SEAMUS on ‘Redeem’, Orkney Songwriting Camps and Balancing Emotion with Dancefloor Impact
- Apr 27
- 4 min read
‘Redeem’ doesn’t feel like a typical drum and bass record. It doesn’t rush to prove itself, and it doesn’t rely on impact alone to carry it. Instead, it unfolds with intention, balancing emotional songwriting with club functionality in a way that feels considered rather than calculated. For SEAMUS, that balance wasn’t the starting point, it was something that came later.
“In the moment we were really focused on using the song to paint a picture of what we were all feeling emotionally on the day,” he explains. “Once the song had a strong feeling, that’s when we focused a lot of time into how the track hits the dancefloor.” That order matters. Feeling first, function second. It’s a simple approach, but one that shapes the entire record.
The environment it came from played a huge role in that process. Written during a songwriting camp hosted by SEAMUS in Orkney, the track carries a sense of space that feels tied directly to its surroundings. “I’ve spent a long time studying how the moment we sit in influences how we write songs,” he says. “Hosting camps in my home, Orkney, is an honour because it lets me showcase it to the world in a unique way and songwriters can come here to relax and do what they do best, write songs.”
That sense of ease feeds into the music. Nothing feels forced. Nothing feels overworked. It’s a reflection of a process built around trust, something that becomes especially clear when working with HALLI. “We’ve been working together for over three years now, so we really know each other’s process,” he says. “We have a strong trust in each other’s ability when it comes to writing, producing and singing.” That familiarity allows the vocal to sit exactly where it needs to, present, clear and central without ever feeling crowded.
Interestingly, the restraint that defines the track wasn’t something they actively chased. “I don’t think that was something that was on our minds,” he admits. “It sounds like it’s something that naturally woven into the song.” That natural quality is what gives ‘Redeem’ its identity. It doesn’t try to do too much. It simply does what it needs to do, and does it well.
Coming from outside the drum and bass space, SEAMUS brings a different set of instincts into the genre. Those influences show up most clearly in how the vocal is treated. “I don’t get the chance to make a lot of DnB, so I think my influences show through the vocal production the most,” he says. “I make a lot of RnB records with artists that like having the vocals as the core of their music.” That crossover approach gives the track its accessibility without diluting its depth.
The collaboration itself reflects that same sense of balance. With three artists from different backgrounds, the potential for things to become overcrowded is always there, but the opposite happens. “It’s important to lay a foundation at the start of a session where everyone knows they are all equal parts of the process,” he explains. “By having that, we all play our part in the song.” It’s less about dividing roles and more about creating a shared understanding of what the track needs.
That perspective has been shaped by experience across different scenes and cultures. From Panama to South Korea, SEAMUS has spent time understanding how music connects in different environments, and that’s left a mark on how he works. “When you work with vastly different people in vastly different cultures you definitely pick up unique practices and nuanced sounds,” he says. “For example, I commonly use west coast or G-funk drums and elements in most of my productions because that’s what I was making and testing on South Korean crowds.” It’s a reminder that influence doesn’t always come from genre, it often comes from experience.
At its core, though, his sound remains consistent. “Tight hard hitting drums, melodic airy vocals, smooth and catchy synth melodies,” is how he describes it. It’s a simple breakdown, but one that captures the essence of what ‘Redeem’ delivers.
Releasing through Make Your Era adds another layer to that moment. The label has built a reputation for supporting artists at key stages in their development, and for SEAMUS, that support matters. “I’m really grateful to the team for believing in us and the track,” he says. “It’s exciting to release the song with that seal of approval.” It’s not just about the platform, it’s about alignment.
The songwriting camp itself has become a defining part of that process. Not just as a setting, but as a philosophy. “The camps have taught me that the less pressure you put on yourself when creating, the better,” he says. “It’s so easy to get caught up in who’s in the room with you and how good the song should perform when it’s done.” Letting go of that pressure opens things up, allowing ideas to develop naturally rather than being forced into place.
That mindset feeds directly into how ‘Redeem’ balances its more commercial structure with its roots in drum and bass. “With experience, I’ve learned what I like and how to showcase what my collaborators like with that,” he explains. “Everyone on this song is from a different country with different musical tastes and influences, and how that’s blended together speaks more about how comfortable we are with each other as creatives.” The structure becomes a tool rather than a limitation.
Looking ahead, that openness to collaboration feels like the next step. “I’m really focusing on trying to capture my collaborators’ influences and sound when I’m producing with them,” he says. “I’m also keen to do a bit more DnB as it’s not really something I’ve touched before producing ‘Redeem’.” It’s less about locking into a direction and more about continuing to explore.
And that’s exactly what ‘Redeem’ represents. Not a fixed point, but a moment of alignment. Different backgrounds, different influences, all meeting in the middle to create something that feels both personal and widely accessible. A track built on feeling first, and everything else following naturally behind.
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