1. Hello guys, what are you doing? How did this year start for you?
This year had a good start for us, we did some very good gigs already. We had a lot of downloads and positive comments on our Missy Elliot "Get Ur Freak On" bootleg and our remix for Nouveau Yorican "Chiuso".Right now we're working on a House Masters compilation for Defected to celebrate 10 years of Chocolate Puma and us producing together for 20 years this year.We are also working a new CP Single and some collabs with Firebeatz, Gregor Salto and Bingo Players and remixes for Kraak & Smaak and others. We'll also be relaunching our label Pssst Music. So quite busy!
2. Maybe some people didn’t hear your music and they don’t know anything about you. Who are the members of Chocolate Puma’s Project and what is his distinctive style? How would you convince them that you really deserve to be heard?
Chocolate Puma are Zki & Dobre and we make music people can dance to.Each weekend we do a gig somewhere on the planet where we only play our own tracks. You might know us from songs like Always And Forever, Disco Electrique, I Wanna Be U and The Good Men - Give It Up.
3. Why have you chosen this name for your project - Chocolate Puma? What is the significance?
It came out of nowhere, like it was sent to our brains from a brown planet. But we think it fits the music quite well!
4. You are for a very long time in music industry, but you still hold the leading positions, you don’t give signs of being tired. How have you survived over time, how have you reinvented yourself?
It's just the love for the music that keeps us going. Music, that's what we do and we'll always be doing. At the same time it's very important for us to keep being connected to the dancefloor and new studio techniques, while the young producers out there keep us sharp and inspired!
5. Have you a favourite quote? Something that inspires you?
No, we get inspired by non-verbal stuff.
6. How would you describe your sets? What are the styles you mix more often?
Our sets are for 90% filled with our own productions, remixes, edits and are basically very energetic! We like a lot of different styles of music, so we could throw in anything we like.
7. What tunes are on your playlist at the moment?
Chocolate Puma & FireBeatz - Go Bang!CP "Tonco Tone"Nouveau Yorican "Chiuso" (Chocolate Puma Remix)Drop The Lime "Hot As Hell" (Canblaster Remix)Firebeatz "Hidden Sound"Afrojack "Polka Dots (Chocolate Puma edit)
8. Which is your favourite club where you like to mix?
That's a very difficult question, as the are a lot of good clubs all over the world, but to keep it close to our home: Paradiso and Panama in Amsterdam.
9. If you were to pick some DJ’s who'd had brilliant performances in 2010, which one would you choose?
Definitely Bart B More, but Laidback Luke had a great year also!
10. At what studio projects are you working now?
We're working on a new Chocolate Puma single, a new Bingo Players vs Chocolate Puma single, and we have new projects with Firebeatz and Gregor Salto coming up.
11. Please recommend us some 'must listen' tracks.
See question 7 ;-)
12. Favourite piece of equipment / gadget.
Anything with an i.
13. Chocolate or ice-cream?
Chocolate Caramel B&J
14. Twitter or Facebook?
Twitter, but Facebook comes close at the second place.
15. Can you caracterize by a single word:Miami
.....messed up this year.
ADE
....the best for business.
Ibiza
..... here we come!
16. A message for the readers of Music-News Romania.
Watch out for a big year for Chocolate Puma, keep on dancing and protect your ears!
Thank you very much!
Interview made by Adriana L. L. © 2011 DJ's Arena
Many beautiful years have past between their first monster hit 'Give It Up' and now. Born as first generation house producers, a complete musical revolution has taken place right in front of Zki & Dobres eyes: From the first simple sampler, to a complete digital studio built into a laptop.DJ Zki & Dobre; who are they and what are they up to? Two simple but pressing questions which are not easy to answer. The Dutch producers Zki & Dobre - respectively René ter Horst and Gaston Steenkist are responsible for so many productions in all kinds of styles under so many different names that they are extremely difficult to categorize.Their studio remains their favorite place, but as DJ’s, the clubs is where their music is being tested and where their music should be played out loud! Great examples are 'I Wanna Be U' (2001), 'A Star Is Born' (2003) and 'Always And Forever' (2006) which they released under their alter ego Chocolate Puma.Lets go back in time a little. For sure a special mission from outer space has helped faith a little to ensure that these two all-round musical guys bumped into each other in the 90s.'Give It U'p brings them more then just international dance floors. Their own career goes through the roof. From 1992 till now Zki & Dobre released records like there lives depended on it. In total over 200 releases and 50 remixes for the likes of Roger Sanchez, Stereo MCs, Britney Spears, Copyright, Bob Sinclar, Fedde Le Grand & Funkerman and Laidback Luke.As DJ’s Chocolate Puma is privileged to be able choose from all these hundreds of records to make sure they maintain and create a unique sound.The true nature of their inspiration will always be a secret to them but Zki & Dobre have the gift of always reinventing themselves. Some highlights so far: the classic Vallee de Larmes (1993), the Jark Prongo project including Movin’ Thru Your System (1998) and 'Sweet Little Thing' (2001), Chocolate Puma with the floor fillers 'I Wanna Be U', 'A Star Is Born' and 'Always & Forever' to name a couple. They also gained success with projects like Basco, Klatsch! and Tomba Vira.One thing is clear though and that is that everything Zki & Dobre create stands for quality. Today a whole new generation appreciates the music of Zki and Dobre without knowing the full history of it.
Dutch House Masters Chocolate Puma team up with fellow Dutch duo Firebeatz for a bouncy, beat heavy house groove complete with vocal chants that stay just the right side of irritatingly infectious! The original builds itself around a bassline so lively it’s as if it’s talking to you, while the Hardcore Mix twiddles with those filters and creates some dark, squelchy loveliness for everyone to play around in.
Go Bang! Hardcore Mix Preview by Pssst Music
