and the markets are changing, as it is all over America. There was always going to be a shift, but the shows are still as busy and still as big as ever, and it’s still the party destination. It’s Vegas!

You have said before that you wanted to stop doing remixes to focus on your own productions. Is it hard to break people’s perceptions of you as a remix producer after the colossal success of your Grammy-winning remix of “Summertime Sadness”?
It’s the biggest thing I’ve achieved musically, so people are always going to come back to the “Summertime Sadness” remix. That’s okay with me, but I was DJing and releasing music a long time before, and I will continue to release music in the future. Right now, I’m all about being in the studio, so if the right track comes along, I’ll remix it. In fact, I just remixed two Sigala singles, which are coming out as a double-remix package soon. Hopefully when I release my new singles, you’ll be talking to me about those tracks, too.

How does an artist like you adapt, artistically and on a business level, following the massive success of something so major as your “Summertime Sadness” remix? Surely, you don’t want to be pigeonholed or attached solely to one project alone as an artist.
When I sat down with “Summertime Sadness,” we didn’t say, “Let’s make a hit.” We did what I always do and turned a record into a version I could play in my DJ sets; it’s as simple as that. My music reflects what I play in my DJ sets, and that can and does change. My writing is influenced more by what I see on the dancefloor than anything else. Delecta is a way for me to get more music out and to be as diverse as I want to be with my club music, without any constraints.

What’s next in the world of Cedric Gervais?
My collaboration with Willy Monfret, “Make Me Feel,” which is a little deeper than I normally go, is out on Delecta May 20. I also have my remix package of Sigala out around June. We have an incredible singer putting a vocal to a big, new single for Interscope and Polydor records, which I’m hoping will be out for the summer. I’m working on one of the tracks from Moby’s Play album for release in July, and I also have a single featuring Luciana. I’m currently looking for new music to create the first compilation on Delecta as well, so I’m now going through the process of finding new records that I love. We’ve got a lot on; it’s exciting.

Track List:: Chuckie & Bobby Puma “Mainstage”
Carlitto Toledo & Viktor Mora “Feel It”
Galantis “In My Head” (Misha K & Galantis VIP Mix)
Calvin Harris & Disciples “How Deep Is Your Love” (Soleil Edit)
Sigala ft. Bryan Christopher “Sweet Lovin’” (Cedric Gervais Remix)
Cedric Gervais “Come With Me”
Cedric Gervais ft. Jack Wilby “With You”
Cedric Gervais “White Label”
K.S.Y. & Misha Kitone “Rush”
Cedric Gervais “Ozone”
Axwell & Ingrosso & Angello & Laidback Luke “Leave the World Behind” (Mashup)
Steve Angello “KNAS” (JapaRoll Rework)
Cedric Gervais “Spectrum”