CHECK OUT OUR KOREAN, CHINESE & JAPANESE INSERTS!
KSHMR
CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT
WINTER MUSIC CONFERENCE CLAIMS ITS REIGN
DAVE CLARKE STATELESS
DJ MAG TOP 100 ANALYSIS
JUSTIN OH
FEELING REAL
THE WHOLE WORLD IS TALKING ABOUT
MARTIN GARRIX Phillipi & Rodrigo, Taska Black, Moe, Solardo, All Day I Dream, Lost Frequencies, Kraftwerk ‘Computer World’, What’s Hot in Asia?, Ultra Australia, Cedric Gervais, Alison Wonderland, Charlotte de Witte & more…
Project Leader UCG BAN Director Hernán Pandelo Jace Jinsun Yu
EDITORIAL
editorial@djmagasia.com
Editor Team Daehwa Lee Jackisback Tiffany Kim Binna Kim Ariel Jo Tetsuya M Mengdie Hu Kevin Kang Web Team Sean Hwang N.K Oh Photo & Video Team Matthew Martin Marco Tessiore
안녕하세요! 你好。 こんにちは。 Hello! We will soon hit our one-year mark and we could not be happier with all the work we’ve done and how much we’ve grown. When the opportunity arose to create and develop DJ Mag’s licence in Asia, we immediately knew it would be an all-round success and we set about to provide the most loyal coverage of one of the fastest-growing regions in the electronic music industry. Having been born ‘on the other side of the world’, the challenge was huge but also incredibly exciting. One year into our first work meeting, we can brag that we have vastly exceeded our targets and that we’re stepping towards bigger goals, along with a tireless work team that leaves absolutely nothing to chance. The Asian electronic scene will keep on growing and we’ll be there to tell the world about it.
HERNÁN PANDELO Director
ART & DESIGN
design@djmagasia.com
Alejandro Ramos Jay Kim Sergio Aguirre
ADVERTISING
ad@djmagasia.com
Jason Roh Sungah Han Leo Jurjevich Jeehak Koh Sukyung Yoo
EVENTS / PRODUCTION events@djmagasia.com
Sang Park Bros Ma Hankyoo Moon Muti Siddiqi
MANAGEMENT
mgmt@djmagasia.com
Managing Director Dudley Chou Accounting Manager Elizabeth Choi
CONTRIBUTORS
DJ Mag Japan Team, Shion Ogushi, Sae Chang, Seth Kim, Simon Moon, Camillia Lu, Jamie Kim, Mizuki Asakura
SUBSCRIPTIONS
subscriber@djmagasia.com
OFFICIAL WEBSITE djmagasia.com DJMAGASIA DJMAG_ASIA
CONTENTS
68
한국어 COVER STORY: 온 세상이 마틴 게릭스를 이야기 한다. JUSTIN OH: TRUE FEELING, 내 자신을 바꿀 수는 없다. KSHMR: 변화만이 꾸준히 살아남을 수 있는 유일한 길이다. 아시아에서 꼭 가봐야 할 뮤직 핫플레이스 WHAT’S HOT IN KOREA?
82 中文
COVER STORY: 全世界 都在谈论 马丁•盖瑞斯 JUSTIN OH: True Feeling, 我不能改变自己。 KSHMR: 变化才是保持存活的唯一途径。
在亚洲一定要去的音乐热点场所
WHAT’S HOT IN CHINA?
96 日本語
COVER STORY: 世界は、マーティン・ギャリックス
24
に 注目している
JUSTIN OH: True Feeling, 自分自身を変えることは できない。 KSHMR: 永く生き残れるカギは、 変化しかない。 アジアで見逃せないミュージックホットプレイス
The whole world is talking about
MARTIN GARRIX
WHAT’S HOT IN JAPAN?
FEATURES 28 STATELESS
The Baron of Techno Dave Clarke shares his worldview with us.
34 THE RESULTS!
Last year’s Top 100 DJs analysis…
40 MUST-VISIT MUSICAL ATTRACTIONS IN ASIA
A list of prominent vacation spots for this year!
42 LOST & FOUND FREQUENCIES
The frank and candid story of Lost Frequencies.
44 CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT
Indian-American KSHMR and his need for freshness.
48 REAL FEELING
Justin Oh is the new artist on Monstercat roster.
52 MUSIC LOVERS
You are what you listen to…
08 COMIN’ UP E11ven, Grammy awards, Deadmau5 soundtracks ‘Polar’, Swedish House Mafia, Patrick Topping releases Trick, London turns 20, Hottest tracks in best Asian clubs, Get To Know Phillipi & Rodrigo, Taska Black & Moe, Solardo in the Hot Seat, All Day I Dream.
60 LIFESTYLE: BEAUTY & FOOD We search essential beauty items for the best shots on festivals & clubs and the restaurants with heavenly food that are open until late in the night.
116 ON THE FLOOR Ultra Australia: New Horizons, Winter Music Conference: The king of conferences claims its reign.
56 GAME CHANGER: “COMPUTER WORLD”
58 GREG WILSON’S
DISCOTHEQUE ARCHIVES
Traktor DJ 2, MIDI 2.0, Armada University, Cedric Gervais, Pioneer DJ XDJ-RR.
146 LUCKY SEVEN: DOUBLE OR
Check out what’s going on in Asia from March to July.
To know the future, first you must know the past.
NOTHING
Alison Wonderland & Charlotte De Witte reveal us the tracks that affected them the most. 6
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124 MUSIC REVIEWS Jaytech, Alex Niggemann, Paul Van Dyk, Bjarki, Robbie Rivera, Jean Michel Jarre & more...
Karl Bartos from Kraftwerk talks about their game-changing album ‘Computer World’…
42
133 TECH
56
142 EVENT CALENDAR
116
COMIN’ UP
NEWS
Words: HERNÁN PANDELO
A NEW MIAMI MUSIC WEEK IS UPON US!
A
new Miami Music Week is upon us! The week-long marathon of dance music events is back to celebrate the beginning of operations of a new year. Of course, DJ Mag Asia will be there, enjoying what this beautiful encounter has to offer. To anticipate this, we talked with Daniel Solomon and Gino LoPinto, E11EVEN MIAMI Operating Partners. How is the vibe different in Miami during MMW? “Miami Music Week is the best and craziest week of the year in Miami. Music fans from all over the world come to party throughout the city and most will attend E11EVEN.” What is special at E11EVEN during MMW? “E11EVEN is open 24 hours, 7 days a week with the world’s greatest artists performing such as Marshmello, The Chainsmokers, Skrillex, Zedd, Diplo, Illineum and hundreds more.” What is your most memorable moment during MMW at E11EVEN? “Our most memorable moment was either Steve Angello, Diplo and Aoki all on the decks at once or on our rooftop which hosts the ‘Artist Green Room’ where every artist in town from Carl Cox to Tiësto has made an appearance to grab some drinks and food in a private environment.” What does MMW mean to you? “What MMW means to us is #NOSLEEP. We literally rage right through the week with our global friends and we love it!” What is your advice to everyone reading this at MMW right now? “Our advice to DJ Mag Asia readers is get to your party of choice early to make sure you get in and whether you start or end your night at E11EVEN, DON’T MISS IT!”
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AND THE GRAMMY GOES TO… Justice, Diplo and Mura Masa celebrated in February!
A
lthough Zedd was notably the sole electronic artist of the 2019 Grammy Awards to secure a nomination outside of the dance/electronic field, he went home empty-handed. His song ‘The Middle’, with Maren Morris and Grey, made him the DJ with the most nominations but other projects stood in his way. Nominees in the electronic music field had better luck. Diplo and Mark Ronson’s Silk City project’s ‘Electricity,’ a Dua Lipa collaboration, cinched the coveted award. Above & Beyond’s ‘Northern Soul,’ FISHER’s hit ‘Losing It’ and Porter Robinson’s Virtual Self’s project ‘Ghost Voices’ were also nominated for the same award. In addition, Justice took home the prize for the Best Dance/Electronic Album category for Woman Worldwide, an exciting live album featuring their most popular songs in reconfigured versions. In the remix front, Mura Masa received the best remixed recording award for their revision of HAIM’s ‘Walking Away’, beating EDX, CID, Cosmic Gate and Kaskade.
COMIN’ UP
DEADMAU5 TURNS COMPOSER WITH FILM SCORE DEBUT ON NETFLIX’S POLAR SOUNDTRACK
TRACKLIST: 1. SOMB 2. CABIN 3. CHILL
Deadmau5 has released his first ever score, taking on
4. SNIPER
duties for the new Netflix film Polar.
5. TORTURE
I
s less danceable than your typical deadmau5 record as his music has to mesh with the flow of the film, but it still has the warm and dark analog feel of his productions. His music comes front and center throughout the film, acting as an engine to help drive the need for revenge, violence and conquest in this film. For a score, it is shorter than your normal hour or hour and a half soundtrack, but it moves between softer piano arrangements like “chill” and then more complex and driving tracks such as “midas heel”
employers shockingly have other ideas. The film itself is something to avoid. It at times is funny, though it isn’t clear if it meant to be or just an accident. And what about the soundtrack? Well, we are talking about Deadmau5 here. Director Jonas Akerlund said something about him: “Deadmau5 is an unstoppable force. Taking him out of his comfort zone to compose a film, he brought power and excellence to the score without losing that deadmau5 DNA we love so much. Walking into this project, we didn’t know what to expect. His unique and cutting-edge approach to composing Polar Based on a Dark Horse action noir graphic exceeded our expectations and brought a novel “Polar: Came From the Cold”, it’s brilliance that guarantees his genius.” a story about an assassin who tries to retire and live out a quiet life, but his old Is this a new era for the Canadian? n
6. MIDAS HEEL 7. DRUGS 8. WILHELM 9. MAIN 10. NOSEDIVE 11. CAMILLA 12. END 13. DRAMA FREE (Feat. Lights)
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COMIN’ UP
ULTRA WORLDWIDE ANNOUNCES SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA TO HEADLINE ULTRA 2019!
M
aking history with their electrifying reunion at ULTRA Music Festival’s 20th Anniversary event in 2018, the world’s most revered electronic trio Swedish House Mafia announced their return to Ultra Worldwide for this year. A year on from their groundbreaking, surprise reunion performance at Miami’s flagship festival, Swedish House Mafia will reunite in Korea for what promises to be a monumental moment for one of the main editions of the Ultra Worldwide family. Recognised around the world for delivering world class lineups for their fans, ULTRA Korea have raised the bar once again, securing performances from one the most coveted electronic dance acts of all time, positioning itself as the most prominent music festival in Asia, drawing over 180,000 attendees from over 60 countries last year at its 7th Anniversary. Besides the magnificent news for the Korean crowd, the trio will be very busy this year with apperances for Ultra Europe, Ibiza, Los Angeles and Berlin confirmed via their social media channels. Taking place from 7-9 June 2019, ULTRA Korea is not one to be missed!
PATRICK TOPPING RELEASES TRICK Patrick Topping released the ‘Watch What Ya Doing EP’ on his new label, Trick.
T
he label, focused on techno, house, tech-house, disco and electro, was conceived so Topping can take more control over releasing his own music and use the opportunity to release the unsigned music he’s been playing in his sets. ‘This has been something I’ve been thinking about for a while and it’s taken about two years to get the label all ready to go and I’m very excited about its launch,’ Topping said. ‘I’ve got about 7 or 8 EPs lined up and they are all so different.’ The platform has announced that releases will come from Topping himself, talents such as Elliot Adamson, Alex Virgo, DJ Deeon, Gettoblaster and Bryan Kessler. ‘Working with other labels is still something I want to do, but at the moment I have a particular vision of what type of sounds I want to release,’ Topping said.
COMIN’ UP
ALAN FITZPATRICK CHOOSES HIS ALL TIME FAVORITES FABRIC COMPILATIONS
LONDON FABRIC TURNS 20 AND CELEBRATE
T
he conflicts that forced the club to board up its entrance in 2016 are in the past now. With strong support from the electronic music community, the London venue has overcome certain difficulties and is once again a magnet for dance lovers. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, this year the club will feature special programming and a revamped mix series. Titled Fabric XX, the club is set to host 20 special parties: phase one will see Lee Burridge open proceedings with an All Day I Dream set in January, followed by Bonobo in February. Elsewhere on the programme, sets will be helmed by big names such as Tale of Us, Fuse, The Martinez Brothers and John Digweed playing all night long. Also new in 2019, the club is starting a new chapter, after ending its beloved CD mixes –one of the club’s greatest contributions–. Now, a new quarterly edition, titled ‘fabric presents,’ will launch with Bonobo. In addition, new residents will be welcomed into the mix: Anna Wall and Bobby will join legendary residents Craig Richards and Terry Francis. Here’s to another twenty years!
Fabric 22 – Adam Beyer “This is Adam Beyer at his best and a release that was really refreshing to during all the minimal sound hype. Looking at the tracklist, I remember not knowing hardly any of the tracks on there as the mix was full of exclusives. It’s something i definitely tried to recreate with the fabric mix.”
Fabric.28 - Evil Nine “This came at a time when I was listening to a lot of breaks and indie music. I really loved how brave the mix was, featuring so many different styles of music, from electro, techno, minimal bleeps and squeaks to guitar riffs. It was really something special to me.”
Fabric 31 - Marco Carola “There’s such a great vibe and flow running throughout this mix - from his minimal to the funk of quality tech house, Marco has it nailed. Perfectly sums up the experience of seeing him at fabric. Those parties were always so special.”
Fabric 29 - Tiefschwarz “This set is the perfect combination of after hour and rave. It really summed up the German minimal wave at the time and has a real Panorama Bar feel to it. There were some big exclusives on there, particularly the M.A.N.D.Y remix of ‘Damage’ featuring Tracey Thorn’s vocal - a track I loved.”
Fabriclive.40 - Noisia “As some people will know about me, I have a long going love for drum’n’bass. This mix perfectly sums up what i love. It’s angry and loud and has a terrific flow throughout. Perfect music to work out to and I’ll often listen to it at the gym.”
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COMIN’ UP
HOTTEST TRACKS IN BEST ASIAN CLUBS The best clubs in Asia reveal their hottest tracks at this moment
ONYX BANGKOK
CHROMA INCHEON
THAILAND
SOUTH KOREA 1. FISHER (OZ) - Losing it (Extended)
1900 HANOI
Catch & Release
VIETNAM
2. Axwell Λ Ingrosso - Dreamer
1. Afrojack – Bassride (Original Mix) Wall Recordings 2. Armin Van Buuren, W&W - Ready To Rave (Original Mix)
(Extended Mix)
1. 4B & Teez – Whistle (Original Mix)
Rave Culture
Virgin EMI
Premiere Classe
3. Rad-D - Zombie Bassjackers
3. Weiss (UK) - Feel My Needs (Purple
2. Seven Lions, Blastoyz & Fiora - After
(Extended Remix)
Disco Machine Extended Mix)
Dark (Extended Mix)
Armanda Music
Toolroom
Ophelia
4. Nicky Romero, Team Work -
4. Leandro Da Silva - So Crazy (Original
3. David Guetta, Martin Garrix & Brooks
Champion Sound (Extended Mix)
Mix)
- Like I Do (Original Mix)
Protocol Recordings
Black Lizard Records
Parlophone France
5. Afrojack - Bringin It Back (Original
5. Luca Debonaire, Chris Marina -
4. DJ Snake, Cardi B, Selena Gomex,
Mix)
Watching Me (Original Mix)
Ozuna - Taki Taki
Wall Recordings
PornoStar Records
Geffen
6. Afrojack, Disto - My City (Original
6. Cat Dealers, Beowulf - Infinity
5. Matisse & Sadko – Saga
Mix)
(Jude & Frank Extended Remix)
STMPD RCRDS
Wall Recordings
Armada Music
6. Zomboy - Lone Wolf (Original Mix)
7. DJ Mercer - Encore (DJ Afrojack &
7. Sagan - Banzai (Extended Mix)
Never Say Die Records
SAYMYNAME Remix)
HEXAGON
7. Drake - God’s Plan (Original Mix)
Musical Freedom
8. Chris Lake - I Want You (Original
Republic Records
8. Tiësto, Gucci Mane, Sevenn -
Mix)
8. Boombox Cartel - Jefe (VIP)
Boom (Brennan Heart Remix)
OWSLA
Mad Decent
Musical Freedom
9. Armin van Buuren - Blah Blah Blah
9. Post Malone – Rockstar
9. Afrojack, Hardwell, Mc Ambush -
(Extended Mix)
Republic records
Hands Up (Extended Mix)
Armada Music
10. Brohug - Swag (Extended Mix)
Revealed Recordings
10. Gareth Emery, Standerwick -
Dim Mak Records
10. Quintino, Sandro Silva – Epic
Saving Light (Original Mix)
(Garmiani Remix)
Monstercat
Musical Freedom
12
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ARTISTRY HYDERABAD INDIA 1. Tiësto – Grapevine (Extended Mix) Musical Freedom 2. Garmiani (feat. Julimar Santos) – Fogo (Club Mix) Spinnin’ Records 3. Merk & Kremont – Sushi Spinnin’ Records 4. Magnificence & Seth Hills – Fire (Original Mix) Axtone Records 5. FISHER (OZ) - Crowd Control (Original Mix) DIRTYBIRD 6. Au/Ra & Camelphat - Panic Room (Original Mix) RCA Records Label 7. Toby Green – Ready (Original Mix) Musical Freedom 8. Illyus & Barrientos - So Serious (Original Mix) Toolroom 9. Kryder (feat. Steve Angello) Romani (Extended Mix) Kryteria Records 10. DJ Snake & Mercer - Let’s Get ill (Original Mix) DJ Snake Music/Geffen Records
COMIN’ UP
TAXX SHANGHAI
ZENTRAL HONG KONG
Monstercat
1. Armin Van Burren – Blah Blah Blah
1. Ummet Ozcan - The Grid
2. Kendrick Lamar - Humble (Skrillex
(Extended Mix)
OZ Records
1. Dr Phunk - Down Down Down
Remix)
Armada Music
2. Axwell - Nobody Else (Extended
(Extended Mix)
Aftermath/Interscope
2. David Guetta, Martin Garrix &
Mix)
Revealed Recordings
3. Dimitri Vegas, Like Mike, Nicky
Brooks – Like I Do (Extended Mix)
Axtone Records
2. W&W, Groove Coverage - God Is A
Romero - Here We Go (Hey Boy, Hey
Parlophone France
3. Yaese V & Matthew hill vs Adrian
Girl (Extended Mix)
Girl) (Extended Mix)
3. Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike &
Lux - Teenage Crime (Extended Mix)
Mainstage Music
Smash The House
Hardwell – Unity (Extended Mix)
4. Martin Garrix, Bonn - High On Life
3. Ran D - Zombie (Bassjackers Remix)
4. Blasterjaxx & Timmy Trumpet -
Smash The House
(Original Mix)
Armada Music
Narco (Extended Mix)
4. Hardwell & Afrojack feat. MC
Epic Amsterdam
4. Max Styler - Feel It (Steve Aoki
Spinnin’ Records
Ambush – Hands Up (Original Mix)
5. Hikaru Utada & Skrillex - Face My
Remix)
5. Armin van Buuren, Hilight Tribe,
Wall Recordings
Fears (English version)
Dim Mak Records
Vini Vici - Great Spirit (Extended Mix)
5. KSHMR – Magic (Extended Mix)
Sony Music Labels Inc.
5. DJ Snake, Cardi B, Selena Gomex,
Armind(Armada)
Dharma
6. Never Broken Again (feat.
Ozuna - Taki Taki
6. Hardwell & Kaaze feat. Jonathan
6. LUMEN & PAUL CICADA – The Art
Youngboy Never Broken Again)
Geffen
Mendelsohn - We Are Legends
of Dragon
– Young Scooter, Young Boy Never
6. FISHER(OZ) - Losing It (Extended)
(Extended Mix)
7. Martin Garrix – Yottabyte
Broken Again (Original Mix)
Catch & Release
Revealed Recordings
(Extended Mix)
BMG Rights Management (US) LLC
7. 22 Bullets Vs Goldfish & Blink –
7. Axwell Ingrosso - More Than You
Epic Amsterdam
7. Rejoicer - Five Winds
Konichiwa (Extended Mix)
Know (Extended Mix)
8. Mike Williams – Rocket (Extended
Stones Throw Records
Revealed Recordings
Axtone Records
Mix)
8. Joyce Wrice - Blurred Lines
8. TV Noise - Scream
8. Garmiani feat. Julimar Santos
Dharma
Joyce Wrice Music
STMPD RCRDS
- Fogo
9. The Chainsmokers feat. Winona
9. Xana - He knows
9. Nicky Romero - Duality
Spinnin’ Records
Oak – Hope (LUMEN & PAUL CICADA
10. Namedaruma - Floatin’
Protocol Recordings
9. Nicky Romero & Teamworx -
Bootleg)
Aphrodite Gang Holdings
10. The Chainsmokers - This Feeling
Champion Sound
10. Tiësto, Sevenn – Boom (Extended
(Afrojack & Disto Remix)
Protocol Recording
Mix)
Disruptor Records, Columbia
10. Hardwell & Sick Individuals - Get
Musical Freedom Label
ZOUK KUALA LUMPUR MALAYSIA
FUSE MYANMAR 1. Gammer - The Drop
Low Revealed Recordings
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GET TO KNOW
PHILLIPI & RODRIGO FROM: SÃO PAULO SOUNDS LIKE: 2MANYDJS
EMULATING their idols, the Dewaele brothers –2ManyDJs & Soulwax–, Phillipi & Rodrigo are the kind of electronic music act that cannot sit still: they are forever looking for new projects. While releasing disco edits under the name Fatnotronic and original music as Phillipi & Rodrigo, this Brazilian production duo is living the dream. 14
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Ever since Norman Cook –a.k.a. Fatboy Slim– gave an interview for Clash Magazine about his top 5 influential tracks of 2014 and mentioned Fatnotronic’s first edit, ‘Margarida,’ things have got better and better. “Phillipi and I started playing and making edits as Fatnotronic a while ago”, says Rodrigo. A few years of performing were key to command the attention of the Dewaele brothers. “Every time the Dewaele brothers came over to Brazil, they would call us to play together or to go record-shopping together… And then, one of those times, they told us they were about to launch a record label and asked us if we wanted to release music on it. Of course, we said yes.” The relationship strengthened over time, and after a slew of successful EPs, the duo dropped their latest LP on DEEWEE, the platform owned by the Belgian artists. “The process was incredibly collaborative. We would show them the demos and they’d tell us
what adjustments to make, or they’d pass along things they thought might be better somehow”, he says with nostalgia about making their ‘Paciencia’ LP, an album that shows the various sides of these young Brazilian producers. “The album tracks take different directions. The album is made for the club but it can also be played at home. I think we’ve accomplished a nice balance. Phillipi and I are very different regarding music. I always go for the melodies and he’s more concerned with what works well in the clubs”, adds Rodrigo. With the patronage of these noted artists, things are easier. The LP has given them more prominence and now it’s time to spread their wings. With shows booked at Lollapalooza Brazil and the Trans Musicales in Rennes, their future lies ahead. We’ll follow closely to see what the next step is. HERNÁN PANDELO
GET TO KNOW
Photo: HALEY LAN
TASKA BLACK FROM: ANTWERP, BELGIUM SOUNDS LIKE: SAN HOLO, NGHTMRE, ALISON WONDERLAND NEXT GIG: GHENT, BELGIUM, MARCH, 28TH
Hailing from the quiet suburbs of Antwerp, Belgium, 22-year old Taska Black never could have imagined just how far a childhood interest in piano could take him across the world. “I started playing violin when I was four, move onto piano when I was six or seven before picking up the guitar soon after and getting into music production when I was a teenager.” While that might sound like a similar trajectory to most other producers in the modern age of EDM, two years ago Black was still studying civil engineering; a stark occupational contrast to the last two months he spent on a tour bus playing to sold-out crowds across North America in support of friend San Holo.
The relationship between the two started when Black sent a blind demo in 2016 to Holo’s record label Bitbird. And while Black wasn’t expecting much to come out of that email, he was surprised when Holo not only responded, but signed the record. “San told me he signed the record because of how ‘musical’ it was compared to contemporary EDM at the time but I wasn’t trying to be musical. I just thought that’s how all music was supposed to sound.” From there the relationship blossomed into a fruitful partnership culminating in Holo’s first bus tour last fall. “The bus tour was one of the most exciting things I’ve ever done. It opened my eyes to just how many people in the real world were actually listening to my music and singing along to the songs.” All this overnight success didn’t come without its fair share of obstacles though. In early 2018, Black felt himself succumbing to a newfound pressure of expectations that he had set for himself after making the transition into music full time. “I was just overwhelmed by how fast everything seemed to be moving. I didn’t expect to be in this position this early in just one year after being removed from engineering school.” Despite the
new mental pressure, Black was able to emerge from his creative block and a brief hiatus from music by channeling all of his creative energy and recounting his experiences in his debut EP, MINDS. “Writing the EP was a big turning point in my career for me. Earlier in the year I was struggling with coming to grips about the new expectations that I was placing on myself now that I was doing this for a living. I tried to channel all of that into a body of work recounting all of the experiences I went through last year.” The result was the most vulnerable work that Black has released to date, coming amidst the indelible lessons that came with the process of writing it. Now, Black is back in the studio where he feels most comfortable - at home in Antwerp. “I’m just looking forward to my next challenge. I felt like all of last year was about discovering myself and experiencing first-hand the challenges that come with being an artist. I’m excited to work on a bunch of new ideas I started on tour and see where the new music takes me. I’ve been exploring a new sound and direction and I’m excited to show everybody where it’s going.” JEFFREY YAU djmagasia.com
15
GET TO KNOW music videos and the DJs behind them and thought: I also want to play music that I love. So, I bought my first DJ set…but I had no idea how to use it! A friend had to teach me the basics and that is how I started.” She is inspired by many artists, but doesn’t miss a beat when asked to name her biggest influence. “FLUME. I love his style and his original tracks. After listening to his album, I knew what kind of artist I wanted to become. I’m also into Baile Funk right now. I started listening to it when I joined the NIKE marathon, when the person I was running with told me about an artist called Venus X.” These days, DJ MOE spends most of her time playing in Japan and other parts of Asia. She says every crowd, every venue, every country has a different way of enjoying music. “In the past four, five years, dance music has gained immense popularity in Japan and there are now big dance music festivals like Ultra and EDC. But if you compare the club scene in Japan with those in the US and Europe, I feel Japan likes to define genres a lot more and keep those genres separate. For example, some clubs would divide their floors based on specific genres, having four or five separate rooms within just one club. It’s an interesting concept. When I perform, I just want to express the pure essence of music. I try to balance playing trap with whatever is trending and mix other genres while I’m at it.” “Outside of Japan, I feel the crowd in Asia is more used to going out clubbing. I notice people don’t care if there are only a few others on the dance floor—if they want to dance, they dance! I feel they more openly express their feelings and emotions so it’s interesting to see and experience these differences. For me, that’s the most fun part of being on the road.” She says there is one thing she keeps consistent no matter where she is playing. “When I perform, I create a story. I pick a song I want to play and make it the main theme of the night. From there, I choose other songs that would make that main song shine. I also tap into the vibes of the audience and try to feel what they are feeling.”
MOE FROM: TOKYO, JAPAN SOUNDS LIKE: IC3PEAK NEXT GIG: SUNDOWN FESTIVAL 2019, SINGAPORE, APRIL 20TH
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DJ MOE’s talent was recognized when she was just 18. She debuted at Tokyo Electronic Music Festival, which eventually led to her performing at larger international festivals like Ultra Europe, Ultra Japan, EDC China, EDC Japan, Songkranzonic, Wired Music Festival, Electric Jungle, and Djakarta Warehouse Project. Performing in front of thousands of people, she is now one of the most internationally booked artists from Japan. “I started playing when I was 15 years old. I was in the States and wanted to try something new. I’ve always loved music and grew up listening to LMFAO, KESHA, Rihanna and so on. I saw their
DJ MOE’s love for music has taken her to new venues in new cities, building a solid reputation in the Asian EDM scene. As she prepares for her first Euro tour this summer with multiple major festivals confirmed across Europe, she has her sights set for more. “I’ve had so many wonderful moments with my fans through music, even more since I started playing outside of Japan. Right now, I feel the way I did when I just started playing - full of hope and excitement. I have so many goals right now. I want to release more tracks, collaborate with more artists, perform at festivals like Fuji Rock and Coachella, and would love to be on radio stations around the world. I’m just really excited for what’s ahead.“ DAEHWA LEE n
E WORLD ONE MUSIC ONE TRIBE ONE DANCE ONE WORLD ONE MUSIC ONE TRIBE ONE DAN
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COMIN’ UP
HOT SEAT We throw a few curveball questions the way of...
SOLARDO T
hey are one of the most interesting duos in the electronic scene these days. After delving in other electronic music genres, Mark Richards and James Elliot decided to take on a journey together as Solardo and they soon had their breakthrough: their track ‘It’s A New Jam’ was an Ibiza anthem of the 2015 European summer. Since then, it has been a meteor rise. A slew of releases via Viva, Hot Creations, Toolroom and Relief Records helped them break into a dance music elite that tours the world sharing the booth with big names. Also, driven by their success, they launched their own imprint, Sola.
Which three things you need to know in order to be successful as a duo? “Patience! When you spend so much time together on the road you need to definitely be good friends and find each other funny... We probably spend more time together at the moment than what we do with our families! Also balance... We both have completely different energy and different skills and this is why we believe it is important.” Sola is going from strength to strength… What was the thing that you didn’t know it was going to happen with the label when it started and its happening now? “I think we never expected it to grow as big as what it is. We set the label up to release our own tunes as no one would release them at first! Now we have all our peers and people we respect wanting to release with us and its quite flattering. Its grown from a small hobby into a fully-fledged business and 2019 its going to grow even further in many ways.”
After the release of “It’s A New Jam”, 2016 and 2017 had been huge for you… Is it still going up? Are things getting bigger nowadays? “Both of us never fail to be amazed at the things that are happening. Each year we are going to more far out places and playing bigger stadiums, stages and alongside our heroes. We are so blessed sometimes we need to pinch ourselves!” Is tech house becoming the new EDM? “We have heard this a few times now... Who knows? To be honest, we dont care. We are focusing on our music and DJing and if that means more and more people discover it then it is only good for the scene. We aren’t going to be throwing cakes at each other or anything crazy but we certainly like the idea of stepping up our on stage production.” You both have musical background besides tech house, how good is this in order to produce new sounds?
I’m -Mark- from a dubstep and jungle background so have a different take on sub bass whereas James is from a more house background so has a different take on the synths and vibe of a tune.” What is the main rule you need to stick to in order to be able to live as a travelling artist while you have a family? “Work hard and make time when you aren’t touring. We both recently had our first proper holiday in over two years and sometimes it’s easy to forget that we also need time to unwind with the family where we aren’t near a club!” Pick your Solardo Sessions’ dream line up. “It should be Solardo, Jamie Jones, Luciano, Nicole Moudaber, Mason Maynard b2b Green Velvet, Nic Fanciulli, Max Chapman, Sonny Fodera, SOLA ALL STARS and too many to mention!” ’Tango Wango’ is out now via Ultra Records.
“Like we said in the above question, having different skills is vital. Different backgrounds and different musical tastes too…
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COMIN’ UP
VITAL LABEL
ALL DAY I DREAM As no one really was playing a whole set of melodic music (let alone the whole event having that feeling) I decided to put on the first ever event on a Sunday afternoon, outside on a rooftop, under the blue sky of Brooklyn, New York. I played seven hours from open to close each month that Summer for four events. From day one it’s been magical. I mention the events as most ‘brands’ in dance music tend to start a label first and the events come after. The events really shaped the idea and inspired the music that followed.
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onsidered by its owner as an ongoing exploration of the more beautiful, melodic and melancholic shades of house and techno, All Day I Dream channels the beautiful vibrations of the music and reaches the hearts and souls of all those wanting a deeper connection to electronic music. With more than 40 releases, its been growing steadily over the last few years, with Lee Burridge always on the top of the bill. “I always try to strike a balance with the releases of more heady, ethereal, beautiful house music as well as tracks that I know are going to make people dance”, he says. Is that kind of dancing that makes your hips sway rather than waving your hands in the air and jumping up and down on the spot. That’s a trademark already. We asked him some questions about his label.
How and when did All Day I Dream come about? I’d say it was an idea in the making as far back as 2006. That’s when I started to explore and search for music that really wasn’t at the forefront of what was happening in the scene. Minimal was huge. Techno too. What I was missing and started to search for were tracks that evoked some sort of emotional response. The nature of the experience within existing and popular sounds of the time also didn’t make me feel like you were being taken on an adventure or a journey when played as a DJ set. Pretty much the DJ’s relied heavily on the relentless energy of the music. I’m generalizing as, of course, there are always exceptions. I dug and dug for artists who were exploring actual music within their productions (Kollective Turmstrasse were a game changer for me) and over time found enough tracks to actually play a set and make a mix (that mix became my Resident Advisor podcast). These were the seeds and first few steps forward of what would become the events and the label. The events started Summer of 2011 and the label came a little while after that.
What were you doing back then? I was really living between musical worlds. It was one of those times in my career where music had moved away from what I was playing and believed in so was kind of treading water, working and traveling to gigs I’d played before and where people still liked that sound. We all like to believe we can maintain a career consistently but it can be a rollercoaster with ups and downs unless of course you decide to jump on different bandwagons each time the musical scene shifts. Personally though I don’t feel that you are then expressing your truth. I thought it paramount to continue on my musical path to see where it took me and what new music I connected with and that inspired me. It took some time but I started to see what I believed was missing in the experience of going out and having fun with music. One thing I noticed that was missing were girls. It was leaving heavily towards being 85% men at parties. I thought that wasn’t right and needed rebalancing. Who’s involved? Matthew Dekay was the first artist I’d say that seriously connected with this after me. He’s an amazing musician and a fantastic Dj. I’d passed the RA mix to him and, in his words, it became “his bible”. He’d also been searching for a new direction to explore and so was taking some time off. We became close friends and I was lucky enough to sit in the studio and work with him. The earliest releases on the label were Matthew exploring and feeling inspired. We produced Lost in a Moment which I initially thought would be on All Day I Dream but it actually ended up coming out on Innervisions. When the melody and basic arrangement were there we laid on the floor of the studio for about seven hours listening to it over and over. It’s a touching and beautiful track and it’s just got something about it. I still love it and am really proud of the work. Same with Fur die Liebe and Gemini Spell. Matthew creates magic and his involvement took the idea to a level I don’t know we’d of reached without him. What does it sound like? Melodic, melancholic, far out, magical, mystical, pretty, dreamy house and techno. Some of the tracks have bad ass grooves with nuance and subtlety. It’s music for girls but guys love it just as much. It evokes emotion but doesn’t lean towards a feeling of being too over dramatic.
Who releases music on it? I always intended to help new and emerging artists by giving them a platform and continued support rather than a single release. To build a family around the idea rather than just ask established artists for music. There are actually quite a few artists now who I think call All Day I Dream home. Lost Desert, Yokoo, Gorje & Izhevski, Oona Dahl, Newman, Sebastien Leger, Hoj, Roy Rosenfeld, Gab Rhome, Death on the Balcony and Powel (I love Powel). They’ve all been with me a while now but I also have found a few really new names I’m excited to work with this year like Facundo Mohr, DSF, Amonita, Rowee and PHCK. Last, but not least, everyone’s hero, Matthew Dekay. What does a track need to have or do to be released on there? I get at least fifty demos a day. It’s actually really hard trying to keep up with the influx. Just adding a bit of melody over some drums isn’t really what I’m looking for although, on occasion, when someone gets it right a simple track can be amazing. Start off by making sure you have a good groove. A loop you could listen to forever without getting sick of it. It gives melodic music with a more airy feel the movement to flow. The musical elements would, ideally, make the hairs stand up on your arm from their sheer beauty. That’s a hard one to nail though. Try to keep the drama of the music understated. Melodic music can go too far (for me) and I’m not really into overdramatic crescendos. I’m am a fan of glassy and wooden sounds. Finally, if you’re going to use a vocal, give it some pain and longing in the feelings department. Some real minor chord sadness. There, simple. Get to it! Who’s playing it? I’ve always said this music isn’t for everybody (especially the guy who’s always front row and centre motioning upwards with both hands for us to “play harder”) but as time has gone by the All Day I Dream effect has spread out. Even if artists aren’t playing a melodic set we have fans from across the board. So, the question really should be, “who isn’t playing it” haha. Proudest All Day I Dream moment? Seeing the reaction both ways when new artists I believe in play for our crowd. It truly is special. What’s next? The label is going to release some of our artist’s albums this year. Myself and Lost Desert have an album coming out this Summer which will follow on from Yokoo’s which is the first release. PHCK and Powel follow in the second half of the year. Oh, check out Roy Rosenfeld’s EP which will be out in March. It’s amazing. Super fun tracks that rock the dance floor.
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THE WHOLE WORLD IS TALKING ABOUT
MARTIN GARRIX Words: JACE, ARIEL JO
It is easy to encounter his music in everyday life at streets, fancy shops, cafes and pubs or through media, in addition to the clubs, festivals and corners of the dance music scene. You can see him in many advertisements and included in signature menus, like Martin Garrix pizzas and burgers that we ate during ADE. His photo book was sold out in an instant, his documentary movie with Carl Cox made the headlines and he was featured on the cover of Vogue, the fashion magazine. DJ Mag Asia tries to figure out why‌
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You’ll have your own stage for STMPD RCRDS at Ultra Music Festival. What are you planning for this show? In addition, succeeding as an artist may feel different from making it as a label owner. What is similar or different?
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side from the speculation over others making the list, everyone expected that the No.1 of the Top 100 DJs poll from DJ Mag would be Martin Garrix since he has been at the peak of his popularity. Consequently, he was voted to be No.1 DJ for three consecutive years. Everyone who has met or worked with him really likes him and complimented his cheerful but humble character, though he was already on a solid track to success in music. I wondered how he became who he is. In fact, I wanted him to share what may have stressed or bothered him, or any behind-thescenes stories, only to discover that he was a musician who pursued music in a righteous, happy and healthy life, rather than being lost in an aberrant lifestyle or buried in criticism.
World’s No.1 DJ for Third Successive Year! How would he feel about success? It is just amazing to see what he has achieved in his 20s, considering his foremost hit tracks, being Top No.1 for DJ Mag Top 100 DJs Poll for three years in a row, the big artists he has collaborated with, the growth of his label STMPD RCRDS, the fabulous performance at the closing ceremony of 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games and the recognition of Tiësto, one of the main inspirations for Martin to become a DJ, claiming that he is also inspired by the young Martin Garrix. You were selected as Top No.1 DJ in 2018 DJ Mag Top 100 DJs vote. This is the third year in a row. Congratulations! Would you share a few words on how you feel about being No.1 for three consecutive years? How did you feel when your name was called out as No.1 along with ‘High on life’ at AMF? Do you feel some kind of pressure? “It’s great to get so much support from my fans! It’s absolutely overwhelming to see how passionate they are. They are the ones that have kept me in that spot for the past three years. I’m really thankful, but I won’t let it pressure me. I don’t think I am the best DJ in the world, but I do think I have the best fans.”
“Working with all the guys at STMPD RCRDS has been amazing. It’s so much fun to make music with them, they have become such great friends. I think it’s important to give talented people a chance to develop their skills and experiment in a real studio as well as providing them with a platform to show their music to a broader audience. Being able to provide them with that opportunity is great and I think the results have been amazing so far!”
“I don’t think I am the best DJ in the world, but I do think I have the best fans.” One of the moments that deeply impressed the Asian fans was your gig at the PyeongChang Olympic Games in Korea. Your performance for the closing ceremony was phenomenal, following the steps of Tiesto, who performed at the Athens Olympic Games when you were eight years old. We’ve also seen him calling you a day before the event… How was that moment?
demons of my mind”-, it seems that he had removed bad thoughts from the very beginning and is cheered up with pleasant and positive energy. You have created an amazing amount of music. From where are you usually inspired? “I get inspired by so many things. Different genres like hip hop or R&B, classical music or older songs. Sometimes even just a sound I heard somewhere. Working with different artist is something that can really get the creative process going as well. They bring their own perspective and sounds which allows you to see music in a different way and create something people haven’t heard from you before.” The recent collaboration with Mike Yung was something different. It actually made people feel that the music world of Martin Garrix is full of diversity. It was really impressive to see Mike Yung singing and you playing guitar at the show. How was working with Mike Yung and how did you end up working with him? “Working with Mike has been so inspirational! I first saw him singing in an Instagram video. I hadn’t heard of him before but I knew this could be something great once I heard his voice. His sound is amazing and something I was missing in a lot of music nowadays. I contacted him for collaboration and he loved the idea. This was new to both of us but I am really proud of this track.”
“Tiësto has always been a huge inspiration to me. Watching him perform at the Olympics was what inspired me to become a producer and DJ. So, being able to do the same was such a big moment for me. It was really a full circle moment. The amount of people that watched the show is enormous, I knew that, so naturally I was nervous. This whole experience was so much bigger than I ever expected but I absolutely loved doing it!”
Good man, good music! He began his career when he was a young boy and in 2012 he started producing, with some releases in labels as Spinnin’ and Crowd Control but it wasn’t until the next year when he found the success with the release of ‘Animals’, a track that has already coined more than 1.2 billion streams on YouTube since its release. Since then, Martin Garrix presented music of various genres such as electro house, progressive house, future bass, future house and trap always following big room styles of music. He has released around 60 EP singles, including the recent one ‘Glitch’, and has always been making big hits. But what may motivate him to continue his growth without a break? As indicated in the first line of his track ‘High on life’ –“Killed the
ONE FOR THE BOOKS
Martin released his own book ‘LIFE=CRAZY’. This is a photo book for which Louis van Baar has worked on for 5 years while touring with Martin Garrix. Friendship between Louis and Martin is very special as well, and the book offers better understanding of Martin Garrix in a wide range of photos during the tour and in everyday life.
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“I don’t want to pin my sound down to just one thing.” While ‘Dreamer’ was a very soft dance pop track, ‘Glitch’ -which came right after- was a heavy hitter. Top quality festival banger. How would you define your sound? Which of these sounds do you prefer? “I definitely don’t prefer one track over the other. They are different but I’m excited about both of them. ‘Dreamer’ and ‘Glitch’ are made for a different purpose, I guess. One is meant to get the crowds energized and the other is meant to spread a message and touch them. They are made for different moments in a set, but I think they are both amazing. That’s why it’s hard for me to say ‘this is my sound’. Of course, it’s important to have your own style and your own unique sound, but it’s not something that you have to force yourself into. I just want to make music that feels right and sounds good. I don’t want to pin my sound down to just one thing.” Dance music trends had constantly been changing since ‘Animals’. Some are going towards pop trends and others are going back to their roots, getting a little bit more underground. What do you expect about the dance music trends in the future? Moreover, in regard to these recent trends, what kind of music style are we going to listen from Martin Garrix music? “The thing that makes music so exciting is that it’s constantly changing and you can’t really predict what will happen in the future. At the moment, Latin is super big and you’re definitely starting to hear these influences in dance music as well.” When you planned parties for all ages and 18+ separately, the industry regarded it as a smart plan. It is an event which covers full age group of fans and has become a good role model for the artists. I heard that the party for all ages is so much fun for both the adults and children, as if they are going to the amusement park. What motivated you to plan and organize this event? What did you specifically earn from throwing these parties? “Going to a festival or concert is so much fun but I noticed that a big part of my fans were not able to have this experience because they are under 18. I wanted to give them the opportunity to have a good time and listen to my music with their friends, just like we do. They are such a great crowd to have! They are so excited and energetic. I’ve heard a lot of great 26
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stories of young fans that visited the show and had a great time with their parents or friends. Being able to provide them with that experience makes me so happy!” So far, you have done a lot of collaborations with big artists such as David Guetta, Tiësto, Afrojack or even Usher, between others... Is there any standard of deciding the artists for collaborations? “Working with new artists is so exciting. They bring their sound and personality to a track and the results always manages to surprise me. Whenever I choose to work with somebody, it’s because I like their sound and I feel a connection to them. If it doesn’t feel right I don’t do it. Staying true to what I think is right is important to me, even when making music.”
DREAMER
This song was released as a single on the 1st of November 2018 through his own label STMPD RCRDS along with an amazing music video. It features the American soul singer, Mike Yung, who got the spotlight by participating in America’s Got Talent at the age of 58. Noted as being stylistically new for Garrix, it consists of melding pop sounds with R&B vocals and an almost blues-like attitude. The song made a tribute to Yung’s wife Lydia, who had passed away earlier in 2018.
Is there an artist who you have not worked with yet but wish to work with? Or is there an artist you are planning to work with soon? “I have a few people on my wish list, yes. Working with Shawn Mendes, Pharrell or Imagine Dragons is something that I’ve been wanting to do for some time now. They’re all amazing artists.” I heard you began to play and work with music since you were eight. I cannot imagine Martin Garrix without music, but let’s imagine yourself not making and performing music. If so, what kind of work do you think you may be doing now? “I really don’t know. Music has been there all my life and is such a great part of who I am now. My life is all about music, so I can’t really image life without it. I just hope it would have been something I enjoyed!” The trends, in terms of both society and music, are changing very rapidly in this era. There may be a pressure or stress from expectations that you have to come up with something new. Has the rapidly changing trends become a threat to you when you work to produce your music? “There are a lot of different genres in the charts at the moment. New sounds popping up and new artists making their way up. I think it’s great to see so many people being able to make the music they love. But no it’s not a threat. Like I said before I make the music I want to make and don’t want to limit myself because of trends.”
GLITCH
‘Glitch’ was released on the 14th of December 2018 on STMPD records and is the third song on which Martin Garrix and Julian Jordan have collaborated, following the first ‘BFAM’, and the latter, ‘Welcome’. It is an electrified instrumental that lives up to its name with jumpy textures and a pounding beat, but it’s driven by a synth-led melody that keeps the song smooth. This song is paired with a black-and-white music video.
A healthy and energetic lifestyle This scene has been really popular. In fact, this year brought a lot of concerns on life balance of DJs due to the death of Avicii and Hardwell clearing his schedule indefinitely. How do you manage your physical strength? What about mental strength? Who is the person you talk to the most to share your concerns and worries? “I am surrounded by friends and family most of the time and I have an amazing team. They have all been working with me for years and have my health and wellbeing as their number one priority. My life can be pretty hectic, but having people looking after me and doing what I love doing the most always keeps me happy and motivated to keep going.” You have done a great number of performances. Do you have any idea how many times you performed last year? Did any fans impress you during the tour? “I don’t know the exact number, but it’s a lot! It’s just really crazy to fly out to countries that are on the other side of the world and for people to know my music there. I love all my fans and appreciate each and every one of them.” Time on the plane is usually boring. What do you do when you are flying? “I’m either working on music, catching up on sleep or just hanging out with my team and friends. We like to play card games on the plane.” When our team went to Amsterdam for ADE in 2018, we witnessed the entire city covered by your face and logo and we thought Amsterdam was the city of Martin Garrix. The cheering and support from hometown may be different from others. In fact, Netherlands has been turning out many talented musicians in regard to the dance music as well. What may have been the reason or background for such condition? “It’s magical, right? Dutch artists have been on a roll for quite some time now and I really can’t tell you why. I think an advantage is that the country is so small so you easily run into people.” I heard that your final goal is to support new talents. I can say no more, except that it is just great. Please tell us a little bit more about your plans on this goal. “I started STMPD RCRDS to be able to give talented, young artists a place to experiment
with their music, to learn from each other and to work together. We have accomplished a lot over the past years and I just want to keep expanding this.” Please say hi to the Asian fans of DJ Mag! Also, would you give some encouragements and advices to pre-DJs of Asia who are dreaming to be like Martin Garrix? “Hi guys! Sending a lot of love to all of my fans in Asia! It’s always great to feel your energy and support whenever I’m in town. If any of you out there have the dream of working in music, keep practicing and experimenting and don’t be afraid to get your music out there. Anything is possible if you work hard and keep believing in yourself.” n djmagasia.com
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STATELESS Known as The Baron Of Techno for his numerous contributions to the genre since the
early 90’s, Dave Clarke is a stalwart from the scene and the overall electronic industry, unified with the advent of the Internet and technological innovations. His worldview and his records are the result of an acute sensitivity to recognize what happens around him, and they have led him to be at the forefront of electronic music for over 30 years.
Words: HERNÁN PANDELO
ADAPTATION “My life started to change when I came to live here”, says Dave, sitting with us in DeLaMar Theatre, a unique event location that the Amsterdam Dance Event makes available to artists for a sit-down with journalists like us. Dave moved to the Netherlands’ capital years ago, and he does not regret it: “My life has become more sustainable. It’s a greener city to live in and I enjoy it more. It’s got all the benefits of a big city but within a town. You’ve got an amazing airport. I think, second to Singapore and Hong Kong, Schiphol is my favourite airport in the world. And it’s just twenty minutes from the city. You’ve got trains, trams… Everything works! It’s great to live here. It’s one of the nicest cities I’ve seen and I feel at home.” Dave has been an advisor for ADE for around eight or ten years and has played out at the event for fourteen years. “I’m really proud of what ADE brings to the city. I’m very proud of the open-minded nature of the city that respects and understands electronic music”, he confides. “It’s an event that gives validity to the scene. It’s in the right place of Europe. Everybody loves coming here! It’s an inspiring city and it takes fifteen minutes to go from one meeting to the next.” For this edition, he has interesting plans under way. When we speak, he has already been part of three panels, and the following day there will be 28
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another, where he will moderate a talk by a sound engineering school where he teaches a few times per week over the year. He also has an interesting interview to conduct. “I’m going to interview Jean-Michel Jarre, something that has me excited and is like a dream to me. He was really important as to how I worked on electronic music in my early years. There was something in his music that was spacial and opened up something in me”, he says proudly. Of course, he also has sessions booked here and there and his own annual event in the ADE at the city’s mythical Melkweg. The history of electronic music permeates him and he permeates the history of electronic music. “I grew up at a time when everything was forming. There was no internet and music was the messenger. I was nothing to do with what Jean Michel Jarre’s cat was doing or who he was going out with, or which sandwich Vangelis was eating… it wasn’t about that. It was about waiting to hear music, struggling to find it and paying for it! You had to spend money on it and by doing that, you were committed to something. And if it wasn’t for you, you had to sell it and pretend it was good for someone else, and go again with another one”, he assures with nostalgia
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DESECRATION In 2017, 14 years after his last outing, he released his album ‘The Desecration of Desire’ and this is one of the main reasons for our conversation. Why did he take so long to go back to the full-length format? What happened in between? “If you are not a travelling person you’d think ‘Oh, he moved to Amsterdam and he spent 14 years on doing an album? He must have been smoking a lot’. Obviously that wasn’t the case. My mind changed a lot and the record industry was changing a lot”, he recalls. Amidst a whirlwind of technological innovations, Dave sold his studio to a friend and waited to see what happened. “When I came to Amsterdam, I found out that I could see people and they didn’t have to drive to see me. I could socialize. And also I was waiting to see what was happening with technology at the same time I was figuring out what was happening with the recording industry. So all this things came together and also I’m not one of this people that is really prolific with making music. So I have to wait until I have the inspiration in order to build the studio properly. It took a lot of time to build it”, Dave remembers. Shifting from an analogue studio to one that incorporates new technologies was not easy. His first attempts at using Ableton were not very satisfactory, so he decided to go with Logic. “So then I got Logic and started to learn how to use it. It was still very buggy and it really wasn’t working very well. Every time I go out for lunch it will crash so you have to reboot it and, in those days, I had lots of plug ins and every time you rebooted Logic it had to scan every single plug in, so I had to go out for another lunch break. But, eventually, we got there and I realized that the main problem of my studio was my computer. So I bought another one and changed a little bit. And ever since then I felt really happy and that was around the time I started thinking on the new album”, explains about the beginnings of his last big project, “The Desecration of Desire”. “I choose not to discuss the title and the lyrics of the album because I’d like the listener to make their own mind. The only thing I would say is that one of the tracks is called ‘Dot Forty One’ and the reason why is called that way is because is track 5 and if you go 5.41 that’s the time I had the car accident when I came back from Exit Festival. So I think that’s the only thing I would explain for someone who listens to the album”, he explains without going into details about the accident he sustained in July 2016, after performing in Serbia’s Exit festival. We ask him if we’ll have to wait another 14 years for him to go back to the format and his answer, delivered with his typical brutal honesty, is no surprise. “I don’t think I’ll be alive in 14 years but if I do, for sure I’d still be working. I don’t know”, he shoots and, again, his point of view comes to the front: “I’m not into go into the studio and force things. I don’t need to make music to do something. I want to make music because I want to. I don’t need to feel a release schedule. So, I don’t know. In the last year I haven’t felt the need to be on the studio that much. I just didn’t want to. “I have people asking me to be a politician so you might see me against Kanye in 2020. If he’s still alive… I’m joking. Who knows? At the moment, I feel like I’m stateless. I have plans to write a book at some point. But it’s not going to be a book about the scene itself. I have some sort of distant passion for photography and if I have the time, I’d like to see what I can do with that.”
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Let’s talk about ASIA! Do you remember the first time you’ve been there? “Yes, I went to Japan. It was 1994 and I think I was playing in a club called Yellow and I was being looked after a wonderfull lady but I can’t remember her name. And she was always like ‘Do you want to go for sushi?’ and I was ‘oh, please, no’. Because I was a western guy and I thought they were eating raw fishes and everyone was going to die. Actually, to be fair, I wouldn’t eat oyster neither. It took me a long time to come from basic English food to world food. The first time I actually enjoyed Asian food was in Austria, and I thought ‘Fuck it, next time I’m in ASIA I’m doing this shit’.”
What do you find in ASIA the first time? “One of the things I found really shocking during that first travel was that in your mind you grow up with science fiction and imagery about how Japan is with the bullet train and everything… and when you go there you think ‘wow, this is really outdated’. They have this old American electrical switches, massive American telephones… It’s really quite outdated. And then I realized I really enjoyed Japanese culture by the fact that everyone was polite, everyone have space awareness, no one went into your personal space and I think that is the way people lives on islands. I think English people used to live like that when they were educated… but when you go to Japan, they are! And that felt very good. I also went to Hong Kong for the first time in 1995 or 1996 and I hated the place. I was really sad because I used to go to school with a friend from there and he told me so many exciting stories as kids do to each other. I was amazed about Hong Kong. ‘You can do this, and that’… But then I went to Hong Kong and the promoter didn’t pick me up, I waited for 2 or 3 hours in a shit version of Heathrow airport and the promoter was really rude. I was very shocked and I found a lot of people which I called ‘FILTH’: ‘Failed in London, tried Hong Kong’. People over there was very arrogant and I had one lovely lady looking after me in Hong Kong and she felt very sorry for how I was being treated. And I vowed to myself to never go back to Hong Kong.” Of course, I’ve been back to Hong Kong a couple of times after and I love it now. I love being there as there’s a special energy there. I enjoy Singapur as well.”
And were you able to experiment the growth of those scenes? “Japan is changed. A lot! Hong Kong is always the same in some ways because the western population is kind of transient. In Japan, they have a very big interest in fetish which, in this case, is vinyl. Japanese people is very fetishized with vinyl and they will always appear with first editions of vinyl to sign and you have the Tower Records shops and, of course, a lot of the machines were designed in Japan so there was like a homage of people coming from England or Germany to see the att ention to details from the Japanese technicians. The thing that changed it was that EDM really started to infect the whole scene the moment the vinyl started to became less and less important to the scene itself. And when that became less important you didn’t have those tastemakers in the record shops recommending stuff. It just became about what was available electronically, and no one gets really attached to, because you don’t buy it, you don’t collect it and you can stream it. And with that happening, the club scene in Japan started to change. It didn’t stayed the same.”
And what about you from that first time until now?
TEACHING CREATIVITY? “I do not believe that you can teach creativity. I believe you can teach the mind to open itself to creativity. To not second guess yourself, to not be as insecure or to get the insecurity to lead you to be more creative in another way. You can’t teach people to be creative. Its something that’s within them but if they are not sure how to get it out, then hopefully I can help with that.
“I love going to Japan and I have a massive admiration for the culture. I feel very happy when I am in Tokyo… Osaka a little bit less but Tokyo definitely. Kyoto is nice… And I never been to the north island. I feel very comfortable to be in Tokyo and I like to say also Hong Kong. Not so much in a professional way, although I played there 2 years ago and it was definitely the best show there ever. But I’ll always enjoy going to Tokyo but the scene for true pioneer electronic music is smaller now, compared to where it was.” djmagasia.com
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ANOTHER TOP 100 DJS PASSED BY AND OUR COVER STAR MARTIN GARRIX SECURED ITS THIRD YEAR IN A ROW AT THE TOP. ON THE NEXT FEW PAGES, WE ANALIZE THE RESULTS OF THE BIGGEST MUSIC POLL IN THE WORLD. READ ON FOR A SNAPSHOT OF THE MOST POPULAR DJS IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW...
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TOP 100 DJS 2018
1.2 MILLION VOTES CAST
TOP VOTING REGIONS
THE MOST VOTES CAME FROM THE USA, FOLLOWED BY THE UK, BRAZIL, MEXICO, ITALY, GERMANY, BELGIUM, THE NETHERLANDS, FRANCE AND SPAIN.
TOP 100 ANALYSIS
Garrix completes his hat-trick of No.1s in the biggest music poll in the world...
S
o, here we are again — the annual snapshot of the global visibility and popularity of the biggest international DJs in our scene. We secured an incredible 1.2million votes in this year’s poll, an increase of nearly 200,000 on 2017. And, as you’ve probably gathered by now, Martin Garrix has scooped the No.1 award for the third year in succession. As a global festival headliner DJ and chart-topping producer, nobody can really deny him this accolade. Congrats once again, Marty! Elsewhere in the top ten, there isn’t a great deal of movement. Belgium brothers Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike (the Highest Group) hold steady at No.2, while Hardwell leapfrogs over Armin van Buuren to claim the No.3 slot, despite — or perhaps because of — announcing that he’s stopping touring for the indefinite future. ASOT man Armin, of course, remains the Highest Trance DJ at No.4 — he hasn’t finished out of the top four for the last 13 years. David Guetta has had a good year, jumping up two places to No.5 — overtaking Tiësto in the process. But the big news in the top ten is Don Diablo jumping four places to claim the No.7 slot, and cementing his place in the big league — claiming the Highest Future House DJ award in the process. Afrojack and Marshmello hold steady at No.8 and No.10 respectively, while Oliver Heldens — who slid out of the top ten last year — jumps four places to finish at No.9. Steve Aoki slips down two places to No.11, while the biggest surprise in the top ten is The Chainsmokers sliding down from No.6 last year to this year’s No.31. Just outside the top ten, R3hab and Alok are both up six places to No.12 and No.13 respectively, while W&W are non-movers at No.14. DVBBS, Lost Frequencies and Vintage Culture are all up a respectable amount of places, while — off the back of his perpetually sold out Ibiza residency — Pryda man Eric Prydz soars into the top 20. But the standout placing here is Avicii at No.15. The dance world was shocked by his untimely passing earlier this year, and tens of thousands of his fans voted for him in 2018 to ensure that his legacy isn’t forgotten. Just outside the top twenty, Fedde Le Grand and
GEO LIST EUROPE’S NO.1 DJ MARTIN GARRIX NORTH AMERICA’S NO.1 DJ MARSHMELLO SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA’S NO.1 DJ ALOK ASIA’S NO.1 DJ CARTA AUSTRALASIA’S NO.1 DJ NERVO
time. New names in the list from the world of techno include Adam Beyer and Marco Carola, while it’s also been a good year for Carl Cox — up nine spots to No.53, again scooping the Highest Techno award — and Richie Hawtin, who is up 19 to No.61. There’s quite a few re-entries too, proving that sliding out of the Top 100 doesn’t mean that you are gone forever. Daddy’s Groove, Wildstylez, MaRLo, Deorro, Bobina and Markus Schulz have all bounced back in, and the Highest Re-Entry is Swedish House Mafia — despite only playing one show together all year, at Ultra Miami. With more shows and music hinted at for next year, it’s a safe bet that they’ll soar back up the chart in 2019. The return of SHM has had contrasting fortunes for its individual members, though. Steve Angello is up 24 places to No.58, but Axwell & Ingrosso are down 20 places to No.41.
Ummet Ozcan are up 17 and 15 places respectively, while Quintino, Vinai and Bassjackers are also up. NERVO are the highest placed female DJs at No. 27, up a healthy 15 places, while masked hardcore hero Angerfist rams up 11 places to No.29. It’s not quite enough for him to reclaim the Highest Hard DJ accolade from Headhunterz, though — his fellow Dutchman places just one spot above him at No.28. It hasn’t been a great year for votes for other hardstyle DJs, though — Radical Redemption and Brennan Heart are both down considerably, while Ukranian DJ hardcore techno Miss K8 slips seven places to No.65.
The Highest Climber this year is Israeli psy-trance duo Vini Vici — up 38 places to No.34 — and other acts who have jumped ten places or more include Danny Avila, Timmy Trumpet, Yellow Claw, Cat Dealers, Martin Jensen, Will Sparks, Robin Schulz, Andrew Rayel, Swanky Tunes, Mosimann and Tchami. Ferry Corsten, who has been in the Top 100 for the best part of 20 years, rides trance’s continued revival by twerking up 15 places to No.75, while Claptone is up 12 places to again claim the Highest House award. The unstoppable Andy C once again claims the Highest Drum & Bass DJ award in this year’s poll.
There’s two more women in the poll compared to last year, which is another small step in the right direction. Apart from NERVO and Miss K8, Mariana BO — complete with her violin — is up 16 places and Alison Wonderland is still in the nineties, but they’ve been joined in the 100 by MATTN, who is the Highest New Entry overall at No.72, and the inimitable Nina Kraviz, who makes a welcome debut appearance at No.97. Let’s hope that even more women are voted into the Top 100 next year. Other new entries include Breathe Carolina, NGHTMRE, Rave Republic and Slander, while stalwart scene producers Cedric Gervais and KO:YU — Deniz Koyu’s new name — jump into the chart for the first
Following the widening of the voting process using a 2FA SMS login option for markets without Facebook, there’s been a 28% increase in votes from China. This has undoubtedly helped the top two Chinese DJs — Carta and DJ L — climb 19 and 14 places respectively, while other areas in Asia — including Japan, Vietnam and Thailand — all saw similar increases. The territory that yielded the highest number of votes was again the USA, with the UK, Brazil and Mexico ranking next, closely followed by the central European countries of Italy, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Spain. During the voting process, djmag.com saw 61 million pages viewed. djmagasia.com
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TOP 100 DJS 2018
01 MARTIN GARRIX From: Amsterdam, The Netherlands DJ style: “Progressive/big room house.” Fave tune of 2018: “Taska Black ‘Forever’.” Breakthrough DJ/producer of 2018: “Osrin.” DUTCH wunderkind Martin Garrix has scooped the Top 100 DJs crown for the third year in a row — a feat only previously accomplished by his fellow countrymen Armin van Buuren and Tiësto. Amazingly, he’s still only 22, three years younger than Hardwell was when he first won the poll. Garrix, born Martijn Garritsen, learned the guitar at an early age — a good grounding for the electronic pop songs he’d later co-write. When he saw Tiësto DJing at the 2004 Olympic Games opening ceremony in Athens on TV, he decided he wanted to be a DJ and — with the full support of his mum and dad — started spinning at school events and the like. Soon getting into producing his own music, he signed to Spinnin’ Records to start releasing club tracks while still doing a music production course in Utrecht. When ‘Animals’ was released in 2013, it exploded all 36
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over the world — and Garrix became a star overnight. With much of the EDM mulch that has followed in the scene, it’s easy to forget what a groundbreaking record ‘Animals’ was. Much copied but never bettered, its dynamics were impeccable for rocking big arenas — a synth riff that became akin to a terrace chant, a contrasting clucking drop, and that slightly naughty, shouted “Animals” exhalation that saw some of his early fans start wearing animal masks to his shows. Five years on from ‘Animals’, he’s now a bonafide pop star, as well as a chart-topping DJ. A slew of productions has seen him collab with a virtual who’s who of EDM — DV&LM, Afrojack, Tiësto, Guetta — and also some of pop’s biggest names, such as the angsty slomo relationship song ‘Scared To Be Lonely’ with Dua Lipa and the widescreen melodic EDM cut ‘Don’t Look Down’ with Usher. He’s also recorded with Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber, although those tracks have yet to see the light of day due to assorted music industry politics. After escaping his deal with Spinnin’, Martin signed to Sony and also started up his own label — STMPD RCRDS. “It’s doing really good,” he tells DJ Mag. “We’ve released lots of music last year from both
established and upcoming artists. My vision of creating this label is really coming to life, especially with the recently added STMPD recording studios. It’s really turned into a creative hub where all kinds of artists and types of music come together.” Evidently in the game for the long haul, Garrix has released lots of music in the last 12 months — including the deep, melancholic, emotive love paean ‘Ocean’ with American singer-songwriter Khalid — and has toured the world playing the biggest festivals (Ultra Miami, Tomorrowland), headlining the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics in South Korea, and rocking his Ibiza residency at Ushuaïa every week during the summer. He came out very well from the What We Started documentary film launched during Miami Music week in March, sharing top billing with Carl Cox, and has just released a book LIFE= CRAZY, which documents his, err, crazy life through a succession of choice photos — some of which you can see over the page. Martin Garrix is unstoppable. Still incredibly welladjusted and down to earth despite his fame, he’s a deserving winner of the Top 100 DJs poll once again. CARL LOBEN
TOP 100 DJS 2018
02
DIMITRI VEGAS & LIKE MIKE
06 03
11
STEVE AOKI
12
R3HAB
ARMIN VAN BUUREN
17
LOST FREQUENCIES
18
KSHMR
19
VINTAGE CULTURE
AFROJACK
14
20
ERIC PRYDZ
ALOK
W&W
DAVID GUETTA
09
DVBBS
DON DIABLO
13 08
05
MARSHMELLO
HARDWELL
07 04
TIËSTO
10
16
OLIVER HELDENS
15
AVICII
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TOP 100 DJS 2018
21 SKRILLEX
34 VINI VICI
22 FEDDE LE GRAND 35 WOLFPACK
48 CAT DEALERS
23 UMMET OZCAN
36 ALAN WALKER
49 ATB
24 DJ SNAKE
37 BLASTERJAXX
50 DIEGO MIRANDA
25 QUINTINO
38 DANNY AVILA
51 ABOVE & BEYOND
26 VINAI
39 KURA
52 JEFRREY SUTORIUS
27 NERVO
40 CALVIN HARRIS
53 CARL COX
28
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54 MARTIN JENSEN
HEADHUNTERS
AXWELL Λ INGROSSO
29 ANGERFIST
42 DIPLO
55 PAUL VAN DYK
30 BASSJACKERS
43 NICKY ROMERO
56 WILL SPARKS
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44 ZEDD
57 CLAPTONE
45 ALESSO
58 STEVE ANGELLO
THE CHAINSMOKERS
32 KYGO
33 TIMMY TRUMPET 46 TUJAMO 38
47 YELLOW CLAW
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59 DEADMAU5
TOP 100 DJS 2018
71 SWANKY TUNES 84 DJ L
86 CEDRIC 87 GERVAIS 88 MARLO 89 DEORRO 90 ANDY C 91 SOLOMUN 92 LUCAS & STEVE 93 MARKUS SCHULZ 94 BOBINA 95 PAUL KALKBRENNER 96 ALISON WONDERLAND 97 NINA KRAVIZ 98 RAVE REPUBLIC 99 CARL NUNES
72 MATTN
100 SLANDER
60 ROBIN SCHULZ
73 CARTA
61 RICHIE HAWTIN 74 ALY&FILA 62
FLORIAN PICASSO
75 FERRY CORSTEN
63
SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA
76 DA TWEEKAZ
64 JAY HARDWAY
77 BREATHE CAROLINA
65 MISS K8
78 DENIZ KOYU
66 MIKE WILLIAMS 79 ADAM BEYER 67 ANDREW RAYEL 80 DADDY´S GROOVE 68 MARIAN BO
81 MOSIMANN
69 RADICAL REDEMPTION
82 TCHAMI
70 BRENNAN HEART 83 NGHTMRE 85 WILDSTYLEZ
MARCO CAROLA
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MUST-VISIT MUSICAL ATTRACTIONS IN ASIA Words: ARIEL JO, TIFFANY KIM, SHION OGUSHI
One of the most famous trip categories, announced last year by Airbnb, is music. There still is much to be desired as it only accounts for 9%, but it is becoming a strong trend, produced by the Millenial generation; professionals in music industry, in addition to those in tourism industry, are paying a lot of attention. Reflecting the recent trend of looking for hidden touring spots in smaller cities rather than worldwide electronic music attractions for festivals or club parties such as Ibiza, Las Vegas and Miami, DJ Mag Asia is introducing the places where our audiences can be revitalized. Let’s save the list of prominent vacation spots for this year!
CHINA ATOUR MUSIC HOTEL CHENGDU
E
veryone can easily access music in daily life. It is one of the friendly elements that greets you wherever you go. It is also a channel to indirectly experience the local culture. Likewise, how would you feel if there was a hotel with a theme of friendly and intimate music? It may be the place of dreams for those who love music. For the music lovers out there, now might be the time to finally realize the hotel of your dreams in Chengdu, Sichuan of China. Located in Chengdu of China, a place known for its beautiful cultural background, ‘Atour Music Hotel’ was born from the collaboration of Wangyiyun, the music platform, and Atour Hotel. This hotel opened in April of last year and it caught the eyes of many music lovers even before the opening and got tremendous responses, becoming a new landmark of Chengdu.
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When you take the first step into ‘Atour Music Hotel,’ you may instantly feel the urge to get your phone out and take a photo under the bright lighting. A huge lobby, which surprises the customers of the hotel, is decorated in red which symbolizes Wangyiyun Music, along with the front desk, restaurant, bar, performing stage, and social venues. What particularly attracts the customers’ attention is the decoration of albums and records of Wangyiyun Music and the vinyl displayed on the entire wall. The display of albums and records in a variety of colors are both musically and visually impressive. Moreover, the customers can take a look at the items, sold online from the website of Wangyiyun Music, in the lobby. ‘Music Review,’ which is sold-out online due to its popularity, is available for purchase as well. There are four different themes for the hotel rooms: Classic, Jazz, Pop music, and EDM. The interior of each themed room is decorated to match the theme. The music coming from the TV creates the atmosphere of the performance on site. Among all of them, the room that deserves the most attention is ‘EDM’ room, which is suited to target the millennial generation. This room is equipped with various kinds of musical equipments, including neon lights, DJ table, and mixing table, and it also comes with an open-air terrace. The customer of this hotel can play one’s favorite songs as if he/she has become a DJ, or throw a small private party with friends at the open-air terrace. This room certainly is recommended for those who love electronic music; it is a ‘hot place’ for the tourists visiting Chengdu, which hosts famous festivals, such as Panda Electronic Carnival with super great line-up, including KSHMR, R3HAB, and Timmy Trumpet.
KOREA INCHEON, PARADISE CITY
JAPAN TOKYO, VENT
T
T
There is a place to realize Ho-cance (short for Hotel-vacance) of your dreams! It is the ‘Paradise City,’ the biggest compound resort in Northeast Asia, which is located in Yeongjongdo Island and it is only 5 minutes away from the Incheon International Airport. What attracts the attention of music fans is definitely ‘Club Chroma,’ the biggest club in Northeast Asia, which is equipped with beach clubs to enjoy pool parties all throughout the year, along with two stages and a music lounge. Anyone can enjoy clubbing with music of different genres, ranging from trance and house to techno and EDM. The maximum capacity of this club is also overwhelming, which can host 3,000 people at once. Performances of the world-famous artists, who have been maintaining the top ranks in DJ Mag Top 100 DJs, such as Tiësto, Steve Angello, Steve Aoki, Nervo, R3HAB, Lost Frequencies, Fedde Le Grand, Afrojack are lined up, and unique events, which are hard to come by in Asia, have captivated the hearts of clubbers sensitive to trends.
here is a place in Tokyo where you can find the most modern sound system in the world. You can enjoy the best house and techno music experience while watching the artists play their music. The ‘Tokyo Vent Club’ is located in Omotesando, also known as the Japanese Champs-Elysees. Every weekend, world class artists such as Dixon, Acid Pauli, Prins Thomas, Jeff Mills, Chris Liebing and Sebastian Mullaert also appear on the line-up
Designed by Josh Held, the star club designer, this club is not only equipped with the best stage setting and facilities for music system, but it also boasts a unique exterior designed by the global architect group MVRDV, that resembles a golden sun melting down. It is certainly the top-notch tourist spot for clubbing.
Another feature of ‘Vent Club’, a unique spot for music lovers, is its community role. There, people are able to engage in good conversations through music. Thanks to the special design of the space that takes into account the sound which is heard from the speakers, people can interact in many different ways. So, if you want to meet music lovers from all over the world and have deep conversations with them, You must travel to Tokyo!
There is another reason for recommending this place! It is of course an excellent choice to stay in the five-star hotel after overnight clubbing in the finest facility, but it is also a great idea to visit ‘Spa Cimer,’ which offers both healing and excitement, if you are willing to give up your sleep. ‘Cimer’ is comprised of indoor and outdoor spa facilities of the size of 4,000 pyeong (approximately 13,223 m2), and hosts exciting pool parties on every Friday and Saturday night at the aqua clubs on the first floor. There is a sauna spa zone where you can experience Korean traditional sauna culture. In addition, you can experience trendy fitness programs, such as Surfset fit, Aquafloat fit, and Piyo.
Thanks to its attractive and stylish interiors, the amazing acoustics allows the audience to concentrate on music, through a modernist and minimalist design. The club was built in just the right size especially for music lovers who really want to enjoy the quality of sound. It is impossible to talk about Tokyo’s nightlife without mentioning the ‘Tokyo Vent Club’; a place where everyone can enjoy the best music and sound quality.
It is an exclusive place, a secret club where it is forbidden to take pictures which makes it more exciting. The only way to actually find out about the place is by going there. Even the photos shared by DJ Mag Asia were taken before the opening. It is said that the place is thrilling and exciting. So exciting that once you get in, you stay up all night. n
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LOST & FOUND
FREQUENCIES YOU CAN’T FORGET WHERE YOU’VE COME FROM AND YOU MUST REMEMBER WHERE YOU’RE GOING...
Words: JACE, ARIEL JO
Words: ARIEL JO
Last year, on Tomorrowland’s main stage, when Lost Frequencies played his hit song ‘Reality’, the crowd that got together from all over the world started singing along with happy faces. Now, ‘Reality’ has become an anthem that everybody who’s a dance fan already knows, with the song reaching over 500 million views & streams on YouTube & Spotify/Apple Music. Given the current tendency of the scene in which people want dance music to have more acoustic sound and pop melodies, his music is gaining more and more popularity. He was ranked 17th in this year’s DJ Mag Top 100 poll, rising 9 places up from last year. 42
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DJ Mag Asia was able to meet Lost Frequencies at the Armada Music brunch party held during the ADE event last October. The team found him to be a guy with a bright smile and an energetic presence that remained in our minds after the interview. We wanted to know more deeply about him, whose passion for music is greater than anyone else, so we were able to meet him once again this year. This is the frank and candid story of Lost Frequencies, whose work has grown even more than last year.
Happy new year, Felix! How have you been doing? It was such a pleasant time to have an interview with you in the last year’s ADE! How have you been doing after then? “I’ve been great, thank you! It’s all been crazy ever since ADE working on new music, touring a lot of shows and meeting more and more fans!” We’d like to hear what you’ve done or have been doing in the beginning of the New Year 2019. “For New Year I played a special gig in Pattaya, in Thailand. It was so much fun! I love the Asian crowds and the support from them is always huge. It was brilliant to welcome 2019 there! You can catch up and join me on the road on my Lost VLog series. After that I joined my family on holiday and had a great time enjoying all type of watersports. We had a blast!” Your DJ name is Lost Frequencies and label name is Found Frequencies. Tell us about how both names were created and their meaning. “Well I first began producing by remixing tracks I loved but were often forgotten, sort of under the radar with their popularity like when I worked on my version of ‘Are You With Me’ – so I guess I was sort of giving these “forgotten” tracks a new lease of life, so Lost Frequencies it was! On the flipside of that, I started my label to shine a light on new music and artists that I enjoyed so Found Frequencies felt like a cool, fun fit.” Give us a brief introduction about your label Found Frequencies. “Found Frequencies is my label. I’m really trying to release music that I play in my sets that are not music that I would make, something different, but something that I like. It could be anything. It could be an acoustic track of a guy singing with a guitar. It’s not just electronic music, but for the moment, it’s electronic music. You can send demos to demo@funfrequencies.com. Demo without an ‘s’.” How did you created Found Frequencies and what’s the ultimate goal of the label? “I really want to help other young DJs like me to get started. My goal is to release exciting new music and hopefully grow our artists and releases even further over the next year. My collaboration with Zonderling, ‘Crazy’, that we released on Found Frequencies, became the most-played track on Dutch Radio last year, amongst reaching top chart positions in the rest of the world so our goals are being realized all of the time. That was a great feeling!” And you have released a DJ mix called “Lost Frequencies Presents Found Frequencies”. Is this mix showing the direction of the sound that Found Frequencies’ aiming? “Yes, we did that with Apple Music! I think it’s a great middle point for listeners to get a snapshot of the music we release and the artists we work with, nothing too complicated.”
depth version of the tracks that they love and it took a lot of planning but really offered something different. Who knows what we’ll change for 2019!”
“There really are no right or wrong answers with making music.” How did you start getting into dance music? “I sort of began by accident, I suppose. I first started producing on an old computer with Garage Band and teaching myself with trial and error, so that was probably the most difficult part, not being taught a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to work but I suppose that is the best thing, that there really are no right or wrong answers with making music.” You’ve toured a lot in Asia. Which Asian country was the most impressive one among those you’ve visited so far? “Aw, so hard to pick a favorite! They all offer so many great different things. Japan, for example, was very impressive. When I visited Tokyo, we played a real life game of Mario Kart on Go Kart’s in fancy dress and ate amazing sushi, it is so bright, busy and vibrant as a country. I’m very excited to go back!” Which artist would you like to collaborate with and why? “I have an exciting collaboration coming this March but it is top secret right now so you will just have to wait! I would also love to collaborate with an artist like FLUME or Skrillex. Those are definitely some of my favorites’! They are just very talented and would love to see them at work in the studio.” You launched your own Lost Frequencies clothing collection. What does fashion mean to you? Would you like to have your own fashion label one day? “I like fashion to be fun but also straightforward. Comfort is key when I travel and before, but I like my clothes to stand out too! Bright patterns, fun logos & bold colors! I don’t know how good I would be at designing a whole collection, so I think I’ll stick to the music… for now.” There are lots of unique products among which the compass seems to have a big significance. Would you explain the meaning of “Less is more” that is written on the products and the significance of the compass? “I really like the compass imagery we have gone with, it show both sides, first the ‘Lost’ part and then the ‘Found’ part that links both my stage name and the name of my label. It is significant as you can’t forget where you’ve come from and you must remember where you’re going. Everything is a journey and often, ‘Less’ can equal more.” Would you give some advice to people who dream of being a DJ or a producer?
You’ve signed Jameson for Found Frequencies. What significance does the artist Jameson have for you? We’d like to hear also more about Jameson’s upcoming single ‘Fast& Slow’… “Jameson is this young exciting artist and yes, we’ll be releasing ‘Fast & Slow’ from him soon! He’s making this really fresh house sound that sounds so original, a sound I’m really into and I hope you all enjoy the new release as much as I do!” You will take the “Lost Frequencies & Friends” stage again to Tomorrowland this year. Do you have all planed for this year’s Tomorrowland? “I’m so excited we’re returning! Not yet, we’re still working on some artists on the bill so they will be announced in the coming months but what I can tell you is that it’s my favorite line-up yet! You’ll be able to keep up with all the news over on my social media.” In last year’s Tomorrowland, you performed as live set for the first time. Are you planning to perform a live set again? “I think we will be bringing that back. I really enjoyed showing fans a more in-
“Follow your dreams! I know it sounds cliché but I never set out to do this for my career and sometimes I think ’Isn’t this crazy?’. I had a passion and that translated and people felt they could relate and before I knew it, Lost Frequencies became me. Try not to imitate anyone else’s style. I think being an original artist as best as you can is so important. Having the right team is so important. Nick Royaards has been my manager since the beginning and has helped me a lot, from working with different partners, label teams, working on music, hundreds of shows and keeping everything flowing with the rest of my PR’s and booking agents, for example, is something I couldn’t do without my work family.” Give us a word for all our DJ Mag Asia readers. “I want to say thank you to everybody for coming out to the shows because I’ve been coming for the last three years now, but I feel like this year we took it to another level. A lot of people came to the shows, and a lot of people knew the music, which was really nice. For the whole set you saw the party was going on, and that was really nice. So I want to say thank you to everybody. Also, all the promoters for having me, all the guys who are sharing the music, all the music apps, all the guests and all the fans for coming to the shows and listening to the music, and you guys for having me here.” n
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CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT WE CHATTED WITH INDIAN-AMERICAN ARTIST KSHMR ABOUT THE GREAT MOMENT HE’S LIVING AND THE CONSTANT NEED FOR FRESHNESS IN HIS SOUNDS. Words: HERNÁN PANDELO
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Regarding your work, you’ve released “Magic” a couple of months ago with what seems to be a return to your “old sound”… Is this so? Is there an “old KSHMR”?
I
m willing to settle down again and work on new music,’ says KSHMR from his home in Los Angeles, when we ask him what he’s up to. He has been travelling the world throughout 2018 and needs to feel comfortable at home for inspiration to strike. The past year had everything: shows with new ideas, amazing new music and a few not so good news: “One of my favourite shows was Parookaville, where I got to premiere the new animated part of my show alongside live musicians. I was really proud of the release of ‘Carry Me Home’, it’s one of my favourite songs that sounds great in my sets. And, probably, the worst thing of the year was losing my grandpa.”
“I think if you ask people who listen to my music there is an old KSHMR. The new KSHMR music is sometimes less homogeneous because I have to try different things to stay excited.” This was released on DHARMA, a place that seems to be growing not only with your releases but also with some of your colleagues delivering nice songs on there… What’s your focus for this platform? “Dharma is a label where I want to give a platform to songs I am a fan of and I think deserve recognition. The other facet of Dharma, which is very important to me, is to be a learning resource for producers, to offer them sound packs, tutorials, and templates which enable the
“AS SOON AS THAT FEELS LIKE AN OBLIGATION, I WANT TO DO IT LESS.” Niles Hollowell-Dhar has been KSHMR for years, and it seems this is not going to change, although his sound will – or at least he will try. “I find myself wanting to discover a new sound and make a body of music that feels fresh to me vis-a-vis what I’ve been making before”, he explains. This probing attitude is what has led him to work with heavyweights and tour the world. Looks like you’ve been surfing the whole expansion of EDM and now this is settling and you area now considered one of the big names still producing this sound… Is this something you have experienced? How do you see the present of dance music now? “I think that the type of dance music that has been exciting to me over the years is the kind that reaches the highest peak of energy and you find that in big room and progressive house and hardstyle. It doesn’t mean that I don’t like other genres but that’s always been my favorite and it’s hard for me to not want to return to that when I’m working in the studio. The reaction I see in the crowd and the reaction I had as a fan of dance music has been what drives me in creating that sound.”
next generation to thrive and this will soon be available on the Dharma website.” How important is for you to be able to release your music as you want? “It’s important to me to have a team that is supportive when I try new things and Spinnin, specifically Jorn Heringa, has been just that. He encourages me to find my next sound and experiment with merging dance music and other genres. I think you have to or it starts to feel that you’re imitating an old version of yourself and you get bored.” You’re very attached to the Middle East and ethnic sounds. How important is for you to keep that sound on the whole KSHMR brand? Is this something planned? “Well, my Indian heritage is very important to my identity but it doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll use Indian instruments in every song. As soon as that feels like an obligation, I want to do it less. But I will continue to do it, not as something compulsory, but as a way to include instruments not just from India but from all around the world.”
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How much can you plan in terms of following a path on your career? After this success… it’s easier or harder? “I think it is harder and I’ll tell you why. In the beginning, you can fail as much as you want. Nobody will notice until you find your sound and you connect with people and then you’ll have a light shined on you where people analyze and critique your work. You have to be prepared for that and you will inevitably struggle to live up to people’s first impression of you. There are so many failures before an artist succeeds that no one sees or holds against them. It’s not until you find success that you must maintain a sturdy consistency or people begin to write you off completely and that’s hard to return from.” Which unexplored places you’d like to explore music wise? “I would really like to explore making music that is listenable on a day to day basis that can also work live. I have found that with much of my music, I love playing it but I wouldn’t listen to it driving in my car. There are exceptions to this, like my EPs ‘Lion Across The Field’ and ‘Paradesi’ but I find that it’s difficult to play those tracks live and maybe that’s just lack of courage.” And what do you want for DHARMA in the future? Is this also part of your development as an artist? How involved are you in there? “Dharma is completely separate from my artist project. The aesthetic that I’ve been very in control of for KSHMR, I am willing to let go for Dharma and allow it to be a more malleable platform that suits the aesthetic of the artists who release on it. For the future of Dharma, more than a label, I want it to be a resource for young producers to learn and to find the tools to make better songs. I think there’s no better way to learn than to pick apart songs you actually admire and one of the components of Dharma will be revealing the DNA of the songs it releases.” This development leaded you to know lots of places around the world and, of course, a lot about Asia… How do you see this market? “Asia is a market that for DJs emerged with blistering speed over the last few years. Me and
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“I STARTED KSHMR WITH THE INTENT OF CREATING SOMETHING MORE PERSONAL.” many DJs I know, find ourselves often in Asia. For me, it has become like a second home. I’m not quite sure why they’ve taken a liking to me. Sometimes I suspect it’s that the sounds from India that are interwoven with my music have found appeal in other countries, like China, Japan, and Korea. I’m very thankful for this regardless of the reasons because I’ve found so many new friends and fans by spending time in these countries.” Even though you’ve been raised in California, how attached do you feel to these lands taking in account your origins? “I feel very attached to India in particular because of my family there, my visits throughout my childhood, and because how pivotal my experiences in India were in shaping who I am. A lot of who I am comes from my father who was born in Kashmir and even more of a potent influence is my grandfather. He was brutal in his honesty and imparted on me what I’ve come to live by, not allowing me to take it easy on myself and always holding a magnifying glass to the decisions I make.” Do you think is important for the people that you are linked to their past? “I think so. I think I find a special connection with younger people in India because they are very familiar with western culture and that is
ASIA
“ I love coming to India because it was a big part of my childhood and who I am. I also love going to Japan because Tokyo is a city that will leave even an experienced traveler breathless.”
a part of who they are as well. To marry the culture of India and other influences is the truest representation of young people in India or with Indian heritage today in my opinion.” Let’s talk about your beginnings… What music did you listened back at home? “Growing up I was obsessed with rap music. I found myself more interested in dance music when I got into college but throughout all of that, my real inspiration stems from the classics like The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Queen, and Frank Sinatra. Those are the artists that through my different phases of genre appreciation have stuck with me.” What can you say about The Cataracs? Was this your first approach to commercial music? How did that started? Do you remember why did you started working on music? “The Cataracs happened in high school. Me and my friend David wanted to make hip hop music that had elements of dance and pop. That really all came to a head when we moved to Los Angeles and made the song ‘Like A G6’ that I produced and wrote. Together, with Far East Movement and Dev, we created something that was very special to us but also transformed our dynamic. We became expected to recreate the success of G6 time and time again and began to realize our original chemistry of two lovers of hip hop faded. That’s why we disbanded and I created KSHMR.” What were you doing before starting producing music? “I went to college at San Francisco state for a year and then I dropped out to pursue music and got a job bussing tables at a Mexican restaurant and tutoring kids in the bay area.”
How was the process until you started the KSHMR project in 2014? You were already working with big names on the business… Why did you make that move? “I was making pop music before I started KSHMR. I found some success, I did work with some big names but in the end it wasn’t fulfilling and that’s why I started KSHMR with the intent of creating something more personal. “ When did you realize it was a good move? “From the beginning, it felt like a good move because I was suddenly in control of every aspect of my artistry. It’s a sword that you live and die by when you chose to be an artist as opposed to writing and producing for other people. Ultimately for who I am, it was the right choice. Of course, there were also moments like Tiesto collaborating with me on ‘Secrets’ that really changed my life and affirmed that I made the right decision.” What was the best about those days? “In the beginning everything was experimentation. I had an idea in my head of what the music would sound like, what my show would look like, but it was all abstract and I didn’t yet have anything material to show for it. It was a really exciting time to take the idea of KSHMR and create the actual ingredients and learn a lot in the process.”
KSHMR’S OWN TOP 5 in no particular order…
- JAMMU - JUNGLE WHISTLE - DADIMA - WILDCARD - SECRETS -
What do you have in mind for 2019? Seems like a lot of work in the studio is being done? Maybe an album is going to pop up from there? “I am taking a couple months from touring to be in the studio and finish up some singles. I’d like to put out an EP at least to offer my fans something besides the usual EDM bangers.” How would you see yourself in 5 years? “Touring can be tough and I’m often surprised that guys older than me are still doing it. I think I want to keep pursuing the creation of sound packs and educational material to help the next generation of producers but I don’t think I’ll ever stop making music. It’s my favorite thing to do and where I feel most at home.”
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REAL FEELING )LAER GNILEEF( Words: DAEHWA LEE, ARIEL JO
K
orea’s first and the most passionate artist to release a track at Spinnin’ Records and collaborate with various artists. He is a creative musician, who always strives for growth and development by performing unique music in every performance and venue. Justin OH has recently changed his genre into bass music, becoming a new artist on the label Monstercat. Unlike other artists working with new names or new brands when starting new music, Justin OH’s self-confidence and philosophy, which says that the entire performance is on his shoulders, was enough to impress his music fans. We could hear his honest story at Monstercat’s first party in Korea with Delta Heavy, which took place at Hongdae club Henz.
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Although you released music on a fairly popular label and had a lot of achievements, it doesn’t seem like much is known about your history. When did you start music? I started music when I was very young. I used to play the violin in orchestras and bands and other instruments. I discovered EDM through Armin van Burren. I saw him play for the first time and that was like WOW! Everything changed. I started to write and produce music pretty early. When I came to Korea, I worked on music and made a song. That song was called ‘Wait For You’ and Paul Oakenfold ended up playing it on BBC radio 1 which was a very big deal at the time because there was not a lot of Asian DJs’ music being played in Europe especially. Once that happened, in Korea people started to take notice in festivals. Ultra approached and invited me to play and that’s how everything started with me.I am more of a musician than a DJ. I like to produce many different genres. Good thing about Monstercat is I get to play many different genres. It’s all accepted and encouraged. So, it is artistically very liberating.
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THE GOOD THING ABOUT MONSTERCAT IS I GET TO PLAY MANY DIFFERENT GENTRES. IT’S ALL ACCEPTED AND ENCOURAGED. SO, IT IS ARTISTICALLY VERY LIBERATING.
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At this point, could you criticize your own album ‘The Time Traveller’? Actually it’s funny. I listened to that album yesterday. I like to do that, sometimes I listen to my old music and see how far I’ve come. To be honest, I love that album. It is a very selfish and a greedy album. It was everything I wanted to make for myself. It wasn’t really for the other people. That album is always going to be very special because I was with a good label that let me do whatever I want and that’s what came out of it at the time. I wish I was a better singer, it would have sounded better. I sang 4 of the songs. In 2017, you released ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ in Spinnin’ Records. Spinnin’ Records is a label that everyone looks forward to. How did you feel about it? Actually it’s a funny story. I went to Amsterdam for the ADE with my management team. I remember we went to the meeting and we were even late, I couldn’t find the right address to the place. Usually that is very bad. Also, we only had one song prepared. Never have only one song, have many songs. That’s a tip. As soon as we played it, their A&R right away said “Ok, we are going to sign it!” I think that was amazing. That song came from a little bit of experiment. The genre is not big room, not dubstep or electro. It’s kind of like Asian future trap bass pop music. I think that’s what people really were interested because it was very unique and different at that time. I am very happy how it turned out and obviously, working with Hyorin from Sistar was amazing. Her voice was amazing and she killed it.
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music scene in Asia. Even though it’s big, there’s a lot of culture and subculture missing. I grew up and discovered electronic dance music as a subculture before David Guetta collaborated with Black Eyed Peas, like huge pop songs. So, I wanted to do something back towards that and try to create something like that for the internet digital generation. And why did you ended up trying out bass music nowadays? Really cool thing about bass music and trap is that their roots of 150-160bpm come from either hip hop or punk rock music which is the music I grew up with. I love techno, progressive techno and deep house. Especially in Korea, there was opportunity because there was lack of bass music.
I wanted to do something back towards that and try to create something like that for the internet digital generation.
You’ve been producing progressive house or big room past days and recently changed genre to bass music. Why did you change the genre? You want to hear the real truth? The real truth is I got tired of Djing in clubs for VIP people. I remember one time Djing in a club and they asked me “Can you play me Zedd?” So I said “Yes, sure. If you want me to play, I won’t be coming back then”. Then they said “yea, play it”. So, I played it and never went back. I think there is something missing in the electronic
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You must have experienced the things of maintaining a global label. What’s do you think that made them such a big label? I don’t really know, because I’m not a label manager. But these really big labels obviously have good marketing and a good team. More important is they are always looking for the next new sound and new talents, and not doing the same thing over and over. I think that’s what people are really interested in.
This was such a big change in your musical career. Why didn’t you make another name or do side projects? If I could, I would probably wear a helmet, but my head is too big. To be honest, I just want to be truthful and honest with my artistry. Justin OH is my real name. It’s hard to change that. Aside from that, we built a full story that goes much deeper than just me. It’s not about me, it’s about something bigger.
How are you these days? Tell us about your recent activity and future plan. Very busy, very good and excited. Was fortunate enough to be part of a lot of Monstercat shows, at Electric Jungle Festival in China, and in Hanoi, Also did an India tour for NYE, which I got to work on some collaborations with artists there and caught up with my homies in India. Have some more Monstercat shows lined up early 2019, which I enjoy a lot playing in front of the hardcore fans. You can see from my social media and Instagram that the crowds are super passionate and have a lot of energy at the shows! I also have very good news to announce. I’ll be playing a monthly residence at the new Octagon in Tokyo this year. I have some big music projects as well, preparing for this year. Also, I made a lot of solo tracks. I am going to mix up the solos, some remixes and collaborations with my friend artists. Justin OH continues to demonstrate his new bass sounds and remixed ‘No More Love’ by a Canadian duo, Loud Luxury and was included in a remix package alongside with Fedde Le Grand, Merk & Kremont, Brohug, Tails, and PBH & Jack Shizzle. During his January Monstercat show in Hanoi with Tokyo Machine and Myne, Justin reacted to his fans who have been expecting an EP from Justin, by “There won’t be an EP, but rather there is going to be…..” finished by his signature ‘City Of OZ’ content removal notice. There must be something big coming up soon.
The music video ‘She’s A Killer’ features the sentence ‘Welcome To The City Of OZ’. In terms of the lyrics, it feels like a virtual world of dystopia. I think we will find out next year when everything wraps up. Everything about it is already out. If it is not out, I can’t really say too much. Next year, everyone will know. Why Justin OH is not playing in the clubs in Korea? To be honest, I spent a lot of time preparing a show. Because it is not just playing music, I need to think about the story and everything. Really a lot of work goes into one show. I don’t want to repeat the show again. So, I can’t do lot of shows in Korea, not just in Korea, same with other places. Because I don’t do a lot of shows, each one it is special, each one is different and all adds to the big picture.
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I just want to be truthful and honest with my artistry. Justin OH is my real name. It’s hard to change that.
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So, it doesn’t mean you are only doing bass music? No. I would not stick to one genre. But there are stories and styles in music I want to do within bass. I feel like other genres I’ve done already and there’s new exciting wave in the underground music that is a lot more exciting to me right now.
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MUSIC LOV ER S
YOU ARE WHAT YOU
LISTEN
TO
WE MET PEOPLE IN A VARIETY OF OCCUPATIONS WHO LOVE MUSIC FROM KOREA, CHINA AND JAPAN. WHAT KIND OF MUSIC DO KOREANS LISTEN TO? HOW HAS MUSIC BECOME A PART OF LIFE FOR THE CHINESE MUSIC LISTENERS? WHICH CLUBS ARE POPULAR AMONG JAPANESE MUSIC LISTENERS? THE BEAUTY OF MUSIC IS DEEPLY EMBEDDED WITHIN DIVERSIFIED GENRES AND OUR DAILY LIVES; MATCHING THE DIFFERENT LIFESTYLES OF EACH PEOPLE. Words: TIFFANY KIM, ARIEL JO
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KORE A DANIEL OH
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aniel is currently working as an artist and a model, with a simple and convenient fashion style. He is now turning 30 this year and he started modeling in New York since 2014. He studied fine arts and he works with photography, video editing and painting. It’s hard to pick one that he likes the most out of all the things he does —there’s just too many of them. But he intends to start everything he does –art, music and whatnot— with pure joy and pushes himself to make steady progress. Which subgenre of electronic music do you enjoy listening to? “While I’m currently working as a model, I’ve been studying music production and in 2008, I took an interest in DJs through house music. The musicians I came across at the time were artists like Justice, Boys Noize, Shinichi Osawa, Daft Punk and Chemical Brothers. My introduction to techno and tech house happened when I was living in Brooklyn, New York 6 years ago. I got quickly immersed in the music and from that point I started listening to tech house and techno. The reason why I fell in love with these genres would be the haunting sound effects –sounds that accentuates the bass and fortifies the rhythm—accompanying the bass rather than just electric noise piercing your ears.” How did you get in to such genres? “Through my younger years I would go to clubs to listen to the music and drink but I soon felt the limitations of local clubs. The resident DJs were always playing the same tunes every week, not to mention the lousy mixes that lacked creativity. I wanted to become a DJ and get the crowd excited, so I went to different clubs, listened to the music and studied it. After a while, I realized that there were sounds that are basically loud and ear-piercing sounds that are painful to listen to. Later I developed a deeper taste for electronic music; I learned that each speaker can produce different sounds and I also learned about sound quality. I think I dug deeper into music as I realized how sound quality could shape the way we feel music.” Who’s your favorite artist? “Like I mentioned earlier, I’m into Justice, Boys Noize, Shinichi Osawa, Daft Punk and Chemical Brothers. There are so many DJs out there who produce incredible music, but these are the artists who first led me to this type of music. If I had to pick another artist I would pick Gesaffelstein.” Where and when do you listen to music? “I enjoy listening to all genres of music. I don’t discriminate. I basically listen to everything from jazz, blues, indie rock to funk, hip hop and fado. After I wake up, I start my day by turning on the music; I search songs depending on the everyday mood that I’m in. I always listen to music when I’m driving, working or doing hobbies. In other words, life feels empty without music, so I always have some music playing. On a day when I feel like listening to some new stuff I tune into the radio.” Tell us about your favorite club or festival. “I’d like to highlight Output and Good Room, which are both clubs located in Brooklyn, New York. In the earlier days, Output was visited by serious music heads and it was a good place to be immersed in thoughts; it’s a shame that the venue is now
a personal note, I think the Korean music industry is very keen on new trends and most of the people in Korea listen to EDM.” What kind of websites or applications do you stream music from? “When I was in the States, I used Pandora, Spotify, YouTube, Soundcloud and Beatport; I’m still using them while I’m back here in Korea.” Do you have any special music-related memories that you’d like to share with us? “I wouldn’t say it was a special memory, but it was a magical moment when I realized how music by itself could influence the public and move people emotionally. And the sound system is, of course, essential in all of this.” What are your thoughts about the future trends of electronic music in Asia? “It’s too early for me to make any assumptions but considering the number of tourists and foreigners that visit the area, I personally think South-East Asia rather than Korea will eventually host more parties, events and festivals of all sizes thus contributing to the music industry as well as the progress of electronic music itself.” What does music mean to you? “Simply put, music is a way to express my mood of the day and like how some upbeat sounding songs have sad lyrics, I think it’s something that reflects our lives. On a good day I would hear the catchy beat; on a bad day I would hear the lyrics first.”
Can you recommend some electronic music tracks to our readers? Gesaffelstein ‘Harted’ Justice ‘Stress’ The Chemical Brothers ‘Believe’ Modjo ‘Lady’ JNS ‘1hing’ swarming with tourists. But back in the day, the place had a top-notch sound system. I don’t really enjoy going to large scale festivals; I’d rather go to local rock band gigs. My most memorable live performance was a Patti Smith concert.” Describe about your festival/club fashion style. “Although I work as a model, I prefer to wear simple and convenient clothes –shirt and pants—to the club rather than fancy clubbing outfits. Not to mention that there is always a chance of ruining or losing your clothes if you get drunk.” Which fashion brand do you like? “It’s hard to just pick one but my style can be described as lowkey. Higher-end clothes will fit better and look better; for me, I think ripped pants or filthy grunge style shirts can even look good on a person depending on his/her energy or vibe. I enjoy wearing vintage style clothes.” What kind of music do people around you listen to? Are they also into electronic music? “There are too many genres so it’s hard to narrow it down. But on djmagasia.com
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CHINA DANNI
What kind of music do people around you listen to? Are they also into electronic music? “My friends are big fans of trap and dub. Some of them prefer R&B. However, most of them are in love with trap.” What kind of websites or applications do you stream music from? “Wangyiyun, Xiami music” Do you have any special music-related memories that you’d like to share with us? “One day, while preparing for the program, I had to memorize all the lyrics in a night. So, I was practicing my dances at the training room, and I kept forgetting the moves whenever I was trying to remember the lyrics. Later, I realized that I’ve got into the habit of making these mistakes. After that experience, I don’t forget the lyrics anymore once I fully memorize all the moves.” What are your thoughts about the future trends of electronic music in Asia? “It is not publicly disseminated yet, but it is rapidly developing. Electronic music and dance music has been growing up, in addition to the record labels and DJ/Producers. Moreover, clubs are also a part of this growing movement, functioning as worldwide influencers or playing a pivotal role in implementing culture. In regard to the Asian Electronic Music trend, people can enjoy the performances of global artists at their hometown in China and this has opened doors to a wider variety of music genres.”
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rown up with music, Danni became a talented singer in China. While she was learning to dance, she encountered underground music and this was when she first came across bass music. As a singer, she thinks electronic and dance music will become more widespread in Asia. “In regard to the Asian Electronic Music trend, people can enjoy the performances of global artists in their hometowns in China, while opening the door to a wide variety of music genres.”
What does music mean to you? “My mother is a kindergarten teacher. This is why I have grown up in such an environment. Music has always been there for me whenever I was alone, and it comforted my heart like a real good friend.”
Which subgenre of electronic music do you enjoy listening to? “Some people enjoy listening to both EDM and bass music, and it is true that there are many overlapping elements in the two genres. However, I love bass music all the way. I just love the low-tone elements of music and I guess it’s because I encountered underground music early on as I was learning to dance. In fact, I think that style of music can be described as dark trap.” How did you get into such genres? “I began learning to dance in 2006. At that time, electronic music was not very common, so I used to listen to hip hop.” Who’s your favorite artist? “Anti-General.” Where and when do you listen to music? “I mostly listen to music when I’m in the car or whenever I’m waiting or walking.” Tell us about your favorite club or festival. “Ultra Club at the underground of Shanghai.” Describe about your festival/club fashion style. “I am mostly dressed in casual, without wearing high heels.”
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Can you recommend some electronic music tracks to our readers? Anti-general ‘UPGRADE’ Bare Noize ‘Hit it’ Tolein ‘Infinity’
JA PA N KENJI KOHASHI
K
enji Kohashi started out as an actor, and now he also runs his own event company. He was assigned as the creative director of Ultra Japan and later became the general producer of a fireworks event Star Island. He also does promotions for fashion and cosmetics, and also works in an urban development project. Which subgenre of electronic music do you enjoy listening to? “When I go out to dance, I prefer listening to dance music, but I usually listen to chill out music, jazz or ambient music.” How did you get into such genres? “The biggest reason is that I fell in love with the music when I went to Ibiza. It could be tiring at times to listen to dance music for a whole day, so I was searching for something to make me relax. Then I started to listen to chill out music while watching the sun set and it felt so great. I became friends with Chris Martin, a member of Coldplay when they were on tour, and he told me that his music changed met the legend of ambient music, Brian Eno. Chris introduced his music to me, and I started to listen to it and fell in love with it as well.” Who’s your favorite artist? “I like to listen to FJK, and I also listen to Hammock when I listen to ambient music.” Where and when do you listen to music? “I have a lot of opportunities to travel around the world, and I try to listen to music that blends into cultures. I DJ when I travel and select music that matches the time and location.”
What kind of music do people around you listen to? Are they also into electronic music? “It varies with people, but I think techno music is back again and many people listen to it.” What kind of websites or applications do you stream music from? “If I listen to singles, I use Spotify. When I listen to mixes or long sets, I use Soundcloud.” Do you have any special music-related memories that you’d like to share with us? “15 years ago when I was still active as an actor, I was in a bad place and was worried about my future. At that time, there was an opportunity for me to go camping at a beach in Okinawa with some creators. We watched the beautiful shooting stars while listening to good music, and they were telling me stories about the bright future with faces filled with joy. After 6 months, one of the creators gave me a phone call and told me that the project he told me in Okinawa was released as a game software. At that time, all my memories flashed back and and I thought that you could create something extraordinary with a special environment and music; also, I realized that the ability to create something is a very special gift. That experience made me what I am right now; it encouraged me to pursue my life as a creator.” What does music mean to you?
“Something that expands your perspective on things and senses.”
Tell us about your favorite club or festival. “Burning Man gave me a striking impression. This event gives you an extraordinary experience to feel the love and the “GIVE & GIVE” spirit throughout the cities. It is an experience that you can only just get for a week, and it shows you the potential of mankind. It was the best experience.” Describe about your festival/club fashion style. “In festivals, I wear perfectly comfortable clothes. I don’t bring too much things and I choose a bag—usually a very light one— that could fit small items. I now work mostly in events so I tend to wear black clothes these days.” Which fashion brand do you like? “I usually go to shops and buy items depending on my mood, but I like to shop at Girls Don’t Cry / PALM ANGELS / STAMPD. My wife runs her own brand called UN3D, and I often wear their items too.”
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KRAFTWERK
’COMPUTER WORLD’ Kling Klang/EMI Electrola, 1981
Kraftwerk have been immeasurably important in the development of electronic music. DJ Mag talks to one of the key members from their most prolific time, Karl Bartos, about their modus operandi and game-changing album ‘Computer World’…
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aft Punk may be the musical robots we all know and love, but Kraftwerk got there first. The sonic legacy of the German outfit is impossible to fathom. ‘Trans Europe Express’, ‘Autobahn’, ‘Man Machine’ — all these albums made an indelible impression on popular music. Electronic records would sound a hell of a lot different without their influence. They’re records that are still being plundered now. But the Düsseldorf band’s 1981 album ‘Computer World’ is arguably their greatest achievement. It provided the blueprint for the electro beat. It was a key component of Detroit techno, house, Italo-disco — for any music made with electronic equipment. Without it, would Afrika Bambaataa, Derrick May, Legowelt, Luke Vibert or Felix Da Housecat have sounded the same? Made the music they did? The album is a distillation of what Kraftwerk did best, and what arguably many other electronic artists have since attempted to emulate. It’s a symbiotic relationship between heartfelt melody and mechanistic precision — a curious, enthralling juxtaposition. The synthetic emotion and sequenced beats of ‘Computer World’ provided a model for other artists to copy but when we meet him in London while promoting his reissued, classic solo album ‘Communication’, Karl Bartos — a key member of the band at the time, along with Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider — says it was their human interaction rather than the electronics that made ‘Computer World’ what it was. “By the time we had composed ‘Computer World’, we had a 16-step sequencer in the studio and a tape machine, which we could synchronise,” he tells DJ Mag. “That was it. Everything else was played by hand. “One evening it was nice weather outside,” he recalls of the time when the record was made. “We came from a coffee shop, we had some espresso. I went to the drum machine. Ralf went to the 16-step sequencer, and put
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“By pressing down a special key/It plays a little melody…” KRAFTWERK ‘POCKET CALCULATOR’
in ‘Dun dun dd dun dun’, white noise. I played the beat, ‘Boom cha, boom, cha boom cha, boom boom, boomboomboom’. Then Florian played [the melody] ‘Dah dah, dah dah’. That was the start of ‘Computer World’, one minute. We instantly pushed the buttons. No brain, just feeling.” TELEPATHIC By 1981 when the record was released, that line-up of Kraftwerk had been working together for a long time. They’d also spend almost all their free time together. This constant interaction and musical communication resulted in an almost telepathic understanding. “It’s living in music,” Bartos says. “If you don’t live in music, you just repeat what other people do. But if you live in it, and you know about what I call professional creativity, things come together and you can utilise all of that. We’d been together from ‘Autobahn’ to ‘Computer World’, six years. Every day. So we went on holiday together and would talk all the time about culture. Going to Paris for the weekend, there were interesting exhibitions about Russian architecture, we went to St Tropez and had some fun. If you look at The Beatles or the Rolling Stones, the first generation bands, they were room-mates, they shared their record collections. If you hear the same music, you share the same pace. You think music’s the same thing. We’ve got this expression in Germany, ‘They’re on the same wavelength’. It’s all about communication. At that time, we played together often. Like jazz musicians jamming. And unfortunately the computer changed that, because the interface of a computer is just a mouse.” BODY-POPPIN’ A symphony of recurring motifs and subtly altered melodies, ‘Computer World’ still sounds unique. Take a listen and it’s eerily prescient of the sounds of the ensuing decades after it was released. There’s the oddball, squiggly electronic funk of ‘Pocket Calculator’. Or
the body-popping beat and echoing, weird effects of ‘Home Computer’ — the latter, part of more than a few dance producers’ sample library. The vocals, which had become a greater part of Kraftwerk’s repertoire after they achieved international success, gave the songs an accessibility, another human quality, though even these were changed on ‘Computer World’ with a primitive Texas Instruments Language Translator device. In recent years the album has been consistently revisited. Cult synth-pop/disco act The Chromatics covered bittersweet album highlight (and single) ‘Computer Love’. Coldplay replayed that track’s central riff, clearing the sample with the band, for their hit single ‘Talk’. The track ‘Home Computer’ had a huge influence upon the electroclash scene pioneered by Gigolo Records, and was also sampled by DJ Shadow, The KLF and others. Detroit techno forerunners A Number Of Names lifted a sequence from ‘It’s More Fun To Compute’ on their seminal track, ‘Sharevari’. Most significantly of all, the tune ‘Numbers’ — with its funky, offbeat, robotic drum pattern — was replayed by Afrika Bambaataa and producer Arthur Baker on ‘Planet Rock’, and subsequently by pretty much every electro artist in some shape or form. It’s among the most important in dance music’s history. Again, that track was the product of human playing rather than a deliberate programmed part, says Bartos, who played the beat himself. “I didn’t consider this beat that important,” Karl says. “It was just a minute, and played by hand. I didn’t play it in a machine. With the sticks, the bass drum is on your right hand, and otherwise I couldn’t have come up with this offbeat — never. It sounds like it’s being composed by a machine, but it isn’t. There is a sort of Darwinism in music. But without mistakes, nothing happens.” As to the tune being interpolated (rather than sampled), though there were legal wrangles in the past, that’s behind Bartos now. “I always thought, ‘Fuck, why don’t I get the copyright of it?’ I’m fine. I’m over it. At the beginning it was just a clever idea, it worked.” TECHNOLOGY Though Kraftwerk were often considered advocates of technology, with their songs about robots, computers and machines, they were only commenting upon what
they saw around them, making use of what was new to create their own sound, claims Bartos. “Kraftwerk never took any value in technology. No evaluation actually,” he says. “It’s just, the ‘Computer World’, or, this is a pocket calculator. I can add, I can subtract. It’s just the way we use technology. Technology is just like a hammer or a screwdriver. Sometimes I’m sorry and I’m surprised that so many people think that technology will be a solution for problems. It’s definitely not. It’s us. It depends what you do with it. You can make nice songs with it, you can do anything with it. It’s what is in you.” Bartos is in fact ambivalent about technology, believing that it’s become too easy to be used by it, rather than using it yourself. “Have you read the book Neuromancer by William Gibson? It was typed on a typewriter. Cyberspace on a typewriter! I think the human brain is so developed, that it’s all about the notion of things. If you become a user, you deliver to the media, but you should use the media and not become a user used by the media. “There are so many helpful pieces of software, but they tell you what to do,” he continues. “They tell you exactly how to compose, what sounds to use. They’re all useful, but I think the computer tends to give you too much in advance. It’s good to think about music instead of just doing it. It’s about listening, it’s about thinking.” Like the science fiction novel Neuromancer that predicted the internet (albeit in more outlandish form) in 1984, ‘Computer World’ intuited that the computer would be the dominant device of the future. It’s ironic that, with their best album, and greater embrace of technology, the seeds for the band’s gradual disintegration were sown. Though Kraftwerk are still going, it’s only Ralf Hütter who remains as an original member. “There were now four of us looking at a computer screen. And before that we were looking at each other. When digital media came in in the middle of the ’80s, our output decreased because we didn’t talk to each other.” Though their output may have diminished after that record, electronic music exploded — in no small part thanks to a true game changer. BEN MURPHY
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greg wilson’s discotheque archives
Words GREG WILSON Edited by JOSH RAY
CLASSIC LABEL
STAX RECORDS RISING OUT OF MEMPHIS, Tennessee — a cultural crossroads connecting the blues, gospel and country music — Stax Records, operating from a converted theatre, was amongst soul’s greatest labels. Formed in 1961 by siblings Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton (the first two letters of their surnames combined to spell the label name). Its mighty house band, Booker T. & The M.G’s, consisting of Steve Cropper (guitar), Al Jackson (drums), Donald ‘Duck’ Dunn (bass) and Booker T. Jones (keys), not only released their own records, but backed artists such as Sam & Dave, Eddie Floyd and the great Otis Redding. Such a group was remarkable in America at that time, let alone Memphis — two black guys, two white, at a time when, outside of Stax, it was still a segregated city, rooted in racism. While the self-proclaimed ‘Hitsville USA’ summed up the more polished approach of Motown in Detroit, the grittier Stax declared itself ‘Soulsville USA’. It became a label associated with the mods in the UK and, along with Tamla Motown and Atlantic, was responsible for a wealth of soul music released here in the ‘60s and ‘70s. In 1967, the Stax-Volt Tour came to Europe — a full musical revue starring Otis Redding, Sam & Dave and Booker T. & The M.G.’s, plus more. It was a revelation for both musicians, blown away with the response they received, and audience — blown away with what they witnessed. Redding, arguably the greatest soul singer of all, played the Monterey Pop Festival in California the following June. Pre-dating Woodstock by over two years, this was the first major gathering of its type, with Redding wowing the hippie crowd. Less than two months later he perished in a plane crash, along with four members of the young Stax band, The Bar Kays. This happened as the label was still reeling from another devastating blow, Stewart learning he’d unwittingly signed away the rights to the entire Stax catalogue to distributor, Atlantic. Then, in 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in a Memphis hotel frequented by the artists and label employees. The spell had been broken and the mood irreversibly changed — it was never the same for Booker T. & The M.G.’s, who would eventually leave Stax in 1971. Moving into the ‘70s, Stax took a more business-minded approach under Al Bell’s stewardship, and flourished for a time thanks to artists like Isaac Hayes, the Staples Singers, and a revitalized Rufus Thomas, enjoying a funky renaissance best witnessed in the classic concert film Wattstax (1972). However, another ill-fated deal, this time with CBS Records, would bring about the label’s mid-‘70s demise. 58
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CLASSIC VENUE THE DUG OUT, BRISTOL DURING THE EARLY ‘80S, clubs and all-dayers, north and south, were the main focus of the UK black music scene. However, at the time little was written about what was bubbling out west in Bristol. Something special was fermenting in this multi-cultural melting pot, and it was perhaps Bristol’s very isolation that enabled the cultivation of its own sound, on its own terms. What set Bristol apart was a unique fusion of hip-hop and reggae (with a post-punk sprinkle) that came to be known — much to the distaste of its originators — as ‘triphop’. This contrasted with the north and south, where reggae generally wasn’t played alongside the US imports that defined the scene — this separation resulting from a ‘70s schism, where young blacks identified as either dubheads or funkheads. Against the backdrop of the St. Pauls race riots in 1980, a convergence of varying Bristolian underground scenes helped weave together the diverse strands, with The Dug Out — a long-standing dive — finding itself situated in a prime location for this new streetwise movement. DJ Milo (Milo Johnson) was the catalyst for what was to follow. He teamed up with Nellee Hooper, whose claim to fame was a 1981 Top Of The Pops cameo as percussionist with the band Pigbag. Together with reggae aficionado Daddy G (Grant Marshall) they began to DJ at house parties covering a wide range of musical styles, but with the emphasis increasingly on slower rhythms and ambient electronic atmospheres — this would provide the foundation of the subsequent ‘Bristol Sound’. Pooling their resources, the trio built their own soundsystem, appearing under the collective name of The Wild Bunch (after the 1969 outlaw movie). In 1983 they secured Wednesday at The Dug Out — their electro/hip-hop sensibility attracting local breakdancers and graffiti writers. Broadening their horizons, they added further members, 3D (Robert Del Naja), Mushroom (Andrew Vowles), Willy Wee (Claude Williams) and Tricky Kid (Adrian Thaws), and links were forged with London crews like Newtrament and Mastermind. The Dug Out closed in 1986 and The Wild Bunch disbanded in 1988 — the phoenix rising with Daddy G, 3D and Mushroom forming Massive Attack. Nellee Hooper would become one of the world’s most in-demand producers after a breathtaking run of hits, working with artists including Soul II Soul, Massive Attack, Sinéad O’Connor and Björk. Other acts, all with a debt of gratitude to this integral venue, included Smith & Mighty, Tricky, Portishead and Roni Size — their recordings establishing Bristol as one of the UK’s musical hotbeds. Graffiti would also become ingrained in the city’s culture, its most famous son, Banksy, revered globally.
CLASSIC record THE TRAMMPS ‘DISCO INFERNO’ DURING THE MID-‘70S, as disco began to really make its mark on the mainstream, The Trammps were dance music’s foremost exponents, having scored a run of hits including ‘Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart’, ‘Hold Back The Night’ and ‘That’s Where The Happy People Go’. However, their best-known release is 1977’s ‘Disco Inferno’ on Atlantic Records, one of the defining singles of the entire era. From the moment Earl Young’s cymbal-crash dramatically announced its arrival, you knew you were in for a ride, as the track’s relentless groove grabbed the dancefloor by the scruff of the neck — the great Tom Moulton’s epic full-length, 10-minute 54-seconds mix a masterwork. Along with bassist Ronnie Baker and guitarist Norman Harris (who were also members of MFSB), Young made up the crack rhythm section that provided the production team behind The Trammps (Baker–Harris–Young). This was augmented by the sensational vocals of the gospel-influenced Jimmy Ellis. Larry Levan illustration by Pete Fowler
CLASSIC DJ LARRY LEVAN DJS DON’T come any more iconic than Brooklyn-ite Larry Levan (Lawrence Philpot), whose residency at New York’s Paradise Garage (1977-1987) has become the stuff of legend — a shining example of what can be achieved in a club space where all essential elements are working at their optimum. Levan was inspired by NY pioneers David Mancuso and Nicky Siano — Mancuso’s Loft parties setting the tone for New York’s disco epoch, bringing together black, white, gay and straight. Levan met his great friend Frankie Knuckles via Harlem’s drag ball subculture, the two DJs-in-waiting destined for greatness, both starting out at the Continental Baths in the mid‘70s, a gay 24-hour bath house featuring DJs and live music. Having also worked at the Michael Brody-owned Reade Street club, Levan was offered the residency at Brody’s grand new venture, the Paradise Garage. With its state-of-theart Richard Long soundsystem taking audio reproduction
to new levels within a club environment, the Garage would establish itself at the vanguard of New York’s dance underground, and is nowadays considered one of the greatest clubs of all-time. Another of the now classic venues, The Warehouse — then just opening in Chicago — tried to entice Levan into a change of city, but it was all in vain. Instead, they switched their attention to his friend, providing the opportunity for Frankie Knuckles to experience his own great adventure. Levan’s idiosyncratic approach and eclectic leanings, combined with his increasing appetite for drugs, meant that the unexpected was never far away when Larry played. The crowd adored him, as did the industry, his proven ability to break records making him the period’s most powerful club DJ — record companies and radio stations were well represented amongst the regular attendees. Levan would also become one of
the pre-eminent remixers of his era, his first, Instant Funk’s ‘I’ve Got My Mind Made Up’, a major triumph in 1978, with other memorable mixes for artists including Gwen Guthrie, Inner Life, David Joseph and his own Peech Boys project. The closure of Paradise Garage, due to Brody’s AIDS diagnosis, devastated Levan, and things began to darkly spiral downwards, the sale of his precious records funding the heroin addiction that rendered him unemployable. He experienced a brief swansong in the early ‘90s, when he spent time in London, appearing at the newly-opened Ministry Of Sound, whilst tweaking the club’s Richard Long system. His final DJ appearances were in 1992, during a Japanese tour. He died of heart failure on returning to New York — he was just 38. In 2003, the documentary film Maestro paid tribute to Levan and his legacy. www.gregwilson.co.uk
Young wasn’t just a drummer, but a celebrated beat creator, regarded as the innovator of the disco style of rock drumming. Apart from his role in The Trammps, he was also the rhythmic hub of MFSB (Mother Father Sister Brother), the orchestra of musicians assembled out of Philadelphia’s Sigma Sound studio, famed for its recordings for the Philadelphia International label, home of the ‘Philly Sound’. With an array of hitmakers including The O’Jays, Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes and The Three Degrees (as well as MFSB themselves), this was the benchmark label of the early-mid-‘70s protodisco period. Later in the decade Young and other prominent MFSB members would defect to New York’s hugely influential Salsoul Records, co-producing and playing on another wave of disco classics, including the first officially released 12”, ‘Ten Percent’ by Double Exposure, issued on the label in 1976. Written by Leroy Green and Trammps keyboardist, Ron ‘Have Mercy’ Kersey, and inspired by a scene in the 1974 film The Towering Inferno, where a discotheque catches ablaze, ‘Disco Inferno’ would — on its release — reach the top 20 of the British chart, but for many people it will forever be associated with the phenomenal success of the blockbuster disco movie, Saturday Night Fever, which hit the cinemas in late ’77. The soundtrack LP, on which it was featured, went on to become, at that point, the biggest selling album of all-time, bringing disco to wider attention in the process. However, apart from the reactivation of ‘Disco Inferno’, resulting in its chart re-entry, The Trammps would fail to capitalize on the genre’s newfound currency, none of their subsequent releases setting the world alight. djmagasia.com
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BEAUTY & LIFESTYLE
BRAND NEW BEAUTY ITEM FOR D-DAY OF EXCITEMENT Words: TIFFANY KIM
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he weather is finally getting warmer. There are so many things to prepare for the long-awaited exciting D-Days, such as the news of festival openings and the global artists visiting Asian clubs, entered into the calendar, and beauty is certainly one of them. Besides, there are so many new products, launched and released by each brand, so it is time to enjoy this pleasure of shopping as much as possible! This news introduces the essential beauty items, needed for the best shots during the festivals or club performances, in which you can enjoy many entertainments along with music.
NARS, MOSAIC GLOW BLUSH FIRECLAY ‘MOSAIC GLOW BLUSH FIRECLAY,’ the spring collection of NARS to excite your adventurous spirit as you greet spring, is a limited edition with highlighter, blush, and bronzer in one compact. Using blush alone leads to pop coral color, while blending all 3 colors together creates smooth coral color cheek. This product is a universal shade for all skin tone with distinct color pigments: ‘Light champagne’ is used for highlighter, while ‘Hot coral’ is used for blush and ‘Neutral bronze’ is used for bronzer.
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ven for those who only wear clear makeup for everyday life, D-Day is the moment to enjoy the full range of colors to the masthead. It is already half way to success if you put on a nice color make-up! Perfect yourself to be brighter with the refreshing color products.
MAKE UP FOREVER, NEW ARTIST FACE COLOR MAKE UP FOREVER has recently launched 9 colors of ‘NEW ARTIST FACE COLOR’ with fantastic colors and innovative texture, which can perfect the beautiful face from blushing to shading and highlighting. Smooth and soft texture like petal and extra fine powder particles adhere closely to create bright skin even when brushed gently and slightly. Moreover, there are 24 colors in total: 14 colors for blushing, 6 for shading, and 4 for highlighting. It is a perfect item, which can complete your own palette with the desired color play, as you can purchase palettes of 3 different sizes.
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BOBBI BROWN, EXTRA LIP TINT
BOBBY BROWN, NUDE ON NUDE COLLECTION
LANCOME , CAFÉ BONHEUR LE PLETTE
BOBBI BROWN’s ‘EXTRA LIP TINT’ offers more natural color and sheerer texture, compared to that of lipstick and tint. A total of 6 colors are finally ready, as 3 new first-love-like colors, Bare Raspberry, Bare Blackberry and Bare Nude, which add vitality to any skin tone, are recently launched. By providing vitamin care in addition to the essential coloring function, this product not only leads dull lips to become bright and healthy with vitamin C and E derivatives, but also presents charming plumping glow with moisturizing oil, which adheres with light texture without sticky feeling.
BOBBY BROWN’s ‘NUDE ON NUDE COLLECTION,’ which had always been sold out whenever launched, has recently released the third version of this collection, ‘NUDE SUEDE EYE PALETTE.’ This MUST-HAVE item is worth possessing as it is composed of two best colors along with 8 new colors, only available at ‘NUDE SUEDE PALETTE!’ Let’s create natural shade make-up with ‘NUDE SUEDE EYE PALETTE,’ resembling luxuriousness of cashmere and smooth texture of suede.
‘CAFÉ BONHEUR LE PLETTE’ of LANCOME spring collection is composed of 10 different colors: mat color shadows, such as nude colors and pastel pink, which are commonly used for daily make-up, and shiny glitter shadows, which are used for point make-up. Glitter is an essential beauty item in particular for D-Day of festivals or club performances, and this palette contains 5 glitter shadows for dynamic effects. Let’s check the balance to complete twinkling and shiny eye make-up by mixing and using glitter shadows!
BENEFIT, RISABAE BROW PALETTE The roof of face make-up is certainly the eyebrows! Your impression may vary according to how you draw your eyebrows so it is important to take time for eyebrow make-up as well. BENEFIT’s ‘BROW PALETTE’ is a limited edition, for which RISABAE has participated in its composition as a representative of Korea along with Top 10 beauty influencers in the world. Along with BENEFIT’s brow collection with five items, mapping tool is included to complete brow make-up. Moreover, this product is a solution to all kinds of concerns during brow make-up as it is not limited to a single color; the product comes in different colors (no. 1, no.3.5, and magenta) to incorporate with color and texture of the product.
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aving a clean and clear skin before you put on color make-up is the basic of the basics. It is obvious that multifarious colors stand out more on the whiter paper. Let’s pay attention to the beauty items for clean and transparent skin.
OHUI, ULTIMATE BRIGHTENING CUSHION ‘ULTIMATE BRIGHTENING CUSHION,’ launched recently by OHUI, has a special feature of brightening skin immediately. It contains pearl blooming complex™, which combines peony, rose shaped powder, pearl powder, and extract of black pearl. This smart cushion foundation vitalizes the original shine of the skin and creates luxurious, silky, and glamorous skin. This product not only adds pinkish shine on skin with oil composition technology of high refractive index, but also creates coating layer. As a result, it stays lightly and gently on skin, covers skin blemishes naturally, and leads to exquisite skin makeup without the help of the professional. Also, flower pattern cutting is applied on the inner cushion sponge to add exclusivity.
NARS, SHEER GLOW FOUNDATION NARS has additionally launched nine colors of ‘SHEER GLOW FOUNDATION,’ which reflects the trend of classifying the minute tone difference, in addition to clarifying one’s own skin glow, and looking for the most fitting color. This foundation naturally brightens skin up and adds clear shine. It is also possible to create even skin tone with its texture which improves coverage by applying on the necessary spot. The biggest merit of this product is that it reflects the trend ‘there is no same color under the sky’ by having a total of 22 colors, including 9 new colors. Let’s escape from clueless of tone with the proper color to fit your own skin tone.
9 NEW COLORS OSLO: Very bright pinkish tone YUKON: Bright peach tone SALZBURG: Bright golden tone VIENNA: Bright-medium peach tone PATAGONIA: Medium soft peach tone SAHEL: Medium golden peach tone VANUATU: Medium pinkbeige tone VANLENCIA: Medium-dark golden tone ARUBA: Medium-dark pinkbeige tone
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CLARINS, WHITE PLUS TARGET SPOT BRIGHTENER CLARINS has launched ‘WHITE PLUS TARGET SPOT BRIGHTENER,’ a new product to create clean and transparent skin. This small, delicate, and easy-to-use roll-on applicator provides a concentrated care on dark spots with strong highly enriched formula. ‘WHITE PLUS TARGET SPOT BRIGHTENER’ is a product developed particularly for Asian women, who are sensitive to fine pigmentations. This product improves dark spots quickly through multiple actions of vitamin C derivatives, which control Tyrosinase, an oxidizing enzyme regulating melanin production, and Glycyrrhizate Dipotassium components, which prevent overproduction of melanin due to inflammation by soothing skin. Let’s take care in advance to prevent dark circles.
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ven if you are a tough guy who does not wear any skin make-up in daily life, it is ideal to make an effort to have smooth skin on D-Day. Don’t you agree that flawless and clear skin highlights your features?
ERBORIAN, CC CREAME HOMME ‘CC CREAME HOMME’ is the bestseller product of ERBORIAN, the global skin care brand of L’OCCITANE. It is the finishing product for skin care of various purposes, aiming to accomplish flawless skin for men. This CC cream truly is for tough guys, leaving no artificial whiteness when applied on skin. A formula, which offers moisturizing and refreshing finish without sticky feeling, provides fine protection in response to the environmental factors, such as UV rays, removes traces of fatigue, and presents healthy and shiny skin immediately. In addition, this product maintains moisture on skin even at dry clubs or lounges that are filled with smoke. It is an indispensible item for daily life and workouts.
DIPTYQUE, EAU ROSE EAU DE TOILETTE This is the first eau de toilette of 30ml, launched by DIPTYQUE. This perfume provides refreshing and rich vitality of the natural rose. It contains infusion of damask rose of Bulgaria and centifolia rose of France. Furthermore, fruitiness of lychee multiplies refreshing vitality, while amber and woody fragrance, extracted from clary sage, contrasts with soft and delicate flower fragrance of two kinds of roses, adding another charming point, and enhances long lasting of fragrance. Its compact size, which fits perfectly into the pouch is easy to bring to the festival or club.
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t is unavoidable to be in sweat while you enjoy the music and dance vibe. In this regard, you will never forget the perfume or cologne, especially if you have an experience of leaving the festival or club due to the odors. Do not forget this essential item and become a fragrant hero/heroine.
JO MALONE LONDON, FRAGRANCE COMBINIG PALETTE JO MALONE LONDON has launched a solid perfume. It is blissful news to the festivalgoers and clubbers, since they can all enjoy the fragrance in compact size without worrying about breaking their perfume bottles. Smooth formula in wax form easily permeates any part of the body; it is possible to use this product on neck, décolleté, wrist, or the end of hair. What makes this product more charming is that you can choose two favorite fragrances that completes your palette. Why don’t you show off your own fragrance by combining more than two fragrances?
DIOR, NEW MISS DIOR EAU DE TOILETTE ‘MISS DIOR,’ the first perfume of DIOR house and the most symbolic perfume, has recently released as a new version, as a perfume filled by true vitality of life. ‘NEW MISS DIOR’ presents a special and modern freshness by adding a bouquet of flowers to the rich grass rose fragrance of springtime, which resembles a tulip dress made of delicate rose petals. Moreover, blood orange and mandarin add a sweet citrus scent, while the delicate light patchouli envelops this light citrus scent for a long-lasting fragrance. Also released in a roller-pearl type of miniature size, this product is more attractive as it enables you to enjoy the fragrance anytime anywhere.
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FOOD & LIFESTYLE
THE BEST FOOD FOR YOUR NIGHT OUT The taste of heaven, selected by festival goers and Asian clubbers Words: TIFFANY KIM
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remendous amount of energy is required during the festival season. Audiences visit different stages that are categorized into themes, genres, or labels, and enjoy singing along and dancing. They also visit every hot clubs between midnight and five in the morning. What might be a taste of heaven in Seoul, Incheon, Tokyo and Hong Kong for those seeking for a place to replenish their physical strengths, swollen feet and empty stomach? This section introduces the restaurants with heavenly food that are open until late in the night.
YOUNG CHEON YOUNG HWA
Address: 3, 90-gil, Dosandae-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea Phone Number: +82-2-3442-0381
Source: Instagram of Yeong Cheon Young Hwa @0_1000_movie
INCHEON
CHROMA GASTRO MUSIC LOUNGE Gastro Music Lounge, located on the first floor of Club Chroma at Incheon Paradise City, the biggest club in the East Asia, is renowned as an emerging decent restaurant among the clubbers. Hot rice noodle, cooked by the chef of the hotel on the spot, resembles the rich flavor and taste of Vietnam and relieves fatigue of those who consume it. Coriander, topped on the noodle, offers the perfect finishing touch. With the geographical advantage of being on the first floor of the club, it is just as good as the Las Vegas club with worldwide popularity. Enjoying a bowl of rice noodle at Gastro Music Lounge before going home has become a routine among the clubbers who visit Chroma. Now, action speaks louder than words! Let’s get on board to Incheon! Address: 186, 321beon-gil, Yeongjonghaeannamro, Jung-gu, Incheon, Korea Phone Number: +82-32-729-7600
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SULTAN KEBAB Sultan Kebab is located in front of the exit 3 of Itaewon Station. This restaurant not only is easily accessible, but also provides plentiful food with great taste, which indeed captivates the clubbers’ hearts. The kebab menu ranges from 5,900 KRW to 15,000 KRW, and the restaurant also offers a mackerel kebab, which a unique menu that is hard to encounter in Asia. Clubbers get to visit this restaurant more often after drinking because creamy white sauce and spicy red sauce are great remedy for hangover. In addition, lamb and chicken without any odor provide great chewing texture while fresh tomato and lettuce provides refreshing finish. Once you also consume crispy french fries, you may feel much better. Why don’t you try to soothe your stomach at Sultan Kebab after clubbing until the first train or bus operates? Address: 126, Bokwang-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Korea Phone Number: +82-2-749-3890
SEOUL
Lee Young-ja, a popular comedian in Korea and a professional foodie, who is known to cure her diseases with food, has presented that Korean Beef Tartare (Korean Beef Yukhoe) Bibimbap is an excellent food for recovery. A lot of festivalgoers and Asian clubbers have been complimenting the taste of Korean Beef Tartare (Korean Beef Yukhoe) Bibimbap of Yeong Cheon Young Hwa for years as it resembles the green shower, full of beeftoncide. Staffs of Ultra Korea, the centerpiece of festivals in Asia, are known to visit this restaurant every year after the opening of the festival after midnight. The quality and taste of hot bean paste stew (Doenjang Jjigae) and Yukhoe Bibimbap of Yeong Cheon Young Hwa is more than enough to rejuvenate your body. Fresh vegetable and neat side dishes are a plus factor for everyone, including those who are going to the club, who are coming from the club, and the celebrities who have just finished shooting a show. The restaurant serves great food during the day as well, but the restaurant is more renowned for their late-night operation, partly due to those who visit at night. Yeong Cheon Young Hwa surely deserves a huge round of applause.
SEOUL
TOKYO
TOKYO
AFURI
A CHINESE CAFÉ EIGHT
Afuri is always filled with local visitors and tourists. (There are 8 branches in Tokyo alone!) Japanese Ramen with rich meat broth certainly soothes customers, mentally and physically fatigued after participating at festivals or clubs. Among the various reasons people return to Afuri is yuja (citron) sauce: this sauce adds a light, clean taste to counter the heaviness of the broth. When you wish to order at Afuri, you need to get a ticket from the vending machine. You can order by referring to the menu with pictures, placed right next to the machine. The signature menu is Yuja (citron) Ramen: you can choose ramen made with salt (YujaSio-Ramen) or with soy sauce (Yuja-Soyu-Ramen). You can also choose the concentration of broth and add marinated pork (Char Siu). You will be fully awake when you see a slice of yuja on half-boiled egg, wide and flat marinated pork, and appetizing noodles. You will feel that your fatigue is subsiding when you taste a spoonful of meat broth with delicate yuja scent. It is recommended to check the operation hours on the website, since each branch operates differently. The branch at Roppongi Crossing Gate, located at Roppongi, the representative club street of Tokyo, operates from 11 am to 9 am.
Chinese Café Eight is a 24-hour Chinese restaurant, which is not common in Tokyo. It is located at Roppongi, the famous club street of Tokyo, and it offers approximately 300 items, including Beijing cuisine, Sichuan cuisine, dimsum, and hot pot, in addition to their monthly seasonal menu. This restaurant has been a frequent meeting place for the staffs of dance music labels, managements, and festivals, and is renowned to captivate the picky tastes of those working in the electronic dance music industry. Xiaolongbao, cooked with luxurious food ingredients, such as truffles, shark fins, and crab meat, is filled with soul as well. Do not miss Hot Pot, for which you can choose from 28 ingredients, including meat, vegetable, and seafood, and Malaxianguo, for which you can choose from 32 ingredients.
Address: 1F UF Bld.4, 4-9-4 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan Phone Number: +81-3-3408-8088
Address: 106-0031 Nishiazabu, Minato Ward, Tokyo. Annex 2F Roppongi coat 13, Tokyo, Japan Phone Number: +81-3-5414-5708
Source: Facebook of AFURI @afuri001
HONG KONG
TSUIWAH On the corner of Lan Kwai Fong, which symbolizes nightlife of Hong Kong, there is a popular café-restaurant (cha-chan-teng) that operates 24-hours. Cha-chan-teng refers to the caférestaurant where you can enjoy tea and snacks. It can also be referred to as a snack stand of Hong Kong. You can find wonton noodles, tomato salad with sesame dressing, simple pasta, fish ball soup, noodles with various topping, and ham & cheese toast from the menu. The menu is very diverse. A cup of sweet milk tea, served in a very cute tea cup, is a great way to round off your day. In this regard, Tsuiwah restaurant is always crowded with people who enjoy parties or drinking, until very late night. If you are done with club tour nearby Lan Kwai Fong, do not forget to treat your hangover at Tsuiwah. Address: G/F-2/F, 15-19 Wellington St., Central, Hong Kong Phone Number: +852-2525-6338
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WHAT’S HOT IN KOREA? Words: ARIEL JO, TIFFANY KIM
온탕과 냉탕의 매력이 있는 공간 테크노 클럽, 파우스트(FAUST) 자유로운 사람들과 함께 자유로운 시간을 보내는 그대는 아름답다.
괴
테의 희곡과 이름이 같은 파우스트(Faust)는 그 이름만큼이나 낭만적인 곳이다. ‘자유로운 사람들과 함께 자유로운 시간을 보내는 그대는 아름답다.’ 파우스트를 소개하는 이 문장처럼 파우스트는 음악과 함께하는 자유롭고 낭만적인 공간이다. 파우스트는 크게 파우스트와 탄즈 바로 나뉘어져 있다. 탄즈 바는 캐주얼하게 술을 먹으면서 테크노(Techno) 외의 음악을 들을 수 있는 공간이라면, 파우스트는 딥한 분위기의 테크노 음악에 흠뻑 취할 수 있는 공간이다. 마치 차가운 냉탕과 열정적인 온탕을 오가는 느낌이다. 뿐만 아니라 이 곳의 조명은 음악에 푹 빠져들 수 있을 만큼 몽롱하고, 노이즈 없는 풍부한 사운드 시스템은 더욱 깊이 있게 음악을 즐길 수 있도록 해준다.
파우스트에서는 취향이 확고한 사람들이 진지하게 음악을 즐기는 모습을 쉽게 찾아볼 수 있다. 이는 최고의 음악과 라인업이 바탕이 되기 때문이다. 하우스와 테크노를 넘나들며 최강자의 자리를 지켜온 세스 트록슬러(Seth Troxler)를 비롯해 테크노의 아버지, 스벤 바쓰(Sven Väth), 베를린 클럽 베어카인(Berghain)의 상징 벤클락(Ben Klock) 등이 파우스트를 찾았다. 2월 28일, 파우스트는 국내에 새롭게 런칭한 웨어하우스 프로젝트, ‘OMNI-’ 페스티벌과 콜라보 파티를 성공적으로 마쳤으며 이 파티는 5월 중 2차 파티가 개최될 예정이다. ■
EDM에서 낯익은 소리가 들린다! 프로듀서 겸 DJ, 250 상상에서부터 시작된 가장 한국적인 EDM
한
국인의 정서에 공통적으로 존재하는 뽕짝(트로트)이라는 옛 가요를 EDM장르로 트렌디하게 해석한 프로듀서가 나타났다. 뽕짝은 EDM 카테고리 안에 아직 자리가 부족할 뿐 댄스 음악 그 자체라고 말하는 이 신비한 프로듀서 겸 DJ의 이름은 250이다. 250은 오랫동안 언더그라운드에서 힙합(Hip Hop)과 일렉트로닉 댄스 음악(Electronic Dance Music)을 만들어온 실력 있는 숨은 뮤지션이다. 그는 이센스의 ‘비행’과 XXX의 래퍼인 김심야의 솔로 싱글 ‘Interior’ 등을 프로듀싱하여 힙합 팬들 사이에서도 큰 사랑을 받았으며, f(x) ‘4 walls’의 공식 리믹스와 BoA의 ‘두근두근’ 공식 리믹스 등을 통해 장르의 경계를 넘어선 독자적인 영역의 프로듀싱 능력을 보여주기도 했다. 250은 본인이 하는 작업은 장르의 ‘접목’이라기 보다는 ‘상상’에 가깝다고 말한다. “뽕짝과 EDM은 본질적으로 서로 같은 음악이지만, 그것이 현재 단계의 악기와 장비들을 통해 여러 뮤지션들 사이에서 다양한 갈래로 이어져 내려온 것이라면 나는 그 와중에 어디쯤에서 어떤 음악을 하고 있었던 것일까 하는 ‘상상’이다” 현재 250은 2019년 상반기 발표될 자신의 새 앨범 ‘뽕’을 작업 중이며, 지난 해 10월에는 파격적인 뮤직비디오와 함께 앨범 첫 수록 싱글인 ‘이창’을 발표하여, 큰 화제를 모았다. ‘이창’은 세계적인 브랜드 ‘키츠네’의 큐레이트 채널인 ‘키츠네 핫 스트림’에 소개되기도 했다. 또한 그는 영상 시리즈 ‘뽕을 찾아서’와 파티 ‘아직도 모르시나요’의 호스트로 활동하며 전자음악 아티스트로서 자신만의 독자적인 영역을 넓혀 나가고 있다. 250은 오는 3월 싱글 ‘이창’에 이어 앨범 ‘뽕’에 수록될 두 번째 싱글을 공식 발표할 계획이다. ■
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바이널 턴테이블리즘의 정수! 레코드 바, 컴팩트(Kompakt) 주인장의 취향을 그대로 느껴보자.
다
름을 추구하는 주인장의 감각이 고스란히 드러나는 굉장히 특별한 곳들이 있다. 컴팩트 레코드 바(Kompakt Record Bar) 역시 그런 곳이다. 신사동에 위치한 소규모 레코드 바 컴팩트는 음악 무브먼트 360 Sounds의 DJ 진무가 운영하고 직접 음악을 플레이하는 LP바이다. DJ 진무는 음악을 사랑하여 레코드를 한 장씩 모으게 되었고 레코드가 쌓이는 것을 보면서 음악으로 완성된 ‘놀이터’를 만들고자 컴팩트 레코드 바를 오픈하게 되었다고 한다. 그래서인지는 몰라도 매장 안의 소품들과 인테리어는 DJ 진무가 자신이 정말 아끼는 것만 골라 ‘컴팩트’하게 꾸며놓았다는 느낌을 주며 그의 취향을 오롯이 느낄 수 있다.
커피와 쇼핑 그리고 음악이 함께하는 공간 카페, 모어댄레스(MTL)
가게가 작고 아담하다는 이유로 이름을 컴팩트라고 지었다는 것처럼 컴팩트 레코드 바의 공간은 열 댓 명 남짓 들어갈 만한 사이즈다. 술과 음악이 있는 공간임에도 요란하지 않고, 나무로 된 벽과 테이블에서는 마치 고급 위스키 바에 온 듯한 깔끔함이 느껴진다. 이 곳이 더욱 특별하게 느껴지는 것은 DJ 진무의 바이닐 컬렉션과 그가 틀어주는 분위기 있는 음악 때문일 것이다. 매일 밤마다 20대부터 40대까지, 젊은 사람들의 취향을 저격하는 재즈(Jazz), 힙합(Hip Hop), 소울(Soul), 펑크(Funk), 디스코 (Disco) 등 다양한 장르의 음악이 흘러나온다. 또한, 주말에는 360 Sounds 의 게스트 디제이들을 초청해 더욱 풍성한 놀이를 제공하기도 한다. ■
보난자 커피와 문화적 만족감
쇼
핑과 문화 생활을 겸할 수 있는 라이프스타일 컨셉샵의 인기는 사그러들 기미가 보이지 않는다. 그 중 가장 주목할만한 곳은 한남동에 위치한 컨셉샵, 모어댄레스(More Than Less)이다. ‘모자란 것보다 넘치는 것이 더 낫다’는 의미를 담고 있는 모어댄레스는 미니멀리즘과 문화적 만족감이라는 지향점 아래 사람들의 삶에 건강한 영향을 주는 것을 목표로 하고 있다. 모어댄레스에서 가장 특별한 것은 아시아에서 처음으로 국내에 소개된 보난자 커피(Bonanza coffee)다. 보난자 커피는 스페셜티 커피 로스터리로, 특유의 로스팅 방법과 개성 있는 맛으로 유럽 5대 카페에 선정된 독일 베를린의 브랜드다. 보난자 커피 외에도 모어댄레스는 눈에 띄는 쇼핑 공간을 배치해 놓고 있다. 라이프스타일 편집샵이라는 컨셉과 맞게 매장 내에는 의류와 가방, 향수, 도서 등 20여개의 브랜드가 있으며, 모어댄레스 특유의 디자인 감각으로 제작한 볼캡, 의류, 향수 등의 PB상품 또한 진열되어있다.
라이프스타일 컨셉샵의 완성은 음악으로 이루어진다. 모어댄레스에서는 ‘MTL Open Deck’과 ‘Sommor Open Air Party’는 두 가지 컨셉의 파티를 연다. ‘MTL Open Deck’은 다양한 디제이들의 다양한 음악을 소개하기 위해 모어댄레스 한 편에 자리잡고 있는 디제잉 부스에서 진행된다. 오픈덱으로 진행해 누구나 장르 제한 없이 무대를 신청할 수 있으며, 현재까지 이환, 쎄끼(C’est Qui), 앤트웍(Antwork), 오비덕(Oviduct) 등 다양한 디제이들이 거쳐갔다. Sommor Open Air Party는 여름을 자축하는 모어댄레스의 오픈에어 파티다. 모어댄레스의 싱그러운 식물과 여름에 어울리는 칵테일과 함께 멋진 여름밤을 보낼 수 있는 모어댄레스만의 파티라고 할 수 있다. ■
라이브 파티가 열리는 시크릿한 BAR의 매력 샴페인 바, C-BAR 작지만 풍성한 사운드로 채워지는 특별한 샴페인 바
화
려한 이태원의 불빛을 뒤로 하고 제일기획 아래로 내려오면, 멋스러운 대사관저들이 자리해있다. 이미 힙스터들에게는 수년 전부터 핫한 한남동 대사관 골목인데, 캐주얼한 분위기의 샴페인 바, C-BAR가 바로 이곳에 있다. 매달 바텐더의 추천 ‘Monthly Cocktail’을 통해 샴페인을 베이스로 한 칵테일을 선보이며, 모엣 & 샹동 샴페인을 베이스로 해 깔끔한 맛의 퀄리티 높은 칵테일을 제공한다. 5명 이상일 경우, 샴페인 무제한 제공 메뉴도 이용할 수 있다. 그리고 매월 DJ들의 공연을 볼 수 있는 ‘C-BAR Live Party’ 를 진행하고 있다. 파티 일정을 확인할 수 있는 인스타그램(@cbar_ korea) 공지를 미리 체크해 특별한 기회를 놓치지 말자! ■
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MUST-VISIT MUSICAL ATTRACTIONS IN ASIA Words: ARIEL JO, TIFFANY KIM, SHION OGUSHI
지난해 에어비앤비(Airbnb)에서 발표한 가장 인기 있는 트립 카테고리 안에 음악이 포함되었다. 차지하는 비중은 9%로 아직은 미미하지만 밀레니얼 세대가 만들어내는 강력한 트렌드로 관광업계는 물론 음악산업 종사자들도 크게 주목하고 있다. 페스티벌과 각종 클럽 파티의 성지로 손꼽히는 이비자, 라스베이거스, 마이애미 등 세계적인 일렉 음악 여행지보다는, 소도시에 숨은 여행지를 찾아 다니는 최신 트렌드를 반영해 DJ Mag Asia 독자들에게 활력을 가득 불어넣을 아시아 내 여행 스팟을 소개한다. 올해 눈여겨볼 휴가지 리스트로 저장해두자. ■
CHINA ATOUR MUSIC HOTEL CHENGDU
음
악은 우리 생활에서 쉽게 접할 수 있는 관계에 있다. 어디를 가더라도 친숙하게 접할 수 있는 것 중 하나가 바로 음악이다. 또한, 음악은 그 지역의 문화를 간접적으로 느낄 수 있는 요소이기도 하다. 이처럼 우리에게 익숙하고 긴밀한 음악이 테마인 호텔이 있다면 어떨까? 음악을 사랑하는 사람들에게는 정말 꿈 같은 공간이 될 것이다. 바로 그런 호텔이 중국 사천시 청두에 있다.
아름다운 문화적 배경을 가진 것으로 유명한 중국 청두에 위치한 야듀어 뮤직 호텔은 중국의 대표 음원 플랫폼인 왕이윈(Wangyiyun)과 야두어 (Atour) 호텔의 협력으로 탄생되었다. 지난 해 4월 첫 오픈한 야두어 뮤직 호텔은 오픈 전부터 음악을 사랑하는 많은 이들의 관심을 받으며 폭발적인 반응을 이끌었고 청두의 새로운 랜드마크가 되었다.
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야두어 뮤직 호텔에 첫 발을 디딘 순간 밝은 조명 아래 휴대폰을 꺼내 들어 사진을 찍고 싶은 충동을 일으킨다. 호텔 고객을 놀라게 하는 대형로비는 왕이윈 뮤직이 상징하는 빨간색으로 인테리어가 되어있으며 호텔 프론트, 식당, 바, 공연무대, 사교장소 등이 갖춰져 있다. 특히 고객들의 눈을 더욱 크게 만드는 것은 왕이윈 뮤직의 음반 레코드 장식과 한쪽 벽면 전체에 전시되어있는 바이닐이다. 다양한 색채의 음반 레코드를 전시함으로써 음악적인 감성과 시각적인 감성을 함께 불러일으킨다. 또한 로비에서는 왕이윈 뮤직 온라인에서 판매되고 있는 상품들을 실물로 볼 수 있고 현재 큰 인기를 얻어 온라인에서는 판매가 매진된 ‘음악감상평서’를 구매할 수도 있다. 호텔 방은 클래식, 재즈, 가요, EDM, 총 4개의 테마로 이루어져 있다. 각 테마방마다 테마와 연관있는 인테리어로 장식되어 있으며 TV에서는 곡이 흘러나와 마치 공연 현장에 와있는 착각을 불러일으킨다. 그 중에서도 특히 눈 여겨볼만한 방은 밀레니얼 세대를 사로잡을 ‘EDM 방’이다. 이 방에는 야외 테라스와 함께 화려한 네온 사인 조명, DJ 테이블, 믹싱 테이블 등 각종 음악 장비가 구비되어 있다. 호텔 고객은 마치 자신이 DJ 가 된 것처럼 좋아하는 곡을 직접 플레이 할 수 있으며 야외 테라스에서 친구들과 함께 작은 파티를 개최할 수 있다. 일렉트로닉 음악을 좋아하는 이들이라면 반드시 하룻밤을 지내야 하는 공간이며, 카슈미르(KSHMR)와 리햅(R3HAB), 티미 트럼펫(TIMMY TRUMPET) 등 매해 초특급 라인업을 자랑하는 판다 일렉트로닉 카니발(Panda Electronic Carival)과 같은 유명 페스티벌이 개최되는 청두를 방문하는 관광객이 꼭 들려야 할 ‘핫 플레이스’ 이다. ■
KOREA INCHEON, PARADISE CITY
JAPAN TOKYO, VENT
꿈
에 그리던 호캉스를 실현할 곳이 나타났다! 동북아 최대 규모의 복합리조트 ‘파라다이스시티’가 그 주인공인데 영종도 내에 위치해 인천 국제공항과 단 5분 거리에 있다. 음악 팬들이 단연 주목할 곳은 동북아 최대 규모 클럽인 크로마(CHROMA)로, 1년 내내 풀 파티를 즐길 수 있는 비치클럽과 2개의 스테이지 및 뮤직 라운지가 포함되어 있다. 트랜스, 하우스, 테크노, EDM 등 다양한 장르의 음악에 맞춰 클러빙을 즐길 수 있으며, 동시 수용인원 3,000명으로 규모 면에서도 압도적이다. 티에스토 (Tiësto), 스티브 안젤로(Steve Angello), 스티브 아오키(Steve Aoki), 널보 (Nervo), 리햅(R3HAB), 로스트 프리퀀시스(Lost Frequencis), 페데 르 그랑 (Fedde Le Grand), 아프로잭(Afrojack) 등 DJ Mag 순위에서도 최상위권을 수년째 지켜온 세계적인 아티스트의 공연이 줄을 이으며, 아시아에서 경험하기 어려운 이벤트들로 발 빠른 클러버들을 이미 사로잡았다. 스타 클럽 디자이너 조시 헬드(Josh Held)가 내부 디자인을 맡아 스테이지, 최고급 무대장치 및 음향 시스템의 내부 설비뿐 아니라, 세계적인 건축가 그룹 MVRDV의 설계로 완성된 황금 태양이 녹아 내린듯한 독특한 외관까지 더해져 클러빙을 위한 여행지로 단연 엄지를 치켜세울 만한 곳이다.
추천 이유 한 가지 더! 최고급 시설에서 즐기는 밤샘 클러빙 후 5성급 호텔 투숙도 훌륭한 코스이지만, 잠을 포기할 수 있다면 힐링과 짜릿함 모두를 충족시키는 스파 공간 씨메르를 방문하자. 씨메르는 4,000평 규모의 실내외 스파 시설로 특히 1층에 위치한 아쿠아 클럽에서는 매주 금요일과 토요일밤 익사이팅한 풀파티가 개최된다. 한국 고유의 찜질방 문화를 체험할 수 있는 찜질 스파존도 마련되어 있으며, 서프셋 핏(Surfset Fit), 아쿠아플로트 핏(Aquafloat Fit), 피요(Piyo) 등 트렌디한 피트니스 프로그램도 경험할 수 있다. ■
세
계 최첨단의 예술적인 사운드 시스템을 만날 수 있는 곳이 도쿄에 있다. 심지어 엄선된 하우스(House) 및 테크노(Techno) 아티스트들의 무대를 즐기며 최상의 음악적인 경험을 선사하는 곳! ‘도쿄의 상젤리제’라 불리는 오모테산도에 위치한 클럽 벤트(Vent)는 매주 주말마다 최정상 아티스트들뿐만 아니라 딕슨(Dixon), 애시드 파울리(Acid Pauli), 프린스 토마스(Prins Thomas), 제프 밀스(Jeff Mills), 크리스 리빙(Chris Liebing), 세바스티안 물라(Sebastian Mullaert) 등 씬에 최전방에 있는 천재적인 아티스트들의 무대로 꾸며진다. 시크한 인테리어 또한 발길을 잡는 곳으로, 가장 현대적이면서 최소한의 디자인으로 음악에 집중할 수 있도록 배려한 면이 돋보인다. 더욱이 완벽한 규모로 진정으로 퀄리티 있는 음악을 즐기려는 음악 애호가들을 위해 만들어진 공간이다. 모든 사람들이 아티스트의 음악을 최상의 사운드로 즐길 수 있는 이곳 벤트를 제외하고 도쿄에서의 나이트 라이프를 이야기할 수 없다고 장담한다. 또한, 음악 애호가들이 몰리는 클럽 벤트에서는 다양한 사람들이 음악 관련 대화를 나눌 수 있는 커뮤니티 역할도 제공하고 있다. 실질적으로 사람들이 듣는 사운드와 스피커 자체에서 나는 사운드를 염두에 둔 공간 디자인으로 사람들 간의 다양한 커뮤니케이션을 가능하게 한다. 때문에 음악에 대해 심도 깊은 대화를 나누고 싶은, 그리고 전 세계의 음악 애호가들을 만나고 싶은 이들은 당장 도쿄행 비행기를 끊을 것을 추천한다! 사진 촬영이 금지된 시크릿한 클럽인 점도 더욱 즐겁고 애타게 하는 곳. 직접 가봐야만 알 수 있는 곳으로, DJ Mag Asia에 소개하는 사진도 오픈 전에 촬영된 몇 안 되는 것 중 하나다. 하지만 한 번 들어가면 이틀 밤을 꼬박 새고 나온다는 이야기가 있을 정도로 이곳의 재미와 감동에 대한 소문이 자자하다. ■
djmagasia.com
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온 세상이 마틴 게릭스를 이야기한다.
THE WHOLE WORLD IS TALKING ABOUT
MARTIN GARRIX Words: JACE, ARIEL JO
클럽과 페스티벌, 댄스 뮤직 씬에서 뿐 아니라, 일상 생활에서 거리, 멋진 샵들, 카페나 펍들에서 혹은 각종 미디어에서 그의 음악을 쉽게 들을 수 있다. 다양한 광고에서 그를 만날 수 있으며, ADE기간의 암스테르담 음식점에는 마틴 게릭스 피자와 마틴 게릭스 햄버거가 메뉴에 있다. 서점에는 그의 사진집이 순식간에 팔린다. 칼 콕스와 함께한 다큐멘터리 영화가 화제가 되었으며 패션 매거진 보그 커버까지 장식한 바 있다.
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이미 당신은 아티스트로서도 성공적인데, 당신의 레이블이 스테이지 하나를 만들 수 있을 정도로 성장했다. 이 또한 축하한다. 마이애미 울트라 뮤직 페스티벌에서 STMPD RCRDS 스테이지를 구성할 계획이라고 발표했는데, 어떤 계획을 갖고 있는지? 그리고 아티스트로서의 성공과 너의 레이블의 성공은 또 다른 부분이 있을 것 같은데 어떤가? “STMPD RCRDS에 있는 모든 사람들과 함께 일하는 것은 정말 멋졌다. 그들과 함께 음악을 만드는 것은 너무 재미있었고 나에게 그들은 아주 좋은 친구가 되었다. 나는 가능성 있고 재능 있는 사람들의 음악을 더 많은 관객들에게 보여줄 수 있는 플랫폼을 제공할 뿐만 아니라 실제 스튜디오에서 그들의 실력과 실험을 발전시킬 기회를 제공해 주는 것이 아주 중요한 일이라 생각한다. 그들에게 그 기회를 제공할 수 있다는 것은 정말 멋진 일이며 나는 지금까지의 결과가 정말 놀랍다고 생각한다!”
인기 최정상에 있는 마틴 게릭스이기에 지난 해 2018년 DJ Mag Top 100 DJs 투표에서 다른 순위는 몰라도 모두들 1위는 당연히 마틴 게릭스의 자리라고 생각했고, 결과적으로 그는 3년 연속 1위 DJ로 올랐다. 음악적으로 탄탄한 성공궤도에 올랐지만, 그를 직접 만난, 그와 일을 해본 모든 사람들이 모두 밝고 겸손한 마틴 게릭스를 인간적으로 진심으로 좋아하고 칭찬했다. ‘어떻게 이런 사람이 있을 수 있지?’라는 생각이 들었다. 사실은 무언가 스트레스가 많거나, 뭔가 남모를 힘든 것, 어두운 뒷이야기는 없을까 털어놓게 해보고 싶었지만 그는 일탈이나 방황, 비판 속에서 음악을 만들어나가는 것이 아니라 옳고 바른, 그리고 행복하고 건강한 삶 속에서 음악을 추구하는 음악가였다.
World’s No.1 DJ for Third Successive Year! 성공에 대해 그는 어떻게 느낄까? 지금까지 낸 유수의 그의 히트 트랙들, 3년 연속 DJ Mag Top 100 DJs Vote에서 Top No. 1 DJ, 그가 함께 콜라보 하는 거장 아티스트들, 그가 세운 레이블 컴퍼니 STMPD RCRDS 의 성장, 평창 올림픽의 화려했던 폐막식 무대, 마틴 게릭스가 가장 존경할 뿐 아니라 자신이 DJ의 꿈을 꾸게 한 티에스토(Tiësto)가 한 매체와의 인터뷰에서 그에게 영감을 준 DJ를 마틴 게릭스라고 꼽았을 때.. 그가 20대의 나이로 지금까지 이룬 것들은 그야말로 놀라울 정도의 일이다. 2018 DJ Mag Top 100 DJs 투표에서 또 다시 Top No. 1 DJ로 선정되었다. 축하한다. 3년 연속 1위를 하는 소감은 어떻게 표현할 수 있나? AMF 에서 ‘High on life’와 함께 1등 DJ로 본인 이름이 호명되었을 때 어떤 기분이 들었나? 한 번도 아닌 “3년 연속”과 같이 확고한 정상의 자리에서 느끼는 기쁨은 남다를 것 같다. 하지만 기쁨만큼이나 부담감도 클 수 있는데 솔직한 이야기를 들어보고 싶다. “팬들에게 이렇게나 많은 사랑을 받게 되어서 너무 좋다! 그들이 얼마나 열정적인지 바라보는 것은 정말 황홀하다. 팬들은 지난 3년 동안 나를 이 자리에 있게 해 준 사람들이다. 정말 고맙다, 하지만 그것 때문에 스트레스 받지 않는다. 내가 세상에서 가장 훌륭한 DJ 라고 생각하지 않는다. 하지만 나에게는 최고의 팬들이 있다고 생각한다.”
“내가 세상에서 가장 훌륭한 DJ 라고 생각하지 않는다. 하지만 나에게는 최고의 팬들이 있다고 생각한다” 아시아 팬들에게는 가장 크게 당신에게 감동 받은 부분이 대한민국 평창 올림픽을 놓칠 수가 없다. 지난 해 2018년 평창올림픽 폐회식에서의 공연은 공연 자체로도 무척 감동적이었는데, 심지어 먼저 하겠다고 연락을 취했으며, 거의 노 개런티였다고 들었다. 항공편, 숙박비, 체류비 등 마저 모든 비용을 본인이 지불한 점이 크게 기사화되었다. 본인의 롤모델인 티에스토가 아테네 올림픽에서 공연을 하였고, 자신도 올림픽에서의 공연을 통해 다른 누군가에게 영감이 되었으면 좋겠다는 이유였다고 전해졌다. 일렉트로닉 음악을 잘 몰랐던 사람들에게도 감동적으로 전해진 이야기들이다. 당신의 소셜에 평창올림픽 전날 티에스토와 영상 통화하는 것을 올렸을 때 그것을 본 많은 팬들이 진심으로 함께 눈물을 흘릴 정도로 감격했다. 실제 당시 너의 기분은 어땠나?
프로그레시브 하우스(Progressive House), 퓨처 베이스(Future Base), 퓨쳐 하우스(Future House), 트랩(Trap) 등 다양한 장르의 음악을 선보이며 최근 나온 ‘Glitch’까지 약 60여 개의 EP 싱글을 내고 연이은 히트 행진을 이어나갔다. 이렇게 쉬지 않고 성장하는 그의 원동력은 무엇일까? 그의 트랙 ‘High on life’의 가사 첫 마디 ‘Killed the demons of my mind’ 처럼 나쁜 생각은 아예 없애고 기분 좋은 긍정 에너지로 항상 힘을 얻는 것으로 보인다. 정말 많은 곡을 만들어왔다. 보통 어디에서 영감을 얻나? “나는 많은 것에서 영감을 받는다. 힙합(Hip Hop)이나 R&B, 클래식(Classic)이나 오래된 음악과 같은 다양한 장르에서 영감을 받는다. 가끔은 내가 어디선가 들은 작은 소리에서 받을 때도 있다. 다른 아티스트들과 함께 일하는 것 또한 정말로 창조적인 결과물을 낼 수 있는 방법이다. 그들이 가져오는 사운드와 관점은 음악을 다른 방식으로 바라볼 수 있게 하고 사람들이 이전에는 들어보지 못했던 것을 만들 수 있게 한다.” 최근에 마이크 영(Mike Yung)과의 콜라보곡은 또 다른 느낌이었다. 마틴 게릭스의 음악세계는 정말 다양하구나라는 것을 느낄 수 있었다. 미국 한 방송에서 마이크영이 노래하고 너가 기타를 치는 모습이 무척 인상적이었다. 당신만의 손짓으로 춤을 추며 엄청난 관객을 하나로 만드는 페스티벌에서의 모습과는 또 다른 모습이었다. 마이크영과의 작업은 어땠나? 어떻게 함께 작업하게 되었는지도 궁금하다. “마이크와 함께 일하면서 정말 영감 받는 부분이 많았다! 나는 그가 노래하는 것을 인스타그램 영상으로 처음 보았다. 이전에 그에 대해 들어 본 적도 없었지만 그의 목소리를 듣자마자 뭔가 엄청난 일을 저지를 수 있을 것 같았다. 그의 사운드는 놀라웠고 요즘 내가 음악에서 놓치고 있던 부분들이 많았다. 내가 먼저 콜라보를 제안했고 그는 이 제안을 좋아했다. 우리 둘 다에게 새로운 프로젝트였지만 나는 이 트랙이 정말 자랑스럽다.”
“티에스토는 항상 나에게 큰 영감을 주는 사람이었다. 올림픽에서 공연한 그의 퍼포먼스를 보면서 나는 프로듀서 겸 DJ가 되고 싶은 꿈을 가지게 되었다. 그래서 그가 그랬던 것처럼 올림픽에서 공연할 수 있는 것은 나에게 아주 큰 의미가 있는 일이었다. 정말 잊을 수 없는 순간이었다. 그 공연을 본 사람들의 수가 어마어마하다는 것을 알고 있었기 때문에 당연히 긴장할 수 밖에 없었다. 이 모든 경험은 내가 예상했던 것보다 훨씬 큰 것이었고 나는 공연하는 것이 정말 좋았다!”
Good man, Good music! 그가 정식으로 활동을 시작한 것은 2012년, 스피닝(Spinnin’ Records)과 크라우드 컨트롤 (Crowd Control)과 같은 레이블에서 트랙들을 발표하면서부터이다. 그 다음 해에 발표한 트랙 ’Animals’는 비트포트에 오르자마자 1주일만에 1위를 차지했고 2019년 현재 유튜브에 12억 뷰가 넘어섰다. 그 뒤로도 마틴 게릭스는 빅룸(Big Room) 스타일 음악을 시작으로 일렉트로 하우스(Electro House),
ONE FOR THE BOOKS LIFE = CRAZY는 포토그래퍼 루이스 반 바르(Louis van Baar)가 5년간 마틴 게릭스와 함께 투어를 다니며 작업한 사진집이다. 루이스와 마틴의 우정 또한 특별하기에 그의 투어와 일상에서의 다양한 사진을 통해 마틴 게릭스를 더 깊이 있게 이해할 수 있는 책이다. 유명 출판사이자 서점인 멘도(Mendo) 에서 작업하였다.
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“나는 특정 사운드에 얽매이고 싶은 생각이 없다” ‘Dreamer’가 굉장히 부드러운 댄스 팝(Dance Pop) 트랙이었다면 바로 이어서 나온 ‘Glitch’는 상당한 헤비히터(Heavy-Hitter)였다. 역시나 마틴 게릭스의 트랙답게 탑 퀄리티의 페스티벌 뱅어(Festival Banger) 였는데, 본인은 스스로 자신의 사운드를 어떻게 정의하나? 어떤 트랙 쪽이 본인의 진짜 취향에 가까운지? “나는 한 트랙을 특별히 더 선호하지 않는다. 두 트랙은 분명히 다르지만 나는 두 트랙 모두 좋아한다. ‘Dreamer’와 ‘Glitch’는 서로 다른 목적을 위해 만들어진 것이라 말할 수 있다. 하나는 관객에게 에너지를 불어넣기 위한 것이고, 다른 하나는 사람들에게 메시지를 퍼뜨리고 그들을 어루만지기 위한 것이다. 두 트랙은 한 세트에서 다른 분위기를 위해 만들어졌지만 나는 두 트랙 다 정말 멋지다고 생각한다. 그래서 나는 ‘이것이 내 사운드야’라고 말하기가 어렵다. 당연히 자신만의 스타일과 자신만의 음악을 가지는 것이 중요하지만 내 자신을 강요해야만 하는 것은 아니다. 나는 그저 나에게 맞는 그리고 내가 좋아하는 사운드의 음악을 만들고 싶을 뿐이다. 나는 특정 사운드에 얽매이고 싶은 생각이 없다.” 위의 질문에 이어서 댄스 뮤직의 트렌드가 당신의 첫 브레이크아웃 트랙 ‘Animals’ 이후로 끊임없이 변화해왔다. 지금은 많은 아티스트들이 팝 느낌의 트랙을 시도하거나, 라틴 아티스트와 콜라보를 하거나, 아니면 오히려 언더그라운드 사운드로 새로운 시도를 하는 모습들을 보인다(David Guetta의 Jack Back 프로젝트처럼). 이에 대해 앞으로의 댄스 뮤직 트렌드는 어떻게 될 것이라고 보는지? 그리고 이런 트렌드와 관련하여 우리가 앞으로 듣게 될 마틴 게릭스의 음악은 어떤 음악 스타일인지? “음악을 만들 때 정말 흥미로운 것은 음악은 끊임없이 변하고 있고 미래에 어떤 일이 일어날지 예측할 수 없다는 것이다. 현재 라틴계 아티스트 음악이 엄청나게 큰 부분을 차지하고 있으며 앞으로 댄스 음악 씬에서도 크게 영향을 줄 것이라 생각한다.” All ages 와 18+ 파티를 기획하는 것을 보고 인더스트리에서는 스마트한 기획으로, 팬들에게는 연령을 아우를 수 있는 이벤트로, 아티스트들에게는 좋은 롤모델이 되고 있다. All ages 파티는 어른들도 즐겁고 아이들은 놀이동산에 가는 것처럼 즐거워 한다고 들었다. 이 공연을 만들게 된 계기를 알고 싶고 이 공연을 하면서 구체적으로 얻은 것은 무엇이라고 생각하는가? “축제나 콘서트에 가는 것은 정말 재미있다. 하지만 18세 미만의 팬들은 나이 제한 때문에 이와 같은 좋은 경험을 할 수 없다는 것을 알게 되었다. 나는 우리처럼 그들이 친구들과 좋은 시간을 보내고 내 음악을 들을 수 있는 기회를 제공하고 싶었다. 그들은 정말 대단한 관객이다! 그들은 매우 신나고 에너지가 넘친다. 나는
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내 공연에 친구들이나 부모님들과 함께 온 어린 팬들의 멋진 이야기를 많이 들었다. 그들에게 이러한 경험들을 제공할 수 있다는 것은 나를 매우 행복하게 한다!” 데이비드 게타(David Guetta), 티에스토(Tiësto), 디미트리 베가스 앤 라이크 마이크(Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike), 하드웰(Hardwell), 아프로잭 (Afrojack), 딜런 프란시스(Dillon Francis) 그리고 어셔(Usher) 등과 같은 거장에서부터 지금까지 정말 많은 아티스트들과의 콜라보가 있었다. 콜라보하는 아티스트에 대한 판단 기준이 있을까? 솔직히 이제는 거절하는 아티스트가 더 많을 수도 있겠다는 생각이 든다. 스케줄에 대한 부분을 제외하고 거절한 경험이 있다면 어떤 이유에서 인가?
DREAMER ‘Dreamer’는 네덜란드 DJ 마틴 게릭스의 곡으로 2018년 11월 1일 마틴 게릭스의 STMPD RCRDS 를 통해 싱글로 발매되었고, 뮤직비디오도 함께 공개되었다. 미국의 소울 싱어이자 58세의 나이로 아메리카 갓 탈렌트(Got Talent)에 출연한 마이크 영 (Mike Yung)이 피처링 하였다. 마틴 게릭스에게는 흔히 볼 수 없었던 새로운 스타일의 이 곡은 R&B 보컬과 블루스 스타일을 결합한 팝 사운드를 담고 있으며, 2018년 초에 세상을 떠난 영의 아내 리디아에게 바치는 곡이기도 하다.
“새로운 아티스트들과 일하는 것은 매우 신난다. 그들은 그들만의 사운드와 색깔을 트랙에 담아냈고 그 결과는 항상 나를 놀라게 했다. 내가 누군가와 함께 작업하기로 결정할 때는 그들의 사운드와 그들과의 연결점을 생각한다. 만약 그것이 옳다고 느껴지지 않는다면 나는 함께 하지 않는다. 내가 옳다고 생각하는 것에 충실한 것은 내게 아주 중요한 일이다. 음악을 만들 때도 마찬가지다.” 아직까지 함께 해보지 못했지만, 반드시 함께 작업하고 싶은 아티스트가 있는가? 혹은 곧 함께 작업할 예정인 아티스트가 있다면 알려달라. “맞다. 내 위시리스트에 몇 명이 있다. 숀 멘데스 (Shawn Mendes)와 퍼렐(Pharrell) 또는 이매진 드래곤스(Imagine Dragons)와 항상 함께 일하고 싶었다. 그들은 정말 멋진 아티스트들이다.” 8살부터 음악을 하기 시작했다고 들었다. 음악을 뺀 마틴 게릭스는 상상할 수도 없지만 그래도 음악을 하지 않았다면 어떤 일을 했을 것 같은가? “정말 모르겠다. 음악은 내 인생에 항상 함께 해왔고 현재 나에게 엄청난 부분을 차지하고 있다. 내 삶은 모두 음악이었고 음악이 없는 삶은 상상할 수 없다. 나는 단지 그것이 내가 즐겼던 무언가였길 바란다!” 사회전반적으로나 음악적으로나 트렌드가 매우 빨리 변화하는 세상이다. 늘 새로워야 한다는 압박이 있을 것 같다. 음악 작업에 있어서 트렌드가 빨리 바뀐다는 점이 위협적으로 느껴지거나 하지는 않는지? “현재 차트에는 정말 다양한 장르들이 있다. 새로운 사운드가 나오고 새로운 아티스트들이 등장한다. 나는 이처럼 많은 사람들이 그들이 좋아하는 음악을 만들 수 있다는 사실이 정말 멋진 일이라고 생각한다. 하지만 이는 절대 위협이 아니다. 이전에 내가 말했던 것처럼 나는 내가 만들고 싶은 음악을 만들고 싶고 트렌드를 이유로 나를 제한하고 싶지 않다.”
GLITCH ‘Glitch”는 2018년 12월 14일 마틴의 레이블 STMPD를 통해 발매되었으며, 마틴 게릭스와 줄리안 조던(Julian Jordan)이 콜라보한 곡이다. 이 둘은 오래 전부터 함께 작업해왔으며, 첫 번째 콜라보 곡 ‘BFAM’ 와 두 번째 곡 ‘Welcome’에 이어 세 번째로 콜라보한 곡으로 흑백 뮤직 비디오도 함께 출시했다. 이 곡은 불꽃 튀는 일렉트로닉 사운드가 매력적이며, 제목의 뜻에 걸맞게 톡톡 튀는 사운드와 강한 비트를 담고 있고, 동시에 신스 멜로디가 곡의 분위기를 한층 부드럽게 해준다.
His Healthy and Energetic Lifestyle 아비치의 죽음, 하드웰의 휴식기 등 이 씬이 정말 인기가 많은 만큼 DJ들의 라이프 밸런스에 대한 많은 생각이 들게 한 2018년이었다. 어떻게 체력관리를 하고 있는지? 그리고 어떻게 정신적인 부분을 관리 하고 있나? 정신적인 고민을 가장 잘 들어주는 사람은 누구인지? “나는 대부분의 시간을 친구들 및 가족들과 함께 보내고 있고 멋진 팀을 가지고 있다. 우리 팀은 모두 수년간 나와 함께 일해왔는데, 항상 내가 건강하고 행복하게 삶을 살아가는 것을 가장 첫 번째 우선순위에 두고 있다. 따라서 내 삶은 매우 정신 없이 바쁘지만, 나의 팀이 항상 나의 뒤를 지켜준다는 것, 그리고 내가 가장 좋아하는 일을 하는 것이야말로 항상 나를 행복하게 하고 앞으로 계속 나아가도록 동기를 부여해준다.” 정말 많은 공연을 소화해 내고 있다. 작년에 몇 회 공연을 했는지 아는가? 투어를 통해서 만났던 가장 인상적이었던 팬들이 있었는지? 개인적으로 어떤 도시가 가장 인상적이었는지? “정확한 숫자는 모르겠지만 정말 많이 했다! 세상 반대편에 있는 나라들로 날아가 내 음악을 아는 사람들을 만나는 것은 정말 놀랍다. 나는 나의 모든 팬들을 사랑하고 그들 모두에게 감사한다.” 비행기에 있는 시간은 지루하기 마련인데, 주로 무엇을 하나? “나는 곡 작업을 할 때도 있고 잠을 자거나 우리 팀과 친구들과 놀기도 한다. 우리는 비행기에서 카드 게임 하는 것을 좋아한다.” 우리 팀이 다같이 2018년 ADE때 암스테르담을 갔을 때, 암스테르담이 마틴 게릭스의 도시라는 생각이 확 들 정도로 온 거리가 당신의 얼굴과 로고로 가득했다. 홈타운에서 얻는 응원과 지지는 또 다를 것 같다. 네덜란드가 댄스 음악에 있어 상당히 많은 인물들을 배출해내고 있는 것도 사실이다. 어떤 배경이라고 생각하나? “정말 마법같다. 그렇지 않나? 현재 네덜란드 아티스트는 음악 씬에서 성공한 사람들이 많다. 사실 이유는 잘 모르겠다. 내 생각에는 네덜란드는 작은 국가라 사람들에게 쉽게 다가갈 수 있기 때문인 듯 하다.” 공연과 음악작업에 대한 앞으로의 계획을 듣고 싶다.
RCRDS를 만들었다. 우리는 지난 몇 년간 정말 많은 것들을 이루었고 나는 여기서 멈추고 싶은 생각이 없다.”
“나는 새로운 음악들과 신나는 프로젝트들을 준비 중에 있다. 그러니까 계속 주목해 달라! 그리고 우리는 정말 멋진 공연을 할 것이다! 기대 된다!”
DJ Mag Asia 팬들에게 인사 부탁한다. 그리고 ‘어떻게 하면 마틴 게릭스처럼 될 수 있을지’를 꿈꾸는 아시아의 예비 DJ들에게도 좋은 말들 부탁한다.
너의 최종 목표는 새로운 재능을 지지하고 후원하는 것이라고 들었다. 굉장히 좋은 말이기도 하고, 너에 대해 많은 것들을 느낄 수 있는 말이다. 이와 관련된 계획도 말해달라.
“안녕하세요 여러분! 아시아 팬 여러분께 많은 사랑을 보냅니다! 항상 아시아를 방문할 때마다 여러분의 에너지와 서포트를 받는 것은 정말 멋진 일입니다. 만약 여러분 중 음악에 대한 꿈을 가지고 있다면, 계속해서 연습하고 도전하세요! 그리고 여러분의 음악을 내놓는 것에 두려워하지 마세요. 열심히 노력하고 자기 자신을 믿는다면 무엇이든 가능합니다.”
“나는 재능 있고 어린 아티스트들이 서로에게 배우고 함께 일할 수 있는 공간을 제공하기 위해 STMPD
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KOR
변화만이 꾸준히 살아남을 수 있는 유일한 길이다
CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT 우리는 인도계 미국인 아티스트 카슈미르(KSHMR)와 만나 그의 삶에서 가장 멋졌던 순간과 사운드에 있어 끊임없이 신선함을 추구하는 그의 신조에 대해 이야기를 나누었다. Words: HERNÁN PANDELO
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음악이라고 생각한다. 빅룸(Big Room)과 프로그레시브 하우스(Progressive House), 하드스타일(Hardstyle)을 들을 때 그런 느낌을 받곤 한다. 다른 장르들은 좋아하지 않는다는 뜻은 아니지만, 스튜디오 작업을 할 때 이 장르들로 돌아가지 않을 수 가 없다. 관중들의 반응과 댄스음악 팬으로서의 내가 몸소 느낀 반응이 원동력이 되어 이러한 사운드들을 추구하게 된 것이다.”
“다
시 정착해 새로운 음악을 만들고 싶다” 카슈미르에게 최근 현황을 묻자, 그는 미국 LA 에 있는 그의 집에서 위와 같이 대답했다. 카슈미르는 2018년 내내 전 세계를 돌아다니면서 활동했었고, 이젠 새로운 영감을 얻기 위해 집에서 편안하게 휴식을 취할 때가 온 것이다. 지난 한 해에는 카슈미르에게 많은 일이 있었다. 새로운 아이디어로 기획한 공연들, 놀라운 신곡들을 선보였었고, 일부 별로 좋지 않은 소식들도 있었다. “내가 가장 좋아하는 공연 중 하나는 파루카빌 (Parookaville)에서의 공연이었다. 내가 제작한 쇼에서 애니메이션화한 부분을 라이브 뮤지션들과 함께
몇 달 전에 발매한 ‘Magic’은 당신의 ‘예전 사운드’로 되돌아가는 듯 했다. 그렇게 의도한 것이 맞는가? ‘ 예전의 카슈미르’가 담긴 작품인가? “내 음악을 들어왔던 사람들에게 묻는다면, 예전의 카슈미르가 느껴진다고 할 것이다. 새로운 카슈미르 음악은 신나는 느낌을 계속 살리기 위해 다른 것들도 시도해봐야 하기 때문에 조금 이질적으로 들릴 수 있다.” ‘Magic’은 DHARMA에서 발매되었다. DHARMA는 당신의 음악뿐 아니라 다른 동료들의 멋진 곡들이 여럿 발매 되면서 함께 성장하고 있는 것 같다. 이 플랫폼에 어떤 초점을 두고 있는가?
“그것이 의무처럼 느껴지는 순간, 한 발짝 물러서고 싶어진다.” 처음으로 선보였던 무대이다. 또한, ‘Carry Me Home’ 을 발매한 것이 정말 자랑스러웠다. ‘Carry Me Home’ 은 내가 가장 좋아하는 곡 중 하나인데 내 셋에 아주 잘 어울리기도 하다. 그리고 아무래도 2018년 최악의 사건은 할아버지를 잃은 것이다.” 나일즈 할로우엘 달(Niles Hollowell-Dhar)은 수년 동안 카슈미르라고 불려왔고, 앞으로도 변함없이 그렇게 불릴 것이다. 비록 그의 사운드는 변화할 수 있고, 최소한 변화시키려고 노력할 것이지만 말이다. “새로운 사운드를 찾아내고, 전에 만들어왔던 것보다 더 신선한 음악적 틀을 만들고 싶다”라고 그가 설명한다. 바로 이러한 탐색적 태도 덕에 그는 정상급 아티스트들과 함께 일하며, 전 세계를 누빌 수 있게 된 것이다. EDM의 전체적인 스펙트럼을 두루 다루고 있는 듯 하다. 이젠 본인의 이런 음악적 성향이 자리잡고 있고, 이 사운드를 내는 아티스트 중 가장 뛰어나다는 평가를 받고 있다. 이러한 경험을 해본 적이 있는가? 이제는 어떤 시각으로 현재의 댄스 음악을 바라보고 있는가? “지난 수년 간 지켜본 결과, 나를 가슴 설레게 만드는 댄스음악은 에너지를 최고치에 도달하게 하는
“내가 팬이 된 곡들 그리고 더 많은 사람들에게 인정받았으면 하는 곡들을 알릴 수 있는 플랫폼을 구축하고자 만들어진 레이블이 DHARMA 레이블이다. 그 밖에도 내게 아주 중요하다고 생각하는 DHARMA 의 또 다른 측면은 프로듀서들에게 학습 자원이 되는 것이다. 차세대 프로듀서들이 성장할 수 있도록 사운드 팩, 튜토리얼, 템플릿 등을 제공할 것이고, DHARMA 웹사이트에 곧 개시할 예정이다.” 하고 싶은 음악을 발매한다는 것은 당신에게 얼마나 중요한가? “새로운 시도들을 할 때 서포트가 될 수 있는 나만의 팀을 두는 것이 중요한데, 스피닝 레코드(Spinnin’ Record)에서 특히 존 헤린가(Jorn Heringa)가 바로 그러한 역할을 해주고 있다. 그는 다음에 만들 사운드를 찾아낼 수 있도록 격려해주고, 댄스 음악과 다른 장르들을 접목하는 실험을 할 수 있도록 용기를 북돋아주었다. 이러한 서포트 역할을 해줄 사람이 있어야만 한다고 생각한다. 그렇지 않으면 어느 순간 나의 예전 사운드를 모방하게 되고, 그러면서 금세 지루해지게 된다.”
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당신은 중동과 전통적인 사운드에 많은 애착을 갖고 있는 것 같다. 카슈미르 브랜드 전체에 그러한 사운드 색채를 계속 유지한다는 것은 당신에게 어떤 의미이며, 이는 의도된 것이었는가? “글쎄, 내 인도 뿌리가 정체성에 매우 중요하긴 하지만, 그렇다고 모든 노래에 인도 악기를 사용한다는 뜻은 아니다. 그것이 의무처럼 느껴지는 순간, 한 발짝 물러서고 싶어진다. 하지만 의무적으로 느껴지지 않는 선에서, 인도뿐 아니라 전 세계의 악기 소리들을 넣는 시도를 계속 할 것이다.” 당신의 음악적 경력으로 보았을 때, 앞으로 얼마나 더 많은 계획들을 세울 수 있는가? 이러한 큰 성공 이후에... 더 쉬워졌는가, 어려워졌는가? “더 어려워진 것 같고, 그 이유를 말해주겠다. 처음에는 얼마든지 실패할 수 있다. 자신만의 사운드를 발견하고 사람들과 교감하게 될 때까지는 아무도 눈치채지 못한다. 그리고 나서 사람들이 내 작품을 분석하고 비평하기 시작할 때 비로소 빛을 보게 된다. 이에 대비할 필요가 있는데, 이런 나의 첫인상에 부응하기 위해 어느 순간 어쩔 수 없이 고군분투하게 될 것이기 때문이다. 이전에는 많은 실패를 거친 후 성공하게 되면, 그 성공을 나무라는 사람은 아무도 없다. 그렇지만 성공을 한 후에도 꾸준히 일관된 모습을 보여주어야 하는데, 그렇지 않고 사람들이 완전히 무시하기 시작하는 순간 다시 헤어나오기 어려워진다.”
“좀 더 개인적인 것을 만들려는 의도로 카슈미르를 시작하게 되었다.” 찾아 골라내는 것이고, DHARMA에서 발매되는 곡들이 갖고 있는 독특함이 곧 DHARMA를 구성하는 요소가 될 것이다.” 캘리포니아에서 자랐는데, 본인의 고향인 인도에 대해 어떤 애착을 가지고 있나? “나는 인도에 대한 애착이 굉장히 크다. 인도에 있는 가족, 유년 시절의 추억, 그리고 인도에서의 경험이 지금의 나를 형성하는데 아주 중요한 역할을 했기 때문이다. 나의 많은 부분은 카슈미르(Kashmir) 에서 태어난 아버지로부터 얻었고, 나에게 있어서 더욱 강력한 영향을 준 것은 할아버지다. 그분께서는 잔인할 정도로 정직했고, 내가 어떻게 살아야 할지를 알려주셨으며, 내 스스로를 놓지 못하게 가르치셨다. 내가 결정을 할 때면 항상 돋보기를 들고 계신 분이었다.”
아직 시도해보지 않은 음악적 영역 안에서 어떤 영역을 탐구해보고 싶은가?
사람들이 그들의 과거와 연관되어 있다는 것을 알고 있는 것이 중요하다고 생각하는가?
“일상생활에서 편하게 들을 수 있고, 라이브로도 구현할 수 있는 음악을 탐구해보고 싶다. 공연 때 나는 내 음악을 트는 것을 좋아하지만, 막상 차 안에서 운전하면서는 듣지 않다는 것을 보고, 내 자신을 통해 그렇게 생각하게 됐다. 내 EP들 중에서 ‘Lion Through The Field’나 ‘Paradisei’는 예외이긴 하지만, 이 트랙들은 라이브로 구현하기가 어렵고, 어쩌면 용기가 부족해서 일지도 모른다.”
“그런 것 같다. 인도의 젊은 사람들은 서양 문화에 익숙하고 이것이 그들의 한 부분이기도 하기에 그들과의 특별한 연결점을 발견했다. 인도 문화와 다른 영향력을 결합시키는 것은 젊은 인도인이나 현재 인도의 관습을 가장 진솔하게 표현한 것이라 생각한다.”
DHARMA가 앞으로 어떤 모습이기를 바라는가? 아티스트로서 발전하고 있는 당신과 연관성이 있는가? DHARMA에 얼마나 관여하고 있는가? “DHARMA는 내 개인적인 아티스트 프로젝트와는 완전히 별개이다. 카슈미르를 위해 내가 철저하게 관리해왔던 이미지는 DHARMA를 위해 기꺼이 내려놓고, DHARMA를 통해 작품을 발매하는 아티스트들의 이미지에 맞게 탄력적으로 변할 수 있는 플랫폼이 되었으면 한다. DHARMA가 레이블 역할 외에도, 미래의 젊은 프로듀서들이 더 좋은 곡을 만들기 위한 방법을 배우고 도구를 찾을 수 있는 자원의 역할을 했으면 한다. 이때 좋은 방법은 실제로 훌륭한 곡을
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아시아 “인도에서 대부분의 시간을 보낸 나로서는 인도에 가는 것이 너무 좋다. 일본에 가는 것도 좋아한다. 도쿄는 여행 경험이 많은 사람도 숨을 멎게 만드는 아름다운 도시이기 때문이다. ”
당신의 시작점에 대해 이야기해보자... 어릴 적 어떤 음악을 들었나? “성장하면서 나는 랩 음악에 푹 빠졌다. 대학에 들어갔을 때 나는 댄스 음악에 흥미를 느꼈지만, 나의 진정한 영감은 비틀즈(The Beatles), 브루스 스프링스틴(Bruce Springsteen), 퀸(Queen), 프랭크 시나트라(Frank Sinatra)와 같은 클래식한 것으로부터 비롯되었다. 음악 감상 장르를 여러 단계 거치면서 나에게 고착된 아티스트라고 할 수 있다.” ‘더 캐터락스(The Cataracs)’에 대해 어떻게 생각하는가? 상업적인 음악을 만들기 위한 첫 번째 시도였다고 볼 수 있는가? 어떻게 시작되었는가? 당신이 음악을 시작하게 된 최초의 계기가 무엇이었는지 기억하는가? “더 캐터락스(The Cataracs)는 고등학교 때 시작하게 되었다. 나와 내 친구 데이비드(David Benjamin)는 댄스와 팝의 요소를 접목한 힙합(Hip Hop) 음악을 만들고 싶었다. 둘이서 LA로 이사를 가서 내가 프로듀싱하고 작곡한 ‘Like A G6’를 함께 만들었을 때 우리의 뜻이 제대로 실현되었다. 파 이스트 무브먼트 (Far East Movement)와 데브(Dev)와 함께, 우리의 역동성을 변화시켜줄 수 있는 아주 특별한 일을 만들어냈다. 사람들은 우리가 G6 의 성공을 계속해서 이어갈 것이라 기대했지만, 한때 힙합 마니아였던 우리 두 사람의 힙합에 대한 애정이 점점 사라지고 있음을 깨닫기 시작했다. 그래서 팀을 해체하고 카슈미르를 만들게 되었다.” 음악 프로듀싱을 시작하기 이전에는 무엇을 했었는가? “샌프란시스코 주에서 1년 동안 대학을 다니다가 음악을 하기 위해 중퇴했고, 멕시코 식당에 일자리를 구해 테이블 서빙을 하면서 지역 아이들을 가르치는 일을 했다.” 2014년 카슈미르 프로젝트를 시작할 때까지의
과정은 어땠는가? 당신은 그때만해도 이미 씬에서 거물급 아티스트들과 일하고 있었다. 새로운 움직임을 결심하게 된 계기가 궁금하다. “나는 카슈미르를 시작하기 전에 팝을 만들고 있었다. 조금은 성공을 하게 되면서, 몇몇 유명 아티스트들과 일하게 되었지만, 결국 온전한 성취감을 주지는 못했다. 그래서 좀 더 개인적인 것을 만들려는 의도로 카슈미르를 시작하게 되었다.” 언제 그것이 올바른 선택이었음을 깨달았는가? “처음부터 올바른 선택이라고 느껴졌다. 어느 순간 갑자기 내 자신의 모든 아티스트적인 면모들을 드러내고 있었기 때문이다. 다른 사람을 위해 곡을 쓰고 프로듀싱을 하는 것이 아닌, 아티스트의 길을 선택하면 죽기 살기로 하게 된다. 결과적으로 내 자신에 있어서는 올바른 선택이었다. 물론 티에스토(Tiësto)와 ‘Secrets’ 을 콜라보했을 때처럼, 정말 내 인생을 바꿔놓았던 순간들도 있었고, 그때도 내 자신이 올바른 선택을 했다는 것을 확인할 수 있었다.” 그 시절 가장 좋았던 것은? “처음엔 모든 것이 실험적이었다. 사람들에게 내 음악이 어떻게 들릴지, 내 쇼가 어떻게 비춰질지에 대해 머릿속에서 많은 생각을 갖고 있었지만, 모두 추상적인 생각들이었고 실질적으로 눈에 보이는 것은 하나도 없었다. 카슈미르의 아이디어들을 실제화하는 과정에서 많은 것을 배울 수 있었고, 정말 재미있는 시간이었다.”
KSHMR’S OWN TOP 5 순서 상관없이…
- JAMMU - JUNGLE WHISTLE - DADIMA - WILDCARD - SECRETS -
2019년을 위해 어떤 계획을 하고 있는가? 스튜디오에서 많은 작업들이 진행되고 있는 것 같다. 지금 진행되고 있는 작업들 중에서 앨범이 하나 나올 것 같은데 어떤 상황인가? “몇 달 정도를 투어에 할애하는 대신 스튜디오 작업을 해서 싱글을 몇 곡 마무리하고자 한다. 적어도 EP 한 장을 발표해서 팬들에게 EDM 프로듀서들이 평소에 일반적으로 하는 활동 이외의 무언가를 안겨주고 싶다.” 5년 후의 당신은 어떤 모습일 것이라 생각하는가? “투어를 하는 것은 힘들 것 같다. 나보다 나이가 많은 아티스트들이 아직도 투어를 한다는 사실에 자주 놀라곤 한다. 나는 차세대 프로듀서들을 돕기 위해 사운드 팩과 교육 자료를 제작하는 일을 계속 추진하고 싶고, 음악 작업도 멈추지 않을 것이다. 내가 가장 좋아하는 일이고, 가장 편안함을 느낄 수 있는 일이다.”
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나는 음악을 하면서 내 실명 그대로를 쓰고 싶다. 내 자신을 바꿀 수는 없다.
REAL FEELING )LAER GNILEEF( Words: DAEHWA LEE, ARIEL JO
대
한민국 최초로 스피닝 레코드(Spinnin’ Records)에서 음원을 발매하고 다양한 아티스트와 콜라보하는 아티스트. 매 공연, 베뉴마다 색다른 음악을 선보이려 노력하며 항상 성장과 발전을 도모하는 창의적인 뮤지션. 저스틴 오(Justin OH)가 최근 베이스 뮤직으로 장르를 탈바꿈하며 몬스터캣(Monstercat)의 새로운 아티스트로 활동하게 되었다. 새로운 음악을 할 때 새 이름이나 새 브랜드로 활동하는 다른 아티스트들과는 달리 자신이 하는 모든 음악이 곧 자신이라고 말하는 저스틴 오의 자신감과 철학은 음악 팬들을 감동시키기에 충분했다. 2018년 11월, 델타 헤비 (Delta Heavy)와 함께한 홍대 헨즈에서 열린 몬스터캣 레이블의 첫 내한 공연 날 그의 진솔한 이야기를 들을 수 있었다.
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상당히 유명한 레이블에서 음악도 내고 상당히 많은 성과를 올렸지만 정작 히스토리에 대해선 별로 알려진 게 없는 것 같다. 어떻게 음악을 시작하게 되었나? “아주 어릴 적부터 음악을 시작했다. 바이올린, 오케스트라, 밴드 등의 음악 활동을 했다. EDM은 아민 반 뷰렌(Armin Van Buuren) 때문에 시작하게 되었다. 그의 공연을 처음 봤을 때 정말 ‘와우’였다. 그 뒤로 모든 것이 바뀌었다. 곡 작업과 프로듀싱 또한 일찍 시작했다. 한국에 왔을 때 음악 작업을 했는데 그 곡이 바로 ‘Wait For You’다. 폴 오컨폴드 (Paul Oakenfold)가 BBC 라디오 1에서 이 곡을 틀었고 그 당시 아시아계 DJ가 유럽에서 활동하는 경우가 없었기에 이는 아주 대단한 것이었다. 그 후, 울트라 코리아와 같은 큰 페스티벌에 초청을 받았고 많은 한국 사람들이 알아봐주었다. 나는 DJ라기보다 뮤지션이다. 다양한 장르를 프로듀싱하는 것을 좋아한다. 몬스터캣이 좋은 이유는 다양한 장르를 할 수 있다는 것이다. 모든 것을 수용해주고 격려해준다.” 베이스 뮤직으로 바꾼 게 베이스만 한다는 소리가 아닌가? “그렇다. 한 장르만 고수하지 않을 것이다. 다만, 베이스 음악에는 내가 하고 싶은 이야기와 스타일이 있다. 이미 해 본 장르와 더욱 새롭고 신나는
언더그라운드 음악이 있는 것처럼 느껴진다.”
“
몬스터캣이 좋은
지금 시점에서 2013년 데뷔 앨범 이유는 다양한 장르를 ‘The Time Traveller’를 자평해본다면? 할 수 있다는 것이다. “재미있게도 실제로 그 앨범을 어제 들었다. 종종 예전 노래를 들으며 모든 것을 수용해주고 내가 얼마큼 성장했는지 보곤 한다. 격려해준다. 솔직하게 말하자면 나는 이 앨범을 정말 좋아한다. 정말 이기적이고 탐욕적인 앨범이다. 다른 사람들을 신경 쓰며 만든 앨범이 아니라 오직 내 자신만을 위한 앨범이다. 내가 원하는 것은 무엇이든 할 수 있게 해주는 좋은 레이블과 함께 일하며 나온 앨범이라 매우 특별하다. 한가지 아쉬운 부분이 있다면 만약 Peas)가 콜라보한 것과 같은 팝송 이전의 하위문화로 내가 노래를 더 잘 불렀다면 더 좋은 소리가 나올 수 생각했다. 따라서 나는 하위 문화를 위해 무언가를 있었을 것이라 생각한다. 앨범에 4곡정도를 내가 찾아오고 싶었고 디지털 세대를 위해 새로운 것을 불렀다.” 창조하고 싶었다.” 2017년에 스피닝에서 ‘Jekyll & Hyde’를 발표했다. 베이스 뮤직을 선택한 이유는 무엇인가? 단순히 그냥 스피닝은 모두가 선망하는 레이블인데. 그때 기분이 좋아서인가? 어땠나? “베이스와 트랩(Trap)이 가장 매력적인 부분은 150“재미있는 일화가 있다. 암스테르담 ADE에 내 160bpm이 되면 어릴 적부터 나와 함께 했던 음악인 매니지먼트 팀과 함께 간 적이 있다. 우리는 미팅에 힙합이나 펑크 록 음악의 뿌리가 느껴진다는 것이다. 갔었는데 늦게 되었다. 정확한 주소를 찾을 수가 나는 테크노(Techno)와 프로그레시브 하우스, 딥 없었다. 우여곡절 끝에 미팅을 들어갔는데 우리가 하우스(Deep House)를 좋아한다. 특히 한국에서는 준비한 곡은 한 곡뿐이었다. 보통 다른 아티스트들은 베이스 뮤직이 많이 없었기에 한 곡이 안되면 다른 곡도 관심이 나에게 있어서 아주 좋은 기회였다.” 있을까 싶어 여러 곡을 제안하는데 나는 이 곡만 들려주고 싶었다. 나는 하위 문화를 위해 빅룸/프로그와 베이스 뮤직은 그런데 곡을 틀자마자 A&R이 바로 ‘좋다. 계약하겠다’라고 말했다. 무언가를 찾아오고 싶고 완전히 다른 계열의 음악이다. 이 정도 변신이면 다른 이름을 만들어 이 곡은 실험적인 곡이었다. 빅 룸 디지털 세대를 위해 사이드 프로젝트로 할 생각은 (Big Room)도 덥스텝(Dubstep), 새로운 것을 창조하고 없었는지? 일렉트로(Electro)도 아닌 장르였다. “내가 헬멧을 쓸 수 있었다면 이 곡은 아시아의 퓨처 트랩 싶다. 좋았겠지만 내 머리는 너무 크다. (Future Trap) 베이스 팝(Bass 솔직히 말하면 나는 그저 진실되고 Pop) 음악이었다. 그 당시 매우 예술성에 솔직해지고 싶었다. 독특하였기 때문에 많은 사람들이 저스틴 오는 내 이름이기 때문이다. 나는 음악을 관심을 가졌던 것이라 생각한다. 이 부분에 대해 하면서 내 실명 그대로를 쓰고 있다. 나는 바꿀 수 없는 기분이 좋았고 시스타의 효린과 함께 작업한 것도 것이다. 그것 말고도, 장르를 바꾸면서 나 자신을 위한 정말 멋졌다. 그녀의 목소리는 놀랍고 환상적이었기 곡보다는 더욱 깊고 큰 이야기를 만들어내고 싶었다.” 때문이다.”
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그 동안 프로그레시브 하우스(Progressive House)나 빅 룸 위주로 활동해왔다. 그런데 얼마 전부터 베이스 뮤직으로 장르를 바꿨다. 이유가 궁금하다. “솔직한 이야기를 얘기하겠다. 사실 클럽에서 VIP를 위한 공연을 하는 것에 싫증이 났다. 한번 클럽에서 디제잉을 했는데 그때 나에게 ‘제드(Zedd) 곡을 틀어줄 수 있나’라고 물었다. 그래서 나는 ‘그래 물론이지. 하지만 내가 그 곡을 틀기를 원한다면 나는 다시 돌아오지 않을 것이다’라고 대답했다. 그랬더니 그들은 ‘그래 틀어줘’라고 하길래 그 곡을 틀었고 다시는 돌아가지 않았다. 아시아의 일렉트로닉 음악 씬은 무언가 빠져있다고 생각한다. 아시아는 크지만 많은 문화와 하위문화가 사라져있다. 나는 어릴 적부터 일렉트로닉 댄스 음악을 데이비드 게타 (David Guetta)와 블랙 아이드 피스(Black Eyed
‘She’s A Killer’ 뮤비를 보면 ‘Welcome To The City Of OZ’라는 문장이 나온다. 가사들로 미뤄보면 가상의 디스토피아 세계 같은 느낌도 들던데. ‘The City Of Oz’에 대해 듣고 싶다. “2019년에 앨범이 전부 녹음되면 알 수 있을 것이다. 사실 거의 모든 것이 공개가 되었는데, 더 이상 말하면 안될 것 같다. 2019년에 모든 사람들이 알게 될 것이다.”
저스틴 오는 계속해서 새로운 베이스 사운드를 선보이고 있다. 캐나다 듀오, 라우드 럭셔리(Loud Luxury)의 ‘No More Love’를 리믹스했고 이 곡은 페데 르 그랑(Fedde Le Grand)과 머크 & 크레몬트 (Merk & Kremont), 브로허그(Brohug), 테일스 (Tails), PHB, 잭 시즐(Jack Shizzle)과 함께한 리믹스 패키지에 수록되었다. 저스틴 오는 지난 1월, 하노이에서 개최된 몬스터캣 공연에서 저스틴의 새로운 EP를 기대하고 있는 팬에게 이렇게 말했다. “EP는 없을 것이다, 그 대신...”. 그가 이어지는 말을 생략한 것으로 짐작건대, 엄청난 것을 준비하고 있는 것임이 분명해 보인다.
저스틴 오는 왜 한국활동을 안 하냐고 묻는 사람들이 많다. “지난 주에도 한국 공연이 있었고 오늘도 공연인데, 한국 관객들은 공연이 적다고 느끼기도 한다. 솔직히 말하자면 공연 하나를 준비하는데 엄청난 시간이 나는 그저 진실되고 걸린다. 그냥 음악을 트는 것이 아니라 예술성에 솔직해지고 스토리와 모든 것을 생각 해야 하기 때문이다. 정말로 한 공연에 엄청난 싶었다. 나는 음악을 작업이 필요하다. 나는 공연을 하면서 내 실명 계속 똑같이 반복하고 싶지 않다. 그대로를 쓰고 싶다. 내 한국에서뿐만 아니라 다른 곳에서도 마찬가지다. 공연 하나하나가 자신을 바꿀 수는 없다. 특별하고 다르다. 아주 많은 공연을 하지는 않는 편인데, 한국에 주로 있으니 한국에 계신 분들은 이곳에서 활동이 비교적 적다고 느낄 수 있겠다.”
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스피닝 레코드와 같은 대형 레이블의 세계적인 명성을 유지할 수 있는 비결도 경험했을 것 같은데. 어떤 부분이 가장 달랐나? “나는 레이블 매니저가 아니라 잘 모르겠다. 하지만 큰 레이블일수록 좋은 마케팅과 좋은 팀을 가지고 있다는 것을 알 수 있었다. 그보다 중요한 것은 같은 것만 반복하지 않고 새로운 사운드와 역량을 계속해서 만들어내는 것이다. 이것이 사람들이 흥미를 가질 수 있는 부분이라고 생각한다.”
요즘 어떻게 지내고 있나? 최근 활동과 추후 계획에 대해 말해달라. “정말 바쁘게 잘 지내고 있다. 중국 일렉트로닉 정글 페스티벌과 베트남 하노이에서 개최된 몬스터캣 공연에 함께한 것은 정말 행운이었다. 나는 2018 년 새해 전날 인도 투어도 진행했다. 그 곳에서 다른 아티스트들과 콜라보레이션을 했고 고향친구를 만나기도 했었다. 2019년 초에는 하드코어 팬들 앞에서 플레이할 수 있는 몬스터캣 공연이 있었다. 나는 하드코어 팬들 앞에서 공연하는 것을 정말 좋아한다. 내 SNS와 인스타그램에서 열정적이고 에너지 넘치는 팬들의 모습을 볼 수 있다. 올해 좋은 소식이 있다. 나는 올해 도쿄의 새로운 옥타곤 (Octagon) 클럽의 레지던트 DJ가 되었다. 또한, 올해 큰 프로젝트를 준비 중이다. 지금까지 많은 솔로 트랙들을 만들었는데, 나는 이 솔로 트랙들을 믹스할 것이고 리믹스도 준비 중이며 동료 아티스트와의 콜라보레이션도 준비하고 있다.”
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WHAT’S HOT IN China? Words: ZOEY/ZHUANG ZIYAO
上海夜晚的中心地标, CLUB TAXX 看见上海夜晚的无尽可能
“我
们要改变上海的夜晚”，这是TAXX Shanghai建立之初 的野心。不过短短一年多时间，这句话已变成现实，Taxx 成为上海的全新地标。 「工业风」三个字能让电音迷们眼前瞬间呈现出最纯正的电子音乐 场景。而上海这家最大的夜店，也用工业风格的艺术设计给电子 音乐带来了无尽可能。3000平方米的室内场地，完美地将 Night Club、Lounge Bar、Art Area 融合在一起；Taxx 还将目光瞄准 了室内音乐节，声光与音响体系完全参照国际music festival的标 准。这里的音乐以EDM为主，有时会举行 Techno或Dubstep的 主题派对。 TAXX Shanghai 与普通夜店最大的不同，在于它正在建立电子音 乐到各个产业之间的桥梁。 Taxx对电子音乐与潮流文化的坚持，使它迅速吸引了时尚圈的目 光。男装品牌STAFFONLY秋冬大秀、国际运动大牌 Reebok新品 发布会、法国香氛老牌KENZO品牌宣传活动都选址于此。不知情 的人走到Taxx的门口，会理所当然的认为这是一间极简仓库风的 博物馆。装潢抛弃了夜店通用的炫彩，而使用灰色与黑色相互铺 陈，当音乐响起，室内便突然显现出虹膜也不能完全分辨的极致炫 彩。Taxx对音乐与潮流的独特理念，势必会得到更多相关品牌的青 睐。 网易云音乐CEO丁磊也曾以DJ的身份空降Taxx，在4D全息投影之 下为当场的乐迷带来了别开生面的演出。与众不同的TAXX Shanghai，用自己的实力与理念，诠释着电音跨界的无数可能。■
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中国电子音乐未来之星 CURTIS COLD 代表中国未来电子音乐走向的新希望
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果非要选出一位或将代表中国未来电子之声的音乐人，毋庸 置疑非Curtis Cold莫属。作为当今中国电子音乐市场中最 具极客精神的电子音乐人，Curtis Cold以九年来所积累的制作经 验，在不断的实验中，逐渐打磨出了极具个人辨识度的独特声音， 更是使他成为了当今中国电子音乐走出国门，迈向世界的第一代表 人物。 毕业于北京现代音乐学院的Curtis Cold，早在亮相于大众前，便 已隐在幕后为中国无数知名歌手进行音乐制作。包括Sunshine的 《我想做你女朋友》，尹正的《Nine’s》，甚至包括逃跑计划，纪 敏佳，李晨等人的音乐，Curtis Cold便都是其火遍市场背后最重 要的灵魂人物。2016年，Curtis为吴亦凡操刀制作的单曲《July》 更是登上了iTunes美国即时下载榜第一并被多家海外媒体争相报 导。 自2017年正式宣布签约全球最大电子音乐厂牌Spinnin’ Records以来，Curtis Cold将无数优质的中国电子音乐播撒至全世 界。单曲《No Other Reason》成为了Spinnin’ Records全新 子厂牌的第一首发行作品；对单曲《Gotta Like U》的报导登上了 Billboard网站的首页。近年来，Curtis更是先后受邀登上了中国 Ultra，EDC，以及比利时Tomorrowland，荷兰ADE，日本EDC 等多个国际大型电子音乐节舞台，更是在2018年荣登福布斯中国 音乐类“30位30岁以下精英”榜单首位，成为了中国电子音乐的标 杆。 从不断默默付出，难以见天日的幕后制作人，到站上台前，备受万 众敬仰的明星DJ。异于常人的天赋，加上坚持不懈的努力，Curtis Cold的出现，实乃中国电子音乐的幸事。他就像中国电子音乐人 的一道曙光，给予着每一个追梦的音乐人希望。 ■
中国地下音乐的最佳庇护地 ARKHAM 这里的快乐是如此真实
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夜行动物享乐主义的乌托邦 UP 拒绝商业，品味高于一切！
无数个关于Arkham诞生的故事，流窜于上海的地下电音爱 好者之中。经历过浴火重生的锐舞俱乐部Arkham，俨然成 为地下电子音乐爱好者们必须朝圣的地点。 Arkham的名字源于DC漫画——蝙蝠侠当中一座虚拟的精神病 院，它在现实生活中给予锐舞爱好者们的快乐却是如此真实。Arkham自2013年开业，制造了无数优秀现场，RICH CHIGGA、FKJ 、TROYBOI等都在这里奉献了精彩演出。四年时间，Arkham成为 了地下音乐爱好者们的最大聚集地。而2016年，却由于种种因素， 不得不关闭。 由于场地在 地下，A r k ha m需要遵循的运营规定更加严苛，可 Arkham从未放弃努力。最终在2017年，Arkham以全新升级的面 目又回到了大家的视野，继续履行他们的初衷——把好听、好玩、 有趣的人和事物传播得更远。 这个地下音乐的庇护地，也重新复苏了整个魔都的夜生活。从当初 300人的派对，到如今超过1000人的潮流聚会，Arkham已经成为 亚洲排名前10的地下俱乐部，被誉为亚洲的地标。尽管如今中国的 地下俱乐部层出不穷，可 Arkham仍然占据中国众多地下音乐爱好 者们心中无可撼动的第一顺位。■
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中国，拥有优质音乐品味的鸡尾酒吧层出不穷，但这家来自 上海的全新鸡尾酒吧，却在开业仅三个月的时间内，迅速崛 起成为了目前中国最受欢迎的鸡尾酒吧之一。 UP鸡尾酒吧位于上海静安区，这个夜场潮人无人不知晓的区域。是 一个由旅行家，美食家，混合学家与艺术家云集而成的国际团队。 在这里，他们创造了俱乐部本应拥有，但难以达成的独特氛围：将 全世界最顶级的吃喝玩乐体验合为一体，让最会玩的人们拥抱未 知。 但对于一家优质的鸡尾酒吧而言，音乐的品味甚至比店内消费的商 品更令人感到在意。拒绝商业，在这里品味的地位高于一切。基本 上每一周，UP都会邀请数位在行业内拥有顶尖水准的DJ进行嘉宾 演出，给观众带来前所未有的听觉体验。这里甚至还能够在同一天 内吸引Catra，Chace，Dirty Class等知名DJ前来切磋交流，饮 酒寻欢的同时，还不忘放着自己内心真正喜欢的音乐。这里对于多 元文化的包容性以及对生活的享乐主义，如果不亲自前来一次，是 难以用言语阐述的。■
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MUST-VISIT MUSICAL ATTRACTIONS IN ASIA Words: ARIEL JO, TIFFANY KIM, SHION OGUSHI
音乐被包括在Airbnb去年公布的最受欢迎的旅行类别中。其所占 的比重为9%，虽然目前尚不完善，但作为千禧年一代创造的强劲 趋势，旅游业乃至音乐产业从业者都十分关注。与被誉为庆典和各 种夜店派对圣地的伊维萨，拉斯维加斯，迈阿密等世界级电子音乐 胜地相比，将紧跟时下最新潮流，探索那些隐藏在小城市的旅行胜 地，向DJ Mag Asia的读者介绍能够为您注入活力的地方。下面这 些今年值得关注的休假地名单，快快保存起来吧。■
中国 “睡音乐”主题酒店 成都
音
乐处于一种在我们的生活中很容易获得的关系中。无论走到 哪里，音乐都是你熟悉的事情之一。另外，音乐也是可以间接 感受当地文化的元素。像这样以熟悉和紧密的音乐为主题的酒店 会怎么样呢? 对于热爱音乐的人来说，这将是一个梦幻般的空间。 在中国四川成都就有这样的酒店。 以拥有瑰丽文化背景而闻名中国成都的“睡音乐”主题酒店，在中 国代表性音乐平台网易云和亚朵酒店的合作下诞生。去年4月开 业的“睡音乐”主题酒店，在开业前就受到众多热爱音乐人士的关 注，引起强烈反响，并成为成都的新地标。 刚迈进“睡音乐”主题酒店的瞬间，在明亮的灯光下，便让你萌生 掏出手机拍照的冲动。超级宽敞的大厅，其内部装饰便是网易云音 乐标志性的红色视觉元素，前台，餐厅，酒吧，演出舞台，社交区等
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一应俱全。特别让顾客大开眼界的是网易云音乐唱片的装饰和一 整面墙所展示的黑胶唱片。通过展示各种色彩的唱片,可以同时唤 起音乐上的感性和视觉上的感性。此外，在大厅，您可以看到网易 云音乐在线销售的产品，可以购买目前大受欢迎而在网上销售一空 的‘乐评笔记书’ 。 酒店打造了古典、爵士、民谣、电音四个主题房间。每个主题房都 注入了与主题相关的装饰，电视里流淌而出的歌曲让人产生置身演 出现场的错觉。其中，特别引人注目的房间是“EDM房”，它将吸引 千禧一代。该房间内不仅有露天阳台，还有华丽的霓虹灯，DJ区， 混音区等各种音乐设备。酒店的客人可以自己化身DJ，播放自己喜 欢的歌曲，也可以在露天阳台和朋友一起举办小型派对。那些喜欢 电子音乐的人一定要在这儿住上一晚，由成都打造的熊猫电音嘉 年华(Panda Electronic Carnival)每年都以超级豪华的阵容为 亮点，如KSHMR，R3HAB，Timmy Trumpet等，您要是来了以举 办各种音乐节闻名的成都，亚朵音乐酒店是一定得去打卡的人气场 所。■
韩国 百乐达斯城 仁川
日本
VENT 东京
梦
寐以求的度假酒店出现了！百乐达斯城（Paradise City） 是东北亚最大的综合度假胜地，位于永宗岛，距离仁川国 际机场仅5分钟路程。音乐迷们最关注的是东北亚最大规模的夜 店”CHROMA”，其中包括四季开放的泳池派对，两个舞台和一个 音乐休息室。配合Trance，House，Techno，EDM等各种类型的 音乐享受泡吧的乐趣，同时可容纳人数3000名，在规模上也具有绝 对优势。包括Tiësto，SteveAngello，SteveAoki，Nervo，R3HAB，Lost Frequencis，Fedde Le Grand，Afrojack等，在DJ Mag排名中数 年来一直名列前茅的世界级艺术家的演出接连不断，这些在亚洲 难以体验到的活动已经吸引了大批的吧友们。 著名夜店设计师Josh Held负责内部设计，舞台不仅有最高级的舞 台装置和音响系统的内部设备，还有由世界级建筑师集团MVRDV 设计完成的如黄金太阳融化般的独特外观，作为泡吧的胜地，绝对 值得竖起大拇指。 推荐的另一个原因！在最高级的设施中享受通宵的泡吧后，入住 五星级酒店也是不错的选择，但如果可以放弃睡眠，就去治愈和 舒适的SPA空间‘Cimer’吧。‘Cimer’共占地4000坪，由室内 和室外水疗设施构成，位于1楼的AQUA俱乐部每周五和周六晚上 都会举行令人激动的泳池派对。酒店还设有一个温馨的水疗区， 您可以在这里体验韩国独特的汗蒸文化。您还可以体验Surfset Fit，Aquafloat Fit和Piyo等时尚健身项目。■
在
东 京，有一 个能够 体 验 世界最尖端 的堪 称艺术的音响系 统的地方。甚至在欣赏最挑剔的House及Techno艺人的 舞台时，也能带给观众最棒的音乐体验！Vent位于誉有东京的 香榭丽舍之称的表参道，每到周末，不仅有顶级艺术家，还会上 演包括Dixon，Acid Pauli，Prins Thomas，Jeff Mills，Chris Liebing，Sebastian Mullaert等天才艺术家的舞台。 别致干练的装修风格也是吸引人们驻足的地方，最现代和极简的 设计使人们能够专注于音乐。此外，这是以完美的规模为真正享受 高质量音乐的音乐爱好者而建立的空间。所有人都能通过最好的 音响欣赏艺术家的音乐，可以说没来过Vent，不足以谈论东京的夜 生活。 此外，在音乐爱好者聚集的夜店‘Vent’，还提供社区作用，让不 同人群通过音乐进行良好的对话。实际上，考虑到人们听到的声音 和音响里发出的声音，通过设计一个特有的空间，从而实现了人与 人之间的各种交流。因此，对于那些想要深入讨论音乐并希望与世 界各地的音乐爱好者见面的人，我们建议您立即预订飞往东京的 航班！ 禁止拍照的神 秘设定更是让人心生渴望，只有亲自去了才能知 道，DJ Mag Asia里介绍的照片也是在营业前拍摄的为数不多的 几张。据说，一旦进去，就整整熬了两宿才出来，关于这里的趣味 和感动的传闻不绝于耳。■
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全世界 都在谈论 马丁·盖瑞斯
THE WHOLE WORLD IS TALKING ABOUT
MARTIN GARRIX Words: JACE, ARIEL JO
不仅在夜店，音乐节及舞曲现场，日常生活中，在街头，精致小店，咖啡馆或酒吧里，或者在各种媒体中， 都能够听到他的音乐。在各种广告中都可以见到他，在阿姆斯特丹电子音乐节（简称：ADE）期间的阿 姆斯特丹餐厅里，菜单上有马丁·盖瑞斯披萨和马丁·盖瑞斯汉堡。书店里，他的写真集瞬间售罄。联手 Carl Cox一起拍摄的纪录片成为话题，还登上了时尚杂志《VOGUE》的封面。
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你作为艺术家已经很成功了，你的厂牌已经成长 到可以完成一个舞台。非常祝贺。迈阿密Ultra音 乐节宣布计划组建STMPD RCRDS舞台，你有什 么计划? 以及作为艺术家的成功和你的厂牌的成 功或者还有其他方面，你感觉如何?
这样不断成长的动力是什么? 像他的‘High on life’里歌词的第一句话”Killed the demons of my mind”一样，干脆消除坏的想法，以好 心情的积极能量总是能获得力量。 创作了那么多歌曲。 通常从哪里获得灵感?
和STMPD RCRDS里的每一位一起工作的感觉 真的很棒。和他们一起制作音乐很有趣，他们成 了我很好的朋友。给那些有潜力有才华的音乐 人提供一个向更多观众展示的平台，并且给他 们提供在录音室中提高实力和实验的机会，我 认为这是非常重要的事。能够给他们提供这样 的机会是件很棒的事, 我觉得到目前为止的结果 真的很惊人!
“我并 不认 为自己是 这个 处 于人气 巅 峰的马丁·盖 瑞 斯，在 2 018 年 DJ Mag百大DJ投票中，虽不知道其他排名情况， 但大家都认为第一名理所当然是马丁·盖瑞斯 的，结果连续三年荣膺百大DJ第一名。虽然已 在音乐上步入了稳定的成功轨道，但是亲眼见 到过他，和他一起工作过的所有人都对开朗谦 逊的马丁·盖瑞斯表示由衷的喜欢和赞赏。‘怎 么会有这样的人？’让人产生这样的想法。实际 上，虽然很想让他倾诉，压力太大，不为人知的 艰辛，沉重的幕后故事这些，但他是一位在端 正，幸福，健康的生活中追求音乐的音乐家，他 认为不应该在越轨，彷徨，批判中创作音乐。
World’s No.1 DJ for Third Successive Year! 他是如何看待成功的呢？目前为止所发表的优 秀热门曲目，连续3年被《DJ Mag》评选为百大 DJ第一名，与他一起合作的大师级艺术家，由他 创立的厂牌STMPD RCRDS的成长，平昌冬奥会 上华丽的闭幕式舞台，马丁·盖瑞斯最尊敬的DJ 也是让他开始DJ梦的荷兰DJ提雅斯多在接受一 家媒体采访时，表明给他灵感的DJ正是马丁·盖 瑞斯...他以二十多岁的年纪到现在所取得的成 就简直惊人。 2018年《DJ Mag》百大DJ投票中再次登顶蝉联第 一。祝贺你。连续三年蝉联第一有什么感想吗？ 和‘High on life’作为第一名候补一同提名AMF 百大DJ时，你有何感想?“连续3年”处于稳固的 顶尖位置上感受到的喜悦应该是与众不同的。 但是，伴随喜悦而来的负担感也会很大吧, 想听 听真实的故事。 能得到这么多粉丝的喜爱真的很棒! 他们热情的 模样真令人着迷。粉丝是过去三年让我一直处 于这个位置的人。真的非常感谢，但是并没有因 此感到压力。我并不认为自己是这个世界上最 优秀的DJ。但我认为，我拥有最棒的粉丝。
世 界 上 最 优 秀 的 D J 。但 我 认 为，我 拥 有最 棒 的 粉 丝。” 对于亚洲粉丝来说，最令人感动的莫过于韩国的 平昌冬奥会了。在2018年平昌冬奥会闭幕式上的 演出本身就让人非常感动, 甚至是主动联系说要 演出，据说几乎都是无报酬的。连机票，住宿费， 滞留费等全部费用都由本人承担，这一点被大幅 报道。理由是，本人的偶像提雅斯多曾在雅典奥运 会上进行演出，自己也希望能通过奥运会的演出 成为其他人的灵感。这些故事感动了那些不了解 电子音乐的人们。在平昌冬奥会前一天，当你上传 与提雅斯多的视频通话时，看到这一视频的众多 粉丝都感动得流下了眼泪。实际上当时你的心情 怎么样?
我从很多地方中获得灵感。从Hiphop，R&B， 古典音乐，或是古老的音乐等多种类型中获得灵 感。有时候, 也会从某处听到的细小声音中获得 灵感。与其他艺术家合作也是获得真正创造性 成果的一种方式。他们带来的音乐风格和观点， 使人们能够以不同的方式欣赏音乐，创造出人 们闻所未闻的东西。 最近与Mike Yung合作的歌曲又是另一种感觉。 让人感受到马丁∙盖瑞斯的音乐世界真是丰富多 彩。在美国某节目中，Mike Yung唱歌，你弹吉 他的样子给人留下深刻印象。这与你独自舞动指 尖，将庞大的观众融为一体的庆典表演截然不 同。和Mike Yung的合作怎么样? 一起合作的契 机是什么？ 和Mike一起工作，真的给了我很多灵感! 我通 过instagram视频第一次看到他唱歌。以前我 从未听说过他，但一听到他的声音，我就觉得他 可能会做出什么了不起的事情。他的声线令人惊 艳，涵盖了许多我在音乐中所忽略的部分。是我 先提出的合作建议，他也喜欢这个提议。对于我 们俩来说，这虽是一个全新的计划，但我为这 首歌感到非常骄傲。
提雅斯多一直是给我带来很大灵感的人。看到 他在奥运会上的表演，我萌生了当制作人兼DJ 的梦想。所以，能像他那样在奥运会上表演对我 来说是件非常有意义的事情。真是令人难忘的 时刻。因为知道观看这场演出的人数多得惊人， 自然也会紧张。这一切经历比我预想的还要盛 大得多，我真的非常喜欢表演!
Good man, Good music! 他在Spinnin和Crowd Control等厂牌下发 行单曲后，于2012年开始正式活动。第二年发 布的歌曲‘Animals’一登上beatport就在一 周内排名第一，截至2 019年在youtube上的 浏览量 超 过了12亿 次。之后，马丁·盖瑞 斯以 Big room音乐风格为开端,接连推出electro house，progresive house, future bass, future house, trap等多种类型的音乐, 到最近推 出的‘Glitch’为止, 他已经发行了约60多张EP 单曲, 接连走红。
ONE FOR THE BOOKS LIFE = CRAZY是摄影师Louis van Baar对马 丁·盖瑞斯5年来的巡回演出进行纪录的写真 集。Louis和马丁的友情也非常特别，通过他 的巡演和日常生活中的各种照片，可以更深 入地了解马丁·盖瑞斯。于著名出版社兼书店 Mendo发售。
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“我不想被特定的风格所束缚”
DREAMER
如果说‘Dreamer’是非常柔和的流行舞曲， 那么紧接着出现的‘Glitch’则是相当重金属的 heavy-hitter。果然不愧是马丁∙盖瑞斯的作品， 顶级品质的音乐节Banger, 本人如何定义自己 的音乐? 什么样的风格更接近本人的取向? 我没有特别偏爱哪一首。两个风格明显不同，但 我都很喜欢。‘Dreamer’和‘Glitch’可以说 是为了不同的目的而制作的。一个是为了给观 众注入能量，另一个是为了向人们传递信息，抚 慰他们。这两首歌是在一个系列中为营造不同 的氛围而制作的，但我认为两首歌都很酷。所 以，我很难就某一首说’这就是我的音乐’。当 然，拥有属于自己的风格和属于自己的音乐很 重要，但并不能强迫自己。我只是想创作适合 我的和我喜欢的音乐。我不想被特定的风格所 束缚。 接着以上提问, 自你的第一个突破性单曲‘Animals’以来，舞曲潮流一直在不断变化。现在很 多艺术家都尝试流行音乐，或者与拉丁艺术家 合作，或者用地下音乐进行新的尝试(就像David Guetta的Jack Back计划一样)。对此， 你认为今后的舞曲潮流会如何? 还有关于这个 潮流, 我们以后听的马丁·盖瑞斯的音乐会是什 么风格? 在创作音乐时，真正有趣的是音乐是在不断变 化的，未来会发生什么，我们无法预测。我认 为，目前拉丁裔艺术家的音乐占据着巨大的部 分, 今后在舞曲方面也会有很大的影响。 在业界，All ages和18+派对是一次智慧的策划, 对歌迷来说，是一次与年龄相融合的活动, 对于 艺人们来说, 会成为一个很好的榜样。听说All ages派对上，大人们也开心, 孩子们更是开心 得就像去游乐园一样。想了解打造这场演出的 契机, 在进行这场演出的过程中，具体的收获是 什么? 去参加庆典或演唱会真的很有意思。但是，由 于年龄限制，18岁以下的粉丝无法获得如此好 的体验。我希望他们能像我们一样和朋友们度 过美 好的 时光，想为他们 提供 听我 音乐的机 会。他们真是了不起的观众! 他们非常兴奋，精 力充沛。我听过很多小粉丝们和朋友或者父母
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一起来看演出的精彩故事。能给他们提供这些 经历，让我感到很幸福! 如David Guetta，Tiësto，Dimitri Vegas＆Like Mike，Hardwell，Afrojack，Dillon Francis和Usher等大师，到现在和很多艺术家都有合 作。有没有对合作艺术家的判断标准? 说实话， 我觉得现在拒绝的艺术家可能会更多。除去行 程原因，若有过被拒绝的经历，是因为什么?
“Dreamer”是荷兰DJ马丁·盖瑞斯(Martin Garrix)的歌曲，2018年11月1日通过马丁·盖 瑞斯的STMPD RCRDS以单曲形式发行，MV 也同时公开。并且由美国的灵魂歌者，曾以 58岁的年龄参加了美国达人秀的Mike Yung 伴唱。这首歌是马丁·盖瑞斯并不常见的新风 格，R&B主唱结合蓝调风格的流行音乐，也 是马丁为纪念2018年初去世的Yung的妻子 Lydia所创作的歌曲。
和不同艺术家的合作都很兴奋。他们把属于他 们的音乐风格装进了歌曲中，结果总是让我大 吃一惊。当我决定和谁一起工作时，我会考虑他 们的声线以及与他们之间的契合点。如果感觉 不对，我就不会一起合作了。忠于我的感觉对我 而言是非常重要的事。在制作音乐时也是如此。 或许有目前还没有一起合作过，但是一定想要一 起合作的艺人吗? 或者可以透露下有将要进行 合作计划的艺人吗？ 是的。我的名单上有这么几位。我一直想和肖 恩·蒙德兹(Shawn Mendes), 法瑞尔·威廉姆 斯(Pharrel)，梦龙乐队(Imagine Dragons)一 起合作。他们真的是很棒的艺术家。 听说你从8岁开始做音乐。虽然无法想象不做音 乐的马丁∙盖瑞斯是什么样的，但万一没有做音乐 的话，会从事什么工作? 真的不知道。在我的人生中音乐一直陪伴着我， 现在更是占据了我生活的大部分。我的生活都 是音乐，没有音乐的生活我无法想象。我只希望 那是我所享受的东西! 这是一个无论从社会全局还是从音乐角度，流行 趋势都变化很快的世界。似乎总有新的压力。在 音乐工作上，流行趋势的快速变化会让你有威胁 感吗? 现在榜单上真的有很多种音乐类型。新的音乐 出现，新的艺人登场。我认为，这么多人能创作 出他们喜欢的音乐，实在是件很酷的事。但这 绝对不是威胁。就像以前我所说过的那样，我 想创作自己想创作的音乐，不想被流行趋势所 限制。
GLITCH
“G l itch”于2 018 年12月14日通过马丁的 厂牌 STMPD发行，是马丁·盖瑞斯(Ma r ti n Garrix)和朱利安·乔丹(Julian Jordan)的合 作曲。这两人从很早以前就开始合作，作为 继“BFAM”， “Welcome”之后的第三首合 作曲问世，也同时推出了黑白音乐录影带。这 首曲子火花四溅的电子音效极富魅力，符合 题意，包含着跳动的伴奏和强烈的节拍，同 时，合成旋律使曲子的氛围更加柔和。
His Healthy and Energetic Lifestyle 艾维奇（Avicii）自杀早逝，哈德维尔（Hardwell）宣布隐退等事件，使得人们对DJ们的生活平 衡产生了很多思考。如何保持体力? 精神健康又 是如何管理的呢? 精神层面苦恼的最佳倾听者 是谁? 我大部分时间都是和朋友，家人一起度过, 还 有一 个 特别 棒 的团 队。我们 团 队都 与我共 事 多年，总是把我的健康幸福看作首位。也就是 说, 在我忙碌的生活背后，一直有我的团队的守 护。然后做我自己最喜欢的事情，这样才会让 我一直感到幸福，赋予我继续前进的动力。 真的参加了很多演出。去年演出过多少场? 有没 有在巡回演出中留下深刻印象的粉丝? 对你来 说，哪些城市的印象最深? 虽然不知道准确的数字，但真的演了很多场! 飞往世界另一端的国家与了解我音乐的人们相 见，着实令我惊喜。我热爱我的所有歌迷，感谢 他们所有人。 在飞机上的时间难免很无聊，一般会做些什么? 我有时会作曲，有时睡觉，有时和我们队的朋 友玩。我们喜欢在飞机上玩纸牌游戏。 我们团队在2018年去阿姆斯特丹电子音乐节的 时候，整个街道都充满了你的面孔和标志，让人 觉得阿姆斯特丹就是马丁·盖瑞斯的城市。从主 场获得的应援与支持似乎又有所不同。荷兰确 实在舞曲方面涌现出了相当多的人物。你认为 是什么原因？ 简直像魔法一样。不是吗? 现在，荷兰艺术家在 舞曲上取得成功的人很多。其实原因也不太清 楚。我觉得可能是因为荷兰是一个小国家，更容 易走近大家吧。 想知道今后关于你演出和音乐创作的计划。 我正在准备一些新的音乐和令人兴奋的计划。 所以请继续关注! 还有，我们会有一个特别精彩 的演出! 敬请期待! 听说你的最终目标是支持和赞助新的人才。真 的说的非常好，并且可以感受到很多关于你的 经历。与此相关的计划也请说一下吧。 我创办STMPD TCRDS，目的是为有才华的年 轻艺术家提供相互学习和共同工作的空间。我 们在过去几年里做了很多事情，而我并不想就 此停下来。
请向DJ MAG的亚洲粉丝们问好。也拜托给那 些梦想着‘如何才能成为马丁·盖瑞斯一样’的 亚洲准DJ们送上一些建议。 大家好! 所有的亚洲粉丝，我爱你们! 每次访问 亚洲，都感受到大家的能量和支持，超级棒。如 果你拥有音乐梦想的话，请继续练习和挑战! 还 有别惧怕展现你的音乐。只要努力，相信自己， 一切皆有可能。
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变化才是保持存活的唯一途径
CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT 我们与印度裔美国艺术家喀什米尔 （KSHMR）会面，谈论到他生活 中最精彩的时刻和在音乐上不断追 求新鲜感的信条。 Words: HERNÁN PANDELO
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类型,但在创作时,不得不回归到这些类型。观众的 反应和作为舞曲迷的我所感受到的反应成为了我 追求这种音乐风格的驱动力。”
当
喀什米尔被问及最近正在做什么时,他回答 道:”我想在自己洛杉矶的家中安顿下来,制 作新的音乐。”2018年他一直在世界各地活动,现 在到了在家安心休息以获得新灵感的时候了。 去年一年,喀什米尔发生了许多事情。以新创意 企划的演出,惊人的新歌,还有一部分不太好的消 息。“我最喜欢的演出之一是在Parookaville举
几个月前发行的‘Magic’似乎又回到了你‘以前 的音乐风格’ 。是这个意图吗? 是包含了”以前的 喀什米尔”的作品吗? “如果问一直听我音乐的人,他们会说,我感觉到 了以前的喀什米尔。新的喀什米尔的音乐为了保 持兴奋的感觉, 必须尝试其他的东西，所以听起来 会有点异样。”
“当我感觉到那是一种 义务的时候，我就想退 一步。” 办的那次，那是在我制作的演出中,首次与现场音 乐人一起展示一段动画。另外,发行了‘Carry Me Home’也很自豪,‘Carry Me Home’是我最喜 欢的歌曲之一，也很适合我的风格。不管怎么说, 去年最糟糕的事件就是失去了爷爷。” 尔斯·霍洛韦尔-达尔(Niles Hollowell-Dhar)多 年来一直被称为喀什米尔,今后也将一如既往地 被如此称呼。他的音乐风格会有所变化，至少会 试图努力改变。 他解释说,”我想找出新的音乐风 格，构建出相比之前制作的音乐更加新鲜的音乐 框架。”正是这种探索的态度,使他得以与顶级艺 术家共事,走遍世界。
‘Magic’在DHARMA发行。DHARMA不仅有 你的音乐，随着其他所属艺人的多首精彩歌曲的 发行，可以说是在一同成长。你对这个平台的关注 点是什么？
似乎广泛涉猎了EDM的整个范围。现在,本人的音 乐已经深入人心，被评价为在这一领域中最出色 的艺术家。曾有过这样的经历吗? 如今以何种视 角来看待现在的舞曲?
想做的音乐被发行，这对你来说有多重要?
“经过数年的观察,我认为,令我心动的舞曲是让 能量达到最高峰值的音乐。在听Big Room和 Progressive House以及Hard Style的时候，经 常会有这样的感觉。并不是说不喜欢其他的音乐
“我们 想搭建一个平台，来推广那些把足以让 人们成为我歌 迷的歌曲以及希望得到更多人认 可的歌曲,这个平台就是DHARMA厂牌。除此之 外,DHARMA对我很重要的另一个方面就是它 可以为制作人提供学习资源。为了能让新一代制 作人成长起来,我们将会提供音效包,教程,模板 等,DHARMA的官网即将上线。”
“每次进行新的尝试时，重要的是有一个给予支 持的专属团队,在斯宾尼唱片中的Jorn Heringa 正是担当了这样的角色。不断激励你发掘新的音 效，并鼓励你尝试舞曲和其他类型的结合。我认 为必须有这样给予支持鼓励的人。否则，到了某 个阶段,你要么在模仿自己,要么追逐着旧的自我， 这样你很快就会变得无趣。”
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你似乎非常喜欢中东及传统的音乐风格。在整个 喀什米尔品牌中继续保持这样的音乐色彩，对你 来说意味着什么，这是有意而为的吗? “怎么说呢，虽然我的印度根源对我的音乐风格 很重要，但这并不意味着所有的歌曲都使用印度 乐器。当感觉到那是一种义务的时候，就会渐渐 不想去做了。但是在没有义务感的范围内，我们 会继续尝试加入印度乃至全世界的乐器声音。” 从你的音乐经历来看,今后还将有多少计划? 在取 得如此巨大成功之后......是变得更容易了，还是变 得更难了? “我觉得变得更难了，听我说明理由。刚开始的 时候多少会失败。在找到属于自己的音乐风格， 与人们产生交感之前，没人会注意到你。然后当 人们开始分析和批评我的作品时，才看到光明。 对此需要有所准备，因为为了顺应我给人的第一 印象，某一瞬间，我将不得不孤军奋战。以前会经 历很多失败，艺术家在克服失败取得成功之后就 没有人去反对那些失败的作品。成功之后，也要 坚持一贯的作风，否则，当完全被人们无视的时 候，就很难挣脱了。”
“开始喀什米尔的意 图是为了创造更个人 的东西。” 除了担任厂牌的角色外，也希望未来的年轻制作 人学习到制作更优秀歌曲的方法，起到提供设备 资源的作用。此时的好办法就是实际找到并挑选 出一些优秀的歌曲，DHARMA发行的歌曲所具 有的独特性即将成为DHARMA构成的要素。” 你在加利福尼亚长大，对自己的家乡印度有怎样的 感情? “我对印度有很深的感情。在印度的家人，童年 的回忆，以及在印度的经历对成就现在的我起到 很重要的作用。我的很多方面是从出生在克什米 尔(Kashmir)的父亲那里得到的，而对我有更强烈 影响的是我的爷爷。他非常的正直，告诉我该怎 样生活，并教导我不要放弃自己。每当我做决定 的时候,他总是拿着老花镜。” 你认为人们的过去与你有联系点很重要吗？
在还没有尝试过的音乐领域中，想要探索哪些领 域?
“好 像是这样的。印度年轻 人对西方文化很熟 悉，这也是他们的一部分，所以我发现了与他们之
“我想探索出既能在日常生活中听得舒服，又能 通过现场演唱表达的音乐。演出时,我喜欢播放我 的音乐，但我在开车的时候却不会去听，看到我 自己这样才有这样的想法。在我的EP中，‘Lion Through The Field’或’Paradisei’是例外，但 这些歌曲很难用现场表演来体现，或许是因为缺 乏勇气。
亚洲
希望DHARMA将来是什么样子? 作为艺人,与发 展中的你有关联吗? 对DHARMA，你有多少参与? “ D H A R M A与我个人的演艺计 划完全是两回 事。我 个人一直 以 来严 格 管 理 的 形象，能 够为 D H A R M A 而甘愿 放 下，我 希望 D H A R M A 能 够成为一个灵活多变的平台，以适应那些通过 DHARMA发行作品的艺人们的形象。DHARMA
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对于在印度度过大部分 时光的我来说，非常喜 欢去印度。我还喜欢去 日本。因为东京是一座 美丽到连旅游经验丰富 的人也窒息的城市。
间特别的联系点。我认为，把印度文化和其他影 响力结合起来，能够最真实地表达年轻的印度人 和当今印度的风貌。” 谈谈你的起点吧。小时候听过什么音乐? “成长过程中，我 迷 上了说 唱音乐。进 入 大学 时，我对舞曲产生了兴趣，但我真正的灵感来源 于‘The Beatles’ ，‘Bruce Springsteen’ ， ‘Queen’ ，‘Frank Sinatra’等经典乐队。音乐 欣赏的体裁经历了很多阶段，可以说我是一个坚 持的艺术家。 怎么看待”Cataracs”? 可以看作是第一个旨在 打造商业音乐的尝试吗? 是如何开始的? 你还记得 开始做音乐的最初契机是什么吗? “Cataracs开始于高中。我和我的朋友David 想创作一种融合舞蹈和流行元素的嘻哈音乐. 两 个人 搬 到了洛杉矶，一 起完成了由我制作作曲 的‘Like A G6’的时候，我们的愿望就已经实现 了。与Far East Movement和Dev一起创造出了 能够改变我们活力的非常特别的事。人 们期待我们能够延续G6的成功，但 我们开始意识到，曾经的嘻哈发 烧友的我俩对嘻哈的热爱正在逐 渐消失。因此，我们解散了，有了 喀什米尔。” 在开始制作音乐之前你在做什么? “我在旧金山读了一年大学，后来为 了做音乐中途退学了，在墨西哥餐 厅找了一份工作，一边做服务生，一 边教社区的孩子。” 到2014年喀什米尔计划启动为止,整个 过程如何? 那时你已经和一些重量级的艺人 合作了。决定开始新行动的契机是什么？
“我在开始喀什米尔之前一直在创作流行音乐。 稍微取得了一些成功后，便与一些有名的艺人合 作，但终究未能带来完整的成就感。所以，为了创 造出更个人的东西，开始了喀什米尔计划。 什么时候意识到那是正确的选择? “从一开始我就觉得这是一个正确的选择。因为 在某一瞬间，我的艺术面貌全部展露出来。不是 为别人写歌做制作人，选择艺术家之路, 就打算拼 尽所有。从结果上来看，对我来说是个正确的选 择。当然，就像我和Tiesto合作‘Secrets’时一 样，真的有过改变我人生的时刻，那时我再次确 认自己做出了正确的选择。” 那时最喜欢的是什么? “刚开始,一切都是实验性的。关于人们如何看待 我的音乐和我的表演，我脑子里有很多想法，但 都很抽象，还没有一点实际的东西。我从实现克 什米尔构想的过程中学到了很多东西，这真是一 段有趣的时光。”
KSHMR’S OWN TOP 5 不论顺序...
- JAMMU - JUNGLE WHISTLE - DADIMA - WILDCARD - SECRETS -
2019年有哪些规划? 在录音室里好像有很多工作 正在进行。正在进行的工作中好像会出一张专辑， 现在处于什么状况? “几个月后, 将会结束巡演，投身录音室的工作， 计划完成几首单曲。我想至少发布一张EP，给歌 迷们带来EDM制作人平时一般活动以外的一些 东西。” 你觉得5年后的你会是什么样子? “我觉得巡回演出会很困难。年纪比我大的艺术 家们现在还在巡回演出，常常让我很吃惊。我想 继续推进制作音效素材包和教学资料的工作， 以帮助新一代的制作人，音乐工作也不会停止。 这是我最喜欢的事情，也是让我感到最舒服的事 情。”
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我想用我的真名去做音乐。我不能改变自己。
REAL FEELING )LAER GNILEEF( Words: DAEHWA LEE, ARIEL JO
韩
国第一 个在 斯 宾 尼 唱片（S p i n n i n’ Records）发行音源，与各种艺术家合 作的艺人。每场演出，每一个场合都力求展现 不同风格的音乐，时刻力求成长和发展的创意 音乐人。Justin OH最近通过Bass Music变换 音乐体裁，成为怪兽猫（Monstercat）的新艺 人。在创作新音乐时，与其他以新名字或新品 牌活动的艺术家不同, Justin OH说自己所做 的一切音乐都是自己，他的这种自信和哲学足 以打动乐迷。在2018年11月与Delta Heavy一 起在弘益Henz举行的Monstercat厂牌首次 来韩公演的当天，听到了他真实的故事。
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虽然在相当有名的厂牌中推出了音乐，并取得了 相当的成果，但是似乎对他本人的故事鲜有了 解。他是如何开始音乐之路的呢? 从很小的时候 就开始接触音乐。学过小提琴, 参加过管弦乐团,组过乐队等等。EDM是因为 Armin Van Buuren而开始的。第一次看到他 的表演时,不禁“哇”的一声。之后一切都变了。 作 曲和 制 作 音乐 也很 早就 开始了。来 韩 国 时 做了一首歌,就是那首‘Wait For You’ 。Paul Oakenfold在BBC Radio1中播放了这首歌,而 且当时没有亚裔DJ在欧洲活动,所以这是非常了 不起的。之后,受到了Ultra Korea等大型庆典的 邀请,被很多韩国人所认识。与其说我是DJ,不如 说是音乐人。我喜欢制作各种类型的音乐。之所 以喜欢Monstercat，是因为在那可以玩各种类 型的音乐。一切都被接受并给予鼓励。 换成了Bass Music的意思是只做Bass音乐吗? 不会只固守一种类型。只是，在Bass音乐中，有 我想说的故事和风格。感觉有已经尝试过的音 乐类型和更新颖更令人兴奋的地下音乐。
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之所以喜欢 Monstercat， 是因为在那可以玩 各种类型的音乐。 一切都被接受并给 予鼓励。
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如何评价2013年的出道专辑《The Time Traveller》? 巧的是昨天我刚好听了那张专 辑。常常会听以前的歌,看看我 成长了多少。坦率地说,我非常喜 欢这张专辑。是一张自私的贪婪 的专辑。不是专注于别人制作的 专辑,而是只属于我自己的专辑。 因为是和让我放手做一切事的厂牌合作而诞生 的专辑,所以很特别。若说有遗憾，我想如果我 唱歌唱得更好的话，就能够有更动听的声音出 来。(笑)专辑里有4首歌是我唱的。
(Black Eyed Peas)合作过的歌 曲那样。因此,我想为下游文化 找回一点东西，为数字一代创造出新的东西。 选择Bass Music的理由是什么? 单纯地喜欢吗? B a s s和 Tra p最有魅力的部分 是 ,如果节拍 数 达到150 -160bpm,就能感受到我从小开始接 触 的 H i p h o p或朋 克摇滚音乐的 根 源。我喜 欢‘Techno’和‘Progressive house’ ，‘Deep House’。特别是因为韩国没有很多Bass音乐, 这对我来说是一个很好的机会。
南河内举办的Monstercat演出，感到非常幸 运。 我在2018年新年前一天还进行了印度巡 演。 在那里,我和其他艺人合作了，还见了我的 老乡。2019年初,有一场可以在狂热粉丝面前表 演的Monstercat公演。我非常喜欢在狂热粉丝 面前表演。在我的SNS和Instagram上可以看到 极度热情极具活力的粉丝。 今年有个好消息。我成为了今年东京Octagon 夜店新的常驻DJ。此外,今年有个大项目正在筹 备中。目前为止,制作了很多个人单曲,我会把这 些单曲混搭在一起,重新编曲混音也在准备当中, 也准备和同公司的艺人合作。 Justin OH不断推出新的Bass音乐。将加拿大DJ二 人组Loud Luxury的“Love No More”重新编曲 混音，这首歌收录在与Fedde Le Grand，Merk & Kremont，Brohug，Tails，PHB，Jack Shizzle 一起的Remix专辑中。 今年1月，Justin OH在河内举行的Monstercat 公演上对期待着Justin OH全新EP的歌迷如此 说道。 “EP不会有,取而代之的是...” 可以猜想，他省略了接下来的话，很明显是他正 在准备着不得了的东西。
2017年，斯宾尼唱片发表了‘Jekyll & Hyde’ 。 斯宾尼（Spinnin）是大家都羡慕的厂牌。 那时 心情怎么样? 很有趣的逸事。我曾和我的经纪团队一起去过阿 姆斯特丹电子音乐节。我们去开会,结果迟到了。 找不到正确的地址，几经周折,终于找到地方,我 B i g Ro o m /P ro g 和 B a s s是完全不同的音 们准备的歌曲就只有一首。一般来说,其他的艺人 乐类 型。这样的转型,你有没有想过要另起个名 觉得这首不行的话,还能用其他的曲子引起注意, 字,做个子项目? 所以会准备多首歌,可我只想唱这首歌。但是歌曲 如果我能戴头盔就好了,但我的头太大了。(笑)说 刚一开始,A&R就马上说:”好，签 实话,我只是想做到真实并且对 约吧。” 艺术性诚实。因为Justin OH是 这首歌 是实验 性的作品。既不 我的名字。我想用我的真名去做 我想为下游文化找 是Big Room,也不是Dubstep 音乐。我不能改变自己。除此以 回一点东西， 或 E l e c t ro。这 首 歌 是 亚 洲 的 外，在改变风格的同时，比起为 为数字一代创造出 自己创作的歌曲，我更想创作出 Future Trap和Bass流行音乐。 新的东西。 因为在当时很独特,所以才会引 更深刻更宏大的故事。 起很多人注意吧。对于这部分， 我特别开心，和SISTAR孝琳的合 《She’s A Killer》MV中出现 作也真的很棒。 因为她的声音既惊艳又梦幻。 了‘Welcome To The City Of OZ’的句子。 从歌词来看,感觉像是假想的反乌托邦世界。 想 你觉得像Spinnin Record这样大型的厂牌公司 知道关于‘The City Of Oz’的内容。 能够保持全球声誉的关键是什么? 哪一部分最 等到2019年专辑全部录制完毕,大家就知道了。 不一样? 其实,几乎都公开的差不多了，感觉不能再多说 我不是厂牌经纪人,所以也不太清楚。但可以发 了。2019年,所有人都将知道。 现,越是大的厂牌,越有好的营销策略和好的团 队。更重要的是,不重复同样的东西，不断创造 很多人想知道Justin OH为什么不在韩国活动。 新的音乐和力量。我认为这是能引起人们感兴 上周也有韩国演出,今天也是有演出,韩国观众有 趣的重要原因。 时还会觉得演出少了。说实话,准备一个演出需 要很长时间。因为不是单纯地播 之前一直以Progressive House或Big Room为 放音乐,而是需要思考故事和所 主进行活动。 但是从不久前开始将音乐类型改 有东西。一场真正的演出需要大 为Bass Music。 想知道理由。 量的工作。我不想一直重复不变 我只是想做到真实 说实话，因为我厌倦了在夜店为VIP的演出。我有 地演出，不仅在韩国,在其他地方 并且对艺术性诚实。 一次在夜店做dj，当时有人问我:”你能播放Zedd 也是如此。每一个演出都是特别 我想用我的真名去 的歌吗?” 我回答说:”当然了。但是如果我放了的 的,不一样的。我不会安排特别多 话就再也不会回来了。” 但他们说”好，放吧” ，于 演出,所以在韩国的人会觉得在 做音乐。我不能改变 是我放了那首歌，再也没回去了。 韩国的活动相对较少。 自己。 我认为,亚洲的电子音乐舞台缺少了些什么。亚洲 虽然很大,但很多文化以及底层文化正在消失。 最近过得怎么样? 请谈谈最近的 我从小就把电子舞曲当成是流行歌曲的下游文 活动和今后的计划。 化，就像大卫·库塔(David Guetta)和黑眼豆豆 过得很忙碌。能参加中国电子丛林电音节在越
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WHAT’S HOT IN JAPAN? Words: DAIKI TOSHIMA – DJ MAG JAPAN, SHION OGUSHI
時を忘れる大人の新しい空間 RECORD BAR ANALOG 旧譜から新譜まで幅広く音楽を楽しめるHOTなスポット
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谷で遊んでいた人間たちが再び集まり時を忘れる大人の新しい 空間。 流れる音は昭和歌謡から最新のHIPHOPまでと様々なジャンルをクロ スオーバーし良い音楽を良い音質で聴いてもらいたいという思いから サウンドシステムは、Altec社製のヴィンテージスピーカーとアンプ、 そして英BBC用に1950年代に開発されたターンテーブルGarrard 301。 音楽が無限にあり、消費されてしまう時代だからこそ 有限の中で1曲 1曲を大事に聞かせるお店。 同じ音楽にも懐かしいと思う人がいれば新しいと思う人がいる。 ▪店名: RECORD BAR ANALOG ▪住所 :150-0043 東京都渋谷区道玄坂2-20-9柳光ビル3F ▪営業時間 :20:00~翌3:00(Lo 2:30) ▪定休日 :年末年始 ▪電話番号:03 6416 1228 ▪席数 :カウンター5席 テーブル7席
JAPAN’S NEXT GENERATION DJ KOTONOHOUSE
「B
EST OF JAPAN DJs Ranking U-29」Producer部門で見事 1位に輝いた、Kawaii Dance Musicを世に送り出しているアー ティストKOTONOHOUSE(コトノハウス)は意外にも、今まで一度も インタビューや制作秘話を打ち明けた事が無かった。そこでDJ MAG ASIAは、彼にインタビューをする事を決定！あまり世界のダンスミ ュージック・シーンでフォーカスされてこなかった、日本人アーティス トの素顔が垣間見れる貴重な機会となった。 簡単な自己紹介をお願いします。 DJ / プロデューサーのKOTONOHOUSEです。フューチャーベース や、ジャージークラブにアニメカルチャー的なポップさを足したような 曲を作るのが好きです。
BEST OF JAPAN DJs Ranking U-29の1位に輝き、その後何か 変化はありましたか？ 自分の関わりのないコミュニティ(フェス系のDJ達のコミュニティ)へ の認知率が高くなった気がします。 ローカルなクラブでのゲスト出演の回数も増えました。 今まで作った楽曲の中で一番印象に残っているものは何ですか？ 「but you don’t - EP」です。ポケットモンスターのイラストレーター のTOKIYAと死生観について対話して作った自分の中での命題的な作 品です。収録曲の「wake up」は、初めて日本的ではないアプローチ を軸に作った曲です。今の自分の曲のスタイルの源流の一つとも言え ます。また表題曲の「but you don’t」は、自分の情緒観を投影をした 作品です。制作に2ヶ月くらいかかりました。 今の音楽を作るようになったきっかけやエピソードがありましたら、 お聞かせください。 元々パソコンオタクで、ホームページを作ったりゲームを作ったり、し ていて21歳の時に何か面白いこと出来ないかなと色々模索していた時 期で、その時にbeatmaniaをはじめとするKONAMIの音楽ゲームに 熱中していて、 「これってパソコンで作れるんだ！自分でもやってみる か」と面白半分で始めたのがキッカケです。 当時は、KOTONOHOUSEという名義ではなくて、雑に色々な曲を作 っては消してを繰り返していて、2016年の始めに失恋をキッカケに時 間が出来たのでKOTONOHOUSEという名義で作曲に没頭してまし た、音楽に救いを求めていたのかもしれないです。笑 SoundCloud では海外のリスナーも多いとお伺いしましたが、その 理由は何処にあるとお考えでしょうか？ YouTubeチャンネル「Waifu Wednesdays」に曲を取り上げられた こと、アメリカのレーベルattack the musicからの作品のリリースが キッカケかなと感じてます。あと、 「え アタシ！？(e watashi!?)」とい うフレーズが海外のオタクにウケたのも大きいと思ってます。笑 2019年の目標は何ですか？ サウンドクラウド上に雑にアップロードした曲などをブラッシュアップ したいのと、KOTONOHOUSEの世界観をパッケージ化したいのでア ルバムをリリースしたいです。■
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まず何と言っても、音響デザインの最高峰VOID社のサウンドシステム を搭載し、そして、BARには、サウンドデザイナーの草分けであり、世 界にその名を馳せる音響監督のkatsuyuki setoプロデュースのもと、 最新のテクノロジーが生み出した音響理論“3D SOUND”を世界初導 入。超音波による世界初の音響空間が用意されている。
2019年2月7日(木) SEL OCTAGON TOKYOがグランドオープン 六本木から日本のナイトカルチャーを革新
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019年2月7日(木)、六本木に新たなナイトカルチャーを創出する 空間が誕生する。エイベックス・エンタテインメント株式会社が手 がける「SEL OCTAGON TOKYO」だ。エイベックスが培ってきた「エ ンタテインメント×アート×デジタルテクノロジー」で、日本のナイトカ ルチャーを革新する。世界初の超音波による音響システム、静脈認証 によるセキュリティ、キャッシュレス。今まで日本で体感したことのな い空間を味わうことができる。 SEL OCTAGON TOKYOは、国内有数のインターナショナルタウン である六本木・東京ミッドタウン前に位置し、オープン前から欧米を中 心に大きな話題を呼んでいる。店内は、季節ごとに展示されるアート、 世界トップアーティストによる音楽、一流の食とサービスでハイクオリ ティのホスピタリティなど、あらゆる機能を内在しており、これまで日 本のナイトシーンに新たな風を吹かせることは間違いない。グランド オープンの2月7日（木）から2月10日（日）までの4日間は、グランドオ ープニングパーティとしてスペシャルラインナップで営業し、GRAND OPENINGイベントには、DJ MAG TOP 100 DJsでお馴染みの NICKY ROMEROが世界最高峰のパフォーマンスを行うことが決定。 さらに、DJ MAG TOP 100 DJs 2018で25位に輝いたQuintino、 「Easy Love」や「Sweet Lovin」など世界的な大ヒットチューンを生 み出したSIGALAが登場することも確定している。
「SEL OCTAGON EXCLUSIVE LINEUP 2019」: 2019年1月31日 時点 ▪NICKY ROMERO: 2019年2月7日(木) GRAND OPENINGイベン ト出演決定 ▪Quintino: 2019年2月15日(金) ▪SIGALA: 2019年3月29日(金) 詳細は、公式HPよりご確認ください（URL：https://sel-octagontokyo.jp/） このSEL OCTAGON TOKYOが世界から注目されている理由は、 注目マーケットである日本で、国内人気DJがResidentDJとして最新 の音楽を提供し、週末にはResidentDJに加えて世界中のビッグフェ スのヘッドライナーとして活躍する世界トップクラスのアーティストを 「SEL OCTAGON EXCLUSIVE LINEUP 2019」として招聘、世界 最高峰レベルのダンスミュージックを届けることができるからだ。さ らにはその設備・空間にも熱視線が送られている。
そして、超音波は8種類（エキサイティング、感覚を和らげるリラック ス、気持ちを落ち着かせるリラックス、気付き、敏感、睡眠、水の味を 変える、オープンマインド）の周波数を調合し、シーンに応じて使い分 けることで、快適な空間を演出することを可能とした。光の演出に関し ても、国内最大規模のレーザーが配置されており、それらを操るのは ライティング＆レーザーアーティストの第一人者AIBA。鏡面仕様の壁 面がレーザーを反射させ、スペクタクルな空間を構築する。 さらに、エンターテインメント施設では、国内初となる静脈認証を採 用。国内一のセキュリティが万全、審査もスムーズな空間を作ること に成功し、無駄なストレスなく素敵な時を過ごすことができる。身分 証や現金を持たずに楽しめる新しい空間がSEL OCTAGON TOKYO には用意されている。 ホスピタリティーは、 「ULTRA JAPAN」など数々のフェスやイベント を手掛けてきたエイベックス・エンタテインメントだからこそできた、 「XEX」をはじめとした数多くのラグジュアリーレストランを運営する 「ワイズテーブルコーポレーション」とコラボし、高級レストラン品質 の一流の食とサービスを提供。 これ以上の空間が、現在、日本に存在するだろうか? 長年エンターテ イメント業界でトップランナーとして君臨してきたエイベックス・エン タテインメントだからこそできたSEL OCTAGON TOKYO、ぜひそ の身をもって体感していただきたい。2月7日(木) NICKY ROMERO のGRAND OPENINGイベントで多くの皆さんにお会いできるのを楽 しみしている。■
業界人が募る隠れ家的BAR AOYAMA TUNNEL カルチャーに敏感な人々が集う東京随一のナイトスポット
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011年、旧OATH/青山蜂と同じビルの地下にオープン。 ラウンジとしての居心地の良さと選りすぐられたDJによる幅広い 選曲を楽しめる隠れ家的バー。 アパレル関係者やモデル、カルチャーに敏感な人々が集う東京随一の ナイトスポットとして認知されている。 ▪店名: Aoyama TUNNEL ▪住所 : 東京都渋谷区渋谷4-5-9 青山ビルB1F ▪営業時間 : Tue-Thu 20:00-5:00 / Fri&Sat&Before Holiday 20:00-8:00 / Sun 20:00-3:00 / Mon OFF ▪電話番号: 03-6805-1932
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MUST-VISIT MUSICAL ATTRACTIONS IN ASIA Words: ARIEL JO, TIFFANY KIM, SHION OGUSHI
昨年、エアビーアンドビー(Airbnb)の発表によると、最も人気のある トリップのカテゴリに音楽も含まれたという。その割合は9%でまだま だ低い水準だが、ミレニアル世代(millennial generation)がそのトレ ンドの主役で、観光業界はもちろん、音楽産業の従事者から注目を浴 びている。フェスティバルと様々なクラブのパーティの聖地として知ら れているイビザ島、ラスベガス、マイアミなど、名の知れたエレクトロ・ ミュージック拠点より、小さな都市に潜んでいる魅力を好む最新のト レンドに合わせて、DJ Mag Asiaの愛読者の皆様にオススメの「ミュ ージックスポット」を紹介したい。うってつけのところをチェックしてみ よう。■
CHINA ATOUR MUSIC HOTEL CHENGDU
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楽は、私たちの生活で身近に接することができる。どこに行って も気軽に触れられるものが音楽である。また、音楽はその地域 の文化を間接的に体得させる要素でもある。このように、私たちと緊 密な関係にある音楽をテーマにしたホテルがあればどうだろうか。音 楽を愛する人にとって、まるで夢のような空間になるに違いない。そん なホテルが中国四川省の成都に現れた。
美しい文化的な背景で有名な中国の成都にあるAtour Music Hotel は、中国の代表的な音源プラットホームのWangyiyun MUSICと Atour Hotelのコラボによって誕生した。昨年4月にオープンしたこの ホテルは、開業前から音楽ファンから注目の的になって爆発的な人気 を集め、成都の新しいランドマークとなっている。
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Atour Music Hotelに入ってみると、明るい照明のもと、携帯電話 で写真を撮りたくなる。ホテルを訪れる顧客を驚かせる大型ロビー は、Wangyiyun MUSICを象徴する赤い色のインテリアで、フロ ントやレストラン、バー、ステージ、交流の場も付帯されている。特 に、Wangyiyun MUSICのアルバムレコードが片方の壁面全体を飾っ ているのは非常に印象的だ。多彩な色のアルバムレコードは、音楽的 な感性を刺激する。ロビーには、Wangyiyun MUSICがオンラインで 販売している商品が実物で見られ、人気のためオンラインでは売れ切 りとなった「音楽鑑賞評書」が購入できる。 部屋は、クラシック、ジャズ、歌謡、EDMの４つのテーマに分かれてい る。それぞれの部屋には、テーマに似合うインテリアで、テレビから曲 が流れ、まるで公演の現場に来ているように感じられる。中でも目立 つのは、ミレニアル世代を魅了する「EDMルーム」。野外テラスと共に 華やかなネオンの照明とDJテーブル、ミクシングテーブルなど、様々 な音楽機材が備えられている。ホテルを訪れる顧客は、まるでDJにな った気分で好きな曲を直接プレイでき、野外テラスで友達と一緒に小 さなパーティーもできる。エレクトロ・ミュージックが好きな方に是非 オススメしたいところだ。カシミア(KSHMR)とリハブ(R3HAB)、ティ ミー・トランペット(TIMMY TRUMPET)など、毎年超大型のラインア ップを誇るパンダカーニバル(Panda Electronic Carival)といった有 名なフェスティバルが開催され、成都を訪れる観光客にとってオスス メのミュージックスポットだ。■
KOREA INCHEON, PARADISE CITY
JAPAN
素
敵なホテルで夢のバカンスを！北東アジア最大級の複合リゾー ト「パラダイスシティ」が、その夢を実現させる。韓国の西側に ある永宗島に位置し、仁川国際空港から5分という好アクセス。音楽 ファンが注目すべきところは、北東アジア最大級のクロマ(CHROMA) というクラブだ。年中プールパーティが楽しめるビーチクラブと2つ のステージ、ミュージックラウンジが備えられている。トランス、ハウ ス、テクノ、EDMなど、様々なジャンルの音楽に合わせてナイトクラ ブを満喫できる。3000人を収容できるので、規模の面でも圧倒的と いえる。ティエスト(Tiësto)をはじめ、スティーヴ・アンジェロ(Steve Angello)、スティーヴ・アオキ(Steve Aoki)、ナーヴォ(Nervo)、リハ ブ(R3HAB)、ロスト・フリクエンシーズ(Lost Frequencis)、フェデ・ ル・グランド(Fedde Le Grand)、アフロジャック(Afrojack)など、DJ Magで最上位の世界的なアーティストの公演が相次いで行われ、ア ジアでは中々見られないイベントでトレンドに敏感なクラブファンを 魅了する。 スタークラブのデザイナー、ジョシュ・ヘルド(Josh Held)氏が内部デ ザインを担当した。ステージと豪華な舞台装置及び音響システムだけ でなく、世界的な建築グループのMVRDVの設計によって生まれた黄 金の太陽が溶け込んでいるような独特な外観を併せ持っており、ナイ トクラブ向けの旅行先としてベストなところだ。 そして、もう一つ！最高級施設でオールナイトで楽しんだ後、星5つの ホテルで泊まるのもいいが、寝ることをあきらめれば癒しとスリルを満 喫できる「シメル」というスパに寄ってみよう。シメルは、およそ4000 坪規模の室内外スパ施設で、1階のアクアクラブでは、毎週金曜日と 土曜日の夜、エキサイティングなプールパーティが開かれる。韓国な らではのチムジルバンを体験できる「チムジルスパゾーン」も設けら れており、サーフセットフィット(Surfset Fit)、アクアフロートフィット (Aquafloat Fit)、ピヨ(Piyo)など、トレンディーなフィットネスプログ ラムも経験できる。■
TOKYO, VENT
世
界最先端の芸術的なサウンドシステムを備えたクラブが東京に 現れた。選りすぐりのハウス(House)やテクノ(Techno)アーテ ィストの公演を楽しみながら、極上の音楽体験ができる!「東京のシャ ンゼリゼ通り」といわれる表参道にあるクラブVENTは、毎週末、世 界中からTOPアーティストが来日している。ディクソン(Dixon)、アシ ッド・パウリ (Acid Pauli)、プリンス・トーマス(Prins Thomas)、ジ ェフ・ミルズ (Je Mills)、クリス・リービング(Chris Liebing)、セバス チャン・マー レイ(Sebastian Mullaert)などの大物から、シーンの最 先端ともいえる良質で独創的なアーティストの公演が行われている。 ミニマルなデザインと植物が印象的な空間も見逃せない。現代的で最 小限に抑えられたデザインは音楽に集中できる構造だ。まさに適度な 規模で、真に音楽を楽しもう とする音楽の愛好家のために作られたス ペースであるが、もちろんシングル・ナイトクラバーも気楽に音楽が楽 しめる。VENTを除いて、東京のナイトライフを語ることはできない。 また、音楽の愛好家らが集まるVENTでは、音楽を通して良い会話が できるコミュニティの役割も果たしている。スピーカーに最適化され たルームアコースティックをはじめ、スピーカーと鼓膜のあいだ、人と 人のあいだ。念密にデザインされた”あいだ”を沢山の人が共有するこ とで、今までにない人と情報との出会いを生み出している。音楽につ いて深く掘り下げたい、あるいは世界の音楽愛好家に会ってみたいな ら、今からでも東京行きの飛行費チケットを買っておこう! 写真撮 影が 禁じられているが、それがさらに好 奇心をそそる。直 接行ってみないと分からないところで、本誌に載せられている写真 もオープン前に撮影された数少ないものだ。だが、一度行ってみれ ば、VENTでしか経験できない魅力と感動の虜になるだろう。■
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JPN
世界はマーティン・ギャリックスに 注目している
THE WHOLE WORLD IS TALKING ABOUT
MARTIN GARRIX Words: JACE, ARIEL JO
彼の作品には、クラブとフェスティバル、ダンスミュージックシーンだけでなく、日常生活で身近な町や素 敵なショップ、カフェ、バー、あるいは様々な広告やCMでも耳にすることができる。ADE期間中のアムス テルダムでは、 マーティン・ギャリックスに因んだピザやマーティン・ギャリックスのハンバーガーも販売さ れ、書店では彼の写真集が飛ぶように売れている。カールコックス(Carl Cox)と共演したドキュメンタリ ー映画が話題となり、著名なファッションマガジン、ヴォーグの表紙モデルになったこともある。
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アーティストとしても成功を遂げているが、あな たが設立したレーべルも独立したステージを作 れるくらい成長した。マイアミ・ウルトラ・ミュー ジックフェスティバルでSTMPD RCRDSステー ジを構成する計画だと発表したが、どんな計画な のか? そして、アーティストとしての成功とレーべ ルの成功は、それぞれ異なっていると思うが、こ れについてどう思うのか?
最高の人気を謳歌しているマーティン・ギャリッ クスであるだけに、2018年のDJ Mag Top 100 DJsで他の順位は予測できないとしても、1位は当 然マーティン・ギャリックスになるだろうと皆思っ ていた。その予想通り、3年連続で1位の座を譲っ ていない。ミュージシャンとして確固たる地位を獲 得したが、彼と直接仕事をした人々は、口をそろえ て彼が明るくて謙虚な人間として尊敬している。 「どうして、こんなに恵まれた人間がいるのだろう か」と思われたりもするだろう。ストレスが溜まっ たり、誰も知らない苦しみや、暗い秘話はないか と明かしてもらいたかったが、彼は逸脱や迷い、 批判から音楽を作り出すのではなく、幸せで健康 かつ道理に適う音楽を追求するミュージシャンだ った。
World’s No.1 DJ for Third Successive Year! それでは、彼自身は成功についてどのように思って いるのだろうか。これまでヒットしたたくさんのト ラック、3年連続DJ Mag Top 100 DJs Voteで Top No. 1 DJ、名の知れたアーティストらとのコ ラボ。それだけでなく、彼が立ち上げたレーべル のSTMPD RCRDSの成長、平昌オリンピックで の華やかな閉幕式。マーティン・ギャリックスが最 も尊敬し、DJを目指すきっかけを与えたティエス トが、あるメディアとのインタビューで音楽的な刺 激を与えるDJとしてマーティン・ギャリックスを挙 げた時、20代にして最高の幸運に恵まれていると いえる。 2018 DJ Mag Top 100 DJsで３度目のTop No. 1 DJ選定、おめでとう。3年連続1位に選定さ れた感想を聞きたい。AMFで「High on life」と 共に1位のDJとして名前が呼ばれた時、どんな気 分だったか？ 1回でもなく、 『3年連続』という確 固たるトップの座で感じる喜びは、格別なだけに 負担も大きくなると思われる。これについての率 直な気持ちも聞きたい。 こんなに愛されてとても嬉しい!とても情熱的なフ ァンを見ているだけでもファンタスティックな気分 だ。ファン達は、この3年間僕を沢山応援してくれ た。本当にありがたい。プレッシャーは受けたりし ない。僕自身、自分はそんなに偉いDJとは思って いないが、そのかわりに最高のファンに支えられて いると思っている。
STMPD RCRDSの全ての関係者と共に仕事をし たのは本当にすばらしい経験だった。彼らと共に 音楽を作れて本当に良かった。みんな良い友達だ った。僕は可能性と才能を併せ持った人々の音楽 を、より多くの観客に紹介するプラットホームを提 供し、スタジオで彼らの実力と試みを発展させる チャンスを与えることが重要だと思う。チャンスを 与えるということは、本当にやりがいのあることで あり、今までの結果も素晴らしい!
「僕自身、自分はそんなに 偉いDJとは思っていない が、そのかわりに最高のフ ァンに支えられていると思 っている」 アジアのファンにとって、昨年韓国で開かれた平 昌オリンピックは見逃せないほど大きな感動だっ たと思う。2018年平昌オリンピックの閉会式の 公演そのものも感動的だったが、本人が進んで 公演をすると連絡し、ノーギャランティーだった と聞いた。航空券や、宿泊・滞在費を自ら支払っ たことも話題となった。あなたのロールモデルで あるティエストが、アテネオリンピックで公演を 披露したことが、平昌オリンピックでの公演を通 して誰かに音楽的な刺激を与えたかったという のが理由だと聞いた。エレクトロミュージックに 馴染みのない人達にも感動を与えたと聞く。あな たのソーシャルメディアに、平昌オリンピックの前 日、ティエストと映像通話する様子を載せたが、 それを見たファンは涙を流したほど感動したそう だが、実際当時の気分は?
ーチャーベース、フューチャーハウス等、様々なジ ャンルの音楽を発表し、最近発表した「Glitch」に 至るまで、およそ60のEPシングルを出してヒット 行進を続けている。このように、成長し続ける原 動力は何であろうか?それは「High on life」の歌 詞の冒頭につづられている「Killed the demons of my mind」のように、ネガティブな事を一切考 えず前向きな態度で進むエネルギーこそ、そのカ ギのように思える。 沢山の曲を作ってきたが。どのようにして音楽的 な刺激を受けるか? あらゆるものから音楽的な刺激を受けている。ヒ ップホップやR&B、クラシックや古い音楽といっ た様々なジャンルからでもあるし、他のアーティス トとコラボすることも、まさにクリエイティブな結 果を生み出す方法の一つだ。彼らの観点とサウン ドは、僕の音楽を他の観点から解釈できるように し、これまで触れることができなかった作品が生 まれるように導いてくれる。 最近、マイク・ヤング(Mike Yung)とコラボした 曲は、新しい雰囲気がする作品という印象を受け た。マーティン・ギャリックスが表現している音楽 は、多彩な感じがした。アメリカのある番組で、マ イク・ヤングが歌って、あなたがギターを弾く姿 が非常に印象的だった。あなたならではの手振り で踊りながら観客を集中させるフェスティバルの パフォーマンスとは少し違ったものだった。マイ ク・ヤングとの作業はどうだったか? どのように してコラボするようになったかも聞きたい。 マイクとコラボしてみたら、多くの刺激を受けた! 彼が歌う様子をインスタグラムの動画で初めて見 た。それまで彼について聞いたこともなかったが、 彼の声を聞くと何かもの凄いことをやってしまうよ うに思えた。驚異的なサウンドで、最近僕が音楽 で見逃しているところが多かった。僕の方からコラ ボを提案したが、快く受け入れてくれた。二人とも 新しいプロジェクトだったが、そのトラックは僕に とって誇らしいものだ。
ティエストは、いつも僕に大きな音楽的な刺激を 与えてくれる。彼のオリンピックでのパフォーマン スが、プロデューサー兼DJになりたいと思ったき っかけだった。そして、彼と同じくオリンピックで 公演できたのは、僕にとって大きな意味があり、本 当に忘れられない経験だった。その公演を見た人 が数え切れないほど多いということで、当然なが ら緊張した。こうした経験は、僕の予想を超える 大変大きなものであって、公演は本当に良かった!
Good man, Good music! マーティンが正式に活動を始めたのは2012年、ス ピニン(Spinnin)とクラウドコントロール(Crowd Control)というレーべルでトラックを発表した。 翌年発表したトラック「Animals」は、ビートポー トに登録されてわずか1週間で1位となり、2019 年現在、ユーチューブで12億強の視聴を記録して いる。その後もビックルームスタイルの音楽をはじ め、エレクトロハウス、プログレッシブハウス、フュ
ONE FOR THE BOOKS LIFE = CRAZYは、フォトグラファーのLouis van Baarが5年間マーティン・ギャリックスと一 緒にツアーに同行して撮影した写真集である。 ルイスとマーティンの友情も格別なもので、彼の ツアーと日常の様々な写真を通してマーティン・ ギャリックスをより深く理解できる。出版社と書 店で有名なMendoで制作した。
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「決まったサウンドにとらわれ たくない」 「Dreamer」が非常に滑らかなダンスポップ トラックであれば、後に発表した「Glitch」は、 相当なヘビーヒッター(heavy-hitter)だった。 これもマーティン・ギャリックスのトラックらし く、質の高いフェスティバル・バンガー(festival banger)だったが、自分自身のサウンドをどのよ うに定義しているか? どんなトラックが好みに近 いか? 僕は、一つのトラックを特別扱いはしない。両トラ ックは性質が異なっているが、僕は両方とも好き だ。 「Dreamer」と「Glitch」は、それぞれ異なっ た目的で作られた。一つは観客にエネルギーを与 えるため、もう一つは広くメッセージを伝え、癒す ためだった。両トラックは、同じところでそれぞれ 異なった雰囲気を表すために作られた。両トラッ クとも素敵な作品だと思う。僕は「これこそ俺の真 のサウンドだ」とは言えない。当然、自分なりのス タイルと音色を持つことは重要だが、そこに自分を 強制してはいけない。ただ僕に似合う、僕が好き なサウンドのミュージックを作りたい。決まったサ ウンドにとらわれたくない。 上の質問に続いて、ダンスミュージックのトレン ドがあなたの始めてのブレイクアウトトラック 「Animals」以来、変化してきた。今ではたくさ んのアーティストがポップ風のトラックを試みた り、ラテンアーティストとコラボしたり、アンダー グラウンドサウンドで新しい試みをしたりする。( 例：David GuettaのJack Backプロジェクト) 今後、ダンスミュージックのトレンドは、どのよう になると見ているか? そして、こうしたトレンドに ついて、これから我々が耳にするあなたの音楽は どんなスタイルになると思うか? 音楽を作る時に興味深いのは、音楽は変化し続け るべきであるが、将来どのようなことが起こるか予 測がつかない事だ。現在、ラテン系アーティストの 音楽が大きな軸となっており、これからのダンス ミュージックのシーンにも大きな影響を与えると 思う。 All agesと18+のパーティを企画しているのを見 て、インダストリーとしてはスマートな企画で、ア ーティストにとっては良いロールモデルとなって いる。All agesパーティは、大人も楽めるし、子 供にとってはアミューズメントパークに来ている ようなワクワク感を与えると聞いた。こうした公 演を作ったきっかけを知りたい。そして、公演を通 して得られたものとして具体的に何があるのか? フェスティバルやコンサートに行くことは面白い。 だが、18歳未満のファンは、年齢制限のせいで素 晴らしい経験ができないということに気づいた。 僕たちと同じように、未成年者も友達と良い時間 を過ごして僕の音楽に接するチャンスを与えたか った。本当に素晴らしい! 彼らはとても喜んでい て、エネルギーが溢れている。僕の公演に友達や
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両親と一緒に来た未成年のファンの話を沢山聞い た。こうした経験を提供できるということが僕を 幸せにする。 デビッド・ゲッタ(David Guetta)、ティエスト (Tiësto)、ディミトリ・ヴェガス&ライク・マイク (Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike)、ハードウェル (Hardwell)、アフロジャック(Afrojack)、ディ ロン・フランシス(Dillon Francis)そしてアッシ ャー(Usher)など、今や巨匠といえるたくさんの アーティストとコラボしてきた。コラボしたいアー ティストを決める判断基準はあるのか? 今では、 コラボを断るケースが以前に比べて多いと見られ るが、スケジュールの都合を除いて断った経験が あれば、その理由をお聞きしたい。 新しいアーティストとコラボすることは、とても楽 しい。彼らは、それぞれの固有のサウンドと音色 をトラックに盛り込み、その結果物は僕を驚かせ た。コラボの相手を決める際、彼らのサウンドと彼 らとの連結点を考える。それがふさわしくないと感 じる場合、コラボしない。僕が望ましいと思ってい るところに合っているかどうかが重要だ。
DREAMER
「Dreamer」は、2018年11月1日マーティン・ ギャリックスのSTMPD RCRDSでシングル発 売された。MVも公開されている。アメリカのソ ウルシンガー（soul singer）として58歳の年で アメリカズ・ゴット・タレント(Got Talent)に出演 したマイク・ヤング(Mike Yung)がフィーチャリ ング(featuring)した。マーティンの曲では中々 見られない新しいスタイルで、R&Bボーカルと ブルーススタイルを融合したポップサウンドを 盛り込んでおり、2018年の初頭に死去したヤン グの妻、リディア氏にささげる曲でもある。
これまでコラボをしたことはないが、是非コラボ してみたいアーティストはいるか? あるいは間も なくコラボが予定されているアーティストがいれ ば教えてもらいたい。 質問の通り、僕のウィッシュリスト(Wish list)に何 人かいる。ショーン・メンデス(Shawn Mendes) 、ファレル(Pharrell)、そしてイマジンドラゴンズ (Imagine Dragons)とコラボしてみたい。本当に 素晴らしいアーティストだ。 8歳から音楽を始めたと聞いた。音楽を除いたマ ーティン・ギャリックスは想像できないが、もしア ーティストでなければ、どんなことをしていたと 思うか? 分からない。音楽は、僕の人生と共に生きてきた。 今でも僕の大きな部分を占めている。僕の人生 は、音楽に支えられている。音楽のない人生は考 えられない。それでもと言われたら、ただ僕が楽 しんでいた何かであったと信じている! 社会もそうだが、音楽もトレンドが早く変わって いる。いつも新しくしなければならないというプ レッシャーがあると思われるが、作曲の作業でト レンドの変化が早いという点を脅威と思うか? 現在、チャートには様々なジャンルがある。新しい サウンドも生み出されたり、新しいアーティストも 登場したりする。たくさんの人が、本人が好きな音 楽を作れるということは素晴らしいと思う。脅威 ではない。先般、僕が言ったように自分が作りた い音楽を生み出したいが、トレンドを口実に自分を 制限したくない。
GLITCH
「Glitch」は、2018年12月14日、マーティンの レーべルSTMPD RCRDSで発売された。マー ティン・ギャリックス(Martin Garrix)とジュリア ン・ジョーダン(Julian Jordan)がコラボした。 二人は長い間共にコラボしてきたが、最初のコ ラボ曲「BFAM」と二曲目「Welcome」に次い でのコラボ曲で、モノクロのMVも発売してい る。火花が飛ぶようなエレクトロサウンドが魅 力的で、独特なサウンドと強いビートがタイトル に似合っている。シンセのメロディが、曲の雰囲 気を一層柔らかくしている。
His Healthy and Energetic Lifestyle 去年はアヴィーチーの死去、ハードウェルの活 動休止など、このシーンが人気が高いだけにDJ のライフバランスについて考えさせられる年だっ た。体力とメンタルをどのようにケアしているの か? 精神的な悩みをよく聞いてくれる人はいるの か? 僕は、ほとんどの時間を友達や家族と過ごしてい るが、仕事上では素晴らしいチームを持っている。 僕たちのチームは、長い間一緒に仕事を進めてき いる。チームの優先順位は、やはり僕が健康で幸 せに生きていくことだ。忙しい日々を送っている が、チームが僕を支えてくれて、何よりも好きなこ とに集中しているのが幸せの源となっており、こ れからも歩んでいける動機を与えてくれる。 公演が頻繁に行われているが、昨年の公演の回 数は? ツアーで記憶に残っているファンはいる か? 個人的に印象的だった都市は? 正確ではないが、本当に沢山やった! 地球の反対 側にある国に行って、僕の音楽を知っている人に 出会うのはワクワクする。僕は、ファンの皆を愛し ており、みんなに感謝している。 飛行機に乗っている時間は退屈そうだが、主に何 をするか? 寝たり、作曲の作業をしたり、チームのメンバーと 遊んだりする。飛行機でのカードゲームは本当に 楽しい。 私たちが2018年のADEのためにアムステルダム を訪れた時、まるでマーティン・ギャリックスの町 と思われるほど、町中にあなたの顔とロゴでいっ ぱいだった。地元での応援と支持は桁が違うと思 うが、オランダがダンスミュージックでたくさん の人材を輩出している。その背景はどこにあると 思うか? 本当にマジックみたいだと思わないか？現在、オラ ンダのアーティスト中で、音楽シーンで活躍してい る人が多い。その理由はよく分からないが、オラン ダは小さい国だから音楽が人に接しやすいのだと 思う。 公演と作曲の作業についてこれからの計画を聞 きたい。 新しい音楽と楽しいプロジェクトを計画している。 だから、これからも応援をお願いしたい!そして、 僕たちは素晴らしい公演を開くだろう!とても楽し みだ! あなたの最終的な目標は、新しい才能の支援だ と聞いた。非常に良い趣旨であって、あなたの人 格を感じさせる。これに関連した計画についてお 聞きしたい。 僕は、才能のある若いアーティストらが互いに学 び合い、力を合わせて仕事を進めるスペースを提
供したくてSTMPD TCRDSを設けた。僕たちは、 この数年間いろんなことを実現したし、ここで終 わらせたくない。 DJ Mag Asiaのファンの皆様にあいさつをお願 いしたい。そして、 「どうすればマーティン・ギャ リックスのようになれるか」と思ってDJを目指す アジアのファンにアドバイスも。 アジアのファンの皆さん! 会えて嬉しいです。皆さ んに感謝しています！アジアを訪れるたびに皆さ んのエネルギーとサポートが感じれてとても嬉し いです。もし、音楽への夢をお持ちの方がいれば、 絶えずに練習して挑戦してみてくださいと言いた いです！音楽を発表することを恐れないでくださ い。熱心に努力して自分自身を信じれば、願いは 叶うでしょう。
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永く生き残れるカギは、変化しかない。
CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT 私たちは、インド系アメリカ人のア ーティスト、カシミア(KSHMR)氏 と彼の人生で最も素敵だったこと、 サウンドの斬新さを常に追求するモ ットーについて話した。 Words: HERNÁN PANDELO
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った。 ダンスミュージックのファンでもある僕が、 ファ ン達を通して身をもって覚えた反応が原動力となり、 こうしたのジャンルを追求するようになったと思う」
カ
何ヶ月か前に発売した 「Magic」 は、 あなたの 「以前 のサウンド」 を取り戻した感じがした。 まるで何かの 意図があるように見える。 「以前のカシミア」 を盛り込 んだ作品なのか?
シミア氏の近況を聞いたところ、 LAにある自宅 で 「また腰を据えて、 新しい音楽を作りたい」 と 答えた。 2018年世界中で活躍し、 今は新しい音楽的 以前のカシミ な刺激を得るためにゆっくり休むべき時期だという。 「僕の音楽をたくさん耳にした人には、 新しいカシミアのミュージック 去年、 カシミアには様々なことが起きた。 新しいアイデ アが感じられるだろう。 ワクワク感を増幅させるために他の試みが必要だ アが反映された公演、 斬新な新曲などだが、 好ましく は、 少し違和感がするかも知れない」 ないニュースもあったという。 「Parookavilleでの公演 ったので、 が一番良かった。 自分が製作したショーでアニメ化し たところをライブミュージシャンと共に紹介した。 また、 「 M a g i c 」は 、D H A R M A で 発 売 さ れ DHARMAは、 あなたの音楽だけでなく、 他の同 「Carry Me Home」 を発売できて個人的にとても嬉 た。 しい。 「Carry Me Home」 は、 僕が一番好きな曲の一 僚との素敵な曲が発売されて成長を遂げているよ
「それが義務のように感 じられる時、一歩引きたく なる」 このプラットホームで重視していること つで、 僕のセットに最も合っている。 そして、 一番悲し うに見える。 は? かったことは、 祖父の死去だ。 Niles Hollowell-Dharは、 ここ数年 「カシミア」 と呼ば より多くの人に知ってもら れたが、 これからも変わる事はないだろう。 変化の要 「僕が好きになった曲、 素を最小限に組み入れるだろうが、 彼のサウンドには いたい曲などを紹介するプラットホームを提供す いわゆる 「可変性」 がある。 「斬新なサウンドを探り、 こ るために設けられたレーべルがまさにDHARMA DHARMAは、 プロデューサーへの学習支援に力 れまで作ってきたものより新鮮な音楽的フレームを だ。 次世代のプロデューサーが成長できる 作ってみたい」 と話している。 こうした探求的な姿勢こ を入れている。 テンプレート そ、 トップのアーティストとコラボしながら世界的なア ようにサウンドパックやチュートリアル、 などを提供し、 間もなくDHARMAのウェブサイトで ーティストとして成長できる根源といえる。 公開する予定だ」 EDMの全体的なスペクトルを偏りなく扱っているよ 「したい音楽」 を発売するということ うに見える。 今は音楽的な性格が定着し、 このジャン あなたにとって、 どれほど重要なのか? ルのアーティストの中で最も優秀だと評価されてい は、 る。 他のところで同じような経験はあるか? 現在、 ダ それをサポートできる自分だ ンスミュージックについてどのように思っているの 「新しい試みをする際、 けのチームを持つことが重要だ。 特に、 「Spinnin」 で か? Jorn Heringa氏がその役割を果たしてくれている。 彼 次の作品に反映させるサウンドを見つけるよう励 「ここ数年の経験を振り返ってみると、 僕にとってワ は、 ダンスミュージックとは違うジャンルを融合 クワクするダンスミュージックは、 エネルギーをピーク ましたり、 こうしたサポ にするものだと思う。 ビックルームとかプログレッシブ できるように勇気を与えてくれる存在だ。 そうでなければ、 ある時 ハウス、 ハードスタイルを耳にするとドキドキする。 他 ート役が絶対必要だと思う。 以前のものを追いかけた のジャンルが嫌いなわけではないが、 スタジオで作業 点で自分自身を模倣したり、 すぐにあきれてしまう。 をする時、 これらのジャンルで進めずにはいられなか りして、
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あなたは、 中東や伝統的なサウンドに大きな愛着が あるように見える。 カシミアの全てのブランドにこう したサウンドの色を維持し続けるのは、 あなたにとっ てどのような意味で、 何らかの意図があるといえる か? 「よく分からない。 インド出身というアイデンティティ ーはとても重要だろうが、 だからといって全ての曲に インド楽器を使っているわけではない。 それが義務の ように感じられる時、 どんどんやる気をなくしてしま う。 だが、 義務的に感じられない程度でインドだけで なく、 世界中の楽器のサウンドを取り入れる試みはこ れからも続くだろう」 あなたの音楽的な経歴から見て、 今後どれほどの計 画を立てられるか? 大きく成功したが......計画を立て やすくなったのか、 困難になったのか?
「もっと個人的なものを 作りたくてカシミアを始 めるようになった」 方法を学び、 ツールを見つけられる資源になればいい と思っている。 そのためには、 優れた曲を探して選定 しなければならない。 そうすればDHARMAで発売さ れる曲の個性自体がまさにDHARMAを構成する要 素になるだろう」
ドの習慣を最も素直に現したものだと思う」 あなたの 「始点」 についてお聞きしたい。 子供の頃ど のような音楽を聞いていたか?
「大きくなるにつれ、 ラップにハマっていった。 大学に カリフォルニアで育ったが、 故郷のインドに愛着を持 入った時にダンスミュージックに興味を持っていた が、 自分にとって真の音楽的な刺激というのは、 ビー 「もっと困難になったと思う。 その理由を話したい。 っているか? トルズ(The Beatles)、 ブルース・スプリングスティー 最初は何度でも失敗を繰り返すだろうが、 自分なり クィーン(Queen)、 フランク インドにいる ン(Bruce Springsteen)、 のサウンドを見つけて人と共感するまでは、 誰も気づ 「僕はインドへの愛着がとても大きい。 幼年期の思い出、 インドでの経験が今の自分を シナトラ(Frank Sinatra)のようなクラシックな要素 かない。 人々が自分の作品を分析したり、 評価したり 家族、 KSHMRは幼い頃からいろんな音楽のジャンルに するようになると、 そこからようやく成果が見え始め 形成するのに非常に重要な役割を果たしているから だ。 潜在的なアーティストでも 僕の背景の多くは、 カシミア(Kashmir)で生まれ 触れるうちに構成された、 る。 これに対応する必要がある。 自分の第一印象をア だ。 もっと大きな影響 ある」 ピールするために、 しかたなく悪戦苦闘する時期がや た父親から受け継いだものであり、 父と祖父は正直すぎる程 ってくるからだ。 成果が実る前までは失敗をたくさん を与えたのは祖父だった。 をどう思っているのか?商業的な音楽 僕がどのように生きていくべきか、 自分自身を 「Cataracs」 経験し、 アーティストらは失敗を踏み台に成功するた の人で、 僕が何かを決める を作るための初めての試みといえるか?どのように め、 失敗作に反対する人はいない。 成功した後も、 地 あきらめないように教えてくれた。 始めたか?あなたが音楽を始めるようになった最初 いつも僕を繊細に見抜いていた」 道に一貫した姿を見せることも重要だが、 人々に完全 時、 のきっかけを覚えているか? に無視される時、 挫折から脱出できなくなってしまう」 人の過去の中にあなたが関連していることが重要だ “Cataracsは高校生の頃から始めた。 僕と友達のデイ まだ試みていない音楽的な領域の中で、 どのような と思っているか? ビットは、 ダンスとポップの要素を融合したヒップホッ 領域を探ってみたいか? 友達とLAに引っ越して、 僕がプロ 「まさにそうだ。 インドの若者は西洋文化に慣れてい プを作りたかった。 「Like A G6」 を一緒に完成させ 彼らを構成する一つの部分でもあるため、 彼ら デュースして作曲した 「日常生活でも気軽に聞けて、 ライブでも実現できる るが、 僕達の願いが実現した。 ファーイースト・ム インドの文化と他の たとき、 音楽を探ってみたい。 公演の時、 僕の音楽をプレーす との特別な連結点を見つけた。 若いインド人や現在のイン ーヴメント(Far East Movement)とデー るのは好きだが、 車を運転しながら聞いてない自分に 影響力を融合することは、 ブ(Dev)と共に、 僕達のダイナミックさ 気づいた。 それが、 この探究心を与えた。 僕のEPの中で を変化できるとてもスペシャルなこ 「Lion Through The Field」 、 とか 「Paradisei」 は例 とを起こした。 人々は、 僕達がG6の 外だが、 これらのトラックはライブで表すのは難しく、 成功を継承し続けると期待してい ある意味勇気が足りないのかも知れない」 たが、 ヒップホップのマニアだった僕 達がヒップホップへの愛着が薄まってい DHARMAがこれからどのような姿であることを願 くことにに気づいてしまった。 それでチー っているか?アーティストとしてのあなたとは関連性 ムを解散してカシミアを作った」 はあるのか?DHARMAにはどれくらい関与してい るのか? 音楽プロデューシングをする前は何 をしていたか? 「DHARMAは、 個人的なアーティストプロジェクトと は完全に別のものだ。 カシミアのために僕が徹底に管 「サンフランシスコ州で1年間大学に 理してきたイメージは、 特定のフレームにとらわれるこ 通っていたが、音楽のために中退した。 となくDHARMAを通して作品を発売するアーティス メキシコ料理屋でウェイターのバイトの傍ら、 トらのイメージに応じて柔軟に変化できるプラットホ その地域に住んでいる子供に勉強を教える仕事をし ームだ。 DHARMAはレーべルの役割以外にも、 未来 た」 の若いプロデューサーがもっと良い曲を作るための
アジア
インドで多くの時間を過ご した僕としては、 インドに 行くのが好きだ。 もちろん、 日本も好きだ。 東京は旅行 の経験が豊富な人をも圧 倒させる程、 魅力的な都市 であるからだ。
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2014年、 カシミアプロジェクトを始めるまでの過程 はどうだったか?それまで既にシーンで巨匠らと仕 事をしていた。 新しい決意のきっかけを聞きたい。 「カシミアを始める前にはポップを作っていた。少し ずつ業績を積み上げていく過程で、 何人かの有名な アーティストらと仕事をするようになったが、 大きなや りがいは無かった。 それで、 もっと個人的なものを作り たくてカシミアを始めるようになった」 それが正しい選択だったと思った時は? 「最初から間違いのない選択だったと感じた。 いきな り僕自身の全てのアーティスト的な面が現れたから だ。 他の人のために曲を作ったりプロデュースしたり するのではなく、 アーティストの道を選んだ以上、 死 に物狂いで取りかかるしかない。 結果として、 自分にと って正しい選択だった。 もちろん、 ティエスト(Tiesto) と 「Secrets」 をコラボした時のように、 僕の人生を変 えた瞬間もあったし、 その当時も間違いないと思って いた」 当時、 最も良かったのは? 「最初は全てが実験だった。 人々に僕の音楽をどのよ うにして聞かせるか、 僕のショーがどのように見られ るかと頭の中でいろいろ考えていたが、 抽象的で、 目 に見えるものは何もなかった。 カシミアのアイディアを 現実のものにする過程で沢山のことが学べて、 本当に 有意義な経験だった」
KSHMR’S OWN TOP 5 (順不同)
- JAMMU - JUNGLE WHISTLE - DADIMA - WILDCARD - SECRETS -
2019年にはどのようなプランを持っているか?スタ ジオで多くの作業をしているように見えるが、 今進め ているプロジェクトの中でアルバムが発表されそう だが、 どのような状況か? 「数ヶ月ぐらいはツアーをする。 その代わり、 スタジオ で作業をしていくつかのシングル曲を仕上げたい。 少 なくともEP1枚を発表してEDMプロデューサーらが よくやっていること以外の何かを伝えたい」 5年後のあなたをどう想像しているか? 「ツアーはできないだろう。僕より年上のアーティス トが未だにツアーをしていることに驚いたりする。 僕 は、 次世代のプロデューサーを助けるためにサウンド パックや教育資料を作ることに力を入れたい。 それで も、 音楽作業は続けたい。 僕がもっとも好きな仕事で 最も安らかになるからだ」
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本名を隠したくない。名前は自分そのもので、自分自身を変えることはできない。
REAL FEELING )LAER GNILEEF( Words: DAEHWA LEE, ARIEL JO 韓国で初めてスピニン・レコード(Spinnin’ Re cords)で音源を発売し、様々なアーティストとコラ ボを進めているアーティスト。公演や会場の都度 に新しい音楽を追求し、成長と発展を目指して努 力を惜しまないクリエイティブなミュージシャン、 ジャスティン・オー(Justin OH)氏が最近、ベースミ ュージックにジャンルを変えてモンスターキャット （Monstercat）の新しいアーティストとして活動 することになった。新しい音楽ジャンルで活動する 際、ネームやブランド名を変えて活動する他のアー ティストとは違って「自分の音楽はつまり自分その もの」と語るジャスティン・オー（Justin OH）氏のプ ライドと哲学は、彼の音楽のファンを十分感動させ る。2018年11月、デルタ・へヴィ(Delta Heavy)と 共に弘大(ホンデ)のthe henz clubで開かれたモン スターキャットレーべルによる初の韓国ツアー公演 の日、彼の胸中を明かしてもらった。
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知名度の高いレーべルで音楽を発表し、多くの成果 を挙げたが、これまでのヒストリーについてはあまり 知られていないと思う。音楽を始めるようになったき っかけは? 小さい頃から音楽を始めた。バイオリンとか、オーケ ストラとバンドなどで音楽活動をしていた。EDMに 触れたのは、アーミン・ヴァン・ブーレン(Armin Van Buuren)氏がきっかけだった。初めて彼の公演を見た 時、まさに「Wow！」そのものだった。それ以来、全て が変わった。作曲とプロデュースも早くから始めた。来 韓した時、作曲をしていた曲が「Wait For You」だ。ポ ール・オーケンフォールド(Paul Oakenfold)氏がBBC 第1ラジオでこの曲を紹介してくれた。当時、アジア系 のDJがヨーロッパで活動するケースがなかったので、 大変画期的な事だった。そして、ウルトラコリアのよう な大きなフェスティバルに招かれ、たくさんの韓国人 が僕を覚えてくれた。僕はDJというよりミュージシャン のアイデンティティーが強い。様々なジャンルをプロデ ュースするのが好きだ。モンスターキャットが好きなの は、いろんなジャンルに接することができるし、何でも 受け入れて励ましてくれるからだ。 ベースミュージックに変えたというのが、ベースにこ だわらないという意味もあるのでは?
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モンスターキャットが 好きなのは、いろんな ジャンルに接すること ができるし、何でも受 け入れて励ましてくれ るからだ。
今の時点で2013年のデビューアル バム<The Time Traveller>につい て評価するとしたら? 面白い事に、昨日同じ質問をされ た。時々過去の曲を聴きながら自分がどれほど成長し たか考える事がある。正直に言うと、このアルバムが 好きだ。本当に自己中心的で貪欲的なアルバムだ。他 人を気にしながら作ったアルバムではなく、自分のた めに作ったアルバムだ。何でも受け入れてくれる素晴 らしいレーべルと仕事をしながら発売させたものなの で、僕にとって特別なものだ。惜しいところは、もっと 歌がうまかったら良かったかも知れない(笑)。アルバム で４曲を直接歌った。
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まさにそうだ。一つのジャンルにこだ わりたくない。ただ、ベースミュージ ックには僕が表現したいストーリー とスタイルがある。既にやってみたジ ャンルと斬新で楽しいアンダーグラ ウンド・ミュージックの要素が潜んで いるように感じられる。
ないところがあると思う。アジアは広いが、その地特 有の文化とサブカルチャーが無くなってきている。子 供の頃からエレクトロダンス音楽を、デヴィッド・ゲ ッタ(David Guetta)とブラック・アイド・ピーズ(Black Eyed Peas)がコラボしたものの様に、ポップソング以 前のサブカルチャーだと思った。それで、サブカルチャ ーに反映できる何かを探りたかった。デジタル世代の ために新しいものを創り出してみたかった。
だが、主に韓国にいるので、韓国のファンはここでの 活動が比較的に少ないと思っている。 最近どのように過ごしているか?最近の活動とこれか らの計画について。 本当に忙しくも楽しい日々を送っている。中国のエレク トロニック・ジャングル・フェスティバルと、ベトナムの ハノイで開かれたモンスターキャットの公演に参加で きたのは本当に幸運だった。僕は、2018年の年明け の前日にインドでツアー公演をしたが、他のアーティス トとコラボしたり、故郷の友達に会ったりした。2019 年の始めには、ハードコアファンに見てもらえるモンス ターキャットの公演があった。僕は、ハードコアファン の前で公演するのが大好きだ。SNSとインスタグラム で情熱的で力強いファンの姿が見られる。 さて、今年の嬉しいニュースを紹介したい。東京の新し いクラブ「オクタゴン(Octagon)」のレジデントDJとな った。また、大きなプロジェクトも計画している。これ まで、たくさんのソロ・トラックを作ってきたが、これら をミックスする計画で、リミックスとか、仲間のアーテ ィストとのコラボも準備している。
2017年、スピニンで「Jekyll & Hyde」を発表した。 ベースミュージックを選んだ本当の理由は?単に好き スピニンは憧れのレーべルと知られているが、その時 なため選んだのか? の気持ちは? ベースとトラップ(Trap)が最も魅力的なのは、150面白い逸話を紹介したい。アムステルダムのADEに僕 160bpmになると、子供の頃から馴染んでいるヒップ のマネージメントチームと一緒に行ったことがある。ミ ホップやパンクロックの根源が感じられる。個人的に ーティングに向かったが、遅れてしまった。正確な場 はテクノ(Techno)とプログレシブハウス、ディープハウ 所が見つからなかった。紆余曲折の末、ようやくミー ス(Deep House)が好きだ。特に韓 ティングに辿り着いたが、僕たちが 国にはベース・ミュージックが少な 準備したのは1曲しかなかった。他の いので、僕にとって良いチャンスだっ アーティストの場合、1曲がだめだっ サブカルチャーに反映 た。 たら他の曲に関心を持たせようとし できる何かを探りたか て色々な曲を紹介するが、僕はその1 曲だけを紹介したかった。幸いなこ った。デジタル世代の ビックルーム/プログとベースミュー ジャスティン・オー氏は、新たなベースサウンドを披露し とに、即座にA&Rの方から「よろし ために新しいものを創 ジックは全く違うジャンルだ。これ ほどの変身だと、改名してサイドプ ている。カナダのデュオ、ラウド・ラグジュアリー(Loud いでしょう。契約します」と言ってく り出してみたかった。 ロジェクトとして勧める計画はなか Luxury)の「No More Love」をリミックスしたが、この れた。 ったか? 曲には、フェデ・ル・グランド(Fedde Le Grand)とメル この曲は、ある意味で実験的な曲だ 僕がヘルメットを被れるといいが、 ク＆クレモント(Merk&Kremont)、ブロハグ(Brohug) った。ビックルーム(Big Room)やダ 頭が大きすぎる(笑)。正直に言うと、ただ正直で芸術 、テイルス(Tails)、PHB、Jack Shizzleとコラボしたリミ ブステップ(Dubstep)、エレクトロ(Electro)でもない に素直になりたかった。ジャスティン・オーは僕の本名 ックスパッケージに収録された。 ジャンルだった。この曲は、アジアのフューチャー・ト であるからだ。音楽活動をしながら本名をそのまま使 ジャスティン・オー氏は、今年の1月ハノイで開かれた ラップ(Future Trap)ベース(Base)ポップ系に属して っているが、僕にとって名前を変えることはできない。 モンスターキャット公演で新しいEPを期待しているフ いる。おそらく、目立っているから人々に注目されたの その代わりに、ジャンルを変えながら自分のための曲 ァンにこう話した。 「EPはないだろう。その代わり..」 ではないかと思う。その点が僕にとって嬉しいし、SISより深くて大きなストーリーを創り出したい。 正確に明かさなかったが、もの凄い計画があると思わ TAR（シスター）のヒョリンさんと一緒に制作できたの ざるを得ない。 も良い経験だった。彼女の声は、とても素晴らしい。 ‘She’s A Killer’のMVを見ると「Welcome To The City Of OZ」という言葉がある。文脈から見ると、仮 スピニングレコードのような大型レーべルが、世界的 想のディストピアのような印象がするが、 「The City な名声を維持できる秘訣も目の当たりにしたと思う Of Oz」について聞きたい。 が、最も気になるところは? アルバムのレコーディングが終われば自然に分かると レーべルのマネージャーでないので良く分からない。 思う。今、ほとんど公開されているので、これ以上は答 ただ、大きなレーべルであるだけに優れたマーケティ えかねる。2019年、皆に分かってもら ング能力とチームを備えていることに気づいた。もっ えると思う。 とも重要なのは、同じことを繰り返さないで新しいサ ウンドと才能を作り、育て続けることだと思う。これこ ただ正直で芸術に素 どうして韓国で活動しないのかと聞く そ、人々に興味を持ってもらえる秘訣だと思う。 直になりたかった。ジ 人が多いが。 先週も韓国で公演があったし、今日も これまで、プログレッシブ・ハウス(Progressive Houャスティン・オーは僕 公演があるが、韓国の観客は公演が se)やビックルームを中心に活動してきたが、最近ベー の本名であるからだ。 少ないと思っている。公演には、大変 スミュージックにジャンルを変えた理由について。 音楽活動をしながら 時間がかかる。ただ曲を流すだけでは 正直に言うと、クラブでVIP向けの公演にあきれた 本名をそのまま使って なく、ストーリーとか、あらゆる要素を 事があった。あるクラブでDJをやったが、 「ゼッド 考えなければならない。1回の公演に (Zedd)の曲を流してほしい」と言われた。それで「もち いるが、僕にとって名 は、大変な作業が必要だ。僕は同じよ ろんだが、僕にそれを頼むなら二度とここには戻って 前を変えることはでき うな公演を繰り返したくない。韓国だ 来ない」と答えた。それでも「分かったけど、流してく ない。 けでなく、他の国での公演も同じく、 れ」と言われたので、要請通りにしたが、二度とそのク 毎回の公演は僕にとってかけがえのな ラブには戻らなかった。 いものだ。公演を頻繁にしない方なの アジアのエレクトロミュージックシーンは、少し足り
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DJ MAG ASIA LAUNCHING PARTY
Words: ARIEL JO
Explore the party that fired up the winter of 2018. From Amsterdam to Tokyo, Macau, Singapore and Taiwan, cities were brightly illuminated last winter with the hosting of DJ MAG Asia launching party. World-class DJs including Fedde Le Grand, Matisse & Sadko, and Cosmic Gate joined us to celebrate the launch of DJ Mag Asia, and their performances on stage got the crowd moving all night. Check out the scenes from DJ Mag Asia’s spectacular launching party that was praised by many music fans.
MADFOX AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS OCT 17, 2018
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he grand opening of DJ Mag Asia first took place in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The party was held during Amsterdam Dance Event—the biggest annually held electronic music event—to reflect the attention surrounding the growth of the dance scene in Asia. DJ Mag Asia’s first launching party kicked off at Madfox, a fresh new club located at the Amsterdam W Hotel. Madfox sits in the center of the city, right in the heart of Amsterdam. It is also a trending place and one of the hot venues in Amsterdam; a city dubbed as the home of dance music. Top DJs in the world including Martin Garrix and David Guetta have established the reputation for the venue at Madfox. The real treasure about this place is the friendly structure; the stage is very close to the dance floor thus providing an intimate atmosphere for both the artist and the crowd. Thanks to this structure, Madfox rose up as the favorite club of numerous people around the world visiting Amsterdam.
DUO TOKYO, JAPAN OCT 31, 2018
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By teaming up with DJ Mag Asia –one of ADE’s most anticipated issues –this spectacular club received considerable attention from fans and those in the music industry around the globe. Earlier that night we saw a long line of people waiting in front of Madfox; their faces were full of anticipation and excitement for the party they were about to enter. From the start the club was packed with people feeling the music and the party reached its peak when Madfox dancers, DJ and the crowd all got together at the peak time, creating an epic atmosphere. Just like a DJ Mag ‘Asia’ party, almost all of the stages were back-to-back sets of worldrenowned DJs teamed up with asian DJs. Fedde Le Grand from Netherlands and Raiden from Korea; Dyro from Netherlands and DJ Moe from Japan; Dzeko from Canada and DJ Soda from Korea; Tony Junior and DJ RayRay from Taiwan all switched their killer tracks and heated up the dance floor. The b2b performances of world class DJs and up-and-coming DJs from Asia got the crowd going wild; this fresh event has been complimented by those in the industry for planning a show that befits DJ Mag Asia. Finally the mascot and DJ of club Madfox, Madfox himself, came through and did an awesome mix behind the decks while the crowd was joined by DJs at ADE who enjoyed the night with them.
The second journey of DJ Mag Asia launching party took place in Tokyo, Japan. People dressed in colorful costumes including police uniform, traditional Indian cothing, angel costumes and many more got together for an epic Halloween-themed night at club Duo. Among other things, the highlight of the show was artist Madfox, a friendly face who was with us at the first DJ Mag Asia launching party. Joining as a support act, Madfox excited the crowd with his signature white fox face and stellar DJ performance. And the night was headlined by the German trance producer duo Cosmic Gate, who set the stage on fire and made it a memorable Halloween night for the crowd.
AI NIGHTCLUB TAIPEI, TAIWAN DEC 15, 2018
DJ Mag Asia launching party was also held in Taiwan –a country well known for fun activities and things to see. The party was held at club AI, which is the biggest club in the country and a popular weekend hangout for the people of Taiwan. On the day of the launching party, the club was packed with people ready to enjoy an epic night; the successful launch of DJ Mag Asia and the popularity that followed the exceptional launching party captured the minds of Taiwanese people. The party became more enjoyable as we were also joined by numerous people warming up for We Are Connected festival on the following day. DJ Moe –the youngest DJ from Japan who made it to the world festival stage—and DJ Junior who makes frequent appearances in the Taiwan club scene sent the crowd wild with energetic music.
CLUB CUBIC MACAU DEC 24, 2018
DJ Mag Asia launching party was also held on Christmas eve, the best time of the year. By the year-end, the entire island of Macau—known as the Vegas of Asia—illuminates with flashy lights. On the 24th of Dec, colorful lights were accompanied with matching music at the DJ Mag Asia launching party held in club Cubic. Moe, who were with us at the Taiwan DJ Mag Asia launching party and the dutch producer/ DJ duo Syzz headlined the launching party. The two headliners entranced the crowd with vibrant party tunes matching Christmas eve, making it a memorable night for the people.
ZOUK SINGAPORE DEC 29, 2018
In Singapore, DJ Mag Asia launching party took place at Zouk, which was ranked in the top third of DJ Mag’s top 100 clubs of 2018. A large crowd flocked to Zouk to enjoy their year-end; Russian big room & progressive producer duo Martisse & Sadko went on stage and pumped up the crowd. Singaporean and a resident DJ of Zouk, DJ Hong also performed stage with his energic music.
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JOCKEY JOURNAL e world’s The on-the-road diary of th top DJs treading the globe
D N O Y E B & E V ABO
Words: ARIEL JO
Above & Beyond, the group integrated by Jono Grant, Paavo Silijamaki and Tony McGuinness, has become famous for its soft, healing and emotional style.The group’s amazing talent turned them into recognized artists who tour around the world. Last year, apart from playing in famous Asian festivals such as Ultra Korea, EDC JAPAN and Creamfields Beijing, they also hosted the 300th episode of their ‘Group Therapy Radio’ show in Hong Kong. Here we bring you the so exciting adventures of Above & Beyond´s tours in Asia. On their journey, they heal people through their music.
TONY: Asia is huge and very div ers booked us in to play Kua e, a fact lost on our old agent who once la - that’s like playing in Par Lumpur on a Friday and Seoul the next day is on Friday and Chicag think that weekend we o on the Saturday. I did Thankfully we have a new 36 hours travelling in a little over four days. great shows and aweso agent and a lot of great memories from the me vacations we’ve tak en in the region. PAAVO: In nearly 20 years of tra vel looking around and exp , I’ve come to really appreciate meeting people lori , of locals gives me so mu ng different places. Seeing life from the eyes ch One of my personal favorit perspective on my own culture and traditions . culturally interesting, the e places to explore is Asia as I find people so foo d so inc red ibly var ied and the nature so breathtaking..
KYO TO Y:
Tokyo the first time we TON fan I was blown away by ond show, in front of As a huge Blade Runner the first ever Above & Bey came in 2001. This was s the first lesson we learned about Japanese wa t tha And . DJ and I gave myself 8,000 people We were just starting to people, they are so polite. e guessed from the crowd, they went nuts. hav a 4/10. You would never the more you fall in love with it. It has the an Jap to go you re The mo dness but nestled in yscraper-modern-city-ma onal Japan that will outdoor-video-screen-sk diti tra , old are tiny bits of amongst the modernity when they are serving food. I’ve had so many blow your mind, especially the modest noodle bars to high end sushi, m great meals in Tokyo, fro y restaurant in Repongi that seated just 10 a tin but my favorite was in fs sat on their haunches and served us with people. The two robed che ked to me like simple grilled asparagus but it loo as great food there are long paddles. One dish blew my mind. As well it e aus bec n bee e hav the night time view can’t RPM is my favorite) and awesome local shops (45 to die for. is from the Ritz Carlton bar
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INA CH Y:
ny but we’ve been to so ma TON ole of China as one place me to pick just one city. We wh the e lud inc to rdy be a sha It’s foolha changing so fast it would like an Asian communist capital cities and the country is jing still felt Bei en wh 4 ai was 200 is na the explosion of Shangh started going to Chi h Chinese neon signs) and l find old dusty streets with ten wit but w sco Mo old e (lik ld wander round and stil That’s all just starting. Then you cou a row and tiny shops selling bits of hose pipe. e we went in tim ps sho last ply the is hairdresser sup Beijing felt more like Par . now es ambitious citi for big und the disappearing from it’s like a testing gro ny signature skyscrapers we toured China with a local agent ma so has ai ngh Sha and orite memories was when about day architects. One of my fav to authentic Chinese restaurants every day. On chicken or, us or k za too piz o wh like r called George for something familia out ng cryi like tiny now ked s loo wa y at four, when my bod with a plate of wh wobbly, he presented me a 5cm piece of dark green cotton not ing eth som st, lea at nish was what looked like was but, fish eyeballs. The only gar I have no idea what either ingredient actually me. day eso aw this s To wa . it top floating on mouth and… raised the spoon to my with great trepidation, I
HONG K ONG
PAAVO: It’s been in cr different ci edible to see the gro ties, and la celebrated st year felt wth of electronic musi th Hong Kong e 300th episode of like a pivotal momen c in t o in Hong Ko last September. I ca ur Group Therapy rad as we n n io life with lig g harbor as the nigh still remember dJing show in t fell and th hts. The wh o excitement ole #ABGT3 e cityscape n a boat at a tippin for the future of electr 00 experience left m came to g e 2019 is go point, with so many onic music - feels like so full of ing to be a gr big year.. eat parties in all pa things are rts of Asia.
S TNYH: E BEACHE is a collection of islands out in the Paoncifithce
TO flush in the whole world . The islands sit My favorite place e been diving there three times ere are few beaches to th I’v li, d co an you race called Palau heads of broc e rock islands as ter like floating surface of the wa derwater life and the view of th g with sharks, this is vin un speak of, but the es is extraordinary. If you like di More recently we played at sit . towards the dive them on pretty much every dive 5 star resort (Avila Villas), us e the place: you se first time and stayed at a gorgeo d inch of our lives. The local e an supposed to Omnia Bali for th but were pampered to within h, to wonder what’s also with no beac dibly friendly you really do have in Thailand, where we’ve also e people are so increwestern culture. The same is tru enough about the physical t ly be so great abou d relaxed and I can’t speak high e local people. n recently played an and the smiling, loving vibe of th untry beauty of the co
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ON THE FLOOR
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
NEW HORIZONS WITH BIG ACTS, ULTRA AUSTRALIA MADE ITS DEBUT IN MELBOURNE & SYDNEY. DJ MAG ASIA WAS THERE TO LIVE THE EXPERIENCE… Words: HERNÁN PANDELO Photos: MATTHEW MARTIN
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ON THE FLOOR
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here is probably no other event that embodies the expansion of Ultra better than its Australian edition. Touching down in Melbourne and Sydney –the country’s two main cities–Ultra Australia is a clear example of the drawing power of a phenomenon that is now 20 years in the making. At least that was our impression when the giant announced plans to land in Oceania. The first step had been the 2018 debut of ‘Road To Ultra,’ the single-day event that the brand uses in new regions to assess whether they are suitable to host a full-scale festival. The event laid the groundwork for an idea that would come to fruition the following year. So, last year, this single-stage event held in Melbourne with headliners such as Afrojack, Axwell Λ Ingrosso, Carnage, KSHMR and Andrew Rayel was the final confirmation that the country is no only well prepared to host a celebration of this kind but also that the future is bright for Ultra festival there. One year later, following the experiment’s approval, Ultra descended in Australia again – this time as a full-scale festival and, like the South African edition, as a two-day event in different locations: Saturday in Melbourne and Sunday in Sydney. So, in the height of the Australian summer, we headed to Victoria’s capital to experience day 1 of the Ultra experience, one that promised to be a big success. The Melbourne edition took place on Saturday February 23 at Flemington Racecourse, a large venue in the city. Luckily, the weather turned out fine for the event: sunny with 29 degrees C, so attendees were wearing comfy summer clothes as they set about to spend a perfect day under a blue and cloudless sky. You could see the excitement in the faces of the young Aussies that swarmed into the venue to enjoy everything that this kind of event offers. This edition of Ultra Australia boasted a large number of headliners, something unusual in the city’s event offering, which is generally comprised of one-act shows. Broadly speaking, the venue seemed to be in a convenient location, and once inside, the layout seemed well thoughtout. The main stage was some 400 metres from the main entrance where, by 3 pm, a sea of people were filing in, holding banners and wearing costumes and tons of glitter. As we got closer to the main structure, American DJ Slushii was mixing his music before thousands of attendees, and many others were heading in that direction from the entrance. The Main Stage, with its giant “U” logo centrepiece, was one more sign of the top-tier production of this festival, a characteristic that spans all editions. Tens of metres of stage front were filled with screens in various sizes positioned in an oblique way, providing a great setup for the music. djmagasia.com
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Halfway between the main stage and the entrance was the pathway leading to the other two stages: Resistance and UMF Radio. A few minutes into Joris Voorn’s set, in the house and techno tent, we headed off to check out the design of this space, one of the most attractive to our eyes. We got there in time to listen to the last few minutes of experienced homegrown talent Boogs, who was haranguing the crowd before ending his performance. In the best tradition of Resistance, the stage seemed hard to rig. It was open-air –thank goodness the weather wasn’t bad– with four screens on each side leaning over the floor, creating a closed environment and a kind of air-tight feeling, in spite of the bright sunlight. By the time Joris Voorn took to the decks, everything seemed in order, and the ravers who were there to listen to the Dutch artist would later enjoy a backto-back set by Nicole Moudaber and Dubfire, as well as Swedish talent Adam Beyer’s closing act. Once we were acquainted with the stage layout, and after dancing to Joris’ music, we walked back out to finish the venue reconnaissance. The Australian crowd was well-behaved and one thing about the festival’s future was clear: Ultra Australia is here to stay. Now, after seeing the vastness of the Main Stage and the always interesting Resistance stage, we still had to check out the surprising UMF Radio stage. 118 djmagasia.com
By 6 pm, perhaps as a result of a strong sense of belonging, or perhaps due to the comradery of the locals, this space was more crowded than Resistance. It was a surprise to us, but apparently, to no-one else. This homegrown talent was playing happily for a crowd that knew his music and was there to give their support. We took in that special connection between artist and audience for a while, as the sun seemed to sit still over the racecourse, a bit past 6.30 pm.
ON THE FLOOR
Having walked round the whole venue, we went back to the main structure to enjoy one of the always-attractive main dishes in EDM’s menu: young DJ Martin Garrix and his signature big room, after an energetic gig by the veiled Marshmello for an effervescent and colourful crowd. All through his 90-minute show, the young Dutchman treated fans with his greatest hits, including a few recent tracks such as ‘No Sleep,’ featuring Bonn, and other more up-tempo ones, such as ‘Turn Up The Speakers,’ combined with fire and pyrotechnics, even though the sun was still shining bright, putting a dent on the lighting design. When the sun began to set, the festival was in its final stretch, and while The Chainsmokers took the stage to deploy their pop hits arsenal as the closing act of day 1 in Australia, we finally headed off to see the workings of the Resistance stage in the warm evening. In all its splendour, the screens and lights were prominent during the techno set of Sweden-born Adam Beyer, who was hypnotizing the audience almost one hour into his show. Well into the evening, one hour before the end of day 1, all we had to do was enjoy. The thankful crowd seemed to confirm this, and by the look in their faces, it was clear they would like to attend this event in the coming years. With big names, world-class production and a considerable crowd turnout, Ultra Australia had come to conquer. n
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THE KING OF CONFERENCES CLAIMS ITS REIGN Winter Music Conference is back and better than ever…
I
n 2019, Miami will see the rebirth of one of the most iconic traditions in the electronic music industry, a premier platform for the electronic scene as we know it. Founded in 1985, Winter Music Conference will return to Miami Beach from March 25 through 28 with a refreshed perspective and exciting programming. The aim is to bring together a new generation of industry professionals and music consumers whose interests go beyond the dancefloor for a week of unforgettable experiences in the incredible Faena District. Now officially a part of Miami Music Week, the new WMC will now offer an enviable schedule of activities, full of exciting first-time options. This year, it will be presented in two distinct parts: the ‘Industry’ segment will be targeted towards industry professionals, and the ‘Access’ segment will be meant for curious music consumers looking to learn more about music production, DJing, technology and other aspects of the music industry.
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KASKADE DJ/Producer
“Winter Music Conference is my ground zero. It has always provided the perfect storm of opportunity and excitement for up and coming artists, including myself back in 2003, where I first caught a glimpse of how it felt to have an audience respond to my work. Over the years, I’ve always made it a point to have WMC in my calendar because that’s the spot where everyone congregates and you can feel it in the air. Creativity, brother and sisterhood, FUN and most of all the chance to come together as a community and celebrate the reason we are all here—the music.”
TOMMIE SUNSHINE
Producer/DJ/Activist/Netflix Host
I T A L L S TA R T E D B A C K I N 1 9 8 5
I
t all started back in 1985, when Louis Possenti and Bill Kelly decided to start a forum on the warm-weather shores of South Florida that offered the electronic music scene protagonists a perfect getaway from their freezing cold hometowns – the chance to descend on Miami to discuss music, network and, of course, attend parties for a whole week. The first instalment took place at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott and was attended by around 90 people. However, as dance music grew in popularity, WMC enjoyed steady growth, and eventually, after settling down in South Beach, it became a must-attend event. Today, WMC and Miami Music Week are the heart of a city that continues to struggle to be the DJs’ chosen venue to kick off the Northern Hemisphere summer. Over 1,900 artists, DJs and industry delegates from over 70 countries converge for a concentrated schedule of more than 400 events presented at 110 venues in Miami Beach & Miami, making the legendary WMC not only the longest running conference in the world but also the most important.
WMC is and has always been the lifeblood of the dance music scene. Never missed a year since ’96, I can’t imagine Amsterdam Dance Event or Ibiza Music Summit existing without the blueprint that WMC originated. Seeing this revived is absolutely essential to reunifying the North American scene surrounding electronic music and its fringes.
CRAIG KALLMAN
CEO & Co-Chairman Atlantic Records, Founder Big Beat Records I first went to WMC ’87, the year I started Big Beat. It was an incredibly inspiring congregation of indie labels, DJs, artists, songwriters, producers and dance music lovers dedicated to breaking and discovering new music. WMC has been instrumental in furthering the dance and electronic cause; keeping the community connected, vital and relevant, and serving as an amazing springboard for talent. It’s a fantastic crucible for the future of dance music. Long may it live.
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OUR PROGRAM FAVORITES OK, we get it: this year’s Winter Music Conference is not to be missed, but why? DJ Mag Asia selects the must-see events of the program… Breaking In: How To Get Your Start In The Electronic Music Industry Tuesday, March 26th 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Alex Jukes (Founder of Jukebox PR), Travis Rogers (Founder of Humans Alike), Ben Hogan, Fedde Le Grand, Carl Loben, Juan Pablo Salcedo (David Lewis Productions agent) & more…
Some key players of the industry will talk about making your own way into the dance music scene. Nice way to start the conference.
Signing With The Future: How Labels Utilize New Technologies For Sustained Growth Tuesday, March 26th 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: The Originators Still Originating Tuesday, March 26th 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Erick Morillo, Harry Romero, Maykel Piron (Armada Music CEO), Pete Kalamoutsos (Owner of Glow) & Carl Loben (DJ Mag Editor-in-Chief).
Two iconic house DJs will talk with three powerfull forces of today dance music scene. How to keep creative after so long?
The House That Acid Built: A conversation with DJ Pierre and Irvine Welsh Tuesday, March 26th 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
DJ Tennis, Heiko Hoffman (Beatport) & Peter Wohelski (Symphonic Distribution).
DJ Pierre, Irvine Welsh & more…
An in depth chat with three connoisseurs who will unravel different ways to grow your platforms taking advantage of new technologies.
Go all the way through the first acid days with these two icons in an interesting conversation…
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Surviving Indie: Innovation and Brand Building as An Independent Label The State of Trance: With Armin van Buuren and guests Wednesday, March 27th 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Armin van Buuren + guests…
The dutch legend Armin Van Buuren chats with some of his colleagues about the actual state of his trance legacy.
The Data Solution: Viberate Presents Current Market Trends And Analytics Strategy Wednesday, March 27th 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Vasja Veber (Vibreate co-founder)
UMEK manager Vasja Veber presents the first Viberate industry report of 2019. Learn how to use this data to predict the trends.
Making Moves in Music – Equalizing the landscape of our industry Wednesday, March 27th 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm José Woldring; (CEO & Founder of The Media Nanny & Louise Troen (VP of International Marketing & Communications of Bumble).
Two powerful women of the scene show us different tools to be noticed in today’s scene.
Wednesday, March 27th 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Andrew Neill (Circus Records), Mike Darlington (Monstercat PR & Promotions Manager) & Ubi Hernandez (Descend Records Label & Events Manager).
Looking for an advice? These three label managers will give you the right tips to improve your independent label.
Techno Evolution: Some Of Today’s Most Influential Artists Discuss The Future Of One of Electronic Music’s Most Beloved Genres Thursday, March 28th 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Carl Cox, Richie Hawtin, Nicole Moudaber, Christian Smith and more…
Clash of titans on this one. Some of the biggest names in techno discuss what will happen with the techno scene…
Making Brands Memorable Through Music Thursday, March 28th 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Sam Baum (Red Bull Music & Radio Director of Culture Marketing), Aundy Crenshaw (COO of Dirtybird Record Label) & Salo Sterental (SoStereo Co-founder).
From strategy to creative, music went from being in the background to leading the charge in making brands culturally relevant. Here we’ll try to understand why.
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Techno REVIEWS Tresor, when the producer experimented over the power of true minimalism. Minimal at its best, “Internal Empire” is a mundane and repetitive work where melodies barely exist and very attached to the soul of his on Detroit. Is a good time to listen to an old classic.
THOMAS FEHLMANN
Alan Fitzpatrick All Hope Fades
We Are The Brave 9.0
MARC HOULE Min And Soda Dirtybird 8.0
Back again on the label of Claude VonStroke after his debut on “Whose Afraid of Detroit” with a track celebrating the ten years of the label, Marc Houle is again showing us all his ability in the studio. Known for being a live act and a producer with affinity for analog gear with a sound that crosses between Detroit & Chicago, this time he presents his own “Min And Soda EP” with two brand new tracks. From acid lines on “Car and Driver” to the trippy minimal monster that is “Min and Soda”, both tracks are ferocious and take you straight to a basement. Some harder sounds for the San Francisco label.
Buraki Silk EP
Bedrock 8.5
“Silk EP” is de new adventure of experimented Marco Bailey under his new alias Buraki. The title track, “Silk”, is built around a techno frame with steady percussion and several textures filled with different dreamy atmospheres, showcasing in the track a certain fight between bright textures and a tense background with basslines straight from the afterlife. The EP continueswith two mixes –“The Light Mix” and “The Dark Mix”- of his song “Cordoba”, a more dynamic approach where he splits his two different faces in different proyects to make this conflict even more evident. There will be more Buraki in the future.
Stephen Lopkin Imitator EP
Distant Worlds 8.5
Don’t let the title of the latest Distant Worlds fool you; Stephen Lopkin is an innovator rather than a faker. Across four tracks, he weaves in influences, but never sounds derivative. The title track features a Mayday bass, but its punchy drums and euphoric pads mean it sounds slightly epic. Similarly, ’DSK-8’ is underpinned by Suburban Knight-style low-end menace, but it sets the scene for lurid acid and a spectacular sequence of harderedged kicks and claps. Lopkin also 124 djmagasia.com
knows how to plot out a more abstract route, as documented on the broken beats of ‘The 45’, while he brings this remarkable release to a close with the more typical lush techno of ‘Distant Worlds’.
Substance Rise & Shine Ostgut 8.0
‘Rise & Shine’ is Substance aka DJ Pete’s first new material in over 20 years. Different in approach to those seminal EPs on Chain Reaction, the title track sees the German producer weave together hollowed-out, spiky drums and melancholic melodies. ‘Countdown’ is more robust, resonating to the tough broken beats that define Pete’s Wax Treatment residency, before breaking into deep, reflective chords. ‘Cruising’, meanwhile, is a linear affair that resounds to grainy kicks and eerie soundscapes. It’s a somewhat understated comeback, but that’s exactly how Pete rolls.
Robert Hood
Internal Empire Tresor 9.5
Twenty five years after its initial release, Tresor Records is reissuing Robert Hood’s ’Internal Empire’ album, a master work not to be forgotten. Originally released in 1994, ‘Internal Empire’ was a breaking point both for Robert Hood and for the german label
Once again, we have Alan Fitzpatrick gracing the catalogue of his own label We Are The Brave. This time, welcoming the third year of his platform, the British producer released his biggest work yet, with a gargantuan seven-track EP titles “11:11 The Awakening. Even though the whole EP present what we look for in Fitzpatrick’s works, “All Hope Fades” stands out because of its colossus beauty. Stained with raw elements, it follows some angelical pads all the way until the end, making it a very efficient work to play on big scenarios.
01. JURGEN PAAPE
Well, It’s Paape - Kompakt Always happy to find an elegant, quirky shuffle. This one’s by the elusive third man of the Kompakt triumvirate of bosses, and he does it in style.”
02. JUAN ATKINS & MORITZ VAN OSWALD
Transport (DJ Deep & Roman Poncet Rework) - Tresor A rework of Carl Craig’s remix of Juan and Moritz’s ‘Borderland’. A deep techno track for the second half of the night. Deep, funky and sensual.
03. T.RAUMSCHMIERE
Augen Zu - Kompakt A cool slice of muscular-yet-winking techno-pop by the monster producer.
04. SLY & ROBBIE
Convextion R-CNVX1 Artless 9.0
If I Gave You My Love - Nordub A moody dub-jazz piece from a collaboration with Nils Petter Movaer and Vladislav Delay. A wide, peaceful landscape.
No one does techno like Convextion. The US artist originally took inspiration from Detroit artists, but he now owns a domain where spacious grooves and atmospheric textures come together seamlessly. On this release for Don Williams’ Artless, the first untitled track is deeper than the Mariana Trench, as wave upon wave of spaced textures unfold over a solid, resonant rhythm. The second untitled track is even more impressive, with Convextion dropping a more evocative arrangement, characterised by his chillingly
05. SONAE
Eats Everything
08. ANT ORANGE
Space Invaders (Charlotte De Witte remix) Kneaded Pais 7.5
Charlotte de Witte continues her ascent to the top of the scene with a dark and twisted remix of Eats Everything’s incredible ‘Space Raiders’, one of the biggest track of 2018. With her industrial style all around, Belgium’s newest techno export sets herself as a shining light over the techno realms. Pounding kicks and a sparse percussive energy elevate the original into new heights, keeping the synth stabs of the original as the backbone of the track.
Majority Vote (I Started Wearing Black) - Monika Enterprise A rather dark, glitchy, after-hours twister by Cologne’s inspired SONAE.
06. JON HASSELL
Dreaming (Listening To Pictures) - Ndeya Very refreshing how Jon Hassell comes back after years of silence, staying true to his characteristic sound, but expanding it in a very contemporary environment to a spectacular, moving, avant-ambient masterpiece.
07. WEATHER REPORT
River People (Agent X Beatdown Rework) - White Label The rework of a fusion classic by Detroit’s Agent X. Drunk In The Trunk - Karaoke Kalk Ant Orange has got the right balance of wacky looseness and compelling groove. A new talent, and I’m very curious to watch his next steps.
09. DJ KOZE
Pick Up - Pampa My summer classic for 2018. Golden ideas never get old and this track contains some very moving lyrics. A burner.
10. PILOCKA KRACH
Who’s Afraid Of Justin Bieber - Monika Enterprise Does humour belong in techno? It sure does, as Pilocka proves on this playful session track from the glorious Monika Werkstatt album.
TECH HOUSE REVIEWS AJ CHRISTOU
Enzo Siragusa Variances EP Rawax 8.5
The Fuse don returns to Frankfurt’s Rawax for the first time since his and Seb Zito’s ‘Woonie Trax’ EP 18 months ago. ‘Contrast’ is a dark and ethereal groover that remains purposeful, with tough drums and bass, while Enzo calls upon his roots and delivers a speed garage feeling on ‘Gas Clubber’. Lastly, ‘Over Thoughts’ is a calmer affair, which still pumps, but fronts dubbed-out chords and abstract vocal echoes for a classy finish.
Carl Cox
Dark Alleys (Nic Fanciulli Remix) Circus Recordings
ALEX NIGGEMANN
Yousef’s Circus Recordings reissued the latest single king Carl Cox released on the platform for its 15th anniversary. With a remake from Cox itself, the EP came also with remixes from Deetron and Fanciulli. The latest, a lot more housier than the original version, leaves the heavy bass aside and ads a considerably funnier bassline, getting a nice groove and brighter moments. Looks like the edit Fanciulli needed to make to use “Dark Alleys” in his sets.
Crosstown Rebels
7.5
01. AJ CHRISTOU
Sriracha - Wogga Named after my favourite hot sauce, coming soon on Mason Collective’s new label.
02. YAYA
Kungfusion - Celesta Recordings From the moment Yaya sent me this track I loved it. It’s a huge club track.
03. JEAN PIERRE, THE MARTINEZ BROTHERS & JESSE CALOSSO The Shuffle (Vocal Mix) - Cuttin’ Headz Love the quick minimal vibe of this track. Jean Pierre is currently one of my favourite producers.
04. REME
Fiestas - Celesta Recordings ’Fiestas’ is straight tribal vibes. Reme is another one of Manchester’s rising stars.
05. ART DEPARTMENT
Exit To Eden - Kaoz Theory Love this track, it works peak-time or even early on in the night.
06. CHRISTIAN BURKHARDT & ENZIELKIND
Unknown Place (Stacey Pullen Remix) - Celesta Recordings Bringing the Detroit sound to Celesta, Stacey killed it with this remix out in 2019.
07. IO (MULEN)
Why Not - Rawax Groovy and infectious, iO (Mulen) makes the jams.
08. EZIKIEL
The Women From Balkan (Luciano Remix) Celesta Recordings Luciano is one of my all-time heroes, Ezikiel is one of my favourite produc¬ers: it was amazing to feature them both on this release.
The Mole
A Walk In The Field Serialism 8.0
The Mole needs little introduction. This Canadian maestro delivers a playful four-track selection, though two don’t fit this page — the twisted funk rhythms of ‘A Walk In A Field’ and the heady, slouching synth-waddling ‘Laughy Dumb Dumb’. The focus here is on the intricate electronics of ‘Wiggle Wiggle’ and ‘Valerie Temple Boyd’ (a collaboration with Hreno). The former melds a wild sound palette with distinct layers, yet finds a cohesive groove, and the latter is formed of brash percussion and trippy bass for a minimal ride into the unknown.
Zoulou EP 8.5
Niggemann takes us on a hypnotising house journey for his Crosstown Rebels debut, clearly inspired by his travels to Africa, with a pair of bold, big room tracks. First track “Zoulou” melts the listener mind with hypnotic rhythms, combining ambient sounds with a consistent percussion and very particular tribal chants that go along while the tracks keeps building and drops it full African groove force. “Bwana” closes the EP in a different direction, showcasing more progressive transitions but using the same tribal vocal stabs within harder synths. Intelligent and effective. Che’ (with Sascha Dive) provides immediate impact through a devastatingly bold bass rhythm, and the chugging bass on ‘Accesseure’ (with Leftroom boss Matt Tolfrey) has trippy, pacesetting high percs that will send you into outer space.
‘Kronik’ leads the assault with driving bass, rising FX and peak tech-house drums, and he follows it up with the even more bass punishing ‘Hooker’, which centres around a techno kick and sub partnership that’ll turn dancefloors upside.
Wheats
William Djoko
Saved Records
DJOKO
Strong Feelings EP 8.0
Stepping out for the first time on Saved Records, the fast-rising Toolroom protégé delivers a pair of tidy tech-house heaters to see you through ‘til spring. ‘Strong Feelings’ centres on a hypnotic, four-bar synth hook, underpinned by a rumbling bass lead, while the flip ‘Work’ drives harder in the low-end and holds tension for longer, making this the perfect big-room roller.
09. GENE ON EARTH
Like A Glove - Limousine Dream Gene On Earth are amazing, I am always playing their music. You gotta check them.
10. US
Bangin (AJ Christou & Joey Daniel Remix) Rawthentic One of many collab projects with Joey next year. The remix is for my bros from NYC!”
Christian Burkhardt
POPOF
Leftroom
Kaluki Music
Piano Wars 9.0
Burkhardt and Co. (Daniel Roth, Sascha Dive and Matt Tolfrey) deliver a punchy EP of proper tech-house. ‘Piano Wars’ (with Roth) is tense and rolling, ‘Che
Kronic EP 9.0
This EP should come with a warning. POPOF delivers an assured, bass-heavy double A-side on Manchester’s highflying label, Kaluki Musik.
Whiplash EP 10
A killer assortment graces the top spot this month from William Djoko, for his inaugural release on the brand-new imprint, DJOKO. The Amsterdambased producer slams down four diverse palettes of sound, moving from the technoid chugging of lead track ‘Whiplash’ to the bubbly, percussive bounce of ‘Panic Is A Feeling’, before delivering a pumping, vocal-heavy, funked-out disco tool called ‘Bernice’, and ending on a high with the alt-disco revolution of ‘Strangest Thing’. Absolute killer sounds from Djoko!
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House REVIEWS KIWI Shalom” is the one that brings you back to the dancefloor and “Kookoo Pa-pa”end all with the right amount of tension, with melting acid lines and lots of FX. The tension of it all is truly irresistible.
Franck Roger Power
Madhouse Records 9.0
KONA, THE FUTURE Love It ft. Dopein 8.0
BootCamp The Seoul-based DJ/producer Kona, the future embodies the sounds of her past, present and future. In her latest move, Kona, the Future linked up with R&B singer Dopein on their new single titled “Love it”, a track that features a minimal Chicago house-inspired groove alongside Dopein’s mesmerizing voice. Through this fine collaboration, Kona, the future shows that she is not afraid to push beyond the genre boundaries, capturing our love for house music but also giving us a song that we can remember. The song came out in an V/A compilation called “Plastic People” from Seoul-based collective BOOTCAMP, an institution that has been constantly surprising us with quality underground music.
dOP
Stone Love dOP Only 8.5
Distant Moroder-eqsue vibes from French threesome dOP, who drop this brooding Italo/ electro house ballad via their dOP Only imprint. Featuring vocals harmonies from Alina Pash, it’s a wonky, late night floor-filler of the very first water, a burbling bassline underpinning space-age oddities and heartwrenching chords, before a final act wig-out to lose yourself in. On the flip, the Sex Judas mix (provided by one half of Norwegians Ost & Kjex) is a punk-funk odyssey. Get on this. Or regret it later.
Facundo Mohrr La Espere EP
All Day I Dream 8.5
Like the press release says: “Facundo has been at every party this summer without actually leaving his home of Buenos Aires”. Becoming closer to the All Day I Dream family, Argentinean DJ and producer Facundo Mohrr released an EP that had been very much tested by big boss Lee Burridge. Finally, found his way out in form of a four-track deliver, filled with everything 126 djmagasia.com
All Day I Dream is known for: Dreamy, hypnotic but also tense and ready to create blissful moments on the dancefloor.
Nate Williams Club Patrol
R-Time Records 9.0
Matt ‘Radio Slave’ Edwards’ R-Time imprint continues to find lost gems to reissue. Here, it’s a pair of remixes from the legendary Roy Davis Jr of fellow Chi-Town resident Nate Williams. Originally emerging in 1994, and a staple among the likes of Weatherall, this sounds fresh as fuck, frankly, Roy’s ‘Maximum Deathwish Mix’ of ‘Club Patrol’ a fizzing ball of party madness. On the flip, there’s ‘Klimax’, a driving piano anthem with some grunt under the bonnet.
Red Axes
Sound Test EP Phantasy Sound 8.5
Tel Aviv’s Red Axes jump into bed a second time with Erol Alkan’s Phantasy Sound. The EP starts with “Sound Test”, a rolling tool for a dance floor sliding into another dimension, constructed around a dramatic, numeric countdown. “Shabak
Straight blazing work from Home Invasion and Real Tone don Franck Roger of Paris, for Kerri Chandler’s eminent Madhouse. Title track ‘Power’ has rough-hewn kicks, crackling with circuit board interference, and a mucky ‘90s garage bassline, before enveloping you in a warming loop of pure joy and distant wailing divas. On the flip, ‘Justified’ bumps into your life with a squirming bassline and skipping percussion, a track to shift gears and lock in those party people for the duration.
Infinity Ink ft. Yasmin Rushing Back Cooltempo 8.0
Sumptuous deep house music complete with distant UK garage vibes here from Ali Love and Luca C’s Infinity Ink project, revived after some time in stasis. Vocalist Yasmin rejoins the chaps in the studio, after appearing on their moody jam ‘How Do I Love You’, and the results are spine-tingling, hands-in-the-air material. A Seb Zito re-rub inserts gargantuan bass and rolling percussion, while veteran Brett Johnson turns in an unctuous dub version, with wide open pads and a genuinely unexpected organ breakdown. This is a big’un, be assured.
GUTI
Red Eye EP
Cuttin’ Headz 8.5
Argentinean producer and live performer Guti delivers a forceful house burner with the dancefloor in mind. Called “Red Eye”, this is the second single of his forthcoming album “The Year of The Conga”, an LP that will become the first ever on Cuttin’ Headz’s catalogue. “Red Eye” sees Guti going back to his roots, with his thypical raw percussions creating a powerful hypnotic house groove. The EP came out with stellar remixes from Loco Dice and Priku.
01. KIFESH
Asa Moto - Deewee DeeWee crew at it again, this hasn’t left my bag all year.
02. PHENOMENAL HANDCLAP BAND
Judge Not (Ray Mang Disco Mix) - Toy Tonics Is there anyone better at delivering that original disco sound than Ray Mang?
03. THREE DRIVES ON A VINYL
Greece 2000 (Moscoman Extended Remix) Armada Revitalised trance banger. I love what Mosco has done with this so much.
04. CANNIBAL INK & CURSES
Believe In Rock (Simple Symmetry Remix) - Days of Being Wild Believe, believe in rock kids, it’s alive. This whole Days Of Being Wild release is pure fire.
05. KIWI
Windland - Correspondant My favourite track on the new record. Italo throwback.
06. RAVE-ENKA
På Kryss Og På Tvers - Free download Monster slow chugger, and a free download, go cop.
07. ANII
Trojan Horse (Kiwi Remix) - AEON A windy and mystical remix I’ve done recently for Anii over at Aeon.
08. LOCOMIA
Locomia (Iro Aka Fucking Edit) - n/a Absolute stomper of an edit, actually betters the original.
09. KIWI
Condor (Rex The Dog Remix) - Correspondant Trance nation! Destroys the floor, and an honour to be remixed by Rex.”
10. KHIDJA
Am I Really Here - Malka Tuti Chuggy Romanian filth, heads down for this one.
Bass REVIEWS DEFT
Hybrid Minds
Wasted feat. Grimm Hybrid Music 7.5
It’s not hard for anyone to see that Hybrid Minds are absolutely smashing the scene right now — their laid-back lullabies lull fans from each shade of the spectrum. Sticking very much to the tried, tested and thoroughly well-loved formula, ‘Wasted’ brings us soaring pads, uplifting piano and a warm, glowing low-end, while Grimm provides a soaring, emotive, almost perfectly pop hook.
Dubplate Solider Kanine
Elevate Records 8.5
01. DBRIDGE
Your Bit Crushed Heart - Exit My favourite track from the album. Amazing work.
02. BROCKHAMPTON
Berlin - Question Everything Hard to pick just one from this album, their best yet I think.
British label Elevate Records kick in this new year with the type of dance floor destruction that made them the go-to label for last year. This one comes from Dubplate Soldier with a steady pattern and spacey atmospheres. Your chance to get lost in the jungle!
Was A Be 03. PINCH
The Boxer (Kromestar’s Southpaw Mix) - Tectonic A staple track from Pinch taken to new levels.
04. TIM PARKER
Slanted - 20/20 LDN 2018 boom-bap, done.
05. LORN
I AM DAGGER - Wednesday Sound Always leaves you wanting more.
06. ASMUS ODSAT
Deal With It - Falk Discs Just relentless.”
07. DARKHOUSE FAMILY Moving 909s - IZWID A killer track. TIP.
Move
Shogun Audio 8.0
We have always been one of Shogun Audio’s biggest fans (no really, we’ve got a badge to prove it and everything), but until recently we’ve been finding it a little tricky to hear the spark which initially set our soul alight. The Turno release began to heat things back up, but now we can forget that spark, because this entire EP starts a whole damn fire. ‘Move’ begins with euphoric chords and a subtle layer of dark risers, before bursting nto energetic bouncing beats and tapping drums. A new school party anthem for sure.
Malux
Alien Forces
Get Hype Records 8.0
08. LORD PUSSWHIP
Qween Of The Damnd - Brapp Records Cold and rough. His catalogue so far is sick.
09. SKEE MASK
Rev8617 - Ilian Tape A beautiful track.
10. MOSCA
Kidney Version - Air Texture Life’s always better when Mosca gets weird.
Big, bad and banging, certainly not one for a Sunday morning, this brutally loud and devastatingly aggressive track is an absolute stomper. ‘Alien Forces’ is a neuro beast that’s sure to blow the cobwebs from any pair of raving boots, with a full range of metallic risers and grinding mechanicals. It’s packed with future sci-fi sonics and has a forward moving, stepping beat. And if you’re not really into the sound, you should check out the label for the amazing artwork that adorns each release.
EXCPT & SINIC Kernal Panic
MethLab Recordings 8.5
With sounds and synths that conjure images of morphing lines of light and twisting cascades of fizzing energy, this track very much fits the rolling narrative of MethLab releases, summoning dystopian, tech-ruled futures laced with hallucinogenic vibes. A glitching, disturbed undertone lays a subtle layer of malice to this track, with the brooding, nearomnipresent and wickedly low sub heightening that sense. The track is lightened with gorgeous snatches of pitched-up and harmonised vocal. Epic release.
Commodo
Szare
Deep Medi Music
Polity
Rikers 9.0
Honestly, Commodo’s a topper top producer. His recent work’s only gone from strength-to-strength, and he’s proven time and again that he is the crown prince of the staccato snare roll. His latest 12” for Mala’s Deep Medi is simply an underlining of all of the above. Both cuts ‘Daytona’ and ‘Rikers’ are playful, bubbly half-time romps that still pummel in the low-end — which is a very tricky thing to try and balance. Enjoyable, melodically beautiful, calculated killers.
Monrroe
You Got Me feat. Alex Harley Shogun Audio 8.0
With a deep, rumbling lowend, crisp, tumbling drums and glowing liquid pads, this truly is a belting little beauty from Monrroe. Alexa Harley’s vocal is a beguiling mix of soft tones and folksy richness: deeply beautiful. One for the sing-along crew.
POLITY001 8.5 Manchester-based producer Szare inaugurates the Polity label with three tracks of his Megatron hybrid of techno, grime and sharp sound design. Much like his city mates Akkord, Szare is exceptionally precise with his frequency work, and his drum patterns mean that he ekes a lot of impact out of minimal layers. ‘Cut With Glass’ is the tip on this 12”: a steppy, technoid cut with tumbling MIDI horns and the kind of foreboding sense of dread that epitomises this pre-Brexit Britain.
Bone Head Soft Power Arcola
8.0 The LA-based artist Joe Cocherell has already made several waves in bleaker, more techno territories, but his debut release as Bone Head points him to a more fractured, spacious, Boxed sort of direction. EP closer ‘Peace Keeper’ is an absolute slayer in the caterwauling vein of some of Slackk’s more melodic productions, and the other cuts manage to channel such outsider influences as Autonomic and Livity Sound. The 12” is varied and accomplished, and a great statement of intent. djmagasia.com 127
Trance REVIEWS collaboration, “We’re Not Going Home. The single lives up to the idea of the UNITY collabs, bending boths producer’s styles into one clean production. “We’re Not Going Home” establishes itself with a hard trance kick drum and repeating synth progression until background sounds begun to rise, with pianos and strings and sytnh melodies all around. Looks like these two have found a common ground in the studio.
The Blizzard
JAYTECH
The Luminescence EP
Razer EP
FSOE 8.0
Anjunabeats 10
If you can determine whether ‘Greater Love’ or ‘Razer’ is the better work here, you’re doing better than I. Set against a percussive skip, the former’s emerging, developing, early-Sasha-esque melodics are equalised by calling spiritualised vocal harmonies, before its face gets dirty with distorted bursts. The latter’s edgier still, with a didgeridoo-ish sub riff, more top-flight melodic swim, elegant breakbeats, epic strains and a brilliantly detached female vox refrain saying “Fire/Can you feel it?” Trance progressive elevated.
Purple Haze
The Hyll Armind 7.0
‘The Hyll’ begins in assuring form, full of running bass, stalking, reverb-hefty tech FX and deep (Purple Haze trademark) bongs. By and large what we’re here to hear is Sander putting sounds, styles and FX together with quirk and idiosyncrasy. Those proverbial ‘that shouldn’t work, but...’ moments. Latterly, ‘The Hyll’ is found wanting for those, especially in its rather too middle-lane-trance leadline. Decent track, just perhaps not quite Purple Haze-y enough?
Above & Beyond Distorted Truth Anjunabeats 8.0
Months after the first time it was performed live, Above & Beyond have released “Distorted Truth.” In true Above & Beyond fashion, the release came in two forms, with an extended version and the regular edit of the track. There are interesting electronic progressions merging the kind of uplifting trance the British trio is known for, all this with a backdrop of rich synth textures and a fair amount of darkness.
Smith & Brown Tilt
FSOE Clandestine 8.0
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STONEFACE & TERMINAL
‘Tilt’ has the trance label that took the most risks last year off to a promising start in 2019. Galloping bass, pace and percussive metallic strike set its tone, while shadowy vocal echoes hover in the milieu. As it approaches the drop, sweeping synths go some way to offsetting its ominousness. This could still go either way though, and with a final hard twist of the reverb knob, it chooses the darker, flintier, techier path.
Markus Schulz
Afterdark Vol. 1 EP Coldharbour Black 8.5
The three tracks on the ‘Afterdark Vol. 1 EP’ feature an interlocking cast of Arkham Knights, Dakota/ Schulz and Jam El Mar. The latter two contribute ‘The Lotus’: a hypnotically pulsating, organcentric number, platforming a beguilingly delivered sermon on the titular flower. The Dakota & Arkham Knights track ‘Something About You’ is all dark techno business, with percussive insistence and cursive riffs. Jam El Mar closes the EP’s loop alongside Arkham Knights on ‘Wake Up’, the most technofied (and best) of the lot.
Ferry Corsten & Ilan Bluestone
We’re Not Going Home Flashover Recordings 8.5
Ferry Corsten teams up with Ilan Bluestone for the last UNITY
From the re-activated Norwegian twosome, there’s much to please the ear here. ‘Spirit’ has bags of charm to its chime, which is rolled into warm bass and then built up further through strong pad and chord atmospherics. This, in turn, is amped by highly effective key changes, which maintain its lift at a perfect trajectory. Broadly occupying the same stylistic space, with a wistfully summery twanging guitar, ‘Luminescence’ has a more classic Balearic feel — but ‘Spirit’ takes the biscuit.
Estiva
The Maze Statement! 9.0
‘The Maze’ starts dark, thrillsome and with a Terminator-like resolve. Each sequence more gripping than the last, you want to push back that light-side pressure release for as long as possible. And here’s Estiva’s twist… it never comes. With zero recourse to squelch, fray, distortion or other alienating, moody tropes either, it refuses to loosen its grip but for a second. Clean and precisely machined, its focus is on energy-absolute, and in that, it’s dazzling.
Paul van Dyk & Jordan Suckley Accelerator
Vandit Records 8.0
A collaboration with Jordan is becoming ever more essential to the make up of my albums. After ‘City Of Sound’ for ‘Politics 3’, and ‘From Then On’’s ‘The Code’, this is our third successive one together. Did we manage to outdo the energy of those tracks? I’ll let you decide.
01. STONEFACE & TERMINAL
Airflow - FSOE Clandestine Taken from our new album ‘Altered Floors’, this was one of our most played tracks in 2018. The synergy between all our sound machines creates an atmosphere that makes you feel every inch of your skin.
02. BOSTON 168
Oblivion - ODD / EVEN This one’s got a wonderful flow. You just want to dance and dance. A piece of art and nothing less.
03. VICTOR RUIZ & THOMAS SCHUMACHER Wonder - Electric Ballroom Pure power and tech sounds make this one an absolute floorfiller. You can’t stand still while listening to it.
04. STONEFACE & TERMINAL
Culture Clash - FSOE Clandestine Two plays on ASOT, including ‘Progressive Pick’, and two plays on ABGT show how good it can be if you work between trance and techno.
05. JAYTECH
Razer - Anjunabeats Goosebumps. This one word describes this beautiful track. Check the other ones also from the ‘Razer’ EP.
06. ED LYNAM
Endorphins - FSOE Clandestine Acid sounds meet a trance vibe with tech elements. We know it might sound weird, but it is what it is.
07. COLD BLUE
Rush - Kearnage Recordings Our fellow German Cold Blue did a very cool and powerful uplifter. This one brings a smile to your face if you like that side of trance.
08. WILL ATKINSON
Dusk (Stoneface & Terminal Remix) - VII Every time we play this in our DJ sets, people just go nuts. Summer vibes and tech rhythms, never letting your feet stand still.
09. ARMIN VAN BUUREN
Be In The Moment (Stoneface & Terminal Remix) - Armind After the first spin at Armin van Buuren’s ASOT, our email account was overflowing with requests from DJs after copies of this remix. With a fair wind, out by the time you’re reading this.
10. GIUSEPPE OTTAVIANI
Legacy - Subculture We played this great tech trancer from Giuseppe for over a year. And if you play a track for over a year, it’s gotta be in your charts for sure.
EDM POP REVIEWS Calvin Harris
Giant ft. Rag’n’Bone Man Columbia Records 8.5
Calvin started 2019 working with the voice of English singer & songwriter Rag’n’Bone Man for this catchy piece of music. Keeping the formula of his recent releases with Dua Lipa and Sam Smith, the Scottish producer went to combine the soulful pop lyrics of the singer with a house beat that catch us all. Who will stop Calvin?
Zedd
365 ft. Katy Perry Interscope Records 8.5
The recently Grammy nominated Zedd released his first song of 2019 collaborating with pop star Katy Perry, after opening for her on the Witness Tour. “365” is a breezy, hypnotic love song where Perry sings about having love on her mind all the time. Zedd percussion mixes perfectly with the powerfull lyrics driving close over a metallic-sounding drum machine and effervescent clicks.
Diplo
Boom Bye Bye ft. Niska Mad Decent 8.0
This one is taken from the newest Diplo EP “Europa”, following this idea of focusing on local talents as he did with last year’s “California”. Called “Boom Bye Bye,” with rapper Niska from the Parisian suburbs, it goes with lush keys and a hardened percussion while the french rapper flows all over it. The French touch that always work.
Martin Garrix
No Sleep ft. Bonn STMPD RCRDS 7.5
After working together on “High On Life”, these two came back in Martin’s label STMPD RCRDS to release this new song, with a softer approach than the first one. Martin beats are bright and they lean on the nice voice of his partner Bonn. This new song says Martin Garrix all over it.
KYGO
Think About You ft. Valerie Broussard Ultra Music 8.5
Newest KYGO starts with a warm guitar notes and soft padding while soon turns into the kind of music the Nordic producer has been doing since early 2010s. With sunny pianos and Valerie’s touching lyrics, “Think About You” goes as an effective
anthem that will work both for radios and big scenarios.
Armin Van Buuren
Lonely For You ft. Bonnie McKee Armada Music 9.0
Featuring Bonnie McKee’s dynamic and emotional vocals amidst a mash of poppy chords and drum and bass-inspired rhythms, dutch master Armin Van Buuren surprises us all again. This is Armin experimenting as we never see it, going from a ballad to drum & bass in just a couple of seconds. After a couple of seconds of listening, is clear why it was released for Valentine ’s Day.
Nicky Romero & David Guetta Ring The Alarm
Protocol Recordings 7.5
This is the third time this two produce something together. Out on Romero’s Protocol Recordings, “Ring The Alarm” came to life after Guetta heard demos of the song on Romero’s Instagram and hit him up via FaceTime to spitball ideas. The record features drumline style breakdowns and, naturally, an actual alarm. This is Guetta’s first time on Romero’s label and it’s a banger.
Arty
Save Me Tonight Armada Music 9.0
Starting with bright sounding piano chords and a thick clap, newest Arty’s production goes full vocal while introducing strings filling the space nicely. The build gives the vocalist the chance to belt, and the chord progression speeds up to form a dance groove. Strong and emotive, “Save Me Tonight” makes the listener want to get up and dance. Looks like Arty won’t stop during 2019. We can’t complain!
The Chainsmokers
Who Do You Love ft. 5 Seconds of Summer Columbia Records 8.5
After their “Sick Boy EP”, Alex Pall and Andrew Taggart return to the formula that made them crossover superstars with this instantly catchy, genre-melting banger. This is another super pop production from the North American duo with electronic elements. This time working with Australian band 5 Seconds of Summer, “Who Do You Love” goes as a typical Chainsmokers song, with heartfelt lyrics and laidback percussions.
GALANTIS
Bones ft. One Republic Atlantic Recordings 8.5
More pop than dance, this new Galantis track will for sure be conquering radio stations and big scenarios all over the world. Driven by an infectious guitar-led melody, “Bones” is the ultimate euphoric anthem which sees OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder explore a love so deep that it’s almost painful. It sounds like a nice blend between Galantis productions and OneRepublic’s versatile sound.
Gesaffelstein
Lost in the Fire ft. The Weeknd Columbia Records 8.5
French electronic producer Gesaffelstein enlists The Weekend for a sleek, pleasant, and controversial electro-urban-pop single. This is a solid production work that came as a single of his recently released LP “Hyperion”. Some nice warm synths playing the perfect background for The Weeknd vocals.
San Holo
Lead Me Back bitbird 8.0
This is an example of the hybrid sound of San Holo, combining electronic influences with indie rock. Presented by the Dutch producer as the “most personal song” he’s ever written, “Lead Me Back” oscillates between digital builds and warm lyrics and guitars with a very strong message. It will make you cry!
Joyride Im Gone
HARD Recs
8.0 After releasing “Agen Wida” with Skrillex last year, Joyride is back to business with his signature bass house style. Filled with textured noises, booming rumbles and emotional melodies, “Im Gone” is a whirlwind of feelings. It was released as the first single of Joyryde’s debut album, “Brave” and marked the debut release of Hard Recs, a subsidiary of the North American-based music festival and concert brand.
Hardwell ft. Conor Maynard & Snoop Dogg How You Love Me (Jay Hardway Remixes) Spinnin’ Remixes 9.0
This is a funny electro house piece from Dutch producer Jay Hardway who’s remixed Hardwell last collab with Conor Maynard and Snoop Dogg. With a tech house flavor after the drop, it’s a nice way to play these vocals on a crowded dancefloor. djmagasia.com 129
Further Listening
PAUL VAN DYK
Music Rescues Me
8.5
This 14-track album goes beyond the theme of music as it takes you on a beautifully laid-out trance journey that may just be what you need to get you through some tough times. “Music Rescues Me” is the ninth track by the legendary trance DJ & producer Paul Van Dyk and it shows his new view of the world, after the accident he suffered playing at ASOT in 2016. Powerful and neatly ordered, this album goes as a fully experience while listening all together at one take, starting with more ambient sounds and developing into a fully energetic journey to rescue us al.
Miss Kittin Cosmos 8.0
Miss Kittin returns to her original pseudonym Kittin to present her new 12-track LP. “Cosmos” is her first conceptual album, where she tries to find answers to the existential questions that humans usually ask themselves. With song titles such as “Question Everything”, “Are You There?” and “Utopia” within the French producer quest, this album brings more questions than answers. Raw and electronic but at the same time warm and feminine, with Kittin vocals all around, “Cosmos” is a piece to listen carefully at home while you ask yourself some questions without an answer.
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Bjarki
Happy Earthday 8.0
Iceland’s Bjarki established pretty quickly he had more in his repertoire than his fist-pumping breakthrough ‘I Wanna Go Bang’. In fact, that release’s B-side was far more representative; heavily percussive, and drawing on ambient and glitchy soundscapes with an unmistakably organic feel. All these elements are out in force on ‘Happy Earthday’. Bjarki labels his album as personal and introspective, and these are perfect adjectives. For an effort so often set at a d&b tempo it’s surprisingly moody and contemplative, and while his layered breaks journey from hip-hop to jungle, it’s his glitchy sonic mischief that’s allowed the most airtime. How lifelike these concoctions are can’t be emphasised enough. ‘Happy Earthday’ is a foggy window into the inner world of a musical enigma.
Phillipi & Rodrigo Paciencia 8.5
‘Paciencia’ is the Brazilian duo’s 9-track debut album, recorded, produced and mixed at Studio DEEWEE, the amazing institution from the Dewaele brothers –best know as 2ManyDJs and Soulwax. This amazing heap of tracks showcase the particular vision of this two very young and talented producers. Described by 2ManyDJs as sounding “like Stereolab in 2019 singing in Portuguese while a Batucada band performs at a Brazilian beach techno party”, this album has a little bit of everything. From organ-heavy psychedelic pop to melancholic vibes with pianos and strings, seasoned with Portuguese vocals all over it. Feels like something new.
Chaka Khan
Hello To Happiness 9.0
Chaka’s first album since 2007’s ‘Funk This’ has no right to be as ace as it is: of course THAT VOICE is still as stunning as ever, whether ripping forth solo or multi-tracked into ‘Emotions’-style bliss. The production smartly incorporates gorgeous disco textures into tracks like ‘Like A Lady’ and the ripsnorting title track, as well as a fantastic hip-hop/funk groove on tracks such as ‘Like Sugar’ and the Betty-Davisesque ‘Don’t Cha Know’. Key is that this isn’t an album warming with intrusive guests or a dozen different producers. Chaka’s worked with Switch & Ruba Taylor throughout — they’ve given her a set of songs that enable her to demonstrate not only her ageless brilliance at soul-snarling (the stunning ‘Too Hot’), but also a more thoughtful Chaka than we’ve heard before (the beautifully contemplative Rufus-esque ‘Ladylike’). Essential.
Further Listening
Modeselektor Who Else 7.5
Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary have been working on the sketches of ‘Who Else’, their fourth album, for a couple of years, but crammed its construction into a month. The result is an urgent, concise eight tracks delivered in under an hour. Their rave origins frequently come to the fore. ‘One United Power’, which opens proceedings, has warehouse diva howls and LFO vibes. ‘Wealth’ finds them jamming with Bermondsey’s Flohio, a grimy club banger, after which there’s the stark brutality of ‘Prügelknabe’, an assault on the nervous system with more body-blow 909 toms than is healthy. Estonian rapper Tommy Cash (and what sounds like the kids from the local theatre school) ride on surging drums and contrasting moodiness for ‘Who’, and it’s claxons ahoy for ‘WMF Love Song’, a murky and magnificent club jam with swing up the yin-yang. It’s a rough ride but totally worth it.
Jean Michel Jarre Equinoxe Infinity 8.5
Forty years from his fourth studio album “Equinoxe”, the legend Jean Michel Jarre composed its sequel “Equinoxe Infinity”. How cool is that? With an artwork based on the old seminal release of the French composer with “the Watchers”, the new release centers around humanity’s uncertain future. Cinematic and exploratory, this is a fully instrumental offering that plays in one’s mind like a movie. Created with an specific story for each track in his mind, Jarre deployed is knowledge over these 10 tracks, creating a sound pallete simple and effective but at the same time complex and fully textured. This is a must.
Julian Jeweil
Efdemin
Transsmision
New Atlantis
8.0
On delving into his recent work, Julian has described it as “an album with would represent me a hundred percent, without limiting myself or setting boundaries”. True to his words, it’s a no-holdsbarred excursion into full-throttle techno. The ‘Intro’ channels deep, atmospheric synths for a one minute 30 seconds moment of calm before heading straight into the hypnotic loops and ferocious claps of ‘Transmission’. ‘Planet X’ slows the bpm for a moment, inducing 303 acid and pulsing basslines and the only downtempo affair bar the intro. ‘Turbulence’ is intensely restless, with a breakdown that’ll probably tear your sound system apart and drive it off the walls. He’s no doubt been road testing these far and wide, recently playing the Drumcode party at Watergate in Berlin. We’re sure they’ll have been doing suitable destruction to the dancefloor.
8.0
For his fourth artist album, Berlin’s Efdemin opens with the evocative ‘Oh, Lovely Appearance Of Death’ that he builds around a spoken-word recital from veteran Californian artist William T. Wiley. It’s a captivating intro that confidently establishes ‘New Atlantis’ as a blend of the kind of deep, dubby techno Efdemin is known for with his more experimental projects. Named after Francis Bacon’s infamous 17th Century novel, which fittingly channels the same futurism that inspired techno’s early pioneers, it’s home to an abundance of long, rich dancefloor-friendly journeys which are weaved elegantly into the album’s more cerebral excursions. Both flesh out their soundscapes with a hefty amount of live instrumentation, and best of all, Efdemin has a swift and focused story to tell that ensures ‘New Atlantis’ doesn’t outstay its welcome.
ROBBIE RIVERA Twenty
8.0
Robbie Rivera releases a new studio album with twelve new singles in the style that has made him a legendary artist. “Twenty” pulls together the essence of his music from the last two decades and offers 12 tracks that traverse the many twists and turns that make up house music. This is album is a celebration of twenty years of marriage presenting sexy house music at its best. Intended entirely for the dancelfloor, without restrictions, “Twenty” show all the faces that made Rivera an icon of the house scene, from tribal to speed garage and everything in between. Expect vocals and sexiness all over it.
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TECHNEWS
TRAKTOR DJ 2 IS HERE
The new Native Instruments software features integration with SoundCloud’s service and a new Suggested Tracks function...
N
ative Instruments have announced Traktor DJ 2, a new app for iPad, PC and Mac, with a simplified interface and new features like suggested tracks and direct integration with the new Kontrol S2. The Suggested Tracks function will scan track elements like key, tempo and energy and, as the name implies, suggest what to play next. Traktor DJ 2 also adds SoundCloud integration, allowing users to stream directly from the music platform into the software. Native Instruments say the software has been re-coded from the ground up, which they announced last year, and will work across both mobile and desktop platforms The new software is aimed at DJs ‘of all levels’ and the desktop version will cost approximately US$50 when it’s available on Native’s own site. The iOS version will cost approximately US$10 from the App Store. Existing and future Kontrol S2 MK3 customers will get the desktop version for free. The iOS version, along with a SoundCloud Go+ account, is available for free on a 30-day trial from the App Store. n
MIDI 2.0:
A BIG UPDATE IS COMING
With Google, Apple, Ableton and Native Instruments joining their ranks... The MIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA) has announced plans for a ‘major update’ to MIDI. While MIDI is a ubiquitous protocol for sending information between software and hardware devices, musicians and producers have long run into issues with syncing and confusing configuration requirements. The proposed update aims to make ‘electronic instruments easier to configure and use,’ according to a statement published by the MMA, a consortium of companies working to develop the protocol. Since becoming an industry standard in 1983, MIDI has gained new features, but the underlying
specifications remain unchanged. The update will seek to preserve this backward compatibility while introducing ‘auto-configuration, new DAW/Web integrations, extended resolution, increased expressiveness and tighter timing.’ MIDI 2.0 also leaves behind its outdated 7-bit resolution to offer a larger number, although the Association has yet to announce the details of the extended resolution. The MMA paired the announcement with news that both Ableton and Native Instruments have joined their ranks, following the likes of Google, Apple, Moog and KORG. No doubt, the update is exciting news... djmagasia.com 133
TECH
WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR MUSIC PRODUCTIONS?
HERE IS ARMADA UNIVERSITY TO SUPPORT YOU. Words: ARIEL JO
W
e had a great opportunity to meet with Jop Bonnike. He is the initiator of Armada University, the online producer platform of award-winning dance music label Armada Music. Armada University offers its students an abundance of music production knowledge through artist courses and (guaranteed) demo feedback, suitable for everyone from beginners to professional producers.
professional feedback from the Armada Team on one of their demos each time they purchase a course. Some of the courses are also tied to a contest, which gives students the chance to win an official release on Armada Music. So far, we’ve released courses from ANOTR, Harry Romero, Sultan + Shepard, Thomas Gold, ATFC & David Penn, Ørjan Nilsen, GoldFish, Rodg, Estiva and Dave Winnel.
Firstly, can you tell us a bit about Armada Music?
What is the purpose of Armada University?
Armada Music is the biggest independent dance music label in the world, with offices in Amsterdam (HQ), London and New York. Armada Music was founded in 2003 and represents labels and artists across the electronic music spectrum, including Afrojack, Andrew Rayel, Armin van Buuren, ARTY, Erick Morillo, Fedde Le Grand, Gareth Emery, Kevin Saunderson, Lost Frequencies, Loud Luxury, Morgan Page and W&W. What is Armada University? Armada University is the online producer platform of Armada Music. At the start of 2018, we partnered up with educational platform FaderPro. com, who are known for offering artist courses in which producers learn about music production by virtually sitting in the studio with professional artists. The students of Armada University get to learn from dance music’s leading artists in the courses we provide and are given the chance to get 134 djmagasia.com
We founded Armada University to give talented producers from all over the world easy access to the music production knowledge of our artists and team. Nowadays, it’s so easy to share these skills and help a young talented producer to improve his or her music. Our artists really enjoy it as well. They also started out at the bottom once, and these kind of things could have helped them out a lot back then. Sometimes, our students just need that extra push to finish a great record, and we’re really happy for being able to play a part in that. How is Armada University different from other similar talent platforms? Being part of Armada University is a two-way relationship where the student improves his or her skills by watching our artist courses. He or she is then able to use these new skills in a demo, which can be submitted to our team for a full demo feedback report and some quick tips to improve the record. Our top students have shown lots of improvement if you compare their first demos
TECH to their latest. The direct relationship between the student and the label/artist really makes this a one-ofa-kind platform. Does Armada University only offer courses from artists within certain genres? Just like Armada Music itself, we try to offer courses in all dance music genres. Most of our current courses are focused on Trance, Progressive and House, but we are looking to expand this in the near future. Additionally, we are working on setting up Chinese and Spanish courses this year. How has the response been so far? The responses are overwhelming. Over 6,000 producers have subscribed to our platform, and they’re coming from every continent in the world. We have received lots of thankful responses on the feedback we provided and have surprised some of our students with an official release on Armada Music. We just announced that the 23-year-old Agez from Mexico won the Finish My Record contest with Ørjan Nilsen, which means he’s getting to release an official collaboration with one of his idols. It’s a dream come true for him, and that’s one of the reasons why we love doing this.
What are the plans for building out the Armada University platform? 2019 will be a big year for Armada University. We are currently speaking with several big names about doing an artist course, and we’re aiming to announce these shortly. We also released our first sample pack on Splice and are looking to set up a fan-to-producer course series where we can introduce fans to music production by offering beginner courses. How do you become a student on Armada University? Go to university.armadamusic.com and create a free account. Check out our courses and do not forget to send us your demo(s). Readers of DJ Mag Asia will receive an additional 10% discount on all of our courses (as displayed on the website) when using the code “DJMAGASIA ” during check-out. Agez, the winner of the Finish My Record contest with Ørjan Nilsen, adds: “Armada University is a great way to learn and see how the professionals work. I think it’s great that they give producers like me the chance to achieve our dreams, not only by offering these courses and providing professional demo feedback, but also by launching contests that give us the opportunity to win a release on the label.” n
TECH 01
02 03 04
05
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07 Words: MICK WILSON
ALL IN A NIGHT’S WORK
08
Grammy Award-winning producer Cedric Gervais can mix it up between peak-time mainroom cuts and more subtle disco-inspired numbers. In this month’s In the Studio, DJ Mag Tech got a one-on-one with Cedric as he took timeout from collaborating with David Guetta on some new material in Ibiza to discuss his studio success... What is keeping you busy in terms of studio work? “At the moment I’m working on several projects — I have just finished my recent single, ‘Do It Tonight’ and I’m working on a bunch of remixes, some club mixes and finishing off a new single I’m doing with Super Organism called ‘Everybody Wants To Be Famous’. I’m finishing that and also a bunch of collaborations with Just Kiddin’ and D.O.D.”
How do you work in terms of collaborations? “With D.O.D we sat in the studio together, did some work and then we went to LA and did some writing sessions with some writers — a great experience for both parties. With Just Kiddin’, they were in the UK and I was in Miami on tour so they sent me an idea of a vocal and I started working on the track. I sent the stem back and then they did some stuff and sent the stem back to me, and then we got on a call and discussed the track, ‘What do you think about this?’ etc. We were able to spend time working on the record at different times.” Which process do you prefer — remote working or being in the studio? “I prefer being in the studio with the artist, as when you’re together and it’s going well magic happens and it’s good to create magic. You both get to experience a lot of things that are happening in the studio together and you can sit down and talk about the music and get inspired together. It’s a different process being in the studio, you get a good artist-to-artist relationship going on. With the remote working with professionals like Just Kiddin’, they’re great producers and they know what
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CEDRIC GERVAIS ESSENTIAL KIT 01. Focal Twin6 Speakers 02. Universal Audio UAD 2 Satellite 03. Roland TR-909 Drum Machine 04. Native Instruments Maschine MK3 05. Dangerous Audio Speaker Controller 06. Oberheim Matrix 1000 07. Avalon Pre Amp 08. Nord Lead Rack 2
they’re doing so it’s very easy to talk to them and for us all to understand what we are all doing on the production, so it isn’t a problem. However, I prefer being in the studio with the artist.” In terms of the process, how do you fit this around production timelines? “I test out all my productions while I’m touring playing them in my sets, then I go back into the studio and start tweaking them with the structure, the volumes and stuff. I change the arrangement, look at how the vocals are sounding or the bass — I’m able to see the movement when playing the productions out, so my process isn’t to work around a timeline. I’m always getting stick off my management
TECH as they want me to work to timelines, but the important thing is that the record has to be right and not to rush it based on timelines.” How do you go about recording your productions — what equipment are you using? “I work on a Mac, I used to work on Logic but I switched to Ableton 10 as I think it’s much quicker to get inspired. I have a lot of outboard gear: Moog Voyager, [Roland] Juno-6, [SCI] Prophet 5, [Access] Virus TI, [Roland] TB-303, 909 drum machine, 808 drum machine, a good few drum machines that are all hardware for that analogue sound. I’ve amazing compressors: Distressor, Phatso, Chandler Curve Bender EQ, that I work all my keyboards through to get the sound before I record them into my computer. I’m trying to get a really good natural sound, so if I have a bass I run it through all my equipment so I get a better sound — something different from what everyone else is using.” Do you prefer to use hardware? “Yeah, because sounds are bigger than using a sample pack, getting a bunch of drums, kicks, 909, 808s, cymbals, loops and grooves. I find if I record those things I always have a warmness, a certain sound that you can only get — I don’t care how they record it — with analogue gear using the recording chain. It’s a plus to have all those options so that I can get the sound how I want it.” What was your first entry into the gear world? “An Atari computer. I had no idea what I was doing on it, I was learning Cubase but I had no idea what I was doing. I was learning how to produce so getting anything recorded on the beat of the bar was a good accomplishment for me.”
Tell us more about your studio space and how you’ve developed it over the years? “I am based in Miami and Aspen Colorado. I have a studio in Miami and a studio in Aspen. The Aspen studio is more a space that I can retreat to and just get some work done but my real studio is in Miami where I get most of my work done. My engineer works from there so whilst I am away the work can still be done, Miami is the place where I get more creative. It has taken me years to get the studio space setup.” Can you tell us about a few of your key pieces? “I use UAD and there are so many things I use in my mastering chain. I can’t tell you every plug-in as there are so many, but it’s all UAD.”
How do you work in the studio, what’s your process? “Well it’s always different. If it’s a remix I get the vocal, or if it’s an original production and I have the vocal, I start with the vocals and create chords at the back to make sure that I get the emotion that the vocals need. Then I go from there to mainly working on the bassline. Drums, I generally work on the drums when I have the structure of the record. I start with a regular kick and groove and then I go back and work some more on the drums. “On a techno track I’m going to start on the drums and then on the bassline so it depends on what style of production I’m working on. Or it could be that I grab my guitar and play some chords and start to build something from there.”
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TECH
BEDROOM TO MAIN ROOM Pioneer DJ introduces the XDJ-RR, the 2-channel all-in-one DJ system for rekordboxTM that can take you all the way to the club…
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I
f you want to make the transition from playing at home to performing at parties, bars and eventually clubs, the new Pioneer DJ XDJ-RR 2-channel all-in-one DJ system for rekordboxTM is the ideal piece of kit for you. The system inherits all the basic features from the club-standard NXS2 set-up and packs them into a lightweight, portable body that’s easy to take to parties and gigs as you progress through the DJ ranks. As Pioneer DJ says, the XDJ-RR offers you flexibility, so you can practise and perform however you prefer. As we can imagine, it’s compatible with the professional performance application rekordbox dj (licence included) but if you don’t want to use a PC/Mac, you can export your rekordbox-analysed music to USB storage devices, plug them into the controller and play tracks directly from them. Just that easy!
TECH
Besides being similar to their flahship NXS2 range, with a very familiar design and many of its performance controls, features and FX, it presents dual USB-A ports and a single USB-B port so you can plug in your PC or Mac to the USB-B and plug USB drives in the A ports so ensure seamless handovers between DJs. It includes a 7-inch full-colour screen to browse and select tracks quickly and intuitively, using the GUI design and large rotary selector from the CDJ-2000NXS2 multi player. It also turns out to be really helpful to get a quick visual reference of track information such as playback position, BPM and waveforms for more accurate mixing and scratching. The new XDJ-RR brings all the familiar controls we already know, including hot cues, beat loop, slip loop and beat jump, with a mixer section full of professional FX having mostly the same features than its pro mixer, the DJM-900NXS2. However, this all-in-one unit is easier to travel with. It’s compact and weighs just 5.2 kg – almost 4 kg (43%) less than the XDJ-RX2 – making it perfect for carrying to your next house party or gig. The XDJ-RR unit is available from early September at 1300 dollars, approximately.
EVENT CALENDAR 2019 FROM MARCH TO JUNE
Festival season is back! Join your friends, make new ones, and explore the world of music. Words: ARIEL JO , BINNA KIM
H
ot festivals are waiting for us with a hint of spring in the air. This calendar encompasses festivals & concerts from all over central & eastern Asia, and each one guarantees a unique experience that’s sure to leave a long-lasting impression. Festivals and artist’s concerts continue to one-up each other, creating new experiences and adventures each year, so be sure to find the perfect match for your festival fan!
March [CONCERT]
HONNE ‘LOVE ME / LOVE ME NOT’ LIVE TOUR IN ASIA WHERE? Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) / Ebisu (Japan) / Shibuya, Osaka (Japan) / Singapore / Shanghai (China) WHEN? March 1st – 14th HOW MUCH? Various prices. HIGHLIGHTS: British electro-R&B duo, HONNE will kick off their Asian tour at this year’s series and they’ll continue to tour in Asia till the 2nd week of March 2019. hellohonne.com
[CONCERT]
[CONCERT]
WHERE? Taipei (Taiwan) / Osaka, Tokyo (Japan) / Seoul (Korea) WHEN? March 5th – 10th HOW MUCH? Various Prices. HIGHLIGHTS: A British synth-pop band, Years & Years will visit Asia with their new album, ‘Palo Santo’ starting from Taipei, Taiwan. [Taipei: Mar 5th, Osaka: Mar 7th, Tokyo Mar 8th, Seoul: Mar 10th] yearsandyears.com
WHERE? Kilo Lounge, Tanjong Pagar (Singapore) WHEN? March 16th HOW MUCH? 51 – 67 SGD HIGHLIGHTS: London-based songwriter and electronic musician William Phillips – also known as Tourist – is known for signature bittersweet dance tracks and remixes. Stopping by Singapore, on 16th March, it will be the only show in Asia among his tour destinations of this year. www.touristmusic.com
[FESTIVAL]
[FESTIVAL]
WHERE? Fort Green, Fort Canning Park (Singapore) WHEN? March 9th HOW MUCH? 85.51 – 326.28 EUR HIGHLIGHTS: Sunshine Nation presents the fifth edition of Garden Beats Festival 2019 with a superb lineup featuring artists such as The Kooks, Masego, Yung Bae, Alina Baraz, Black Coffee, Orio, Daryl C, Toppings, Bongomann, Coran and Alle Farben. gardenbeats.com
WHERE? Asiad Tower, Khelgaon, New Delhi (India) WHEN? March 20th – 21th HOW MUCH? Various prices HIGHLIGHTS: Holi Cow! Festival is an all-day outdoor festival that takes place each March in New Delhi. The event offers an array of art, culture, food, music and dancing across three stages. The best Indian and international hip-hop, indie and electronic musicians head to Zorba for a day of ‘Moozik and Madness’. www.holimoofestival.com
YEARS & YEARS PALO SANTO WORLD TOUR
GARDEN BEATS FESTIVAL 2019 , SINGAPORE
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DJ TOURIST TOUR IN ASIA
HOLI COW! FESTIVAL 2019, INDIA
April [CONCERT]
ED SHEERAN ASIA TOUR 2019 WHERE? Taoyuan (Taiwan) / Tokyo & Osaka (Japan) / Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) / Hong Kong / Seoul (South Korea) / Singapore / Bangkok (Thailand) / Jakarta (Indonesia) WHEN? April 4th – May 3rd HOW MUCH? Various prices HIGHLIGHTS: Pop singer Ed Sheeran has confirmed that his first concert tour of this year will take place in April. The star will perform at different places of the world, performing in Seoul, Singapore and Thailand as a part of his Asian tour. [Taiwan: Apr 4th, Tokyo: Apr 9th, Kuala Lumpur: Apr 13th, Hong Kong: Apr 17-18tht, Seoul: Apr 21th, Osaka: Apr 23th, Singapore: Apr 26th, Bangkok: Apr 28th, Jakarta: May 3rd] edsheeran.com
[FESTIVAL]
SÓNAR, HONG KONG WHERE? Hong Kong Science Park (Hong Kong) WHEN? April 13th HOW MUCH? 580 - 780 HKD HIGHLIGHTS: Acclaimed by fans and critics all over the world, trailblazing electronic music festival Sónar makes its eagerly anticipated return to Hong Kong Science Park from 12pm-3am on Saturday April 13, 2019. MØ, Thundercat, Bonobo, John Talabot and more confirmed for the lineup. sonarhongkong.com
[FESTIVAL]
[CONCERT]
DJ SNAKE TOUR 2019 IN INDIA WHERE? Mumbai / Bangalore / Hyderabad / Gurgaon (India) WHEN? March 21th – 24th HOW MUCH? Various prices HIGHLIGHTS: Kicking off his first tour of 2019 in February 14th, DJ Snake will visit more than 17 countries around the world and he’ll also get closer to his Asian fans by making appearance in India from 21th to 24th. [Mumbai: Mar 21th, Bangalore: Mar 22th, Hyderabad: Mar 23th, Gurugram: Mar 24th] djsnake.com
S2O SONGKRAN MUSIC FESTIVAL IN BANGKOK WHERE? Live Park, Bangkok (Thailand) WHEN? April 13th – 15th HOW MUCH? 2000 – 4500 THB HIGHLIGHTS: S2O Songkran Music Festival has everything it takes to become one of Asia’s leading electronic music festivals. S2O is the go-to event during the water festival, with a colossal stage design, a worldclass lineup, and a water experience like no other festival in Asia. s2ofestival.com
[CONCERT]
[CONCERT]
KRAFTWERK LIVE IN ASIA
WHERE? Makuhari Messe, Chiba (Japan) WHEN? May 22th – 23th HOW MUCH? 9000 - 16000 JPY HIGHLIGHTS: The American electronic dance music producer and DJ, Marshmello who wears a custom helmet for public appearances, will make his appearance in Asia by stopping by Japan in March, from 22th to 23th. marshmellomusic.com
WHERE? Tokyo & Osaka (Japan) / Seoul (Korea) / Hong Kong (China) WHEN? April 16th – 29th HOW MUCH? Various prices Widely considered to be innovators and pioneers of electronic music, Kraftwerk is among the first successful acts to popularize the genre. This legendary will be on tour this year again, visiting the three eastern Asia’s representative country in the middle of April. [Tokyo: Apr 16-19th, Osaka: Apr 22th, Seoul: Apr 26th, Hong Kong: Apr 29th] www.kraftwerk.com
MARSHMELLO TOUR IN JAPAN
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[CONCERT]
TROYE SIVAN THE BLOOM TOUR ASIA WHERE? Shanghai (China) / Tokyo (Japan) / Seoul (Korea) / Manila (Philippines) / Singapore / Hong Kong / Bangkok (Thailand) WHEN? April 22th – May 8th HOW MUCH? Various prices HIGHLIGHTS: Troye Sivan, who is loved by music fans all over the world for his delicate sensibility and trendy sound, will bring this year his ‘The Bloom Tour’ in Asia. [Shanghai: Apr 22th, Tokyo: Apr 24th, Seoul: Apr 27th, Manila: May 1st, Singapore: May 3rd, Hong Kong: May 6th, Bangkok: May 8th] www.troyesivan.com/tours
[FESTIVAL]
STRIKE MUSIC FESTIVAL, KOREA WHERE? Seoul land, Guacheon, Gyunggi (Korea) WHEN? April 27th – 28th HOW MUCH? 55,000 – 99,000 KRW HIGHLIGHTS: If you’re a fan of EDM music and all its different subgenres, then you should know that there’s a musical gathering in the capital of Korea that’ll cater to your musical interests: the 2019 Strike Music Festival in the Seoul Land theme park. Fedde Le Grand, Third Party, Sick Individuals will give you an experience to never forget.
May [FESTIVAL]
TOGETHER FESTIVAL, BANGKOK WHERE? Bitec Convention Center, Bangkok (Thailand) WHEN? May 3rd – 4th HOW MUCH? TBA HIGHLIGHTS: This premier electronic dance music festival brings you 2 full days of ludicrosity on a whole new level in the bustling city of Bangkok. It’s surely an event you wouldn’t want to miss! www.togetherfestival.net
[FESTIVAL]
EDC JAPAN WHERE? 1 Mihama, Mihama-ku Chiba-shi Chiba 261-0022 (Japan) WHEN? May 11th – 12th HOW MUCH? 11,000 - 49,000JPY HIGHLIGHTS: EDC Japan brings a unique experience, with world-class stages, fireworks, and costumed performers. All Are Welcome Here Under the Electric Sky! japan.electricdaisycarnival.com
[CONCERT]
LAUV ASIA TOUR WHERE? Mumbai (India) / Singapore / Bangkok (Thailand) / Quezon City (Philippines) / Cebu (Philippines) / Hong Kong / Jakarta (Indonesia) / Seoul (Korea) / Nagoya & Akasaka (Japan) WHEN? May 13th – 30th HOW MUCH? Various prices HIGHLIGHTS: Independent singer, songwriter, producer and pop visionary Lauv visits Asia starting his tour from Mumbai, India. [Mumbai: May 13th, Singapore: May 15-16th, Bangkok: May 18th, Quezon city: May 20th, Cebu: May 21th, Hong Kong: May 23th, Jakarta: May 24th, Seoul: May 26th, Japan: May 26-30th] lauvsongs.com
[FESTIVAL]
GREATWALL FESTIVAL, BEIJING WHERE? The Great Wall of China, Beijing (China) WHEN? May 11th – 12th HOW MUCH? 700 – 880 CNY HIGHLIGHTS: Imagine a festival on one of the Seven Wonders of the World? The Berghain (Ostgut Ton) fundamental legends Ben Klock + Marcel Dettmann will play their China exclusive performance. www.greatwallfestival.com
[FESTIVAL]
AIA GLOW FESTIVAL, SINGAPORE WHERE? Palawan Green, Sentosa (Singapore) WHEN? May 25th HOW MUCH? 99 - 149 SGD HIGHLIGHTS: The AIA Glow Festival is a health and wellness event for the 21st century. It is an experience that brings together the most celebrated things in life - health and wellness, food, music and community. Rudimental and Lost Frequencies to perform at the festival! glowfestival.sg 144 djmagasia.com
June
[FESTIVAL]
[FESTIVAL]
WHERE? Seoul land, Guacheon, Gyunggi (Korea) WHEN? June 1st – 2nd HOW MUCH? 69,000 – 199,000 KRW HIGHLIGHTS: World DJ Festival is an electronic music festival featuring talent from around the world. Not only is it an awesome weekend of music, it takes place during the first weekend in June so you can also enjoy a great day outdoors in the lovely summer weather. www.wdjfest.com
WHERE? Singapore Ultra Park, Marina Bay Sands (Singapore) WHEN? June 8th – 9th HOW MUCH? 238 – 328 SGD HIGHLIGHTS: Ultra Singapore consists of a two-day music festival attracts over 40,000 people each year. For a full two days of partying, come to Ultra Singapore and dance the day and night away with a huge setlist scheduled. ultrasingapore.com
[FESTIVAL]
IT’S THE SHIP, SHANGHAI TO SHIMONOSEKI
WORLD DJ FESTIVAL, KOREA
ULTRA KOREA
ULTRA SINGAPORE
[FESTIVAL]
WHERE? TBA WHEN? June 7th – 9th HOW MUCH? 180,000 – 320,000 KRW HIGHLIGHTS: The 8th edition of Ultra Korea. The best is yet to come, something big is coming your way. Swedish House Mafia, Martin Garrix, Skrillex, Virtual Self, Jamie Jones, Josh Wink, Eats Everything, and Art Department made their mark on the Ultra Korea lineup this year. Be ready for their historic performances. Thousands of Ultranauts are ready to have the hottest summer of their lives. ultrakorea.com
WHERE? Shanghai (China) to Shimonoseki (Japan) WHEN? June 13th – 17th HOW MUCH? 7,500 – 22,400 CNY HIGHLIGHTS: The very first IT’S THE SHIP China is setting sail from Shanghai to the Japanese island of Shimonoseki and back this 13th to 17th June 2019. This five-day, four nights, music festival experience aboard the MSC Splendida will feature artists from around the world. www.itstheshipchina.com
[FESTIVAL]
5TARDIUM, KOREA
CIRCUIT FESTIVAL, THAILAND WHERE? TBA WHEN? June 7th – 9th HOW MUCH? 4,500 – 7,500 THB HIGHLIGHTS: The Festival will return for its 2nd year to offer the ultimate gay dance festival getaway on June 7th – 9th 2019 in the famous beach city – Pattaya, Thailand. It boasts 4 massive events with world-class productions, Asia’s only gay Waterpark Day party, beach party, the best international DJs on the scene. circuitfestival.net
[FESTIVAL]
WHERE? Nanji Park, Mapo, Seoul (Korea) WHEN? June 29th – 30th HOW MUCH? 77,000 – 176,000 KRW HIGHLIGHTS: Celebrating its 6th anniversary, 5TARDIUM 2019 has announced a stacked lineup with world-class EDM artists including Illenium, Markus Schulz, Darren Styles, i_o. Under the subtitle ‘The Great Path on the Universe: STARGAZER’ 5TADIUM will take you to the most surreal ambient of music, stage sets and performances. 5tardium.com
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Lucky Seven is a page where we can see from what music the great DJs have been influenced in their past days, throwing to these DJs seven questions in common. We are more than happy to share with our readers the music that the two great female artists who have been loved throughout Asia, Alison Wonderland and Charlotte de Witte consider important. Listen not only to their music, but also to the jewelry-like tracks that affected them.
HING T O N R EO DOUBL
CHARLOTTE DE WITTE
ALISON WONDERLAND Despite being considered relatively fresh on the scene, Belgian DJ and producer Charlotte de Witte has amply proven her skill in the studio and behind the decks. Her fast-paced trajectory reads like a novel. While championing her own style of uncompromising and headstrong techno, she steers her career and music the way she envisions it. Alison Wonderland architects a world of her own design as its chief author, creator, and voice. The Sydney-born and Los Angeles-based singer, producer, songwriter, and DJ realizes this vision at the intersection of future-facing pop, explosive beat-craft, and eternal dance rhythms.
THE TRACK THAT REMINDS YOU OF YOUR CHILDHOOD?
“Inspector Morse Theme. My grandfather loved watching crime series and Inspector Morse was one of his favorite ones. We used to watch it together until he passed away years ago. That track will forever have a very special meaning to me.” THE TRACK THAT REMINDS YOU OF YOUR CHILDHOOD?
THE FIRST RECORD THAT YOU EVER BOUGHT?
“’Let It Be’ by The Beatles. As a child that’s all my mom played and every time I hear it I think about being a kid in the car with my Mom.”
“Eiffel 65 – ‘Blue’. I bought my first single at the age of 7 or 8 ish at the supermarket. Safe to say I came a long way!”
THE FIRST RECORD THAT YOU EVER BOUGHT?
WHAT DO YOU LISTEN TO THAT ISN’T DANCE MUSIC?
“’Smash’ by Offspring. I heard my older cousin listening to it and I felt really naughty listening to it because it had a lot of swear words.”
“A wide variety of music, really. I love sixties, seventies and eighties but I also love music like Ry X, Howling, James Blake, Banks, Syd and so on… I’m a lover of reggae music as well.”
WHAT DO YOU LISTEN TO THAT ISN’T DANCE MUSIC?
“I honestly listen to more non dance music than dance music. That helps me produce the sound I make because I am not locked into one genre. I don’t really discriminate against any genre. If a song is good it’s good.”
THE TRACK THAT’S GUARANTEED TO MAKE YOU CRY?
“Fink – ‘Make It Good (Tale Of Us Remix)’. Used to make me cry when I broke with my boyfriend several years ago. It’s still a very emotional song that’ll always get me a little teared up.”
THE TRACK THAT’S GUARANTEED TO MAKE YOU CRY?
“’Retrograde’ by James Blake makes me cry. His voice is just amazing.”
WHAT’S AN ALBUM (OR ARTIST) THAT YOU’RE CURRENTLY INTO?
“The Internet. Always have been into them, always will be. Crazy voice.” WHAT’S AN ALBUM (OR ARTIST) THAT YOU’RE CURRENTLY INTO?
“The new James Blake album is great.”
THE RECORD IN YOUR COLLECTION THAT YOU MOST TREASURE?
THE RECORD IN YOUR COLLECTION THAT YOU MOST TREASURE?
“’The Butter EP’ by Hudson Mohawke because it’s super rare and I have it.”
“A vinyl of DBX – Losing Control. It’s a record that is, if I’m not mistaken, made in my birth year 1992 or the year after and is still amazingly well produced. I love how stripped it is and it sounds very modern.”
YOUR ALL-TIME FAVORITE TRACK OF ALL TIME?
YOUR ALL-TIME FAVORITE TRACK OF ALL TIME?
“As a DJ, I can’t pick a favorite they are all my children.”
“Charles & Eddie – ‘Would I Lie To You’. That track has everything. I love it to bits.” u
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