In Conversation With: Flowidus
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Born just prior to the early 90’s rise of Drum & Bass, producers Raphael (based in Raglan, New Zealand) and Garo (based in Perth, Australia) have rooted their sound in the form, both as solo artists, and now collaboratively. Their combined passion for good vibes, and being able to share that with their fans was what defined their stage name Flowidus, with both producers being quoted as saying “when people see us or hear our music, we want them to feel apart of it.”
Alongside their standalone productions, Flowidus have done reworks for artists such as DC Breaks broke into the Beatport top 10 while also gaining extensive support from the likes of Friction, Pendulum and Andy C to name a few.
It’s been a whirlwind 3 years since Flowidus dropped their first EP ‘Arrival’ which saw them sign exclusively to Elevate Records. Following the success of that and their collaboration with New Zealand legend, Tiki Taane, the boys embarked on a tour supporting their label boss Friction, across NZ and Australia, which saw 5/9 dates completely sold out, and that was just the start of 2019.
We recently uploaded an exclusive mix that Flowidus recorded for us alongside Lee Mvtthews, to support the release of their collab ‘Reason’ back in December (Check it out here). We thought it was about time we delved a bit deeper into what Flowidus have been up to over the last few months…
Hey guys! Thanks for speaking to us. We’re so jealous that you’re able to play and attend gigs at the moment – can you tell us the top two shows you’ve played so far this Summer? At which venues were they both and what was special about each of them?
So our summer, Dec/Jan period, was crazy for us. We had the privilege to play at all the major festivals across NZ so it’s really hard to pinpoint the top 2 because all six were utterly insane. I think it’s common knowledge now what the scene in NZ is like and we are very stoked to be a part of it.
At which venues were they both and what was special about each of them?
All the festivals are either at Vineyards, big farms or smack bang in a racecourse. They all have such a unique buzz about them, and they are all so incredibly well organised. Whether you’re at Bay Dreams or caught in the vineyard at RnV or even walking up the hill at Northern Bass, they all have their unique flavour. Which is why they have such a fantastic energy.
Do you feel inspired by the current situation with Drum & Bass in Australia and New Zealand right now? And if so, how does this relate to your new music?
I’m not sure if we would say “inspired” but more lucky and thankful. It’s crazy to think that we are pretty much one of the only DnB (probably any producer duo) that is active in two countries at the moment. That is just incredibly lucky.
The number of shows that NZ has put on for us has given Raph one heck of a touring schedule that’s for sure. With our new music, we always want to make sure that every tune we release is the best it can be and that it represents where and who we are as producers.
That so many people are supporting our music now is equal parts humbling and crazy!
We’ve heard you’ve got plans to tour Europe again when it’s back open – what clubs are you looking forward to playing the most? Are there any clubs or festivals you’re looking forward to returning to, and why?
Oh man, we are missing our Elevate fam hard! We cannot wait to get over to Europe and run amuck. We would love to play across more clubs and to experience more festivals in Europe. Our last one was Liquicity which was amazing. It’s like a mini Tomorrowland vibe and hats off to Maduk and Maris as they have created something truly special.
We would love to play in Prague too, that eastern European vibe would be crazy. Also, Vienna, CRAZYYY scene. It’s really odd seeing 16-year-olds at club going absolutely bonkers.
What do you think it is about New Zealand and Australia which has enabled it to become a microcosm of the wider Drum & Bass scene?
For Perth, DNB has always been there. Ever since Pendulum flew the flag. It’s been on the up and up across Perth for the last few years now which has definitely seen an increase around Aus too. Just in general, I think the quality of commercial dnb which still pushes the flavour and culture of it authentically, while making it accessible to the masses, has really increased the awareness of this great genre.
You’ve signed to Elevate Records exclusively – how have you seen your careers progress since then? And what are your plans for the next twelve months – do you have any specific aims musically or places you’d like to play?
Elevate are the best label. hands down. Not only are they incredibly run and organised, but they have also become close friends. Ever since we signed to them and Ed (Friction) gave us the amazing guidance and A&R, we went from budding producers to playing headline shows around Aus and NZ. Our growth is very much connected and in part, due to that and we are forever thankful for that. In the next 12 months, we want to grow as artists which intern will also grow Elevate as a label and keep doing what we are doing, having fun making music and touring (hopefully more and more!)
