
Will B has been steadily making his mark on the Afro House scene, crafting a catalogue of fresh, captivating music that continues to engage listeners and expand his audience. Having recently released ‘Hallucinations (Afro Edit),’ a fresh take on the DVSN original, he continues to work towards making himself known within Electronic Music, showcasing his ability to reimagine tracks with his unique energy and distinct approach.
Now, in this interview, Will B shares the creative journey behind his ‘Hallucinations (Afro Edit)’, his process towards production, and what fans can expect next.
Hi Will B, how are you?
I’m well thank you! feeling good, feeling energised and feeling excited for what I hope to be a healthy and productive year, even more so than 2024.
What drew you to DVSN’s original track ‘Hallucinations,’ and what inspired you to give it an Afro House twist?
I wanted to give my listeners another track whilst I kept them waiting for my original music which I plan to release in 2025. I decided it was to be another edit, and I felt DVSN’s ‘Hallucinations’ had the right mood, energy levels, and an incredible sense of melody to translate into a top tier Afro House track if done right. I loved the original. I’m a huge DVSN fan and was fortunate enough to see them live in London when they came through.
You mentioned wanting to amplify the emotions of love and longing in this track. How did you approach capturing those themes in your production?
The theme of this song is longing for a lost love, so much so that you are haunted and having hallucinations. I feel the original captures this on a genius level. However, by increasing the tempo to match Afro House and adding ambience and certain elements at key parts of the track, I feel that I was able to amplify the level of emotion, passion, and sense of yearning that the track attempts to tap into.
The Afro House rhythm adds a hypnotic energy to the track. Can you walk us through how you built the groove and percussion layers?
I really enjoyed putting this together. I started off with a softened kick drum followed by a few different percussion layers. Some of these were one shots, and some were loops. I kept playing around with it until it felt right which is how it sounds at the peak of the track (the chorus). Stripping away elements for different phrases of the song was done to match the tempo and energy level of that phrase of the track. It wasn’t too complicated a groove or percussion layer. This track relies more heavily on the melody and vocal than the groove and percussion but let that not take away from how important those parts are.
How important was it to maintain the emotional essence of the original while adding your own style? Did you face any challenges striking that balance?
This is a good question and is a complex one to approach. I’ve had a different approach to each edit I’ve done. I like to keep the key indicators or elements of the original which I may have liked, or I feel makes the original track distinct and instantly recognisable to those who know the original. At the same time, I want to make the edit my own and not just increase the bpm of the original and say, ‘here is your edit!’. With the original I loved the faller FX used at the end of key phrases which pans from left to right. I lifted and shifted this into my track as a stamp of the original. Like my previous Frank Ocean track, I decided to use the entire vocal, so the same story is told across my version of the track. The story is paramount to tapping into the emotion that the track is trying to evoke and without it in its entirety, something would be missing or lost on the listener. I made sure I kept the sombre mood of the track which was aided by keeping the vocal and the chords I added, to the same G minor key that the original was written to.
What key elements or instruments did you introduce to give the track its distinct Afro House feel?
All the percussion and drums were my own to provide that Afro House platform which the other elements can lean on. I added my own chords, and keyboard sounds along with a reese bass which were very different from the original but kept to the same key. I also added a synth pluck to support the crescendo of the final chorus after the breakdown. Underneath the track there are various atmospheric elements added to keep the track grounded in that Afro/Saharan vibe
How did you decide on the melodic details in your rework, and what was their role in shaping the track?
The melody was driven by the vocal and the key it was written in. Any melody I added (which was primarily through the keys and bass) was devised to support the vocals and the mood of the track but yet not be a copy of the original. I had fun playing with different chords and keyboard sounds before I settled on what I felt was the right match. I tried to keep it simple as I didn’t want the keyboard to become the lead. With this track, the vocal should be the lead, so I simplified the keys to play a supporting role.
You’ve developed a signature style for reinterpreting past hits. What’s your approach to ensuring your remixes connect with both old fans and new listeners?
The key thing for me is picking the right track to rework. Also, as important, is that there is no point creating a track that has been reworked by many other artists in the same genre. That holy grail, or goldilocks zone for me is finding a track that hasn’t been reworked before but that you know is a cult classic and would also translate really well into the genre.
What tools, gear, or plugins were essential in creating the atmospheric and emotive sonic palette of this track?
So, I use Ableton Live as my DAW. I use a Novation Launchkey as my MIDI controller. I use various VSTs for the chosen sounds including Arturia V collection, Serum, Diva and Nexus. I also used some one shots and loops from Loop Cloud.
As a producer and DJ, how do you see this track fitting into your live sets? Have you had the chance to play it live yet, and if so, how was the audience’s reaction?
I see this track fitting nicely into any deep Afro House set. The energy of the track really picks up in the final third so could easily transition into a higher energy track or the DJ could keep to the same deep Afro House vibe. I have played this out several times already. It has done especially well in my closing sets, and I’ve had crowds singing along who know their RnB and recognise the track (which was really rewarding!)
Finally, what’s next? Can you share what you aim to achieve creatively as we enter the new year?
I plan to release 3 Afro House singles in the first half of 2025. Each of these singles will be original compositions. They will feature well-known Afro House vocalists. They will also have remixes which I have commissioned from other Producers from South Africa, the United States and the UK. They will all be released on my label, Spirit Animal Records. I would love to share more with you but that would be spoiling the surprise, so I promise to be in touch again in the coming months with more details.
Thanks for having me and Happy New Year!!!!
Through ‘Hallucinations (Afro Edit)’, Will B once more showcased his skill and evolving sound, bringing an original rework that is sure to have resonated with his listeners. As he looks ahead to a year of original releases and collaborations, he no doubt remains focused on crafting music that will make an impact on the dancefloor and beyond, so we look forward to watching his journey continue to unfold as 2025 gets underway. Now, with our interview coming to an end, we thank Will B for his time and encourage you to keep up with him by following him across social media today.
Listen and Buy ‘Hallucinations (Afro Edit)’:
https://www.beatport.com/release/hallucinations-afro-edit/4857263
Will B Online
The post Will B on Reimagining Classics: Behind the Scenes of ‘Hallucinations (Afro Edit)’ and What’s Next in 2025 appeared first on Magnetic Magazine.