SimbaSōl: Growing Old Is Inevitable. Growing Up Is Optional
Montreal-born producer SimbaSōl on staying curious, the dancefloor as therapy, and the debut album that asks one question: what is change?
From the dance floors of Montreal to a remote studio deep in the woods, SimbaSōl has always let emotion lead the way. With his new EP "Never Land" on Bar 25 Music, the Montreal-based producer explores the idea of a place where time stands still and the childlike sense of wonder never fades. In this interview, he talks about growing up in one of the world's most passionate club cities, why everything in the studio starts with a feeling he couldn't find in his DJ set, and the debut album arriving this October that he calls the most important project of his life.
Q: Montreal has a very specific and passionate club culture. How did growing up there shape the way you hear and make music?
A: Anything Montreal-related will always be my favourite question to answer. I thank my lucky stars every day that I grew up here musically. The scene in my hometown has played a huge role in shaping me into the artist I am today. On any given week, I have access to an incredible community of producers who inspire me, and dance floors filled with people who are deeply passionate, curious, and educated about the music. Montreal is a stronghold for the culture I fell in love with. It's a city that genuinely values artistry and musical exploration. Doing my part to represent Montreal will always be at the core of my mission as an artist.
Q: Your sound spans a lot of labels and scenes: Gardens of Babylon, Super Sapiens, Kinetika, Shanti Mansion. How would you describe the thread that connects all of it?
A: The thread is authenticity. Every time I walk into the studio, my goal is simply to create what feels true to me in that moment. I believe we're constantly evolving as human beings. Our tastes change, our perspectives shift, and our creative expression follows suit. As an artist, my influences are varied, so naturally my productions are too. What I love about the labels I've worked with is that they've always honoured that freedom. They seem to embrace the same spirit I do: staying curious, take risks, and allowing the music to become whatever it wants to become.
Q: What does your production process look like? Do you start with rhythm, a mood, a concept?
A: Everything starts with an emotion I want to trigger on a dance floor. Usually, after a weekend of DJ sets, I head into the studio with a very clear energetic pocket I want to fill. Sometimes it's a feeling I couldn't find in my set. Other times it's a moment I experienced on a dance floor that I want to relive and expand upon. As I begin building the atmosphere, I constantly imagine myself in that space. Whether it's a late-night roller, a sunrise anthem, or something in between, it all comes from emotional memory. From there, I trust my intuition to take over and guide the rest of the process.
Q: Are there any tools, instruments or plugins that are central to how you build a track?
A: I'm a firm believer in crafting unique sounds from the very beginning of a track. Because of that, sound design is a huge part of my creative process. Plugins like EFX Motion, Tantra, and ShaperBox 3 seem to find their way into almost every project. They allow me to create textures that feel alive and constantly evolving, rather than static sounds that simply repeat themselves. I'm always looking for movement. Even the smallest details in a track can tell a story when they're given room to evolve over time.
Q: You talk about transforming dancefloors into spaces of presence and release. Has there been a night or a moment that made you feel like you actually achieved that?
A: Honestly, most nights feel like that to me. When a DJ truly invests themselves in crafting a deep emotional journey, and the dance floor responds, it creates a kind of perfect storm. For a few hours, everyone becomes part of the same story. I've always felt that dance floors are a form of therapy for me, regardless of which side of the booth I'm standing on. Whether I'm playing music or simply dancing amongst the crowd, there is something incredibly healing about sharing a moment of complete presence with a room full of strangers. Those moments remind me of why I fell in love with this culture in the first place.
Q: When you think about the artists and records that shaped you most, who comes to mind?
A: To name a few: DJ Koze, Tame Impala, Crazy P, and Mano Le Tough. What connects all of them, in my eyes, is freedom. Their catalogues are wide, varied, and deeply personal. They create timeless music that feels driven by curiosity rather than trends, algorithms, or commercial expectations. If I had to zoom in on a single record, though, it would be "YAP" by Kollektiv Turmstrasse. That track hits every sweet spot for me. It's a long-form journey that seamlessly blends deep club energy with moments of uplifting release. The emotional narrative unfolds patiently, and that's something I've always been drawn to as both a listener and a DJ. I'll also never forget playing it during a sunrise set at Burning Man. Some songs become attached to moments in your life. That one is etched into my soul forever.
Q: "Never Land" is a place that doesn't exist. What does it mean to you personally, and where did the title come from?
A: Growing old is inevitable for all of us. Growing up, however, is optional. I constantly remind myself to keep playing like a child. To stay curious. To stay imaginative. To remember that life is meant to be enjoyed. For me, Never Land is a double entendre. The first meaning points to the classic Peter Pan world, a place where we never have to fully grow up and can remain connected to our sense of wonder. The second meaning is the dance floor itself. A place where time seems to stand still. A place where, for a few precious hours, we can lose ourselves in the collective experience and feel as though we never have to land from the journey we're sharing together. That feeling is what the title is really about.
Q: What's next for you after this release?
A: Without question, the project I'm most proud of in my career — and perhaps in my life — is arriving this October. My debut album, Subject To Change. A 13-song concept album written over the course of a month in a remote studio deep in the woods last fall. While the record lives within electronic music, it wasn't built around a genre, a trend, or an algorithm. It was built around a question: WHAT IS CHANGE? Observing it. Pondering its implications. Feeling myself in relation to it. Learning from its teachings. And from that inner space — create the record. The album became an exploration of that idea. At its core, Subject To Change is an invitation to let go gracefully. To stop clinging to fixed identities. To embrace the natural unfolding that exists everywhere in nature. To recognize that change is not the interruption of life — it is life itself. Every song serves a larger narrative, visual world, and emotional arc. I can't wait to share it.
