Sole Stars – Herve

In association with Lacoste footwear

Our Lacoste artist spotlight series returns, and sights are firmly fixed on the impending explosion of electro tycoon, Hervé.

Joshua Harvey, or Hervé, has been roving the electronic circuit for years, leading a vagabond kind of life, a finger in every pie, and each with a different flavour. He’s penned gnarly club anthems as The Count, championed new talent through his Cheap Thrills label, and now he’s on the cusp of releasing his full debut album. With a single through side-project Machines Don’t Care out this month, it’s hard to see where he finds the juice for each gushing creative outlet. “I work a lot,” he offers. “I work quite fast, and I get ideas down fast. I have ideas in my head before I go in [the studio]. My head is my studio, without sounding too stupid. I just go in there to spit the ideas out.”

The album will see Hervé in territories strange to most fans, as he ventures into alien yet honourable pop sensibilities: “Some people think as soon as you have song structured dance music on it, you’re David Guetta,” he smiles, “which I find hilarious.” All Guettas aside, the album has managed to retain a house-pointed nod to wonk, and behind the hooks and vocals sit epic breakdowns. The kind of bass that will make your waist shake, as if your hips have been replaced with Nokia 3210s and someone won’t stop texting.

One thing the album retains consistently is an element of surprise, with guest collaborators rearing their welcome heads regularly. A revelation in particular, is the inclusion of troubled genius Steve Mason. “I’d always been a massive fan of The Beta Band, King Biscuit Time and Black Affair,” Hervé admits. “The entirety of Steve Mason basically. He got signed to Domino, so I just stalked him and tried to make friends. I started to send him tracks. I didn’t know what was going to come of it, but by the third track he said, ‘Yes, I can do this one.’ So he came down on the train and we did it. It was a huge highlight.” It’s just one of many rich collaborations that line the album, with Ronika, Donaeo and Willows all joining the party when the mood suits.

This month will see the release of a new single through his Machines Don’t Care side-project, followed by the release of his anticipated debut album in May. All this begs the question: does Hervé’s coming-of-age signal the death of The Count & Sinden? “I don’t know,” he shrugs. “I could say yes and change my mind. I have a few new projects and pseudonyms now, so I might need to kill a few off to make room. You never know, The Count might be a goner.”

Machines Don’t Care single ‘Beat Dun Drop’ is out 20th May and Hervé’s album ‘Pick Me Up, Sort Me Out, Calm Me Down’ is out 21st June.

Photography: Harley Weir

FOOTWEAR BY LACOSTE. Hervé’s wears the Fairbrooke and Marceau styles.

Visit ClashMusic’s Lacoste hub page for more interviews, photo galleries and behind the scenes access HERE.

-
Join the Clash mailing list for up to the minute music, fashion and film news.