Simon James and Adam Helal bring their respective musical backgrounds together as Rolasoul, a project centered on electronic music, identity, and their shared creative process.
Photo credit: Andy Earl
Simon James previously won Mix-Mag’s DJ competition and has performed at venues including Hacienda, Cream, Ministry of Sound, and Renaissance, as well as alongside John Digweed and Pete Tong. Adam Helal was also bassist for The Fall, contributing to ‘The Marshall Suite’ and ‘The Unutterable’.
Together as Rolasoul, they recently recorded EG SPOTLIGHT.342, following their Balance Selections mix.
In this conversation, Rolasoul discusses originality, algorithms, the creative process, their approach to DJ mixes, and their connection with South America.
EG: Hi Rolasoul, welcome to RH. How would you describe what Rolasoul represents?
Rolasoul: Thanks for the invite. Rolasoul is a feeling of freedom. We want people to feel like they can lose themselves in our world.
Rolasoul represents originality, identity, and staying true to ourselves. We’re not interested in following trends or copying what’s already out there. We want to create music that feels genuinely ours.
EG: The word “soul” is right there in Rolasoul. What does soul actually mean to you in electronic music? Can a record have soul without containing a single live instrument or vocal?
Rolasoul: It doesn’t matter whether a sound is live or electronic; it’s how it makes you feel that is important. The sound itself and the rhythm of the sound are what give it soul.
EG: Your Balance Selections mix received a huge response. What do you think made it connect with people?
Rolasoul: We think it was the combination of the track selection, pacing, and storytelling. We spent a lot of time getting the journey right, building the energy gradually rather than instantly chasing big moments. It felt very natural to us, and I think people connected with that.
EG: Coming off the Balance Selections mix, how did you approach the Electronic Groove Spotlight mix?
Rolasoul: We wanted the Spotlight mix to feel different from the Balance mix, both musically and in the way it was curated and paced.
As with the Balance mix, it was recorded live, with tight mixing and transitions, but this time we live-mixed FX to add another layer to the performance.
We wanted the whole mix to have its own energy and really make an impact.
“We’re not interested in following trends or copying what’s already out there. We want to create music that feels genuinely ours.”
EG: What do you think electronic music is missing right now? Conversely, what are you hearing that genuinely excites you about where the culture is heading?
Rolasoul: Electronic music sometimes suffers from sounding formulaic. The genre has been around for many decades, and there are always moments where innovation and originality are less prevalent. It’s generally missing that cutting edge and fresh sounds that grab you. Most electronic producers and DJs are not willing to take that risk. It’s in our DNA to explore.
What excites us about where the culture is heading is that there are some great emerging artists and labels that we know are pushing the boundaries, making music with real character, taking time to build a story, and creating records that reward you the more you listen.
EG: We’re living in a time where algorithms can constantly tell us what to listen to, while artists are under increasing pressure to build a recognisable identity online. Do you think this is helping people become more distinctive, or are we slowly encouraging everyone to become more similar?
Rolasoul: The algorithm can lead us all to sound more similar as it curates for you. It can be useful if you run out of inspiration at any point. However, it’s not the same as going into a record shop and taking time to satisfy your own curiosity and discover tracks you might never have considered, either because they were too underground or from another genre. “Happy accidents” can occur in the studio, but they can also happen when searching for music if you take the time. This is what creates identity in your collection of music and can broaden your musical horizon.
EG: Rolasoul is heading across South America next year. What does that scene mean to you, and what are you hoping to take from the experience?
Rolasoul: South America is such an important part of the progressive house scene. The music is deeply rooted in the culture there; it’s not just something people listen to, it’s a way of life. The passion, knowledge, and loyalty of the fans are incredible.
For us, going there is about experiencing that first-hand and connecting with people who genuinely live the music. We want to bring our sound to that audience, but we also want to understand what makes that connection so powerful and make South America the home of Rolasoul. That exchange is what excites us most.
EG: How do you know when a Rolasoul track is finished?
Rolasoul: It needs to vibe us from beginning to end. If the track isn’t holding us in the moment from the first beat to the last, it’s not finished. Sometimes we might start a track and get a long way down the line, then “park it” if it doesn’t hit the mark. We may end up ditching it. Or we may come back to it many moons later and find the magic ingredient that makes our hairs stand on end. Sometimes it’s a new sound, a different arrangement, a better mix, or a combination of all three.
“The algorithm can lead us all to sound more similar as it curates for you”
EG: How important is it for Rolasoul to say no when something doesn’t feel right?
Rolasoul: It’s important to be able to say no when something doesn’t feel right for us. Not every opportunity is right at that particular moment, and we’d rather push back than put Rolasoul in a position that doesn’t feel authentic to us.
When something is right, you can definitely tell. We wear our hearts on our sleeves.
EG: Is the creative process always easy? Or do you find it hard sometimes?
Rolasoul: We don’t approach every session or mix in the same way. We feel it’s important to keep the creative process interesting each time.
Sometimes that can lead to amazing moments, but it can sometimes result in things going “off piste” or creating something that doesn’t really work for Rolasoul.
The whole process can be magical and incredibly rewarding and fun, but it can sometimes lead to disagreements. We’ve known each other for years, so we can be honest with each other whilst retaining a large element of humour. I might describe a sound in a certain way which I know will put Simon off, as a subtle hint, or I may look round to him for signs of approval and he’ll be shaking his head saying mouthing no no no no. We are in sync with each other 99 percent of the time and this helps keep everything flowing, intuitive and on track.
Listen to EG SPOTLIGHT.342 Rolasoul and click here for more information.
Follow Rolasoul: Spotify | SoundCloud | Instagram