INTERVIEW: Ewan McVicar

Producer of the moment Ewan McVicar follows up his massive 'Tell Me Something Good', voted Best Song of 2021 by BBC Radio 1 Dance Awards and DJ Mag's Best of British Awards, with the 'Movin' On Over' EP, backed by an IKONIKA Remix, released on Optimo Music Digital Danceforce on February 11.

With the 'Movin' On Over' EP, Ayr-born Ewan McVicar shows his love for the underground house music scene, the previous Optimo Trax releases he fell in love with, and the legendary parties at the iconic Sub Club in Glasgow, which inspired him to pursue a career in making and performing music.

We have had the pleasure of speaking with him and this has been the result.

Hi Ewan, how are you? And how would you present yourself or your work to an audience that doesn't know you? Hi mate :) I am good thanks, how are you? I would say my work is club related dance music that has an old school sound with a new school twist. What is there in the music that calls you so much? House music especially, waiting for other instruments or sounds to be added as the track progresses is what gets me so much. Excitement and tension are something I also use a lot of in my tracks. This energy I have inside me towards dance music is something that has really been a differentiator in my music* What was the first track or album that prompted you to create? Anything Dr Dre makes - his sampling, how he gets the bass to sound so huge. So much inspiration from him. In such a saturated market, how would you advise someone looking to express themselves creatively? Be yourself. Might be cliché but honestly, I have taken that so literally and it is the best thing I do. Nothing is fake, I am just being me and it has paid dividends.

Do you think music should be political? I don't really care to be honest, it's not something I would push out as people can be influenced a lot by music. Everyone has their own views and that's sound but music should be about music. What can you tell us about your last job? What brought you to it? I was working in a warehouse over lockdown. It was a coldstore called 'Agro Merchants' in Whitchurch. I got this job because before I was living in Ayr in my mate’s spare room with nae money, so I moved to England with my parents to really give up on music and get some money behind me. The week I moved down here Patrick Topping Whatsapped me and the rest is history. To be fair, this job kept me going so much and I was able to build a studio in my garden with the money I saved.

Has your sound changed a lot since you started until now? Honestly, I've never really had a certain sound and I'm not sure I ever will. I love many types of dance music and I also love making them too, so to place a ceiling on what I make I think is creatively shite. I'm just making what I want and if other people like it then it's a bonus. This is a dream not a job! Can you tell us about present and future projects? I have my Optimo Music EP, ‘Movin’ On Over’, out now which for me was such a dream. Being from Scotland and releasing on Optimo is the pinnacle. Whit am a meant to do now!? Joking. I have tonnes of music stored away ready to come out, of all shapes and sizes. My next one is a massive Scottish rave track called El Bombo and it's coming out on Diplo's label. Excited!

Buy / Stream: https://fanlink.to/Movin_On_Over

Ewan McVicar ‘Movin’ On Over’ EP is out now on Optimo Music Digital Danceforce. Buy / Stream at https://fanlink.to/Movin_On_Over