Modeling The Sound Of Dorian Craft

Hailing from the glistening French Riviera, Dorian Craft has carved a name for himself in electronic dance music with an illustrious career spanning over 14 years that has seen him garnering support from industry heavyweights like Black Coffee, Bedouin, and Maceo Plex.

Owner of an eclectic sound that blends organic rhythms, iridescent melodies, and captivating vocals, Dorian Craft’s music takes on a distinct shape at every turn, defying expectations, and his much-anticipated outing for ICONYC certainly lives up to its billing.

Join Type < / 01 Magazine as we dive inside the kaleidoscope of Dorian Craft to learn more about the release of his new “Models 24” single, his inspirations, views on AI, the closure of ASLICE, his hopes for the future, and more.

Hey Dorian! How are you doing? How have you been? Thank you for joining us today.

Hey, glad to have a talk with you guys! I’m in Bali right now, so I guess it could definitely be worse!

Congratulations on the release of your ICONYC single, “Models 24”, which has been heavily hyped up throughout the year. We can imagine the excitement must be high! So, how are you feeling about this one?

Yeah! I’ve been following the label ever since Pietro became the A&R, and I liked his vision. I’m super happy to add my piece to this puzzle.

Speaking about the record, “Models 24” features a very distinct sound that expertly blends new wave, electronica, indie dance, and a bit of rocking attitude. Did you have a clear horizon in mind before you got started?

That’s a great description. Yes…When I’m not listening to electronic music, I dive into my 80s/90s Spotify playlists, and yes…New Wave and old-school rock often inspire me. I like the saturated, powerful basslines that rock music offers and this is what I wanted for “Models 24”.

And what was the creative process for “Models 24” like? Did you first stumble upon the vocals, or was it a case of finding something that just "felt right"?

I started to play with this vocal that a friend sent to me. It’s an easy hook but catchy enough to remind us of something by Phoenix. I knew it was going to be a short track, so early on, I added that dramatic harmony and used my recipe: to bring the climax at the second drop with the addition of an unexpected element.

We do know that every track is different, but do you have a sort of "playbook" that you tend to go to? Or does every track ask for something different in that sense?

I would say, nowadays there’s kind of a playbook. When I go through my promos, sometimes I feel like I listen 3/4 times to the same track and I instantly forget them. I have decided to take the risk of releasing something different. My last release on Bedouin’s was an Iberican vocal combined with an acid bassline…kinda unexpected, right? It would be so much easier for me to use that same Afro-house template, but I know it would be a lie deep in myself.

With releases on ICONYC, Diversions, When Stars Align, and more...are you making the music that you thought you'd be making when you first started? If not, what do you think of the voice you have found as an artist?

When I started 16 years ago, I was into Tech House - big time! My sound has swayed into something more melodic, I’d say, more emotional. As a DJ, I love to play a wide palette of sounds during my sets, and somehow, it affects my way of producing. I like to have one of my own tracks for every moment of my set. I will never focus on producing one genre.

And where do you usually go to for inspiration? Do you have a set of "routines" that you know are bound to get you in the right mind frame?

I’m happy to have the ability to produce on the road. I don t need expensive studios, just some ideas, and my laptop. I like to work spontaneously. The inspiration comes from everywhere…a good bit of news, a party I played the night before, or just, one more time, a listen to my 80/90s playlist, haha. Artists are emotional sponges!

By the way, in the past weeks, we've seen the closure of ASLICE, which was intended to bring some balance to the DJ/producer dynamic. What do you think of its closure? Should big-name DJs be sharing their fees with the producers who create the tracks they are playing?

I think it is complicated. It would be unfair for these big names to be « taxed » like this. Who’s a big name? Who’s not? For sure it’d help the small producers, who most of the time earn nothing from their music, but not that way. No, in my opinion, we need better exposure and royalties shares from the streaming platforms.

And with Al? What is your relationship with that like? Have you implemented any form of Al in recent releases? Do you think this is one of those things that will drive the scene forward?

A computer will never be replaced by a human sensitivity. I used AI to tweak and layer some vocals. In fact, “Models 24” has an AI layer on the vocal. I use it more like a VST, let’s say, for sound design.

Finally, having gone over the recent past and the present, what’s next for Dorian Craft? What new milestones are you looking forward to now? How would you like to be remembered in the scene once you're done?

Well, I have a collaboration with Da Mike set to release at the end of the month, and some remixes confirmed for 2025 for the likes of Rüfüs Du Sol and Nico Morano. Obviously, I’m also working on my next single, plus a collaboration with Samm. I hope that with these tracks, maybe, I will be remembered at least a bit, hahaha!

Thank you for your time, Dorian! Best of luck with “Models 24”. Catch you soon!

It was my pleasure. Keep going, guys!

Dorian Craft’s latest single, “Models 24“, is out now via ICONYC. Find your copy here.