London-based duo, Billon (Ed Butler and Robbie Lamond) have been on a steady upward rise with their eclectic sound which takes from garage, techno and house. Impressing the likes of Annie Mac, Skream and Mistajam, these Rinse-signed two show no signs of stopping anytime soon. Their latest track, Special, featuring Maxine Ashley, has reached over 100,000 plays on Soundcloud, whilst remixes of Ella Eyre and Yasmin have hit well over 220,000 listens each. Her Campus had a little timeout with them to find out more about Billon’s origins, what they’ve been up to over the summer and their feelings towards cats and dogs…
Let’s get started. How did the two of you meet?
Ed: We were working separately on various different projects, writing and producing for other artists and we got chatting in the street one day outside the studio we both worked in. So we decided to get in together for a day to work on some tracks to pitch to other artists but instead we ended up making some house music. That’s what we’re both really into.
So have you been interested in making music for quite a while or do you think it just kicked off when you guys started working together?
Robbie: We’ve both been making music for quite a while. Personally, my background is classical and jazz. I got into production, started exploring dance music and eventually decided to get a studio and started writing songs with other people. I’d got into house music by the time I met Ed and it kind of clicked from there.
That’s cool, so how did you decide on the name ‘Billon’?
Ed: ‘Billon’ is an alloy that’s a combination of two or three different metals. We felt that Billon represented us pretty accurately because it is different things coming together to form one; so whether it’s different music styles coming together to form Billon, the two of us coming together to do what we do, or the literal concept of mixing music. Fairly nerdy but hey.
Fun fact of the day. Speaking of your musical style, who would you say has had some influence on your sound now?
Robbie: A lot of old school producers or acts like Todd Edwards, really focusing on quality and musicality.
Ed: I think a lot of our influence comes from outside of house or any kind of dance music. I’m personally influenced a lot by producers of pop music and American R&B. A lot of my biggest influences are people like The Neptunes, Timbaland, Stargate.
So how would you describe your sound in three words?
Robbie: Musical.
Ed: Harmonious.
Robbie: Fairly epic.
Ed: Epic without being boring.
I think that’s a little more than three words but I’ll allow it. One of your latest tracks, ‘Special’, which features Maxine Ashley has had a lot of airplay on BBC Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra. Congratulations! What went into making that track?
Ed: That track was the result of a writing session that we did with MNEK. He came into the studio and we tried out a couple of ideas, played with a few beats and stuff he’d written already. We began to hear something fresh emerging and Robbie had the idea of laying down a really simple core progression (kind of inspired by Jamiroquai) and MNEK picked on it straight away. He sat on the sofa and after about two minutes, was like, alright I’ve got the song. Went in the booth, laid it down and then that was that. But all we had at that point was piano chords and his vocals that were pitched up to sound like a woman…it sounded kind of ridiculous! Over the course of the next couple of weeks we messed around with it and came up with the bass groove and the drum pattern. I came up with the rhythm, Robbie put the chords on top and then we fleshed it out from there. We’d tried a couple of vocalists by then but it wasn’t really working – we imagined a really old school New York sounding vocalist on it. We sent it to a contact at a record label and they came back saying, we’ve got this girl Maxine Ashley, she’s over here from America, she can record it tomorrow if you want her to. So we did!
So what kind of stuff have you been doing this summer? And how are you finding touring life?
Robbie: We haven’t had that much experience of touring before but we’re really looking forward to doing more. We’ve been doing a few festivals – Reading and Leeds were really cool, Boardmasters was a bit of a washout but people were still up for partying. It’s been a good response to the music; that’s probably the best part, getting reactions, seeing people knowing the words of the songs. Pretty special!
Ed: Yeah, we’ve had a little taste this summer of what it’s like to be out gigging a lot, but next year will be we’ll be doing a lot more. We’re doing an American tour in October.
Oh really, where will you be going?
Ed: We’ll be in Chicago, LA, New York, San Francisco, Toronto, Boston and Vancouver.
Do you think the UK and US crowds will be much different? How do you think they’ll take to your sound?
Robbie: I think they’ll be different in a lot of ways. Speaking to other DJs who have been out there, you either get a really great response or nothing. I think they’re getting used to the UK house sound now, so it should be a good time to hit the States.
Speaking of house music and the culture, what do you like the most and the least?
Robbie: I love when you’re out and people are actually dancing, not fist-pumping.
Ed: I don’t really think about music in terms of scene. It’s all about individuals for me. I love going out and meeting different people – if they’re a cool person, I’ll get on with them and click with them and that’s great. I don’t think there are many house producers that would be like, “yeah I just make house music and I’m only into house music”.
How difficult would you say it is to emerge as a recognised producer in this genre?
Ed: It’s a hard question to answer as I only know our own experiences. I’ve been enjoying it so it’s not like I’ve felt “this is too hard”. It’s taken a couple of years to feel like we’re getting recognised but I wouldn’t say it been hard work as we’ve been enjoying it.
Who are your current favourite producers and why?
Ed: A lot of our friends make music, Dusky, they’re good friends of mine, get a lot of their music from them and play that out. There’s a guy called Tee Circus who’s a friend of a friend. He’s making some great stuff at the moment, he’s got a new single out at the moment. I really like Lxury’s music; Bicep, great music.
What has been your most memorable gig to date and why?
Robbie: Probably Fabric for me, just because of what it means to be in London and I’m from London so that was a massive gig. You play different music in different venues to suit their audiences and Fabric was one of the best sets so far in terms of thinking about what we wanted to play and the response to it. We had a good horizon to explore with techno and stuff, so that was definitely the best gig for me.
Ed: Leeds festival as well was a real standout gig. It was surprising – we were thinking it might be dead because it was first set of the festival, first day at midday. But then the dance tent ended up being full by the time we’d kicked off.
What do you guys do when you’re not producing music or playing gigs?
Robbie: Eating. Making food.
Ed: Making and preparing food, going out to eat, hanging out with family. That’s about it really to be honest with you.
Robbie: Playing the piano or something, something musical.
Ed: I don’t really have hobbies, I don’t play any sports, don’t do any exercise. I’m either making music or hanging out with family, that’s about it.
Wild lifestyle guys, well done.
(All laugh)
Robbie: The job’s the one lifestyle really.
So what do you have in-store for the future, music-wise?
Robbie: A lot of song-writing, experimenting on where to go with the sound. And to do an album at some point would be wicked, give us more scope to try out new things and make our mark on the music world.
Ed: Just trying to collaborate with a lot of people at the moment…songwriters, musicians.
QUICKFIRE ROUND.
Name three dream dinner party guests, dead or alive, imaginary or real.
Ed: Oh god, this is going to sound really pretentious but I’m gonna say Kandinsky, the painter, cos we could talk about theoretical stuff, music and about synthesia and stuff like that.
(We snort somewhat derisively)
Ed: Then Quincy Jones, for obvious reasons and, lastly, I’d say maybe someone non-musical, maybe someone like… (pause) Alright, someone musical. How about Sade?
Robbie: Stephen Fry would be good because he knows everything. Nikola Tesla is my nerdy one, he was a genius. And then, who would I go for musically, I’d say Quincy Jones too, he’s always been an idol to me. Is that a cop out?
Slightly, you’re gonna have to come up with one on your own
Robbie: Alright, MJ and then we can talk about Quincy Jones.
Cats or dogs?
Ed: Cats. Nah actually, dogs.
Robbie: Dogs every time – don’t get on well with cats.
Cats creep me out, I completely get that.
Robbie: I always end up fighting with cats.
Ed: I like cats.
I feel like I’m learning a lot about you guys and your feelings towards cats so this is fantastic. Next…most treasured possession?
Ed: Um, probably my granddad’s old cameras that he left to me.
Robbie: Probably my violin, partly because it’s my most expensive. Partly because it’s a violin so it’s got some sentimentality to it.
Ed: And it was your first instrument, right?
Robbie: Not my first.
Ed: But your main instrument to play. If you just had one instrument to play, would that be it?
Robbie: Yeah it would be. Actually, I dunno. That’s a hard question. You’re taking over the interview.
Is the answer still violin? You guys are just having a little discussion.
Robbie: Yep, it’s definitely violin.
Biggest guilty pleasure?
Ed: I don’t have any guilty pleasures.
Oh come on, there must be one.
Ed: Nah there’s not, I’m quite certain about that. I’m not embarrassed by any music that I like or anything. If I like it, I like it, I don’t really care what people think.
Robbie?
Robbie: Probably eating until I’m almost sick. I tend to do that quite a lot, I just can’t stop. It’s not unhealthy because I’m not like obese or anything, but I just love eating.
Worst habit? Would that maybe also come under that or do you have anything worse than overeating?
Robbie: I bite my nails sometimes.
Ed: My worst habit is probably, um, is probably, um, doing what I’m doing right now, is going ‘um’ when people ask me a question.
Good one. Motto that you live by?
Ed: Just be yourself and work hard.
Robbie: If you believe, you can achieve.
Lastly, name three tracks that you’ve recently become obsessed with.
Ed: There’s one new track, it’s by DJ Khaled, Chris Brown and Jeremih. The tune’s called ‘Hold You Down’ and I’m obsessed with the video, hilarious. Listened to that a lot of times. Something else (long pause)…
Robbie: I’m liking that Vic Mensa ‘Down on My Luck’ track a lot, big tune. What else have I been listening to? I found this ages ago but never really listened to, the Stevie Wonder album called…forgotten the name of it now. But there’s a track called ‘My Love is on Fire’, that is a sick track, want to make a bootleg of that at some point. Ah, this is a hard question.
Well, you’re doing better than Ed at any rate.
Ed: Only slightly. I think I’ve got mine actually. I really love the new Jamie xx tune ‘All Under One Roof Raving’, that’s a really good tune, listened to that a lot. Also the song ‘Gust of Wind’ off Pharrell’s album.
Robbie: Ah sh*t.
Ed: Sorry man.
Robbie: You got in there. Right, one more track. The new Craig David track called ‘Cold’. I love Craig, Craig’s my good mate now. Gotta represent Craig.
Well thank you guys – it’s been lovely chatting to you!
Check out Billon on Facebook, Twitter and Soundcloud!
Edited by Samantha Carey