JOIN USBelgian techno producer duo ‘Filterheadz’ have been obsessed with music for years. While their initial love was for pop and rock, the two brothers Bert and Maarten Wilmaers slowly found their way into the world of techno and electronica.
Was it love at first listen? “Belgium always had a very strong tradition for electronic music. You couldn’t turn on the radio or TV without hearing 90s ‘Eurodance’. However, the real connection for us came when we discovered French and American house music like ‘Daft Punk’, Alex Gopher and ‘Masters at Work’,” replies Bert.
He adds, “In the early 2000s, techno was probably much bigger than it is now. These days, it’s mainly dubstep and EDM. We think that’s normal as every generation connects to something different than the previous one. That’s how things move forward. Techno right now is also very different from what it was 10 years ago.”
The story behind their name is an interesting one, given that they tried a lot of monikers before settling on ‘Filterheadz’. “We did some releases under ‘Slow’, ‘Orange 3’, ‘Nickels & Dimes’ and ‘TFF’. But we decided that it would be much better to just take one name and stick with it. As we were using lots of filtered samples and beats, we went with ‘Filterheadz’,” shares Maarten.
Being brothers, one might wonder how different their musical influences are. “We both like a wide range of music. But liking or disliking something doesn’t really come down to a certain style but more to the musical elements of that song itself. A great melody is a great melody, a great song is a great song, no matter what genre it is,” explains Bert.
What’s the chemistry between the brothers while making music? “There’s not too much fighting. Over the years, we have learned what our strengths are and how we can complement each other. We don’t do drugs or drink too much alcohol either and still get a kick from playing our music. That’s enough for us,” confesses Maarten, adding that they will soon be launching their own label called ‘Loopglow’.
In today’s digitalised world, do they miss the ‘good ol’ days’? Speaking from experience, Bert answers, “It’s a different world right now then it was 10 to 15 years ago and that’s okay. There’s no use in trying to stop or reverse technology. You need to embrace technology, take the best from it and keep looking towards the future. There will always be new opportunities.”
The DJs are excited about playing at Storm Festival later this month. “We’ve done several gigs in India over the years. It’s always a wonderful experience. We expect great things from the Storm Festival as well,” wraps up Maarten.