“Order '86” by Quintus Delacroix
An artist from Düsseldorf who always surprises,
Quintus Delacroix aka Gregor Schlattmann
shows off his best side in his brand new release, “Order '86”. You can stream this piece on any popular platform starting today.
Soundwise, the track mixes some 80s vibes, without losing its electro roots. A blend of Chemical Brothers, Depeche Mode, and Aphex Twin fills the air and mesmerizes the listener. The senses are aroused by music that paints pictures and evokes memories.
“Order '86” is not just another instrumental that someone dropped at some point; it is much more than that. It is like a wild ride through the canyons of drum’n’bass and experimental 80s electro. “Order '86” by Quintus Delacroix, a track that nailed it!
Thank you for your time. Let us begin with the following questions: Who is Quintus Delacroix as a person and what is the secret behind your artistic name?
My real name is Gregor Schlattmann and I have been living in Düsseldorf for over 20 years now. Originally I come from a town near Osnabrück.
I have used the name Delacroix as my Playstation profile name for several years and have always liked it. After a lot of thinking back and forth, I decided to take Quintus as an addition and that's how it ultimately became my artist name. It's definitely not the most creative story, but at least that's the background. :-)
How did your passion for music start, and what are the main influences on your musical style?
I think my special passion for electronic music began when I was around 16 years old. However, at that age they just didn't let me go to any techno parties or such events like the love, blue or street parade. :-) So I started mixing vinyl step by step and I purchased as goodies the synthesizer 'The Raven' from Quasimidi and the sampler 'ASR 10' from Ensoniq. But I only used them for additional FX gimmicks for the mixing and sold them again after a certain time.
(Unfortunately) I always wanted to get more involved into the field of music production, but I really didn't tackled it until 2021. The situation with Corona also played a role and so I was able to gradually delve more into the topic after my regular working.
My first single “The Last Tango” was released at the end of 2021. I am a huge Fan of bands and musicians like Chemical Brothers, Aphrodite, Aphex Twin, Apparat, Depeche Mode, Jon Hopkins and Kollektiv Turmstrasse to name a few.
Your latest track, “Order '86”, creates an amazing retro/nostalgic mood. What inspired you to compose it?
That's also a good question and there are different influences. I'm a big fan of the old school 80s-Sci-Fi & Horror movies and their music. Further I like the newer films such as "Summer of '84", "Totally Killer", the vibe of “It Follows” and also series in the style of “Stranger Things” which contain innovative synth parts as a musical accompaniment.
In round about the first 30 seconds of "Order '86" I initially see scenes from the last "War of the Worlds" in terms of the massive sounds emanating from the tripods. After that introducing part the 80s journey begins and in my opinion “Order '86” is difficult to pin down to just only one genre, which is consciously desired.
Instrumentals convey their story through their sounds. What do you think is the most important aspect of creating an instrumental track and how much time do you usually spend on finding the right ones for a song?
I think it's always a good thing when an instrumental song tells also a story and at least stimulates the listeners enthusiasm for interpretation. With the song "The Last Tango" it is e.g. the topic of “processing death and grief” and "Breaking the Gloom" takes up the topic of “slowing down in today's world”. It's hard to say how long it takes to get everything complete for a song. At some point you have a kind of “imaginary finger snap” and know that everything is now working out and complete.
Do you mix and master your tracks by yourself or do you delegate this task to someone else?
Before, I always did the mixing on my own and gave the mastering to an engineer in Düsseldorf. However, "Order '86" was an exception and a premiere. Here, apart from the mastering, I also worked with a colleague on the mixing.
What are you currently working on and what can we expect from you next?
First, the video for "Order '86" will follow in the coming weeks. After that I would like to create another straight, not too dark techno track. Roughly in the style of the song “Atokia” from 2022. But we will see. :-)