How did you end up choosing Entropic City as the album title?

I've been interested in the theory of entropy for a long time, so I wanted that in there somehow. Entropy is usually described as a measure of disorder, but in a way it's related to change as well. These are ideas that I find very applicable to the world around us. I'm also very much a city person, so connecting these two things seemed obvious. And lastly, I like the sound of it, it intrigues me.

You've talked a lot about utilizing different tempos on the album. Were you able to do so?

Yes, indeed. Four out of the ten album tracks are much slower than anything I have composed before, they're between 90 and 110 BPM. It's interesting to hear what happens when you take down the tempo, there's more space, more possibilities to extend certain frequencies. It's not that dance floor-friendly, but that wasn't my aim with these tracks. The rest of the album is up-tempo techno, so it's nicely balanced.

What track took the longest to put together?

Some of the sounds and ideas had already been constructed in the previous three or four years, they just needed a proper context. I'm constantly adding sounds to my library, without having a specific destination for them. It's a continuous process. I remember the early beginnings of the opening track "Into Entropy" being sometime in May 2009. This was one of the last tracks I finalised. So I guess that's the one that took the longest in the end. Other tracks I started before that, but they were finished faster as well, "Republic" for example.

You will celebrate the album's release at Fuse with the start of a new residency there. Why did you choose this club for the occasion and the residency?

I really wanted the album release party to take place in my hometown, and Fuse is the one and only place it could have happened. They immediately agreed to it, which says a lot. There's plenty of motivation and good vibes in that club, that's very important for me. Fuse is one of the best clubs in Europe. It's been a real techno institution since day one. I have a good personal connection with the people who run the club, and I know that they want to move things forward. So a few weeks after my initial question regarding the release event they contacted me and asked me if I wanted to become a resident. I remember going to Fuse when it opened many years ago, so being invited to join their roster is an important step for me.

What's up next for you?

Right now Yves De Mey and myself are recording an album for our Sendai project. This should be ready sometime in 2010. Next to that I'm working on a new live set and two remixes. In April I will also start a new surround composition project for a dance performance. In between all this I'll be doing more gigs again from February on. We're planning an album tour to promote Entropic City. I'm looking forward to visiting new cities and venues.

  Mar 20  Peter Van Hoesen 'Entropic City' Album Re.., Fuse, Belgium