Zone Magazine Issue 034 Spring / Summer 2021 - Der Würfler
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ISSUE <strong>034</strong> SPRING / SUMMER <strong>2021</strong> DJ DER WÜRFLER<br />
DJ DER WüRFLER<br />
" For me, everything<br />
has its appeal. But it's<br />
the small clubs that<br />
are very close to my<br />
heart. Where you're<br />
very close to the<br />
audience, where I<br />
meet a lot of old and<br />
new friends "<br />
Paul Sawyer | Will Atkinson | DJs Inbox | LClub Music | Odium | Rough Guide To Tiesto | Emdey<br />
Transensation Records | Future Avenue | Charts | Music Reviews
LARGE! - John Gibbons - 9/10<br />
Nice One! - Sam Divine - 7/10<br />
<br />
Funky Stuff, Thanks! - sa.lomaonun.es - 8/10
WELCOME<br />
ISSN 2009-8014 (Online) ISSN 2009-8006 (Print)<br />
FOUNDER, EDITOR, PUBLISHER & HEAD OF<br />
CREATIVE<br />
Paul Newhouse - paul@zone-magazine.eu<br />
FEATURE WRITERS & CONTRIBUTORS<br />
USA<br />
Megan Williams - megan.williams@zone-magazine.eu<br />
Amber Leigh Melby - amberleighmelby@gmail.com<br />
Isabel Montoya - isabel@zone-magazine.eu<br />
Matt Schantz - mattschantz73@yahoo.com<br />
IRELAND<br />
Antony Mac Phiarais - antoney.mac@zone-magazine.eu<br />
UK<br />
Paul Sawyer - paul@kraftedmusic.com<br />
Danny Slade - danny.slade@zone-magazine.eu<br />
Maz kallis - maz.kallis@zone-magazine.com<br />
Iain Taylor - irejekt@icloud.com<br />
John Ricketts - john.ricketts@zone-magazine.eu<br />
Paul Hawcroft - paulhawcroftmusic@gmail.com<br />
Mark Neenan - Markneenanpromos@gmail.com<br />
John W McDevitt - j.w.mcdevitt@talk21.com<br />
GERMANY<br />
Pete van Payne - pete@zone-magazine.eu<br />
Jordan Parrish<br />
Harald Meyer<br />
NETHERLANDS<br />
Thorsten Benders - thorsten@zone-magazine.eu<br />
MUSIC DIRECTOR<br />
John Ricketts - john.ricketts@zone-magazine.eu<br />
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ZONE MAGAZINE is owned and published by Paul<br />
Newhouse. Arrangement, design & Editing, Marketing<br />
by Paul Newhouse. Copyright 2014-<strong>2021</strong> <strong>Zone</strong><br />
<strong>Magazine</strong>. The views expressed and opinions given in<br />
this magazine are not nessicerally shared by the<br />
publisher. No part of this magazine shall be republished<br />
without prior agreement from its publishers.<br />
Readers should take care when responding to any<br />
adverts in <strong>Zone</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>, which apear without any<br />
Well Folks, Lots of great things happening here at <strong>Zone</strong> HQ just for<br />
you lot, so keep coming back! Well its <strong>Spring</strong> <strong>2021</strong>, and what a<br />
strange one STILL! Even though we have not had events STILL to<br />
cover, we have a packed issue with all the regulars, and lots of<br />
interviews!<br />
In our feature interviews in this issue we talk to cover legend Peter<br />
Michael Strube aka DER WÜRFLER was born in Berlin in 1960. At the age of<br />
13 he was playing house parties after school with a DUAL turntable and SABA<br />
tape machine!<br />
In 1975 at the age of 15 he got his first fee for DJ'jing at a gay club,<br />
Berlin Kreuzberg, and that was it, he was hooked! Between then and now he<br />
has played in hundreds of club nights, and clubs, magazines, radio stations,<br />
live streems, TV stations, and books, the list is endless! He has even been a<br />
dancer in clubs, and many film extras.<br />
We also talk to DJ and Producer from the Scotland, Will Atkinson.<br />
While others are restrained by genre association Will Atkinson runs free,<br />
refusing to conform or be pigeon holed. Is he tech, trance, techno,<br />
electronica, progressive, experimental.....?<br />
He is all of them – and so much more. And it’s this ambidextrous talent that<br />
has been the driving force behind Will’s vast appeal and subsequent evergrowing<br />
army of passionate fans the world over. The video for his recent<br />
single “Pat Butcher” (Beatport number 1 for 3 weeks) generated 1.6 million<br />
views in 48 hours – so to say this exciting young uber talent is on fire right<br />
now, would be something of an understatement.<br />
Will Atkinson is an entity that congers up futuristic soundscapes for<br />
the jilted generation. Responsible for over 100 BBC Radio 1 airplays and 6<br />
Beatport number 1s the kid that began mixing records at the age of 7 has<br />
certainly come of age.<br />
Also from the UK, with a string of releases to his name, Paul<br />
Sawyer is no stranger to the music world and has a back catalogue that<br />
consists of originals, and remixes on Pure Progressive, Black Hole Recordings,<br />
Armada, Toolroom, Steyoyoke, Dear Deer, Perfecto Black, ICONYC Music,<br />
OKO Recordings, Balkan Connection and his own Krafted Underground<br />
imprint.<br />
Having toured the World for several years, Paul has played at many<br />
key events including Ministry of Sound, Egg London, Cream, Renaissance,<br />
Bestival, Bedrock, Airpusher (USA), B’estfest and was cited by Mixmag as ‘a<br />
DJ to look out for’, as well as one of the UK’s top residents by DJ <strong>Magazine</strong>.<br />
We talk to German talent Marvin Dörsam, alias Emdey. With<br />
releases on Smash The House and Universal he made quiet some waves last<br />
year. Currently he is making waves with his latest release “All Or Nothing”<br />
with Curtis Richa.<br />
We are having a gettogether with Dutch hardcore artist Loek Gosen<br />
better known as Odiom. He emerged on the hardcore scene in 2018. This<br />
powerhouse act has seen a momentous rise as newcomer in the world of<br />
harder styles. After kicking off his career at Hard Island Croatia 2018 he has<br />
been rockin’ one gig after another. Leading to his first release ’Kill’ on DJ Mad<br />
Dog’s imprint ‘Dogfight Records’. With 2019 seeing him play various festivals<br />
worldwide and making a name for himself. With 2020 being the year that<br />
Odium would become a real force to be reckoned with. But sadly 2020 being a<br />
tough year for most people in the music industry Odium took the time to<br />
produce some new tracks. With his newest track “The Weekend” he is ready<br />
to take on <strong>2021</strong>.<br />
We also speak to Transensation Records from Brazil, Future<br />
Avenue from Belgium, and LClub Music based in Spain. We also chat to the<br />
guys at DJ's In Box.<br />
New to <strong>Zone</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> is "A Rough Guide To" series. Covering<br />
Tiesto - The Trance years this issue, with Matt Schantz.<br />
As if all that was not enough of course we have our regular reviews<br />
and charts from the talented and dynamic <strong>Zone</strong> crew. Also this issue we<br />
continue <strong>Zone</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>'s FREE exclusive DJ Mix series and we also have<br />
our FREE gifts from Funktion Loops, 2 sample packs each issue, all you<br />
need to do is purchase our cool publication!<br />
As usual we would like to thank all of our very many talented contributors and<br />
friends who provide so much content, love and support for what we are doing, they are<br />
listed on the left hand column on this page if you want to contact them directly with the<br />
latest news. From myself and the whole <strong>Zone</strong> crew, we just wanted to say thanks again<br />
for your continued support, peace.<br />
Paul & <strong>Zone</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> Crew!
contents<br />
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26<br />
DJ DER WÜRFLER<br />
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12<br />
Paul Sawyer<br />
20<br />
Will Atkinson
Lclub Music<br />
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38<br />
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44<br />
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<br />
Transensation Records<br />
A Rough Guide To: Tiesto<br />
The Trance Years<br />
53<br />
DJ's in Box<br />
34
JOSE MARIA RAMON,<br />
WILLIAM MEDAGLI,<br />
THALLULAH<br />
CANTO ANCESTRALE<br />
RAFA'EL<br />
INC. REMIXES BY<br />
OIBAF&WALLEN<br />
EXHILE
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FREE Exclusive DJ Mix Series<br />
At <strong>Zone</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> here we have our FREE Exclusive DJ<br />
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Check out the link below for all our exclusive DJ Mixes.<br />
FELIX FX [GERMANY]<br />
PETE VAN PAYNE<br />
[GERMANY]<br />
PAUL BLEASDALE [UK]<br />
PETE BONES [UK]<br />
EDDIE AMADOR [USA]<br />
LISA LASHES [UK]<br />
DANY COHIBA [SPAIN]<br />
SOULTRAK [UK]<br />
CHRIS GEKA [FRANCE]<br />
JOHN GIBBONS<br />
[IRELAND]<br />
PAUL NEWHOUSE [IRE]<br />
DJ SAMER [USA]<br />
MARK NEENAN [UK]<br />
GAVIN HARDKISS [USA]<br />
GERRY VERANO<br />
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SONAS [UK]<br />
https://www.mixcloud.com/<strong>Zone</strong><strong>Magazine</strong>DJMixes/<br />
ESSENTIALDANCEMUSIC 07
featureinterview<br />
__________________<br />
Words Thorsten Benders<br />
____________________________________<br />
Photography Courtesy Of Marvin Dorsam<br />
______________________________<br />
Connect https://www.emdeymusic.com/<br />
Today we are sitting down with German talent Marvin Dörsam,<br />
alias Emdey. With releases on Smash The House and Universal<br />
he made quiet some waves last year. Currently he is making<br />
waves with his latest release “All Or Nothing” with Curtis Richa.<br />
Hi Marvin welcome to <strong>2021</strong> and thank you for taking<br />
your time for this interview. Last year was an<br />
amazing year for you. Your first release was a<br />
remake of an all time classic “Venus”. How did you<br />
come up with remaking such a beloved classic?<br />
My good friend Shaun Bate told me a few years<br />
ago that he could imagine a Venus cover as one of my<br />
upcoming tracks. In the beginning, it was relatively difficult<br />
for me to find an idea for Venus. Then one night I heard<br />
another version in a TV commercial and I thought, "I'll do<br />
it.<br />
Your newest track is called “All Or Nothing”. Why did<br />
you choose for this title? And tell us a bit more about<br />
this track. How did you or Curtis Richa came up with<br />
this title? And what was it like to work with Curtis?<br />
I've been working with Curtis for several years<br />
now and he sent me All Or Nothing as a topline/demo back<br />
then. I had a few ideas that I wanted to share with him,<br />
and that's how we ended up working together on the track.<br />
It’s always a pleasure to work with Curtis, he’s a great<br />
songwriter and producer. We met a few years ago when we<br />
both were involved in another project.<br />
What is the message you want to spread with this<br />
track?<br />
"All Or Nothing" is a song about wanting the best<br />
for yourself. Many relationships whether romantic or not<br />
are basically in limbo and this is a anthem, a vehicle for<br />
conversation for those who experience this. It's a situation<br />
we find ourselves at times amongst friends, family<br />
member and loved ones. When you give your all to<br />
someone and they don't reciprocate the same type of<br />
energy and commitment. This song says it ... "You Want All<br />
Or Nothing At All".<br />
Before you were “Emdey” you went under another<br />
alter ego called “MD Electro” why did you change<br />
your name? You have been quiet successful with that<br />
project. Do you think it opened doors for you that<br />
would have otherwise been shut?<br />
Yes I think so, a lot of people told me that my<br />
music doesn’t fit to my name anymore. Back in 2010 I was<br />
producing mainly electro house music and the alias MD<br />
Electro felt right. Nowdays I’m more into pop, radio and<br />
house music and people could get confused by this name.<br />
We thought about changing the name for at least two years<br />
till we finally changed it. Actually now everything is the<br />
same just with a new name<br />
Following your fantastic music for quiet a while now.<br />
Your tracks are very different ranging from very<br />
relaxed to massive dance tracks. What do you prefer<br />
more and do you see your musical style evolving in to<br />
a certain direction more?<br />
First of all, thanks! Actually I like a lot of different<br />
genres, whether it’s pop, dance, house or even drum n<br />
bass and techno. But Emdey is kind of a hybrid project<br />
between radio and club music, this is what I always felt is<br />
right. So if you ask me for a certain direction I can just say<br />
its commercial electronic music, sometimes harder,<br />
sometimes softer but always with a lot of passion haha.<br />
As “Emdey” do you see yourself more as a producer<br />
or DJ? Or is it that you prefer doing one thing above<br />
the other?<br />
When I was a kid I got inspired by Tiesto and<br />
always wanted to be that guy on the mainstage who’s<br />
partying with the crowd, but now after so many years in<br />
the music business I feel very good sitting in the studio and<br />
doing my thing you know. I mean I love DJing but I also<br />
enjoy the creative part, producing music, writing songs and<br />
so on.<br />
Do you prefer working alone or with a group? Since<br />
all of your work so far is a collaboration. When will<br />
we see your first single release?<br />
Teamwork makes the dream work, this was<br />
always my motto and I love connecting with new<br />
people and making music together. There are so<br />
many talented people out there that I could never<br />
imagine doing something solo. I am a big fan of collabs,<br />
and I think you can get the biggest impact with a good<br />
team.<br />
I imagine 2020 would have been different for you if it<br />
wasn't for that thing that happened. What was one of<br />
these things that you realized last year about<br />
yourself that changed your life? And what are you<br />
looking forward to this year?<br />
Yes 2020 should have gone very differently! We<br />
had a really good start with "Venus" and then were slowed<br />
down a bit by the pandemic. I used the time very<br />
intensively to think about how I can become even better as<br />
an artist. I tried out a lot of new things in the studio and<br />
am now trying to implement them even better in <strong>2021</strong>. You<br />
have a lot of time to optimise when you're not constantly<br />
on the road. Apart from that, I've learned that you just<br />
have to be strong and have patience! <strong>2021</strong> can only get<br />
better.
" Teamwork makes the dream work, this<br />
was always my motto and I love connecting<br />
with new people and making music together.<br />
There are so many talented people out there<br />
that I could never imagine doing something<br />
solo "
featureinterview<br />
__________________<br />
Words Thorsten Benders<br />
__________________________________<br />
Photography Courtesy Of Loek Gosen<br />
_____________________________<br />
Connect facebook.com/odiumhardcore<br />
Today we are having a gettogether with Dutch hardcore artist<br />
Loek Gosen better known as Odiom. He emerged on the<br />
hardcore scene in 2018. This powerhouse act has seen a<br />
momentous rise as newcomer in the world of harder styles. After<br />
kicking off his career at Hard Island Croatia 2018 he has been<br />
rockin’ one gig after another. Leading to his first release ’Kill’ on<br />
DJ Mad Dog’s imprint ‘Dogfight Records’. With 2019 seeing him<br />
play various festivals worldwide and making a name for himself.<br />
With 2020 being the year that Odium would become a real force<br />
to be reckoned with. But sadly 2020 being a tough year for most<br />
people in the music industry Odium took the time to produce<br />
some new tracks.<br />
With his newest track “The Weekend” he is ready to take on<br />
<strong>2021</strong>.
Hi Odium, thank you for taking your time for this<br />
interview. Congratulations on your newest release.<br />
Tell us about “The Weekend”. The track has a very<br />
nice vocal. Why this title? And tell us a bit more<br />
about this track. How did you came up with it?<br />
Thank you! Well I made the first version +- 1.5<br />
years ago but I never took the time to finish it. At the<br />
moment there are a lot of countries facing a lockdown due<br />
to the Covid situation. So I think a lot of people could use<br />
some more happiness in their life. The track has some<br />
serious happy vibes, so that’s why I decided to finish and<br />
release it now. This is my personal way of sharing love and<br />
happiness with the world.<br />
So did you work around the vocal with your melody<br />
or did you start with the melody then adding a vocal?<br />
And what is the message you to put out with this<br />
track?<br />
I started with the melody and the instrumental<br />
arrangement. After that I started look for a fitting vocal. I<br />
think it turned out to be a great combination.<br />
For me ‘The Weekend' is a real mood booster.<br />
While studying, working out or even if you are just chilling.<br />
It fits every moment of your day. These sad times ask for<br />
music that brings a high level of happiness right from the<br />
moment you press play. The cover art and videoclip<br />
contain a clear dividing line, showing the current lockdown<br />
vibes opposite to the happy weekend vibes and the fond<br />
memories you would normally share with friends and<br />
family.<br />
Let's back up a bit. You have played quiet some<br />
events. Most notably were your shows in the United<br />
State and Australia, how did that happen? Are those<br />
the one you're most proud of and do you think it<br />
gave your career a tremendous boost? Or does that<br />
credit go to another event?<br />
I was in contact with them for a while but we still<br />
had to find some dates that worked for both of us. In the<br />
end it worked out really well. Those shows were the first 3<br />
shows of my “#WORLDWIDEDOMINATION World Tour”. I<br />
think all my shows together really boosted my international<br />
credibility.<br />
Last year should have been a real stepping stone for<br />
you but that sadly fell through. How did you cope<br />
with that loss? And how do you think this year will<br />
go for you?<br />
Well, I just made a lot of music and I accepted the<br />
loss really quick. I never look back and I just keep pushing<br />
the Odium brand.<br />
Explain how you came up with the name Odium?<br />
My first tracks had a really dark vibe, since Odium<br />
means hate it sounded like a perfect fit back then.<br />
If you are not listening to hardcore. What other<br />
genres you prefer listening to and do you might<br />
consider producing tracks in that genre?<br />
I am not listening to hardcore that often, mostly<br />
trance or EDM. Well at the moment not, but i try to include<br />
all those elements i hear on a daily base in my tracks.<br />
What festival did you regret not playing last year<br />
despite being booked? And what festival would you<br />
really like to play this year?<br />
The Harmony Of Hardcore Mainstage for sure. Not<br />
a festival in particular, but I hope to play at every event<br />
that I am being booked on.<br />
Any other news you want to share with us?<br />
A message to my fans; Thanks for the ongoing support and<br />
stay positive! See you soon!<br />
ESSENTIALDANCEMUSIC 27
featureinterview<br />
________________<br />
Words Paul Hawcroft<br />
_________________________<br />
Photography Andy Cawley<br />
_____________________________<br />
Connect facebook.com/djwillatkinson<br />
While others are restrained by genre association Will Atkinson runs free,<br />
refusing to conform or be pigeon holed.<br />
Is he tech, trance, techno, electronica, progressive, experimental.....?<br />
He is all of them – and so much more.<br />
And it’s this ambidextrous talent that has been the driving force behind Will’s vast<br />
appeal and subsequent ever-growing army of passionate fans the world over.<br />
The video for his recent single “Pat Butcher” (Beatport number 1 for 3 weeks)<br />
generated 1.6 million views in 48 hours – so to say this exciting young uber<br />
talent is on fire right now, would be something of an understatement.<br />
Will Atkinson is an entity that congers up futuristic soundscapes for the jilted<br />
generation. Responsible for over 100 BBC Radio 1 airplays and 6 Beatport<br />
number 1s the kid that began mixing records at the age of 7 has certainly come<br />
of age.<br />
It’s no wonder therefore that with this level of hype that the BBC have now<br />
asked Will to join their illustrious Radio 1 line up, as one of their new residents<br />
presenting a series of monthly shows that kick off in July of this year.<br />
Will’s discography is quite simply a long list of hit records. “Pat Butcher”, “Victims”,<br />
“Numb The Pain”, “Subconscious”, “Mesmerize” (ft Rowetta from The Happy<br />
Mondays), “The Gamer Changer”, “Fresh Meat”....... all genre defining, chart<br />
topping, iconic titles that set the bar uncomfortably high for Will’s peers to try and<br />
follow. Having released on all of the scene’s coolest labels including Subculture,<br />
Kearnage, FSOE, Spinnin’, Armada, Perfecto Fluoro and Vandit - the demand for<br />
Will’s production skills is truly rampant.<br />
His tour schedule reads like a catalogue of the coolest festivals and clubs in the<br />
world with a residency at Cream Ibiza 2016 and regular peak time slots at EDC<br />
Vegas, EDC Mexico, Dreamstate all over the US, Beyond Wonderland,<br />
Creamfields, Luminosity, BAT Buenos Aires, Subculture Australia, Earthcore,<br />
ASOT and many more. Today Will joins the elite VII collective to launch a brand<br />
new record label that promises to push the boundaries of cutting edge<br />
electronic insanity. His monthly Mainline Radio show is fast becoming a<br />
soundcloud sensation with tens of thousands of loyal listeners tuning in each<br />
month to hear what’s hot in Will’s world.....<br />
Fresh from delivering the blistering ‘Last King Of Scotland’, producer and all<br />
round all-star Will Atkinson is currently sat in quarantine in Australia before<br />
letting loose on a monster set of gigs.<br />
I took the time to interview him to get his thoughts on the music scene and<br />
various occurrences in the world!
" DJs like Judge<br />
Jules and Fergie<br />
shaped my<br />
childhood. They<br />
kickstarted my<br />
obsession. And<br />
they continue to<br />
shape me into the<br />
producer/artist I<br />
am today. They’re<br />
my heroes and<br />
always will be "
Firstly I’d like to congratulate you on<br />
the Album, truly stunning! It’s been<br />
on repeat since the release. Why<br />
do you think the album happened<br />
at this stage in your career? Is it just<br />
because of the current situation and<br />
having more alone time?<br />
I always realised a debut album as an eventuality.<br />
But I’ve been quite apprehensive of putting it out in any<br />
form until I knew the music I was making couldn’t be<br />
produced to a higher standard personally. Of course there’s<br />
always room for improvement but I’m the happiest I’ve<br />
ever been with my sound. I’m making the music I love and<br />
it sounds exactly how I envision inside my head. It’s about<br />
perfecting. The time to release something as intimate as an<br />
album is when you’ve achieved a level where you wouldn’t<br />
want to change a thing. I’ve reached that point and the<br />
time is now. In my eyes and ears, there’s nothing more I<br />
can add to describe my story, my vision and where I’m<br />
going. Having the time off gigs has allowed me the time to<br />
reach this level of perfection. I just wouldn’t get that<br />
privilege only working 3 day weeks then sitting on planes in<br />
between. So it’s been bittersweet and strangely integral to<br />
the completion of this record.<br />
You’re known for your high energy<br />
trance sound, the album though is a<br />
pleasant mixture of styles. Was this<br />
something you planned from the<br />
offset when starting the album, or<br />
did it just seem to flow that way?<br />
The flow of the album really changed when my gig<br />
diary effectively fell through its arse. For months we kept<br />
putting the release date back. First it was March. Then<br />
May. Then September - in the hope that normal life would<br />
resume by then - we would be raving again. In the end, me<br />
and my team came to a realisation. This had to come out in<br />
2020 - with or without gigs. I don’t know where my sounds<br />
going next year but I don’t think this will be an accurate<br />
depiction of it in 12 months. So the landscape changed. It<br />
went from a dance floor driven album and morphed into<br />
more a journey you could appreciate out running, driving or<br />
sitting in your house. Because that’s the only way this<br />
album will be consumed now sadly. Don’t get me wrong,<br />
it’s intense, highly energetic and some tracks will make you<br />
want to unplug your microwave and throw through your<br />
neighbours window - don’t try that - but I’m not sure<br />
getting your fringe lifted off when you’re halfway up a<br />
mountain really works. It’s suited to its environment and<br />
the absolute skull crushers that I lifted off the album – let’s<br />
just say their time will come.<br />
When growing up, what were your<br />
first musical influences and how old<br />
were you?<br />
DJs like Judge Jules and Fergie shaped my<br />
childhood. They kickstarted my obsession. And they<br />
continue to shape me into the producer/artist I am<br />
today. They’re my heroes and always will be.<br />
When did you first venture into the<br />
realms of electronic music?<br />
I was probably 8 years old when I became truly<br />
obsessed - addicted to the sound of the beat. My mum put<br />
me onto Judge Jules’ BBC Radio 1 show and we listened to<br />
it when we were driving to see family. He played Paul<br />
Johnson - Get Get Down and it just rocked my jukebox.<br />
That was me. Checkmate. 1 week later I was in Woolworths<br />
trying to describe the track to the poor check lady - in<br />
Orkney in the late 90s, people didn’t even know what<br />
Dance Music was. It was Dolly Parton or AC/DC. Not that I<br />
have anything against them. But there’s me trying to<br />
describe the sound of this balearic pumping house record<br />
and she’s staring at me like I’ve tried to order 10 tonne of<br />
Scooby snacks. Anyway, perseverance is key and 20<br />
minutes later I was the proud owner of my first cassette<br />
tape. And the beginning of my collection. I must have been<br />
about 8.
I have a couple of favourites on the<br />
album in Telescope (nice classic vibe<br />
to it) and Unspoken Words (very<br />
deep). Which is your favourite and<br />
why?<br />
They’re all my babies. I just can’t pick one. If I had a<br />
gun pointed to my head, I think I’d choose Kismet Energy.<br />
The track just seemed to write it self. It came in the form of a<br />
dream. And the way the track came to together - so many<br />
synchronicities. For dreaming up the melody, to my girlfriend<br />
thinking she recognised it on my first playing it to her. Like it<br />
had been made in a parallel universe - back to the future<br />
almost. A lost sound totally revamped and modernised but still<br />
reeking of nostalgia. It’s hard to explain. But it’s a really<br />
special one.<br />
What was it like growing up in<br />
Scotland, and how did the scene<br />
make you the artist you are today?<br />
I grew up in Orkney, then moved south when I<br />
turned 18. Flew the nest as such. Before then, I was playing<br />
in fields, building rafts, sheds, and taping BBC Radio One<br />
dance parties on a Sony Radio Cassette. Then I moved to<br />
Greenock. Took a course in Sound Engineering. Got my HND<br />
then left the course halfway in. Then 2010 happened. A<br />
fucking whirlwind 10 months. Moving to Glasgow. Nightclubs.<br />
Flat parties. Talking to strangers in grungy units on the<br />
outskirts of the city centre. Then there was Sub Club and<br />
eventually, my baptism into The Arches. Long nights turning<br />
into longer days. Out every weekend. Usually Thursday to<br />
Sunday. A million memories made, forgotten. Me and my<br />
mate subsequently being evicted from my first flat. Losing<br />
friends around me. Making mistakes. Yet gripped and<br />
immersed into a culture. It tuned me, and shaped me into the<br />
producer I am today. Orkney galvanised my sound, Glasgow<br />
vandalised it.<br />
You've been lucky enough to work<br />
with some of the best there is, on the<br />
album alone you have Paul Van Dyk<br />
and Jess to name a few.... Who would<br />
you love to work with who you<br />
haven't already had the pleasure?<br />
I’d love to team up with James Holden on something.<br />
Junkie XL would be another one. I’m still learning my craft<br />
though and for me, a collaboration needs to be equal. A<br />
marriage of two sounds that compliment each other and grow<br />
into something even more special. It can’t be one sided. I’m<br />
not sure what I’d bring to their sounds currently. So<br />
realistically, I think me and Darren Tate could create<br />
something pretty special. HIs sound has always been a<br />
massive inspiration on me and still is.<br />
Any tips for the aspiring artists out<br />
there?<br />
there.<br />
Innovate. Don’t replicate! Too many copycats out<br />
What’s been the standout moment<br />
from your career so far or is this album<br />
it?<br />
I suppose I’ve been blessed with a few moments.<br />
This album being one. But probably signing with BBC Radio 1<br />
and producing my own show for 18 months - one of the<br />
longest residencies since they started the concept. Following<br />
in the footsteps of my heroes - Judge Jules and Fergie.<br />
Realising the original actual dream. Where do you go after<br />
that?<br />
Now for the nerdy tech question, as a<br />
producer myself we have our go too<br />
synths and tools... What are yours?<br />
If I tense hard enough, my nose pops and it creates<br />
a lush sustained whine.<br />
What are your plans for <strong>2021</strong>? and<br />
what is left on your bucket list to do?<br />
Hopefully take this album on the road. And bring it<br />
into it’s natural habitat! Alongside that, establish my label<br />
Victims Helpline as one of the most twisted labels in Electronic<br />
music. The take that zoo on the road. It’s happening.<br />
Thanks for taking the time to speak to<br />
us here at <strong>Zone</strong>, congrats on the<br />
album you should be a very proud<br />
indeed!<br />
Much of the gracias! Thanks for the support and see<br />
you out there......<br />
‘Will Atkinson’s album ‘The Last King of<br />
Scotland’ is Out Now on Black Hole<br />
Recordings. Get it here: https://<br />
will.complete.me/lastkingofscotland
AVAILABLE NOW<br />
SAMER SOLTAN<br />
INFINITE SPACE<br />
FEAT. REMIX BY<br />
INTEGRAL BREAD
O U T N O W
OUT NOW
featureinterview<br />
_________________<br />
Words Anthony Piercy<br />
________________________<br />
Photography Christian Lawson<br />
______________________________<br />
Connect facebook.com/paulsawyerofficial<br />
With a string of releases to his name, Paul Sawyer is no<br />
stranger to the music world and has a back catalogue that<br />
consists of originals, and remixes on Pure Progressive, Black<br />
Hole Recordings, Armada, Toolroom, Steyoyoke, Dear Deer,<br />
Perfecto Black, ICONYC Music, OKO Recordings, Balkan<br />
Connection and his own Krafted Underground imprint.<br />
Having toured the World for several years, Paul has played at<br />
many key events including Ministry of Sound, Egg London,<br />
Cream, Renaissance, Bestival, Bedrock, Airpusher (USA), B’estfest<br />
and was cited by Mixmag as ‘a DJ to look out for’, as well as one<br />
of the UK’s top residents by DJ <strong>Magazine</strong>.<br />
His monthly show ‘Textures’ on DI.FM and Proton Radio has been<br />
running for over two years now, and he has a long list of guest<br />
appearances on shows including Mark Knight’s Toolroom Radio,<br />
Judge Jules Global Warm Up, Robbie Rivera’s Juicy Music Show,<br />
Paul Oakenfold’s Perfecto Radio and Solarstone’s Pure Trance<br />
Radio.<br />
Paul’s music continuously gains support from the a-list dj’s in<br />
many sets and radio shows, and continuously enters the<br />
Beatport chart with every release or remix he adds his stamp to.<br />
<strong>2021</strong> continues to be prosperous for Paul, with more releases on<br />
Pure Progressive, ICONYC Music, and Paul Oakenfold’s Perfecto<br />
Black label, as well as bringing his Krafted brand to a six month<br />
residency on BBC Radio 1.
" This is my first release on Paul<br />
Oakenfold’s main label, so I am extremely<br />
excited about this one. I’ve had some releases<br />
on their progressive label Perfecto Black, so to<br />
now have a release on the label that I have so<br />
many releases from way back as far as the early<br />
90’s, is just amazing! "
Hi thanks for joining us. What is<br />
your current mood and what was<br />
the last piece of music you listened<br />
to?<br />
Right now I’m pretty happy that things are<br />
starting to get back to normal. I organised a small party at<br />
home over the bank holiday weekend here in the UK for<br />
around 20 friends that ended up going on for 13hours and<br />
a few of us taking turns on the decks. My good friend Phil<br />
Thompson aka Moonface of Bedrock fame also played and<br />
as always kept everyone dancing for a good few hours! So<br />
you could say, I’m in a very good mood! ha<br />
Jules, Brandon Block etc. They were so approachable and<br />
helped me with advice on how to become a full time DJ.<br />
They all suggested I get a residency at a popular club, so<br />
that’s what I did. I came back to the UK and managed to<br />
land a residency in Bournemouth and also got invited to<br />
start up boat parties in Southampton, so that’s when<br />
Menage a Trois was born.<br />
Are there certain tracks or albums<br />
which profoundly influenced you?<br />
Yeah, the albums that I played a lot were Rendez<br />
Vous, Revolutions and Oxygene by Jean Michel Jarre. I hate<br />
to think how many times I’ve hear those albums<br />
What are your plans for the coming<br />
week?<br />
Recovering from the party! HAHA! I also race<br />
mountain bikes, so I’m off to race at Round 2 of the<br />
Southern Enduro series in Devon this coming weekend, so<br />
will be doing some training and looking forward to racing<br />
on Sunday.<br />
Talk to us about growing up and<br />
living in Hampshire, UK.<br />
I grew up with Music being a huge part of my life<br />
from a very early age. I started playing the Violin and Piano<br />
when I was at Primary School and was in lots of bands<br />
during my childhood.<br />
How would you describe the music<br />
you make and what do you want it<br />
to convey to the listener?<br />
My music sits between Trance and Progressive<br />
House. I would say that although I am always classed as a<br />
Progressive House producer, my music edges on the more<br />
uplifting side.<br />
It’s always been a battle for me to be honest as<br />
the real proggy dj’s tend to always say I’m too uplifting and<br />
I always get lots of plays from the more Trance based DJ’s.<br />
I have made and still make tracks that are not so uplifting,<br />
but my heart is with the uplifting side of Prog. I suppose<br />
my music has never really changed that much since the<br />
90’s, hence my productions being as they are today.<br />
I would spend hours listening top music and got<br />
into electronic music while at Secondary School.<br />
How has it affected your musical<br />
taste and the music you make?<br />
Hugely, as I was so heavily influenced by lots of<br />
bands/producers during my childhood. I loved Jean Michel<br />
Jarre and would play along to his tracks all the time.<br />
What music from your youth had the<br />
biggest effect on where you are<br />
today?<br />
As well as Jean Michel Jarre, I was in to the Pet<br />
Shop Boys and the Acid House era started when I was just<br />
in my last year at School, so had an impact on what I<br />
listened to. When I left School, it wasn’t long until I started<br />
going to a few clubs. Luckily you could get away with it a<br />
bit easier then being under 18!<br />
Your new Single ‘Reign’ is about to<br />
released on Perfecto Records you<br />
must be quite excited? Tell us about<br />
the release and how it showcases<br />
your individualities?<br />
This is my first release on Paul Oakenfold’s<br />
main label, so I am extremely excited about this one.<br />
I’ve had some releases on their progressive label<br />
Perfecto Black, so to now have a release on the label<br />
that I have so many releases from way back as far as<br />
the early 90’s, is just amazing! Reign is out 18th June<br />
and is exactly the music I love. Full on peak time and<br />
uplifting. I just can’t wait to hear this included in some sets<br />
in the coming months.<br />
Once I left University I went full on into DJ’ing and<br />
managed to get to play in Ibiza in 1993 where I got to<br />
meet so many well known DJ’s such as Carl Cox, Judge
Was there anything that inspired<br />
these tracks?<br />
Yes, Reign was influenced by the English<br />
monarchy back from Elizabeth I time. I was spending time<br />
learning about that period as I was interested in the<br />
relationship between Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I.<br />
Two very powerful women.<br />
So my track was about that battle between them<br />
trying to outwit each other for the ultimate Reign over both<br />
Countries. So I wanted the track to be powerful enough to<br />
really make you want to get up and dance.<br />
Where does your inspiration come<br />
from generally?<br />
I’ve always taken inspiration from other music. I<br />
listen to music constantly all day, every day. Whether its<br />
for our label, for my sets or to find ideas. All producers<br />
must do it, they hear a sound or an idea and think about<br />
how they would use it or improve it.<br />
You just had a release with<br />
Movement Recordings, a very well<br />
established progressive label, tell us<br />
a bit about that?<br />
Yes that’s right, it’s my debut EP with Movement. I<br />
met Tash, the boss of Movement at ADE a few years ago<br />
and he’s a great guy. I love their brand, always have done<br />
and have played lots of their releases. So I sent them ‘Sky<br />
and Venice’ around 18monnths ago and they snapped it up.<br />
It’s much more deep progressive, so I was really pleased<br />
when they took it. It’s also got some fantastic remixes from<br />
Lemon 8 and Amol Reon & Volkan Erman. It’s out now on<br />
all stores and has gained lots of great support already from<br />
a good number of DJ’s from it’s promo.<br />
Any other releases coming up that<br />
we should look out for?<br />
I’ve got an Organic House release called Sojourn<br />
coming out in September on Lee Burridge’s label TRyBESof.<br />
Really good to be on Lee’s label, I love his music and his<br />
brand, so cool.<br />
What is it that makes the label such<br />
a good home for your music?<br />
As with any label, you have a sound that fits and<br />
you want the music to be something you would play in your<br />
own sets. That’s so important when we listen to the demos<br />
we receive.<br />
I’ve got a couple of my own releases coming out<br />
later this year. The third in a series of releases that I have<br />
made with Jan Johnston called Right Place, Right Time that<br />
will also come with a remix from Danny Stubbs. He’s such a<br />
great producer, so I think his remix will be very popular.<br />
I’ve also got a track called The Wave coming out that<br />
features a young Italian singer called Laura Welle. She<br />
sounds AMAZING!!! I’m so excited about this release. It<br />
also features remixes from Spada and Forerunners.<br />
ESSENTIALDANCEMUSIC 23
What does your set-up like? Do you<br />
favor physical gear over<br />
digital? And what studio tools<br />
featured heavily in the writing<br />
Music?<br />
To be honest I prefer digital. I has some great<br />
hardware, but I always find I still turn to my VST’s every<br />
time I work on a track. The VST I use the most is Sylenth,<br />
it’s been my go to synth for years!<br />
Your remixes always sound quite<br />
original and not like a bootleg<br />
version of the original which can<br />
often happen. Is this something you<br />
are conscience of when working on<br />
a remix?<br />
I think that the remix should try and reflect the<br />
original music that you release in its style. So I always try<br />
and use similar drums and sounds so that they are<br />
recognisable within the remix. I tend to be more full on<br />
with the remix than the original, which comes back to your<br />
previous question about what I make. I want the music to<br />
be what I would play, otherwise it’s a waste of time.<br />
Tell us about your release<br />
of Sunscreem - Perfect Motion.<br />
Are you Always trying to create<br />
something which is relatable to the<br />
original but also stands on its own<br />
creatively?<br />
That was such an amazing opportunity to be<br />
honest. Sunscreem have been one of my all time favourite<br />
bands for years, so when I got the chance to rework<br />
Perfect Motion and work alongside Paul and Lucia, it was<br />
just unreal. They are lovely people and it also reminds me<br />
that I need to chase them up for a remix for Right Place,<br />
Right Time lol<br />
How have you been dealing with<br />
COVID-19? How has it affected your<br />
daily life, music production and<br />
overall inspiration to write new<br />
music?<br />
Madly, the pandemic has been an opportunity for<br />
us to grow as a brand. We got asked to present the Wind<br />
Down show on BBC Radio 1, so we have been<br />
concentrating on that for the last 8 months. The last show<br />
is on Saturday 26th June, which features my Krafted<br />
partner Simon Sinfield and I.<br />
We brought on board some of the producers that<br />
have featured on Krafted including Moonface, Lorrainne and<br />
Ntsha. Was so good to be able to showcase our artists and<br />
the releases each month.<br />
In terms of my daily life, I’ve been lucky that I<br />
could carry on working ok, but I really missed socialising.<br />
That’s the biggest thing for me during the whole<br />
experience. So glad that we can finally start meeting up<br />
with friends and family again.<br />
Tell us about your BBC residency.<br />
It’s been hard work. You think it’s just an hour<br />
show each month, but it’s been unreal how much work<br />
goes into it to be honest. All well worth the time and effort<br />
though.<br />
We have been licensing all the music from each<br />
show to release as a compilation album called Krafted: Re-<br />
Wind and add the mixed version to streaming sites like<br />
Spotify etc. It’s certainly also opened many doors within<br />
the industry as a result too. We’ve been dealing with some<br />
huge brands such as Anjuna, Universal Music, Colorize etc.<br />
It’s an experience that we will never forget and look<br />
forward to doing again.<br />
Are you going to return to<br />
organising the Krafted streams that<br />
you used to put together before the<br />
pandemic? We noticed that you<br />
stopped as Covid hit whilst so many<br />
started doing them.<br />
Yeah, we took the decision to stop doing them as<br />
the market was saturated. We also wanted to focus on our<br />
Radio 1 residency. We always knew we’d do it again and<br />
we have recently renewed our partnership with Denon DJ<br />
to start filming again using their products.<br />
So our first stream is planned for filming on<br />
3rd July featuring Lorrainne, but we’re just debating<br />
whether she will make it with all the travel restrictions still<br />
changing. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that she<br />
makes it over from Spain. If not fo this one, then we will do<br />
another with her.<br />
So what about you Paul, will we be<br />
able to see you performing at<br />
events again?<br />
Absolutely, I love DJ’ing, so I look forward to<br />
playing at some great events again sometime soon!
featureinterview<br />
_________________<br />
Words Paul Newhouse<br />
____________________<br />
Photography Steffen Matt<br />
______________________________<br />
Connet goout.net/en/der-wurfler/pzlfyxf<br />
Peter Michael Strube aka DER WÜRFLER was born in Berlin in<br />
1960. At the age of 13 he was playing house parties after school<br />
with a DUAL turntable and SABA tape machine!<br />
In 1975 at the age of 15 he got his first fee for DJ'jing at a gay club,<br />
Berlin Kreuzberg, and that was it, he was hooked!<br />
Between then and now he has played in hundreds of club<br />
nights, and clubs, magazines, radio stations, live streems, TV<br />
stations, and books, the list is endless! He has even been a<br />
dancer in clubs, and many film extras.<br />
His music styles, have been varied and wide over the years;<br />
In the 70’s: Soul – Funk – Electro - Disco. In the 80’s: Disco - High<br />
Energy – New Wave – Electro – New Beat - House – Acid. In the<br />
90’s: Acid – House Trance – Techno – Hardcore – Break-Beat –<br />
Jungle – Drum & Bass – Rave - Hard -Trance. In the 2000’s -<br />
2010: Minimal – Deep House – Electro - Techno. In the 2010’s -<br />
<strong>2021</strong>: Minimal – Deep House – Electro – Acid - Techno –<br />
Hardtechno - Techno - Rave.<br />
At the beginning of 1991, DJ Zappa and <strong>Der</strong> Wurfler turned Club<br />
WALFISCH into the most infamous Afterhour Club in Berlin.<br />
Running from Friday to Monday, every weekend, a normal time<br />
for clubbers in Berlin in the 90's!<br />
Today he is resident at Kit Kat, Disco Bizarre, Raumvier, Void,<br />
and EXT.<br />
There is so much to this man I cant wait to hear more, lets go!
Who is Peter .... professionally and<br />
personally?<br />
I was born in Berlin in 1960, I have 7 sisters, so I<br />
grew up only among women. My father left our home early.<br />
My sisters were all big Beatles fans. I was a James Brown<br />
fan. I was more interested in the rolling grooves of J.B..<br />
When I was 14 I moved out of home into a shared flat in<br />
Kreuzberg. At the moment I still live in Kreuzberg.<br />
In 1974, I began an apprenticeship as a building<br />
fitter. But I never worked in that job. I went into the<br />
printing business. I worked there for 15 years. After that I<br />
carried on a job in graphic design and interior design.<br />
Even in school and at house parties I was spinning<br />
records at the age of 13, with a DUAL turntable and SABA<br />
tape machine. 1975 first fee for DK'ing in a gay club,<br />
Berlin-Kreuzberg. Today I am resident at Kit Kat, Disco<br />
Bizarre, Raumvier, Void, EXT.<br />
You are a well-known DJ from the<br />
club scene in Berlin in the '90s,<br />
especially from the Walfish<br />
nightclub, what do you think the<br />
difference is now to back then?<br />
I am Berlin's longest serving DJ, since 1975 I have<br />
been playing music in clubs, large discos, and open airs. In<br />
the 90s at several Underground Clubs like UFO#1, UFO#2,<br />
Club 90°, Walfisch, Bunker*, Tresor/ Globus, Planet,<br />
Quartier, Turbine, Exit, Heaven, Unity Bath, E-WERK, Kit<br />
Kat Club* and much more. I get booked to the appropriate<br />
events. At the beginning of the 90s the demand was very<br />
high, there were not yet so many DJs. I put on music from<br />
Monday to Monday from night to day from day to night.<br />
At the beginning of 1991, DJ Zappa and I turned<br />
Club WALFISCH into the Afterhour Club. The weekends<br />
looked like this with me: Friday night from 11 on at the<br />
Club 90°, then from 5 in saturday morning until 4 in the<br />
afternoon at the Walfisch. Saturday evening from 11 until 5<br />
at the Bunker, after that straight tot he Walfisch from 6<br />
morning until 4 in the evening. Then from 7 sunday<br />
evening to the Quartier (Gay T Dance), after that from 11<br />
at the Club 90° until monday noon. A completely normal<br />
weekend for me in the 90s.<br />
Where to DJ at the moment, how the music was going, in<br />
what directions.<br />
There was also a kind of big hunt for records.<br />
In this day and age, everyone is on their own and<br />
searching the internet for new digital music tracks.<br />
The variety of music tracks have increased enormously.<br />
The digital age allows fast downloads, no matter where you<br />
are. The DJ or DJane turn knobs, the digital devices take<br />
control. The age of mobile devices has arrived.<br />
There aren’t as many bookings as there were in<br />
the 90s, the club density has decreased. To give techno<br />
music the right setting, in the early 90s we were looking for<br />
old hangars, bunkers, decaying factories, it was an<br />
underground movement. It's a shame that the underground<br />
clubs that once existed in the 90s have disappeared.<br />
Through Corona, clubs today are focused on other things,<br />
having good internet access for livestream for example.<br />
The DJane or DJ is broadcasted to the living rooms or<br />
mobiles via Digital Global. Today we don't depend on fixed<br />
clubs to listen to techno music. The disadvantage is that we<br />
can no longer party together, which we clearly prefer to do.<br />
We miss verbal exchange a lot.<br />
What other clubs have you and do<br />
you play in?<br />
At the end of the 80s Acid – Techno appeared. I<br />
was looking together with my many friends for<br />
opportunities to play this music outside the normal dusty<br />
old Berlin disco clubs. We played music in bunkers,<br />
hangars, factories, demolition houses, and on boats. Little<br />
by little some of them became legal techno clubs and I<br />
started playing in them. E.G.: UFO Club#1 - UFO Club#2 -<br />
Club 90° - Walfisch - Bunker -Tresor/ Globus - Planet -<br />
Quartier - E-Werk, Kit Kat Club.<br />
Beginning of 2000 in the Matrix Club Berlin, four<br />
live drummers joined my DJ set, the DRUM CONNECTION.<br />
They drummed to my set. The synthetic sound was<br />
accompanied by natural drum sound.<br />
Today I still play at RAUMVIER - Disco Bizarre at<br />
Kat Club - Club Christa, Weißer Hasen Club, Void Club at<br />
EXT, radio shows and more. More and more techno<br />
Classic events take place, like the Walfisch Revival Party,<br />
Tekknozid Parties, Bunker Revival and Return of the<br />
Hardcore. What I also enjoy a lot to put on old good house,<br />
acid, techno records.<br />
The Bunker was the hardest techno club in the<br />
world. In the courtyard there was a barrack, in which the<br />
ROT KREUZ Club was located. The first KIT KAT parties<br />
took place in the ROT KREUZ Club, which I later continued<br />
as a DJ in the TURBINE. Today the KIT KAT Club is in the<br />
former Walfisch Club. Where I still play a lot of music<br />
today.<br />
It's a fine art to DJ with vinyl. As a DJ in the 90s,<br />
you spent a lot of time in record stores to get good records.<br />
In the record store you met other DJs, exchanged opinions<br />
about music style and direction.
" The Bunker was the hardest<br />
techno club in the world. In the<br />
courtyard there was a barrack, in<br />
which the ROT KREUZ Club was<br />
located. The first KIT KAT parties<br />
took place in the ROT KREUZ Club,<br />
which I later continued as a DJ in<br />
the TURBINE. Today the KIT KAT<br />
Club is in the former Walfisch Club.<br />
Where I still play a lot of music<br />
today "<br />
ESSENTIALDANCEMUSIC 29
Have you released any<br />
productions?<br />
1. Malaria Records: Jumble Versus <strong>Der</strong> <strong>Würfler</strong><br />
Magic Trick Pack: Groovy Beat: Sometime, Somewhere.<br />
2. My Sound Is The Championsound: <strong>Der</strong> <strong>Würfler</strong>,<br />
Traumpool Jumble, Cathryn DuPont:<br />
Cosmopolitican and Funny Bone.<br />
3. BRB ALLSTARS (Compilation Volume 10) Various-Artist:<br />
<strong>Der</strong> <strong>Würfler</strong>: Epona<br />
What do you do when you have<br />
spare time?<br />
I like swimming very much, inline skating and<br />
cycling. I walk a lot in the forest to relieve my ears. I like<br />
cooking and meeting my friends.<br />
Tell us your experience of the<br />
young English / Irish and Scottish<br />
that descended on Berlin in the '90s.<br />
I was born in Berlin-West in 1960. I was used to a<br />
divided city. There was the East and the West. The GDR<br />
and the GFR. The Western Part of Germany was divided in<br />
3 sections, the English, Americans and the French section.<br />
The East part were the Russians. In Berlin we had all three<br />
of them combined. In West Berlin there were many discos<br />
where the soldiers went to. And that’s where I met all the<br />
soldiers, in the Berlin Clubs.<br />
When they met among themselves, there were many fights<br />
in clubs or in front of the clubs. Then the military police<br />
came and cleaned up.<br />
What drew me to these discos at a very early age was the<br />
music they listened to and the dances they danced. One<br />
disco in Berlin West was the Early Bird – situated behind<br />
Zoologischer Garten-Station. There were up to 90 English,<br />
Irish and Scottish soldiers with whom I had a lot of contact.<br />
Unfortunately they left in the early 90s after the fall of the<br />
Berlin Wall.<br />
Some of them later came back to Berlin privately<br />
for techno parties. So we were able to see each other<br />
again. It was very nice for my English, Irish and Scottish<br />
friends to be able to be there as the techno scene<br />
developed here in East Berlin after the fall of the Wall. West<br />
Berlin was no longer in demand, everything in the East was<br />
as well broken as it was after the war. Decaying factories,<br />
empty hangars and bunkers. A coming together of West<br />
and East, with the Allies in the middle. It was all so<br />
beautifully peaceful. Today, many still come to Berlin to<br />
celebrate oldschool parties. At the Walfisch, Tekknozid,<br />
Bunker parties.<br />
records. That's why I don't like it so much.<br />
Today we have more possibilities with these mp3s. But I<br />
stay with vinyl, although they are more expensive and<br />
harder to transport.<br />
Small clubs, festivals, super clubs or<br />
House parties? And why?<br />
For me, everything has its appeal. But it's the<br />
small clubs that are very close to my heart. Where you're<br />
very close to the audience, where I meet a lot of old and<br />
new friends.<br />
At big festivals you disappear backstage, go on<br />
stage, do your set and then you're gone again.<br />
It's all very impersonal. It's the same in super clubs or like<br />
at the Love Parade - Berlin.<br />
Everything has its charm and is nice, but in small<br />
clubs you are like at home with your family. The club is like<br />
your living room. I used to DJ a lot at house parties in the<br />
80s and 90s.<br />
Who was your favorite DJ back in<br />
the '90s and who do you like now?<br />
and Why?<br />
At the end of the 80s - beginning of the 90s - we<br />
were five or six techno DJs in Berlin. I liked one in<br />
particular: DJ Jonzon. I always liked to DJ with him, also<br />
with DJ Tanith. Robert Hood is my favorite, I also know him<br />
personally. In the early 90s he was at my house, working<br />
at my turntables, getting ready for the TRESOR and the E-<br />
WERK. He has something I like a lot about him. He can<br />
combine soul or disco well with techno. Which you can also<br />
hear well in his productions. Even today I like to buy his<br />
latest productions. I used to live with a good friend of<br />
mine, she did the booking for many DJs from the USA and<br />
England. Because of that I personally know many DJs who<br />
worked at my turntables or had slept at our place. Today I<br />
work a lot with DJ Tanith, we put on very fast and hard<br />
music.<br />
House - Trance or Techno? And<br />
why?<br />
I'm a DJ from the 70s/80s, where you didn't play<br />
only one music direction in the evening. I'm still interested<br />
in good music, whether acid, deep house, hard techno,<br />
techno, trance, rave, drum & bass or even disco again. I<br />
have bookings in all directions. They know that I play very<br />
versatile music. Different music brings different people<br />
together. That's also what makes it so appealing.<br />
Vinyl, CDs or Digital? And why?<br />
I love to put on vinyl, adjust the speed, play it<br />
beat in beat. With CDs I realized that's not my subject<br />
matter, also with MP3s I don't have as much to do as with
You are stranded on a desert island,<br />
and you have 5 tracks to listen to for<br />
the rest of your days, what are they<br />
and why?<br />
1. James Brown, I love his groove.<br />
2. Marvin Gaye, I love his voice.<br />
3. Ludwig van Beethoven, the 5th symphony. Divine<br />
sounds.<br />
4. JONNY L 'PIPER' (GROOVERIDER REMIX) The steamrolling<br />
drums just keep on coming.<br />
5. Jeff Mills „The Bells“, Detroit Techno – a must.<br />
Something should really be ringing on that island.<br />
What are your best memories of the<br />
90's?<br />
I had the great fortune to witness the fall of the<br />
Berlin Wall. The East and West youth came together and<br />
celebrated in wacky locations. This underground<br />
movement, this good mood in Berlin. Many former young<br />
soldiers from England, Ireland and Scotland celebrated this<br />
historic event together with us. Former young soldiers<br />
became good friends. Is there anything better? And of<br />
course the first Love Parades in Berlin.<br />
And worst memories?<br />
Yes... I have had very bad memories! At the<br />
beginning of the 80s AIDS appeared on the scene. Many of<br />
my friends from the Disco and New Wave times died;<br />
almost all of them. It lasted until the beginning of the 90s.<br />
Only then did new, more effective drugs come on the<br />
market. These helped to push back the death rate. The loss<br />
of these friends is irreparable.<br />
What does the future look like for<br />
the scene and the DJ?<br />
From anywhere in the world you can log into<br />
virtual clubs. Today, because of Corona, livestreams have<br />
spread very quickly around the world. But it will not replace<br />
the contact with another person, because we need physical<br />
contact to other people. We also want to get love, it is very<br />
important. A DJ is also happy when he gets recognition. By<br />
recognition he realizes if the work he does is right or<br />
wrong.<br />
Compact stand alone systems will take hold. DJs<br />
will bring beatboxes into their sets via MIDI clock. Plus<br />
video sync, livestream, 3D environment. The DJ will create<br />
his sets in his own virtual worlds. Electronic - non stop,<br />
music - non stop.<br />
Last words?<br />
" Music does not stand still.<br />
Carry it into the world and take<br />
the good old with you on your<br />
way. Make new friends, take good<br />
care of old friends"<br />
- Peter Michael Strube
OUT NOW<br />
ON<br />
NUTTY<br />
TRAXX
featurearticle<br />
_________________<br />
Words Anthony Piercy<br />
_________________________________<br />
Connect https://www.djs-inbox.com/<br />
Welcome to DJsInbox…<br />
Your musical inbox devoted to promoting the electronic music industry reporting<br />
on releases, DJ mixes, internet and social media live broadcasts as well as<br />
showcasing some of today’s leading and upcoming artists and labels.<br />
DJsInbox is an informational/promotional website dedicated to supporting and<br />
promoting music, artists (and djs) and labels as well as gear and venues that allow<br />
us all to share amazing experiences listening to and supporting music. We<br />
actually got our start back in early 2000. The initial startup process was slow and<br />
somewhat difficult breaking down barriers for a freshman brand but after a couple<br />
years securing our footing, we started to make a name for ourselves. As things<br />
began to develop, we caught a notable break and made contact with djs, artists<br />
and labels who were on board to help us host our own first annual Winter Music<br />
Conference parties which then continued on for several consecutive years.<br />
Once things began to formally take shape, we made initial contact with Proton<br />
Radio during the early years of their long fulfilling endeavor and were invited to<br />
start our own bi-weekly show titled DJsInbox presents Solid Sounds. Proton were<br />
extremely supportive in the beginning and continue remain so today. The show<br />
began bringing in guests such as Chris Cargo, Satoshi Tomiie, Quivver, Parks and<br />
Wilson, Nic Fanciulli, Marcello Castelli, Rick Pier O’Neil, Chris Fortier, Steve Parry,<br />
Hernan Cerbello, Chus, Starkillers, DJ Samer, Bill Hamel, Kasey Taylor, and many<br />
many more.<br />
DJsInbox also featured a similar sizable list of talented artists, djs and labels<br />
throughout the years and made some everlasting memories and relationships<br />
with great people within the industry. Our viewing support extended well into 30<br />
plus countries which gave us the confidence to continue.<br />
Fast forward about a decade and we are making our re-debut (in 2020) in a time<br />
where things have changed tremendously and are continuing to change in<br />
different ways. The primary focus for DJsInbox has not changed and we make it<br />
our mission to support existing talent while helping push the new breed further<br />
into the spotlight as much as we possibly can.<br />
Today’s artists, music and the industry as a whole has signed on the dotted line<br />
continuing to move forward fully embracing the digital movement and we look<br />
forward to being a part of the forward thinking and hope we can provide a<br />
service supporting role to those who seek out success.
Tell us a bit about yourself,<br />
Karlos: Hi, my name is Karl Williams (Karlos) and I am a<br />
Director and resident DJ for AATM Radio, resident DJ at<br />
Saturo Sounds, Transmission Lost and DJs Inbox. I have<br />
been with the DJs Inbox team for about 6 months now and<br />
after winning the mix of the year competition in 2020 with<br />
DJs Inbox I was honored to be asked to join the crew. I<br />
have been DJing for circa 27 years and like many of the of<br />
the candidates on our Embark program I struggled getting<br />
any traction with my DJ career. With everything going on<br />
over the last year or so I thought I would take a leap of<br />
faith and eventually entered and successfully competed in a<br />
number of competitions, which has given me more of a<br />
platform to enter the industry in a more professional<br />
capacity. My DJs Inbox residency has allowed me the<br />
opportunity to do charts, features, track reviews and<br />
interviews for the likes of Mango Alley, Movement<br />
Recordings, Droid9 and Balkan Connection with the latest<br />
being Brent Lawson’s N.O.R. EP. I have also done a<br />
number of guest mixes for various stations/DJ’s and most<br />
recently Brent Lawson’s Pro B Noir Show on Proton Radio.<br />
What is DJs Inbox?<br />
Karlos: DJs Inbox is a collaboration between Mark Kovach<br />
and myself, and most recently Eddie Paradise.<br />
Mark Kovach: DJsInbox is primarily an informational/<br />
promotional website dedicated to supporting and promoting<br />
music, artists (and djs) and labels as well as gear and<br />
venues that allow us all to share amazing experiences<br />
listening to and supporting music. We actually got our start<br />
back in early 2000. The initial startup process was slow and<br />
somewhat difficult breaking down barriers for a freshman<br />
brand but after a couple years securing our footing, we<br />
started to make a name for ourselves. As things began to<br />
develop, we caught a notable break and made contact with<br />
djs, artists and labels who were on board to help us host<br />
our own first annual Winter Music Conference parties which<br />
then continued on for several consecutive years.<br />
Once things began to formally take shape, we made initial<br />
contact with Proton Radio during the early years of their<br />
long fulfilling endeavor and were eventually invited to start<br />
our own bi-weekly show titled DJsInbox presents Solid<br />
Sounds. Proton were extremely supportive in the beginning<br />
and continue remain so today. The show began bringing in<br />
guests such as Chris Cargo, Satoshi Tomiie, Quivver, Parks<br />
and Wilson, Nic Fanciulli, Marcello Castelli, Rick Pier O’Neil,<br />
Chris Fortier, Steve Parry, Hernan Cerbello, Chus,<br />
Starkillers, DJ Samer, Bill Hamel, Kasey Taylor, and many<br />
many more.<br />
Fast fowarding a bit to 2020, DJsInbox made a return to<br />
the industry rebranding and hosting online events due to<br />
the pandemic.<br />
Showcasing the artists and music remains our number one<br />
priority. Featuring DJs, artists, labels and the muisc is one<br />
way we accomplish this. Reviewing the music is pretty<br />
important to us as it helps strengthen and lengthen the<br />
release exposure, from what we are told.<br />
Early <strong>2021</strong> saw DJsInbox expand their front office, bringing<br />
on more talent to help reshape the brand and secure line of<br />
sight for the future. Bouncing ideas off other like minded<br />
indicviduals who have stake in something that motivates<br />
them helps you validate your choices and make course<br />
corrections if necessary. The team effort approach makes<br />
us stronger I think.<br />
Karlos: The Embark with DJsInbox programme was born<br />
shortly thereafter which I joined DJs Inbox and was one of<br />
the things we wanted to focus on to replace the old<br />
monthly DJ competition. So after a couple of months of<br />
bouncing ideas off of each other we thought that a program<br />
which would allow us to reach out and help those who<br />
needed it most. We also reached out to our close friends<br />
and developed the program to what it is now. It brings us<br />
great pleasure to assist grassroot DJ’s in getting more<br />
exposure, firstly by doing featured article on our website,<br />
then by giving them the opportunity of three guest mixes<br />
on our three partnered radio stations. Both Eddie Paradise<br />
and I mainly help and guide the DJ’s by offering support,<br />
guidance, and advice to our candidates throughout the<br />
process. The candidates generally have been in the same<br />
situation as ourselves, who are not sure how to get heard,<br />
or struggling to break through the sometimes difficult<br />
personal or social restrictions they may find themselves in,<br />
exacerbated by the situation that we have all been in over<br />
the last year or so.
Mark Kovach: We are exterenly fortunate enough to rally<br />
around a great group of individuals who support the<br />
cause...if you will. We also have strong support from AATM<br />
Radio, Saturo Sounds and Resonate Together (Lee Softley<br />
of Blue Amazon) who hosts his show on DI.FM. The support<br />
for our program has been truly brilliant and we all cannot<br />
thank our partners for all they do to help support us and<br />
even offerring residencies out to those who have taken part<br />
in the Embark Program.<br />
What is the Embark with DJs Inbox<br />
program?<br />
Karlos: The newest project that we have launched is<br />
called “Embark with DJs Inbox”. This program is<br />
aimed at grass root DJ’s that are seeking to get<br />
exposure and play on some of the best radio stations<br />
in the UK and who may be struggling to get proper<br />
exposure, recognition and airtime. We aim to help<br />
promote the DJ through the collaboration of DJs Inbox with<br />
AATM Radio, Saturo Sounds and Blue Amazons’ Resonate<br />
Together show on DI.FM. To introduce the successful DJ,<br />
DJs Inbox will do a featured article on our website about<br />
them and give a potted history of the DJ so you can learn<br />
more about the individuals. Then we will be helping the DJ<br />
to compile, structure and air the mixes for our dedicated<br />
slots on all three stations. The idea of this they get to do<br />
three different styles of mixes from a warm up set, main<br />
room and finally a less genre-specific set with creative<br />
track selection, experimental DJ mixing and features which<br />
the DJ will have to provide an exciting mix for. There may<br />
also be the offer of residencies too!!<br />
Through this program the DJ will get the<br />
opportunity to meet some of the industries most recognized<br />
artists, producers, and DJ’s. The program may vary in<br />
length but from selection to the final set is approximately<br />
six weeks where we have tried to space out the promotion<br />
and each exclusive set for the individual radio stations. It<br />
is fast paced but this is to be expected as the amount of<br />
sets that DJ’s do a month can be a lot especially when out<br />
gigging which is what we are ultimately trying to give them<br />
experience in. The begining of each month will bring<br />
another new DJ and they will undertake the same road map<br />
for the process as set out.<br />
How can the DJs enter?<br />
Karlos: It’s really quite simple, by heading over to our<br />
webpage www.djs-inbox.com/ and selecting the Embark<br />
tab and its all there, however if you follow this link it will<br />
take you directly there too https://www.djs-inbox.com/<br />
embark-with-djsinbox/. Then all you have to do is fill out<br />
the Applicant Details at the bottom of the page and press<br />
submit. That’s it really then wait until you are contacted by<br />
DJs Inbox if you are successful. Just remember that this<br />
programme runs every month so this is an ongoing thing<br />
and not just a one off. We will be scheduling DJ’s in all<br />
through the year and in to the next too. There is a period<br />
of 3 months where DJs Inbox get to review applications as<br />
we are experiencing really high numbers in applications for<br />
this program and we want to make sure that we choose the<br />
right people for the program and not miss any gems as a<br />
result of not having enough time to review applications. So<br />
it really is that simple!<br />
What is or was the thinking<br />
behind it?<br />
Karlos: Originally, when I came on board at DJs Inbox,<br />
Mark suggested that we could potentially reform our<br />
existing DJ competition into something that could give the<br />
DJ’s something more than just a bit of prize money but real<br />
experience and exposure, which we felt that the<br />
competition was missing. After we brainstormed the idea a<br />
bit more, it was decided that I would seek possible<br />
opportunities with the stations that I am also involved in to<br />
see if there was an appetite by the stations to get involved.<br />
So, from this we managed to secure a number of slots<br />
across the radio stations and got them onboard with the<br />
idea, in which they were excited to do so. We felt that with<br />
so many competitions it makes it hard to actually pick a<br />
winner as they can be judged on listens and likes, which we<br />
felt didn’t actually represent the music or the quality of the<br />
DJ. We felt that this brushes that approach aside and<br />
focuses primarily on the music and the DJ. This then opens<br />
the world up to the DJ’s that wouldn’t necessarily be heard<br />
based on likes and listens. Embark with DJs Inbox<br />
refocuses to what is most important, the music and the<br />
DJ’s, it‘s not a competition, it’s an opportunity to shine.<br />
How is it going so far?<br />
Karlos: We are now coming into our third month of the<br />
program and the feedback from the DJ’s has been amazing!<br />
The interest and support from all the DJ community has<br />
been tremendous for which I can only thank everyone<br />
involved and that has supported us to date. Both the first<br />
and second candidates have actually secured residencies<br />
through the program. Michael Grant was offered a<br />
residenciy at Saturo Sounds and now has his very own<br />
monthly show and has also been on to do guest mixes on<br />
the exclusive Frisky Radio too. Marcus Nilla has also been<br />
offered a residency at AATM Radio who has now got his<br />
very own bi-weekly show and is settling in great. It was<br />
also great to read in Lee Softley’s (Blue Amazon) latest<br />
article for IUM that he mentions DJs Inbox, Marcus, and<br />
Michael in helping contribute to what is an awesome<br />
showcase of DJ talent on his Resonate Together Show on<br />
DI.FM which is aided by this program. So next up this<br />
month we have Shilly who has already aired his AATM mix<br />
and his Saturo Sounds mix up shortly so he is busy with<br />
that at the moment. We have had a lot of interest in this<br />
program and it has been really inspiring to see it actually<br />
working, it is one thing to come up with ideas but it really<br />
is another thing to see the fruitions of them. We are really<br />
looking forward to receiving more applicatants and cannot<br />
wait for the months ahead!
" The newest project that we have<br />
launched is called “Embark with DJs Inbox”.<br />
This program is aimed at grass root DJ’s that<br />
are seeking to get exposure and play on<br />
some of the best radio stations in the UK and<br />
who may be struggling to get proper<br />
exposure, recognition and airtime "<br />
Industry support for DJs Inbox?<br />
Mark Kovach: The industry support for us has been<br />
amazing upon our return. We were not really expecting<br />
much during the first several months, beyond branding and<br />
planning where we thought we were headed, but it took off<br />
quicker than anticipated…which was brilliant. In the early<br />
days, we had already built a following and many<br />
relationships with DJs, artists, labels, and some venues. We<br />
re-engaged with most if not all of them, who are still in the<br />
industry to this day, pretty much picking up where we left<br />
off.<br />
Our industry is, if not anything, resilient. The<br />
people and fans are fantastic. The pandemic has really<br />
demonstrated how well our industry supports one-another,<br />
especially during tough times. It is quite refreshing to<br />
witness.<br />
What are the DJs Inbox goals /<br />
future plans?<br />
Mark Kovach: Our goals are to continue building the<br />
brand and promoting the music, artists, DJs, and labels.<br />
We are beginning to see the forest through the trees so inperson<br />
events are not too far off.<br />
Continuing to expand the Embark with DJs Inbox<br />
programme also remains on top of our goals list going<br />
forward.<br />
Traveling to global destinations supporting the array of<br />
talent seems all but certain. Getting to meet people (inperson)<br />
that we have meet over the past year or so is<br />
really important to us as well.<br />
Tell us about the Soundgarden<br />
Stream and how that came about?<br />
Mark Kovach: We have been involved with live streaming<br />
since we made our return back in June 2020. The DJs<br />
Inbox brand grew in notoriety with each stream we<br />
participated in, partnering with industry greats such as<br />
Dom Van with Origin Presents and Markus Saarländer with<br />
United We Stream Brighton. Things naturally progressed<br />
and we built a strong relationship with this team and the<br />
artists we featured in the streams.<br />
Mark Kovach, the owner of DJs Inbox, wanted to<br />
celebrate his upcoming birthday with something special and<br />
the opportunity presented itself (extreme thanks to Dom<br />
Van) where we could sponsor/co-host a streaming event<br />
featuring Soundgarden artists Oliver & Tom and (boss/<br />
Maestro) Nick Warren that following weekend. It was pretty<br />
much a no brainer at that point. Ironing out the details<br />
seemed to go quite well and working with the Soundgarden<br />
team, Nick & Petra and Markus with United We Stream<br />
Brighton, was a great experience. Dom made it pretty easy<br />
for us on our end. They are all extremely professional.<br />
Other sponsors such as Decoded <strong>Magazine</strong>, MJM<br />
Productions, On Air Music, Valhalla, Las Palapas and Dance<br />
TV all supported the event…in addition to PFG, AATM Radio,<br />
Resonate Together and a host of other supporting cross<br />
streamed pages.<br />
The location shots in Argentina were quite<br />
breathtaking. Las Palapas is certainly a place to visit when<br />
the time is right for us.<br />
Will you be partnering with more<br />
labels?<br />
Karlos: As it stands, we currently help and assist many<br />
labels by doing features on them, charting their tracks, and<br />
featuring their artists in tandem with their promo schedules<br />
but we are always looking to expand this list and keen to<br />
develop new relationships with existing, new, or upcoming<br />
labels too to help them as much as possible and let’s see<br />
where that takes us.
featureinterview<br />
________________<br />
Words John Ricketts<br />
______________________<br />
Photography Daniel Watson<br />
___________________________<br />
Connect facebook.com/lclubmusic<br />
Based on the Balearic capitol Ibiza, LClub<br />
Music has made its name in the last year with<br />
their unique brand of upbeat deep house<br />
music.<br />
With their latest release Tom Walsh’s “Space<br />
Race EP”, they are providing the sunshine<br />
vibes and the soundtrack to sunny days by<br />
the pool.<br />
We caught up with Thomas Walsh and label<br />
boss Affani to find out all things LClub, Ibiza<br />
and house music.
How did you first come do being in the<br />
dance music community, would it be<br />
DJing, producing or running a label?<br />
TW: For me it was actually music production first.<br />
I always wanted to know how to DJ and that<br />
came after.<br />
What brought you to the world of<br />
production?<br />
TW: I played lots of instruments growing up but<br />
never kept them going long enough to become<br />
really proficient in any of them. As I got into my<br />
20’s, I started to listen more to Electronic &<br />
Dance music and so became curious as to how<br />
these sounds were made, and what it is involved<br />
in making a House or Dance track.<br />
What would you say your biggest<br />
musical influences are?<br />
TW: In terms of artists, I would have to say Daft<br />
Punk, Faithless and Hot Chip from a young age,<br />
and then the likes of Julio Bashmore, Bonobo<br />
and Machinedrum for when I really became<br />
obsessed with Electronic music.<br />
For the producers, what is your studio<br />
setup?<br />
TW: At the moment, it’s very “in the box”<br />
focused, however I have acquired some nice<br />
hardware bits recently to incorporate into my new<br />
studio and setup<br />
What’s your workflow in the studio?<br />
TW: Usually I start off with an idea of some form,<br />
be it a bassline, chord pattern or a vocal/spoken<br />
word piece, then I’ll jam for a bit until I have<br />
enough material to form the basics of a track.<br />
Then, it’s a battle against the clock to turn it into<br />
an arrangement as fast as possible while I’m still<br />
feeling the vibe. I’ll often go back and swap in<br />
and out samples later if needs be.<br />
" COVID has ruined<br />
The Music industry<br />
and especially Clubs,<br />
government has been<br />
misprizing the Club<br />
scene since the start<br />
of pandemic "<br />
- Affani
Any go to pieces of kit or plug-ins<br />
that you can't make a track without?<br />
TW: As I’ve mainly worked in the box with Ableton, and<br />
have the full Suite version, I tend to use a lot of it’s stock<br />
plugins and instruments. Operator is my favourite and I<br />
spend a lot of time tweaking and designed sounds in this.<br />
The new Echo audio effect is pretty cool also for nice dubby<br />
delays. Also I use Xfer’s LFO Tool on most tracks.<br />
Your dream DJj line-up?<br />
TW: This is hard! Probably DJ EZ (that Boiler Room set!),<br />
Soul Clap for the Deep Disco & house vibes, and finish off<br />
with the Martinez Brothers!<br />
Based in Ibiza, how do you see the<br />
island and the scene in general<br />
bouncing back post-covid?<br />
A: COVID has ruined The Music industry and<br />
especially Clubs, governments has been misprizing<br />
the Club scene since the start of pandemic. Things<br />
are changing now, we just heard today that Clubs<br />
may be open till 3AM! We can see some light coming<br />
finally and that’s great news for us indeed.<br />
What are your fondest memories<br />
from your time in Ibiza?<br />
A: Space! I remember going to see Carl Cox every single<br />
Tuesday, every week was different, Space was just magic<br />
and I miss it so much!<br />
TW: For me, the whole season of 2019 was pretty epic as it<br />
was my first time to move over for the summer. Too many<br />
memories to mention.... but a notable one would have to<br />
be seeing Fatboy Slim in Freddie's room at Pikes!<br />
What is your opinion on the deep<br />
house scene at the moment?<br />
TW: I think there are some incredibly talented producers<br />
out there on the underground side of things right now, and<br />
I feel there could be Deep House Rennaissance soon<br />
because of this.<br />
What would you say is the LClub<br />
Music sound?<br />
A: We don’t like tags/genres - if it’s good then we like it<br />
With regards to LClub Music, what<br />
do you look for when looking to<br />
sign a track?<br />
A: Groove is essential. I love good percussion and a phat<br />
bassline!<br />
What tips would you give from an<br />
A&R perspective to artists wanting to<br />
get signed?<br />
A: Be original, make sure you send it the right demo to the<br />
right label in the right moment!<br />
Any notable releases so far?<br />
A: I did a Remix for Todd Terry, DJ Sneak and Sucker<br />
DJ’s. It took me actually more than one year to<br />
licence the Remixes, and I was able to put them out<br />
on a Remix Sampler. It was definitely worth it.<br />
What is in the pipeline for LClub<br />
Music?<br />
A: We focus on Quality. We try our best to push every<br />
single Release to reach the top DJ's, and to be promoted<br />
properly from the essential online music stores.<br />
Thanks for chatting to us! Space race EP is out now<br />
on all major stores:<br />
https://www.traxsource.com/title/1583326/spacerace-ep<br />
" I did a Remix for<br />
Todd Terry, DJ<br />
Sneak and Sucker<br />
DJ’s. It took me<br />
actually more than<br />
one year to licence<br />
the Remixes, and I<br />
was able to put them<br />
out on a Remix<br />
Sampler. It was<br />
definitely worth it "<br />
- Tom Walsh
featurearticle<br />
__________________<br />
Words Matt Schantz<br />
________________________________<br />
Connect: Twitter - @TheMattSchantz<br />
A ROUGH GUIDE TO - DJ TIESTO<br />
THE TRANCE YEARS<br />
Once upon a time, before the In Concert DVDs, before<br />
"Red Lights" and "Jackie Chan", before the Grammy<br />
award and EDM, Tijs Verwest was a trance DJ. I can't<br />
think of a time when it wasn't already a foregone<br />
conclusion that Tiesto would scale the heights of<br />
superstardom, but I'm sure it must have existed.<br />
Certainly there must have been some nights, maybe<br />
at the Spock club in his hometown of Breda,<br />
Netherlands, when he was just another kid with a<br />
box of records, trying to move the crowd. The Tiesto I<br />
saw the first time he came to Los Angeles to play at<br />
the Mayan Theater in 2001, however, was not an upand-comer.<br />
DJ Tiesto was already a known, polished<br />
commodity, a mix CD behemoth, and man who could<br />
do no wrong with a remix. Those of us in attendance<br />
that night knew him only from his recorded output<br />
and he almost seemed to be some sort of Dutch<br />
legend - but finally, there he was, giving the crowd<br />
what they came for: big room trance.
Tiesto was reviled by many serious clubbers. The<br />
music he plays is cheesy and formulaic, they would say. His<br />
ego is too big. His productions and remixes are slight and<br />
manipulative. He does the Jesus Christ pose from the<br />
decks, with spotlights shining down upon him. He is, in<br />
fact, everything that is wrong with the "superstar DJ"<br />
phenomenon at the turn of the century. Saying "Tiesto<br />
sucks" in 2001 was like hating Steve Aoki today because of<br />
the cake-throwing, a signifier that you will not align<br />
yourself with a certain style of music or nightclub crowd<br />
because of what it and they represent. Tiesto was the antiunderground.<br />
Being completely comfortable in the<br />
overground, he never claimed to speak for those who<br />
detracted him, and their disdain for him or what he<br />
represented did nothing to hinder the arc of his success<br />
which almost seemed like a a forever ascending straight<br />
line. Eager, massive crowds turned out to hear him, votes<br />
were tallied in various magazine popularity polls, and he<br />
was speeding towards glory in a way that would make<br />
previous DJ milestones like Paul Oakenfold playing<br />
Wembley seem ordinary. Anything that Martin Garrix might<br />
do today, Tiesto did it first. If there were high school<br />
yearbook style-superlatives for DJs, Tiesto would win "Most<br />
Likely To Succeed" and quite possibly "Biggest Nerd". He<br />
wouldn't have cared about either of those labels, and would<br />
continue on his path of manifest destiny, smiling all the<br />
way.<br />
Hating trance will always be a signifier of cool. The<br />
genre carries a lot of baggage, and much of it, particularly<br />
the Dutch style that Tiesto perfected, has been earned.<br />
Trance is usually an entry-level form of dance music from<br />
which most people grow out of as they embrace other<br />
styles. But if house music, as it has been said, "is a<br />
feeling", why can't trance also be? The genre itself does<br />
have depth and breadth, if not the revered historical<br />
soulfulness that house does. From Oakenfold's storied Goa<br />
Mix, to carefully managed careers from the likes of<br />
Solarstone and John '00' Fleming, to the use of trance as a<br />
weapon when expertly used in a DJ's set, the genre has<br />
never died and continues popping up in unlikely places.<br />
When considering the early part of Tiesto's career though,<br />
one does not see a lot of dark and light to his style;<br />
keywords for the big Dutch sound he deftly wielded like<br />
Thor's hammer would include #uplifting, #peaktime, and,<br />
in moments, #progressive. There's not tons of protein<br />
going on here - just lots of delicious carbohydrates and<br />
sugar.<br />
THE MAGIK MIX COMPILATION SERIES<br />
(Black Hole Recordings) (1997-2001)<br />
This series of seven mixes was the<br />
point of entry for many fans of trance, and an<br />
introduction to Tiesto himself. In comparison<br />
with his bombastic later recorded output,<br />
many of the early entries in Magik feel like<br />
exercises in restraint. At times you can<br />
almost forget you're listening to Tiesto -<br />
sections of Magik One are far more groovedriven<br />
and, dare I say it, techy. Granted,<br />
trance was in a very different place<br />
production-wise in 1997 than it would be just<br />
a few years later, but just hearing these early<br />
mixes feels like hopeful innocence. As a<br />
branding exercise, there are worse ways to<br />
market yourself than to put your name in the<br />
distinctive Black Hole font on seven CDs,<br />
accompanied by stark, beautiful images from<br />
nature as the cover art. Tiesto himself didn't<br />
even appear on the cover until the sixth<br />
entry, showing his face only on the seventh<br />
entry, Live in Los Angeles. The die was cast.<br />
Soon Tiesto's face would be everywhere.<br />
For this rough guide, the cutoff year is 2004; let's<br />
just say that DJing the opening ceremonies of the Olympics<br />
is a fairly significant milestone that means your career is<br />
heading to a whole other level - past the VIP bracelets and<br />
drink tickets, and on to supermodels and private jets. So<br />
let's get down to business, destination - overground.
LIVE AT INNERCITY - AMSTERDAM<br />
RAI (ID & T) (1999)<br />
Significant in that this live show is<br />
cited as his big breakthrough in Holland, the<br />
content of this mix itself does not differ that<br />
heavily from his two live Magik compilations -<br />
on these nights, he came to play, and he<br />
came to throw hammers. Live mixes such as<br />
these, when committed to a CD format, are<br />
somewhat calculated; there's an 80-minute<br />
format to stick to, and LIve at Innercity<br />
follows that restriction. In attendance at the<br />
recording of Magik 7, I recall exactly where I<br />
was in the Mayan Theater when the final<br />
track, CJ Bolland's "The Prophet" was being<br />
played, and that the night had a sudden<br />
pause before starting up again. Recording<br />
handled, nice and neat. Team Tiesto knew<br />
what they were doing.<br />
THE IN SEARCH OF SUNRISE MIX<br />
COMPILATION SERIES, VOLS. 1-3<br />
(Songbird) (1999-2002)<br />
If ever there were a time when Tiesto "went<br />
progressive", it would be these three mixes. It<br />
was on these compilations he used<br />
progressive tracks like BT's "Mercury and<br />
Solace", Rui da Silva's "Touch Me",<br />
Breeder's "Tyrantanic", and Way Out West's<br />
"Mindcircus" alongside trance gems like<br />
Solarstone's "Solarcoaster" and his own<br />
"Sparkles". In and of itself, this isn't that<br />
interesting - you could find these tracks<br />
everywhere at that particular time. What is<br />
significant is that Tiesto hiimself was playing<br />
them, progressive being the in vogue sound<br />
of the times. Also, the third edition of this<br />
series is possibly Tiesto's finest moment for<br />
recorded mixes - a fully realized blend of<br />
trance and progressive tracks, with ebb and<br />
flow, and amazing tracks and remixes from<br />
the likes of Andain, Paul Oakenfold, and<br />
Solarstone. It's not a great mix "for Tiesto";<br />
it's just a legit great mix.
SELECTED PRODUCTIONS AND<br />
REMIXES<br />
When you're young in clubbing and<br />
fueled by ecstasy, a night out comes with<br />
expectations of moments being punctuated<br />
by certain tracks, experienced with friends<br />
old or possibly new, effectively soundtracking<br />
your night. Feelings are felt, and memories<br />
are made. Tiesto may not have invented the<br />
"peak time" track, but he certainly perfected it<br />
in the world of trance; it's as if the sound he<br />
was searching for on those early Magik<br />
compilations had finally been engineered.<br />
Very few of these tracks could be described<br />
as "utilitarian"; these are dancefloordominating,<br />
reach for the lasers tracks.<br />
Gouryella - Gouryella (1999): If you wanted<br />
to explain Tiesto: the trance years with one<br />
track, you could do worse. A collaboration<br />
with fellow Dutch DJ/producer Ferry Corsten,<br />
"Gouryella" bears a passing resemblance to<br />
Ferry's own (solo) track "Out Of The Blue",<br />
under his guise System F. "Gouryella" does<br />
what it sets out to achieve: it makes you feel<br />
good, and it is an absolute trance classic.<br />
Tiesto - Flight 642: Is this where EDM<br />
started? It's almost not even trance, more of<br />
a hectic, techno-style peak time banger. This<br />
track, along with many of his other excellent<br />
early original works are collected on his first<br />
artist album, In My Memory.<br />
tried to work it into their sets and utterly<br />
failed. What was he thinking, on Magik Six,<br />
just dropping it right into the middle of his<br />
set? Keeping this track at your disposal is like<br />
having the biggest tool in your toolbox, the<br />
one that you never use, but keep handy "just<br />
in case". For the record, the only time it was<br />
ever used correctly was by Paul Oakenfold<br />
on his Perfecto presents...Another World mix,<br />
and that's because it was the closer to disc<br />
two. Oakey earned the right to hit the<br />
nuclear option after taking his listeners there.<br />
Delerium feat. Leigh Nash - Innocente (DJ<br />
Tiesto remix): The other track by Delerium<br />
that Tiesto lent his magic (magik?) to,<br />
creating a gothic trance masterpiece.<br />
Moby - We Are All Made of Stars (DJ<br />
Tiesto remix): Moby's track from his album<br />
18 was a response to the events of<br />
September 11th and intended to express a<br />
sense of hopefulness. This remix takes<br />
Moby's indie rock noodlings and transforms it<br />
into a trance call to arms. Timo Maas' remix<br />
got all the love from the progressive crowd,<br />
but Tiesto's rework just makes me want to<br />
wave an American flag the same way Bruce<br />
Dickinson would wave the Union Jack when<br />
Iron Maiden was on stage.<br />
Delerium feat. Sarah McLachlan - Silence<br />
(DJ Tiesto In Search of Sunrise remix):<br />
This remix is kind of The One. With his remix<br />
of "Silence", it was like Tiesto was Neo<br />
becoming fully actualized at the end of The<br />
Matrix, plucking money out of the air like so<br />
many suspended in mid-air bullets. It got so<br />
much attention, and was licensed to so many<br />
mixes, and so many DJs - Tiesto included -
DJ Tiesto - Revolution (Virgin, 2001)<br />
Remember how I said that there<br />
wasn't a lot of dark and light to Tiesto's style?<br />
Well, Revolution's disc one is entitled "Dark<br />
Side" and disc two is, you guessed it, "Bright<br />
Side", so that's that. The first disc is a highly<br />
competently sequenced journey through<br />
many of the progressive tracks of the day,<br />
and the same can be said of the uplifting<br />
trance of disc two. If you own this CD and<br />
Matt Darey's Ibiza Euphoria, you won't have<br />
a need to purchase any "trance classics"<br />
compilations, and you'll have a couple of<br />
mixes that actually have some flow to them.<br />
Plus, Revolution's cover is hot pink, which is<br />
trancey AF.<br />
DJ Tiesto - Nyana (2003)<br />
Nyana is the pinnacle of<br />
the first portion of Tiesto's<br />
career, a two-disc blend of<br />
trance and progressive, with an<br />
amazing techno opening<br />
section on the first disc. In an<br />
alternate timeline, Tiesto<br />
doesn't express disdain for the<br />
Global Underground series,<br />
and instead agrees to submit<br />
his own entry, the contens of<br />
Nyana being the soundtrack to<br />
some obscure Nordic town for<br />
the vaunted GU city series. In<br />
the end, the only music brand<br />
Tiesto ever needed to<br />
associate with was himself.
Tiesto has said that his entire style changed<br />
with the release of his Kaleidoscope album in<br />
2009, but he was retreating from his classic<br />
trance sound far earlier than that. Festivals<br />
were getting bigger, and it's almost like EDM<br />
had to be invented in order to reach the tens of<br />
thousands of people in attendance at<br />
Insomniac events. Tiesto was granted the<br />
dubious title of the "godfather of EDM", and the<br />
buzzsaw sound he grew into matches up with<br />
that label. Revisiting his music for this piece, I<br />
opened the "Tiesto Essentials" playlist on Apple<br />
Music, and saw that I did not recognize a single<br />
track included...there wasn't even the inclusion<br />
of "Silence". If his forever ascending straight<br />
line of success were to continue, the music he<br />
played could not just plateau at trance.<br />
I remember hearing Los Angeles KROQ<br />
morning show jocks Kevin & Bean interview<br />
Snoop Dogg some time back in the 90s; the<br />
interview itself was unlikely enough, KROQ's<br />
alternative rock format hardly being the type of<br />
station to play Snoop's rap. But he was<br />
definitely cool enough for Kevin & Bean to<br />
interview, and they asked tha Doggfather which<br />
artists with whom he would like to collaborate.<br />
Posessing greater vision than I had at the time,<br />
Snoop declared, "Who hot right now?", and<br />
proceeded to throw out a bunch of rock band<br />
names, including, "Green Day!". "How<br />
ludicrous," I thought to myself at the time,<br />
"That would be horrible". Well history finally<br />
caught up with Snoop's vision, and in as<br />
unlikely a pairing, Snoop guests on a track on<br />
Tiesto's 2020 release The London Sessions.<br />
Listening to the sleek, shiny pop music of today<br />
(of which Tiesto is very much a part), it is easy<br />
to hear the echoes of over twenty years ago<br />
that began in a glittering wave of trance. I<br />
wanted to say something about how Tiesto has<br />
sustained a decades-spanning career across the<br />
often disposable genres of electronic music and<br />
pop, but instead would rather remind that<br />
when it comes to Tiesto's back catalog, a little<br />
sugar won't kill you.
ICONYC NOIR PRESENTS<br />
I C O N Y C N O I R 1 0 0<br />
A N N I V E R S A R Y E D I T I O N<br />
SOUND DEPARTMENT<br />
C O M P I L E D A N D M I XE D B Y<br />
PA U L S AWYER<br />
100<br />
H U N D R E D<br />
A V A I L A B L E<br />
0 1 / 0 3 / 2 0 2 1<br />
NOIR100<br />
LARGE! - John Gibbons - 9/10<br />
Nice One! - Sam Divine - 7/10<br />
W W W . I C O N Y C . O R G<br />
Funky Stuff, Thanks! - sa.lomaonun.es - 8/10
featureinterview<br />
_________________<br />
Words Anthony Piercy<br />
_________________________________<br />
Photography Fernando Sigma & Rui Antunes<br />
___________________________________<br />
Connect facebook.com/transensations.records<br />
Over 15 years ago, Transensations emerged as a<br />
premiere event promoter in São Paulo. Parties based<br />
on the values of peace, love, unity and respect<br />
quickly drew loyal followings. With its audience at an<br />
all-time high, the Brazilian brand launched a record<br />
label in 2017 , focused in quality underground<br />
Progressive House and Melodic Techno & House<br />
genres.<br />
With the mission to develop and support the Brazilian<br />
scene ,always keeping the values of: respect, ethics,<br />
humility and professionalism with his public and music<br />
producers ; offering them a reputable platform to<br />
launch and develop their successful careers. The<br />
quality releases are gaining support and being<br />
recognized by the biggest names of the undergound<br />
music scene around the world.<br />
Lets get to know the guys........
Hey Rodrigo how are you today?<br />
Hi! Anthony, glad to be here. Thanks for the<br />
invitation. We feel really happy to talk to you about our<br />
work.<br />
We have plans to come back with our showcase as<br />
soons as possible, but just after everything is perfectly<br />
allowed in Brazil and South America in general. We do not<br />
participate or support clandestin parties.<br />
Can you tell us who runs the label<br />
with you?<br />
We are a team of 4 partners (which luckily are<br />
friends too!), splitting duties and running it smoothly.<br />
FABRICIO - LABEL MANAGER (PLANNING + FINANCES)<br />
GORKIZ - A&R + ARTIST + SOUND ENGINEERING (MIX +<br />
MASTERING)<br />
RODRIGO - LABEL MANAGER (PR + EVENTS + ARTISTS<br />
POINT OF CONTACT)<br />
PEDRÄDA - ARTIST + ART DIRECTOR<br />
When did the label start?<br />
Transensations Records started in 2017, when<br />
Gorkiz had the idea to start a music label and due to the<br />
strong and already known brand Transensations<br />
(which was born back in 2003 as an electronic music party)<br />
What made you guys move from events to running a<br />
label.<br />
Gorkiz had the idea to start a new label in the end<br />
of 2016, due to his previous music experiences. He spoke<br />
with Fabricio first. Afterwards they invited me (Rodrigo)<br />
and Pedräda to complete the team. In February of 2017<br />
Transensations released its first EP.<br />
Do you have events or label<br />
showcases planned in Brazil?<br />
We organized 2 showcases in São Paulo in 2019,<br />
but due to the COVID-19 we had to take a break.<br />
Meanwhile we started our streaming project on TWITCH,<br />
called TRANSENSES HOME SESSIONS where we invite all<br />
djs and producers who were involved somehow with<br />
Transensations Records to send us a recorded set using<br />
their own music and/or music they released with us. It's<br />
been super nice. It helps to promote artists, offers our<br />
public some entertainment at home and showcases our<br />
music all over the world.<br />
How are you dealing with the<br />
current Covid situation?<br />
As mentioned above we started our streams on<br />
our Twitch channel (all sets go to our youtube channel after<br />
presented). But I must say that it's been super important<br />
for us in order to organize ourselves internally, review<br />
some directions and most importantly get ourselves<br />
stronger in order to come back at full power!<br />
You guys release two EPs per<br />
month for the past year now!<br />
Yeah that's right. We realized that it would be<br />
possible when the volume of demos started to grow. It was<br />
a great decision.<br />
Do you get a large volume of<br />
demos?<br />
Yes, and it's going bigger and bigger. That's why<br />
we are launching our sub label FOR SENSES very soon<br />
which will be more focused in Organic House and sub<br />
genres. It will also be a front door for new producers before<br />
releasing on Transensations.<br />
Take us trough your A&R and<br />
quality control process.<br />
We receive all demos via e-mail<br />
demotransensations@gmail.com and our A&R and boss<br />
label Gorkiz analyses absolutely all demos received. Since<br />
the beginning we have been working in between genres:<br />
from Progressive House to Melodic Techno, with a bit of<br />
Organic House also. The future of Transensations is going<br />
to be more focused on the Progressive House and Melodic<br />
Techno, but always keeping pace with new tendencies.<br />
pedrada
Congrats on reaching release NO<br />
50 for the label tell us more about it<br />
Thank you very much. It's such an honour for the<br />
team to receive so many good productions from all over<br />
the world. On the 50th EP we had a great collaboration<br />
between our label boss Gorkiz and the russian producer K<br />
Loveski, who has been our partner since the beginning and<br />
counted on two great remixes from well established<br />
producers: the brazilian Luciano Scheffer and the indian<br />
Grennage. It was a huge success and reached TOP 10<br />
charts for a few weeks.<br />
We believe that our label has been doing great, in<br />
a well planned manner, always focusing on great quality<br />
productions.<br />
What else have you got<br />
programmed for release this year?<br />
For <strong>2021</strong> we already have a full schedule coming<br />
up with great names from the scene such as Alex Efe,<br />
Diego Berrondo, Kyotto, Noiyse Project, Dhanny G, Leo<br />
Perez to name a few. And of course, our compilations<br />
TRANSENSES III (september <strong>2021</strong>) and The best of<br />
Transensations <strong>2021</strong> (jan2022) Transenses 1 & 2. Also<br />
best a of 2018/2020 Various Artists compilations have<br />
gotten massive worldwide support.<br />
How vital are summer winter<br />
collections & ADE and the Miami<br />
WMC VA compilation releases for<br />
support and growth of the label?<br />
Our compilations have a great importance in our<br />
strategy and are always prepared with a lot of attention,<br />
aiming to tell a good story from the beginning to the end.<br />
The Transenses series is going for it´s third edition in<br />
<strong>2021</strong>. It is our main anual compilation where we gather<br />
great producers from all over the world and present some<br />
upcoming names.<br />
MIAMI and ADE compilations were specially created to<br />
release great tracks just before those 2 important events.<br />
All of them have a vital importance in receiving great<br />
support from our partners and reaching this specific<br />
audience perfectly. Besides, all of them attract media and<br />
promote our brand, due to the articles and notes from<br />
different specialized websites and blogs.
DJ CHARTS - <strong>Spring</strong> / <strong>Summer</strong> issue <strong>2021</strong><br />
Gerry Verano [Austria] [House]<br />
1. The Portrait (Ooh La La) Extended Version - Gabry Ponte<br />
[R3HAB]<br />
2. Beggin' For Thread Extended Version - Skytech, Lilo, Cappa<br />
[CYB3RPVNK]<br />
3. Driver Seat Extended Mix - Lady Bee [Mixmash Records]<br />
4. Feel Your Love Original Mix - Timmy Trumpet, Edward<br />
Maya, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike [Smash The House Official]<br />
5. Same Thing Original Mix - Fedde Le Grand, Amy Grace, Love<br />
Harder<br />
[Smash The House Official]<br />
6. Honey Extended Mix - CID, Volkoder [Musical Freedom]<br />
7. Downtown Extended Version - R3HAB, Kelvin Jones<br />
[CYB3RPVNK]<br />
8. Scrolling Up Extended Version - Skytech, Fafaq, All That<br />
MTRS [CYB3RPVNK]<br />
9. That Pill Extended Version - CityZen [CYB3RPVNK]<br />
10. Greece <strong>2021</strong> feat. Linnea Schossow Extended Mix -<br />
W&W, Linnea Schossow, Martin Jensen [Rave Culture]<br />
PAUL SAWYER [UK] [KRAFTED] [HOUSE/TECHNO]<br />
1. Sultan & Shepard - Naama (Giorgia Angiuli Remix) [This<br />
Never Happened]<br />
2. Pedro Mercado, Rose Sunset - Bandana (Amir Telem Remix)<br />
[Krafted Underground]<br />
3. Triart & KRCL - Nothing At All feat. Jessica Zese [Ethereal<br />
Future]<br />
4. MXV - Lea Valley [ARRVL Records]<br />
5. Lumme, Miguel Lautaro - Kolapsia [Somatic Records]<br />
6. 8Kays - Darkness & Light feat. Chris Golden [Darkness &<br />
Light]<br />
7. Ornery & JP Lantieri - Proximity (LORRAINNE Remix)<br />
[Flemcy Rec]<br />
8. Giorgia Angiuli - All The Little Things (Undercatt Remix)<br />
[Eleatics Rec]<br />
9. Alex Breitling feat. Vincent Marlice - Time (Grigore Remix)<br />
[Somatic]<br />
10. Stereo Underground - SABBA [Sprout]<br />
Sonas [UK] [Deep Tech/Electronica/Techno]<br />
1. Polly Scattergood - In this Moment (SONAS rmx) [Future<br />
Paradise]<br />
2. SONAS - Watercolour [Bandcamp]<br />
3. Little Dragon - Hold On (Ela Minus remix) [Bandcamp]<br />
4. Pablo Bolivar - Bruma [Bandcamp]<br />
5. Mr Soza - Paradox [Last Night on Earth]<br />
6. Airside Connection - Wet [LoFi Music]<br />
7. Soldatov - Give it all back to you [Gardash Records]<br />
8. Oscar Ozz - Subsoil [Poesie Music]<br />
9. IPSE DIXIT & 68 Beats - He said [RAMBLA Records]<br />
10. Buitrago - No Signal [Uncage]<br />
Amber Leigh Melby [USA] [Trance]<br />
1. Jennifer Rene, Somna - Stars Collide (XiJaro & Pitch<br />
Extended Remix) [Magik Muzik]<br />
2. Chris Connolly - Terminal Synthology (Extended Mix) [Pure<br />
Trance]<br />
3. Astrix, Darma - Poison (Darma Remix) [Shamanic Tales]<br />
4. Ahmed Helmy - Founder (Extendeed Mix) [AVA Recordings]<br />
5. Kenney Palmer - The Twisting Nether (Extended Mix)<br />
[Afterdark]<br />
6. Nav Azzy - Diamond Geezers (Extended Mix) [Nocturnal]<br />
7. Renegade System - In Silence [Mass]<br />
8. Kinetica, Paul Skelton - Hold Me (Extended Mix) [Nocturnal<br />
Knights Fusion]<br />
9. Vegas, Dang3er - Existence [Vagalume Records]<br />
10. Armin Van Buuren, Above & Beyond - Show Me Love<br />
(Sander Van Doorn Extended Remix) [Armind (Armada]<br />
MARK Neenan [UK] [Techno] [Filth Infatuated]<br />
1. Ken Ishii - Disquiet [Different Is Different]<br />
2. D.A.V.E The Drummer - 90's Techno [Hydraulix]<br />
3. Dax J - Simulated Reality (Terafactory AI Electronics)<br />
[Monnom Black]<br />
4. Jim E Scavenger Feat' Frilla - Punk DJ [Filth Infatuated<br />
Digital]<br />
5. Zero Days - The First Time [Infected]<br />
6. Christian Varela - Prognosis [Materia]<br />
7. DJ D Redd - 3rd Dimension [Filth Infatuated Digital]<br />
8. Hels.Yeah - I'm Busy Soz [Keep On Techno]<br />
9. Adam Beyer Feat' DJ Rush - Restore My Soul (DJ Rush<br />
Remix) [Drumcode]<br />
10. Joe Farr - I Last Forever [User Experience]<br />
Brent Lawson [Pro B Tech][UK][House/Prog]<br />
1. Golan Zocher ft Velveta - <strong>Summer</strong> Sun - Menkee Remix [Pro<br />
B Tech]<br />
2. Andrees & Yakoff - Gjoll [Pro B Tech Music]<br />
3. Framewerk - Not Over Yet<br />
4. Milk - Framewerk Rework<br />
5. Nichols (U.K.) Mystical - (Weird Sounding Dude Remix)<br />
[ARRVL Records]<br />
6. Bien - The best part - (Patrice Baumel Extended Mix)<br />
[Anjunabeats]<br />
7. Weird Sounding Dude - Wonderlife<br />
8. Chris Sterio, Ranj Kaler - Digital Life [Another Life Music]<br />
9. Animus Liber - Tayrona [Future Avenue]<br />
10. Golan Zocher Featuring Velveta - <strong>Summer</strong> Sun - (Emi<br />
Galvan Remix) [Pro B Tech Music]
https://www.discogs.com/seller/Redbox-Vinyl-Shop/profile<br />
Paul Newhouse [IRL] [House/Techno][<strong>Zone</strong>]<br />
1. Various artists - Cookies Vol. 4 [Terminal M Records]<br />
2. Jeremy Weeks & Michael James - The Ocean EP [discotech]<br />
3. D.S. - Unplait [Recycle Records]<br />
4. DumitrEscu - Winter tales [unsuccessful]<br />
5. Alex Pervukhin - Never 2 Laate EP [Laate Records]<br />
6. Zoo Brazil - Sterp By Step [Monaberry]<br />
7. Leanca & Sonohat - Paprika Express [Age Hour]<br />
8. SON - Love Songs For Dragons [Piano Forest Records]<br />
9. Dario D'attis - Misleading EP [8bit Records]<br />
10. Christian Hornbostel - Liber Tertius EP [Praedikat Records]<br />
Paul Hawcroft [UK] [Progressive House]<br />
1. b.mod – Revolution [Animal Farm Records]<br />
2. Arjun Vagale – Hungry like the wolf [AsymetriK]<br />
3. Orange Brothers - Abandoned Hospital [Sonusfield]<br />
4. TWCOR – How it ends [Planet Rythm]<br />
5. Toni Alvarez – Micetal [Planet Rythm]<br />
6. Stiv Hey – Can't stop (Brennen Grey Remix) [Respekt]<br />
7. Repeater – Repetition 3 [Repeat]<br />
8. Asymetrik Eas – Before Dawn (EAS Remix) [AsymetriK]<br />
9. Exilles – Friday the 13th [Akronym]<br />
10. Killawatt – Champagne Prerogative [47x47]<br />
Chris Geka [France] [Techno/Tech-house/House]<br />
1. Chris Geka - Bagalia [DAVOTAB REC.]<br />
2. Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You (Chris Geka Rework)<br />
[PROMO]<br />
3. Balthazar & JackRock - Age Of Freedom [TERMINAL M]<br />
4. DJ Jordan - Underground [DOLMA REC.]<br />
5. Tony Romanello - PTSD [RED CHANNEL REC.]<br />
6. André Keller - Shaping Reality [SUBVISION]<br />
7. Ramon Tapia - Last Step (ASYS Remix) [SAY WHAT?]<br />
8. Chris Geka - Palmeira [GRYPHON REC.]<br />
9. The Reactivitz - Hydra [SET ABOUT]<br />
10. Patrick Scuro & Philipp Lewinski - Somnium [RENESANZ]<br />
Nutty T [UK] [Nutty Traxx] [Hard dance]<br />
1. Paul McNulty - The Navigator [HQ Recordings]<br />
2. Nutty T - World Of God [Nffekted Traxx]<br />
3. Thieves Of Dreams X Kroxy - Overdose [Loverloud]<br />
4. DJ Thera & Kruelty - The Watchman [Theracords]<br />
5. Mindflux - Everlasting Grief (ADM's Uber Remix) [Hyper<br />
Reality]<br />
6. Lab4 - Bow Chi [Contact]<br />
7. Nutty T - Maniacal 2.0 [Nutty Traxx]<br />
8. Cally & J-Trax - Hold On [HDUK]<br />
9. Bad Panda - The Agenda [212 Records]<br />
10. Nutty T - Distorted Memories [Nutty Traxx]<br />
Def Beatz Chart [UK] [GROOVE CITY RADIO]<br />
1. UC Beatz - Bongos, Rhodes & Candles (803 Crystal Grooves)<br />
2. Q Narongwate - Don't Understand (Original Mix) (Delve Deeper<br />
Recordings)<br />
3. Shur-i-kan - Hollow (Dark Energy Recordings)<br />
4. Col Lawton - Deep Africa (Matt Prehn Remix) (House Music Matters)<br />
5. Brendon Lee - Rhapsody (Original Mix) (The Travelling Bear Records)<br />
6. Deep75 - Bumba Groove (Original Mix) (Deep Fix Recordings)<br />
7. ACAY & Daniela Rhodes - Feel Again (Extended Mix) (Zulu Records)<br />
8. Becanoe Da Voe - Terminal Point (Original Mix) (Sound Vessel Records)<br />
9. Nikco - Listen To You (Original Mix) (Oh So Coy Recordings)<br />
10. Rune Sibiya - Time, Space & All (Rune Dub) (Rogue Decibels)<br />
Gorkiz [Brazil] [Transensations] [House]<br />
1. Gorkiz , K Loveski - Echos Of Eons (Greenage Remix)<br />
[Transensations Records]<br />
2. Guy J - Small Alarms (Original Mix) [Lost & Found]<br />
3. George Alhabel - Omega Station (Michael A Remix) [Mango<br />
Alley]<br />
4. Evegrem, Axel Zambrano - Mistakes (Andre Moret Remix)<br />
[Droid9]<br />
5. Gorkiz, K Loveski - Arboreal (Luciano Scheffer Remix)<br />
[Transensations Records]<br />
6. Simos Tagias - Black Swan (Mike Rish Remix) [Juicebox Music]<br />
7. Gorkiz - Dance In The Moon (Original Mix) [Deepwibe<br />
Underground]<br />
8. Matt Lange - Rift (Alex O’Rion Extended Mix) [Anjunabeats]<br />
9. Fran Bianco - Oasis (Pedrada Remix) [Transensations Records]<br />
10. Canato, 2Stroke - Blooming (L Georges Remix)<br />
[Transensations Records]<br />
Probably Shouldn’t [See Saw] [UK] [House/Disco]<br />
1. Probably Shouldn’t - Bogota [Fade to Funk]<br />
2. Keller - Forever [Midnight Riot]<br />
3. Hotmood - Sexy Thrills [Party Pizza]<br />
4. Le Pari - Heavenly [Hot Spicy Action]<br />
5. Maryag - So Good [Moiss Music Black]<br />
6. Kieren Apter - Doc’s Track [CB90 Dance Recordings]<br />
7. Groovemasta - LAmour [Good Stuff Recordings]<br />
8. Conclave & Toribio - Alate Yeye Chege [Love Injection<br />
Records]<br />
9. Mahogany - Ride on the rhythm (Michael Gray remix) [West<br />
End Records]<br />
10. Adeline - When I’m alone (Jkriv & Peter Matson remix) [Razor<br />
n Tape]
TUNES<br />
PROG - TECH HOUSE // Paul Hawcroft<br />
Albums - Dance<br />
TOP TUNE //<br />
10<br />
Christoph x Yotto Ft. Sansa - Out Of Reach [Pryda ]<br />
What with there being So much good music around at the moment, its been a hard pick<br />
for me. Starting us off I bring you Pryda’s latest release Out of Reach, A collaboration<br />
from progressive superstars Christoph and Yotto. The track is over 8 minutes of chunky<br />
grooves and atmospheric synth lines. If that wasn't enough add the haunting vocals of<br />
Sansa and you have this epic monster of a track. Excellent stuff as you'd expect from<br />
these guys.<br />
https://www.beatport.com/release/out-of-reach/3389554<br />
7<br />
Oliver Harper - Gwithian [Perfecto Black]<br />
Here Perfecto Black head honcho and all round nice bloke Oliver Harper brings us the<br />
infectious Gwithian. The track is full of layered arps and synth lines which hypnotise you<br />
from the off. A lush bassline adds depth and warmth which take you into an epic break<br />
with deep pads and melodies. All in all a great slice of progressive house designed for<br />
those <strong>Summer</strong> nights.<br />
8<br />
https://www.beatport.com/release/gwithian/3417349<br />
Jackarta - Here She Comes [Songspire]<br />
The ever impressive Songspire seem to be going from strength to strength of late, with<br />
track after track of pure gems. Here they bring us the return of Jackarta with the emphatic<br />
‘Here she come’.. This track grabs you from the off, with warm chugging basslines and<br />
punchy percussion loops. Add Vocal samples and layer after layer of synths and it makes<br />
for an epic piece of proggy goodness. Great release.<br />
https://www.beatport.com/release/here-she-comes/3405081<br />
8<br />
RECOMMENDED<br />
Simon Doty - Solaris [Anjunadeep]<br />
As always Anjunadeep deliver another quality release for our listening pleasure.<br />
Here Simon Doty brings us the epic Solaris. This is a peaktime banger with<br />
tangling synths and short chord riffs layered over chunky groovy percussion<br />
lines. These lead into signature Doty melodies and teasing breakdowns. Im sure<br />
when Boris lets us on the dance floors this is going to do some damage thats for<br />
sure.<br />
https://www.beatport.com/release/solaris-ep/3404934<br />
Solarstone - When I dream (Kryder Remix) [Blackhole]<br />
9<br />
Next up something a little different but just absolutely epic.Pure Trance supremo and<br />
Trance legend Solarstone's When I Dream, Expertly remixed by Kryder. As you'd expect<br />
when these two names are put together the results are truly stunning. You get<br />
Solarstones usual uplifting chords and melodies twinned with a chunky bigroom<br />
progressive makeover from kryder..... whats not to like.<br />
https://www.beatport.com/release/silence/3159934
VINYL TOP 20<br />
1. Monika Kruse - Hidden Love - Terminal M Recordings<br />
2. Jonathan Kasper - Invert Drift - Cocoon Records<br />
3. Jos & Eli - Mayhem EP - Watergate<br />
4. HDSN – I house you but love – NBAST<br />
5. Ben Jones – Fizzy Water EP – Before Records<br />
6. Various Artists – Horror Vacui vol 1 - Motus<br />
7. Various Artists – Neurotwin – Art21<br />
8. Last Front – Green Tower/Dream Punk – Sundance<br />
9. Recondite – Bird EP – Afterlife<br />
10. Various Artists - 30 Years of Strictly Rhythm - Strictly Rhythm<br />
11. Hess and Harrison – Epibenthoss Mbira EP – Echocord<br />
12. DumitrEscu - Winter Tales - unutrei<br />
13. Alex Pervukhin - Never 2 Late - Laate Records<br />
14. Nail - Baia Verde EP - Traxx Underground<br />
15. The Fog - Been a long time (Full Intention <strong>2021</strong> remix) -<br />
Full Intention<br />
16. Gene Hunt - Part One - Chiwax<br />
17. Giorgio Maulini - Purpose to the Culture - Mau<br />
18. Oliver Dollar - Braeburn EP - Refuge Recordings<br />
19. Temple - Love Machinie - Internasjonal<br />
20. Mihai Popaviciu - Azul EP - Bondage Music
TUNES<br />
HARDDANCE // Nutty T<br />
TOP TUNE //<br />
10<br />
Patrick McNulty - The Navigator [HQ Recordings]<br />
9<br />
Emerging talent Paul McNulty hails from the land down under and brings us this banging<br />
Hard Trance track. This tune really amps up the energy levels with it's hypnotic groove<br />
blended with epic arpeggios and dreamy pads. Prepare yourself to be taken on a journey<br />
with driving bass, techy percussion and an absolutely awesome melody that is out of this<br />
world. This will definitely get your hands in the air, reaching for those lasers. Keep them<br />
coming!!!<br />
https://www.beatport.com/release/the-navigator/3305820<br />
Thieves Of Dreams X Kroxy - Overdose [Loverloud]<br />
Italian label Loverloud bring another Hardstyle slammer and my does this deliver the goods.<br />
The track doesn't pull no punches. It brings a gated melody accompanied by some twinkling pianos and<br />
plucks. The track then brings in a big leads and a vocal that just compliments the track perfect.<br />
The track then treats us to an almighty reverse bass which drops to a brilliant breakbeat arrangement and<br />
that vocal again. It then builds with some some nice vocal chops and pitch shifts and the track takes on a<br />
new direction with the melody. What a track indeed!<br />
https://www.hardstyle-releases.com/thieves-of-dreams-x-kroxy-lov102/<br />
RECOMMENDED<br />
DJ Thera & Kruelty - The Watchman [Theracords]<br />
9<br />
Gated kicks galore here from the Dutch maestro Thera with this superb collaboration<br />
with Kruelty. Trust me, this track isn't for the faint of heart. We are treated to a full on<br />
dark assault from start to finish. Packed full of rip roaring saw leads, creepy plucks,<br />
distorted screeches and a disturbing macabre vocal. If you love your tunes full of<br />
euphoria this might not be for you, but, if you like your tunes energetic and dark like me<br />
you are in for a treat. More like this please!!!!<br />
https://fromthehard.nl/product/dj-thera-kruelty-the-watchmen-digital/<br />
8<br />
Lab4 - Bow Chi [Contact]<br />
London based Lab4 takes us on a wild ride with this stomper of a track entitled Bow Chi.<br />
The tune starts off with crispy hats and filtered kicks. It then gears up with deep vocal stutters, dirty<br />
reverse bass and vigorous kicks. Drop to the break and we're treated to a whole new level of drive<br />
building with some bad ass detuned leads and banging kick rolls. The track is a full on assault of pure<br />
energy throughout that I can definitely see giving your speakers a thorough workout. Hell of a<br />
track!!!<br />
https://www.toolboxdigitalshop.com/hard-trance/lab-4-bow-chi-original-mix-<br />
7<br />
Double F-ect - The Trip [NTraxx Black]<br />
Italian duo Double F-ect take us on a trip down memory lane with this Early Hardstyle<br />
romp. The track moulds together nicely combining a driving reverse bassline, marching<br />
snares and crazy glitchy fx. The break whisks you up with detuned reverberated leading to<br />
an almighty screech fest. If you like your tracks filthy with plenty of reverse bass and big<br />
leads this is definitely for you!<br />
https://www.beatport.com/release/the-trip/3288750
Albums - Dance<br />
Deejay.de / Vinyl / house & techno //<br />
Albums - Dance<br />
TOP TUNE //<br />
10<br />
Monika Kruse - Hidden Love [Terminal M Recordings]<br />
The queen of techno Monika Kruse, returns to Terminal M for this 3 tracker, and it is<br />
worth the wait. “Hidden Love” is a pumping acid driven techno number, with an<br />
undulating sidechained bass-line, rolling acid licks and smooth pads and synths. Its a<br />
great crossover number. Next “Latex” goes into more electro territory as it combines the<br />
rolling hi-hats with a arpeggio bass-line, and dark stabs. Finally “Blue Elephant” takes us<br />
into more melodic techno, whilst maintaining the energy levels of the previous tracks. A<br />
brilliant release.<br />
https://www.deejay.de/Monika_Kruse_Hidden_Love_TERM201_Vinyl__979200<br />
9<br />
9<br />
9<br />
9<br />
Jos & Eli - Mayhem EP [Watergate]<br />
For their second release on the world renowned Watergate, the pair team up with vocalist<br />
Alex Clare. First up though is the driving techno number “Inner Sky”, full of energy and<br />
movement, it’s destined for good things. Stephan Jolk is on remix duties for the title<br />
track, and completely flips things around and bring us a melodic and progressive sounding<br />
number, perfect for a sunset session. When Alex Clare steps up for the chunky, and<br />
distinctly different sounding “Mistakes” is where the EP peaks. Its a great track, and the<br />
combination of synths, vocals and drums all sit perfectly with each other. Finally<br />
“Mayhem” closes things with more progressive sounds, with arpeggio leads and rolling<br />
drums. Brilliant work.<br />
https://www.deejay.de/Jos_%26_Eli_Mayhem_Ep_WGVINYL83__975625<br />
HDSN – I house you but love [NBAST]<br />
2 tracks of tech-house that just ooze fun and letting go on the dancefloor. “I house you<br />
but love” takes in influences from Chicago and Detroit sounds, with a firm nod to the<br />
mid-90s. This is peak time stuff, perfect for the outdoor events of the summer. “Stuck off<br />
the realness” is all about the spoken samples over the top of synth stabs and smooth<br />
pads, combined with tech-house drums that move the track along nicely and give the<br />
energy to it.<br />
https://www.deejay.de/HDSN_I_House_You_But_Love_NBASTWAX013_Vinyl__975477<br />
Ben Jones – Fizzy Water EP [Before Records]<br />
Debut release from Before Records, with label boss Ben Jones, providing the goods. Title<br />
track “Fizzy Water” showcases his distinctive musical style. With drums bouncing along<br />
accompanied by minimalist instrumentation. The Nolga remix of the title track strips<br />
things down even more. On the flipside, “Grey Area” takes us into darker territory, with a<br />
dark synth-line droning throughout over the top of more shuffling drums. Bobby O’donnell<br />
gives his remix an upbeat acid feel, and ups the energy levels for a more peak time vibe.<br />
Great debut EP, look forward to more.<br />
https://www.deejay.de/Ben_Jones_Fizzy_Water_ep_BFR001_Vinyl__968183<br />
Hess and Harrison – Epibenthoss Mbira EP [Echocord]<br />
Detroit natives Luke Hess and Joshua Harrison team up, to continue Echocord’s series of<br />
coloured vinyl releases. Giving us 4 tracks of deep techno and house. “Benthos” is a chord<br />
driven deep tech number, with acid influences. “Hadal” continues the same theme,<br />
opening things up to more progressive elements, with shuffling hi-hats and solid drums.<br />
“Nekton” continues with the progressive influences, with delay effects used to create<br />
movement in the synths. Finally “Upwelling” takes us into more minimalist territory, with<br />
deep subs and punchy drums.<br />
https://www.deejay.de/Hess_%26_Harrison_Epibenthos_Mbira_EP_ECHOCORDCOLOUR043_Vinyl__971766
John Ricketts \\ TUNES<br />
8<br />
8<br />
Various Artists – Horror Vacui vol 1 [Motus]<br />
A showcase of Italian producers here, with 3 tracks all proving to be the epitome of the<br />
producers in question’s sound. Topper is first up, with “Stick no bills”, a chunky techhouse<br />
track, with punchy drums and off kilter samples. Lorenzo Chiabotti gives us<br />
“Renaissance”, melodic deep house with a twist as he uses percussive elements and<br />
twisted synth sounds to give the track a mysterious feel. Finally Viceversa round things<br />
off with “Arizona”, a delicate deep house number with smooth pads and synths<br />
complimenting a simple yet intriguing lead line.<br />
https://www.deejay.de/Various_Horror_Vacui_vol_I_MTSLTD001_Vinyl__970138<br />
Various Artists – Neurotwin [Art21]<br />
A great mini album, showcasing the Art21 sound. Vortex Count kick things off with<br />
“Growthh”, which is pure percussive tehno and has bags ofenergy. Translate give us<br />
“Nyquist”, with its analogue squeaks and bleebs, it’s a late night affair to twist the mind.<br />
Pulso’s “Unexected row” brings things into a more minimalist feel, with its shuffling hihats<br />
and bubbling bass. On the flipside, choice cuts include Droneghost’s “Cartographer”<br />
which is where we enter the ambient and electronica side of the Art21 sound. Finally<br />
things are rounded off with “Black Cat” by Animatec, a pumping techno track that is a<br />
perfect set opener. A great selection.<br />
https://www.deejay.de/Various_Artists_Neurotwin_ART21006_Vinyl__976482<br />
RECOMMENDED<br />
9<br />
9<br />
9<br />
Jonathan Kasper - Invert Drift [Cocoon Records]<br />
Following on from releases on Kompakt and Objektivity, he has his debut release on<br />
Cocoon. 3 tracks of his trademark melodic techno and electronica. Title track “Invert<br />
Drift” combines a minimal approach to the drums whilst using all the effects tricks in the<br />
book to build up a wall of sound and tension. “Last Romance” focuses on a repeated<br />
percussive lead, combined with twinkling synths and bells. Finally the 10 minute plus<br />
“Off the shore” brings all the elements that have gone before into a cinematic and<br />
atmospheric epic piece of electronica.<br />
https://www.deejay.de/Jonathan_Kaspar_Invert_Drift_COR12169_Vinyl__977668<br />
Last Front – Green Tower/Dream Punk [Sundance]<br />
A reissue from the early 90s, 1993 to be precise, the Japanese producers Fumiya<br />
Tanaka,Tamotu Ide,Takehito Miyagi, collectively known as Last Front, bring their<br />
remastered classics out of retirement. “Green Tower “ is all about the rolling acid bassline<br />
and synth stabs, whilst “Dream Punk” is a high energy lesson in pounding analogue<br />
techno. Both tracks deserve to be out there again, and headed for a dancefloor near you<br />
soon.<br />
https://www.deejay.de/Last_Front_Green_Tower_Dream_Punk_SND014_Vinyl__973418<br />
Recondite – Bird EP [Afterlife]<br />
German Producer Rocondite, after performing at numerous Afterlife events, brings his<br />
production prowess and skills to their label. The A-side, “Bird” is an acid infused piece of<br />
deep progressive house. Smooth pads and synths are punctuated by arpeggios that are<br />
opened and closed, creating bags of atmosphere. “Secluded” moves along with the<br />
progressive influences, with delicate synths an drums that move things along and provide<br />
the main focus of energy for the track. A great couple EP, ad a real showcase for his<br />
productions.<br />
https://www.deejay.de/Recondite_Bird_EP_AL050_Vinyl__974906
Software<br />
Reviews<br />
// Nutty T<br />
LUSSIVE AUDIO - SCREECH DESIGNER / KICK CONFIGURATOR<br />
SCREECH DESIGNER<br />
Onne Witjes is a credited Hardstyle producer on some renowned labels including<br />
Scantraxx and his own label Lussive Music.<br />
So when I saw he had started releasing soundsets and new Kontakt<br />
Instruments I was intrigued.<br />
Well let's dive straight in, the design of the GUI is very eye catching at<br />
first site. The features include a morph section that can allow 4 different modes that<br />
can mould and give some added character to the sounds. The Sounds section<br />
brings a nice dynamic to the instrument with 3 drop down menus that allow you to<br />
scroll through 35 wave layers which you can also pitch and change the volume so<br />
blending is really natural. The thing that I found really interesting about this feature is<br />
the ability to add you own samples to the instrument by changing the Custom 1-5<br />
wavs. You need to make sure the note is in C to keep the rootnote. Next we have<br />
the Mod Wheel Destination this is basically how the name suggests. This enables<br />
you to set the morph knobs there are 2 slots available to shape your sound.<br />
We then come onto the Destroy & Distort function which brings a whole<br />
new harshness to the sounds. Both features have a nice unique character with the<br />
Destroy option featuring a nice little intensity function that definitely comes in handy.<br />
The LFO section has 2 LFO's which you can toggle between these can<br />
be used at the same time. First up is the Filter LFO with 3 knobs controlling<br />
frequency, mix and phase. There is also a sync mode which include 1/4, 1/4T, 1/8,<br />
1/8T, 1/16 and 1/16T to match your DAW's BPM. Then the Pitch LFO which has 5<br />
knobs with the first knob controlling the frequency, 2nd controlling the attack and the<br />
other 3 are used to shape the sound to your preference. The Master Filter includes<br />
CutOff, Resonance, Attack & Decay features. The Amp Envelope has 2 controls<br />
attack and release to clean up the sound or mould sounds into nice atmospheres or<br />
pads.<br />
The Effects are pretty cool consisting of some really nice features:<br />
Saturation, Bitcrusher, Spike, Reverb / Pre Delay, Phasor and HP Filter.<br />
effects in the instrument such as Speed which allows changes in the length of the<br />
tail.<br />
Reverb which can result in bigger sounds or fx kicks. Spike which<br />
changes the transients of the kick putting emphasis on the attack or the tail of the<br />
kick. Master Effects / Layer Effects for individual layers or the complete sound.<br />
A Reverb which is an Attack Reverb that is a dedicated reverb just for<br />
the attack layer. Tail Distortion and EQ is a nice little function for the tail of the kick<br />
with 3 knobs: EQ gain, EQ frequency & bandwidth. Tune Modulate & Invert is used<br />
to pitch the punch layer to give it more of a Raw sound. Overdrive & Beast Mode is a<br />
very cool function that allows even more distortion and as the name suggests more<br />
beastly kick effects.<br />
or higher.<br />
The Screech Designer & Kick Configurator are available for Kontakt 5.6<br />
So my final thought is that both products are such versatile and<br />
innovative instruments which have many possibilities and characteristics. I think that<br />
any producer that likes to get their hands dirty is going to really enjoy and appreciate<br />
these. Whether you are an experienced veteran in the studio or a newcomer just<br />
starting out. These are 2 instruments I would definitely recommend. Keep them<br />
coming A-Lusion.<br />
https://store.lussive.com/product/hardstyle-hardcore-screech-designer-vst/<br />
9<br />
Which brings me to the next thing that really grabbed my attention, one<br />
of my personal favourites functions of the Screech Designer is the dedicated Pitch<br />
Presets.<br />
You can switch between the Pitch Preset Menu and the Pitch Envelope<br />
feature, which can be used at the same time to make unique sounds. With 6 presets<br />
they all have their own unique sound my personal favourite is Roar especially when<br />
manipulating buildups. All layers are pitched to 36 semitones and the Pitch Envelope<br />
functions are<br />
Pitch Transpose (+36 semitones), Attack, Attack Curve, Hold & Decay.<br />
There is also a dedicated presets section so if you are just looking for<br />
some nasty screech sounds you can just browse through these and save your own.<br />
KICK CONFIGURATOR<br />
Much like the Screech Designer we are also treated to the Kick Configurator.<br />
Which is dedicated to everything in Kick design. This also let's you add<br />
your own sample or use the designated presets provided and use the different
TUNES<br />
HOUSE & TECHNO // John Ricketts<br />
TOP TUNE //<br />
10<br />
Langbard – Remnants (part 1) [6913 Digital]<br />
Langbard returns to 6931 for his latest EP. Stating that this is the first in a series of Eps, it’s easy to see why it’s<br />
received early support from Solomun, Tale of us and Nic Faciulli to name a few. It’s a great example of his take on<br />
melodic techno. Gently easing you in with the opener “Kroma” , with its undulating arpeggio bass line and synths<br />
washing in and out giving atmosphere. Stripped back after the breakdown, whilst never loosing its groove, it’s a<br />
great opener. Next “Buurn” starts with its frantic bass and synth stabs, whilst a delicate lead line sits of the top.<br />
The drums a simple but effective, and keep things moving along nicely. “Precipice” keeps things dark, with dark<br />
pads being complimented with less sparse percussion adding as another almost melodic element, before the acid<br />
bassline gets things moving. Finally “Remnants” returns to the Eps main sound of melodic synths and arpeggios,<br />
with a rolling bassline. A great EP, full of nice production and melodic element, that give each track enough<br />
character to stand on their own, but also work really well as an EP. Cannot wait for the next one.<br />
https://www.beatport.com/release/remnants-part-one/2917606<br />
8<br />
Roger Da’Silva – In my heart EP [Simma Black]<br />
Since he began djing in 1993, Roger Da’Silva has spent the last 3 decades building a reputation as one of the<br />
undergrounds top house djs. Recently, in the last few years, he has moved into production. This has seen a string<br />
of releases on Zulu, Let there be house, Redisco and Whore House. Now he comes to Simma Black with his new EP.<br />
Kicking things off with title track “In my heart” sitting perfectly between straight up house and tech house. The<br />
piano riff, teased in the first half, perfectly with the vocal, and when combined with the organ stabs, the track has<br />
stacks of attitude. On the flipside “Bring it close to me” is more of the same house/tech crossover. With shuffling<br />
hats and a repeating detuned vocal combining with another infectious piano riff, its full of energy. Both tracks have<br />
a similar feel, and are a showcase for Da’Silva’s fantastic production.<br />
https://www.beatport.com/release/in-my-heart-ep/2885780<br />
RECOMMENDED<br />
V. – Confusion EP [Nautilus Rising]<br />
Lithuanian producer Vidis epkauskas returns to Glasgow based label Nautilus Rising for this epic journey.<br />
Using the EP to convey the same track in 3 distinct stages it’s a very clever idea. “Confusion” starts<br />
things off with its driving drums, heavy snare and rolling hats. Filters are slowly opened and the 303 line that<br />
is the backbone of the track is slowly built up. It’s a great peak time progressive house track. “Confusion<br />
Totale” takes things in an 80s synth-wave style. Its chunky drums, 80s snare accompany the main acid<br />
riff which shines through here. With great synth stabs and bags of atmosphere, its pick of the bunch for me.<br />
Finally, “Confusion finale” rounds things off, keeping the 80s vibe, but going with a more soundtrack feel.<br />
Synths rise and fall, there are pretty much no drums, and everything is allowed to breath and have its own<br />
space. A great EP.<br />
https://www.traxsource.com/title/1214803/confusion-ep<br />
9<br />
9<br />
9<br />
Sebastian Mullaert – Lightship 612 EP [SIAMESE]<br />
Swedish born Sebastian Mullaert, known as one half of Minilogue, as well as being a respected producer in his own<br />
right, going so far as to working with philharmonic orchestras and industry heavyweights such as Ame. This simple<br />
two track EP is a great representation of his current musical style. As “Lightship 612” combines the frantic and<br />
almost piccolo sounding synths with the bouncy bassline, which merge and come together before separating and<br />
travelling away to their own parts of the mix. The drums shuffle along keeping the energy going. “Is waves” is some<br />
serious deep melodic techno. Pumping drums pound along whilst the shimmering synth lines ride over the top of the<br />
bassline. It verges into electronica a points but is still firmly aimed at the dancefloor. Essential stuff and a great<br />
snapshot of Mullaert’s sound at the moment.<br />
https://www.traxsource.com/title/1219091/lightship-612-ep<br />
Luke Davidson – S.I.T.H [SOKO]<br />
Luke Davidson, aswell as being A&R for Glasgow Undergound, has managed to notch up an impressive batch of<br />
releases already, since starting producing in 2013. Garnering support from highflyers, such as Christoph, Low<br />
Steppa, Flashmob and Anime Edge & Dance. Now he brings his distinct groove to London based SOKO Records.<br />
S.I.T.H doesn’t mess around. This is a track that needs to be played in a club, loud. The kick punches through like a<br />
train, and the lead is a simple riff that gets the point across. Combine that with a bassline that will dislodge your<br />
internal organs, and an acid line that harks back to “in the day” .This will without doubt do the damage on any<br />
dancefloor it’s played on. Keep them coming.<br />
https://www.traxsource.com/title/1283089/s-i-t-h
Vinyl + Digital<br />
Albums - Dance<br />
TECHNO & HARD TECHNO / Mark Neenan<br />
Albums - Dance<br />
TOP TUNE //<br />
10<br />
Ken Ishii | Greencross - Collusion 33 [Different Is Different]<br />
"After several appearances on Different Is Different Records, Ken Ishii teams up with Greencross and seals a<br />
collaborative release where each producer convey their vision of techno as a single original track, and each<br />
producer remixes the other's original track for a total of four techno cuts, in 'Collusion 33'." This is what it says on<br />
the tin and wow these are great tracks! Label owner Daniel 'Greencross' remixes Ken's 'Disquiet' which is alot<br />
deeper than the original, packed full of grooves, top shuffling hats and a more subtle albeit just as mesmerising<br />
synth line, whilst the Greencross original 'Subtle Rejection' is an angry jacking offering, with quite an old school<br />
vibe going on and also has a main synth that gets stuck inside your head. For Ken's remix, the legendary<br />
Japanese producer goes big with a Clanking metallic bass, big variation on the percussive elements and an old<br />
school main synth. But for me this release is all about the original of 'Disquiet' It really is superb! A marching deep<br />
Techno groove grabs you straight away combined with a crazy hypnotic synth line that just moves and evolves<br />
constantly, add to this lots of quirky bells, zaps and FX and you have a right mind bending tune on your hands<br />
which builds and squeals into a massive crescendo.. Who needs drugs to get lost in music? Absolutely lethal track<br />
this! This EP is also available as an NFT purchase and comes with added downloadable videos for the tracks (but I<br />
haven't got enough time or space to go into that now) Check this out!<br />
9<br />
https://transistora.com.es/ken-ishii-greencross-collusion-33/<br />
Zero Dayz / Rowland - The Bastard [INFECTED 26]<br />
My old pal from Devon 'Rowland The Bastard' has obviously found his love of Techno again over this past crazy year and has not<br />
only been doing a fair few live dj streams, he has also been back in the studio and re launched his legendary labels. The Infected<br />
24 and 25 records by RTB and OB1 have been firmly placed in the front of my record box and I've now been treated to the promos<br />
of No 26 by Zero Dayz and Ro himself. I'm a huge fan of Alex Calver and Eddie Santini's Zero Dayz project and they excell<br />
themselves here. 'The First Time' is a relentless galloping hard Techno beast with an ace vocal about the first time someone takes<br />
drugs. Add to this an old school piano riff on top of their crystal clear production and you have a gem of a tune. 'Broken Ego'<br />
follows in a similar manor, driving energetic Techno full of old school flavours and a quirky sample of Mike Tyson talking about the<br />
time he tried DMT! Ro is up next with two of his own tracks 'Sabretooth' and '200506'. The latter being an excellent tough and<br />
percussive affair, whilst the first track is a pumping groove fuelled beast full of crisp hats, moving shakers, fat kick drum and an<br />
immense sub! Add in some old school stabs, clever FX fills and a retro 'Energy' vocal and we have another top RTB production! I<br />
must also quickly mention that the latest Bionic Orange promo came through at the same time and is by the wicked David Oblivion<br />
(who released on Filth a few months back) 2 huge Acid Techno cuts from this fairly new producer who is certainly one to watch!<br />
https://www.discogs.com/artist/11593-Rowland-The-Bastard<br />
9<br />
RECOMMENDED<br />
D.A.V.E The Drummer - 90's Techno [Hydraulix]<br />
I'm sat here at work writing this 29 years to the day since the legendary Castle Morton party<br />
and you know what? If (or should that be when?) a big rave like Castle Morton or Steart<br />
Beach happens again, this is the exact type of Techno I'd wanna be dancing to. Everything<br />
Henry does always ticks the right boxes for me and with his latest Hydraulix offering '90's<br />
Techno' you are transported back to that awesome era of warehouse parties and big outdoor<br />
free parties with 5 tracks of Techno perfection! One of the tracks 'Punk Ravers' is the track<br />
that Henry made for Mike (Skirra) as a tutorial for Faderpro.com, which is an excellent and<br />
very informative insight into his studio and writting techniques and is a definite worthy<br />
watch. The blurb here hits the nail on the head ''Built on some 90's style ideas but with a<br />
modern twist!" I've nothing more to add really, It's D.A.V.E The Drummer, it's Hydraulix, it's<br />
ace, so go and buy it!<br />
https://soundcloud.com/dave-the-drummer/sets/hydraulix-110-90-t-chn-d-a-v-e<br />
Christian Varela - 28 Prognosis EP [Materia 043]<br />
Legendary Spanish DJ / Producer Christian Varela debuts on Marco Bailey's ace Materia label with a top<br />
notch 5 track EP. I have always been a fan of Christian, but I've not noticed much of his stuff recently,<br />
well this EP will bring him right back into the limelight that's for sure! 'Har5' is a pounding roller with<br />
some rather deep and distorted acid subtly bubbling underneath throughout most of the track. 'Yssy' is a<br />
tough punchy Techno affair with crisp driving percussion that only relents for 2 small breakdowns through<br />
this ace hypnotic 7 minute journey. My favourite has to be the title track 'Prognosis' which is an enormous<br />
bass heavy hard track which goes into some subtle Breakbeats and searing acid after the break, which<br />
builds and drops in all the right places. Top stuff! To round this wicked EP off there are 2 atmospheric<br />
electronica pieces which make for great intro's and / or DJ Tools.<br />
https://materiamusicofficial.bandcamp.com/album/cristian-varela-prognosis-ep<br />
10
\\ TUNES<br />
9<br />
Dax J. - Utopian Surrealism (Album sampler) [Momnom Black]<br />
Just in before my deadline, I've just been sent a 3 track teaser for the latest Dax J album, Boom! Written in<br />
Lockdown, titled 'Utopian Surrealism' and inspired by a book by Yaval Noah Harari the 3 tracks I've been<br />
sent are 'Universal Future Sound' which is full of swirling, uplifting synth lines and zappy effects all<br />
underpinned by a relentless dark hammering bass line and kickdrum. The second break is a rather trancey<br />
futuristic dystopian pause in proceedings before the onslaught continues with added squelchy acid.<br />
'Simulated Reality (Terafactory AI Electronics)' is a dark rumbler, full of machine noises and metallic<br />
sounding bass zaps, this is a MONSTER of a tune and does not stop growling and menacing for six and a<br />
half minutes. Real heads down, get lost in the music effort this. Love it!' Utopian Surrealism' is the final<br />
teaser and is the name of his third studio album. It is a delightfully futuristic electronica piece, full of crazy<br />
synths, heavy broken beats and mad percussion in a very (dare I say it?) Aphex Twin Manor. Utter class! I<br />
cannot wait to hear the full album when it comes out in August and I will be be caining these tracks 100%!<br />
8.5<br />
https://monnomblack.bandcamp.com/album/utopian-surrealism-album-sampler<br />
WETWORKS vs V.I.T.R.I.O.L. - I've Seen Demons [Mastoid Kollektive]<br />
Chicago based Techno label Mastoid Kollective welcome back a favourite artist of mine for their latest<br />
release, the wicked Wetworks! Using his Wetworks vs V.I.T.R.I.O.L alias Tony serves up two slabs of Hard<br />
Clanking and Rumbling Techno of the highest calibre.<br />
Both the title track 'I've Seen Demons' and 'Check Your Ego At The Door' feature his trademark aggressive<br />
loop laiden hypnotic sound, albeit going down a much darker path than usual (darker the better for me!)<br />
Both tracks are heavy on the sub bass and are of sheer quality with crazy FX and edits, and crisp energetic<br />
percussion throughout. This EP is a sure fire heads down warehouse masterpiece and I can't wait to be<br />
able to play these out loud at gigs again!<br />
8.5<br />
https://www.beatport.com/release/ive-seen-demons/3419299<br />
Adam Beyer Feat' DJ Rush - Restore My Soul [Drumcode]<br />
OK, so this just came in as I was about to send my reviews off, But i had to sneak it in. Adam enlists iconic<br />
Chicago legend DJ Rush to colab on the latest DC release, and it's certainly made a difference as Mr Beyer<br />
goes back to his slightly harder roots with these cool jams. The title track 'Restore My Soul' is a tough<br />
punchy number featuring Rush's ace vocals alongside tense oscillating synths and bleeps, 'Control' is a<br />
right thumper, more of his cool vox are featured here alongside a rather industrial edged sound for DC with<br />
the added bonus of some subtle deep acid layers. 'Take Me There' starts of as the deepest cut but ends up<br />
rather melodic, more the modern style of the Label but my pick (Inevitably) is DJ Rush's remix of the title<br />
track. A quality Hard Chicago Techno Funk work out which Jacks, builds and drops in all the right places<br />
with his ace hypnotic vocals ever more dominent. 'Refresh, Revive, Recharge... Restore My Soul' Heavy<br />
remix this!<br />
8.5<br />
https://www.junodownload.com/products/adam-beyer-dj-rush-restore-my-soul/5086195-02/<br />
Michael Wells aka G.T.O. - Papacito [UKR]<br />
The ever consistent UKR invite Techno and Hardcore legend Michael Wells (Yes, the guy behind 'I wanna be<br />
a hippy' all those years ago!) back to the fold with a big 4 track EP. Everything this guy produces is always<br />
of top class quality and he delivers here once again.<br />
Title track 'Papacito' is a hard and funking builder with marching percussion and Latin flavours. 'Devil Eyes'<br />
is a right space themed dark roller with a heavy bassline, hypnotic and futuristic synth bleeps and a very<br />
sinister laughing vocal. 'Elektrik House' is track 3 and it's a quality stripped back jacking and bleep fest,<br />
whilst rounding off the ep in style is 'Automated Man' a chunky slice of groove fuelled Techno with classic<br />
'Red Series' rave stabs and intergalactic sweeps. A very versatile EP this, Which one is your favourite??<br />
https://soundcloud.com/odd-recordings/sets/odd045-kusp-orbit-ep
Vinyl + Digital<br />
TECHNO & HARD TECHNO /<br />
\\ TUNES<br />
Mark Neenan<br />
8<br />
JoeFarr - Surface Tension [User Experience]<br />
"Four tracks that are meant to be heard in a club but probably won't be" Says the blurb, and<br />
sadly he's right (although let's pray this changes soon eh!) Here Joe dishes up 4 tracks of no<br />
nonsense ravey Techno music full of thumping distorted kicks, dark grooves, machine like<br />
percussion, dreamy pads and hypnotic vox (and that's just on track 1 'Fast Frame'!) 'Basic<br />
Moves' and 'Secret Trance Lover' follow in a similar fashion, with the latter having a rather<br />
large trance breakdown if that's your thing? My favourite however is 'I Last Forever' with its<br />
heavy and reverberating energetic bass from the off, which goes all old school on the break,<br />
before it fires back in galloping wildly with added acidy bleeps building throughout. Yes mate!<br />
https://www.traxsource.com/title/1608048/surface-tension<br />
7.5<br />
Hayden F. - One [Off Recordings]<br />
8.5<br />
French Electronic artist Hayden F (Of Trapez fame) signs to Off Recordings and gives us this great 3 track<br />
EP, which sounds like it's come straight from the microphones on Nasa's Mars Perseverance Rover. 'One' is<br />
eerie and space themed with tough clanking beats, energetic stabs, huge creepy build ups and a synth line<br />
that sounds like a deranged Alien mating call. 'R73' is somewhat deeper and sounds like it's straight from a<br />
Sci-fi movie with its crazy atmospherics and spacy pads. My pic however is 'Parreal Letal' which is the<br />
toughest of the 3 and a right groover! It features excellent crisp shuffling hats, a lively and very sinister<br />
lead synth that hyonotises you throughout and it's all accompanied by a huge moaning sub bass and<br />
thumping kick drum. Good stuff this!<br />
https://off-recordings.com/hayden-f-one/<br />
Gabriel Wnz - Party Bag (The Remixes) [Urban Chaos Records]<br />
Following on from the excellent EP from Jim E Scavenger (Which I was chuffed to of had a remix on) Alex<br />
Kingkade's excellent Urban Chaos imprint are back with a big remix EP of the track 'Party Bag' by Gabriel<br />
Wnz. I must've missed the track first time out, but the original is included here and is ace! It's tough as<br />
nails and has a rumbling machine like groove, dark 'Party Box' vox, sublime acid and a sick Electro synth<br />
line in the break which builds upto a crazy distorted alarm sound once it all fires back in again. There is<br />
something for everyone in this package with other mixes coming from Mechanic Freakz,<br />
Nik Wel, PDRO, Hammaton 3, Enzo Schneider, Jose Baher & Lindes Garcia but my 2 faves are Aron SC,<br />
who's version is a thunderous fast paced roller, with dark bass synth stabs, repetitive 'party' vocal and also<br />
has such menacing energetic percussion that really carries the journey along. Then it's that man again, Jim<br />
E Scavenger, who's eerie take is full of tough driving beats full of dark textures underneath which evolve<br />
into some beautiful screechy acid after the second break. Lovely stuff! Another top Urban Chaos release<br />
this, check it!<br />
8.5<br />
https://www.traxsource.com/title/1580086/party-bag-the-remixes<br />
Dok + Martin - The Backroom [Code]<br />
Not gonna lie, I've never came across Dok + Martin (Where have I been??) They have appeared on labels<br />
like 1605, Analytic Trail and Mindshake to name but 3. Well here the Spanish duo provide an awesome EP<br />
for Code (The Label from Madrids superclub Fabrik).<br />
'The Backroom' is a throbbing peak time Techno hit with 2 massive evolving build ups that remind me of<br />
the Chems, before the sound drops right back to the heads down lively throbbing rhythm. Andreas Campo<br />
is a someone I do know and he gives us possibley his hardest work to date with this pounding remix, which<br />
this time includes a huge kick drum build up and a play with the 'Backroom' vocals. Ace! For me though,<br />
this release is all about the track 'Creation'. Right from the get go I was hooked with its thumping, but<br />
punchy kick, an instant dark mesmeric bass groove and tonnes of movement on the percussion side of<br />
things. From the first small break he adds In some metallic Perc hits which evolve into a wicked synth<br />
pattern untill 3.18 when it goes up a key and Lazers will no doubt be reached for on any dance floor I'm<br />
positive! Puts a big grin on my fat old face this does, you must hear it!<br />
https://www.beatport.com/release/the-backroom/3416098
Albums // Compilations<br />
Albums - Dance<br />
Albums - Dance<br />
\\ TUNES<br />
John Digweed – Quattro 2 – Bedrock<br />
Quattro II Is the new follow up to the hugely successful Quattro compilation album from John Digweed<br />
that was released in April 2020.<br />
Featuring 4 CD’s of exclusive new material which has been compiled and mixed by John Digweed,<br />
showcasing music from some of the most exciting electronic producers out there. This time with the<br />
Juxtaposition CD we hand the controls to German legend Robert Babicz for an original album of<br />
futuristic electronica and ambient textures.<br />
Like its predecessor, Quattro II finds Digweed showcasing a wide roster of talented artists, and gives a<br />
spotlight to Robert Babicz, who produced the fourth and final album in the series. The project also<br />
borrows from its prototype by keeping the same titles of each unique mix: Soundscape, Tempo,<br />
Redux, and Juxtaposition.<br />
Soundscape allows Digweed to showcase a whole palette focusing on music we would never hear in a<br />
club. Here we are introduced to cinematic synths, hypnotic sonic waves, acid wobbles, emotive<br />
sequences, and haunting vocals. Artists lending their talents on this mix include Coloursound, Josh<br />
Wink, Dave Walker, and Quivver.<br />
In Tempo, the ambient textures fade giving way to hypnotic grooves and melodic textures. The 13<br />
tracks found on Tempo push the envelope with driving acid and atmospheric breaks by the likes of Jim<br />
Rivers, Acid Rockers, and Blaktone & Florian Kruse. Acting as an opening act before the main event,<br />
Tempo seamlessly transitions into the third disc.<br />
As the main event, Redux is aimed squarly at the dancefloor. Pulsating club beats eventually give way<br />
to the late-hour comedown of feel-good house, nu school breaks, and future grooves. It is here where<br />
we find Digweed in his element, providing his talents in five of the 12 cuts on Redux. Alongside<br />
Digweed are Stelios Vassiloudis, Bedrock co-producer Nick Muir, Guy Mantzur & Khen to name a few.<br />
Finally, Juxtaposition shines a light on Digweed's longtime friend, Babciz. The German audio<br />
engineering master saves his best for last, curating 12 original tracks for Juxtaposition. The original<br />
work blends ambient textures with futuristic electronica, perfectly encapsulating the symphonic<br />
journey that is Quattro II. Essential listening.<br />
Words John Ricketts<br />
https://www.beatport.com/release/quattro-ii/3308586<br />
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labelfeature<br />
________________<br />
Words John Ricketts<br />
______________________________<br />
Photography Courtesy of Future Avenue<br />
______________________________________<br />
Connect https://www.facebook.com/3rdavenuelabel<br />
Founded in 2020 as a sub-label of Sound<br />
Avenue umbrella. Sitting alongside fellow<br />
subdivisions 3rd Avenue and Crossfade Sounds,<br />
Future Avenue’s aim is to provide a home for new and<br />
rising talent. With an ethos centered around<br />
progressive music and its surrounding derivatives, the<br />
label is a platform which gives up and coming artists a<br />
chance to showcase their music alongside<br />
established veterans as they carve out their own<br />
musical identity.<br />
We caught up with label head Dominique Heynink to<br />
find out what they’re up to.
" The track first<br />
was part of the<br />
"We Are The<br />
Future"<br />
compilation on<br />
3rd Avenue.<br />
Because this<br />
track was so<br />
well received, I<br />
decided to<br />
create a nice EP<br />
with remixes of<br />
this track. It was<br />
the perfect start<br />
for this new<br />
label "
Can we start off by asking you what<br />
your musical background is? What<br />
are your first musical memories?<br />
Hey guys! Thanks for the invite to this interview!<br />
Big fan of the magazine! I'm an 80ties kid, so I remember<br />
in my childhood I was a fan of bands such as Pet Shop<br />
Boys, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, The Doors. My first<br />
touches with electronic music were via Jean-Michel Jarre's<br />
"Oxygen" series. The late 80s, the "New Beat" genre was<br />
born in Belgium, bringing me into house music in the early<br />
90s.<br />
on the same EP.<br />
Would you say you are solely<br />
focused on progressive house?<br />
Yes, I think FA is my most progressive houseminded<br />
outlet. Sound Avenue first started as a prog label<br />
but developed it's own style in the last 10 years. Every now<br />
& than, I still release a pure progressive track on SA, but I<br />
think it's great that it became so diverse & eclectic. From<br />
Downtempo to Electronica & Deep house to Techno,<br />
everything is possible on Sound Avenue. I think I found a<br />
nice balance in the release roster.<br />
What came first? DJing, production or<br />
the label?<br />
I started dj'ing in the mid-nineties, producing late<br />
00s & my first label Sound Avenue in 2011.<br />
What are the main differences in<br />
your studio set up from when you<br />
first started producing to now?<br />
I remember starting with Cubase in the first years<br />
together VST plugins from Spectrasonics & Native<br />
Instruments, which I still use today. Later I made a switch<br />
to Logic Pro & Ableton. These days I only write track idea's<br />
in my home studio. To build the tracks, I always go to the<br />
big studio of my partner Tommie (Subnode), where we can<br />
use a lot of hardware and several Elektron devices & tape<br />
machines to get a nice warm sound at the end.<br />
You are an sub-label of Sound<br />
Avenue, and your 10th anniversary<br />
is this year. What is the key for<br />
longevity when running a label?<br />
It's very simple: quality over quantity! And to be<br />
consistent with your release schedule.<br />
Your first release, Kenan Savrun's<br />
"Orion", how did this come about?<br />
What was it in particular made you<br />
want this as your debut release?<br />
The track first was part of the "We Are The<br />
Future" compilation on 3rd Avenue. Because this<br />
track was so well received, I decided to create a nice<br />
EP with remixes of this track. It was the perfect start<br />
for this new label.<br />
Any notable releases since your<br />
debut?<br />
Too much for mentioning, but I always feel<br />
satisfied with the seasonal samplers. Giving newcomers a<br />
chance to have their first release with some good promo.<br />
It's also great to see when legends such as Hernan<br />
Cattaneo or Nick Warren are playing the music from your<br />
label in their dj-sets.<br />
What do you look for when<br />
signing new tracks?<br />
Again, quality over quantity. There are too many<br />
guys trying to copy the big names in this scene. So I'm<br />
always pleased to receive music from guys who just do<br />
their own thing, who try to work on their signature sound.<br />
What was the ethos behind starting<br />
Future Avenue?<br />
The same story how I created my other labels: I<br />
got send so many good demo's each day. It became<br />
impossible to release everything I liked on the other labels.<br />
It's always hard to disappoint people telling your release<br />
schedule is overfull. The first idea was to call the label "We<br />
Are The Future" in response to the 3rd Avenue compilation<br />
series. On this compilation, I always give new artists a<br />
chance to have their first release. Because it was simply<br />
impossible to offer everyone or the best track an EP the<br />
idea of "Future Avenue" was born. Release music from<br />
rising talents in combination with more established names
Any tips how to send a demo?<br />
The best way is to send a short introduction<br />
message, who you are, when you started, where you've<br />
released before, together with a private SoundCloud link to<br />
your track(s). Your music also makes a better impression if<br />
it's already mastered (or a temporary self master). Don't<br />
send a 'bcc" email to 50 labels at once. Try to have some<br />
patience before you get a reaction. I try to listen demo's a<br />
few times a week, sometimes only once a week or once<br />
every two weeks depends on my schedule. And please<br />
don't contact me on every possible inbox with the same<br />
message; that can be annoying!<br />
Do you have tips on how new<br />
producers can grow their fanbase?<br />
It can be easy: let the music speak. If you can<br />
make groundbreaking quality music, people will notice you.<br />
Love it or hate it, but social media still is essential these<br />
days. I see many guys being creative with making short<br />
clips in their studio or say a few words on release day. Try<br />
to post regularly on your IG or FB. Tag other artists when<br />
they play your music. When you have a release, make a<br />
post about your music the week(s)before & after the<br />
release day. Sometimes I see new artists not posting<br />
anything about their release. It's not only the label which<br />
has to do their part of the job, but also the artist.<br />
Who do you think are some of the<br />
biggest upcoming talents in the<br />
progressive house scene right now<br />
on Future Avenue?<br />
I think I can give you a list with hundred names.<br />
There are so many talented people all over the world. I<br />
have several projects running with people like Andres<br />
Moris, Bynomic, Nico Beren, Luman, Ric Niels, Mattias<br />
Herrera, Mango Cult, FJL, Leandro Murua, Bodenud,<br />
Salazar (Col), Hyunji-A, Darren Bray to name a few :)<br />
What's next for Future Avenue?<br />
One of the next big projects is the new <strong>Summer</strong><br />
Sampler compilation. Another exciting release is the "Over<br />
The Moon EP" from Deacon Cross where we welcome the<br />
legendary Lemon8 producer on the label. At the moment,<br />
the releases for the next 6 months are scheduled. So stay<br />
tuned for a lot of great music!
T E X T U R E S<br />
V O L U M E F O U R<br />
O U T N O W