INTERVIEW: Groovegod Jair Darnoud
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing a dynamic artist whose unique blend of styles and boundless creativity has been making waves. From the vibrant city of Amsterdam, Groovegod Jair Darnoud has been steadily carving out a niche with his self-coined genre, Alt-Groove, which sits somewhere between G Tech and experimental hip hop. In our conversation, we delved into his latest project, the inspirations behind his innovative sound, and the journey that led him to this point in his career. Perhaps the most entertaining interview I’ve ever been a part of, our chat radiated with GGJD’s genuine passion for both the artistry of his music and the craft of rhythmic syncopation. Whether he's talking about his studio or reminiscing about the childhood experiences that shaped his artistic path, his insights are as enthusiastic and unfiltered as his music. So, without further ado, here’s our Q&A—an inside look at the mind behind the groove.
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Can you tell us where you are in the world? What do you love about that place? What do you hate? What does your daily life look like over there?
I am right now in the center of Amsterdam, in bed (inside the studio) rolling a joint.
Sun is shining (that's sporadic!) and I just cleaned up after yesterday's session. Aside from 'Groovegod' I am also a full time Pop musician (Rens Jair en Ome Uncle) so most days I'm either on stage somewhere in Holland or in the studio whipping up HEAT. On Sundays I work in a very nice vinyl shop, Black Gold, one minute from my house. Pop by if you have the chance, best coffee in town!
What does your new album Groovegod represent for you at this point in your life?
Groovegod is my Second 'Alt-Groove' project (Alt-Groove is a style/genre I founded myself.) It relies heavily on its rhythmic structure in which the downbeat and the ''one'' are separated. To achieve this effect we make use of ''Negative Syncopation'' a technique I explain in my thesis 'ETOS' (Extended Theory of Syncopation) wow.. That's a mouth full hehe
Ever since I was young I wanted to become a professor. Groovegod and 'ETOS' (Extended Theory of Syncopation) for me are the first baby steps towards this bigger goal. I studied at the conservatory myself and remember passing the entrance exam by telling Jack (head of the school) that I wanted HIS job. They all laughed, but I KNOW he knew I wasn't joking. At the moment 'ETOS' is for sale in multiple prominent store's throughout Amsterdam. I just gave my first lecture on rhythm last week, which was a huge success.
Were there any challenges to your album’s creation?
I guess the biggest and maybe only challenge I faced throughout the release was keeping my patience. Because of the weight of this project I felt it necessary to at least take two proper months of what I call; pre-promotion. That means sharing the product and my ideas with bigger collectives and organizations hoping to interest them into working together on the release.
Two months became four and just when I almost lost my breath I encountered Mor.lov, Tlkbx Records, who was more than interested in a collaboration of such nature. (Good choice because.. Here we are!)
When you work on new music, do you have a ritual or a routine? What can you tell us about your creative process…
As I said I live in my studio, from my bed to the kitchen is just as far as to the 808. Apart from GROOVEGOD I am core in multiple musical projects as a producer, performer, vocalist and engineer.
In between projects and gigs like these it is insanely refreshing to create something for myself. Something to up my own standards. I just roll up something fat and have a nice long conversation with my synthesizers. Sometimes we fight but we always make up.
Before you made music, what was a formative experience that shaped you as the artist you are today? What made you want to become an artist?
I think it was the rich/vast availability of distinct forms of music I encountered.
As a kid my mom used to take me on vacations all over the world. She's not rich but at the time you had this thing called: ''child discount'' when buying plane tickets. Because of her hard work and curiosity I saw all sorts of places like; Jamaica, Surinam, Morocco, Dominican Republic, Thailand, Brazil, Turkey, Hawaii, Mexico, France, UK and all before reaching puberty.
At some point along the way she'd noticed that I, in my own way, was very much into music. A search to direct all that energy followed and I tried stuff like; street dance, break dance and capoeira. Occasionally she had even bought me (child) instruments from the market, mostly drums of course. I was especially fixated on her walkman and when the new discman came out and she got it, I begged so hard for that old cassette player that I actually got it.
We used to sit by the radio on Sundays and record all of my favorite tunes. When I finally started to get an allowance I spent it all at the Mediamarkt, which sold the newest CDs. They had this system where you could scan the CD and listen to 15 seconds of every track, as many times as you liked. That might seem short but Missy Elliot and Timbaland easily destroyed me with that ''BEEP BEEP, WHO GOT THE KEYS TO THE JEEP?! WHEEEEWW'' or what about Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones during that epic build up in ''Don't stop til you get enough?''
Within 15 seconds I broke a sweat wearing those headphones. I imagine all of these moments to still be part of the creative fuel that drives me today.
Are there things you wish you had known when you started?
Nothing, I feel that the path of the artist is in itself a story and tinkering with the original flow of it would be nothing but catastrophic for the outcome of the tale.
What’s the most unusual object or gadget you keep in the studio? What purpose does it serve? It can be musical or not.
See here, a series of selfmade shakers. I guess this one's self explanatory.
What’s the most unusual sound you’ve ever incorporated into one of your productions?
The sound of an empty studio. I often play a part out loud on the speakers and re-record it through the ceiling mic. I then blend that with the original signal.
What would be your desert island plugins or digital tools?
Ableton 12 stock package ;)
What are your favorite hardware tools?
At the moment it's the Behringer (I know I'm poor and sorry) RD-8 for me.
That 808 clone feels almost unreal to work with and its simplicity keeps me especially creative with less.
Also I'm a big fan of crappy mixers, I have like three old Xenyx mixers in my setup to organize and destroy all incoming signals.
Last but not least.. The Ableton PUSH 3, that's a beast in standalone mode, I even use it one stage!
What’s the holy grail of hardware for you?
I guess either a Fender Rhodes, because .. that sound, or a big african bass kalimba.
The kalimba because of its capacity to produce loud, low staccato notes without electricity and simultaneously a perfect surface for percussion. If the world ever ends I'll STILL wield the mystical powers of music and rhythm.
What was the last track by another artist you were obsessed with?
Robert Glasper - Ah Yeah of his 2012 album Black Radio.
I only recently discovered this masterpiece and in it I found something that I can only recall as ''kick-after-snare.'' It is such a brutal rhythmic decision hidden underneath such a beautiful layer of harmony and melody that upon discovery I immediately ran home to try out this technique myself.
What meme or video makes you laugh the most?
Definitely African parent memes, I am Surinamese myself which in sense of parenting style are pretty identical. It's just too relatable.
What do you have coming up in the next few months?
Definitely Looking out for ADE, gonna do a Modular Alt-Groove Instore at Black Gold this year with ROBOTPOOLPARTY.
And with my pop band I'm doing a big album release and concert in Melkweg - March 21, 2025. Capacity fourteen hundred so feel free to bring the homies to see a great show!
The album Groovegod is out now via TLKBX RCRDS. You can find it on Spotify and Bandcamp.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means Internet Tattoo may receive a commission if you purchase through these links at no additional cost to you.