Nicky Meesters, better known as Rogue Zero, released his latest track Ready For War on Scantraxx Carbon today. We sat down with the Dutch producer to talk about the creative process behind the track, where he gets his inspiration from, and what his plans for the future are.
Nicky, how are you doing?
I am doing great actually, thanks for asking! I am upgrading my studio with some new hardware at the moment. My new studio computer is about to arrive very soon which will increase my workflow drastically haha. It looks like events are starting again very soon, so let’s hope we can party again in a few weeks.
I am also spending a lot of time in the studio lately, creating a lot of new music for you guys. I am excited to show you all the stuff I’m working on!
Your brand new track Ready For War came out today. Can you tell us more about this track and creative process?
I am very proud of the result. It took quite a while to produce the track. I had a similar theme in mind as my track ‘Welcome To The Future’, which got released last year. It tells something about fighting for our own future and destiny. In the first break, I wanted to create the vibe of how it would feel walking in a futuristic wasteland. It should feel like you’re waking up in the future. I then added the vocal and synths, followed by a melody to create that feeling of ‘hope.
You can see the first drop as the first battle. I tried to do something different with the second break – I added a retro synth which really suited the overall vibe. After that, it was time for the grand finale. I tried to announce this major battle by adding lead stabs and a lot of effects just before the climax. I think the main drop is really crazy with those kicks.
The main battle is over after this, and you will get a climax with the main melody to get back to that feeling of hope.
“At the moment I am working on my breaks, implementing very small details in my tracks to give it more feeling.“
What makes Ready For War different from your other tracks?
Well, I always want to have melodies in my tracks. I approached this track with a storytelling perspective. As for the drops, I think you’ll hear the typical Rogue Zero drive with a lot of screeches and kicks. I hope you guys will like the track!
Where do you get your inspiration for producing music from?
Could be anything, to be honest. Movies, games, etc. I am also a big fan of Hans Zimmer, his compositions are out of this world. At the moment I am working on my breaks, implementing very small details in my tracks to give it more feeling.
But I listen a lot to other music as well. I’ve been listening to a lot of ’70s and ‘80s music lately, awesome songs were made back then!
What can we expect from you in 2022?
Well to be quite honest with you… I was preparing a lot for 2020 and 2021. My agenda was filled with festivals. But then the whole situation kicked in… But hey, it’s time to look forward, looking for new possibilities. Performance-wise, I am preparing something very cool, but you will hear and see about that soon enough.
As for bookings, I am very proud to be part of Shockerz and Defqon.1 Festival this year. I will do my very best to play the best set ever. I hope to see you there!