Welcome to this article dedicated to the release of the “Storm Song” remix by Paul Sawyer of the talented artist Phildel.
This nugget, finally available, promises a spellbinding fusion of Phildel’s powerful voice and Paul Sawyer’s musical creativity.
Throughout this article, we’ll guide you through the fascinating worlds of these two artists, before diving into an exclusive interview to learn more about their creative process.
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It was one of the strangest stories in the world of music: a young girl who had grown up in a home where music was forbidden, her budding interest limited to moments stolen from the piano in the practice room and a single CD of dance music hidden in her desk at school.
Phildel Ng spent most of her childhood under the thumb of a strict and abusive religious stepfather, from whom she only escaped when a separation cost her the rest of her family.
It was from this experience that her 2013 album, “The Disappearance of the Girl”, was born, a suite of breathtakingly dark and intimate songs exploring the gothic fantasies that sustained her during this unhappy period.
Although written in a vacuum, Phildel’s intense piano and electronic music quickly spread to millions of copies, soundtracking commercials for Apple, Verizon and Marks & Spencer.
She won first place in the International Songwriting Competition with “Moonsea”, received a Lion Trophy in Cannes for “Beside You” and has over 90 million streams for her track “Qi”.
DJ and producer Paul Sawyer’s impressive musical career began in the early 90s at Ibiza’s Eden Nightclub.
He has shared the stage with renowned DJs such as Carl Cox and performed off-air at Space and Es Paradis.
Back in the UK, Paul joined Menage a Trois, organizing the famous boat parties favored by DJs of the day, including Sasha and John Digweed.
After 10 years with Menage a Trois, Paul pursued a solo career and launched Krafted Underground in 2013, specializing in progressive house and melodic techno.
His label reached 300 releases in 2022 and features major artists from the progressive genre.
Paul has also become a Porsche sponsor thanks to his online broadcasts via Goat Shed and played to an audience of over 100,000 during a broadcast from an airfield famous for its 90s raves.
In 2022, Paul promoted his Krafted label by presenting many of the label’s catalogs and inviting three Krafted artists to host concerts.
In January 2023, he returned to BBC Radio 1 for a one-off show.
Paul has also had success with releases on Perfecto Records and has been featured extensively on BBC Music Introducing.
He has played at high-profile events around the world and has been recognized by Mixmag as “a DJ to watch” as well as one of the UK’s top residents according to DJ Magazine.
Recent remixes include covers of Sunscreen’s “Perfect Motion” and Quench’s “Dreams”.
1. What is your creative process? Paul: For this project, I worked with the vocal samples Phildel gave me and built the music around the vocals.
I tend to stick to a handful of sounds in my tracks and I really wanted orchestral parts in the remix to match the richness of Phildel’s voice.
In fact, it worked out really well for me and it was a real pleasure to work with her.
We modified certain parts of the track over time to give it more intensity in certain places, and played with the position of the track in relation to the voice.
Phildel: I usually pick a note, then the melodies and lyric fragments present themselves.
I don’t tend to use analytical or intellectual thinking during the first stage of songwriting.
I let my unconscious take the lead and lay the foundations.
I find that the resulting ideas are richer and more symbolic.
At the reformulation stage, I use a more analytical approach to bring the ideas together into a narrative, interpreting what my unconscious has communicated.
This is what I did for the melody and lyrics of “Storm Song”.
But it takes several sessions to work in this way, because it’s a process that can’t be forced artificially.
I remember that when I wrote “Moonsea”, I had to wait about seven years for the middle eight to finally surface…
Fortunately, with the “Storm Song” remix, the lyrics and melody were ready, so Paul didn’t have to wait years for those parts.
2. How did you come up with the idea of blending your voice with electronic music? Phildel: I’ve always been a big fan of electronic music – house, techno and trance – and as a listener, these are often the genres I turn to, which often surprises people.
I’ve always found the use of melody and chord progression to be quite similar in both classical and electronic genres, and I really appreciate the energy that comes through.
I’ve always felt that my melodies would translate well into these genres.
I heard Paul’s track with Carla Werner, “Gold”, and thought it was excellent – it was immediately added to all my playlists.
I sent a message to let them know and Paul and I had a chat, he liked my music, so we decided to work together.
3. How would you describe your musical universe? Paul: My music has always been somewhere between progressive house and trance, although I don’t produce at the usual trance pace!
I really like to give my music emotion and produce a journey.
Phildel’s voice is extremely emotive, so working with her on this project suited my style perfectly.
We also worked on an original track together, and I can’t wait for it to be released in the future.
Phildel: My musical universe has always been inspired by imagination and the outside world, and I’d even say there’s always a hint of the supernatural.
I like to mix electronic and organic orchestral elements.
And I spend years rewriting.
The melody and lyrics of “Storm Song” were written in this way, and it’s probably one of the best examples of my musical universe.
4. Would you consider collaborating with techno DJs? Paul: Absolutely, it’s something that works well for melodic techno.
There’s a huge synergy between progressive house and techno.
Phildel: Yes, of course.
I appreciate the power of electronic genres and I find that a lot of my melodies work naturally well in these genres, it brings a whole new dimension to my writing, which I appreciate enormously.
5. How do you choose the themes or emotions you want to convey through your music and voice? Phildel: I don’t tend to make a conscious choice of themes or emotions.
A lot of the songwriting and lyrics just come to me, without active intellectualization.
But I have noticed that there are a lot of epic, supernatural, dark themes and a lot of nature/natural forces.
The collaboration between Phildel and Paul Sawyer in the remix of “Storm Song” promises to delight electronic music fans and music lovers in search of an immersive musical experience.
Their unique creative process, combined with their distinct musical universes, offers a fascinating perspective on the art of musical creation.
This fusion of talents is a perfect example of the diversity and innovation driving today’s electronic music scene.
Stay tuned for the release of “Storm Song (Paul Sawyer Remix)” available now, a musical experience that will transport you into a captivating world of sound.
