Enamour masterfully stepped into the XYZ fold earlier this year with his debut EP – Forget Your Name. He’s a producer at the forefront of sensational soundscapes with no boundary of range: his productions infuse the dreamy melodies of deep house, the potent power of progressive house, and the smoldering momentum of dark techno.
The rising Boston-based duo Warung partnered with Enamour on the project’s A-side, and the studio understanding between the east-coast collective summoned a magical result. Forget Your Name was met with raucous applause & support across the melodic scene. We now revisit the release with a fresh perspective as the darker months come into sight, and the return of worldwide club life is in full effect. XYZ is proud to present Forget Your Name (The Remixes).
Mihai Popoviciu needs no introduction to those involved in anything minimal and melodic over the last 20 years. The Romanian maestro is considered one of the most innovative European producers of electronic music today. His catalog is immense, appearing on behemoths such as Gigolo Records and Diynamic, and his sound has inspired a generation of producers. Mihai brings an irresistible groove to Forget Your Name, elongating the flow while meticulously melting minds. The vocal cuts deep during a build brimming with dance floor deviance, offering a peak time tool for selectors.
To celebrate the Forget Your Name remix project, we caught up with Mihai to touch base on his illustrious career this far, and what’s on the horizon for the legendary producer.
Mihai, thanks so much for joining us today! Where are you located at the moment?
Hello guys! It’s good to talk to you, thank you for having me for this interview! At this very moment I am at home in Cluj Romania.
Looks like you’ve been on the road recently – are you enjoying being back in the flow of touring?
Yes, it feels great to be on the road again! It is something that I have missed the most during the pandemic lockdowns: socializing, dancing, playing music and all the travelling. I hope that 2022 will bring even more of this as we slowly get back to normal again.
What was your standout party of the last few months?
Although I haven’t played so often as before the pandemic, I must say that I had a great time during my Mexico tour! I would also mention Mannheim and Zurich where the parties are always good.
You represent the incredible community of Romanian electronic heads. Tell us a bit about the role your homeland has played in the journey thus far.
Indeed Romania plays a big role in the global electronic music community. Romanian producers and djs are very influential and there is a very solid local scene behind this. It’s a mature and well shaped sound that has evolved a lot. We have big festivals that need no more introduction as well as small intimate events, there is something for every taste.
While of course it comes down to the taste of individual producers, how would you describe the overall ‘Romanian House’ sound as it’s developed through the years?
The Romanian sound got more and more attractive to me during the last years because it has evolved a lot and got more diverse. It also got more groovy and melodic which I obviously like. There are so many young talented producers and djs out there who push this sound further and get support from within the scene.
Who are some of the up-and-coming Romanian producers that we should all have on our radar?
Make sure you keep an eye on Vern, I love his latest output!
As we finish up the year, what’s been your proudest accomplishment of 2021?
Apart from my “Azul” vinyl released on Bondage Music, I would say that one of the biggest accomplishments of 2021 is finishing volume two of my signature sample pack. It will be out in the first half of 2022.
We’ve been groovin’ away to your remix since it hit our inbox a few months ago. That bassline!! How did you approach your take on Forget Your Name?
Thank you! The original has very nice melodic lines that I liked from the first listen so I tried to keep that as the core of the remix and build my own take around it. I added that new bassline for an extra drive and aditional percution for the groove.
What do you typically look for in original tracks when considering a remix project?
I look for at least one standout element from the original track that I like and I can use in my remix. For me a remix has to keep some parts from the original so people can tell it’s a remix and not some completely new track.
‘Inside Me’ will always be a When We Dip office classic. If you had to pick one Mihai track that stands above the rest, in your own eyes, which would it be?
I think that my album on Poker Flat Recordings released last year got a bit under the radar. It was out in september 2020 when most of the world was going through lockdown and I feel like it did not get the attention it deserves. There was no album tour going on to properly promote it either because of the pandemic situation.
What’s a track you can’t stop playing out at the moment?
To be honest I play my remix of “Forget Your Name” whenever I get the chance to and the time is right for it and the reaction from the crowd tells me that it is going to be well appreciated on the dancefloors worldwide.
What do you have coming up in the new year? Any projects or releases that we should keep on our radar?
What I can tell you at the moment is that in 2022 a new Mihai Popoviciu sample pack will be released and in april I will have a new EP coming out on Berg Audio. Stay tuned!
Mihai, thanks so much for joining us today! We hope to see you in Montreal sometime very soon 🙂
Thank you too, I wish everybody happy holidays and a great start into the new year! Hopefully we see us soon.
Enamour & Warung – Forget Your Name (The Remixes) [XYZ047]
Release Date – 12.10.21
Stream – https://xyzlabel.lnk.to/ForgetYourNameRemixes
Connect with XYZ – https://linktr.ee/wwd.xyz
Stream releases in full via Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2uDd07z
Follow Mihai Popoviciu
Soundcloud – https://soundcloud.com/mihai-popoviciu-1
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/mihaipopoviciu1
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/mihai_popoviciu/