How did the collaboration between Max Sinàl and Renell Shaw come about to form 2fox?
We met whilst touring with Rudimental. I (Max) was their tour support DJ for about 5 or 6 years and Renell was their long-term multi-instrumentalist. We bonded on the tour bus about old school music and decided to get in the studio when we were off tour.
How do you balance your individual styles and influences when working together?
It’s really fluid. We come from very different musical backgrounds and know where our individual skills lie, so we have a good formula whilst in the studio of just sticking to what we’re both good at. We also have a mutual respect and trust which helps when we want to try new ideas that may or may not work.
How did the idea to release a remix package for "So Long" come about? Was it a natural progression or a deliberate decision?
We had been speaking about it for a while but didn’t want to rush it. It was really important to have the right remixers who could each bring something different to the table. Were very happy with how they turned out.
What were your criteria for selecting the remixers for this project? Did you have specific artists in mind, or did you open it up to submissions?
We played after Manoo on the Suncebeat stage at Southport Weekender this year, and he stuck around to watch our set. We got chatting after the show and we thought we’d take a punt on asking him if he’d be up for remixing So Long. He said he had really enjoyed our show and agreed to the remix on the spot. It’s a massive honour having him do this, and his remix is incredible!
Colfo was a fan of the track and reached out to us to have a go, we are big fans of him so was a no brainer to send the stems. He sent a few versions which were all great, but this Stripped Back Mix blew us away.
I’m big fans of both David Bailey and Oliver Night so reached out to them both as I knew they would each bring a different flavour to the table. And they did just that. Extremely happy with their finished products.
How do you feel about the different interpretations of "So Long" presented in the remixes? Were there any surprises or unexpected outcomes?
Coflo’s stripped back mix was def a suprise. Wasn’t expecting that. It’s kind of given the track a whole new dimension. Really beautiful stuff.
Manoo’s mix is a masterpiece in my eyes, the musicality and the groove is so good. It’s a good 8 and a half minutes long but even if it was 45 minutes long it wouldn’t get boring.
Oliver’s mix is really really cool. I love the soulful/broken beat vibe and the way he’s chopped the vocals subtly.Lovely stuff all round.
David’s mix is a really nice dancefloor moment. The first time we heard it was during his set at Southport Weekender when he suprised us with it. It took the roof off and we knew he was on to a winner with it.
Do you think the remixes have introduced new audiences to your music, or have they primarily resonated with your existing fanbase?
Time will tell once it’s out on Friday, but 2fox are all about expansion and evolution, so hopefully we’ll connect with some new listeners.