Goos was born in Doha, Qatar to musically inclined parents who introduced him to rock music at a very young age. This early onset of music led to a gamut of musical influences in his life ranging from Led Zeppelin, The Doors and Pink Floyd. His deep-seated love for percussion instruments led Goos on a pursuit to learn the Mridangam. This subsequently enabled him to also take up drumming, giving him a well-rounded understanding of percussion. Goos discovered his passion for dance music through the unique sounds of Eric Prydz and Roger Sanchez. With a combination of steady, yet very well received gigs, Goos brings a distinctive energy to the floor. His sound ranges from intricate melodies to chunky basslines, often inspired by earthy tones from around the world.
What would you be doing today if not for this interview?
I’ve taken a little break from having a full-time job so I’ve quite been enjoying doing little at the moment, relatively speaking. Of course, with the current situation, there’s more to do on the personal front that keeps me busy. I’ve been spending a lot of time digging for new tunes to feature on Journey, weekly livestreams and trying to finish up long overdue production projects.
I usually play deep house that’s pretty groovy. I have of course, played multiple other styles that I enjoy too but not as often. My productions also lean towards the groovier, brighter melodic and deep house.
What got you into this genre?
It wasn’t a conscious decision and sort of happened organically. I realised I naturally gravitated towards sounds and artists in this space and I inadvertently adopted it as an artist too. That said, I find it really hard to answer the question “What genre do you play?” because I don’t personally feel deep house / melodic house or progressive really define it accurately enough. I’d rather the audience decide what it is for them and let them label it.
You've been in the industry for about years now, when is the right time for you to release some music?
I wish I had a definitive date but I don’t. It has been a conscious decision on my part to not jump into production right away until I really found my sound. I can’t say I’m there yet because it’s evolving everyday, but I think I’m pretty close. My audience too has come to expect a certain sound from me which is close to what I would like to produce someday.
Is quality DJ'ing more important or quality productions? For you, right now. Why?
It took me a while to get on top of my DJ’ing skills while playing my sound and I’m a lot more confident as a performer on that front. I expect that my production learning curve is going to be the same. My focus right now is on the production since I have a lot more to learn there before I can start putting out music that matches the caliber of the tunes I play out in my DJ sets. Of course, it goes without saying that everytime I play a DJ set, I learn something new and I don’t think that’s going to stop.
You have recently tied up with this agency called Deep Dictionary, what made you accept their offer or approach them?
I’ve always believed that any agency-artist partnership has to be mutually beneficial and that the outcome of the collaboration is greater than the sum of its parts. That’s exactly what I’ve got with Deep Dictionary. I’ve been lucky enough to play for their brand in the past prior to me being managed by them. The relationship grew over time and the timing of it was really good in Deep Dictionary expanding their brand to offer more services to artists and me taking the next step as an artist. The way Deep Dictionary has grown as a brand, the artists they have toured and the other artists that they manage all are very impressive and it makes for a very symbiotic and healthy working relationship.
How has the struggle been so far to your current stand?
I’ve been very lucky to have been given the opportunities that I have until this point and be associated with so many great artists and brands. It’s taken a share of work from my end too but that’s a given for every and any artist who is trying to find their space. There’s been ups and downs but that’s true of anything and I’ve learnt a lot. It’s a never ending process and I’m very cognizant of the fact that if I stop putting in the effort, I am going to be obsolete.
Is the path ahead more struggling or does it get better from here?
Better is subjective. Everytime I achieve something, the bar is only raised higher and it's a personal challenge to push it further. I'm excited to work harder and be creative and different to keep it exciting.
Not necessarily monetary, how have the rewards been so far in this career?
It’s been very gratifying and I can’t complain at all. Having the opportunity to play with and alongside such great talent is not to be taken for granted. I honestly never expected the kind of support that I have when I started out and I’m always thankful for it. Every gig, every episode of Journey, every live stream.
Why did you choose this career? Do you think there are other reasons to choose too?
It’s been an itch I’ve had for very long. In hindsight, I should’ve probably scratched long before I actually did, but no regrets.
And how is the support from industry peer's?
I’ve been lucky to have been supported and guided by a lot of folks in the industry. I’m proud to call a lot of them friends today as well.
Who according to you are top 5 labels in your genre?
It’s really hard to pick five since I admire so many but for what it’s worth - All Day I Dream, Anjunadeep, Lost Miracle, TrybesOf and Days Like Nights
What is your methodology behind a set you play when you open for artists at clubs? What is the creative process behind your sets?
If I’m opening for anyone, it’s very clear that I’m not the hero of the night and my job is to set it up for the main act. I usually listen back to a few sets of the main act to see the kind of vibe they set during their set that dictates how my set should flow before I can hand off. I don’t really have a process behind a set. It’s all done on the go feeding off the energy, vibe and reaction from the audience. As a matter of habit, I make sure my library is really well organized so that I’m not fumbling or caught off guard during the set
What is one attribute of this industry that is a boon?
Everyday is a new day with new artists, sounds and tunes. You don’t get to experience this level of creativity and talent so consistently in other industries
What is the one attribute of this industry that is a bane?
I wish nightlife and club culture were taken more seriously as a career option. There are so many people involved in this and not giving it its due undermines the hard work, effort and time spent by all these people pursuing their passion. This is a much bigger problem in India than it is outside the country but I still think we have progress to make on the whole.
Who is your inspiration?
Too many to name but here’s a few - Roger Sanchez internationally and Tuhin Mehta at home for DJ’ing skills, Eric Prydz, Joris Voorn, Eelke Kleijn , Sebastien Leger internationally and Praveen Achary and Weird Sounding Dude at home for their production skills and so many more. At this point, Seb Leger and Eelke Kleijn are two guys that I really look up to.
Which is your dream label
Hard to say because there are so many labels putting out great music but it would likely be between Anjunadeep and ADID.
How easy/difficult it is to release music in your genre?
I don’t think genre really defines the level of difficulty when it comes to releasing. Good music will always find its way through irrespective of genre and we’ve seen that time and over. Equally, mediocre music will also get released. What I think is different about deep house, particularly in the recent past, is that the quality of music that’s been coming out has been raising the bar very rapidly. To make a mark and be remembered in this space, the tunes will really have to be different.
As an upcoming artist with tough competition, what struggles and challenges do you face?
It’s always challenging to balance the sound that you like to play versus what the audience expects of you. I take it as a positive challenge to be able to educate the audience to new sounds. I’d like to see a more merit based system when gigs are programmed as well so that the event has a good flow and vibe to it.
What’s coming up for You down the road?
Many more episodes of Journey and many exciting guests on the show. More live streams until we can get started with gigs again. I hope to wrap up some of these half-baked projects I’ve been working on and put some music out too.
In these times, tune in to artists doing live streams. It’s the only way we can keep doing what we do for a long time before things come back to normal. Consider making a donation to your favourite artists. When things are back to normal, go out and support your local acts and opening artists. Pay for your entry, else your guestlist spot is being paid for by someone else which isn’t really fair is it?. Respect the art, respect the artist.
Thanks to everyone who tunes into Journey. Your support means a lot and I hope you continue to listen and share it. Thank you Melody Insider for having me.
Well, thank you once again for spending time with us, giving us valuable insight into your career. We wish you all the very best of luck in your endeavours. See you soon at a club.
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