BREAKING BOUNDARIES IN TECHNO

Where were you when you were twenty years old? Chances are you weren’t behind the decks at the Tomorrowland Mainstage, ready to blast your way into history with a pounding, punishing set of techno music. For Amber Broos, however, that dream became reality yesterday, as the Belgian techno DJ and producer opened up a whole new chapter in her already impressive career. With radio shows on Studio Brussel and Tomorrowland’s One World Radio, combined with gigs all over Europe and a top-notch spot on the Tomorrowland Winter Mainstage, she’s been able to prepare herself for the ultimate experience: playing the Mainstage of Adscendo. And if we had to bet who’s going to be the next big thing in techno or even dance music altogether, our money would be on her.

Just before she hit the Mainstage, we had the opportunity to touch base with Amber, and we had an artist in front of us who was relaxed, yet also determined and focussed. “It helps that we’re doing a lot of promo today,” she explains. “I have no less than fourteen interviews before my set, but they’re actually a great distraction from the stress I usually get. Make no mistake: the nerves and excitement for the show are definitely there. I actually haven’t slept well all week, and I’ve been tweaking my set until the very last moment this morning.” Indeed, she sounds ever so determined to make it count, and that’s a statement she fully endorses: “I really want to lay down a blueprint of what I do as a DJ here. I’m definitely not underestimating what a big moment this is for me as an artist. Playing the Tomorrowland Mainstage is like stepping through a gateway to the whole wide world, from here to eternity. I want to show Tomorrowland what I stand for today.”

One of the new trends in techno is cranking the intensity up to 150 BPM, but Amber prefers a more gentle approach, showing a great understanding of the impact a Mainstage set can and will have. “I don’t want to scare off the people with a hard techno set, that’s not what I am about. I wouldn’t want to limit myself to any style really, I like to play with a feeling of range, you know? I usually start around 130 BPM and work my way up to 140 BPM at maximum. The aim is to create a good build-up with some energetic records.”

Will we take off from Detroit or Berlin, classic and groovy or mechanic and fierce from the start? “It’s going to be neither, actually, as I’ll be starting my set with a remake of a retro classic and follow that up with a mix of reworked older anthems. Of course I’ll chuck in some edits and singalongs too – I just love those and it’s the Tomorrowland Mainstage, after all. But that’s what I’m all about, I’m not a DJ who wants to impress with only extremely underground tunes that no one has ever heard of. I want to broaden the spectrum.”

Opening up the genre is definitely what defines her. Sneaking in hooks by Abba, Rosalía or even a slice of ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’ by Britney Spears are signature Amber Broos moves. For her it’s a way of making techno more accessible for all: “I like people to come in and dip their toes into what techno is all about. A funny story about that from Tomorrowland

Winter is that two people from the same group of friends came up to me after my set. The first one was like, ‘I’m a big fan of techno, and you didn’t play that many edits, so I really enjoyed it.’ And then the second one told me that he’s not a big fan of techno, but really liked my set, because there were some hooks and edits in there (laughs). I believe there’s a middle ground, but in the end I just want to play what I love to listen to myself.” Another thing that defines her style is drawn-out, elaborate breakdowns: “Oh yeah! I’m really pro dramatic breakdowns and build-ups. It just has to pound, but blending in those breaks is a bit of a breather. I love to see people’s faces during those breaks, preparing for the big explosion of energy. I’m not the one for ever-kicking, non-stop techno. I want to peak, I want a lot of explosions in my set, and you can only work towards those if there’s a dynamic of high energy and breaks.”

Besides playing live all over the world, she’s taken her production work to the next level as well, with her most recent track ‘Amok’ – released last month on Tomorrowland Music – as the latest proof. “The reception of ‘Amok’ was really great and the streams are through the roof. I’m really proud of it. I’ve been putting more focus on my production work lately, but I don’t want to overdo it. I’m my own biggest critic and I’m more about quality than quantity.” In the meantime, Yves Deruyter has already played ‘Amok’ during several of his sets and Bonzai legend Jan Vervloet even made a mashup of the song. “It’s a big thing for me to get props from those first generation dudes. They laid down a sound that is unparalleled and I have the utmost respect for them. In the end there’s a reason why their songs are classics, right?”

Amber seems to be pushing for classic status herself, though. Whether it it chasing down the DJ booker at the Ancienne Belgique concert hall, calling Studio Brussel and practically demanding to play on the radio, or walking up to a beach bar owner asking to play a set there: Broos steps up and seizes the opportunity when she sees it. “Yeah, I’m a bit of a gogetter. At first I’ll overthink everything, but when I finally decide on what I want I’m going all the way and there’s no stopping me. My parents have always supported me and pushed me forward at the same time. They’ve always encouraged me to hold my own and speak up. Taking the first step is always a bit scary, but the reward afterwards is ever so sweet. It gets you places, but I always make sure that I can deliver, or at least make sure that I have given it my all. No half work for me.”

In October, Amber will be playing her very first solo show at the Waagnatie in Antwerp, but by then she’ll have that Tomorrowland Mainstage set in her backpack, ready to take her career to yet another frontier. Clearly, a lot more is in store for this big talent, and we can’t wait to hear how her sound will develop with that experience!