Eden Prince has been bubbling under the surface for a number of years. Yet, a recent string of releases, including 2020 EP Memories and current single “Don’t Need U” position him has someone to watch in the U.K. scene.
Originating from Stoke-On-Trent, Prince became enamored with dance music from an early age, and those retro, ‘90s-esque influences form the backbone of his sound, resulting in something simultaneously funky and euphoric.
Yet, Prince wasn’t content to surf through Soundcloud. Instead, he immersed himself in each city’s clubbing scene, trying out London, Leeds, and Manchester to experience their DJing talents and unique sounds.
As he has embarked on his own DJing and production career, he opted to rework Siedah Garrett’s “Do You Want It Right Now” on “Love You Again,” which gained exposure on Capital Dance and BBC Radio One and from support by talents like MistaJam, Danny Howard, Anton Powers, and Martin Garrix.
2020’s Memories indicated he had a knack for creating classic vocal house. “Don’t Need U” continues this vibe, and we had a chance to speak with him about his recent track.
How did you get started with producing?
It started one day as a teenager, looking for games on my cousin’s computer. I stumbled across music production software FL Studio and instantly fell in love with it. I’ve been messing around with it making songs ever since!
Your press release mentions you explored house music sounds from London, Leeds, and Manchester. How would you say house music varies among each U.K. city?
All three cities have similarities in style and sound but also some subtle differences if you look out for them. Leeds, for example, is quite a small city with a lot of students. Going out there, I was much more likely to come across experimental sounds and songs I’d never heard before.
Your most recent track “Don’t Need U” has an old school, uplifting sound. What was your inspiration for this track?
My aim with “Don’t Need U” was to create a floor-filling piano house song with real feeling. It’s one of few songs I wrote the lyrics myself, and I already knew when writing it that Akua would be the perfect fit for the song with her powerful vocal.
How did “Don’t Need U” come together? What kinds of software and gear did you use to create this track?
“Don’t Need U” was produced in FL Studio (as is always the case with my music). I started with the piano progression, which I loved straight away. I added the bass riff and the drums, and I remember playing it on repeat for hours just enjoying the vibe.
I’d been really inspired by a documentary about Oasis and their songwriting process and used what I’d learned to write the melody and lyrics. I then brought in Akua to record the vocals using my Aston Spirit microphone and she killed it.
How does this compare to your last release, “Love You Again”?
Whilst “Love You Again” was a more laidback melancholic vibe, “Don’t Need U” follows after it with more energy and attitude. The two go really well together in my opinion, and there’s more to come from me and Akua!
You also opted to rework Siedah Garrett’s iconic “Do You Want It Right Now.” What did you try to recreate and what did you decide to do differently with your version?
Siedah is such a legend, and it was an honor to get to work on a straight classic. I tried not to let the weight of the opportunity get to me during the process, and just set out to make something that I loved and enjoyed working on. I was really happy with the result!
You released an EP titled Memories in 2020. How did this release come together?
The process of the Memories EP involved making hundreds of song ideas in a short space of time and presenting what I felt was the best of everything I’d made in three diverse pieces of music. I sampled some classic house artists and reached out to the incredible artist Nono to feature on Memories.
DJs and producers are starting to perform again. Do you have any plans to do any live shows before the end of 2021?
I feel so fortunate to finally be playing shows. I just came back from playing Creamfields in Liverpool, England, which was such an amazing moment and something I’ve wanted to do for many years. I’ll be playing more throughout the rest of the year and can’t wait to see people dancing again!
Should listeners expect any new music before the end of the year?
I have a handful of releases still to come this year, so definitely stay tuned!
Ivan Yaskey is a Philly-born EDM and synthpop enthusiast and interviewer who recently relocated to beautiful Boston, MA.