François X

Hello, Arnau. Nice to meet you. Yes, it has been a super busy schedule, which I enjoyed — I’m somewhat of a workaholic. Relaxing and unwinding is somewhat challenging for me because I don't really know how to pause. Most of my free time is spent geeking out on the internet, trying to learn new skills like video editing or graphic design. Additionally, I play a lot of tennis and try to watch movies, especially old Japanese films or classic French movies from the ‘60s and ‘70s. However, I do realise the importance of learning to relax to reset my brain and maintain physical health. I’m okay, I’m good. I mean, I'm in good shape, but the brain activity is really too much.

To be precise, I started DJing outside of my bedroom almost twenty years ago, but I became a full-time professional DJ a bit less than ten years ago. My first connection to music came from my parents. I come from a mixed background — my mum is from Corsica, Italy, and my father is from Benin, in Africa, so I grew up surrounded by salsa, classical West African music, African American sounds, and artists like UB40, which my mum listened to a lot. Music was always around me. I remember when my dad bought his first CD player. He already had a turntable with tons of vinyl, but the CD player felt like a computer to me at the time — it really fascinated me. That was my first deep connection to music. As for DJing, like I’ve said in other interviews, the first time I went to a club, I was blown away by how loud the sound was. It wasn’t just about the volume; it was the bass and the frequencies hitting you physically. That was a game-changer. Even back then, being a DJ was already considered cool. I remember seeing DJs in magazines like Max and FHM, i-D or Dazed, which mixed fashion with club culture. You’d see brands like Helmut Lang and Jil Sander connected to that scene. It was the burst of clubbing culture in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, and electronic music was really taking off. Slowly, I started buying turntables and records, just trying to recreate the vibe I experienced in clubs. I was a clubbing addict, going out four times a week. It felt natural for me to become a DJ — not professionally at first, just as a passion, alongside playing PlayStation and tennis.

I think people sometimes misunderstand what I mean by ‘deep.’ Nowadays, in electronic music, deep often means soft, like the opposite of hard techno. But for me, it’s about depth, not softness. It’s about the soul you put into your music, how raw and profound it feels. Deep can mean melancholy, sadness, or even sorrow. I’m an emotional person, sometimes too much, and that naturally comes through in my music. The atmospheric and hypnotic elements come from my desire to elevate emotions, to create something that feels like it’s floating. I don’t intentionally try to make my tracks emotional; it’s just how I am. My music reflects who I am and what’s in my head. It’s not something I force; it just comes out that way.

Good question. I don’t really have a ritual. My ideas often come to life when I’m not working. For example, I could be sitting in front of my computer, trying to make music, but nothing clicks because I’m overthinking it. In French, we say “avoir la tête dans le guidon,” meaning you’re so focused on something that you lose perspective. But then, out of nowhere, maybe I’m dancing in my studio, imagining myself playing a track, or even just taking a bath. I’ll get this sudden rush of adrenaline, like a spark. That’s when ideas hit me. It’s not the most efficient process, but it’s how my mind works. My brain is always hyperactive, and from that chaos, ideas emerge.

For me, they’re the same. When I’m in the studio or in a club, I’m chasing the same feeling — those fleeting moments of ecstasy when I become one with the music. I imagine playing a track in a dark, intimate club with just a strobe light and people completely losing themselves in the sound. The main difference is that I’m more comfortable expressing myself alone in the studio because I’m naturally shy. But the energy I get from the crowd in a club inspires me when I’m back in the studio. It’s a cycle of what happens in the club feeding my production, and what I create in the studio shaping my DJ sets.

This EP is made up of four tracks. The first one I created was Certified DNA, which I started about two years ago. It kept evolving because I was never satisfied with the final result. Long story short — I had an old computer that wasn’t working properly, and it really held me back when trying to produce on the road. It took me a while to admit I just needed to buy a new one. For this EP, I didn’t initially set out to create a cohesive project. I was just sketching ideas without any specific intention. Over time, those sketches started to take shape, and the tracks slowly emerged from them. For example, Got Me – which has a more pop-ish vibe compared to my usual work – was made in just one night. It was inspired by a personal experience, and everything flowed naturally in a single session. As I kept producing, the EP started to feel more intentional. I realised that whenever my mind was clear (without thinking about gigs, DJ sets, or life distractions), the ideas came more easily. Even though I don’t drink or take drugs, I realised I still had mental ‘parasites,’ like external noise clouding my vision. Once I cleared that, the creative process felt more fluid.

With this EP, I wanted to focus on straightforward techno — no long intros, no experimental detours like on CEO with tracks like Infinite Anthems. I just wanted something direct, straight to the point. I did have three or four other tracks that I discarded pretty early in the process because they didn’t fit. The last track I finished was Unpolarized. I wrapped it up quickly, and as soon as it was done, I knew the EP was complete. It’s hard to explain, but I just felt it — like, this is it. No more tracks needed. The collection spoke for itself.

I organised the EP presentation at UA122E, which is an old storage space in Paris that used to belong to a big department store. Max, one of the most forward-thinking people in Paris right now, gave me the opportunity to take over the space and do my thing. I wanted the event to reflect the vision of my label, XX Lab, which I created during Covid as a platform for my creative projects. The party was designed to feel like stepping into the world of XX Lab Corporation. Each room represented a different part of this fictional ‘corporation.’

There was an archive room where I displayed artifacts and limited-edition objects from my releases. Another room mimicked an employee room, but instead of staff photos, I showcased images from my merch campaigns. The main party space was the ‘strategy room,’ where we had custom lighting and massive logo stickers to set the mood. I love contrasts — the raw, industrial vibe of the space combined with sharp, classy design elements. That brutal tension between chaos and order reflects my artistic style. For me, it’s important to express my music not just through sound but through concrete, immersive experiences like this. Funny enough, this event gave me the idea to do more installations in galleries. I love creating fictional worlds, and this party was a perfect example of that.

That’s a good question. I’m not sure, to be honest. When we compare the past to the present, we tend to romanticise our own memories. It’s hard to be objective because we’re really comparing different stages of our own lives — our youth, our experiences. For example, if I were fifteen today, I wouldn’t care about phones in clubs because it’s just part of life now. Young people today were born into a world with social media and technology. It’s their reality. You can’t really expect them to compare it to something they’ve never experienced. When I was young, I enjoyed clubs without phones because they didn’t exist yet. That was just the norm. But if I were the same age today, I’d probably be making TikToks like everyone else. It’s not that one era is better than the other — it’s just different. The world moves on with or without us. I don’t have a preference; I just try to adapt.

Definitely. Berghain has a unique vibe, but it’s not just because of the no-photos policy. The club’s origins as a gay sex club, called Ostgut, play a big role in shaping its identity. The sense of freedom and wildness is part of its DNA from day one. Of course, in spaces like that, privacy is key — you don’t want people filming you. So, the no-photos rule isn’t just about preserving the techno ‘purity’; it’s about maintaining an environment where people feel free to express themselves without judgment. This creates a special energy. The way people behave in Berghain is different because the environment allows for total liberation. But I also love playing in places like South America, where the vibe is completely the opposite, super open, with people taking photos and cheering like you’re a rock star or a football player in the World Cup. Both energies are amazing in their own way.

I created XX Lab during Covid because I wanted my own platform to express myself freely. It’s been both exciting and challenging. Sometimes I feel like I’m moving too slowly, but it’s also a form of personal therapy, a diary where I can explore my ideas without constraints.

I don’t think I’ve fully accomplished what I set out to do yet. I’m still figuring things out, growing, and trying to push the boundaries of what the platform can be. It reflects my strengths, but also my weaknesses, like being scattered or taking on too many projects at once. But I’m committed to it. The goals and values behind the label are still the same: to create a space where I can be authentic and experimental. I’m excited about what’s next because I feel like I’m just getting started.

For me, it’s all connected. When I’m reading the crowd, it’s not about pleasing them or playing it safe. It’s about enhancing the collective energy. Sometimes the crowd is too hyped, and I’ll play something to bring them back down, to create intimacy. Other times, they’re craving that peak moment of ecstasy, and I’ll push the energy higher. When I’m in the studio, it’s the same process, just more introspective. I’m still tapping into emotions, whether it’s mine or what I imagine people will feel when they hear the track. It’s not really a dichotomy; it’s a conversation between me and the listener. Sometimes I’m leading, sometimes I’m responding. But it’s always about connection.

I’ll be back in Paris soon. I’m playing at Radion in Amsterdam, and I’ve got a big festival coming up in San Diego, CRSSRD. I don’t have anything planned in Spain yet, so Spanish promoters, hit me up! I’ll also be back at Berghain soon, in the next couple of weeks. Plus, I have gigs all over Europe. If you want to catch me, just check my socials or Instagram for updates.