LEGS ELEVEN?
Over the last 12 months or so, Dutch house duo Bingo Players have been crafting themselves a pretty comfy niche within the dance scene. With a string of remixes for the likes of Kid Cudi ('Day & Night'), Oliver Twizts and Chocolate Puma, the Bingo Players - aka Paul Bäumer and Maarten Hoogstraten - are now headed to Brisbane to help the Monastery celebrate their seventh birthday.
For Australian peeps who are yet to discover the delight that is the Bingo Players, how would you describe your style/sound?
Energetic, melodic house music!
2008 was bigger than Ben Hur for you two. Have you had an opportunity to assess the success you've achieved so far?
It's been amazing. We are really fortunate that a lot of people like our music. We hope that we can make people enjoy our music for a very long time.
Dealing with the spotlight that has followed you over the last 12 months, has there been an increase in the level of recognition you now encounter when you are out in public?
Yes, and it's something that's very strange for us. That people come up to you to say how much they like your music and stuff. But it's also a very good feeling. That's the reason why we make music.
Is there an added pressure level you now attach to your work?
No, we really always try to create things that we're very happy about. And then you just hope that a lot of other people do to. That's always been the way we work.
As a duo, how do you work the creative elements of the outfit - is it shared equally or do you each have your assigned roles?
When we DJ we are equal. In the studio we both have our own strong points. We both can create beats and melodies. But one is more technical and the other thinks more conceptual.
What is the Bingo Players opinion on the state of dance music circa 2009?
There's lots of good, original music coming out nowadays and it's more popular than ever. So dance music is very much alive in 2009!
So when it comes to playing bingo, what's your game plan - stealing marker pens from the old ladies?
Ha ha! No, we play straight!
You're upcoming tour of Australia - how much dancefloor madness are you bringing out?
We are doing everything in our power to make the Australian people go wild. We have lots of new tracks that we're dying to let the Australian people hear!
Who were the artists that first attracted you to the world of dance?
The Prodigy for sure! The album 'Experience' is a huge influence.
So, when you're in the DJ booth are there rules in how you progress through your set? Or do you prefer to let the night naturally play out?
Every night is different, so we never know what kind of DJ set we're going to play. But of course we have had some club hits that people expect us to play. And of course we do!
Is music a 24/7 job for you? Do you live it, work it, promote it constantly or do you require time away from the scene to re-boot yourself, both mentally and physically?
It's definitely a 24/7 job. During the week we are always in the studio and on the weekends we are DJing. Besides that, we're always thinking about new ideas to take our career to the next level and watch what's happening in the scene.
The next six months for Bingo Players - what's on the menu? Are there plans for an artist album or maybe a compilation/mixtape release?
We are planning to have an artist album ready in the second half of 2010 containing different styles of music, but with the Bingo touch. Also we have lots of productions coming out in the next few months, like a new vocal track called 'I Will Follow' and a new collaboration with Chocolate Puma. Besides that, we're also remixing Martin Solveig and a track for Defected/Strictly Rhythm.
Bingo Players will be joined by Riva Starr for Monastery's Seventh Birthday celebrations Friday May 5.
