Narciss and their new sound: ‘Don’t sell yourself out’
words by Meike Jentjens
‘I was producing music that people would like. Now I make music for me’
Narciss has been active for over ten years, and Morphena has been active for years too. As an artist, your taste and sound naturally change along with your person. It’s good not to know where it’s going, argues the pair, as ‘aspiring DJs and everyone breaking through in the scene has to put into their minds that the start of your career is not when you start producing music, it’s when you get noticed.’ And that’s kind of horrific, in the words of Narciss and Morphena, as the moment you start to draw more attention to yourself is like a time capsule of how people will perceive you. Around two years ago, things went way faster than they could have imagined, whether they liked it or not.
Narciss played a Boiler Room set in 2022 and found themself on the peak of a hard-paced trend they created amongst other artists. The Berlin-based producer and DJ was everywhere after that recording; headlining big festivals was almost a day-to-day thing for them, and their productions with MRD or the duo DJ HEARTSTRING (yes, that’s two people) ranked up millions of streams. Is a million views on a streamed set not an awful lot and something to be proud of? Sure, but it means nothing if you still feel empty inside.
‘If you want to be famous for two years, by all means, do it. I love this scene and this industry, even though sometimes, it’s not perfect. But I want to keep doing this until I’m at least sixty years old, and that means I can’t go chasing quick hypes’, says Narciss, who is never afraid to show any emotions, especially not when accompanied by Morphena.
Being very real here
‘Being very real here: I’ve felt some shame for what I’ve been doing these past two years, which was abandoning what I stand for. When I was at that peak, mentally and physically, that wasn’t how I felt at all. Imagine you’re in your twenties and still exploring yourself and everyone around you, and people decide you are that one specific thing. This happens to a lot of queer people as well, right after they come out. They feel like they now get to live a part of their lives they haven’t been able to beforehand. I feel like I legitimately had this.’
‘I was producing music that people would like. Now I make music for me’
Narciss has been active for over ten years, and Morphena has been active for years too. As an artist, your taste and sound naturally change along with your person. It’s good not to know where it’s going, argues the pair, as ‘aspiring DJs and everyone breaking through in the scene has to put into their minds that the start of your career is not when you start producing music, it’s when you get noticed.’ And that’s kind of horrific, in the words of Narciss and Morphena, as the moment you start to draw more attention to yourself is like a time capsule of how people will perceive you. Around two years ago, things went way faster than they could have imagined, whether they liked it or not.
Narciss played a Boiler Room set in 2022 and found themself on the peak of a hard-paced trend they created amongst other artists. The Berlin-based producer and DJ was everywhere after that recording; headlining big festivals was almost a day-to-day thing for them, and their productions with MRD or the duo DJ HEARTSTRING (yes, that’s two people) ranked up millions of streams. Is a million views on a streamed set not an awful lot and something to be proud of? Sure, but it means nothing if you still feel empty inside.
‘If you want to be famous for two years, by all means, do it. I love this scene and this industry, even though sometimes, it’s not perfect. But I want to keep doing this until I’m at least sixty years old, and that means I can’t go chasing quick hypes’, says Narciss, who is never afraid to show any emotions, especially not when accompanied by Morphena.
Being very real here
‘Being very real here: I’ve felt some shame for what I’ve been doing these past two years, which was abandoning what I stand for. When I was at that peak, mentally and physically, that wasn’t how I felt at all. Imagine you’re in your twenties and still exploring yourself and everyone around you, and people decide you are that one specific thing. This happens to a lot of queer people as well, right after they come out. They feel like they now get to live a part of their lives they haven’t been able to beforehand. I feel like I legitimately had this.’
Morphena’s reality check
It all changed after they met Morphena, and this process was sealed with a new crown at ADE. 'During my sets at Into The Woods, ZeeZout, and my Battle Royale marathon at Intercell's ADE (which was crowned ADE's 'best set' according to Dutch platform 3voor12), I finally felt like myself again', says a now beaming Narciss. It's no coincidence the DJ 'battled' their 'amor' Morphena, with whom they also just released an EP titled 'Lingua Erotica'. Morphena has always looked at success in a punky way, as they don't really care a lot about money or fame. 'Sure, I'd love to make a living from music, but I don't want to produce it just to make it big. I want to do my own thing and radiate inspiration. Accept that it's going to take as long as it's going to take.' And so Narciss listened.
Inspiration was the starting point, but Narciss had to put in the work to get to this newfound love for their own productions. To make that big switch in moods and sounds happen, Narciss decided to go back to what they’ve always loved: the spirit of house music, originally stemming from Black and primarily queer people in Chicago. Bearing house music’s origins in mind and looking at the highly respected artist Gerd Janson, who runs the label ‘Running Back’ and used to be part of Tuff City Kids, the switch clicked.
Janson had always been an inspiration to Narciss, in every sense of the word. As they told a jam-packed room at their ADE Lab panel with full conviction and full disclosure, looking at the quintessential DJ’s Boiler Room, and those of Sven Väth, Louisahhh, and the formerly controversial and sadly recently deceased Jackmaster, the DJ and producer finally accepted it was time to tell the world about their new me.
Morphena’s reality check
It all changed after they met Morphena, and this process was sealed with a new crown at ADE. 'During my sets at Into The Woods, ZeeZout, and my Battle Royale marathon at Intercell's ADE (which was crowned ADE's 'best set' according to Dutch platform 3voor12), I finally felt like myself again', says a now beaming Narciss. It's no coincidence the DJ 'battled' their 'amor' Morphena, with whom they also just released an EP titled 'Lingua Erotica'. Morphena has always looked at success in a punky way, as they don't really care a lot about money or fame. 'Sure, I'd love to make a living from music, but I don't want to produce it just to make it big. I want to do my own thing and radiate inspiration. Accept that it's going to take as long as it's going to take.' And so Narciss listened.
Inspiration was the starting point, but Narciss had to put in the work to get to this newfound love for their own productions. To make that big switch in moods and sounds happen, Narciss decided to go back to what they’ve always loved: the spirit of house music, originally stemming from Black and primarily queer people in Chicago. Bearing house music’s origins in mind and looking at the highly respected artist Gerd Janson, who runs the label ‘Running Back’ and used to be part of Tuff City Kids, the switch clicked.
Janson had always been an inspiration to Narciss, in every sense of the word. As they told a jam-packed room at their ADE Lab panel with full conviction and full disclosure, looking at the quintessential DJ’s Boiler Room, and those of Sven Väth, Louisahhh, and the formerly controversial and sadly recently deceased Jackmaster, the DJ and producer finally accepted it was time to tell the world about their new me.
Giving and receiving flowers
And even though that’s a beautiful and bold statement, what do you do when there are heaps of people depending on you in many ways? You find a team that truly supports you! Narciss found that team in Terry Ferguson (Founder and Director of TURBO MGMT) and Tim Dreske (Owner and Managing Agent of Outlined-AM), who instantly believed in the artist’s switch in sounds. Narciss got booked for many big festivals this summer, where crowds expected their ‘old’ sound. They were sandwiched between artists who played ‘harder’ and sometimes more instantly euphoric tracks, but for the German DJ, there is no going back to expectations of others anymore. Even if that means they’re now playing smaller venues, non-headline slots, and more left-field clubs. It doesn’t matter, as the artist finally sees life in technicolour.
‘Look at DJ Babatr!’, says Narciss, who played the track ‘To-K’ during their set at Into The Woods’ ADE Friday. The Venezuelan artist has been grinding for over two decades and only recently has been getting his flowers (at ADE, too!) after Nick Léon featured the artist on 'Xtasis'. Take Doppelgang, the Dutch DJ duo that advocates realness, much like the Adonis collective. ‘Find real people, find your freedom, and don’t sell yourself out’ is Narciss’ advice to young producers and DJs. And please, don’t get hung up on looking at streaming numbers. When the pair released ‘Lingua Erotica’, a slightly worried Narciss called Tim Dreske to check on how the EP was being perceived.
Longevity
The answer they got was a message of reassurance; as Dreske said, the team is not in this for the numbers or the sprint; they’re working towards longevity. And if that doesn’t scream artistic freedom, the smile and tears on Narciss’ face at their second chance at a Boiler Room set, and at their Lab panel, will.
Giving and receiving flowers
And even though that’s a beautiful and bold statement, what do you do when there are heaps of people depending on you in many ways? You find a team that truly supports you! Narciss found that team in Terry Ferguson (Founder and Director of TURBO MGMT) and Tim Dreske (Owner and Managing Agent of Outlined-AM), who instantly believed in the artist’s switch in sounds. Narciss got booked for many big festivals this summer, where crowds expected their ‘old’ sound. They were sandwiched between artists who played ‘harder’ and sometimes more instantly euphoric tracks, but for the German DJ, there is no going back to expectations of others anymore. Even if that means they’re now playing smaller venues, non-headline slots, and more left-field clubs. It doesn’t matter, as the artist finally sees life in technicolour.
‘Look at DJ Babatr!’, says Narciss, who played the track ‘To-K’ during their set at Into The Woods’ ADE Friday. The Venezuelan artist has been grinding for over two decades and only recently has been getting his flowers (at ADE, too!) after Nick Léon featured the artist on 'Xtasis'. Take Doppelgang, the Dutch DJ duo that advocates realness, much like the Adonis collective. ‘Find real people, find your freedom, and don’t sell yourself out’ is Narciss’ advice to young producers and DJs. And please, don’t get hung up on looking at streaming numbers. When the pair released ‘Lingua Erotica’, a slightly worried Narciss called Tim Dreske to check on how the EP was being perceived.
Longevity
The answer they got was a message of reassurance; as Dreske said, the team is not in this for the numbers or the sprint; they’re working towards longevity. And if that doesn’t scream artistic freedom, the smile and tears on Narciss’ face at their second chance at a Boiler Room set, and at their Lab panel, will.