Interview: dublon Opens Up About the Jazz House Scene, Flow State, and His New Track "I Want Your Love"

The rise of jazz house online over the past few years has been remarkable, particularly in the way it has connected with younger generations alongside nu jazz. And if we were to talk about the artists who are at the forefront right now, that conversation wouldn’t be complete without mentioning dublon.

The Norway-based producer and musician possesses a sound that oozes nostalgia yet remains connected to the modern sounds of house music. His debut album Nectar not only racked up over 30 million streams, but also features icons such as Tour-Marbough and Nathan Hines. Co-signs like this only reinforce the idea that he’s become one of the most exciting names within the modern jazz house movement and beyond. His latest string of singles has been released via Ninja Tunes’ Technicolor imprint, including the strikingly romantic track “I Want Your Love” with fellow jazz house heavyweights TABLE, Teuteu, and the talented rapper Kaesu. In this interview, dublon shares more about this special release, and opens up about his thoughts on the jazz house scene.

Apart from coming from a musical family, what would you say were some of the early signs in your childhood that you’d end up doing music?

I listened to a lot of different music growing up, and I clearly remember constantly watching music videos and live shows on YouTube. I loved watching musicians perform concerts.

I’m sure many are curious about this; if you’re based in Norway, how does the name Dublon come about, and how does that moniker reflect what you do?

I came up with the name when I made the first track for the project. I wanted a name that felt like the genre and sounded French, largely because of the strong inspiration I got from French producers like St. Germain.

In which ways does the contrast between Norway’s dramatic seasonal changes affect your creative process and your output?

I feel like the contrast between the seasons in Norway works really well. During winter, it’s so cold outside that I lock myself in the studio for months. That’s when I get the most work done on music. In the summer, I try to enjoy the good weather as much as possible, so I don’t work as much. But I still try to stop by the studio for a little while almost every day.

You’ve played a big role in bringing jazz house to a wider audience over the last few years. As someone in the forefront of the movement, how would you respond to people who think the “hype” will fade quickly?

I started with jazz house because I loved it, not because it was a big thing. I think the genre has become so big now that even if the “hype” fades a bit, it will still have an audience.

What practices do you think are giving life to the scene, and what do you feel might be holding it back?

I think it helps a lot that producers in this genre are good at promoting themselves on social media, especially on TikTok. What I feel is holding a lot of projects back is anonymous, faceless branding. I think sharing more personal content and putting a face to the music helps in the long run and makes listeners want to come to concerts, not just have the music playing in the background at a dinner party or at work.

Your releases often feature stripped-back, minimal artwork. What does that say about the values or ideas behind your brand and your music?

Since the beginning of the project, I wanted the cover art to capture a certain mood while also following the same visual style across all releases. So my younger brother, who helps me a lot with the visual side of things, and I came up with the idea of only using film stills. I feel like the warmth and atmosphere in film imagery fit my project really well.

On your latest release, you’ve collaborated with 3 people who are making strides in the scene. How did I Want Your Love come together? Was it challenging balancing 4 different creative perspectives?

We were in Stockholm, experimenting and recording a bassist and pianist jamming over the chords for about 30 minutes. When we went through the recordings, we found a lot of great moments and built the instrumental from that. Then, Table pulled out a vocal they had recorded with Kaesu in London, and it fit perfectly. Since then, we’ve been refining the track. Now it’s finally out!

Was there a particular moment or influence that led you guys toward more romantic songwriting for this release?

All the lyrics were written by Kaesu several months before I started working on the track, so I didn’t have any influence there. I just really liked the flow of the verses and the lyrics he had written.

Staying on the theme of romance, how do you express ideas of love in your music, especially when you don’t rely on vocals?

I feel like I do it through chord progressions, melodies, and tempo. I’ve also always been drawn to the melancholic side of music, so I prefer when tracks are neither too happy nor too sad. And I think that can create a slightly romantic feeling in the music.

Your sound is known for its elegant, journey-like jazz house feel - how do you adapt it for more energetic live settings while staying true to your identity?

Usually, I start most of my shows with the elegant, calm feeling my music can give, and then slowly increase the tempo while bringing in newer and older tracks that inspire me.

For you, what does a flow state look like?

A “flow state” for me is when I feel highly inspired at exactly the right moment, whether that’s in a studio in Mallorca with a beautiful view or in my regular studio in Oslo, Norway. My biggest track, “Evolution,” came together during a flow state where I worked very quickly and intensely. I think the whole track took less than 10 hours to make.

Okay so, 1) an artist/band you'd love to have a DMC (deep meaningful conversation) with 2) An artist you think would be rad to party with 3) An artist you would love to be your mentor. You're welcome to select from artists who are dead/retired.

1. Bon Iver has been a huge inspiration for both songwriting and production. I’m very fascinated by his sound design and melodic language.
2. Chaos in the CBD or Kettama
3. St. Germain or Todd Terje