Theory of Movement is the musical project coming from Dan Piu and Grant focusing on preserving what real house music is, while exploring the boundaries of its style and potential.
The enigmatic Grant is a recording artist hailing from France now situated in the USA with over 20 years of record collecting, DJing, and producing under his belt. He releases under his self-titled alias, as half of Theory of Movement, and one half of the NY house duo Frank & Tony.
Dan Piu is a well respected veteran DJ, producer, and sound visionary with over three decades of experience in the underground electronic music scene as DJ & producer.Since 1989, he has played in different venues in the world, and is known for his deep, atmospheric, and timeless sound. He blends elements of house, techno, electro, and ambient music with an emotional depth that resonates with listeners worldwide.
Off the back of their latest ‘Structural’l EP, we sat down with the duo to talk us through the release, collaborating, hardware and much more!
WWD: Hey Guys, great to meet you! What’s happening in your world at the moment?
Grant: keeping busy with my day job running a coffee company, enjoying family time in the water catching waves …. Oh and making music when i can squeeze that in
Dan Piu: After a long time, I’m preparing for a live act again, which I will perform at the end of April in Lugano together with Xc-N. It’s my first concert since Brussels in 2018, and I need to get back into it, practicing the automatisms so that I can give my best on stage. Other than that, I’m working on various projects, including one with Grant.
WWD: Congratulations on releasing the ‘Structural’ EP. Can you talk us through the release?
Grant & Dan Piu: as T.O.M, we strive to pay homage to what we feel house is all while seeking to make it evolve, Dan & I have been in the game for a long , long time…so it’s a matter of making our memories taking the lead in the studio.
WWD: How did the collaboration as a production team come about?
Grant: I’ve been a fan and collector of Dan’s early records and just reached out to him a couple of years ago. Our shared passion for music sealed and we got cracking in the studio. It’s always a pleasure making music with Dan.
Dan Piu: Yes, one day, a mysterious person metaphorically knocked on my door, and it was Grant—this enigmatic producer who shook up the house scene at the time, with no one really knowing who he was. We immediately hit it off, and he not only became my studio partner but also a good friend.
WWD: What’s the easiest & hardest part of collaborating?
Grant: easiest having the luck to work with a master like Dan! Hardest, not physically linking up to finish the records as we work remotely.
Dan Piu: I can only return Grant’s words of praise. Grant is a visionary, a kind of “director” with great foresight, and he always has a clear vision. It’s a privilege to work with him. He can be very demanding at times, but he brings out the best in me, and I’ve grown as a producer thanks to him.
WWD: Where and when was the EP made?
Grant & Dan Piu: remotely between Zurich and Biarritz France.
WWD: Did you use any notable gear or plugins to produce the EP?
Grant & Dan Piu: We have access to an immense amount of hardware synths and drum machines..easily 50 hardware instruments, mostly vintage synthesizers. Our favorite tools are the TR-808 and TR-909. For warm pads, we often use the Juno-60. For bass, we usually rely on the Moog Rogue. And of course, we also have those classic Japanese digital synths like the Roland D-50 and the Korg M1, where we love using the old, cool presets. Occasionally, we incorporate modular synths or rare, crazy ones like the Arp Avatar, the Roland SH-5, or the Kawai 100F..whatever we feel like at the moment. Grant is also a master of the old MPC 2000, which we always use, giving our tracks that 90s old-school punch.
WWD: For those who are just discovering your music, what do you hope they feel when they listen?
Grant & Dan Piu: Our music is primarily aimed at dance enthusiasts, but we always try to incorporate a lot of harmony and emotion through melodies. We want to put our listeners into a kind of hypnotic state, allowing them to forget their daily worries and join us on a sonic and nostalgic journey.
WWD What’s been the highlight of your career so far? Any particular moment that stands out?
Grant: being lucky enough to have traveled many countries, encountering various cultures.
Dan Piu: I’ve also been lucky to visit different countries through my numerous gigs, but what excites me most is when labels, DJs, and producers ask me about my music, both old and new tracks.
WWD: Can you share some insight into your creative process? Any rituals or methods that keep you inspired?
Grant: no real method, depends on the mood. Sometimes it starts with a loop I feel can lead a track, a found sound that sets the backbone or a nice vocal sample or bassline that I can build on.
Dan Piu: If it’s house music, I mostly start with a chord progression and build the track around it, adding the other sounds. If it’s an electronic techno track, I often begin with a piercing arpeggiated sequence.
WWD: As someone deeply involved in the house music scene, how do you see it right now?
Grant: To be honest, I am a bit disconnected. I’m not touring every weekend so I don’t really pay attention. I just enjoy doing my thing, making records as a hobby and going to spin when people kindly ask me to.
Dan Piu: What I often notice at my gigs is that everything has become very similar everywhere. In today’s highly connected world, there are hardly any significant differences in clubbing or record stores. It has evolved into a global entity with certain standards. Back in the 90s, the scenes were vastly different from each other.. Zurich’s scene for example was completely different from Frankfurt’s. I miss that diversity a little that we used to have.
WWD: What’s one thing you’ve learned about the music industry that surprised you?
Grant: It’s unpredictable, don’t make plans or expect anything from it if not you are sure to be disappointed.
Dan Piu: I can only echo Grant’s words. There are many developments that don’t sit well with me at all. I’ve been dedicated to the true underground since day one…that’s the only place where I feel comfortable and free. I never want to be dependent on the music scene or the industry or have to make a living from it because I’m a free spirit and don’t want to change my art and who I am.
WWD: Finally, what does the rest of 2025 hold for you both?
Grant: Got a few records coming out for my Frank & Tony project with Francis Harris , with whom we also hold a monthly residency at Public records in NYC + trying to wrap up a solo record at some point. Otherwise, as mentioned earlier, the daily grind of a normal Dad life with a day job.
Dan Piu: Right now, my main focus is my live performance in Lugano. After that, I’ll be touring a bit as a DJ throughout Europe in the summer. There are several releases lined up for 2025, including a Dan Piu EP on the Portuguese label Collect/Assembled, as well as other EPs under different monikers like our new Time Synthesis with DJ Estimulo. And then, I’ll be back in the studio with Grant, working on new tracks together. There’s no shortage of work for us.
WWD: Looking forward to listening! Thanks for the chat, guys!
The ‘Structural’ EP is available on vinyl, here