In the latest episode of PLAFONDDIENST – The Hardstyle Podcast, Phuture Noize opens up about his upcoming album Open Heart Surgery. Set to release in November, the record is his most personal work to date – a journey in which he turns his emotions, thoughts, and doubts into music. “It’s literally like my heart has been cut open,” he says. “My thoughts, the way I am and think as a person – I’ve tried to translate that into abstract themes and music.”
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Known for his deep storytelling and melancholic melodies, Phuture Noize refuses to be boxed in. He describes his sound as: “I’d almost call it singer-songwriter hardstyle,” he explains. “Because writing songs is what I really love to do. My manager always calls it ‘sing-along hardstyle,’ and maybe that’s actually the best term.” Where most producers start with a kick or a drop, he builds from the story. “I don’t start with: oh, this kick hits hard. I start with the theme. I often come up with the track titles before I even begin making the music. The depth and the lyrics give me direction – without that, I lose the context.”
The most personal chapter yet
Earlier this year, Phuture Noize announced at REBiRTH Festival that he was working on a new album. After conceptual projects like Black Mirror Society and From Star to Stardust, Open Heart Surgery takes a different approach: a collection of personal stories instead of one overarching theme. “Those earlier albums had more of a societal topic. This one doesn’t. This is just who I am – my personal thoughts and experiences. Some of them are dark, like The Dream Where I Never Died, but that’s part of me.”
The darker tone of the album comes directly from his own mindset. “I have quite a few heavy thoughts,” he admits. “Normally I try to keep it light, but this time I wanted to really show that. The theme of death comes through as well – but in a way that feels natural to me.”
Phuture Noize started writing Open Heart Surgery just before REBiRTH. Since he was working on other projects and rebuilding his studio at the time, the process was different than usual. “I had some other projects going and was working with Dion, which all took a bit longer than expected,” he says. “So I did everything kind of on the go, between releases. It was definitely stressful at times.” That, he says, made the project even more personal. “Because of that, I had to make very conscious choices about how much time and energy to put into each track. That’s why this album feels like a year of my life.”
Phuture Noize in the new episode of PLAFONDDIENST – The Hardstyle Podcast
In episode 30 of PLAFONDDIENST – The Hardstyle Podcast, Phuture Noize talks about his upcoming album Open Heart Surgery, his unique “singer-songwriter hardstyle” approach, and the personal process behind his most open and vulnerable project yet. He also discusses the darker themes in his music, the making of the album, and the release event together with REBiRTH at 013 Tilburg. Listen to the full episode now on YouTube or on your favorite podcast platform.
Footage via: MNO Photo
