Interview: Swiss legend Yves Larock returns with new single ‘Another Day’
With two iconic global dance floor hits under his belt – Zookey and Rise Up! – it’s safe to say Swiss producer Yves Larock knows more than most how to craft a certified club banger. Having toured the world playing the planet’s favourite clubs and festivals, Larock is back with his latest single ‘Another Day’. IHU thought it was high time for a catch-up…
Hi Yves, thanks so much for joining us today. You have a brand new single out, Another Day. Tell us about the track and the inspiration behind it.
This baby took a very long time to be born… I composed it about 4 years ago… I had the chords, the melody for the vocals, and the lyrics came very quickly after that. Then I recorded the singer Maryne, but I wasn’t happy with the music production. I had to make around 15 different versions, but nothing satisfied me. So, I let it rest for 2 years and came back to it 6 months ago, and finally, I found the solution…
You’re one of the longest standing Swiss producers in dance music. What is it that keeps driving you to produce more music?
Every day I hear new music that makes me think, “Damn, this is really good, I wish I had made it…” and it motivates me. All these young producers with so much talent make me question myself. Music is so vast. These days, I’m composing and producing rock, pop, and folk, which also inspires me for dance music.
With such a long career behind you, you must have come up against some hurdles. What has been the biggest obstacle you overcame and what did you do?
The biggest obstacle is yourself, questioning yourself every day. As soon as you have a little success, it quickly goes to your head, including mine. But failures quickly bring you back down to earth. I’ve been making music since I was 12, and it only took off when I was 27, so I faced many failures before realizing that I love music more than anything. Regardless of success, I kept making music.And with age, you take responsibility and blame others less
How is the music scene in Switzerland at the moment? It’s not somewhere people in the UK think about in terms of destination clubs or festivals – are there events that we should have on our radar?
The mainstream dance scene, which is more my area of expertise, is rare. It was prominent a few years ago, but it has been replaced by hip hop. This means that I rarely perform in Switzerland. However, we have great underground clubs and amazing festivals in our mountains, like Modernity and Polaris.
Going back to your single, Another Day – take us through a typical day with Yves Larock…
I have a very boring life, hahaha. I get up quite early because I take care of my daughter, which is my top priority. Then I give myself a bit of time to read, and I’m in the studio all day. So, it’s not very exciting for social media, but for me, I couldn’t dream of a better life… I am free.
What’s next for you? Is there any new music coming after Another Day?
I always have plenty of projects, which makes me very happy. I’m releasing “Thrive” on Sub Religion on July 5th, and I’ll start promoting a very festive and summery track called “Bailalo,” which I will release in the fall.
