Exclusive Interview: Mr. Belt & Wezol

Hailing from Holland, best friends Bart Riem and Sam van Wees have taken on the aliases of Mr. Belt & Wezol to give us catchy house tracks that have made their way into dynamic sets and have gained recognition from veteran DJs. These guys got their start by lingering around smaller deep house stages at the world's best festivals to expand their music knowledge. Their style spans all genres, from progressive house to future house, making them innovators with mixing different styles of music. We had a chance to catch up with the duo to chat about their 90's inspired track release, their production style and of course whispering weasels.

EPIC PRODUCTIONS: Its FINALLY here. “Finally” dropped this past week and we honestly cannot get enough of this groovy track. What made you choose the ‘92 CeCe Peniston hit to rework and make your own?

Sam (Wezol): Thank you! We're really happy to see that the track is being received so well! The idea of the track started when we heard it back someday and realized it still sounded real fresh and cool. So we immediately took the opportunity to make it into a track of our own.

EPIC PRODUCTIONS: There are so many different styles that keep us guessing throughout this entire track. What were your inspirations when producing the track? Was there any specific direction you were aiming for?

Sam (Wezol): With this track I really tried to stay true to the original throughout the track, this is why the whole track still has its 90's vibe to it. I used the original piano from CeCe Peniston's version and grabbed old vintage house samples for the drums. You can also hear a Reese bass in the drop, which was commonly used in the 90's as well!

EPIC PRODUCTIONS: We were just down in Miami for Music Week and realized that there are so many new names and faces on the scene. Do you think that the EDM bubble is eventually going to pop, or do you think there will always be room for growth and improvement?

Bart (Mr. Belt): Now that the standard formula of EDM is being overused I think a lot of people will shift their ears to another genre. EDM producers also see this shift happening, which forces them into finding new creative ways to make their tracks interesting! So actually the downfall of EDM will eventually make it bigger again.

EPIC PRODUCTIONS: With all of these new styles emerging, where would you place your sound?

Sam (Wezol): The music I produce has a lot of influences from UK house and UK Garage which we combine with a fairly more accessible song structure. I think just 'house' is the most accurate way to describe it. I see that a lot of people are calling it Future House though, which I don't quite get since it has been around for such a long time already.

EPIC PRODUCTIONS: Who are some of your musical inspirations that have really empowered you to start creating music? It doesn’t necessarily have to be EDM inspired- everything is fair game…

I made music for a hobby for several years. In all these years of making music as a hobby I made all kinds of music and I think this experimenting in different genres really made me the producer I am today.

EPIC PRODUCTIONS: Most of the veteran DJs that are killing it on the scene come from the Netherlands, actually, where you guys are from also. What do you guys do stylistically, either in your sets or the way you produce music, that separates you from everyone else?

Sam (Wezol): I think that our combination of UK house, which is not widely known to a lot of people, and an accessible song structure makes our productions unique, and our sets as well.

EPIC PRODUCTIONS: You two have a great chemistry when you perform together on stage, what makes you work so well together?

Bart (Mr. Belt): Thanks! I think it has something to do with the fact that we're on the same level about a lot of things. When we mix we're always joking around with loops and effects which results in a lot of fun, so that's good for the chemistry, I guess!

EPIC PRODUCTIONS: Your DJ aliases are funky, innovative and fresh. Why did you decide to create this name and branding for yourselves?

Bart (Mr. Belt): We're trying to be creative with branding ourselves and to be innovative in engaging with our fans. "Demo Ride", "Mr. Belt & Wezol Room" and "Mr. Belt & Wezol vs. The People" are good examples of this! You won't see the (already million times posted) ''in the studio right now creating some sick beats'' post on our channels. People see those kind of posts 10 times a day on their timeline.

EPIC PRODUCTIONS: One more thing, what kind of secrets does that weasel whisper into your ear? haha!

Bart (Mr. Belt): If we would tell you we'd have to kill you..

Purchase "Finally" via Beatport HERE, and take a listen to their newest track below!

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AUTHOR CREDIT: AINSLEY ASHTON