Project Leader UCG BAN Director Hernán Pandelo Jace Jinsun Yu
EDITORIAL
editorial@djmagasia.com
Hello? 안녕하세요? 你好。 こんにちは。 As the Summer heat continues to intensify over the years, we find ourselves appreciating the cool breeze that signals the beginning of Fall. Numerous global festivals have entered the Asian market with tremendous reception. Many of the world’s top artists are pursuing tours in Asia. From small lounges to mega night clubs, parties alike, a new form of music hipster culture is emerging in Asia. Access to music has also improved with the expansion of various music services across Asia. The current generation of music lovers is spoiled with access to rich libraries of music, oldies and the new. It is truly a blessing that we live in such a prosperous era of music. We live in a world where information and music is overly abundant; so on the contrary, we find ourselves with difficulty choosing what to listen to and difficulty understanding the trends. This is why people ask, “What do you listen to?”, “Can you share your playlist?”. DJ Mag Asia’s team has always found it challenging to decide on what to present in every issue. This is a happy burden, but the responsibility weighs heavily. This is why we have always strived to curate with balance. We sincerely hope that our stories make a positive influence on our readers and their playlists and that our stories better lifestyles driven by the passion for music.
Editor Team Jackisback Tiffany Kim Ariel Jo Kevin Kang David Lee Tetsuya M Mengdie Hu Jae Jung Web Team Sean Hwang N.K Oh Photo & Video Team Matthew Martin Marco Tessiore
ART & DESIGN
design@djmagasia.com
Alejandro Ramos Jay Kim Sergio Aguirre
ADVERTISING
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Jason Roh Sungah Han Gloria Lin Leo Jurjevich Jeehak Koh
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, Sae Chang Seth Kim, Simon Moon, Camillia Lu, Mizuki Asakura
SUBSCRIPTIONS
subscriber@djmagasia.com
JACE JINSUN YU Director
OFFICIAL WEBSITE djmagasia.com DJMAGASIA DJMAG_ASIA
CONTENT 40 한국어 WHAT’S HOT IN KOREA? COVER STORY: 새 스튜디오 앨범으로 돌아올 아민 반 뷰렌이 말하는 ‘BALANCE’ ULTRA JAPAN: 음악에 대한 사랑과 열정 FLUME: 침실에서 정상까지
52 中文 WHAT’S HOT IN CHINA? COVER STORY: 将以新工作室专辑回归阿明•范• 布伦所说的’Balance’ ULTRA JAPAN: 对音乐的热爱和热情 FLUME: 从卧室到顶峰
64 日本語 WHAT’S HOT IN JAPAN? COVER STORY: 新しいスタジオ・アルバムで舞い戻 ったアーミン ヴァンビューレンが語る 「バランス」 ULTRA JAPAN: 音楽への愛と情熱
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FLUME: ベッドルーム・プロデューサーからグロー
In a State of Balance
バル・スターへ
ARMIN VAN BUUREN 08 COMIN’ UP
FEATURES 24 MOVIES ABOUT DANCE MUSIC CULTURE
DJ Mag Asia has put together a list of movies about dance music culture to watch.
28 YEARS OF WIGGLE
Terry Francis and Eddie Richards celebrate 25 years of the iconic platform.
32 BRIGHT LIGHTS
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Music Industry, Underworld ‘Drift Songs’, Dance Music in Space, Avicii Tribute Concert, Bassjackers, Denis Sulta new EP, ADE Choices, Hottest tracks in best Asian clubs, Get To Know Londonground and Advanced, Purple Disco Machine in the Hot Seat, Circus Recordings…
48 LIFESTYLE: FOOD The hangover food for the day after clubbing!
Quintino is about to deliver his much anticipated piece of work.
50 JOCKEY JOURNAL: THIRD PARTY
The UK duo shares their memories about Asia.
98 LUCKY SEVEN: JAUZ
Jauz reveal us the tracks that affected him the most.
76 ON THE FLOOR Ultra Japan & Flume in Seoul.
82 MUSIC REVIEWS Marc Houle, East End Dubs, Yaeji, Sub Focus & Wilkinson, Stoneface & Terminal, Henry Fong, Roberto Surace, 808 State, Above & Beyond, Catnapp, Dominik Eulberg, Riche Hawtin & more…
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90 TECH Technics 1210, Novation’s SL MKIII & VONDA7.
94 EVENT CALENDAR
28 6
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Check out what’s going on in Asia from October to December..
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COMIN’ UP
NEWS MUSIC INDUSTRY EXPECTED TO GENERATE $10 BILLION IN 2019! First-half recording revenues of the year grew 18% to $5.4 billion.
A
new report suggests that the U.S. music industry is expected to generate $10 billion this year. It’s been revealed that first-half recording revenues of the year grew 18% to $5.4 billion. Those numbers suggest that, for the first time since 2007, the music industry is on track to bring in $10 billion this year. The findings were shared by the Record Industry Association of America (RIAA), who also found that, in total, stream revenues have also
increased 26% to $4.3 billion during the same period. Streaming accounted for a staggering 80% of industry revenues in the first half of 2019. According to RIAA, revenue increases were driven by paid subscriptions, which exceeded 60 million for the first time. “This continued growth lets record companies do more than ever to discover, promote, and protect great artists. Worldwide labels now spend nearly $6 billion a year to find talent, enable artists to record, cut through the noise, and be heard”, Mitch Glazier, Chairman and CEO, RIAA explained.
Photo: MATTHEW MARTIN
Underworld performing live at Ultra Korea this year.
UNDERWORLD IS ABOUT TO RELEASE THEIR NEW ALBUM “DRIFT SONGS” The iconic live band ends an ambitious project…
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o be released on October 25th, the new album “DRIFT SONGS” marks the conclusion of Underworld’s hugely ambitious 52-week DRIFT Series. During that period, the iconic live band released music, film and text pieces every Thursday as part of the band’s on-going, very public recording process; a unique and visionary space that Karl Hyde & Rick Smith have created for themselves to exist within. By the end of this term, more new music and film will have been released by Underworld in its one-year duration than in the last fifteen years. Something that will materialize as the new album called “DRIFT SONGS”, coming three years after the last “Barbara, Barbara, We Face A Shining Future”. This one will expand a selection of recordings the duo have released since they began their audio/visual experiment in November 2018. The album will be released as a single CD, double vinyl and crucially an all-encompassing box-set featuring the music, visuals and text pieces released throughout the entire 52-week DRIFT.
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DANCE MUSIC IN SPACE: AN ASTRONAUT PLAYED MUSIC FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION Astronaut Luca Parmitano made history by playing the first DJ set in history from outer space.
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onnecting science with entertainment, the BigCityBeats event platform was responsible for making history by summoning astronaut Luca Parmitano a few months ago to become the first person to play a DJ set from the International Space Station. It was on August 13, in cooperation with the European Space Agency, when the founder and pioneer of BigCityBeats, Bernd Breiter, turned his vision into reality: astronaut Luca Parmitano played music from the International Space Station, 400 kilometers high! His set was broadcasted live at the World Club Dome Cruise Edition, another of the big bets as a promoter, where 2500 passengers experimented the transmission exclusively from the station in space. Parmitano session lasted a little less than 15 minutes. While it was not a marathon session, he demonstrated his recently acquired skills, while launching interesting movements defying gravity. Due to the logistic restrictions on board, Parmitano mixed through a digital mixer from an iPad. “This opportunity to combine science and music was a great experience. I hope everyone now sees the world a little differently and enjoys life, just as we do up here, from the ISS”, Parmitano said. During the 12 minutes, he went through Sunbeam’s “Outside World”, Robin Schulz’s “All This Love” and Vize’s “Stars”, clearly playing with the song titles and the place from where he played them. Is it time to have an electronic party on the moon?
COMIN’ UP
AVICII TRIBUTE CONCERT
SOLD OUT IN 30 MINUTES Artists like David Guetta, Kygo and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike are set to perform in this particular event.
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he announcement was made and that was it: everyone was talking about the next meeting where everyone would be able remember and honor the memory of the late Tim Bergling that we all knew as Avicii. Called the “Avicii Tribute Concert for Mental Health Awareness”, this one appeared in front of us as a surprise and quickly became a must. Within the acts that will join the Bergling family, you can find big DJ names such as David Guetta, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Kygo, Laidback Luke and Nicky Romero. They will share the stage with some of the colaborators that worked with Tim like Aloe Blacc, Otto Knows, Vargas & Lagola and Rita Ora, amongst others.
A few days after the announcement, tickets went on sale and, in no more than 30 minutes, it sold 55,000 tickets. The show will take place next December 5th at the Friends Arena stadium in Stockholm. The Tim Bergling Foundation was created by Klas Bergling and Anki Lidén and their family after the death of their son, one of the most acclaimed and beloved producers, performers and songwriters of modern music. Tim’s parents have endowed the foundation with a significant contribution from his estate and will direct proceeds from future Avicii projects and the recent release of the posthumous album “Tim” to the foundation.
BASSJACKERS ANNOUNCE DEBUT ALBUM “THE BIGGEST” The album is a collection of heavy-hitting bangers, true to the Bassjackers sound.
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he album consists of 14 tracks, all crafted to electrify the dance floor and get the crowd amped up. Several of the fire new singles are collaborations with heavy-hitters in the industry, including the likes of Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Steve Aoki, and Dr. Phunk, to name a few. “As fans of the sound, we were missing an album produced as a true festival experience,” said Ralph van Hilst, onehalf of Bassjackers. “Instead of trying to
explore different genres and experiment, we wanted to do the opposite and explore the depths of what we do best; creating high energy bangers.” Also accompanying the album, there is a 2-part cinematic experience music video, which is an artistic representation of the duo’s battle to save their sound from extinction. The highly-anticipated album drops on November 22, 2019 and is available where good music is sold!
DENIS SULTA DEBUTS ON NINJA TUNE An eight-track EP titled ‘Aye Spoake Te Sumwuhn & They Listenhd’.
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s one of the most exciting new references of the ever fertile Glasgow scene Denis Sulta has been conquering the dance music scene one gig at a time. Now, with acclaimed EPs on labels like his own Sulta Selects imprint, he expands his catalogue with a creative batch of eclectic tracks on the esteemed Ninja Tune label. This new EP is an interesting piece of self-discovery from the ascending producer, dedicated “to the memories of the people and places that have shaped a deeply personal and at times difficult journey” for him. Each track of ‘Aye Spoake Te Sumwuhn & They Listenhd’ has a concept or vision behind it that shows its unique approach to making music. And as a whole the new release tries to tell “the story of how Denis
became who he is today”, as Ninja Tunes describes. For example, first cut ‘Matthew Keeps Me Pirrie’ is a “celebration of the realisation of what it is to be yourself, or at least, whoever you are in that moment”. “This track is dedicated to a young man, name of Matthew, who entered my life quite recently. On one occasion, I was feeling frustrated with myself, I couldn’t understand why I couldn’t be like the people I admired. He kept me Hector that day, he welcomed Denis. For who we are. Thank you, Matthew. Sarning x.” Once again, Sulta demonstrates again why his current success and Ninja Tune continues to hit the nail in the head with this aggregates. ‘Aye Spoake Te Sumwuhn & They Listenhd’ will be released next November 8 through Ninja Tune. djmagasia.com
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COMIN’ UP
OUR CHOICES FOR THIS YEAR’S ADE
EACH EDITION IS BETTER THAN THE LAST ONE! ADE is about to begin! We’ve chosen the events that call our attention on this new edition. OK, yes, we know there are a lot more than our highlighted events but we had to make a choice somehow. That’s why, before travelling all the way to Amsterdam, we’ve selected the things we wouldn’t want to miss at all!
Photo: TIM BUITING
WEDNESDAY RICHIE HAWTIN CLOSE & MODESELEKTOR (LIVE)
OLIVER HELDENS & FRIENDS
WHAT: In this audio visual show, ‘Richie Hawtin CLOSE’ challenges the distinction between DJing and live performance by connecting the unique relationship between human creativity and technology. Berlin duo Modeselektor will perform their applauded live set in which the duo experiments with anything between electro, techno, house, hop-hop, IDM, dubstep and beyond. They will be supported by the asending SOPHIE. WHO: Richie Hawtin / Modeselektor / SOPHIE WHERE: Scheepsbouwloods | Tt. Neveritaweg 15 WHEN: 19:30 - 00:00
WHAT: After the huge success of his sold-out ‘Heldeep 5 World Tour’, Heldens will bring his distinctive sound and inimitable show vibe back to the Paradiso nightclub. Showcasing label mates and friends, a bass and future house catalogue is guaranteed, while revellers should also expect some exclusive new material. WHO: Oliver Heldens & more WHERE: Paradiso | Weteringschans 6-8 WHEN: 23:59 - 05:00
FESTIVAL BY NIGHT
FESTIVAL BY NIGHT
THURSDAY MOVIE PREVIEW: BEATS (2019) | THURSDAY
ADE GREEN Sustainability, innovation and social change in the music industry. ADE Green features international keynote speakers, food for thought in combination with practical hands-on workshops and a range of panels on different topics. The conference takes place at DeLaMar Theater on Friday October 18th. During the day, some of the central figures of the festival circuit will be opening up about their journey, and the mistakes they made along the way, plus, most importantly, what they learned from those errors.
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FESTIVAL BY DAY
WHAT: Beats showcases the unlikely friendship between teens Spanner and Johnno in a Scottish town in the mid-1990s, when the United Kingdom was overrun by raves: illegal parties with heavy beats and an endless supply of drugs. WHERE: Studio/K | Timorplein 62, Amsterdam WHEN: 21:30 - 23:15
RÜFÜS DU SOL FESTIVAL BY NIGHT
WHAT: Compelling audiences around the globe with their emotional and melodic sound, RÜFÜS DU SOL connects the two worlds of live performance and electronic music. WHO: RÜFÜS DU SOL / Willaris.K WHERE: Scheepsbouwloods | Tt. Neveritaweg 15, Amsterdam WHEN: 19:00 - 21:45
NEW ORDER
FESTIVAL BY NIGHT WHAT: The new wave band with former members of Joy Division is set to play a live show on Thursday, supported by special guest Stolen. WHO: New Order / Stolen WHERE: AFAS Live | ArenA Boulevard 590, Amsterdam WHEN: 20:00 - 23:00
COMIN’ UP FRIDAY OUR STORY - CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF TOMORROWLAND FESTIVAL BY NIGHT
WHAT: Travelling to Amsterdam is a part of all the special festivities that are being held this year to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Tomorrowland. WHO: Afrojack / Armin van Buuren / Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike / GOOSE / Netsky / Steve Aoki / The Bloody Beetroots / Tiësto WHERE: Ziggo Dome | Arena Boulevard 61-75, Amsterdam WHEN: 19:00 - 23:00
THUISHAVEN FRIDAY W/ LIFE AND DEATH FESTIVAL BY NIGHT
WHAT: Life & Death chief DJ Tennis provides a day & night festival with some key figures of the dance music world in the amazing Thuishaven. WHO: 2manydjs (BE) / Adiel / Axel Boman / Bawrut / David Vunk / DJ Seinfeld / DJ Tennis / Eli Iwasa /
Gommage DJ-team / Kastronaut / Mor Elian / Omar Souleyman / Optimo / Red Axes / Simple Symmetry WHERE: Thuishaven | Contactweg 68, Amsterdam WHEN: 16:00 - 06:00
K-POP MEETS EDM, THE GREATEST MATCH: INTRODUCING CO-NECTD FESTIVAL BY DAY
WHAT: A panel of international speakers discusses the newly launched Korean label CO-NECTD that explores the crossroads between EDM and K-pop, the genre that made South Korea the sixth largest music market in the world by revenue. WHO: HanKyoo Moon (CEO, CO-NECTD)/ Bas Jansen (Business Affair, Get Real Management) / Brian Lee (Songwriter)/ Fedde Le Grand (DJ/Producer) WHERE: De Balie, Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 10, 1017 RR Amsterdam WHEN: 15:20 - 16:05
SATURDAY CIRCOLOCO X LOVELAND FESTIVAL BY NIGHT
WHAT: The amazing Circoloco party is bringing the sounds of Ibiza to Amsterdam for one night only, joined by some of the biggest names of the techno & house scene. WHO: Seth Troxler / The Martinez Brothers / Damian Lazarus / Bedouin / Gerd Janson / Carl Craig / William Djoko WHERE: Mediahaven | Moermanskkade 107, Amsterdam WHEN: 22:00 - 06:30
THE MASQUERADE FESTIVAL BY NIGHT
WHAT: Claptone takes his infamous clubbing concept to Amsterdam with a curated line-up of house artists.
WHO: Claptone / Purple Disco Machine / Todd Terry / Wouter S WHERE: WFC | Koningin Wilhelminaplein 13, Amsterdam WHEN: 22:00 - 06:00
AUDIO OBSCURA X TRICK AT CENTRAL STATION FESTIVAL BY NIGHT
WHAT: The main man Patrick Topping will present his platform Trick along Dublin’s anthem-generating Krystal Klear, electronic eccentric Man Power and techno scientist Spencer Parker at the Central Station. WHO: Krystal Klear / Man Power / Patrick Topping / Spencer Parker WHERE: Lil’ Amsterdam Central Station | Stationsplein, Amsterdam WHEN: 22:00 - 05:00
SUNDAY ACID JACK
FESTIVAL BY NIGHT WHAT: Acid House Legend DJ Pierre joins forces with We Jack and label head Gettoblaster to present Acid Jack, celebrating the genre and the many other genres it has inspired. WHO: DJ Pierre / Paul Johnson / Mad Villain / Anfisa Letyago / Miguel Campbell / Gettoblaster / Rulex / Hatiras / Sirus Hood WHERE: Club YOLO | Amstel 178, Amsterdam WHEN: 22:00 - 05:00
24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE FESTIVAL BY DAY
WHAT: Event Lab111 presents a wide array of the best, thought-provoking documentaries and movies about,
featuring or made by inspiring musicians from the (electronic) music scene. Spanning from the 1970’s to early 1990’s... WHERE: LAB111 | Arie Biemondstraat 111, Amsterdam WHEN: 21:00 - 23:00
AUDIOWHORE FESTIVAL BY NIGHT
WHAT: Audiowhore make their Amsterdam debut this year. An interesting way to end a new ADE with some particular DJs in the always delivering Panama. WHO: ALISHA / Amine Edge & DANCE / George Smeddles / Majesty / Sammy Porter / Shenin Amara / Secondcity / Steven Cee WHERE: Panama | Oostelijke handelskade 4, Amsterdam WHEN: 22:00 - 06:00
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COMIN’ UP
HOTTEST TRACKS IN BEST ASIAN CLUBS The best clubs in Asia reveal their hottest tracks at this moment.
OMNI
DIRTY ROSE CLUB
DROGONFLY
MARQUEE SINGAPORE
Taipei, Taiwan
Seoul, Korea
Jakarta, Indonesia
Singapore
1.
1.
1.
1.
RayRay & Aazar - Back And Forth
Wiley, Stefflon Don & Sean Paul -
Oliver Heldens & LENNO - This
Barong Family
Boasty (ft. Idris Elba)
Groove
BMG
Heldeep records
2. RayRay & Crisis Era – Ninja Barong Family 3. Hardwell & Quintino - Reckless Spinnin’ Records 4.
2.
EDX – Ubuntu
(ft. Aminé)
Spinnin’ Deep
Loma Vista 3. NGHTMRE & A$AP Ferg - Redlight
Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Armin Van Buuren & W&W - Repeat After
(VIP) Ultra records 4.
Me Armind 5.
Afro B - Drogba (Joanna) Marathon Artist
Fisher - Losing It Catch n Release 6.
5. Koffee - Toast Promised Land Recordings
Tiesto & SWACQ - Party Time Music Freedom 7. Yellow Claw & Juyen Sebalba - Do
2.
Injury Reserve - Jailbreak The Tesla
6.
3. CID - Night Service Only Night Service Only 4. Offaiah - Love Me Solotoko 5.
6. David Guetta & Martin Solveig -
Dreamville
Parlophone 7. Dada - I Belong With You (ft. LIV)
Barong Family
& Travis Scott)
Armada Deep
Mad Decent 9. Bassjackers - Limitless Spinnin’ Records 10.
8.
- Order #1 Big Smile Records 4. Stafford Brothers - Canto Spinnin’ Records 5.
8.
Dcd2 / Equal Vision Records 6. Moti, Terry Mclove - Rabbit Love Zerocool 7. Mike Williams, Mesto - Wait Another Day Spinnin’ Records 8.
Jax Jones, Martin Solveig & Madison
Anti Up, Chris Lake, Chris Lorenzo -
Travis Scott - NO BYSTANDERS
Beer - All Day And Night (Jax Jones
Right Now
Epic Records
& Martin Solveig Present Europa)
9. A$AP Rocky - Babushka Boi RCA records
Nicky Romero, Dimitri Vegas & Like
Tim Aston, Yellow Is The New White
(Don Diablo Remix)
Sony
Young Thug - The London (ft. J. Cole
Valentino Khan - Pony
Dj Snake Productions Limited 3.
Panic! At The Disco - High Hopes
Thing For You
300 Entertainment
Dj Snake, Eptic - Southside
Find U Again (MK Remix)
You Like Bass 8.
Owsla / Boysnoize Records 2.
Mark Ronson ft. Camila Cabello -
JID - 151 Rum 7.
Dogblood - Turn Off The Lights
10.
Mike - Everybody Clap
Simon Dominic - Make Her Dance
Protocol Recordings
(ft. Loopy & Crush) AOMG
Polydor 9.
Up The Anti Records 9. Dj Snake, Malaa, Tchami, Mercer -
Meduza, James Hype - Piece Of Your
Made In France
Heart (James Hype remix)
Dj Snake Productions Limited, Geffen
Virgin 10.
Records 10.
Brohug - Datdatdat
Shakedown - At Night (Purple Disco
Musical Freedom
Machine Extended Remix) Defected Records
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COMIN’ UP GET TO KNOW
LONDONGROUND FROM: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA FOR FANS OF: MIHAI POPOVICIU, JAMES DEXTER, TOMAN. THREE TRACKS: BOMBER, FRANKLIN, FANTANIZED (LONDONGROUND REMIX) NEXT GIG: KLAUSS CLUB, ZURICH, SWITZERLAND. Twenty years ago, a young Gabriel Gorostidi discovered a local radio called NRG where it played some repetitive and very percussive music with completely new sounds for him. Without knowing it, that’s when his passion for house and techno began. “Instantly, I went running to the record shop in my neighborhood to order some of that music,” he recalls. The lack of information forced him to return empty-handed and led him to an arduous investigation on his own computer to create the kind of music that he listened and was so hard to achieve. “There isn’t a specific moment in which I realized that I wanted to live by making music,” he says. Gabriel always lived for the music, he justifies. 14
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Without realizing it, with his life going back and forth around electronic music, he managed to make it his work. “At the beginning I earned little amounts of money and, yes, I had to work outside the industry,” he remember. With short and medium term objectives, he managed to buy some machines for his home studio and started to go to some parties and festivals that allowed him to meet people and show them what he was doing. Since then, music has led him to live hundreds of incredible moments, including dreamed line ups, big festivals or DJ booths shared with some of the most relevant names in the industry. “That kind of exposure is what any artist looks for,” he adds proudly. “If I have to decide for a moment, I’d say to be part of the Argentinian editions of the Time Warp festival.” Gabriel lives a great present of his career with a local and international growth. The borders are opening more and more, as he consolidates throughout Latin America, adding also some dates in the US market and is increasing his presence in Europe, where he already had several tours completed successfully. Amid so many
shows, he has founded the Family Partner record label with his colleague and friend Manu Desrets. “It’s a label where we release the music we like from great artists and friends,” he explains before naming some of them as Argenis Brito, Mihai Popoviciu or James Dexter. In addition, his productions are also taking place on other platforms. A remix that he made for the Romanian artist Mihai Popoviciu has just come out on vinyl through the Peruvian label Orpheus Recordings and there is another remix for James Dexter & Chris Stussy that will be coming soon in InermuWax only in vinyl. Added to this, there is an EP with two originals that will be released by Bamboleo, the label of the Italian duo Neverdogs. “I want to open my own label, in parallel with Family Partner, to be able to edit some artists that I love and with whom I am working”, Gabriel adds to his list of goals, as he begins to prepare for summer in the region, where he will play not only in his home country but also in various countries in Latin America. An act to follow closely. HERNÁN PANDELO
COMIN’ UP GET TO KNOW
ADVANCED FROM: SEOUL, KOREA FOR FANS OF: ALAN WALKER, CASH CASH, NICKY ROMERO, THE CHAINSMOKERS THREE TRACKS: ATMOSPHERE, WILL YOU, MY BAD “Hi we’re ADVANCED.” Waves of Korean music swept across the main stage of EDC Korea last August. The duo who surprised us by appearing alongside the worldrenowned artist KSHMR, goes by the name of ADVANCED. “It was like looking at the East sea at night.” LUDENS said in retrospect. “I was awestruck by the massive volume of the audience. It was a moment when I finally witnessed something that I’ve been dreaming for a long time.” LUDENS and ARTEX, the members of ADVANCED, have known each other since middle school. They both got a start in music by playing in the school band and that bond led them to form a duo. But it was not without a few bumps along the way. “My parents were strictly against my decision to pursue music as a career. So I had to quit. But ARTEX reached out to me during my college years. Both of us were deeply into electronic music at the time, so we decided to make music together.” Said LUDENS. But their hardships didn’t end there. “Right after we formed the group, LUDENS had to do his military service. So I kept studying music for the time being. But by the time he got out, I had to do my time in the army. Which was why it was not
until after 4 years that we could finally start making music as a duo.” Added ARTEX. Being long-time friends, the duo always has a shoulder to lean on. “All we think about is music. And that allows us to stay strong together.” Said LUDENS. “It’s good to have someone at your back while you’re pushing for a career which could be extremely stressful.” But they each have different taste in music which sometimes leads to disagreements. “It’s kind of tricky to solve simple questions together as a team. So naturally, it’s harder to work as a group since producing music is very much like an open question.” LUDENS added with a smile. “I was a big fan of artists like deadmau5, and LUDENS was into club music. We had a hard time persuading each other since we both wanted to go different directions.” With a strong foundation on progressive house, the duo’s music is rich of melodic & cinematic soundscapes. After ‘Atmosphere’ and ‘Will You’, their collaboration with Ailee and Juncoco blew up in the festival scene, the duo has performed at large-scale events including World DJ Festival, Hard Strike Festival, and Waterbomb Festival. But now they are on a path to making something different. “After witnessing how famous DJs changed their style of music, we felt the changes surrounding the global trend of the EDM scene. It was something that couldn’t go unnoticed given the trend-sensitive nature of the music we make. If we focused on following the styles of popular DJs in the past,
we now think it’s the time to discover our own style of music.” Said ARTEX. “We feel the weight on our shoulders to build a strong foundation for the EDM scene. Building a successful career as an artist is, of course, important but now it’s the time to think about how to shape the way people look at this scene.” Added LUDENS. This doesn’t mean that they won’t continue working on the dance floor-friendly tracks that they’re known for. “We came up with ‘Day & Night’, a concept that covers pop tracks for everyone to enjoy as well as dance tracks intended to make people jump. For the sake of simplicity, Day stands for pop, and Night represents dance tunes.” Said ARTEX. “Genres are just tools to help people’s understanding. But the emotions infused in Day and Night are what truly sets them apart.” We asked the prolific duo what they wanted to accomplish in the future. “Korea has a club scene, but the EDM culture scene still has a long way to go. Like the Korean Hip-hop scene, we want to receive feedbacks for our tracks from the people, and contribute to building the EDM scene where artists interact with others via what they produce. We’re right now in the middle of collaborating with various EDM artists and the results will come out soon.” The duo is currently working on a massive project and will venture into other genres. ‘My Bad’ has been released on October 10. ARIEL JO
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COMIN’ UP HOT SEAT We throw a few curveball questions the way of...
PURPLE DISCO MACHINE Was there ever a Dresden disco scene? “There wasn’t, as it was part of East Germany. Growing up, it was very difficult to get good music, lots of it was banned by the government because of political issues. There were lots of East German rock bands. But my dad collected vinyl and my mum was a music teacher, so I grew up with Pink Floyd, Genesis and bands like this. “When the wall came down, I was nine years old. I remember my first trip to West Germany in 1992. We drove to Bavaria and went to a big music store for the first time. All the walls were covered in CDs and vinyl, I’d never seen so many. I bought my first CD, ‘Sweat’ by Inner Circle. It was a feel-good summer track. It was the first time I realised I had a passion for music.” This is your second single with a prominent sample. You must pay a fortune for clearance... “Usually I listen to records all day to find a sample. But Matt my manager sent me ‘Male Stripper’ three or four years ago, he’s from the UK where it was really big. I’d never heard it before, but I fell in love with the beginning brass section and knew I had to sample it. It took me almost two years to finish, I had so many ideas and about 15 different versions. “The Hot Streak a capella sample in ‘Body Funk’ is something I’d wanted to work since I heard Missy Elliott use it [in ‘Lose Control’]. It’s such a classic. “Quite often I start with a sample, it can be rare or well-known, but sometimes I also go to the studio and just jam out basslines or drums.” In the spirit of Man Parrish, have you ever seen a male stripper in a go-go bar? “Erm, no. Not really.” What does it mean to play at Glitterbox and be asked to do their debut comp? “I’m really thankful that Simon trusted in me. It’s my main residence now, it’s the right fit for my music. Glitterbox and disco music are both growing year after year. I really like Simon’s history, I was a big fan of Defected 15 years ago buying their records. I’ve gone from a fanboy to one of the key DJs for Glitterbox, that makes me proud.” Why is your disco machine purple? “Because it’s quite a fancy colour, and I’m a big fan of Prince and ‘Purple Rain’. It was a mix of that and Gloria Estefan’s Miami Sound Machine. To be honest, when I started Purple Disco Machine it was a fun project, I never thought about playing around the world. Now it’s ended up as something bigger. I still like the name, I just don’t think too much about it.” 16
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It’s been a rather large 12 months for Purple Disco Machine, aka Dresden-based Tino Piontek. Ten years since he started the project, he recently added Fatboy Slim and Calvin Harris to the weighty list of acts he’s remixed, while his partnership with party and fellow disco fanatics Glitterbox has seen him release their first compilation ‘Discotheque’, featuring a mix CD for both day and night. Following the success of last single ‘Dished (Male Stripper)’, which sampled the opening
of the 1987 Man Parrish-produced hi-NRG classic ‘Male Stripper’, he’s re-releasing ‘Body Funk’, a track first heard on his 2017 debut album ‘Soulmatic’. With remixes forthcoming from Carl Cox, Claptone and Dom Dolla, when we call he’s in the studio working on album number two — promising a first single from it that’s “the perfect song for the summer”. With a live show also in the works for November/December, we strapped him into our Hot Seat...
COMIN’ UP
CIRCUS RECORDINGS How and when did Circus come about? What were you doing when you decided to start the label? “I was releasing music on labels like Cocoon, Saved, Intec and Harthouse. I wanted a place to release my own music and control the output and build something up as other had. I always think, ‘if they can do it, then so can I!’.” How was the electronic music scene in that moment? What was going on around Liverpool & London? “There were less labels and less producers but, in many ways, it was as strong as it is now, although at that time I would say the scene was going through a transitional period. New ways to perform and produce where becoming much more common and being able to a run a full business from your phone was just becoming possible. The scene in London was typically strong and creative musically, as it is now, still the centre of the universe. In Liverpool the scene was smaller but unusually strong. My event ‘Circus’ -which came six years before the label- was going from strength to strength so the label was set up to reflect the music being played at the club quality house & techno.” Did you have anybody helping you in the beginning? “At the very beginning, Rob Howarth helped me; who is now Alan Fitzpatrick Manager, and was responsible from breaking Joseph Capriati. But we parted and I got a new label manger, Jon Waller, who is still with me today.” How did the team of the label developed over the years? “The team at Circus Recordings is myself, in charge of A&R, artist development and the writing of all the spiel for the releases; Jon Waller who takes care of licensing and digital aggregation, which means getting the music on the digital sites; and my PA James, who pieces the puzzle together. We also have Danny O’Connor who does our artwork - he’s amazing! Russel Reid who does the design. And then Neighbourhood, who do PR and Exclusive promo, who do DJ mail outs. Everyone works part-time so it flows.” And what about the label? How would you describe the evolution of Circus over these first 10 years? “The plan was to make it into a proper record label not just a DJ label, as in develop artists, A&R their music, build a team and stand together longer term. That has worked out, for sure. Musically the sound is a reflection of me, as a DJ and my 20-years of experience in listening to electronic music. The label strives to be creative, but always practical too. The releases need to make me excited and I need to believe in them, but also not so far out of the dancefloor that nobody else cares. I make sure the music is colorful, and I’m happy to release deep house, vocals, or dirty techno or all stops in-between. I don’t put parameters on good music.”
VITAL LABEL
tend to follow what’s hot and everyone talks about the same thing, until they can all talk about the next hot thing together and so on… I respect people opinion if it’s constructive and they know what they are taking about and understand the scene well enough to know that all that matters is the artist’s interpretation. But I don’t really get worried about some 19 year old kid having an opinion on my efforts or my artist’s efforts. Unless they make music themselves, run a label, have DJ’ed for over 20 years all over the world, ran events for 17 years, how can they have any idea of what I’m trying to say?” What is the best about Circus? “It’s inclusive. It’s colorful and it’s authentic!” What are the things that separate the label from the rest? “I encourage people and new artists to join me. I have no clique and want everything I do to be inclusive. I know what I do is quality and I want people to share in what we are trying to create.” CIRCUS RECORDINGS is what we call a colorful record label. As part of a bigger picture that also includes parties and a boss with more than 20 years of experience, it became one of the well-known imprints that feed the dancefloor all around the world. As a reflection of Yousef’s taste, it include a wide range of genres, from deep house to techno, and many of the great entertainers of the scene have gone through his discography, from Green Velvet to Carl Cox. We met Yousef to talk about his 17 year-old club brand and 10 year old record label.
What would you say are the main differences between this stage and the beginnings of the label? “It’s fully organised and I can pick a wider range of artists now. And major artists are happy to be on board with us. That all took years to build up.” How did the internet and globalization impact on the daily work of a label? “It’s essential. We have to reach the entire world at once to ensure the possible reach of the music I believe in is heard.” What is it like to celebrate 10 years of a label? How do you feel about this? “To be honest, I hadn’t focused on the time scale, I just did my best to learn and progress, aiming to turn Circus Recordings into a proper label with music that matters and at times is unforgettable. That’s still the plan, a hybrid of dance floor and colourful memories. I’ll make some more noise about CR10 soon...” How do you deal with (bad) reviews? Do you read them? Do you find them accurate? “Music is subjective and objective. I don’t worry about reviews good or bad. I find that people have very few true views of their own anyway, and people
What does a track need to have to be signed to Circus? “It must be road tested, must be mixed down very well and must be mastered as I need to test in the clubs. On top of all this, it needs to be honest and has to be from the heart, not following the crowd or the now sound… I want records that matter. Not functional DJ tools, although sometimes they are great too!” How many tracks do you receive weekly and how many end being signed? “I receive 50 to 100 demos and I sign 1 or 2, maximum.” How’s the process to release a track on Circus? “After the track has got me excited and I’ve played it, we schedule it in. It needs to be mixed down well and then I have it analogue mastered. I then send it for DJ promo via Exclusive and then we PR the artist via Neighborhood PR. We set up premier previews on the world’s best websites and online magazines and then start promoting the track ourselves via social media and our mailing list. We get the DJ feedback in and then we speak to Beatport, iTunes and Spotify to get features, which we always do. Then we release and use the DJ & PR feedback to promote the track and hope people get behind it!” Do you have any artist that you want to include on the label roster? “I would love Loco Dice or Luciano to finally join us, or Danny Tenaglia!” Which is the more representative artists of the label? “I can’t really say anyone. I like the expansive musical tone of the label. Of course, artists like Jansons have had many really successful releases, but then Green Velvet has had one release and it’s the most successful of our entire catalogue. We are lucky to of had many talented names release with us.” djmagasia.com
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IN A STATE OF BALANCE ARMIN OPENS UP ABOUT HIS NEW STUDIO ALBUM Words: DJ MAG ASIA TEAM
D
eemed #1 in the annual DJ Mag Top 100 DJs poll five times, contributing to his seventeen consecutive Top 5 spots to date, reported by Google as one of the top trending artists in electronic music searches for all 2018, ranked #20 in Billboard Dance 100 in 2018, earned Grammy nomination for his collaboration with Trevor Guthrie ‘This Is What It Feels Like’…are some of the many reasons why he is more than enough to be crowned the “king” of trance. The “king” is also a hero in the Netherlands—which led the artist to perform alongside the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra at the festivities following the coronation of King Willem Alexander, and put together a special multimedia tour for Vincent Van Gogh’s exhibition at the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. The trance titan has never yet stepped down from his throne, continuing on his prolific career with numerous activities this year. Alongside releasing various tracks, albums, and collaborative works, the artist has been 20
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capturing the eyes and ears of people around the world with his mesmerizing performances whilst performing his duties as the boss of Armada label, Masterclass instructor, and host of ASOT soon to be hitting its 1000 milestone. DJ Mag Asia sat down with the energetic artist to talk about his music and life. Only at age 19 did the artist first make a name for himself with his 1995 single ‘Blue Fear’. Since 2001, he took on the role of host of the radio program ‘A State of Trance’ and discovered numerous new acts and released masterpieces through his Armada Music imprint that he found in 2013, leaving an indelible footprint on the dance music scene. His GAIA album released last Summer titled ‘Moons of Jupiter’ was praised by many, and there are so many exciting news surrounding his upcoming album ‘Balance’, which is scheduled to be released after ADE. What is the drive behind being such a prolific artist? Here we answer questions about his new album and his musical career.
When did you start thinking on a new album? Why is this one a double album? This is the first time you did something like this, right? “When you’ve been in this industry for as long as I have, creating an album is always on your mind, especially if you’ve released albums before. You’re always looking for new creative directions to venture in, and albums can be found at the end of those directions more often than not. I’ve chosen to create a double album with ‘Balance’ because I wanted show two parts of the equation: the softer, more acoustic sound on one side and the more clubby approach on the other. It’s indeed the first time I released an album that is so clearly split in two, but that’s just how I wanted to present ‘Balance’. It goes well with the album title too.” Why is the name ‘Balance’? Does it have something to do with the way you are living your life? You told us in Miami you just found your mojo. “It absolutely has to do with balancing your life, and not just the musical aspect of it. The principle of the album works for both music careers and family life, and it’s always about finding the right balance.” If you have to pinpoint the main differences between this one and your very first studio album “76”, what would you say? “I’d say that I’ve grown so much, both as an artist and as a person. The older I get, the more at peace I am with who I am and the fact that I’m never done learning. Every song I make teaches me something new, and the next song is always a result of all my previous records, the new things I learned and the people I met. Over the years, this process - and especially the fun of creating - became more and more important to me. It’s a journey that gives me meaning and helps me learn more about my personal interests rather than focus on the recognition I get for the outcome. That’s the big difference between who I am today and who I was a few years ago. So naturally, you can also hear that when you compare ‘76’ and ‘Balance’, for instance.” This one seems to be full of collaborations and some look very interesting. One with Inner City. Wow! Inner City is one of the most influential acts of dance music! How did this collaboration come to life? How was the working process with Kevin Saunderson and his group? “Working with Inner City was a dream come true for me. They were already setting the tone in the dance music scene back when I was only just taking my first steps in the industry. Working with them in the studio was super inspiring. I’m amazed by the end result, as it shows that you can achieve so much when you are open-minded and willing to get inspired by sounds, styles or genres that are different from your own.” How good was it to be able to work with such a legend like Kevin? And how proud are you of the result? “Amazing! I already met him a few times before because we work closely together on Armada and handle his label. I was a bit star struck because he’s one of the legends for me. I’m super proud of how the track is doing and it’s being received on radio very well!” ‘Moons of Jupiter’ was amazing too. Was the GAIA album a necessary thing? Maybe something to make the “trance purists” happy? djmagasia.com
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“Well, it wasn’t for the Trance purists, because I wouldn’t call it Trance. The ‘Moons of Jupiter’ album was a very special project, one that Benno (my production partner) and I spent a lot of time on. The sound of GAIA is the sound that inspired us to start producing music ourselves, so it’s rooted deeply in who we are. That’s why we wanted to put it out there. Not because it was necessary, but simply because it felt right to us. “ What was the process to create that album? It was such a big album and all the tracks seemed to work together perfectly! Was this something that you mapped out in advance? “We wanted to make a live show because we wanted to create music live on stage rather than playing premixed and arranged music. It’s a different dynamic as opposed to DJ-ing. So we set out creating the album with that in mind. It wasn’t necessarily mapped out in advance, but it was something we kept in the back of our minds while in the studio.”
You’ve held ASOT 600 and ASOT 650 at Malaysia in 2013 and 2014 respectively. Do you have any plans on doing your ASOT tour in other parts of Asia? “Every year, it’s tough to decide where to take ASOT. I’d love to visit every single place on earth, but it also depends on a lot of things that I can’t control. I’d love to go back to Asia with ASOT, but we’ll just have to wait and see what’s possible.” Armin excitedly shared his love for his fans in Asia when we met him in Miami last March. Like how he stated in the interview, he was so excited to hear about the massive popularity of dance music in China, mentioned how trance music is big in Japan and expressed his love for the people there. His love for Asia is also present throughout this year’s ADE. We have also asked his thoughts about ‘My China by Armin van Buuren’—the conference that he organized —as well as his upcoming gigs during ADE.
We should talk about ASOT. ASOT is celebrating episode 950 next February. Can we go back a little to the first episode? What was going on back then? Why did you start something like this?
You’ve told us on our last interview that if there were to be the New Year’s on the calendar of EDM, it would be the Winter Music Conference. Seven months have passed since then, and ADE is just around the corner. What does ADE mean to you?
“I simply started ASOT because I had managed to find all of this amazing music that I wanted to share with the world. It was all fueled by a drive to discover new music and let the world enjoy it with me. When I was young, I wasn’t old enough to go clubbing myself, so I discovered dance music though radio. The idea behind radio is still very powerful.”
“As with any of those super-big dance music conferences, ADE shows how far dance music has come since its early days. Back then, few people ever expected that dance music would attract hundreds of thousands of passionate fans to a single city, but here we are. I think it shows that everything is possible, and I love how dance music conferences like ADE inspire budding/ aspiring producers to follow their dreams too.”
Were there that many podcasts from DJs? “I don’t think there were that many at the time. There were mixtapes of course, but it took a while for DJs to start with their own podcasts. But you did have a few mix shows in the Netherlands that were popular and everyone was listening to, like Rave Radio, Krapuul De Lux, For Those Who Like To Groove.” How did the celebrations develop? When was the first time the episode became a show to celebrate? What do you remember about that moment? “The first celebration we did was episode 100 on the beach in Bloemendaal. It was a very special day; it was sunny and we celebrated all night. Fans brought cake and everything. It was 2003. Little did I know it was only the start! Haha!”
You’ve prepared number of interesting programs for ADE. As an editor at DJ Mag ASIA, I am especially thrilled to hear what you are going to talk about during ‘My China by Armin van Buuren’. Could you give us a little snippet of what you will be sharing with the guests during this conference/session? “Well, I was the first DJ with a big solo show in China in 2016 with ‘Armin Only: Embrace’. I’ve seen the scene grow and change a lot ever since my first stop in 2004. Last NYE, I played a big festival in Sanya and I was blown away by the energy of the crowd. I love how unique the scene is and how several talented Chinese artists are now coming through.”
With more than 41 million listeners in 84 countries, ASOT is truly extraordinary. Is there a moment in your career when you realized that you have developed such a strong brand?
To quote you on your last interview with us, you’ve said “I don’t know what’s happening there but dance music seems to be exploding in China, right now.” I am amazed that you’ve announced “His Love and Strategy for China” in such a short period of time. Could you share some of the special experiences that you had on the stages in China during the last 7 months?
“It has always been more of a gradual realization, but I must admit that there are moments that get me completely blown away. When I perform at ASOT and see all of those people from all over the world sharing their love and passion for Trance music with each other, words can’t describe how proud I am.”
“The love from the Chinese Trance Family is really something else. I see them in China, but they even travel to most of my shows in other countries too. I guess the trance sound is really loved in China and it warms my heart to be greeted at the airport every time I land there.”
Why do you think ASOT became this big?
We are looking forward to seeing/hearing you play at ‘AMF’ and ‘Celebrating 15 years of Tomorrowland’. Have you prepared a special set for either one of the festivals?
“Since the very beginning, A State Of Trance managed to bring people together, to unite people from all kinds of cultures and backgrounds. The love for Trance music brought them together, and that part of ASOT has never changed over the years. I think that that’s one of the main reasons.” 22
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“I may have prepared a few surprises, but I don’t like to spoil anything before the moment is there. Obviously though, I will try to uphold the standard
of AMF and pay homage to those amazing 15 years of Tomorrowland.” It takes more than just musical talent to stay at the top for 20 years. The artist has received Order of OrangeNassau medal for his contribution to the promotion of Dutch music and the music economy through his imprint Armada Music. He is also praised as a ‘sharp artist’ by the audience of music conferences and Masterclass. What is the drive behind his creativity? Armin shares his story about the life of an artist that he pursues and his message for his close friends and the future generation. In this day and age, trend is constantly changing and expires so quickly. What are things that you do to study or catch and stay relative regarding the musical knowledge, flow of trend, and technical progress? “It’s mostly the collaborations with other artists that allow me to learn more and more. You can learn from everything and everybody, old and young, as long as you’re open to it. You just have to build on that. Always.” Do you still deal with purists that want only just one piece of your musical approach? Is this something that somehow affects you when it comes to produce and release music? “People will always have their own opinions, and that’s OK. Without all of these different views, music would be rather boring. Those different perspectives allow for music to stay completely creative. But I’ve also learnt that you can’t please everyone. And that’s why it’s important to always stay true to yourself and create what inspires you.” You’ve stressed the importance of having a signature sound in the previous interview. Of course, it’s not an easy task. Where do you find the energy and get inspirations from? “For me, it’s all about discovering new things or sounds. That creative journey gives me the energy to do what I do, to keep going. It’s different for every artist, but that’s what does it for me.” With your overflowing schedules and excessive workload, one is bound to get tired and make mistakes to let others down around oneself. But you, as the world’s top DJ, you are known to be humble, well-mannered, and genuine to the people around you. People also respect you outside the musical realm for your family-oriented ideals. What do you do, if there is anything extra, to do your best to the people around you? “That’s a good question. I’ve been taught to respect people for who they are and what they do, even if their views are different from my own. Live and let live, so to say. But I don’t think there’s anything extra I do. I just try to be me. Thankfully, that seems to work just fine.” I am aware that you have kids. Do you see any one of them or maybe both of them pursuing a career in music later on? There are teenagers who aspire to be the next Armin van Buuren. Could you share a realistic guidance for those future DJ superstars? “Although I’m sure my kids love what I do, I don’t see them pursuing a career in music any time soon. And they don’t have to. As a dad, you only want your kids to be happy. That’s the only thing that counts. But if they did want to get into music, I’d advise them to work hard, stick to what inspires them and surround themselves with people that can help them find the right balance between it all.”
ARMIN’S NEXT DATES NOV.15 SUPERFACE
(SHENZHEN)
NOV.16 CREAMFIELDS
XIAMEN (XIAMEN SHI) NOV.17 FIRST X SHANGHAI (SHANGHAI) NOV.19 SUPER MONKEY CHANGSHA (HAIKOU) NOV.20 CLUB MIAMI XIAN (XIAN SHI) NOV.21 FIRST CHANGZOU (CHANGZHOU) NOV.22 ONE THIRD HANGZHOU (HANGZHOU) NOV.23 CLUB SIR TEEN BEIJING (BEIJING) NOV.24 PLAY HOUSE CHENGDU (CHENGDU) NOV.25 CLUB ILLUSION ZHUHAI (ZHUHAI) djmagasia.com
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MOVIES ABOUT I DANCE MUSIC CULTURE YOU MUST WATCH
Words: KEVIN KANG
t’s Friday night. The whole world is going wild with excitement. From people indulging in drinks to those keeping themselves occupied with their own hobbies, folks around the world engage in activities to relieve the pressure and recharge their batteries. Speaking of stress-relievers, there’s nothing out there that can top dance and music. Grooving to the energetic music surrounded by colorful lights makes all your worries go away. So for those of you who know how to get down on a Friday night (yes we’re talking about you clubbers and ravers!), DJ Mag Asia has put together a list of movies about dance music culture to watch.
GROOVE (2000) Director: GREG HARRISON
3.0 / 5 Embark on a journey to San Francisco’s rave scene. Now that we’ve covered the rave scene of UK, it’s time to visit the States. ‘Groove’ takes place in San Francisco, and it covers the story of ravers and underground raves. One Friday, word gets out through the Internet about an illegal party taking place in an abandoned warehouse in San Francisco. Meet David Turner, who moved to the city with his hopes of becoming a writer. Once night, his brother Colin Turner invites him to a rave and after spending a crazy night fueled by ecstasy, David discovers his love for the underground rave scene of San Francisco. As far as the story goes, the movie doesn’t come off nearly as exciting as it sounds. There’s nothing much of a story other than a bunch of young ravers taking drugs in an abandoned warehouse. The movie doesn’t talk about the consequences of a destructive lifestyle nor warn against it. The characters were also pretty dull and lifeless, which was made worse by the sloppy acting. But rest assured music fans, don’t give your hopes up just yet. Given that it’s a movie about raves, the soundtrack of ‘Groove’ is actually something to pay attention to. The movie’s soundtrack features insane songs from talented artists including John Digweed’s project Bedrock, techno gods Orbital, Swedish techno DJ/producer Christian Smith and more. John Digweed himself also makes an appearance as a DJ at the end of the film. Although the plot is weak, what the movie lacks in content it makes up for its sublime music. So, if you’re a music fan, intrigued by the rave culture, or want something to remember your days of “been there, done that”, ‘Groove’ might be a movie you want to watch.
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HUMAN TRAFFIC (1999) Director: JUSTIN KERRIGAN
3.8 / 5 Dive into the rave culture of the 90s… Whether you’re stuck with a 9 to 5 job or busy raising a family, there’s probably a part of you that still remembers the wild memories of your younger years. That being said, Justin Kerrigan’s film ‘Human Traffic’ brings the nostalgia flooding back for generation X who spent their youth in the 80s and 90s. The director, who was 25 at the time, captures the club culture of Cardiff, Wales through the lives of five young people. 5 young adults who are tired of working at their boring jobs—Lulu, Jip, Nina, Koop, and Moff—head off to the club after their Friday shift. The radio is tuned to BBC Radio One, DJ Pete Tong’s music starts kicking in. After some twist and turns, they finally enter the venue and have one hell of a night accompanied by a heavy dose of drugs, booze, and, of course, music. The movie’s plot is weak to be honest, but it takes you on a wild journey to the 90s —inviting you to spend an epic night in the club with the gang. As a movie that spotlights rave and club culture of UK in the 80s and 90s, ‘Human Traffic’ delivers a genuine picture of the party scene and the youth at the time. The focus of the movie is centered around club culture and friendship among the five individuals with unique personalities. The movie humorously depicts these characters and it’s quite hilarious to watch them shift between hallucinations and reality, have seemingly deep but meaningless conversations (Star Wars being about drugs!), and sing a new national anthem for their techno generation. Above all else, the true highlight of the film is the music. It’s also interesting to spot guest appearances and references of DJs including Carl Cox and Pete Tong. The
soundtracks mixed by Pete Tong also provide an extra earcandy, and it features the works of giants such as FatBoy Slim, Underworld, CJ Bolland, and many more. The storyline is slender and lacks in its efforts to warn people against the use of drugs. But at the same time, the film offers some thoughtful insights through Jip’s struggles to stay clean. The lesson is that we all make stupid choices when we are young, but we eventually grow up and turn into better people.
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IT’S ALL GONE PETE TONG (2005) Director: MICHAEL DOWSE
3.5 / 5 The life story of a superstar DJ. Every year, party animals from all around the world flock to Ibiza in Spain, a place widely known for its massive scale parties and gigantic clubs such as Space and Amnesia. World-renowned DJs including Armin van Buuren and Carl Cox visit the tiny island to play music as resident DJs. ‘It’s All Gone Pete Tong’ is a movie about the king of the party island, DJ Frankie Wilde—a fictional character who mysteriously disappeared in the middle of his muchcelebrated career. Although we know it’s entirely fictional, the mocumentary nature of the film along with fake TV shows and interviews breathe life into the narrative. The superb acting by Paul Kaye (who played Frankie Wilde) and excellent production by the director Michael Dowse all make this a great film. ‘It’s All Gone Pete Tong’ is London slang for “It’s All Gone Wrong”. As the title suggests, the movie presents the rise and fall of a superstar DJ. Frankie was at the pinnacle of his career—one enough to make Carl Cox jealous in the movie. But life is a funny thing. One day the DJ goes deaf and it’s all downhill from there. His wife and son leaves him and Frankie starts to rely heavily on drugs and liquor. Will Frankie overcome his hearing loss and rise back to his fame? The level of creativity in the narrative, brilliant acting, and countless hilarious scenes all together elevates the movie to another level. The movie also won various awards at multiple film festivals and the soundtracks by Pete Tong add an extra layer of excitement. It’s a movie you don’t want to miss!
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BERLIN CALLING (2008) Director: HANNES STÖHR
3.0 / 5 Heads up, Paul Kalkbrenner fans! ‘Berlin Calling’, a film directed by Hannes Stöhr, has everything you can hope for if you’re a fan of the German DJ Paul Kalkbrenner or a lover of techno music. If an actor played a DJ in ‘It’s All Gone Pete Tong’, this time a real DJ—Paul Kalkbrenner—plays the movie’s main character DJ Ickarus. Kalkbrenner proves himself as a talented actor as he fits comfortably into the role of a popular DJ whose life falls apart due to drug addiction. Ickarus is a rising artist in his thirties and he lives with his girlfriend Mathilde who babysits the DJ who hasn’t quite matured. While working on his next album, Ickarus indulges heavily in his dealer’s product and is eventually admitted to a psychiatric clinic. His doctor’s unsympathetic treatment, coupled up with Mathilde’s decision to leave him serves as a catalyst to his violent eruptions which gets him kicked out of the clinic. And to make things worse, he also loses his contract and is left with no options but to face total bankruptcy. The movie does not take the most novel or innovative approach in terms of storyline and production, but Kalkbrenner’s stellar performance playing the title role as a DJ is definitely something to look forward to. Live performances of Ickarus as well as the soundtracks mixed by Kalkbrenner himself also adds to the charm. djmagasia.com
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25 YEARS OF WIGGLE
THE LAST GREAT ACHIEVEMENT OF THE UNDERGROUND Words: HERNAN PANDELO
T
erry Francis and Eddie Richards celebrate 25 years of the iconic platform that brought tech house to life.
we went back in time with the legendary DJs & producers to recollect what was happening 25 years ago…
Responsible for the birth of tech house as a genre in itself, Terry Francis and Eddie Richards are the visible face of a phenomenon that exploded in the late 1990s in a city of London that was very different from the one we know today. 25 years after the creation of the party that would mark the beginning of tech house in South London, the artists embarked on a tour that runs through different continents.
Is there a moment when you stop and look back to what happened on these last 25 years?
In these days where the tech house seems increasingly determined to steal the attention of the mainstream,
Eddie: “From the parties would be the freedom, I think.. There weren’t as many restrictions to promoting or
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Eddie: “Yes, of course. Sometimes it’s nice to reminisce but personally I’m interested in looking forward. I’m always excited about what is ahead.” What are the things that you miss the most from that early years?
getting into a party. A lot of clubs in London now have been told by authorities to use ID scanners and have quite invasive door searches of their guests.” Terry: “Yes, I think what I miss is the freedom in the party scene. We didn’t have security and you could do what you want. Now with the laws and regulations the government has put on licensing, there’s less freedom in english clubs.”
Why Nathan and Terry went to look for Eddie to be on the party? What were each of you doing these days?
It’s often said that Wiggle was the label that developed the tech house sound… What do you think that ended happened during those days?
Eddie: “Nathan was a promoter at first and had just started to DJ. Terry had given up his job a few years earlier to DJ full time and I had been DJing professionally since 1982. I had met Terry a few years earlier in Sterns, Worthing, where he was resident in the ‘Garage Room’ and we became friends. He asked me to be a guest on the second Wiggle party and they invited me to be a resident DJ.”
Eddie: “The Wiggle sound was just a mixture of house & techno styles, neither pure house nor pure techno but somewhere in-between. We were looking for tracks that would extend across genres and would work well ‘in the mix’ and keep the groove rolling. It’s a style we’ve always played but it didn’t become recognized or called tech-house until later on.”
Terry: “We invited Eddie after our second party. He had always been our favourite DJ from when we’d started clubbing so it was just a natural choice to ask him to play as our resident, and he’s been with us ever since. We’re all still making music and travelling as we’ve always done. I’m still at fabric once a month too!”
Terry: “We were influenced by what we were hearing at the time and we just put our twist on it. House rhythms with tekkie noises! We didn’t have a master plan. We just wanted to make music we could play out at the party. There was a good underground scene developing with lots of parties.
Do you remember that moment when you realized you had created this new phenomenon/genre?
And how do you see that comparted to what is called tech house today? Eddie: “It’s become a genre in its own right but to me most modern tech house sounds bland, soulless and loopy... Almost the opposite of how it started out.” Terry: “It does sound like everyone got the same sample pack today with the tech-house stuff. It’s a lot more loopy. There are some great tracks out there, you just have to look hard for them.”
“Most people were there by recommendation spread through word of mouth. no flyers, no advertising. Invitation only sent by post! I think it made people feel special.” What was the aim of Wiggle in the beginning? Eddie: “The aim was to have fun. I don’t think any of us had a plan or thought about what we should do. We wanted to party with our mates and the Wiggle parties were essentially a group of like-minded friends... Most people were there by recommendation spread through word of mouth. No flyers, no advertising. Invitation only sent by post! I think it made people feel special.” Terry: “As I said, we didn’t really have a master plan. We just wanted to play the music that we loved and wanted people to hear.”
Eddie: “By the time we had realized we were part of a new musical direction or movement, it was too late to develop it in a way that suited us. Tech house had become less innovative and more commercial, and typically sounded like an offshoot of progressive house.”
“With modern health safety concerns in London is not so likely a party like Wiggle will succeed for any length of time without being shut down.” Do you think this is something that can happen again these days? Eddie: “With modern health safety concerns in London, it is not so likely that a party like Wiggle will succeed for any length of time without being shut down. Unique venues are harder to find too.” What were your main influences over those days? What led you to try on your own? Eddie: “We wanted a regular party where we could play the music we liked on our terms and regular clubs in London at the time couldn’t provide them, like a good sound system, flexible closing time, polite security, a like-minded audience… All those things were important to us: attention to details.” Terry: “I think a lot of things influenced me: the music, the fun, the atmosphere… Those were fantastic times.”
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We are 25 years away and the scene seems to be very different. Where do you find yourselves nowadays? Eddie: “I try not to take much notice. I’m still regularly booked all over the world for my musical style and presentation, and I’m happy doing what I do… I feel lucky I was part of a few major musical movements since the 80s -acid house- and thankful I don’t have to be a part of the hype surrounding DJs & so called producers these days.”
“There’s probably more people making music than there is buying it.” How is your best way to keep your focus on quality music? Eddie: “I spend a lot of time listening to music and I rely on my instinct... I’m not so bothered about which label the music is on or who the producer is, or even which genre it’s been listed under. If it catches my ear listen through a few times, I play it out if I think it will work.” Terry: “There is a lot of music coming out. There’s probably more people making music than there is buying it. I just stick to what I like.” What is your main goals as DJs nowadays? Eddie: “It’s pretty much the same as always... To be excited by new music and to enjoy what I do.” What about the release of the new album “Wiggle for 25 years”? What did you have in mind for this? Eddie: “The concept was quite simple: we just invited guest DJs from previous Wiggle parties to submit a track. There were so many good songs that we had a hard time deciding what the final tracklisting should be and that’s how it ended up being an 18-track compilation.”
WIGGLE TURNS 25 PLACE OF BIRTH? SOUTH LONDON FIRST RELEASE? HOUSEY DOINGS – “PICK N MIX EP” MOST SELLING RECORD? CORRIE – “GROOVE ME LAST / VEGAS” ARTIST WITH MORE RELEASES? TERRY FRANCIS (ALSO UNDER THE
ALIASES THE DELINQUENTS & HOUSEY DOINGZ)
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QUINTINO ‘BRIGHT NIGHTS’ O
ne of Holland’s most acclaimed and respected dance artists Quintino is about to deliver his much anticipated piece of work ‘Bright Nights’. This is not only his debut album, but also a representation of his creativity, musical evolution and ability to rock dancefloors with a versatile collection of sounds. As the album title already suggests, ‘Bright Nights’ is a contradiction between light and dark. Performing on a global scale for years now, Quintino aims to pull his audience out of its everyday life with uplifting dance anthems, positive and energetic, while performing the music with a similar, upbeat show. “My aim with this album is to leave something special in the music industry. A milestone in my career, but also a musical statement that underlines the various sounds I produced throughout the years.
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But above all, I hope to create lots of special moments for my audience with this release, a smile on people’s faces and a spark of dancefloor bliss for everyone that listens to the music.” - Quintino Counting 16 tracks, ‘Bright Nights’ can surely be considered an ambitious project. It presents tracks that already turned into hit singles this year, including headstrong festival favorites like ‘Can’t Bring Me Down’, the Alok collab ‘Party Never Ends’, ‘TUTUTU’ and the Hardwell collab ‘Reckless’, along with brand new Quintino gems that have not been officially released yet. As every album track brings another side of Quintino’s music, the overall vibe is always happy and positive. Expect the energy and feelgood atmosphere of this DJ’s live show packed in one impressive listening experience. Bright Nights are coming your way!
FOOD & LIFESTYLE
THE HANGOVER FOOD FOR THE DAY AFTER CLUBBING! Words: TIFFANY KIM
H
ot club parties are lined up till the end of the year. From gigs by global DJ artists that are visiting Asia to Halloween, Christmas, and End of Year parties, rest assure Fall and Winter are the ethereal seasons full of club parties. Though we may be excited every day thinking about partying and clubbing when the sun goes down, the reality is that we can’t separate the hangovers and the feeling of tiredness the day after from all the alcohol that we’ve consumed. For all those that are going through a rough morning-after, here are some of the best hangover cures that Asians love and swear by.
SOUP
BEAN SPROUT HANGOVER SOUP
One can’t discuss hangover food in Asia without including a soup-based dish. There are variety and numerous of combinations that can make up a soup dish. Starting with the base from the array of seafoods, meats, and vegetables, there are plenty of other ingredients that serve as the main ingredient; the soup can also be complimented by noodles, rice, or even wontons. Try out different combinations to find the one that suits you the best.
In Korea, there is a soup with the official name, “Hangover Soup”. There are variations of the “Hangover Soup”: Bean Sprout Hangover Soup, Dried Molluk Hangover Soup, Bone Hangover Soup, Sunji Hangover Soup and more. Not all of these soups are red pepper based soups; some are clear colored without being spicy at all. Restaurants that specialize in these Hangover Soups can be easily found on the streets of Korea. Of course, if you were to choose the best hangover cure out of the all the Hangover
CONJI Conji is a dish made by boiling a soft grained rice in water for a long time, topped with fish cake, chicken, or fried tofu. The soft texture and its rather simple taste is what makes this dish all that special. Favored by the Singaporeans as a post hangover breakfast, Conji is a very light dish that provides a soft coating around the upset stomach walls while also quenching the body. Also enjoyed on a regular basis as a breakfast menu in Hong Kong and China, including Singapore, Conji is also a traditional comfort food that has been around for thousands of years.
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Soups mentioned above, the clear colored soup with bean sprouts would be on top of the list. Bean Sprout Hangover Soup is a seafood based savory soup rich with amino acid from its base ingredients: squid, anchovies, and seaweed. Adding on top of the base ingredients, the bean sprout is effective for curing hangover. The little delicacy that makes this dish really exciting is the choice that you have whether to add soft cooked egg into the soup or not. You choose!
FOOD & LIFESTYLE
MUSSEL HUNTUN
SHIO RAMEN
Huntun is a traditional little wonton dumpling enjoyed by the Chinese family during the morning of the New Years. Its comforting broth makes this dish a popular post hangover dish amongst the Chinese. Though the dish varies greatly depending on the region due to its vast landscape, the one from Pecking is without a doubt the most preferred style for post-hangover. Pecking styled Huntun has mussels that add even more depth to the already savory soup and also taurine and nucleic acid that aids in reinvigorating the liver and protects the liver cells which help you relive your stress physically. The way in which the dumpling, prepared with a very thin outer layer with a tiny spoonful of stuffing, gets vacuumed into the mouth along with the hot soup is just an added fun bonus to this delicious dish.
The Japanese food, ramen can be distinguished in four categories: Hokaido’s Miso Ramen that has a strong flavor and aroma of miso, Tokyo’s Soyu Ramen that is soy sauce based boasting its crisp taste, Fukuoka and Kyushu’s Donkatsu Ramen that has a thick and rich broth, and lastly Hakodate’s Shio Ramen has a salt based clearest broth of all. Of all the ramens, Shio Ramen has
the most crisp and the lightest flavor of all the ramens mentioned above. Despite its simplest taste, lacking extraneous fanciness, it is highly addictive. It’s clear and light broth with sous vide chashu and half-boiled egg added on the top creates a perfect harmony with its chewy noodle, placing itself as one of the most consumed posthangover food in Asia.
HANOI BEEF NOODLE SOUP Pho, a common breakfast menu in Vietnam, is made with a beef-based broth along with rice noodles, handful of sprouts and cilantro, and topped with lemon zest. The unique flavor that cilantro adds to the soup is just an additional factor that people find Pho. The main reason that this dish is favored globally is because it is easily digestible and also very nutritious. Though Pho is a popular hangover dish in Vietnam among Vietnamese, its popularity amongst Asians outside of Vietnam and also foreigners is even greater. Also, within the expat community in Vietnam, numerous of digital contents have been generated to share their own recipe of their favorite hangover food, Pho. This dish has been going far beyond the boundaries of Vietnam and has placed itself in the hearts of global community as the top hangover food. We recommend that you give Pho a try after a long night of clubbing next time.
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FOOD & LIFESTYLE CHEESE & EGG Of course, there are others who crave post hangover dishes outside the Asian cuisine. Some of these dishes may include pizza or hamburgers loaded with cheese or some sort of egg dish.
CHEESE TOMATO PIZZA Ever stretching chewy mozzarella cheese, rich savory tomato paste, and dough that is soft inside and crusty on the outside are some of the aspects that wins the popularity amongst everyone around the globe. Not only is pizza loved by pizza lovers due to those aspects mentioned above, there are lots of others who crave pizza on the day after clubbing or on the days with a hangover. They all agree that their sick stomachs and ever growling and trembling tummies can be calmed with a slice of cheese pizza.
In reality, cheese is rich with methionine substance that helps breakdown the alcohol and improve liver functions. Also, tomato is rich with vitamins and shares same functionality as cheese, which makes this vegetable or, as some might say fruit, a healthy choice to cure hangovers. But remember, too much greasy food can be harmful to the stomach that’s been damaged by alcohol. So, go easy on those cheese pizzas.
CHEESE BURGER It’s not a surprise to find a 24-hour fast food restaurant full of people in Korea on a weekend in the early dawn. There are many who spend their time in these franchised restaurants waiting for the first public transportation in the morning, but there are more people who find the restaurant for a hangover burger. Without a doubt, the most popular burger on the menu is the cheese burger. The juice from the patty that over flows when you squeeze on a burger and the rich aroma from the cheddar cheese wakes up all five senses of your body. However, just like pizza, tomatoes and cheese in a burger will help you fight the hangover but too much greasy food can damage your internal organs that have been over worked due to your alcohol consumption habits. Put a limit on those burgers!
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FRIED EGG WITH TAMARIND SAUCE In Thailand, a fried egg with tamarined sauce also known as Kai-look Kwaei got its name from a story where a mother-in-law would make this dish for her son-in-law who’s going through a harsh hangover from work. This dish is made by frying a soft-boiled egg and adding a spicy hot sauce. The soft and moist soft boiled egg and a little greasy fried crust helps you to
win over the spicy sauce, making this dish a popular dish on a normal dinner table as well. Moreover, cysteine and methionine, amino acids that aid in breaking down the alcohol, in the egg helps you detox from the toxins that causes hangover from alcohol. Soft boiled egg doesn’t stress out the tired stomach, which makes this dish a perfect post hangover meal.
FOOD & LIFESTYLE BEVERAGE If you’ve over worked yourself and don’t have enough energy left in your body even to chew on a food, then let’s look into drinks! There are many who prefer hangover cure drinks than the actual food. We have covered a few of the most popular hangover cure drinks.
SPORTS DRINK
ICE AMERICANO Many will agree that drinking an ice cold Americano will not only wake you up but also make you feel that you’ve cured your hangover naturally. Try crunching down the ice while chugging the ice coffee next time! A small amount of caffeine can help you break down the alcohol, allow you to get rid of the acetaldehyde that develops from breaking down of the alcohol through urination, and activate liver functions; however, too much caffeine can cause headache by expanding blood vessels so remember not to overdose on caffeine.
We’ve taken a survey amongst the DJ MAG ASIA editors. An editor who don’t miss the majority of the major club parties in Korea have said that he swears by a Japanese sports drink, Pocari Sweat made by the Otsuka Pharmaceuticals. This sports drink, also called the electrolyte drink, was developed to be consumed after a strenuous workout
after you’ve lost the electrolytes and moisture from your body; hence, its rich in sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and a bit of sugar. By replenishing liquid into your body, it helps you overcome dehydration. If you are ever in need of replenishing your dry and thirst body from a hangover, look for Pocari Sweat next time at your nearest convenient store.
CHOCOLATE MILK ICE Craving something sweet after an exciting dance party and drinking should come to us naturally. That is because when our liver starts to malfunction, the glucose level drops significantly in an instant. The consumption of chocolate milk, its contents being sugar and water, helps you raise your glucose level which may help you with your hangover. Drinking chocolate milk even before attending a party is also a good idea. Milk deters the intake of alcohol, and taurine, catechin, and brown sugar in chocolate milk will assist in breaking down the alcohol, leading to less painful hangovers. Try earning some brownie points by handing out chocolate milks to your friends who will set the dance floor on fire with you.
COCONUT WATER Coconut water is high in electrolyte which has allowed this drink to proclaim itself as the natural sports drink. Also, coconut water enhances your bowel movements and immune system, so not only can you take care of your hangover, but also, it’s a smart and healthy drink for your body. You
can find coconut drinks easily in a transportable mini cart on the streets of Southeast Asia. Favored largely especially in Vietnam, many actually make this drink at their own homes by adding additional ingredients such as ginger, honey, lime juice, and other medicinal plant roots.
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JOCKEY JOURNAL e world’s The on-the-road diary of th top DJs treading the globe
Y T R A P D R I H T
Words: KEVIN KANG
Third Party is back! Ever since their interview was featured on the third issue of DJ Mag Asia, the UK duo has been busy touring the world. In the middle of their hectic schedule, they have kindly agreed to share their memories in Asia with our readers. From their love of Korean BBQ and crazy festival experiences to their first real Thai food experience, there are so many things these artists love about Asia. Check out their story below!
JAPAN “Japan has become almost a second home to us. The first time Tokyo we had fans waiting for we visited us overwhelmed with the love and at the airport with gifts, we were really respect we were shown in this considering we had never bee n there before! Tokyo has also country beco special for us as it was the first place where we performed our me very concept, it was an unreal expe live show rience playing to a packed crow d of over 1000 people, a night we won’t forg amount of things to do in Toky et quickly! We also love the endless o, restaurants (our favourite dish from visiting small unique ramen !) at the Digital Art Museum, Toky to visiting a one in a million experience o is truly one of our favourite cities in the world to visit!”
the SOUTH KOREA a, we have to almost straight from an “Whenever we visit Seoul in Kore Kore the d, worl the in dish food airport, head to maybe our favourite this so well now they reserve the BBQ! Our friends who live there knowhaha! We love the culture in Seoul, al dinner way in advance of our arriv always feel at peace walking we people are always so friendly and feeling Korean fans really know and a Korea around this fantastic city! You get performed our live show at Ultra we n Whe ic. mus e danc s understand song our all knew le how many peop last year, we were blown away by s!” lyric the all and were singing along to
THAILAND “We had heard so many stories abou t Bangkok before we actually wen over there for the first time, and t it did knowledge that it is a city that neve not disappoint. The general r sleep s is 100 % true! Straight from walking about the streets, you can feel the energy of the city take you over and the buzz continues all the get enough of the Thai food, it’s way into the night. We also couldn’t one thing having it over here in England but a whole new experience havi ng the real stuff in Bangkok, the tast was unbelievable! We’ve had man y great nightclub experiences, Leve e always been such a great night with ls has incredible fans to play for. We also always seem to end up at some afte after we perform. It must be the r party until 4 am in the morning energy of the city that just makes us want to keep the party going!”
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KOR
WHAT’S HOT IN KOREA?
Words: KEVIN KANG
을지로의 색다른 복합 문화 공간, 감각의 제국 다양한 오브제로 가득한 기묘한 장소
을
지로의 매력은 끝이 없다. 마치 빈티지 샵에서 나에게 꼭 어울리는
제주도 번화가에 위치한 멋들어진 뮤직 & 다이닝 바, 파라디스코(Paradisco) 제주 도심 속 레트로 파라다이스에서 지친 마음을 달래 보자.
옷을 찾는 것처럼 멋있고 색다른 장소들이 세월의 흔적이 느껴지는
건물들 사이사이에 숨어있다. 이번에는 지난 호의 ‘What’s Hot in Korea?’ 에 소개된 ‘신도시’와 ‘AJO’보다 기묘함에서는 타의 추종을 불허하는 공간을
휴
가철은 이미 지났지만 늦은 휴가를 떠나는 사람들과, 제주도에 방문해 좋은 술과 음악을 즐기고 싶은 사람들에게 제주시청 인근의
소개하고자 한다.
번화가에 위치한 파라디스코(Paradisco) 제주를 추천한다.
을지로 3가역 출구 앞의 출판단지 골목은 바쁘게 돌아가는 인쇄기들이
음주가무를 즐기는 사람들로 인산인해를 이루는 번화가의 언저리, 뮤직
즐비하다. 후끈한 인쇄기들의 열기를 뒤로하고 찾은 감각의 제국은 을지로의
& 다이닝 바 파라디스코의 은은한 네온 사인이 조용한 삼거리를 잔잔하게
다른 공간과 마찬가지로 낡은 건물의 4층에 위치한다. 올라가는 계단부터
밝히고 있다. 입구의 창을 통해 새나오는 샹들리에의 불빛에 고급스러움이
분위기가 심상치 않다. 향수를 불러 일으키는 피카츄 돈가스 간판부터
묻어나온다.
갖가지 파티 플라이어들이 계단 곳곳에서 독특한 복합 문화 공간의 색깔을
클래식한 디자인의 문을 열고 들어가자 정면에 길게 펼쳐진 바가 눈에
여과없이 드러내고 있다.
들어온다. 파라디스코의 상징 네온 야자수가 바 뒤편에서 조용히 존재감을
피로해진 다리를 끌고 입장하자 화려한 파란색 조명이 반긴다. 밝아진
뽐내고 있다. 왼편으로 디제이 부스가 위치해 있고, 프로젝터에서 쏘아지는
실내에 적응하기도 전에 공간 중간의 벽에 박제된 사슴머리처럼 붙어있는
영상이 배경을 장식한다. 천장의 샹들리에와 탁자마다 놓인 촛불, 거기에
아기공룡 둘리가 시선을 사로잡는다. 형형색색의 네온 조명과 빔 프로젝터로
곳곳의 은은한 연보라 빛 네온 조명까지 올드 앤 뉴의 대비가 어우러져
벽에 쏘아지고 있는 일본 애니메이션까지, 귓가에 퓨처펑크가 환청처럼
세련되면서도 가볍지 않은 멋이 느껴진다.
울려 퍼지는 듯하다.
입구에 ‘Seoul to Jeju’라고 쓰여 있는 네온 사인을 보면 짐작할 수 있듯이,
이외에도 파이오니어(Pioneer) XDJ가 구비되어 있는 디제이 부스가
파라디스코는 불과 작년까지 서울 대학로의 밤문화를 담당하고 있었다. 올해
존재하며 주말마다 다양한 디제이 및 아티스트들의 공연이 펼쳐진다. 구석에
2월 야심 차게 제주로 이전한 파라디스코는 넓어진 공간에서 더욱 멋있는
놓여 있는 독서실 책상도 눈길이 간다. ‘공부 안 하는 독서실’을 컨셉으로
모습으로 탈바꿈했다. 이탈리아 영화 ‘시네마 천국(Cinema Paradiso)’에서
잡았는지 책상 위에는 참고서 대신 오락기가 놓여 있다.
영감을 받아 탄생한 파라디스코는, ‘레트로와 퓨처를 넘나드는 세계관’을
4층의 매장도 신선했지만 5층의 루프탑에 펼쳐져 있는 광경은 특이하다는
모토로 90년대 R&B, Funk, Disco 등 다양한 장르의 음악을 선보인다.
수식어가 부족할 정도로 보는 이의 입을 다물지 못하게 한다. 어디서
서울의 대학로에서 오랜 시간 동안 각종 재미있는 파티를 기획해온
가져왔는지 모를 돌침대부터 휴게소나 관광지에서나 볼 수 있는 아이들 전용
파라디스코인 만큼, 앞으로 제주에서 선보일 파티들이 정말 기대된다.
미니 놀이기구까지, 정말 없는 것이 없는 기상천외한 장소라고 할 수 있다.
제주에 방문할 기회가 있다면 파라디스코에 들러 보는 것은 어떨까? 가게
5층 안쪽의 건물에선 공이 가득한 풀장과 추억의 DDR 게임을 즐길 수 있다. ■
된다면 피자는 꼭 먹어 보기 바란다. ■
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일몰의 장관을 볼 수 있는 제주도의 카페 & 펍, 선셋 클리프(Sunset Cliff)
신사동 가로수길의 뮤직 바, 팬더 룸(Panther Room)
오션뷰와 함께 음악을 즐겨보자
아
은밀하고 관능적인 언더그라운드 전자음악의 정수
름다운 바닷가와 지드래곤(G-Dragon)이 운영하는 카페 몽상드애월로 입소문을 탔던 제주시 애월읍에 최근 넓게 펼쳐진
이
태원과 홍대 등 한국의 언더그라운드 음악 씬을 생각하면 많은
바다를 배경으로 각종 음료와 음악을 즐길 수 있는 멋진 공간이 탄생했다.
이들이 흔히 떠올리는 공간들이 있다. 하지만 그 중에 가로수길을
선셋 클리프는 서귀포시 중문에 위치한 뮤직 & 다이닝 펍 더 클리프 제주
얘기하는 사람은 드물 것이라고 생각한다. 팬더룸은 ‘서울의 불모지에서
(The Cliff Jeju)가 올해 8월 애월에 오픈한 카페 & 펍이다.
새로운 문화공간을 만들자’라는 목표로 올해 8월 신사동 가로수길에
지난 호의 ‘Food & Lifestyle’에 소개된 ‘포테이토 헤드 발리(Potato Head
오픈하게 되었다.
Bali)’를 연상시키는 외관의 장식이 눈에 들어온다. 각기 다른 모양과
마치 정글에서 기척을 숨기는 표범과도 같이 팬더룸은 어떠한 간판도 표식도
색상의 나무 문들이 콜라주처럼 입구의 벽면을 꾸미고 있고, 군데군데
없이 건물의 4층에 은밀하게 자리하고 있다. 어디선가 흘러나오는 희미한
칠이 벗겨진 디테일이 상당히 멋있다. 내부에는 갖가지 라탄 전등갓에
우퍼 소리에 이끌려 지상 4층에 올라오면 도발적인 빨간 불빛이 아른거리는
둘러싸인 조명들이 빛을 발하고 있다. 왼편의 디제이 부스를 장식하는
멋진 장소가 펼쳐진다. 벽면 곳곳에 전시되어 있는 강렬한 아트웍과 오브제,
갖가지 오리엔탈 태피스트리와 오브제가 동남아의 휴양지에 온 듯한 착각을
나무 인테리어가 고급스러운 분위기를 자아낸다. 벽면의 팬더 두상과 디제이
불러일으킨다.
부스 앞에 깔린 표범무늬 러그에서 주인장의 팬더 사랑이 듬뿍 묻어나온다.
바의 전반적인 분위기와 인테리어도 상당히 멋있지만, 이곳의 진정한
심지어 드링크와 함께 제공되는 코스터도 표범 무늬다. 중앙에 위치한 나무
매력은 다른 곳에 있다. 선셋 클리프라는 이름에서도 알 수 있듯이 절벽 위에
소재의 바도 상당히 멋스럽다.
위치해 있기 때문에 애월에서 제일 멋진 오션뷰를 자랑한다. 오른편에 넓게
디제이 부스에는 CDJ와 턴테이블이 구비되어 있으며 선명하게 전달되는
뚫린 테라스를 통해 고개만 돌리면 애월 한담 해변의 바다를 마음껏 눈에
보이드 어쿠스틱스(VOID Acoustics) 사운드 시스템으로 청각에 피로도를
담아갈 수 있다. 루프탑에는 편하게 누워서 바다를 감상할 수 있도록 갖가지
느끼지 않으며 마음껏 음악에 심취할 수 있다고 한다.
비치베드와 푹신한 방석들이 놓여있는 좌식 테이블들이 있다.
아직 신생 베뉴이지만, 국내에서 활동해온 유수의 실력파 디제이들과
선셋 클리프에서 맞이하는 제주의 일몰 또한 정말 아름답다. 형형색색으로
다양한 해외 아티스트를 초청해 새로운 문화공간을 꾸려 나가려는 팬더룸의
변하는 하늘과 바다를 배경으로 다양한 로컬 디제이가 선사하는 딥하우스와
행보가 상당히 기대된다. 팬더룸을 시작으로 가로수길에도 멋진 공간들이
테크하우스 음악을 감상하다 보면 외국 유명한 휴양지의 비치 파티에 온
많이 생겨날 날이 언젠가는 오지 않을까 생각해본다. ■
듯한 착각마저 든다. 입소문을 타기 전에 어서 가볼 것을 권장한다! ■
한
남동의 한 건물 지하에는 동네와 전혀 어울리지 않는 이색적인 공간이 숨어있다. 벽면에 심어진 대나무들을 지나 건물 뒤편으로 입장하면
강렬한 보라색 네온 조명이 불을 밝히고 있는 무어 서울이 눈에 들어온다. 입구의 바를 기점으로 왼편에는 넓은 전시 및 공연 공간이 펼쳐져 있고, 심플하지만 화려한 조명들이 공간을 비춘다. 올해 초, 한남동에서 오픈한 무어 서울은 오픈 2달만에 다수의 굵직한 행사를
한남동의 세련된 갤러리 & 공연 공간 무어 서울(Moor Seoul) 지하의 벙커 같은 예술가들의 집합소
기획하며 벌써부터 많은 이들의 입에 오르내리고 있다. 전시 및 공연 공간으로 운영되는 장소에서 이미 페기 구(Peggy Gou)의 내한파티, 베억하인(Berghain) 의 바운서로 유명한 스벤 마르크바르트(Sven Marquardt)의 사진전, 서울 커뮤니티 라디오(Seoul Community Radio)의 3주년 행사를 통해 수많은 사람들이 방문했다. ■
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KOR
IN A STATE OF BALANCE 아민 반 뷰렌, 새 스튜디오 앨범에 대해 이야기하다. Words: DJ MAG ASIA TEAM
J Mag Top 100 DJs 투표에서 5차례나 1위를 차지하고, 17년간
D
있는 그의 음악과 삶에 대한 이야기를 나눠봤다.
Top 5 안에 항상 이름을 올린 아민 반 뷰렌, 2018년 구글에서
그는 1995년 19살 때 발매한 싱글 ‘Blue Fear’로 이름이 알려지기
발표한 일렉트로닉 아티스트 중 가장 트렌디한 아티스트, 2018년
시작, 2001년부터 지금까지 ‘A State of Trance’ 라디오 프로그램의
빌보드 댄스 100위 중 20위에 선정, Trevor Guthrie와 작업한 ‘This
호스트를 맡고 있으며, 2003년 설립한 Armada Music을 통해
Is What It Feels Like’ 그래미 노미네이트 등.. 그의 음악적 성과들을
인재 발굴과 수많은 명반들을 내며, 댄스 뮤직 계의 거대한 족적을
살펴보면, 트렌스 음악의 “황제”라고 불릴 만하다. 네덜란드의 빌럼
남겨왔다. 지난 여름에는 GAIA 앨범 ‘Moons of Jupiter’으로
알렉산더르(Willem Alexander) 왕위 즉위식 때, 로열 콘서트헤보우
호평을 받고 있으며, ADE 이후 발매할 새 앨범 ‘Balance’에 대한
오케스트라(Royal Conertgebouw Orchestra)와 협연, 암스테르담
소식도 뜨겁다. 꾸준히 새로운 음악적 성과를 낼 수 있는 원동력은
소재 반 고흐 미술관에서 빈센트 반 고흐의 명작 전시에서는 그가
무엇일까? 새 앨범과 그의 음악적인 행보에 대해 궁금증을 풀어봤다.
특별 음악 감독을 담당하였을 정도로 네덜란드의 영웅이기도 하다. 오랜 시간 동안 꾸준히 최정상의 자리를 지키면서 올해도 역시 많은
새 앨범에 대한 생각은 언제 했었나? 이번 앨범은 왜 더블 앨범으로
활동들을 펼치고 있다. 다양한 곡, 앨범 발표와 콜라보, 세계적인
제작했나? 이렇게 제작하는 것은 처음이지 않은가?
무대에서의 열정적인 공연들, 1000회를 앞둔 ASOT의 호스트,
“음악 산업에 나만큼 오래 있어온 사람, 특히 전에 앨범을 내본
아르마다 레이블의 수장, 마스터 클래스 운영 등 쉼 없이 달리고
사람이라면 앨범 작업에 대해 늘 생각하게 된다. 모험해볼 새롭고
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창의적인 방향을 찾고 있다면, 그 방향의 끝에서 찾을 수 있을 만한 것이 앨범만한 것이 없다. 나는 ‘Balance’를 더블 앨범으로 만들기로 한 이유는 두 가지 면을 보여주고 싶었기 때문이다. 하나는 소프트하고 좀 더 어쿠스틱한 사운드고, 하나는 클럽과 어울리는 사운드다. 이렇게 두 가지 면으로 뚜렷하게 나눠진 앨범을 발매하는 것은 처음이지만 이것이 바로 내가 ‘Balance’를 선보이고 싶었던 방법이다. 앨범 타이틀과도 잘 어울린다.” 앨범 제목은 왜 ‘Balance’라 지었나? 우리가 마이애미에서 이야기할 때 본인은 막 삶의 열정을 찾았다고 이야기했던 것을 기억한다. 본인의 삶과 관련해 지은 것인가? “단지 음악적인 측면만이 아니라 삶의 균형을 맞추는 것과 절대적으로 관련이 있다. 이 앨범은 음악적 활동과 가족과의 삶에 모두 영향을 미치며 항상 올바른 균형을 찾는데 의미를 둔다.” 새 앨범과 본인의 첫 번째 스튜디오 앨범 ‘76’의 주요 차이점은 무엇인가? “아티스트로서나 한 사람으로서나 나는 많이 성장했다고 말하고 싶다. 나이가 들수록 내가 누군지에 관련해 무뎌지고 있으며, 아직 나는 배움을 끝내지 못했다는 사실을 알게 되었다. 내가 만드는 모든 곡은 나에게 새로운 것을 가르쳐 주며 나의 다음 곡은 내가 이전에 만든 곡과 내가 새롭게 배운 것, 그리고 내가 만난 사람들의 결과물이다. 세월이 흐르면서 이 과정, 특히 창조하는 재미는 나에게 점점 더 중요해졌다. 결과에 대한 인식보다는 개인적인 관심에 대해 더 많이 알게 해주고 의미를 부여해주는 여정이라고 할 수 있다. 이것이 오늘의 나와 몇 년 전의 나의 가장 큰 차이점이다. ‘76’과 ‘Balance’를 비교했을 때 이를 자연스럽게 느낄 수 있다.” 이번 앨범에는 많은 콜라보가 이루어진 것 같다. 특히 이너 시티 (Inner City)는 댄스 음악에 있어서 가장 영향력 있는 그룹 중 하나로 평가되는데, 이 콜라보는 어떻게 진행되었는가? 케빈 손더슨(Kevin Saunderson)과 그의 그룹과의 작업 과정은 어땠는가? “이너 시티와 함께 일한 것은 마치 나에게 꿈이 이루어진 것 같았다. 그들은 내가 댄스 음악 씬에서 첫 걸음을 내딛고 있을 때 이미 이 씬을 휘어잡고 있었다. 스튜디오에서 그들과 함께 일한 것은 매우 자극이 되었다. 오픈 마인드의 자세와 자신과는 다른 사운드와 스타일, 또는 장르에 영감을 받고자 하는 것이 이토록 많은 것을 이룰 수 있다는 것을 보여주었기에 나는 최종 결과물에 무척이나 놀랐다.” 케빈 같은 전설적인 인물과 함께 일한 것은 어땠는가? 결과물에 대해서도 어떠했는지 듣고 싶다. “최고였다! 우리는 Armada에서 가깝게 협력하고 있었으며 Armada는 그의 레이블을 다룬바 있기에 나는 그를 이미 몇 번 만난 적이 있다. 케빈은 나에게 전설 중 하나이기 때문에 나는 정말 그에게 빠졌다. 그와 함께 작업한 트랙과 그 트랙이 라디오를 통해 나오는 것이 매우 자랑스럽다!” 앨범 ‘Moons of Jupiter’ 또한 놀라웠다. GAIA의 앨범은 꼭 필요한 것이었나? ‘트랜스 매니아(trance purists)’를 행복하게 만들어주려는 의도가 있었을까? “음, 트랜스 매니아들을 위한 것은 아니었다. 왜냐하면 나는 그것을 트랜스라고 부르지 않기 때문이다. 앨범 ‘Moons of Jupiter’는 나의 프로듀싱 파트너 벤노(Benno)와 많은 시간을 보낸 매우 특별한 프로젝트였다. GAIA의 사운드는 우리 스스로 프로듀싱을 시작할 수 있도록 영감을 준 사운드이기에 우리가 누구인지에 대한 깊은 뿌리를 두고 있다. 그래서 우리는 GAIA 앨범을 발매하고 싶었고, djmagasia.com
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이는 꼭 필요해서가 아니라 우리에게 옳다고 느꼈기 때문이다.”
으로 아시아로 돌아가보고 싶지만, 가능할지 두고 봐야 할 것 같다.”
위 앨범을 만드는 과정은 어땠나? 정말 큰 앨범이었고, 모든 곡들이
지난 인터뷰에서 댄스 음악 달력에 새해가 있다면, 윈터 뮤직
완벽하게 어우러진 것 같았다. 미리 계획한 것이었는지 궁금하다.
컨퍼런스(Winter Music Conference)라고 이야기했던 것을
“우리는 사전에 믹스한 음악이나 편곡된 음악을 플레이하기보다는
기억한다. 그때로부터 벌써 7개월 가량 지났고, 이제 ADE를 앞두고
무대에서 라이브로 음악을 플레이하는 라이브 쇼를 하기를
있다. ADE는 본인에게 어떤 의미라고 할 수 있나?
원했다. 이는 디제잉과 다른 다이나믹함이 있었다. 그래서 우리는
“초대형 댄스 뮤직 컨퍼런스와 쇼, ADE는 댄스 음악이 초기부터
이를 염두에 두고 앨범을 만들기 시작했다. 사전에 계획된 것은
얼마나 멀리 왔는지를 보여준다. 초창기에는 댄스 음악이 수십만
아니었지만, 스튜디오에 있는 동안 우리 마음 속에 간직하고 있던
명의 열렬한 팬들을 한 도시로 끌어들일 것이라고 예상한 사람은
것이었다.”
거의 없었지만, 우리는 여기 있다. 이는 모든 것이 가능하다는 것을 보여준다고 생각하며, ADE와 같은 댄스 음악 컨퍼런스가 신진 및
ASOT에 대해서도 이야기하지 않을 수 없다. 내년 2월이며, 벌써
야심 찬 프로듀서들이 그들의 꿈을 따르도록 영감을 주는 방식을
950회를 맞이한다. 첫 회로 돌아가, 무슨 일이 있었는지, 어떻게
사랑한다.”
시작하게 된 건지 알려달라. “나는 그저 전 세계와 나누고 싶은 어메이징한 음악들을 겨우 다
지난 3월 마이애미에서 만난 아민은 아시아 팬들에 대한 관심과
찾아냈기에 ASOT를 시작했다. 새로운 음악을 발견하고 나와 함께
애정을 표한바 있다. 지난 호 인터뷰에서 확인할 수 있듯이 그는
이를 온 세상 사람들과 즐기려는 목적으로 추진되었다. 어렸을 적,
중국에서 댄스 음악이 폭발적인 인기라는 소식을 듣게 되어 정말
나는 클럽에 갈 수 있는 나이가 되지 않아서 라디오를 통해 댄스
행복하고, 일본 내 트랜스 음악이 인기라는 의견을 표하며 일본
음악을 발견했다. 라디오 이면의 아이디어는 여전히 매우 강력하다.”
사람들을 사랑한다고 말한 바 있다. 그의 아시아에 대한 애정은 이번 ADE에서도 확인할 수 있다. 그가 준비한 ‘My China by
DJ들의 팟캐스트가 얼마나 많았나?
Armin van Buuren’ 컨퍼런스와 ADE에서 보여줄 새로운 모습에 대해서도 들어봤다.
“그 당시에는 그렇게 많지는 않았던 것 같다. 물론 믹스테이프도 있었지만 DJ들이 자신의 팟캐스트를 시작하는 데는 시간이 좀 걸렸다. 하지만 네덜란드에서 인기 있고 사람들이 좋아했던 ‘Rave
ADE에서 정말 다양한 프로그램을 준비한 것 같다. 디제이맥 ‘아시아’
Radio’와 ‘Krapuul De Lux’, ‘For Those Who Like To Groove’와
에디터로서 특히, ‘My China by Armin van Buuren’ 컨퍼런스가
같은 믹스 쇼가 몇 번 있었다.”
매우 기대되는데 어떤 내용인 지 살짝 알려줄 수 있나? “2016년 중국에서 거대한 솔로 쇼 ‘Armin Only: Embrace’를 한
기념 행사는 어떻게 시작하게 되었는가? 언제 첫 에피소드가
최초의 DJ였다. 2004년 중국에 처음 발을 들인 이후, 댄스 뮤직
공연으로 기념되었나? 그 순간에 대해 특별히 기억에 남는 것이
씬이 많이 변화하고 성장한 것을 목격했다. 지난 연말, 싼야에서
있다면 알려달라.
열린 초대형 페스티벌에서 플레이했고, 관객들의 에너지에 날아가
“우리가 한 첫 번째 축하 행사는 블로멘달 해변에서의 100회 기념
버리는 듯 했다. 매우 특별한 중국의 댄스 음악 씬과 몇몇 재능 있는
행사였다. 그날은 매우 특별한 날이었다. 날씨는 맑았고 우리는 밤새
중국 아티스트들의 지금의 성장세를 사랑한다.”
축하했다. 팬들이 케이크와 모든 것을 가지고 왔다. 그때는 2003 년이었다. 이것이 시작에 불과했다는 것을 그때 나는 몰랐다! 하하!”
지난 인터뷰에서 “아시아에서 어떤 일이 일어나고 있는 지는 잘 모르지만, 중국에서 현재 댄스 음악이 폭발적인 인기를 끌고 있는
84개국이 넘는 국가에서 4천 1백만이 넘는 리스너를 거느린 ASOT
것 같다”고, 이야기했던 것을 기억한다. 7개월 만에 중국에 대한
은 실로 대단하다. 이렇게 강력한 브랜드를 만들었다는 사실을 언제
사랑과 전략을 발표하게 되었다니 놀랍다. 그 동안 중국 무대에서
실감하는가?
어떤 특별한 경험을 쌓게 되었는지 알려달라.
“ASOT이 강력한 브랜드라는 사실은 점진적으로 깨닫게 되었으며,
“ ‘차이니스 트랜스 패밀리’로부터 받는 사랑은 실제로 차원이
가끔씩 생각해보면 진짜 놀라울 때가 있다. 내가 ASOT에서 공연을
다르다. 그들을 나를 중국에서 만날 수 있으나, 다른 나라에서의
하고 전 세계 사람들이 트랜스 음악에 대한 사랑과 열정을 서로
대부분의 공연까지 함께 투어한다. 트랜스 사운드가 정말로 중국
공유하는 것을 볼 때, 얼마나 자랑스러운지 표현이 불가할 정도다.”
내에서 사랑 받고 있다고 생각하며, 그곳에 도착할 때마다 공항에서 인사할 생각에 마음이 따뜻해지곤 한다.”
ASOT이 이렇게 커진 이유가 무엇이라 생각하는가? “처음부터 ASOT은 사람들을 하나로 모으고, 모든 종류의 문화와
AMF 무대와 투모로우랜드 15주년을 기념하는 쇼(Our Story -
배경을 가진 사람들을 하나로 묶는데 성공했다. 트랜스 음악에
Celebrating 15 years of Tomorrowland)도 매우 기대된다. 특별한
대한 사랑이 그들을 하나로 모이게 했고, 이 부분에 있어서 ASOT
셋을 준비한 게 있는 지 궁금하다.
은 세월이 흘러도 변하지 않았다. 그것이 주된 이유 중에 하나라
“나는 몇몇 서프라이즈를 준비했지만, 그 순간이 오기 전에
생각한다.”
스포일러하고 싶지는 않다. 명백한 건 AMF의 기준을 지키려고
2013년과 2014년, 말레이시아에서 ASOT 600과 ASOT 650
표할 것이다.”
노력할 것이고, 투모로우랜드의 그 놀라운 15년 동안에 대한 경의를 공연을 한 바 있다. ASOT 투어를 아시아의 다른 지역에서 할 예정은 없는가?
트렌드가 빠르게 변화하는 현 시대에서 음악적 지식, 트렌드의 흐름,
“매년, ASOT을 어디서 할지 결정하는 것은 어려운 일이다. 나는
기술의 진보에 대해서 아티스트로서 어떻게 캐치해나가고 있으며,
지구상의 모든 곳을 방문하고 싶지만, 다양한 상황과 문제들에
공부하고 있는 지 알려달라.
달려있고, 내가 그 모든 것을 컨트롤할 수가 없다. 나는 당연히 ASOT
“대부분 다른 아티스트와의 협업으로 점점 더 많은 것을 배울
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수 있다. 오픈 마인드를 갖춘다면, 나이가 많은 사람이든 적은 사람이든, 누구에게나 모든 것을 배울 수 있다고 생각한다. 항상 이것을 구축해야 한다고 믿고 있다.” 20여 년 동안이나 정상의 자리를 지키는 것은 단순히 음악적 재능이 넘치는 것만으로는 어렵지 않을까? 그는 Armada Music 을 통해 인재 발굴과 수많은 명반들을 낸 공로를 인정받아 네덜란드 국왕으로부터 오라녜나사우 훈장 4급(오피서)을 수여 받은 바 있다. 뿐만 아니라, 뮤직 컨퍼런스와 마스터 클래스에서도 청중들로 하여금 고개를 끄덕이게 만드는 ‘명석한 아티스트’라는 평을 많이 한다. 그를 특별하게 만드는 원동력은 무엇일까? 그가 추구하는 예술가로서의 삶과 주변 사람들, 그리고 미래 세대에 대한 메세지를 들어봤다. 본인의 음악 중 특정 장르만 추구하는 본인의 매니아들을 신경 쓰고 있나? 음악을 제작하고 발매하는 데에 있어서 이는 본인에게 어떤 영향을 미치나? “사람들은 항상 자신의 의견을 가질 것이고, 그것은 괜찮다. 이러한 모든 다른 견해가 없다면, 음악은 오히려 지루할 것이다. 다른 관점들은 음악이 완전히 창조적인 상태를 유지하도록 한다. 하지만, 나는 항상 내가 모든 사람을 만족시킬 수 없다는 것도 알고 있다. 그렇기 때문에 항상 자신에게 충실하고, 영감을 주는 것을 창조하는 것이 중요하다고 생각한다.” 예전 한 인터뷰에서 자신만의 시그니처 사운드의 중요성에 대해 강조했었다. 당연하지만 쉽지 않은 일인데, 아티스트로서 에너지와 영감은 주로 어디서부터 받는 지 알려달라. “나에게 있어 그것은 새로운 것이나 새로운 사운드를 발견하는 자체다. 그러한 창조적인 여정이야말로 내가 하는 일과 내가 지속할 수 있는 일에 에너지를 준다. 아티스트마다 다르겠지만, 그것은 나를 위해 하는 일이기도 하다.” 쏟아지는 스케줄과 엄청난 일과 속에서 지치고 피곤하다 보면 주변 사람을 서운하게 하거나, 소홀히 할 수도 있는데 세계 최고의 디제이면서 매너와 겸손함, 따뜻함을 갖고 있다고 알려져 있다. 특히 너의 가정적인 모습에서 팬들이 음악 외적으로도 너를 존경하고 있는데, 가족과 주변 사람들에게 최선을 다하기 위해 어떤 노력을 기울이지는 궁금하다. “좋은 질문이다. 나는 나와 다른 견해를 갖고 있는 사람일지라도 그들이 누구든, 그들이 무슨 일을 하든 사람들을 존경해야 한다고 배워왔다. 말하자면 결국, 사람들은 자기방식대로 살아간다는 것을 인정해야 한다. 하지만, 이렇게 하기 위해 내가 특별히 더 하는 일은 없는 것 같다. 나는 그냥 나 자신이 되려고 한다. 다행스럽게도 그게 잘 되어가고 있는 것 같다.” 7살 딸과 5살 아들이 있다고 알고 있다. 두 자녀 중에 미래에 음악을 할 것 같은 자녀가 있는 지 궁금하다. 그리고 아시아의 10대들 중에 아민 반 뷰렌을 보며 꿈꾸는 미래의 디제이들에게 현실적인 조언을 부탁한다. “나의 아이들이 내가 하는 일을 좋아한다고 확신하지만, 나는 그들이 음악계로 나아갈 것이라고 보진 않는다. 그리고 이 아이들이 그럴 필요도 없다. 아빠로서 나는 아이들이 행복하기만 바랄 뿐이다. 그게 가장 중요하다. 하지만 이 아이들이 음악 분야로 가고 싶다면, 나는 그들에게 열심히 하고, 영감을 주는 것에 집중해야 하며, 그러한 그러한 모든 것들 사이에서 올바른 균형을 찾을 수 있도록 도와 주는 사람들과 함께 하라고 조언해주고 싶다.” ■
ARMIN’S NEXT DATES NOV.15 SUPERFACE
(심천)
NOV.16 CREAMFIELDS
XIAMEN (샤먼 시) NOV.17 FIRST X SHANGHAI (상해) NOV.19 SUPER MONKEY CHANGSHA (하이커우) NOV.20 CLUB MIAMI XI’AN (시안 시) NOV.21 FIRST CHANGZOU (창저우) NOV.22 ONE THIRD HANGZHOU (항저우) NOV.23 CLUB SIR TEEN BEIJING (북경) NOV.24 PLAY HOUSE CHENGDU (청두) NOV.25 CLUB ILLUSION ZHUHAI (주하이) djmagasia.com
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ON THE FLOOR
TOKYO, JAPAN
KOR
Words: DAVID LEE
음악에 대한 사랑과 열정! 2019년에 만난 낭만주의, 울트라 재팬 다비드가 경험한 울트라 재팬 6번째 에디션...
일
본에 도착하기 일주일 그 이전부터 날씨를 지속적으로 확인했다. 일기예보에서는 울트라 재팬(Ultra Japan)이 개최되는 주말 내내 비가 올 예정이었지만, 매번 정확하진 않은 일기예보기에 약간은 의심하고 있었다. 아니나 다를까, 적어도 공연 시간 만큼은 일기예보가 빗나갔다. 그리고 공연은 말로 표현할 수 없을 정도로 정말 대성공이었다!
DAY 1 페스티벌에 가는 것은 항상 여행과도 같다. 페스티벌장을 향해 이동하다 보면 말로 표현할 수 없는 기대감에 가득 차, 마치 오래 꿈꿔왔던 여행지로 떠나기 위해 공항에 가는 듯한 기분이 든다. 설렘, 환희, 모험심, 기대감 등 갖가지 감정들에 휩싸여, 도쿄의 중심부인 롯폰기(Roppongi)에서 불과 15분 거리에 위치해 있는 오다이바(Odiba)로 발걸음을 옮겼다. 택시에 탑승하고 다리를 건너자 저 멀리 정지해 있는 회전목마가 눈에 들어왔다. 이어서 바로 시선을 잡아 끈 오다이바의 랜드마크 중 하나인 대관람차는 어린 시절의 추억과 미디어를 통해 얻게 된 낭만적인 감성을 모두에게 불러일으키기에 충분했다. 특히 나에게는 학창시절 세계사에서 배운 낭만주의가 더욱 떠올랐는데, 이는 페스티벌 기행 자체가 음악에 대한 나의 사랑과 음악을 뒷받침하는 그 문화에 대한 열정을 충족시키기 위한 여정이었기 때문이다. 행사장에 입장하자마자, 5살 어린이 못지않은
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호기심을 앞세워 메인 스테이지(Main Stage)`로 바쁘게 이동했다. 3시 반에 도착했을 때, 공연장은 10분의 1정도의 관객이 채워져 있어 한산했다. DJ 스네일스(DJ Snails)가 셋을 마친 직후였고, 음악은 잠시 멈춰있었다. 메인 스테이지는 거창했지만 단순한 형태였다. 양 끝에 두 개의 거대한 스크린이 위치했고, 가운데에 설치된 스크린들이 무대에 깊이를 더했다. 베뉴를 구경하기 위해 메인 스테이지를 뒤로하고 이동했다. 페스티벌은 메인 스테이지와 울트라 파크 스테이지 (Ultra Park Stage), 단 두 개의 스테이지로 구성되어 있었다. 이번 울트라 재팬에는 하우스와 테크노 애호가들의 사랑을 받는 레지스탕스(RESISTANCE) 스테이지가 없었고, 대신 이 무대는 행사 이튿날에 도쿄 시내의 클럽 움(Womb)에서 진행되는 애프터 파티에 등장했다. 울트라 재팬은 다가오는 2020 년도 도쿄 올림픽 행사 일정으로 인해 기존의 개최지를 떠나 새로운 장소에서 행사를 개최했다. 열도 전체가 엄청난 스포츠 이벤트의 열기에 휩싸여 있었기에, 울트라에 참석한 사람들은 모두 행사 규모를 축소할 수 밖에 없는 사정을 이해했고, 울트라를 진정으로 사랑하는 마음을 보여주었다. 아직 많은 사람들이 행사장에 입장하기 전이었기 때문에, 베뉴를 둘러보는 것은 마치 공원을 산책하는 것만 같았다. 세계적인 패션 메카로 입지가 높은 도쿄답게, 관중들 또한 각자의 개성을 뽐내면서도 모두가 같은 마음으로 한자리에 모였다. 강렬한 패션부터 다양한 믹스매치까지, 개성 있는 사람들의
옷차림이 행사의 즐거움을 더했다. 페스티벌을 즐기던 도중, 나와 같은 뉴욕 출신의 사람이 친구에게 일본 사람들의 질서 정연함과 차분함에 대해 칭찬하는 것을 들었다. 일본만큼 페스티벌을 둘러보기 쉬운 곳도 없을 것이라고 덧붙였고, 나 또한 조용히 그의 말에 동감했다. 나를 포함해 다른 수천명의 사람들에게 나눠 주고 있었던 츄파 츕스(Chupa Chups) 막대사탕을 입에 물고 울트라 파크 스테이지에 도착했을 때, 상당히 느긋한 관객들을 만날 수 있었다. 일본 로컬 디제이인 디제이 마틴(DJ Martin)이 음악을 틀고 있었고, 사람들도 편안하게 분위기를 즐기고 있었다. 스테이지는 메인 GA 입구 근처로, 지나치기 힘든 곳에 위치해 있었다. 메인 스테이지에서 본격적으로 달리기 전, 마음을 따뜻하게 보듬어주는 웰컴 스테이지였다. 울트라 파크 스테이지에는 네 명의 마시멜로(Marshmello), 세 명의 스티브 아오키 (Steve Aoki), 한동안 잊고 있던 파워 레인져(Power Ranger)들까지 쉽게 만나지 못하는 인물들이 대거 등장했다. 오후 4시가 되고 5분이 지난 시점, 넷스카이(Netsky) 를 보기 위해 메인 스테이지로 돌아왔다. 마침 그는 본인이 리믹스한 케미컬 브라더스(Chemical Brothers)의 ‘Hey Boy Hey Girl’ 리믹스를 틀고 있었다. 넷스카이가 “나를 위해 뛸 준비 됐어?” 라고 외치고, 우키(Wuki)의 ‘Pon De Time’을 틀자 관객 모두가 매우 친숙한 가사인 “One More Time” 을 떼창하며 열광했다. 이전에 본 스테이지에 비해 관중들의 에너지가 0에서 100으로 급격하게 치솟았다. 이 시점에 메인 스테이지는 반 정도 차 있었다. 넷스카이의 곡 ‘Higher’가 울려퍼지는
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가운데, 나는 방금 도착한 친구들을 맞이하기 위해 발걸음을 돌렸다. 솔직하게 고백하자면, 베뉴에 도착한 이후로 쭉 친구들을 기다리고 있었다. 혼자서 좋아하는 것을 즐기는 것도 좋지만, 자신의 열정을 친구들과 공유하며 좋은 추억을 쌓는 것만큼 즐거운 것도 없다. 해가 서서히 지며 무대가 밝아지고, 관중들이 흥을 돋굴 무렵 나는 해를 마주보며 공연을 관람하고 있었다. 지는 태양과 작별인사를 하며, 나는 선채로 펜듈럼 트리니티(Pendulum Trinity)를 반겼다. LED 스크린이 빨간색 연기로 가득차기 시작했고, 마치 호러 영화의 한 장면처럼 긴장감이 고조되기 시작했다. 그들이 무대 위에서 ‘사악한 마법’을 부리는 도중에, 한 명의 멤버는 뒤에서 노래를 하며 관객들에게 라이브 콘서트를 선사했다. 평온한 ‘Come Together’가 흘러나오자, 사람들이 흔드는 손이 하늘을 가득 채웠고 잠시동안 모두가 편안한 마음으로 음악을 감상했다. 그 후 맥키 지(Macky Gee)의 ‘Never Wanna Stop’이 나오자, 무대와 스크린에서 불꽃이 쏘아지며 모두의 아드레날린이 폭발하듯 치솟기 시작했다. 펜듈럼이 갖가지 멘트로 사람들을 사로잡았고, 관중들도 공중에 손을 들고 뛰며 이에 화답했다. 무대가 파란 불빛으로 도배되자, 그들의 곡 ‘Watercolor’가 흘러나오며 마치 수중에 잠겨 있는 듯한 공연이 펼쳐졌다. 오프스프링(Offspring)과 같은 스케이트 펑크 밴드의 음악을 듣던 중학교 시절의 추억이 새록새록 떠올랐다. 곡을 통해 추억 여행을 하며, 음악의 힘을 다시금 체감할 수 있었다. 나는 휴식이 필요했지만, 친구들이 샷을 마셔야 한다고 부추기기 시작했다. 그래서 모두가 이미 취해 메인 스테이지에서 스티브 아오키의 공연을 보고 있길 바라며 공연장을 떠났다. 무대의 중앙으로부터 무대의 뒤로 몇 번이나 이동한 끝에, 마침내 술을 판매하는 부스에 도착할 수 있었다. 사실 메인 스테이지는 부스와의 좁은 거리 때문에 길이를 조정해야 했다. 페스티벌 전체에 세계적인 디제이들이 공연하는 스테이지는 메인 스테이지가 유일했기에, 행사의 모든 것이 메인 스테이지를 중심으로 자리했다. 메인 스테이지의 끝자락에 도착하자마자, 부스의 줄이 짧을 것이라는 우리의 희망은 산산조각 나버렸다. 기다리는 것 외에는 선택지가 없었다. 다행히도 부스 앞에 UMF TV 를 보여주는 거대한 스크린이 있었고, 간접적으로 공연을 즐길 수 있었다. 무대의 소리는 뒤까지 전달이 되었고, 영상 또한 우리가 놓쳤다고 생각한 순간들을 경험할 수 있게 도왔다. 참, 가끔은 친구들 말이 맞을 때도 있다. 샷을 몇 잔 들이키자, 스티브 아오키를 보기 위해 관중들 속으로 뛰어들 준비가 되었다. 사람들의 열기는 정점을 찍고 있었다. 스티브 아오키는 벌써부터 엄청난 에너지를 쏟아내며 다음 순서인 DJ 스네이크(DJ Snake)에게 자비 없는 모습을 보여주었다. 마닉(Marnik)과 함께한 스티브 아오키의 ‘Bella Ciao’ 리믹스는 넷플릭스 시리즈 ‘종이의 집’의 팬으로서 상당히 놀라웠다. 개인적으로 공식적인 뮤직 비디오 영상보다 음악에 맞춰 나온 무대 위의 영상이 훨씬 더 훌륭하고 잘 어울렸다.
밤하늘은 완전히 깜깜했지만, 그 어느 때보다도 밝게 빛났다. 사람들은 미친듯이 계속 뛰었고, 거의 끝날 것만 같은 느낌이었지만 시계를 보니 바늘은 6시 45 분을 가리키고 있었다. 스티브 아오키는 거의 셋의 중반부를 향해 달리고 있었고, 당연하지만 공연 도중 셔츠를 벗고 무대 양 옆을 질주했다. 그는 ‘I Could Be the One’을 통해 고 아비치(Avicii)에게 조의를 표했고, 이후에는 울트라 엔젤스(Ultra Angels) 멤버 중 한 명이 제일 좋아하는(아는 사람들은 안다) 애니메이션 캐릭터인 피카츄 열 마리가 ‘Pika Pika’ 와 함께 등장해 일본다운 무대를 선사했다. ‘Cake Face’가 나오는 도중에 갑작스럽게 스티브 아오키가 무대에서 사라지더니, 곧 스크린을 통해 관중에게 거대한 케이크를 던지는 그의 모습을 볼 수 있었다. 이 시점에 우리는 엄청난 인파로 인해 원래 서있던 곳으로 돌아가는 것을 포기했다. 솔직히 말해 스티브 아오키와 DJ 스네이크 사이에 쉬어가는 구간이 있었는지도 기억이 가물 가물하다. 메인 스테이지의 열기는 그 정도로 대단했다. ‘Turn Down For What’, ‘Taki Taki’, ‘We Will Rock You’와 같은 노래들을 전부 망라하는 셋이었기에 그를 팝스타라고 불러야 할지 슈퍼스타 디제이라고 해야 할 지 확신이 서지 않았다. 3만 명의 관중들을 사로잡은 그의 몸짓과 아우라는 힙합의 스웨그가 느껴지는 록스타 같았다. ‘Let Me Love You’의 가사를 따라 부르는 사람들의 목소리는 이 날 그 어떤 떼창보다도 가장 크고 선명하게 울려퍼졌다. 조명, 영상, 불꽃, 음악 모두가 스테로이드를 맞은 것처럼 강렬했다. DJ 스네이크가 ‘One More Time’으로 셋을 마무리하자 다양한 색으로 하늘이 물들었다. 행사가 하루 더 남은 시점에서, 나와 친구들은 2019년도 울트라 재팬 첫날을 무사하게 마쳤다.
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DAY 2 이튿날에는 완전히 새로운 라인업이 준비되어 있었다. 마음만은 들떴지만 몸은 그렇지 못했다. 누가 이튿날이 완전히 새로운 날이라고 했는지는 모르겠지만, 이튿날은 긴 휴식 이후에 맞는 첫날의 연장선이었다. 호텔 방으로 돌아가기까지 고된 여정이 있었다. 위에서 언급한 4명의 헤드라이너를 다시 봤다는 것까지만 얘기하겠다.
이 멀티플렉스는 십중팔구 주말 내내 텐트에서 숙박하는 사람들의 샤워장으로 이용되었을거라 짐작한다. 참고로 말하자면, 일본 호텔 숙박비는 세계 다른 곳과 비교했을때 상당히 비싼 축에 속한다. 그리고 대다수의 방은 너무 작아 바닥에서 추가로 사람을 재울 공간도 부족하다. 텐트 밖에는 풀밭 위에서 피크닉을 즐기는 사람들과 벌써부터 은밀하게 술잔을 기울이는 사람들이 보였다. 그리고 몇몇 사람들은 아직 잠에 빠져 있었다.
오후 세 시경에 베뉴에 도착했다. 바로 행사장으로 향하는 대신, 주변을 둘러보기로 했다. 8층 높이의 일본 애니메이션 캐릭터 건담 모형과 텐트들이 눈에 띄었다. 베뉴 옆에는 건담 전시가 한창 진행 중인 멀티플렉스 쇼핑몰이 위치했다. 하지만
베뉴로 향하는 도중, 어제에 비해 훨씬 사람이 많아졌다는 것을 벌써부터 느낄 수 있었다. 공원을 빠르게 둘러보아서인지, 행사장에 모인 사람들의 열기 때문인지는 몰라도 서서히 술이 깨기 시작했다. 관중들의 표정과 느낌을 보니 오늘도 행사 첫날의
분위기가 느껴졌다. 많은 사람들이 이곳 저곳을 바쁘게 돌아다니고, 맛있는 음식을 먹으며 행복한 시간을 보내고 있었다! 재밌는 먹거리가 가득했는데, 한 여자아이가 자신의 팔뚝 크기만한 칠면조 다리 바베큐를 먹고 있는 모습이 상당히 인상 깊었다. 디제이들 앞에서 모든 것을 불태우기 전에 에너지를 보충하는 그녀의 모습에서 대단한 열정이 느껴졌다. 이번 여름 울트라 코리아(Ultra Korea)의 마지막 무대를 장식한 케이조(Kayzo)의 무대를 보기 위해, 한 손에 칠면조 다리 바베큐를 들고 오후 네 시경 메인 스테이지에 도착했다. 솔직히 말하자면 울트라 코리아에서의 그의 셋은 당시 흥에 취해 정확히 기억나지 않아 비교할 수 없으나, 이번 울트라 재팬에서의 무대를 확인해본 결과 지난 울트라 코리아의 피날레를 장식하기에 충분한 디제이였다는 사실이 더욱 와 닿았다. 케이조의 ‘Psyko Mode’라고도 불리는, 그가 리믹스한 트래비스 스캇(Travis Scott)의 ‘Sicko Mode’도 상당히 멋진 곡이었다. 케이조의 ‘Feel the Power’ 또한 그의 강력한 트랩 사운드로 모두를 헤드뱅잉하게 만들었다. 알다시피, 숙취가 있으면 머리를 흔들기 그리 쉽지 않다. 그래서 아마도 해드뱅잉하는 사람들은 전부 맨정신이었거나, 케이조의 공연에 화답하기 위해 육체적인 한계를 넘어 고군분투하는 중이 아니었을까 생각한다. 나는 흔들리는 인형처럼 옆에서 가볍게 고개를 끄덕이고 있었다. 케이조는 ‘Cruel Love’로 셋을 마무리했고, 그래서 더더욱 그에게 작별인사를 하기 힘들었다. 일본어로 “감사합니다”라는 뜻인 “아리가토!”를 외친 뒤에 케이조는 무대에서 내려왔다. 어제보다 늦게 도착한 내 자신을 포함해, 첫날에 모인 친구들이 다시 한 번 뭉쳤다. 친구들은 대쉬 베를린(Dash Berlin)으로 돌아오는 제프리(Jeffrey) 를 볼 생각에 들떠 있었다. 복귀를 알리기 위함인지 타임테이블에도 그의 공연은 ‘대쉬 베를린의 복귀’
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라고 표기되어 있었다. 올해 음악 씬으로 복귀하는 몇몇 아티스트들 덕분에 2019년은 댄스 뮤직 팬들에게 놀라운 한 해였다. 보이스 오브 댄스 뮤직 (Voice of Dance Music)인 데미안(Damian)이 대쉬 베를린의 복귀를 “마법같다”라고 묘사했다. 대쉬 베를린이 그의 ‘Faded’ 리믹스로 무대의 분위기를 조성하자 관중들이 환호하며 그의 공식적인 복귀 무대를 반겼다. 스크린에 비춰진 그의 얼굴은 마치 관중들의 인사에 화답하듯 미소를 띠며 고개를 끄덕이고 있었다. 팬과 아티스트 사이의 끈끈한 유대를 느낄 수 있는 뜻깊은 순간이었다. 그가 보통 셋에 ‘Here I Stand For You’를 넣는지 모르겠지만, 이날 그의 노래는 팬들에게 보내는 그의 메세지 같았다. 셋의 마지막 곡 ‘Till The Sky Falls Down’ 이 흘러나오는 도중, 관객 모두가 울트라 엔젤스에 시선을 강탈당하며 멜로디를 함께 따라불렀다. 스크린에 “감사합니다 일본”이라는 문구와 함께 그는 진심을 담은 공연을 마무리했다. 나는 항상 카리스마 넘치는 갈란티스(Galantis)와 그들의 오프닝 무대의 팬이었다. 모두가 핸드폰을 꺼내 머리 위로 들고 있었고, 하루 내내 들었던 것보다 훨씬 큰 환호성이 장내를 강타했다. ‘Tell Me You Love Me’와 함께 불꽃놀이가 시작되었고, 관중들도 모두 흥분했다. 메인 스테이지는 어제보다 확연히 더욱 차있었다. 곡 사이사이에 갈란티스가 선보인 드럼 퍼포먼스는 관중들에게 또다른 재미를 선사했지만, 꼭 있어야 할 요소는 아니었다. 그들이 선사하는 에너지와 노래만으로도 사람들의 사랑을 받기에 충분했다. 카리스마 넘치는 헤어 스타일과 패션 스타일에도 불구하고, ‘Love On Me’나 ‘Peanut Butter Jelly’와 같은 그들의 노래는 쾌활함이 넘쳐 모두에게 유쾌한 무드를 전파했다. 피넛 버터 앤 젤리 샌드위치가 내가 제일 좋아하는 아침 식사이기에, 해당 셋은 더욱 더 반갑고 유쾌하게 느껴졌다. 그리고 당연히 ‘Runaway’는 셋 마지막 노래로 정말 탁월한 선택이었다. 아직 팬이 아닌
관객들을 팬으로 만들기에 충분했다고 확신한다. 이 시점에 아마 많은 이들이 같은 딜레마로 고심하고 있었을 것이다. 술을 마시러 갈 것인가? 아니면 여기 그대로 있을 것인가? 나는 햄릿은 아니지만, 이 질문은 그가 남긴 것보다 더욱 답하기 어려웠다. 나는 술을 잘 조절하는 소셜 드링커이자, 배운 것은 잘 잊지 않는 사람이다. 어제 샷 몇 잔이면 다시 뛰어놀 에너지가 생겨난다는 것을 배웠기에, 술을 사기 위해 무대 뒷편으로 향했다. 어제의 피로에 지쳐있는 우리는 이동하는 김에 남들보다 더 빨리 음주를 시작하기로 결심했다. 모두가 하루종일 기대하던 그 순간이 도래했다. 아프로잭(Afrojack)이 헤드라이너로 무대 위에 올라왔다. 타임테이블이나 무대에서 발사되는 화려한 화염과 레이저를 보지 않고도 그가 헤드라이너임을 분명하게 알 수 있었다. ‘1234’로 시작한 그는 화려하게 등장했다. 공연을 시작하고 몇 곡이 안되서, 그는 모자를 던져 그의 아프로를 뽐냈다. 공연 내내 그는 관객에게 조금의 쉬어갈 틈도 내어주지 않았다. 그의 곡 ‘Let It Rip’ 도중에 모두가 더 빠르게 뛰기 시작했고, 곡 제목처럼 그는 무대 위에서 모든 것을 찢어발겼다. 그가 관중들에게 불빛을 요구하자 장내에 불빛의 바다가 펼쳐졌고, 모두가 ‘Turn Up The Speakers’를 떼창했다. 또한 그는 종종 음악을 완전하게 뮤트시켜 팬들과 소통하는 순간들을 만들었다. 음악을 완전하게 끈 이후 갑자기 레이 스레머드(Rae Sremmurd) 가 등장해 ‘Sober’를 공연했다. 그리고 나는 ‘New Memories’라는 노래 제목처럼 친구들과 일본에서 새로운 추억을 만들었다. 피날레 곡으로 ‘Scarlet’이 울려퍼지는 가운데, 불꽃놀이가 2019년도 울트라 재팬의 마지막 밤을 밝혔다. 그리고 또 한 번, 밤은 아직 젊었고 나는 호텔로 발걸음을 옮겼다. ■
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ON THE FLOOR
SEOUL, KOREA
KOR
Words: KEVIN KANG
침실에서 정상까지 호주의 음악 천재 Flume을 만나다
침
실에서 음악을 작업하는 프로듀서를 뜻하는 베드룸 프로듀서(Bedroom Producer)들에게 있어 플룸이라는 아티스트는 존재만으로도 우상이라고 할 수 있다. 수많은 바이닐이나 화려한 장비로 가득한 스튜디오 없이 그는 랩탑 기반의 셋업으로 쳇 페이커(Chet Faker)와 더불어 호주에서 전자음악의 새로운 장을 열었다. 두 번째 앨범 ‘Skin’으로 2017 년도 59회 그래미 어워드(Grammy Award)에서 최우수 댄스/ 일렉트로닉 앨범을 수상했고, 2016년 히트곡 ‘Never Be Like You’가 스포티파이(Spotify)에서 3억 8000만 스트리밍을 기록하는 등, 화려한 수식어들이 그의 이름 뒤에 따라온다.
행사 당일, 한껏 들뜬 마음이 무색하게도 이른 오후까지 비가 내려 상당히 걱정이 많았다. 걱정 반 기대 반으로 집에서 나와 한강 난지공원행 버스에 몸을 싣고 이동했다. 다행히도 비가 서서히 줄더니 도착할 즈음이 되니 하늘이 서서히 개기 시작했다.
플룸은 2012년 발매한 동명의 데뷔 앨범으로 혜성같이 등장해 21살에 이미 일렉트로닉 음악의 신동으로 불리며 세계적인 인기를 얻었다. 그의 음악은 R&B, 소울, 힙합, 팝까지 방대한 장르적 요소를 결합한다. 신선한 보컬 찹부터 참신한 싱코페이션과 디테일한 사운드 디자인까지, 다양한 요소들이 절묘하게 어우러져 플룸만의 브랜드를 완성한다.
때마침 로컬 라인업의 공연이 있었다. 네 시부터 시작한 로컬 디제이 킹맥(KINGMCK)이 무대에서 강렬한 선곡으로 관객을 뒤흔들어 놓고 있었고, 스페셜 게스트로 래퍼 키스 에입(Keith Ape)이 깜짝 등장해 열광적인 분위기를 이끌었다.
올해 일본의 서머 소닉 페스티벌(Summer Sonic Festival) 라인업에 플룸이 등장한 이후로 많은 이들이 그의 내한 소식을 기대했다. 아니나 다를까 굵직한 라인업과 함께 광복절을 맞아 플룸이 한국을 방문했다. 서포트 라인업에는 호주 출신의 쌍둥이 2인조 밴드 코스모스 미드나잇(Cosmos Midnight)과 LA 기반 콜렉티브 소울렉션 (Soulection)의 멤버이자 DJ/프로듀서 카맥(Mr. Carmack)이 함께했다. 로컬 라인업에는 아빈(AVIN), 트랩, 테크노 기반의 강력한 선곡으로 유명한 킹맥(KINGMCK), 클럽 소프(Soap Seoul)을 기반으로 활동하는 크루 딜럭스 서울(Deluxe Seoul)이 등장해 무대를 장식했다.
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비교적 아담한 규모의 페스티벌이지만 멋진 한강 공원을 배경으로 자리한 단일 스테이지는 공연을 즐기기에 충분했다. 휴일 오후에 공원을 찾은 느긋한 사람들과 페스티벌을 방문해 이른 시간부터 술잔을 기울이는 사람들이 어우러져 재밌는 광경을 연출했다.
이후에는 쌍둥이 형제로 이루어진 밴드 코스모스 미드나잇 (Cosmos Midnight)이 무대에 올랐다. 2012년도에 퓨처 클래식 (Future Classic) 레이블이 주관하는 리믹스 대회에서 플룸(Flume) 의 ‘Sleepless’를 재해석해 주목 받기 시작한 이들은 춤추지 않고서 배길 수 없는 그루브로 관중을 순식간에 사로잡았다. 멤버 각각 기타와 드럼을 맡아 라이브 셋을 선보인 2인조는 특유의 긍정적인 분위기로 공연장을 가득 채웠고, 먹구름이 잔뜩 꼈다가 갠 하늘과 너무나도 잘 어울렸다. 개성 넘치는 여가수 아스타(Asta)가 밴드와 함께했고, 이른 시간부터 많은 사람들이 모여 열광했다. 디제이 셋과는 다른 라이브 셋 특유의 에너지가 느껴졌다. 특히 사운드클라우드(Soundcloud)를 통해 자주 스트리밍하던 코스모스 미드나잇의 곡들을 라이브로 듣게 되어 감회가 남달랐다. 한국의 관객 앞에서 선보인 미공개 곡들 또한 훌륭했고,
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마지막 곡으로 골드링크(Goldlink)의 ‘Dark Skin Women’ 리믹스가 나오자 나를 포함한 모두가 흥분해서 뛰기 시작했다. 아름다운 풀밭과 하늘에 어울리는 멋진 무대였다. 15분간의 인터미션 후, 고대하던 카맥이 무대위로 올랐다. 무성한 수염과 반바지 차림으로 등장한 그는 작은 키에도 불구하고 압도적인 존재감을 뽐내며 무대를 휘어잡았다. 속세와 척을 진 도인같은 아우라와는 다르게 페스티벌을 의식한 베이스와 트랩 기반의 강력한 선곡을 선보였다. 무대 뒤의 영상 또한 자극적인 음악과 함께 어우러져 눈이 즐거웠다.
더위마저 잊기에 충분했다. 특히 플룸의 초창기 곡으로 유명한 로드(Lorde)의 ‘Tennis Court’ 리믹스가 나오자 너무 반가웠다. 플룸은 공연 외에도 무대 위에서 수많은 퍼포먼스를 선보였다. 스프레이 페인트로 ‘안녕 플룸입니다’를 스텐실 하고, 화분을 부수더니, 나중에는 철판에 전기톱으로 ‘I love Seoul’ 문구를 새기는 등 본인의 색깔로 가득한 무대를 선사했다. 플룸이 누구인지 몰랐던 사람들도 그의 세계를 이해할 수 있을 정도로 이번 플룸 공연은 강렬하고 신선했다. 마음 속 깊이 기억을 간직하며 내년도 플룸의 내한을 기대해본다. ■
해가 서서히 지며 하늘이 형형색색으로 물들기 시작했고, 공연 도중 카맥이 “다들 플룸 볼 준비됐어?”라고 외쳤다. 화려한 조명과 함께 드레이크(Drake)의 ‘Trophies’ 리믹스가 나오자 모두가 열광하며 뛰었다. 모두가 한 마음으로 오늘의 대미를 장식할 주인공을 기대했다. 정신을 차리고 주변을 돌아보니 훨씬 더 많은 사람들이 공연장을 가득 채우고 있었다. 하늘이 어두워졌고, 마치 1시간같았던 15분간의 기다림 끝에 마침내 플룸이 등장하자 공연장의 열기는 극에 달했다. ‘Hi This Is Flume’ 앨범의 인트로에 담긴 목소리가 한국말로 인사를 건넸다. “안녕하세요” 부터 “광복절 축하해요”까지 재치 있는 메시지가 화면에 등장하자 장내에 감동의 환호성이 울려 퍼졌다. 우주복과 볼링자켓이 기묘하게 뒤섞인 듯한 반짝이는 은색 옷을 입고 나온 플룸은 등장한 직후부터 모두의 시선을 사로잡았다. 전기 구체와 함께 무대 앞에 놓인 유로랙(Eurorack)과 그와 연동된 여러개의 롤리 블럭(Roli Block) 셋업이 상당히 눈에 띄었다. 플룸은 마치 우주선의 조종사처럼 장비의 노브를 돌리며 관객들을 자신의 음악 세계로 인도했다. 사방으로 방사되는 화려한 레이저 조명과 함께 디스클로저 (Disclosure) ‘You & Me’ 리믹스의 영상이 화면으로 송출되자 모두가 전율했다. 플룸 신스와 함께 울려 퍼지는 드럼 소리는 여름의
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WHAT’S HOT IN CHINA ?
明星艺人齐聚， 全新层级夜生活目的地重磅落地京城 WITH THE SPARKLES OF CELEBRITIES, ARKHAM BEIJING WILL TAKE YOU TO THE NEW ERA OF NIGHTLIFE
A
Source: DJ Tzusing
Source: ARKHAM Beijing
Words: KEVIN KANG
最有影响力的中国电子音乐人之一 ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL DJ IN CHINA
T
zusing出生于马来西亚，在新加坡和台湾的制造业 中心台中度过了青少年时期，后到芝加哥求学，目前
往返于上海和台北两地。他的音乐存在于这种错位的状 态中，在个人、社会和民族认同的复杂交汇中锻打成型。 作为一名DJ，Tzusing的现场混合了新式techno、工业 电子、非西方舞曲和当代夜店音乐。此外，他还真诚地
RKHA M于2 013年3月1日在上海正式营业。作
相信流行音乐有一股救赎的力量，他随时准备将成熟、
为国内第一个以制作及主办高品质音乐派对的
经典的亚洲流行音乐打入夜店舞池。在他的个人作品
俱乐部，我们注重于现场 体 验、音乐品质和 服务需
中，Tzusing将这些影响重新组合成具有攻击性的，宣
求。ARKHAM已成为亚洲排名前十的潮流音乐俱乐
泄性的音乐，将不规则的节拍，怪异的和声，以及厚重
部，被誉为亚洲的地标。不仅仅是夜生活，它更是一种
且不自然的共振鼓结合在一起。如果这里面的铜制乐
现象;是音乐衔接潮流文化与艺术的平台。
器，和音乐的意象会唤起人们所谓“中国风”的感觉，
我们不止步于此、2019年7月26日，ARKHAM入驻北京
那不是要去代表所谓的“正统文化”，而是提出问题：
朝阳区工人体育场西路6号。不但延续以往高水平的时
这些符号意味着什么？它们属于谁？因为移居在海外的
尚、音乐、潮流元素，还将携手顶级团队打造全新京城
人已渐渐异化。Tzusing的音乐以权力、痴迷、性、身份
夜生活方式。今年，国际一线艺人已经排满我们的演出
和毁灭为主题，寻求乐趣和颠覆。
嘉宾名单。从上海到北京，ARKHAM俱乐部用全新姿
搬到上海后，2011年Tzusing创建的“斯德哥尔摩综
态恭候您的到来。
合征”(Stockholm
作为北京顶尖的潮流音乐俱乐部，ARKHAM严格把控
织，在如今已经传奇退役的Shelter举办；到了2014
各个细节，我们为保证高品质的音乐体验，与辐射全球
年，他通过在L.I.E.S.厂牌发行EP三部曲开始迈向了更
的英国顶尖定制音箱品牌TPI合作，其为多家世界顶级
广阔的世界。不久后他的名字就出现在了Cititrax和
音乐俱乐部打造音响系统。由 Giles Smith带领的世界
Public Possession厂牌。2017年2月，Tzusing再次通
级工程师团队，用最先进的材料和精确的军用声学规
过L.I.E.S.发行了他的首张LP东方不败，与Samo DJ合
格为你打造无与伦比的声效。
作的“Hollaback Boi”被列入2016年度“Resident
国际知名男装品牌设计师 Xander Zhou倾情助力
Advisor’s Top 50 Tracks”。迄今为止，Tzusing
Arkham Club 落户北京。作为国内顶尖品牌创始人其
已被邀请到Boiler Room、Red Bull Music Acad-
为 Arkham Club Beijing设计的高品质衍生服装系列
emy、东京Dommune和柏林CTM音乐节等重量级舞
单品即将在 Arkham店内呈现。 ■
台进行演出，足迹遍布亚洲、北美和欧洲。 ■
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Syndrome)成为了上海重要的派对组
Source: Lounge Bar, 83BANDS CLUB
Source: PACHA ON TOUR
PACHA ON TOUR， 发射IBIZA热辣讯号，燃爆魔都天际线
Stay Your Inner Wild， 重新定义野生潮流方式 以俱乐部为载体，
上海外滩W酒店携手科罗娜共同呈现
用音乐传达专属83BANDS的独特态度。
PACHA ON TOUR派对
华
2
019年9月3日，中国上海，上海外滩W酒店携手科罗 娜跨界合作，于8月31日和9月1日呈现PACHA ON
TOUR派对，发射来自电音圣地西班牙海岛IBIZA的热 辣讯号，燃爆魔都天际线。派对持续整个周末，吸引了 3000多名城中时尚达人和音乐爱好者出席，知名演员 王阳明更惊喜现身派对。从日落至深夜，现场宾客恣享 美食美酒，瞬间忘却都市喧嚣，沉浸于动感节拍中激情 舞动，在夏日狂欢中尽情释放。 西班牙海岛IBIZA被誉为全球三大电音派对之一，是世 界公认的音乐天堂，更是电子音乐的起源地和电音族 的殿堂，以不停歇的派对远近闻名。上海外滩W酒店联 合科罗娜特别邀请诞生于IBIZA海岛的PACHA音乐俱 乐部，以其标志性的性感樱桃LOGO，携其国际知名 DJ阵容首次登陆魔都，亮相于酒店W层的池畔酒吧， 让宾客纵情享受电音的动感魅力。 ■
灯初上的夜晚是魔都真正的灵魂所在，提起魔 都夜生活，东湖路始终有着其举足轻重的地位，
而刚开业的83BANDS CLUB，又为东湖路的夜添上了
全新的迷幻色彩。83BANDS CLUB巧妙将空间划分为 多个功能区域，每一部分都有着其独特的风格，仿佛有 魔力一般吸引着魔都的夜猫子们，满足他们对夜晚强 烈的探索欲望。 83BANDS小而隐蔽的门里是一条狭长的走廊，交错的 半拱形设计将空间分割地错落迷幻，灯光仿佛在多维 空间内缓慢流动穿梭，引领着客人们不由自主地向前 探索；进入其中，首先是一间宽阔的Lounge，冷光的 客座区和暖光的吧台区形成了强烈的视觉对比，在空 间内柔和的线条设计中完美交融，并不觉得突兀；鸡尾 酒的风格偏美式，经典款的配方都经过调酒师精心改 良；莫吉托作为热门的经典鸡尾酒之一，调酒师大胆地 移除了苏打水，加入了黄糖，赋予了整款酒更强烈的味 觉冲击感，只需一杯，就能体验微醺的愉悦，配合chill style的音乐风格，请尽情社交，来一段完美邂逅吧。 如果Lounge的氛围不足以挑起硬核夜生活玩家们的 躁动之心，请往里走，83BANDS的club舞池区域为你 准备了足以点燃身体的音乐和灯光，非常有音乐态度 的多种风格绝对足够将你的活力转换为肾上腺素和多 巴胺，去充斥整个空间；而你要做的，就是跟着节奏尽 情摇摆。如果你只想享受音乐和酒精，往里走的VIP区 域是不二之选：红色沙发和金属镜面的搭配质感十足， 宽敞空间和隔断间距也让每张卡座都有着很好的私密 性，非常适合和朋友一起享受一个不被人打扰的愉快 夜晚。音乐的多元性和戏剧性在复杂的空间中得以展 现，在空间移动中处处带来惊喜，与空间融合成一种独 特的体验。 ■ djmagasia.com
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IN A STATE OF BALANCE 将以新工作室专辑回归阿明·范·布伦所说的‘Balance’ Words: DJ MAG ASIA TEAM
在DJ Mag百大DJ票选中5次排名第一，连续17年 阿明· 范·布伦的名字出现在前五名里，在2018年谷歌发表的 电子音乐艺人中获评最流行艺人，在2018年Billboard 排行榜舞曲百强中排名第20位，与Trevor Guthrie合作 的‘This Is What It Feels Like’获得格莱美最佳舞曲制 作提名...纵观他的音乐成就，堪称Trance音乐的”皇 帝” 。荷兰国王威廉·亚历山大（Willem Alexander）即 位仪式上，他受邀与皇家管弦乐团(Royal Conertgebouw Orchestra)合作演出，还在阿姆斯特丹梵高美术馆举 行的文森特·梵高的名作展示会上，担任了特邀音乐导 演,他是荷兰的英雄人物。长年以来一直维持着最顶峰 54
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的位置，今年也开展了很多活动。各种歌曲，专辑发表和 合作，在世界舞台上的热情演出，即将迎来第1000期的 ASOT的电台主持工作，Armada 厂牌的首长，Master Class的运营等，同我们分享了他永不止步的音乐和生活。 1995年，19岁的他凭借发行的单曲‘Blue Fear’而开始 为人所知，2001年至今担任‘A State of Trance’电台 节目主持人，通过2003年创立的厂牌Armada Music 不断人才和推出众多名盘，给舞曲界留下了难以磨灭的 印迹。去年夏天推出的GAIA专辑‘Moons of Jupiter’ 广受好评，ADE之后，关于发行新专辑‘Balance’的消
息也很火爆。能够不断在音乐上取得新成就的动力是什么 呢？下面就为大家揭开新专辑和他的音乐之旅的谜团。 您什么时候开始筹划新专辑的？ 为什么把这张专辑做成 双重专辑？ 这样的制作应该是第一次吧? “在音乐产业，像我这样待了很久的人，特别是以前出 过专辑的人，总会时刻想到专辑的制作。如果正在寻找 冒险的新方向，那么没有比制作专辑更适合的了。我之 所以决定把‘Balance’的制作一分为二，是因为我想 展现两个方面。一个是柔和的原声音乐，一个是和夜店 相配的音乐。因此,我将第一次发行被鲜明地分化为两部 分的专辑，但这就是我想要展现‘Balance’的方式。与 专辑的名称也很相配。” 专辑名为什么叫‘Balance’?记得我们在迈阿密聊天 时,您本人说过刚刚找到了生活的热情。专辑名的由来与 本人的生活相关吗? “不仅仅是音乐方面，它与生活的平衡有着绝对的联 系。这张专辑对音乐活动和家庭生活都有影响，致力于 寻找适当的平衡点。” 新专辑与本人首张录音室专辑‘76’的主要差异是什么? “我想说，无论是作为艺术家还是作为一个人，我都成 长了很多。随着年龄的增长，关于我是谁日渐钝化，我 发现学无止境。我创作的每首曲子都教会我新的东西， 我的下一首曲子是我以前创作的曲子和我新学会的，还 有我所遇到的人相结合的产物。随着岁月的流逝，这个 过程，特别是创作的乐趣对我越来越重要。比起对结果 的意识，这是一次进一步了解个人兴趣，赋予意义的旅 程。这是今天的我和前几年的我相比最大的不同。通过 比较’76’和‘Balance’ ，能够自然地感受到这一点。” 这张专辑里好像实现了很多合作。尤其与被公认为是舞 曲方面最具影响力的组合之一的Inner City的合作是如 何进行的?与凯文·桑德森(Kevin Saunderson)及其团 队的工作过程如何? “和Inner City一起工作，对我来说,仿佛是梦想成真。 当我在舞曲界迈出第一步时，他们已经掌控了舞曲界。 在录音室和他们一起工作很刺激。开放的心态和与自己 不同的音乐和风格，还有在体裁上获得的灵感，能够同 时实现这么多东西，我对最终的产物感到非常惊讶。” 和凯文这样的传奇人物一起工作感觉如何? 合作的成果 如何？ “太棒了! 我们在Armada合作得很密切，Armada曾 谈论过他的厂牌，因此我已经见过他几次。凯文对我而 言是个传奇之一，我真的被他迷住了。和他一起制作的 歌曲以及这首歌通过电台播放，我感到非常自豪!” 专辑‘Moons of Jupiter’也让人惊喜。GAIA的专辑是 必不可少的吗? 有没有让‘Trance爱好者’变得幸福的 意图? djmagasia.com
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“呃，这并不是为了Trance爱好者。因为我不称它为 Trance。专辑‘Moons of Jupiter’是我与制作伙伴Benno一起花费了很多时间的一个非常特别的项目。GAIA音 乐为我们自己开始制作音乐提供了灵感，对于我们是谁的 自我认知埋下了很深的根。所以我们想发行GAIA专辑， 并不一定是因为要,而是因为我们觉得是对的。”
650的演出。有没有计划在亚洲其他地区举行ASOT巡回 演出? “每年，决定在哪里举办ASOT是一件非常困难的事情。 地球上的所有地方我都想去，但取决于各种情况和问 题，我无法掌控这一切。我当然想以ASOT在亚洲巡回， 能否实现还有待观察。”
制作上面专辑的过程怎么样? 这张专辑真的很了不起, 所 有的歌曲都完美地融合在一起。不知道是不是事先计划 好的？ “比起事前混好的音乐或编好的音乐，我们更愿意在舞 台上进行现场表演。这与DJ打碟有着不同的活力感。因 此,我们考虑到这一点，开始制作专辑。虽然不是事先计 划好的,但是在录音室的时候一直铭记于心。”
今年3月，阿明在迈阿密接受了采访，他表达了对亚洲 粉丝的关怀。从上期采访中可以看出，他听到舞曲在中 国获得爆发性人气的消息后，感到非常幸福，也表达了 Trance音乐在日本也很受欢迎以及对日本人的喜爱。 “他对亚洲的热爱在此次ADE上也可以得到确认。我们 也听了他准备的”My China by Armin van Buuren” 以及看到他在ADE中展现的新面貌。
对ASOT也不得不提。到明年2月，就将迎来第950期了。 回顾第一期，发生的状况，是如何开始的？ “我只是好不容易找到了想要和全世界分享的美妙音 乐,所以开始了ASOT。发现新音乐后，为了和全世界的人 一起享受音乐而进行开来。小时候，我还没到可以去夜 店的年龄,是通过电台广播认识了舞曲。电台背后的想法 目前仍然非常强有力。”
记得在上次采访中,曾说过,如果说舞曲日历上有新年,那 就是Winter Music Conference。从那时起已经过了7 个月左右，现在就要举行ADE了。ADE对你本人来说意 味着什么? “超大型舞曲汇演和表演，ADE体现了舞曲从初期至今走 了多远。初创期，几乎没人能想到舞曲可以吸引数十万狂 热的歌迷来到一个城市，但现在我们就在这里。我认为这 体现了一切皆有可能，我喜欢像ADE这样的舞曲大会激励 年轻有抱负的音乐制作人追随自己的梦想的方式。”
DJ们的播放频道得有多少? “当时好像没那么多。当然也有合辑，但是DJ们开始自 己的播放频道还是花了点时间。不过，有一些混合节目， 例如在荷兰很受欢迎的‘Rave Radio’ ， ‘Krapuul De Lux’和‘For Those Who Like To Groove’ 。” 纪念活动是如何开始的? 什么时候进行了第一次纪念演 出? 对那个瞬间有什么特别记忆吗？ “第一次是在布洛曼达尔海边举行的100期纪念活动。 那天是非常特别的日子。天气晴朗,我们彻夜庆祝。粉丝 们带来了蛋糕和所有东西。当时是2003年。那时候我还 不知道这只是开始! 哈哈!” 在超过84个国家，拥有超过4千1百万听众的ASOT真的 非常了不起。您何时真正感受到自己创造了如此强大的 品牌? “ASOT发展为强大品牌的这件事是逐渐感觉到的,偶尔 一想,还真有些惊喜。当我在ASOT上演出，与全世界人民 分享对Trance音乐的热爱和热情时，那种自豪感我简直 无法通过言语来表达。” 你认为ASOT如此壮大的原因是什么? “从一开始,ASOT就将人们凝聚在一起，将所有不同 类型的文化和背景的人成功地凝聚在一起。对Trance 音乐的热爱使他们走到了一起，在这方面，即使岁月 流逝，ASOT也没有发生改变。我认为这是主要原因之 一。” 2013年和2014年曾在马来西亚进行过ASOT 600和ASOT 56
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听说在ADE上准备了各种各样的节目。作为DJ Mag‘亚 洲’的编辑，特别是‘My China by Armin van Buuren’的表演非常让人期待，能稍微透露点内容吗? “我是2016年在中国举办大型个人秀‘Armin Only: Embrace’的首位DJ。自2004年首次进入中国以来，目 睹了舞曲届发生的巨大变化和成长。去年年底，我在三 亚举行的超大型音乐节上的表演，似乎被观众们的能量 冲走了。我很喜欢非常特别的中国舞曲届和数位才华横 溢的中国艺术家现在的发展势头。” 记得上次接受采访时，您说:”虽然我不太清楚亚洲发生 了什么事情，但在中国，舞曲似乎正在获得爆发性的人 气。”时隔7个月就发表了对中国的爱和战略(his love and strategy for China),令人惊讶。 这段时间您在中 国舞台上积累了哪些特殊的经历？ “从‘Chinese Trance Family’那得到的爱实际上层 次不同。他们可以在中国见到我，也会一起参与到其他 国家的大部分巡回演出中。我觉得Trance音乐真的在 中国很受欢迎，每次到达那里，想到在机场跟大家打招 呼，心里就暖洋洋的。” AMF舞台和纪念Tomorrowland 15周年的演出(Our Story - Celebrating 15 years of Tomorrowland)都非 常令人期待。 想知道有没有准备特别的表演。 “我有准备一些惊喜，但我不想在那一刻到来之前提前 剧透。可以肯定的是，我们会努力遵守AMF的水准，并 向Tomorrowland那惊人的15年的致敬。”
仅凭音乐才华保持20多年的巅峰地位，难道不困难吗? 他通过Armada Music发掘人才和出过无数名盘被认 可，被荷兰国王授予Orde van Oranje-Nassau 皇家 勋章4级(军官)。不仅如此，在Music Conference和 Master Class中也经常被评价为让听众点头的”聪慧的 艺人” 。让他变得特别的动力是什么? 让我们听听他所追 求的艺术家生涯，以及对身边的人和未来一代的助言。 在潮流快速变化的当今时代,作为艺术家,你如何去领会 音乐知识,趋势变化和技术的进步？ “通过与其他艺术家的合作可以学到更多的东西。我认 为，只要具备开放的心态，无论年龄大小，每个人都可以 学到一切。我总相信要构建起开放的心态。 您是否在意只追求某种音乐类型的您的追随者? 由此， 制作和发行音乐对本人有什么影响? “人们总会有自己的意见，那是可以的。没有这些不同的 看法,音乐反而会枯燥乏味。不同的观点使音乐保持充 满创造力的状态。但是,我知道我不可能满足所有人。所 以， 我认为忠于自己,创造灵感很重要。” 在以前的采访中，曾强调过个人独有的标志性声音的重 要性。这自然不是一件容易的事，但作为艺术家，能量和 灵感主要从何而来? “对我来说，就是发现一种全新的或全新的声音。创造 性的旅程给我的工作并且持续性工作提供能量。虽然 每个艺术家的情况不尽相同，但这就是我为自己所做 的。” 纷至沓来的行程安排和繁重的工作难免会疲惫不堪，会 令身边的人伤心或者是疏忽他人，但众所周知，您作为世 界顶级的Dj，有风度，谦逊且温暖。特别是您顾家的一 面，使歌迷们除了音乐之外也很尊敬您，想知道您对家 人和周围的人所尽过的最大的努力是什么。 “这是一个很好的问题。即使是和我有不同见解的人， 无论他们是谁，无论他们从事什么事，都应该尊重他人， 这是我所学到的。说到底,必须承认每个人的方式生活。 为了做到这一点，我好像并没有做出特别的努力。我只 想做我自己。幸运的是，这似乎正在顺利发展。” 知道您有7岁的女儿和5岁的儿子。想知道两个子女中是 否有将来会做音乐的子女。另外，请给亚洲的10代青少 年们，那些正一边观看阿明·范·布伦一边梦想着成为未 来DJ的少年们,一些现实性的建议。 “我确信我的孩子们喜欢我从事的工作，但我并不认 为他们会进入音乐界。而且他们也没有这个必要。作为 父亲,我只希望孩子们幸福，这才是最重要的。不过，如 果这些孩子想进入音乐领域，我想提醒他们的是，要努 力，集中精力获取灵感，与那些可以帮助他们在所有事 物之间找到适当平衡的人为伍。■
ARMIN’S NEXT DATES NOV.15 SUPERFACE
(深圳)
NOV.16 CREAMFIELDS
XIAMEN (厦门市) NOV.17 FIRST X SHANGHAI (上海) NOV.19 SUPER MONKEY CHANGSHA (海口) NOV.20 CLUB MIAMI XIAN (西安市) NOV.21 FIRST CHANGZOU (常州) NOV.22 ONE THIRD HANGZHOU (杭州) NOV.23 CLUB SIR TEEN BEIJING (北京) NOV.24 PLAY HOUSE CHENGDU (成都) NOV.25 CLUB ILLUSION ZHUHAI (珠海) djmagasia.com
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TOKYO, JAPAN
CHN
Words: DAVID LEE
对音乐的热爱和热情！ 2019年遇见的浪漫主义，Ultra Japan。 David 体验的第六届 Ultra Japan
在
抵达日本的一周之前，一直在不断地 确认天气情况。天气预报显示，Ultra Japan举办的整个周末都有雨，但我对时 常不准的天气预报有些怀疑。果不其然， 至少演出期间的天气预报失准了。而且演 出真是大获成功，简直无法用语言表达!
演出现场才装满了十分之一的观众，气氛 有些冷清。就在DJ Snails表演结束之后， 音乐暂时停止。主舞台虽然宏伟，但形态简 单。两端有两个巨大的屏幕，中间设置的屏 幕为舞台增添了深度。为参观演出场地，离 开主舞台向别处移动。
第一天
音乐节由主舞台和Ultra Park Stage两个 舞台组成。此次Ultra Japan没有House 和 Tech n o发烧友喜爱的RE SI S TAN CE Stage，而是活动次日出现在了东京市内 的夜店“Womb”举办的庆祝派对上。由 于即将到来的2020年东京奥运会，Ultra Japan离开了原有的举办地，在新场地举 行了活动。整个列岛都笼罩在巨大的体育 盛会的热潮中，所有参加Ultra的人都理解 不得不缩小活动规模的状况，并表现出对 Ultra的由衷热爱。
去音乐节就像是旅行一样。向着音乐节场 地移动时，充满了难以言表的期待感，仿佛 为了前往期待已久的旅行地而去向机场。 被激动，欢喜，冒险，期待等各种情绪所包 围，前往距离东京中心六本木(Roppongi) 仅15分钟路程的台场(Odaiba)。坐上出 租车，过了桥，远处停着的旋转木马映入 眼帘。接着，台场的地标性建筑之一的摩 天轮立刻吸引了人们的视线，足以唤起所 有人的童年的回忆和媒体所赋予的浪漫情 感。尤其让我想起了学生时代在世界史上学 到的浪漫主义，因为音乐节之旅本身就是 满足我对音乐的热爱和对音乐背后文化的 热情的一次旅程。 刚一进入活动现场，就带着不亚于5岁儿童 的好奇心，急忙走向了主舞台。到3点半时， 58
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由于还有许多人尚未进入活动现场，场地 参观就好像在公园散步一样。不愧为全球 时尚圣地的东京，观众们在展示各自的个 性的同时，也怀着同样的心情聚集到了一 起。从强烈的时尚到各种混搭，个性人士 的着装为活动增添了不少乐趣。在享受音 乐节的同时，我听到一位和我一样来自纽
约的人向朋友称赞日本人的井然有序和沉 着冷静。他补充道，没有比日本更适合观看 庆典的地方了，我默默地赞同他的话。 我嘴里含着现场分发给观众们的Chupa Chups棒棒糖来到Ultra Park Stage，在 这里可以看到很多悠闲自得的观众。日本本 地的DJ Martin在播放音乐，人们在舒适地 享受着氛围。舞台位于主入口GA附近，难 以通过。在主舞台正式点燃前，这是一个温 暖人心的欢迎舞台。Ultra Park Stage上出 现了四个人的Marshmello，三个人的Steve A o k i，甚 至一 度 被 大 家 遗 忘 的 P o w e r Ranger等很难见到的人物大举登场。 下午4点 过5 分钟，我们回到主舞台观看 Netsky。刚好，他正在播放着他本人混音 的Chemical Brothers的‘Hey Boy Hey Girl’Remix。Netsky喊道:”准备好为我跳 跃了吗?”播放起Wuki的‘Pon De Time’ ， 全场观众跟唱着耳熟能详的歌词‘O ne More Time’ ，为之疯狂。与我们之前看到 的舞台相比，观众的能量从0飙升至100。 此时，主舞台已经占满了一半。Netsky的歌 曲‘Higher’响起，我挪开脚步去迎接刚到 的朋友们。坦白说，自到达会场以来，我一 直在等朋友。独自享受自己喜欢的东西固然 好，但是没有什么比与朋友分享爱好并留 下美好回忆更令人愉悦的事情了。
ON THE FLOOR
太阳徐徐落下，舞台变得明亮，观众兴致勃 勃的时候，我正面向太阳观看着演出。告别 落日，我站着迎接Pendulum Trinity。LED 屏幕开始弥漫着红色的烟雾，就像恐怖电 影中的一个场景，紧张感开始高涨。当他 们在舞台上表演“邪恶魔法”时，一名成员 在后面唱歌，为观众献上现场演唱会。平 和的‘Come Together’响起，人们挥舞 的手将天空填得满满的，片刻间，所有人都 以放松的心态欣赏音乐。后来，当Macky Gee的‘Never Wanna Stop’一出来, 舞 台和屏幕上火花迸射，每个人的肾上腺素 开始飙升。Pendulum以各种话语吸引着 人们，观众也在空中挥手致意。舞台被蓝光 映照着，他们的歌曲‘Watercolor’随之 响起，上演了一场仿佛置身水中的演出。当 我听到像Offspring这样的滑板朋克乐队 的音乐时，初中时代的回忆油然而生。通过 歌曲开启的记忆旅行，再次感受到了音乐 的力量。 我虽想休息一会, 但开始鼓动朋友们喝酒。 所以大家都醉着离开了这，希望能赶去主 舞台观看Steve Aoki的演出。从舞台的中 央向舞台的后面移动了几下, 终于到了卖酒 的摊位。实际上，由于主舞台与摊位之间的 距离很近，不得不调整长度。主舞台是整个 音乐节期间世界级DJ表演的唯一舞台，因 此活动的所有内容都围绕着主舞台。一到 主舞台的尽头，我们对摊位排队的希望就 破灭了。除了等待，别无选择。 好在摊位前 有一块巨大的屏幕，正播放着UMF的画面， 可以间接欣赏演出。舞台的声音一直传到 后面，影像也帮我们体验到了我们原以为 要错过的瞬间。真的，有时候朋友们是对 的。喝了几杯酒，就准备跳入观众中，观看 Steve Aoki的表演。 人们的热情达到顶峰。Steve Aoki早已释放 出巨大的能量，对下一个出场的DJ Snake 毫不怜悯。Steve Aoki与Marnik合作表演 了‘Bella Ciao’Remix，作为Netflix出品 的《纸牌屋》的粉丝，感到相当惊喜。就个 人而言，此刻舞台上与音乐相配的影像远 胜于官方音乐录影带。夜空完全漆黑，但
又比任何时候都光芒四射。人们疯狂地继 续跳跃着，好像快要结束了一般，但一看 表，表针指向6点45分。Steve Aoki的表 演接近过半，演出过程中，他脱下衬衫， 在舞台两侧飞奔着。他通过‘I Could Be the One’向已故的Avicii表示悼念，之后 是Ultra Angels其中一名成员与最喜爱的 卡通人物十只皮卡丘伴随着‘Pika Pika’ 一起登场，展现了极具日本特色的舞台。播 放着‘Cake Face’的时候，Steve Aoki 突然从舞台上消失了，随后就看到他通过 屏幕向观众扔了一块巨大的蛋糕。 当时，由于人太多，我们放弃了返回原来的 位置。老实说，我记不清Steve Aoki和DJ Snake之间是否有过间隙。主舞台的热度 达到了如此程度。因为囊括了‘Turn Down For What’ ， ‘Taki Taki’ ， ‘We Will Rock You’等歌曲的一组表演，不知道该称他为 流行明星还是巨星DJ。吸引了3万名观众 的他的身姿，就像是摇滚明星一样，感受 到Hiphop的Swag气场。人们跟唱着‘Let Me Love You’的声音，在这一天听起来 比任何合唱都响亮和清晰。灯光，影像，火 花，音乐都像注射了类固醇一样强烈。DJ Snake以‘One More Time’结束表演 后，天空被各种颜色所渲染。活动还剩下 一天，我和朋友们平安地度过了2019年度 Ultra Japan的第一天。 djmagasia.com
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第二天 第二天，全新的阵容已经准备就绪。虽然 心里很激动，但身体却不是那样。也不知 道谁说的第二天是完全崭新的一天，第二 天却是长时间休息后迎来的第一天的延长 线。直到回到酒店房间之前, 都是一段艰辛 的旅程。这次我将只谈论到再次看到上面 提到的4位头牌嘉宾。 下午三点左右到达会场。我们没有直接前 往活动现场，而是决定环顾周围。 8层楼高的日本动画角色高达模型和帐篷 引入眼帘。会场旁，是正在进行高达展示的
综合购物中心。可以猜到，这个综合商场十 有八九都是周末在帐篷里住宿的人们用来 洗澡的地方。可供参考的是，日本酒店住宿 费与世界其他地区相比，属于相当贵的一 类。而且大多数房间都太小了，连打地铺的 空间都不足。帐篷外，是那些在草地上享 受野餐的人和早已举起酒杯的人。还有一 些人已经睡着了。 在前往会场的途中，我已经感觉到人比昨 天多了很多。不知道是快速环顾公园, 还是 因为活动现场人群的热情，酒渐渐醒了。从 观众的表情和感觉来看，今天也感受到了
活动第一天的气氛。许多人忙于到处游逛， 吃着美味的食物，度过着幸福时光! 美食琳 琅满目，一个女孩子正吃着相当于自己手臂 大小的烤火鸡腿，给我留下了深刻的印象。 在DJ们点燃舞台前，她补充能量的样子让 我感受到了巨大的热情。 为观看今夏Ult ra Ko rea最后一个舞台 Kayzo的表演, 我一手拿着烤火鸡腿, 于下 午4点左右到达了主舞台。 坦白地说, 他在Ultra Korea的演出由于 当 时 过于沉 醉 而记忆 模 糊，所以 无法比 较，但通过此次Ultra Japan的舞台可以确 认，他是一位足以装饰Ultra Korea结尾的 DJ。Kayzo的歌曲‘Psyko Mode’ ，混音 了Travis Scott的‘Sicko Mode’ ，是一首 很棒的歌曲。‘Feel the Power’以其强力 的Trap，让所有人甩头摇摆。你也知道，对 宿醉的人来说，甩头并不那么容易。所以我 想, 也许甩头的人全都是清醒的人，或者是 正在竭力超越身体极限来回应Kayzo的表 现。我像个摇摇欲坠的木偶一样，在一旁 轻轻地点着头。Kayzo以‘Cruel Love’结 束了表演，所以更难以向他告别。在用日语 高喊“谢谢”的“Arigato”后，Kayzo从舞 台上走了下来。 包括比昨天到得晚的自己在内，昨天的原 班 人马 再次 聚在一 起。朋 友们 正为看 到 Jeffrey回归Dash Berlin而兴奋不已。也 许是为了宣传复出，在时间表上，他的演 出也标记为‘回归Dash Berlin’。得益于 今年回归音乐神坛的几位艺术家，2019年
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ON THE FLOOR
对于舞曲音乐迷来说是一个令人惊喜的一 年。Voice of Dance Music的Damian 形容Dash Berlin的复出“像魔法一样”。 当Dash Berlin用他的‘Faded’Remix 营造舞台气氛时，全场观众欢呼雀跃，欢 迎着他的正式回归舞台。投射在屏幕上的 他, 面带微笑，点着头，仿佛在回应观众的 问候。可以感受到粉丝和艺人之间的纽带 关系，是意义重大的时刻。不知道他在一 般表演中是否会加入‘Here I Stand For You’ ，但当天他的歌曲就像他发给歌迷的 短信一样。在最后一首曲子‘Till The Sky Falls Down’响起时，全场观众被Ultra Angels夺走了视线，跟着旋律一起唱着。 随着屏幕上出现“谢谢日本”的字样，结束 了他饱含真心的演出。 我一直是充满领袖气质的Galantis和他 们 的开场 舞台的 粉丝。每 个人都 拿出手 机，将手机举过头顶，全天内最大的欢呼 声席卷全场。伴随着‘Tell Me You Love Me’，焰火晚会开始了，全场观众兴奋不 已。主舞台比昨天明显人更满了。歌曲间 隙Galantis表演的打鼓表演给观众带来 了别样的乐趣，但这不是必须的。他们带 来的能量和歌声足以赢得人们的喜爱。不 仅有霸气的发型和时尚的装扮，他们的歌 曲‘Love On Me’和‘Peanut Butter Jelly’非常的欢快，给大家带来了愉快的心 情。花生酱和果冻三明治是我最喜欢的早 餐，与之相关的表演更让人欣喜和愉快。 另外，‘Runaway’作为压轴表演的歌曲， 真的是非常卓越的选择。我确信,这足以让
那些还不是粉丝的观众变成粉丝。 此时此刻，恐怕很多人都在为同样的困境 而苦恼。去喝酒吗? 还是留在这儿? 我不是 哈姆雷特，但这个问题比他留下的问题更 难回答。我是一个善于控制酒的社交饮酒 者，并且我不会忘记我学到的东西。昨天我 学到了喝几杯酒就能重新产生活力，为了 买酒，我走向了舞台后方。带着昨日疲惫的 我们决定趁着移动之际，比别人更快地开 始喝酒。 所 有 人 期 待 已 久 的 时 刻 终 于 来 临 了。 Afrojack以头牌身份 登上舞台。即使不 看时间表或舞台上发 射的华丽的火焰和 激光，也能清楚地知道他是头牌表演者。 以‘1234’开始，他华丽地登场了。演出开 始还没几首歌，他就把帽子扔了出去，炫 耀着他的爆炸头。在整个演出过程中，他 都没有给观众留出一丝休息时间。在他的 歌曲‘Let It Rip’响起时，大家开始跳得更 快，就像歌曲名那样，他在舞台上把一切 都撕碎了。他要求观众点亮灯光，场内展 现出一片灯海，大家齐声唱起了‘Turn Up The Speakers’ 。他还经常将音乐完全静 音，以创造与粉丝交流的时刻。在完全关 掉音乐后，突然间Rae Sremmurd登场表 演了‘Sober’ 。就像‘New Memories’ 的歌名一样，我和朋友们在日本创造了新 的回忆。在Scarlet作为压轴曲目响起的同 时，烟花点亮了2019年Ultra Japan的最 后一夜。 再一次，夜色尚早，我开始往酒店走。■ djmagasia.com
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ON THE FLOOR
SEOUL, KOREA
CHN
Words: KEVIN KANG
从卧室到顶峰 与澳洲音乐天才Flume的会面
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对在家里创作并制作音乐的卧室制作人(Bedroom
下到下午，让人十分担心。半担心半期待地从家里出
Producer)来说，叫做”Flume”的艺术家就是他们
来，坐上了前往兰芝汉江公园的大巴。好在雨渐渐小
的偶像。没有无数的黑胶唱片或华丽设备的工作室，
了，到达时，天空开始慢慢放晴了。
他基于笔记本电脑的设置，与Chet Faker一起在
虽然不是很大规模的庆典，但以汉江公园为背景的
澳大利亚开启了电子音乐的新篇章。凭借第二张专
舞台足以让人尽情享受演出。休息日下午来到公园享
辑‘Skin’，在2017年度第59届格莱美奖(Grammy
受闲暇的人们和前来观看庆典一早就开始喝酒的人
Award)中获得了最佳舞蹈/电子专辑奖项，2016年热
们相映成趣。
门歌曲‘Never Be Like You’在Spotify上创下了3亿
正好是本土阵容的演出。从4点开始的本土DJ KING-
8000万的流媒体播放纪录，华丽的修饰语开始跟在
MCK在舞台上以强烈的选曲震撼了观众，作为特邀
他的名字后面。
嘉宾，Rapper Keith Ape的突然登场，带动了狂热
2012年，Flume以发行的同名出道专辑，像彗星一样
的气氛。
登场，21岁时就已经被称为电音神童，获得了世界性
之后，由双胞胎兄弟组成的乐队”Cosmos Midnight”
的人气。他的音乐结合了R&B，Soul，Hiphop，POP
登上了舞台。 2012年，他们在由Future Classic厂
等庞大的音乐体裁要素。从新鲜的唱腔到新颖的切
牌主办的Remix大赛上重新诠释了Flume的‘Slee-
分音和细节的声音设计，各种元素绝妙地融合在一
pless’而开始受到瞩目，他们用不跳舞就无法承受的
起，打造出Flume独有的品牌。
节奏瞬间抓住了观众的心。成员分别担任吉他和鼓
自从F l u m e出现在了今年日本的夏日音 速音乐节
手，Live Set的二人组所展现出特有的积极气氛在表
(Summer Sonic Festival)的阵容中之后，很多人都
演现场弥漫开来，与雨过天晴的天空相得益彰。个性
期待他来韩的消息。果不其然，与豪华的阵容一起迎
十足的女歌手Asta与乐队同台献艺，从很早开始就聚
接光复节，Flume访问了韩国。
集了很多人，现场气氛热烈。
外来阵容包括来自澳大利亚的双 胞胎二人组 乐队
现场感受到了与DJ Set截然不同的Live Set所特有
Cosmos Midnight，洛杉矶Soullection音乐团体
的能量。特别是现场聆听了通过Soundcloud经常
的成员也是DJ/制作人的Mr. Carmack。本土阵容
进行流媒体活动的Cosmos Midnight的歌曲，感触
中，以AVIN，Trap，Techno为基础的强劲曲风著称
非同一般。在韩国观众面前展示的未公开的歌曲也
的KINGMCK，主要在夜店Soap Seoul活动的团体
很优秀，最后一首曲子是Goldlink的‘Dark Skin
Deluxe Seoul亮相舞台。
Women’Remix版，曲子一出来，包括我在内的所
活动当天，让欢欣雀跃的心情黯然失色的是，雨一直
有人都激动地跳了起来。这是一个美丽的草地和天
ON THE FLOOR
空交相辉映的舞台。
曲而出名的Lorde的‘Tennis Court’Remix一出来
经过15分钟的互动后，期盼已久的Carmack登上舞
的时候，感到无比的开心。
台。茂盛的胡须和身穿短裤登场的他，虽然个子不高,
除了演出外，Flume在舞台上还展现了许多精彩的表
却展现出压倒性的存在感，征服了舞台。有别于与对
演。他用喷雾漆喷出‘你好，我是Flume”字样，砸碎
俗世毫不关心的教徒营造的氛围，他意识到庆典的基
花盆，最后在铁板上用电锯刻上‘I love Seoul’的字
调并展现了以Trap为基础的强劲曲目。舞台后面的影
样，呈现出充满本人色彩的舞台。
像和刺激的音乐相交融，让人大饱眼福。
这次Flume的演出如此强烈和新鲜，以至于不知道
太阳徐徐落下，天空开始变得五彩斑斓，演出过程
Flume是谁的人也能够理解他的世界。将记忆珍藏在
中，Carmack大声喊道:”大家准备好了看Flume
心里，期待明年Flume再次来韩。■
吗?”伴随着绚丽的灯光，Drake的 ‘Trophies’ Remix一出来, 所有人都在狂热地跳跃着。所有人都 一心期待着装饰今天结尾的主人公。回过神来，环顾 四周，更多的观众挤满了整个演出场。 天色变暗了，在如同1小时般的15分钟的等待过后，Flume终于登场了，现场气氛达到了顶峰。在‘Hi this is
flume’专辑的intro中用韩语打招呼。从”你好”
到”祝贺光复节”，妙语连珠出现在屏幕上，全场响 起一阵感动的欢呼声。 Fl ume穿着宇宙服和保龄球夹克奇妙地混搭在一 起 的 闪 亮 银 色 衣 服，一 出 场 就 吸 引 了大 家 的 视 线。Eurorack模块合成器置于设有电球的舞台前 面，以及与之相连的几个Roli Block控制器的设置相 当引人注目。Flume就像宇宙飞船上的飞行员一样， 转动着装备的控制钮，将观众带入自己的音乐世界。 伴随着四处放 射的华丽的激光照明，D i scl osu re ‘You & Me’Remix的影像通过画面播放后，所有 人都战栗了。与Flume的电音伴奏一起响起的鼓声足 以让人忘记夏日的炎热。特别是作为Flume的初期歌 djmagasia.com
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JPN
WHAT’S HOT IN JAPAN?
Words: DJ MAG JAPAN
令和元年初日のパーティー CLUB CAMELOT HeldeepのレーベルボスOliver Heldensが来日！
オ
ランダが誇るFurture Houseシーンの代表的 アーティストであり、DJ MAG TOP 100 DJs
2018で9位に輝いたOliver Heldensが、令和元年初 日の夜にCLUB CAMELOTに登場した。
令和へのカウントダウンとともに、熱気を帯びた渋谷。 そんな誰しもが興奮しているの中、CLUB CAMELOT
のステージにTomorrowland、EDC、Glastonbury といった世界的ビッグフェスのメインステージでもプレ イをしているOliver Heldensが登場。
新曲Summer Loverをはじめとする名曲たちに、観客 のボルテージは一気に急上昇、瞬く間に誰もが大熱狂 した!
CLUB CAMELOTはDJ MAG JAPAN主催のBEST
OF JAPAN CLUBS 2019の1位に輝いたクラブであ るが、今回のパーティーの盛り上がりは伝説的であり、 後世に語り継がれることは間違いない。■ 64
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イビサと日本の架け橋となるパーティー SUNNYに、PACO OSUNA登場！ 日本のテクノシーンを盛り上げる
2
019年8月31日、WOMBで行われた主にIbizaと 日本の架け橋となるPartyをしているSUNNYに
PACO OSUNAが出演し、会場を大いに盛り上げた。
PACO OSUNAは、Ibiza SPACE のRichie Hawtin 率いるENTERから今年amnesia からPACHAに移
動したMarco Carola 率いる MUSIC ONにてヘッド
ライナーとして活躍し続ける重鎮的存在。近年では Awakenings Festival、Time Warp、Kappa Futur
Festival、A Summer Story ,elrow 等世界中のクラ ブ、フェスティバルでも絶大的な人気を誇っている。
当日は、ゲストのPACOを始め、UMF RESISTANCE
Tokyo にも毎年出演している OSAMU M、SUNNY
レジデントのDJ ユニット BLACKSHIP、MUSIC ON でVJ経験を持つTONTONによる音とヴィジュアル、地 中海の楽園 Ibiza を彷彿とさせる館内の演出で、日本
にいながらにして Ibiza のパ〡ティ〡を体感できる素 晴らしい一晩となった。■
東京のナイトライフ聖地六本木に 【-禅- ZEN】がオープン！ 六本木に新たな風が吹く
2
019年9月6日(金)【 -禅- ZEN】NEW NIGHT CULBがROPPONGIにグランドオープン。
グランドオープン初日には、Special Guestに【O.T GENASIS】が登場。
ますます加速する国際化、日本を世界に発信する。
ありのままの自分を出すことのできる場所という意味 合いから名付けられました。
今後、六本木のナイトライフシーンに新たな風を起こす クラブになるであろう。■
東急プラザ渋谷に 「CÉ LA VI TOKYO」がオープン！ 世界で展開するCÉ LA VIがついに日本初上陸
2
019年12月上旬に「東急プラザ渋谷」のルーフトッ
プである17階・18階に『CÉ LA VI TOKYO』がオ
ープンする！
シンガポールのシンボリックな存在である「Marina Bay Sands」の57 階や、香港、フランスのサントロペ、
台北、クアラルンプール、さらに2019 年10 月末オープ
ン予定の上海や2019 年11 月オープン予定のドバイな
どで展開される世界規模の総合エンターテイメントレ ストランが東京に初上陸。
“The pursuit of pleasure”〜喜びの探求〜
ミクソロジー×音楽×料理を軸にした大人の社交場。⾰
新的なモダンアジアン料理を提供するファインダイニ
ング、アジアンバーガーなどのテイクアウトも可能なカ
ジュアルダイニング、様々なシーンで表情を変化させる クラブラウンジであり、夜も深くなればナイトクラブの
顔を⾒せ始め、トップDJ 達のパフォーマンスで店内は 一気に熱をもってくる。そんな様々なシーンで表情を変 化させるクラブラウンジは、ハイセンスなゲストにもご 満足いただけます。■
djmagasia.com
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IN A STATE OF BALANCE 新しいスタジオ・アルバムで舞い戻ったアーミン ヴァンビューレンが語る「バランス」 Words: DJ MAG ASIA TEAM
DJ Mag TOP100で５回の１位を獲得し、１７年連続でトップ ５に選ばれ、２０１８年のエレクトロミュージック関連のグー グル検索でも最上位に位置する。ビルボードの２０１８年トッ プ１００では２０位を獲得し、Trevor Guthrieとのコラボ曲 「This Is What It Feels Like」はグラミー賞にノミネートさ れた。そんな輝かしい経歴が彼をトランスのキングに押し上げ たのは言うまでもないだろう。もちろんキングは母国オランダ でもヒーローとして扱われる。国王の戴冠式での公演や、ゴッ ホ美術館のメディアツアーの監修も手掛けている。そんなトラ ンス界の巨匠は、とどまることを知らず、常に新しいトラックや 66
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アルバム、そして数々のコラボ作品でファン達を魅了してくれ る。それだけでなく、ASOT（A State of Trance）の看板ア ーティストとして、Masterclassのダンスミュージックの講師 として、Armadaレーベルの代表として、目を見張るパフォー マンスを見せてくれる。DJ Mag Asiaは、そんなエネルギッシ ュなアーティストの音楽、そして私生活に迫るべくインタビュ ーを敢行した。 １９９５年にリリースした「Blue Fear」がヒット作になった 時、彼は弱冠１９歳であった。２００１年からはラジオ番組「A
State of Trance」のホストに就任し、数々の斬新なアクトや 傑作と呼ばれるトラックを発表してきた。GAIA名義で発表し たアルバム「Moons Of Jupiter」は大ヒットとなり、ADE後 にリリース予定の最新アルバム「Balance」は既に待ちきれな いファン達の間で話題沸騰だ。そんな彼を動かす原動力は何 なのか？キャリアや音楽性について質問してみた。 アルバムの構想はいつから始めたのか？そして自身初のダブ ルアルバムにした理由とは何なのか？ “僕の様に長い間音楽業界に携わっていると、アルバムの構想 は常に練っているものだと思う。特にアルバムをリリースした 経験があれば尚更ね。常に新しい方向性を模索しているし、 その探索の先には必ず結果が付いてくる。ダブルアルバムに した理由は、僕の音楽の方程式にある２つの異なる要素を表 現したかったからなんだ。ソフトでアコースティックな雰囲気 と、クラブっぽい雰囲気の２つをね。ここまでハッキリと２面 性を表現したのは確かに初めてだと思う。結果的に「Balance」というタイトルにマッチしていると思っているよ。” 「Balance」というタイトルにしようと思ったきっかけは？ 私生活にも繋がっているのか？以前マイアミで「源になるも のを見つけた」と言っていたが。 “全てにおいてバランスを見出すという事かな。決して音楽だ けの話ではなく、家庭も含めた人生における良いバランスをと れるかを重要視している。” 今作とファーストアルバムの「７６」を比べて一番の違いはど ういったところか？ “人間として、またアーティストとしても大きな成長を遂げた事 だろうね。歳を重ね、経験を積んでいく過程で自分自身を理 解できるようになったし、いつまでも学習する事の重大さも解 った。新曲を作る度に何かを学んでいるし、次の曲はその前の 曲から新しく何かを学んだ結果なんだ。新しい何かを生み出 す楽しさ、そのプロセスがますます重要になっている。それは 輝かしい結果よりも、自分の存在意義と好奇心の探索をする 旅だと思っている。そこが当時の自分と大きく違う点だね。２ つのアルバムを聴き比べれば、その違いが自然と感じられる はずだよ。” 今作に関しては非常に多くのコラボ曲が収録されている。そ の中でもInner Cityとのコラボは非常に興味深い。彼らと 制作するきっかけは？Kevin Saundersonとメンバーの印 象は？ “Inner Cityとのコラボはまさに夢のようだったよ。Inner City といえば、僕がまだ駆け出しの 頃に既にダンスミュージック 界で人気を博していたグループだからね。スタジオでの収録 は凄く刺激的だったよ。最終的に生み出された作品にも驚い ているんだ。自分の音楽とは違うジャンルやスタイルに対し て、オープンなマインドで向き合うと想像を超える素晴らしい 作品が出来るんだって気がついた。” Kevinの様なレジェンドと収録できる喜びは？結果には満足 しているか？ “アメイジングだよ！Armadaレーベルの関係でコラボする前 に何回か会ってはいるんだけど、僕の中でもレジェンド的な存 djmagasia.com
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在だから少し緊張もあった。そして結果には大満足している よ。僕自身このトラックを誇りに思っているし、ラジオでのリス ナーの反応も上々なんだ。”
“始まった当初からASOTは違う文化、背景を持つ人達を繋げ てきた。皆がトランスへの愛という共通項を持ち、集まってい るんだ。そこは当時も今も変わらない。”
「Moons of Jupiter」も素晴らしいアルバムだった。GAIA 名義でのリリースの必要性は何だったのか？「トランス至上 主義」のファン達を満足させる為だったのか？ “いや、 「トランス至上主義」達の為という訳ではない。実際あ のアルバムを「トランス」としたくはないからね。あの作品は 凄く特別なプロジェクトなんだ。GAIAのサウンドは僕とBenno（制作パートナー）が音楽を作り始めた原点の様な感じか な。僕らの深くに根付いているサウンドを表現している作品 で、それゆえ皆に聴いてほしかった。”
ASOTの６００回と６５０回は、それぞれ２０１３年、２０１４ 年にマレーシアで行われた。今後ASOTが他のアジアの国に 訪れる可能性は？ “毎回ASOTの開催場所を決めるのは簡単な作業ではない ね。正直、地球上の全ての国でやりたいと思ってるよ。でも開 催地は残念ながら僕の一存で決まるものではないんだ。もち ろんアジアの国々には是非とも行きたいと思っているよ。”
制作過程はどうだったか？非常に内容の濃いアルバムなのに 全てのトラックがパーフェクトに並べられている。事前の構 想はあったのか？ “ライブ感に重点を置いた。事前にミックスやアレンジされて いるのではなく、ステージ上で完成されるものを作りたかった んだ。DJイングとは相反するかもしれないけどね。事前の構 想は特になかったけど、そのアイデアは常に頭のどこかにはあ ったと思う。” ASOTについて伺いたい。来年２月で放送９５０回を迎える が、第１回目の放送はどうだったか？ASOTを始めようと思 ったきっかけは？ “きっかけは単純に世界中の人達と共有したい曲が沢山あった から。唯一の動機と原動力は、新しいトラックを僕と世界中の リスナー達で楽しむということだね。まだクラブに入れる歳に もなっていない頃にラジオでダンスミュージックと出会ったん だ。それのせいか僕の中でラジオというメディアの影響力はパ ワフルなものなんだ。” その頃にも多くのDJがラジオで流していたか？ “そんなに多くはなかったと思う。もちろんミックステープはあ ったけど、番組としては多くなかった。でもオランダではいくつ かの人気ミックス番組があった。Rave Radio、Krapuul De LuxやFor Those Who Like To Grooveとかね。” 記念エピソードはどうやって発展してきたか？ASOT初の記 念エピソードの話を聞かせてほしい。 “初の記念エピソードは第１００回だった。ブルーメンダールに あるビーチで行った。天気も良かったしファン達がお祝いの ケーキなんかも持ってきてくれたよ。夜通し盛り上がっていた ね。その頃はほんの始まりに過ぎないとは思ってもみなかっ た。 （笑）” ８４カ国、４０００万人を超えるリスナーを持つASOTだが、 そんな特別なブランドを作り上げたという自覚はあるのか？ “どちらかというと徐々に自覚してきたね。もちろんとてつもな く驚かされる事も多々あるよ。ASOTでパフォームしながら世 界中のファン達の愛情や情熱を感じると、何とも言えない気 持ちになる。” ASOTがここまで成長できた要因は？ 68
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去年の３月のマイアミで会った時、アーミンはアジア地域のファ ン達についても語ってくれた。中国でのダンスミュージック人気 について興奮気味で話し、日本のトランス人気と非常に忠実な ファン層にも感心していた。そんな彼のアジアに対する愛情は、 今年のADEでも見受けられそうだ。彼のADE期間中のギグと 「My China by Armin van Buuren」について聞いた。
以前、 「EDMカレンダーというものがあるならば、新年は Winter Music Conferenceだろう」と言っていた。WMC から７カ月が過ぎ、もうすぐADEがやってくる。自分の中で ADEとは何を意味するのか？ “他の大型ダンスミュージック・カンファレンスと同様、ADEも ダンスミュージックがどれだけ進化してきたかを実感させてく れる。昔はダンスミュージックが１都市に数万、数十万の人を 呼べる集客力があると思っている人はごく少数だった。ADE の様な大型カンファレンスはそれが可能だったと証明したし、 新進気鋭のアーティストやプロデューサー達に良い刺激にな っていると思う。” 今年は非常に興味深いプログラムを準備しているようだ。DJ Mag ASIAの編集者としては「My China by Armin van Buuren」に興味を隠せない。どういった内容になるのか少 しだけ教えてもらえるだろうか？ “中国で大規模なソロ公演をした初めてのDJは僕なんだ。２０ １６年の「Armin Only:Embrace」というツアーでね。２００ ４年に初めて訪れてから、中国のシーンの成長と移り変わりを 見てきた。去年の大みそかにも三亜市で開催された大型フェ スにも出演したしね。凄くユニークなシーンだと思うし、才能 あるアーティストもどんどん育ってきていると思う。” 前回のインタビューで「理由は分からないけど中国でダンス ミュージックの人気が爆発しているよ」と言っていた。それか ら７カ月、幾度と中国のステージに立ってきたと思うが印象 深い出来事はあったか？ “中国のファン達には毎回驚かされるよ。中国国内は勿論、他 の国でやるショーにも来てくれるからね。トランスが凄く愛さ れているのを実感するよ。空港に着いた瞬間からの温かい歓 迎も心が温まる。” AMFとCelebrating 15years of Tomorrowlandの公 演を非常に楽しみにしている。２つの公演用に特別なセット を用意しているのか？
“サプライズはいくつか用意しているよ。勿論内緒だけどね！セ ットに関してはAMFの高いレベルに合わせなくちゃいけない し、トゥモローランド１５周年に敬意を表せるものじゃなきゃ 失礼だしね。” 音楽の才能だけで２０年間トップに君臨するのは無理だろう。 加えて音楽を通してオランダに文化的、経済的に大きく貢献し た証にオランダ政府から勲章を授与されている。常にクリエイ ティブなマインドを持つ原動力と親しい友人のこと、そして未来 の世代へのメッセージを聞いてみた。
近頃のトレンドの移り変わりは大変な早さだと思う。常に先 頭に立つ上で秘訣はあるのか？ “他のアーティストとのコラボレーションが一番だと思う。全て の事を全ての人達から吸収できるんだ。性別や年齢なんか関係 無しにね。大事なのは常にオープンなマインドを持つ事だよ。” 貴方の音楽のほんの一部分だけを欲する、 「至上主義者」は まだいると思うか？いるとするなら、作曲の過程に影響はあ るのか？ “人々は常に自分の意見を持っていると思うし、それでいいと思 う。様々な違う意見があってこそ、音楽は面白いものになって いくんだ。多くの異なる視点がクリエイティビティを生み出す んだと思うんだけど、全ての人を満足させるのは不可能じゃな いかな。だからこそ自分に正直で、インスパイアされるような 曲を作るのが大事になってくる。” 前回のインタビューでは独自のサウンドを持つ事の重大さを 強調していた。そのようなサウンドはどうやって出会うもの なのか？ “僕の場合は常に新しい何かを探す過程で出会う。アーティス トそれぞれ違うと思うけど、自分はそれが大きな原動力にもな っている。” 超過密スケジュールで多忙な生活を送っていると過ちをおか し、周りや自分を落胆させる事も珍しくないと思う。しかし、 世界トップクラスのDJでありながら貴方の評判は誠実、謙 虚、丁寧と、すこぶる評判が良い。非常に家庭的だとも聞く が、そのマインドを維持するのに特別な努力はあるのか？ “良い質問だね。僕は常に尊敬の気持ちを忘れずに人と接する 様教えられてきた。例え意見が違くとも、お互いを尊重し合う のが正解だと思う。特別なにか意識して努力していることは 無いよ。幸運にもうまくいっていると思う。” 自分の子供が音楽の道に進む可能性はあると思うか？また 次のアーミンを夢見て音楽の道に進む若い世代へのメッセー ジをもらえるだろうか？ “二人とも僕がDJである事が好きみたいだけど、本人達は音楽 の道には入らないんじゃないかな？そうする必要性もないと 思う。父親として大事なのは子供がハッピーな事。幸せなら別 に音楽をやらなくてもいいと思うよ。でももし、この道に進む なら、常に努力する事と、刺激を求める探究心を忘れないで と言いたいね。自分の人生の最良の「Balance」をとる手助け をしてくれる人達との出会いも大事だね。” ■
ARMIN’S NEXT DATES NOV.15 SUPERFACE
(深圳)
NOV.16 CREAMFIELDS XIAMEN (廈門市) NOV.17 FIRST X SHANGHAI (上海) NOV.19 SUPER MONKEY CHANGSHA (海口市) NOV.20 CLUB MIAMI XI’AN (西安) NOV.21 FIRST CHANGZOU (常州) NOV.22 ONE THIRD HANGZHOU (杭州) NOV.23 CLUB SIR TEEN BEIJING (北京) NOV.24 PLAY HOUSE CHENGDU (成都) NOV.25 CLUB ILLUSION ZHUHAI (珠海) djmagasia.com
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ON THE FLOOR
TOKYO, JAPAN
CHN
Words: DAVID LEE
音楽への愛と情熱！！ 2019年のロマンティックなULTRA JAPAN。 デイビッドが６年目になる大型フェスへの旅へ。
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本へ出発する１週間前から天気予報のチ ェックに余念がなかった。残念ながら週 末は雨の予報だったが、外れるかもしれない という淡い期待を抱いていた。そしてその期 待は見事現実となった！肝心のショーの感想 は、大成功だったと感じた。類を見ない程の 大ヒットだった！
ンステージは未だガラガラであった。メイン ステージのデザインはシンプルでありながら も壮大だったと思う。両端の巨大なスクリー ンはもちろんのこと、中央に設置された無数 の小型スクリーンもステージに複雑さと深い 奥行を与えている。僕はメインステージを離 れ、会場を歩き回ることにした。
１日目
今年のウルトラジャパンは２つのステージで 構成されていた。メインステージとウルトラ パークステージだ。今年はハウスやテクノの ファン達を魅了するレジスタンスステージが 無い代わりに、公演２日目に渋谷のWOMB で独立したイベントとしてRESISTANCE TOKYOが発表された。どうやら２０２０年の 東京オリンピックの準備として会場の使用に 制限が設けられた様だったが、コアで忠実な ウルトラのファン達は十分に理解しているよ うだ。
フェスに参加する時は、旅に出るような気持 ちになる。会場への道のりはまるで空港に向 かう様な気分だ。興奮や喜び、そして期待に 満ち溢れている。東京の中心である六本木か ら１５分程の埋立地、お台場に位置する会場 に向かう途中、そんな気持ちが溢れ出るのを 抑えきれなかった。タクシーに乗り、会場へ と続く橋を渡ると大きな観覧車が見えた。そ の光景は僕に不思議な感情を覚えさせた。ど こか懐かしい、恋愛ではないロマンティック な感情、音楽やそれにまつわる文化に対する ロマンティックな感情だ。 会場に到着するや否や、まるで５歳に戻った ように胸が踊り足取りも速くなっていった。 しかしDJ Snailsが終わったばかりのメイ 70
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会場を見て周るのはウルトラパークの文字通 り、公園を散歩している様だった。次々と入 場して来る観客達を見ると、日本が世界のフ ァッションの中心だという事がよく解る。フェ スティバル・ファッションという一つのテーマ の中でも皆が非常に独創的だ。僕と同じニュ
ーヨークから来たであろう観客の会話が耳 に飛び込んできた。どうやら日本人達の秩序 や我慢強さに感心しているようだ。 「大型フ ェスでこんなにスムーズに動けるなんて、あ りえない。」とも言っていた。僕は心の中で激 しく同意した。 会場内で配られていたチュッパチャップスを 咥えながらパークステージに着くと、まさに「 チル」な雰囲気でいっぱいだった。ローカル DJのDJ Martinがそんな雰囲気作りに一躍 かっていたのだろう。一般入場口のすぐ傍に 位置しているパークステージは、入場客を歓 迎する意味も成しているのだ。メインステー ジに辿り着く前の、テンションの起爆剤にも なりうる。興味深かったのは観客達の有名人 コスプレの質の高さだ。４人のMarshmellow、 ３人のSteve Aoki、更には僕が子供の頃に 憧れていた戦隊ヒーロー達にも会う事が出 来た。 ４時を少し過ぎて、NET SKYを観にメインステ ージへと足を運ぶとChemical Brothersの 「Hey Boy, Hey Girl」が流れていた。Wuki の「Pon De Time」が半分ほど埋まった会場 のテンションを一気に押し上げ、NET SKY の「みんな飛び跳ねる準備は出来ているか い？」の質問に、有り余る程の熱狂で呼応し ていた。オリジナル曲の「Higher」を聴きな
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がら、到着するであろう友人達のもとへ向か う。一人で気ままに行動するのも好きだが、こ ういったフェスは気の知れた友人達と一緒に 遊ぶのが正解だろう。 夕日が沈みながらステージを鮮やかに照ら し、僕が太陽にさよならを言っているとPendulum Trinityの出番となった。LEDスクリ ーンが真っ赤な煙で満たされていく様は、ま るでホラー映画のワンシーンだ。彼らは徐々 に会場を「魔術」で操り始めた。Macky Gee の「Never Wanna Stop」がかかった時には 会場全体が操られていた。彼らが飛び跳ねろ と言えば会場の全ての人間が飛び跳ね、手を 挙げろと言えば、これまた会場全体がこれ以 上ない程高く両腕を掲げた。 僕には休憩が必要だったが、友人達は休憩 ではなくテキーラが必要だったようだ。ステ ージの前方から酒類の販売ブースのある後方 に向かった僕達は、すぐにSteve Aokiを観 に集まる観客の群れに飲み込まれた。なんと か人の波をかき分け辿り着いたブースには、 長蛇の列ができていた。相当な時間を列に 並ぶのに費やさなければならない悲劇は、幸 いにもブースのすぐ傍に設置された超大型ス クリーンによって打ち砕かれた。生の公演で はないが、UMF TVのライブストリーミング はカメラワークに定評があるようだし、後ろ から聞こえてくる爆音と熱狂は、僕らが熱気 を失わずに済むのに十分過ぎるくらいだ。シ ョットを数杯飲むと、驚異的に膨れ上がった 人の波に飛び込める勇気が湧いてきた。 会場のエネルギーは既に最高潮を迎えてい た。Steve AokiはDJ Snakeに対し容赦は なかった。なぜなら彼の出番の前に観客の ボルテージを極限まで上げてしまったのだか ら。 「Bella Ciao」のリミックスはネットフリ ックスの番組、 「La Casa del Papel」のフ ァンとしては堪らないものがある。空は暗闇 に包まれていたが、ステージはまばゆい光に 包まれていた。観客の足は地に付いている時 間のほうが短かったのではないだろうか。テ ンションマックスのSteveは、いつも通り上 半身裸でステージを右から左へと全力疾走 している。ふと時計を見ると、まだ７時前で あることに愕然とした。皆残り２時間以上こ
の熱狂をキープする体力があるのだろうか？ 「I Could Be The One」でAviciiに追悼の 意を送ったかと思うと、次は日本公演に最適 なピカチュウの登場だ。最後にお待ちかねの 「Cake Face」が流れると、Steveの姿はス テージ上から消えた。恒例の「観客に巨大ケ ーキ投げタイム」だ！顔だけでなく、もはや全 身ケーキまみれになった観客が映し出される 度に会場は大盛況だった。 この時点で、最初にいた場所に戻るのは諦 めていた。当初掻き分けて進んでいた人の 波は、いつの間にか人の壁になってしまって いた。SteveとSnakeの間に、インターミッ ションがあったとは思えない。いや、実際は あったのだが、両アーティストに向けられた 観客の波動は、間のブレイクを感じさせない 程の力強さだったのだ。 「Turn Down For What」、 「Taki Taki」、 「We Will Rock You」等が流れると、人々は声を揃え歌いだ し３万人近くまでになった会場が一つの生 命体になったかのように思えた。 「Let Me Love You」に対するチャントは、この日一 番のチャントだったのは明確だ。照明、グラ フィック、パイロから上がる火柱、そして音 楽が同時に最高潮に達した瞬間、空を不思 議な色で染めた様に見えた。 「One More Time」で締めくくられた初日は岐路に着くギ リギリの体力だけを残したものになった。 djmagasia.com
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２日目 ２日目は全く新しいラインナップが用意され ていたが、どうにも新しい朝を迎えたというよ り、初日が終わり短い小休止の後に２日目が 始まったという感覚に襲われていた。帰りの 酷い渋滞のせいだろうか、初日と２日目が合わ さり、とてつもなく長い１日に感じられる。 午後３時頃に到着し、入場せずに会場の周り を探索することにした。明らかに目を奪われ たのは、巨大なガンダム像と隣にある巨大な ショッピングモールだろう。この２日間は恐ら
く観客達のリフレッシュの場として利用され るのが大半ではないだろうか。その周りには ピクニックをしながら会場入りの準備をする 者達や、既に充電が切れたのか、昨日からの 充電が未だ終わっていないのか、深い眠りに ついている者達も沢山見かけた。 会場入りすると、昨日より人が多いのがすぐ に感じられた。皆今日が初日かの様にキラキ ラした表情でいっぱいだ。フードのブースや、 スポンサー企業のイベントブースも多くの人 で溢れていた。すれ違った華奢な女性は、自 身の腕ほどの大きさのバーベキュー肉を頬張
りながらメインステージへと向かっていた。 ４時になろうとする時にメインステージでの Kayzoを観に来た。彼は今年のウルトラコリ アの大トリを務めたDJだ。正直彼の韓国で のパフォーマンスは記憶にないが、それは僕 が遊びに夢中になってしまったからだろう。 しかし彼のセットを聞いた瞬間にトリを務め るだけの実力があると認めざるを得なかっ た。Travis Scottの「Sick Mode」のリミッ クス、いわゆるKayzoの「Pshyco Mode」 は本当に楽しかったし、 「Feel The Power」 では会場が皆ヘッドバンギングしていた。一 つ確かなのは、二日酔いでヘッドバンギング は出来ない。ということは皆シラフだったの か、或いは二日酔いにも関わらずKayzoに乗 せられて身体を極限までプッシュしているか だ。もし後者なら、Kayzoの実力は僕の想像 を遥かに超えている。 「Cruel Love」で締め くくったKayzoは日本語で「アリガトウ！」と 叫んで舞台裏へと消えていった。 昨日と同じメンバーが再集結し、口を揃えて Dash Berlinが楽しみだと言った。そう。ジ ェフリーは今一度Dash Berlinとして戻って きたのだ。ウルトラのメインMCであるデミア ン・ピントはDash Berlinの帰還を「マジカ ル」と表現した。 「Faded」のリミックスから 始まった彼のステージは、カムバックに対す る歓迎のムードで包まれた。スクリーンに映 し出された彼の表情は、感極まった印象で あり、歓声の一つ一つに笑顔で頷いていた。 このようにアーティストと観客が心で繋がる
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瞬間はいつ見ても素晴らしいものだ。普段の セットに「Here I Stand For You」が含ま れているかは定かではないが、なんとなくフ ァンの歓迎の声に応えたものだったのでは ないかという印象を受けた。 「Til The Sky Falls Down」とスクリーンに浮かぶ「Thank U Japan」の文字でフィナーレを迎えると、 歓声はより一体化し、より大きく会場を揺ら した。
このままショーを観るのか、アルコールの補 給をするのかである。僕を含めグループの全 員がハムレット張りに、応か否かで悩んでい た。学習能力が高いと自負する僕は、昨日の 経験から２〜３杯のショットが公演の最後ま で踏ん張るエネルギーをチャージしてくれた のを忘れていなかった。昨日の混雑を避ける べく、少し早めにドリンク販売のブースへと向 かった。
ドラムロールをください！僕自身Galantisの 大ファンなのだ。特に彼らのオープニングア クトは、カリスマ性に満ち溢れていて目を見 張るものがある。現にほぼ全ての観客が携帯 を高々と挙げ、その瞬間を収めようとしてい た。 「Tell Me You Love Me」が流れると同 時に大きな花火が打ち上げられると、今日一 番の歓声が鳴り響いた。周りを見渡すと昨日 よりも遥かに多くの観客がメインステージを 埋め尽くしていた。曲の合間のドラムパフォ ーマンスは、それ無しでも有り余る彼らの才 能の豊かさをより高みへと持っていくものだ ろう。ビシッと決まった髪型にクールなジャ ケット、その反面、愉快で楽しいメロディーを 奏でるデュオは会場をハッピーなムードでい っぱいにした。 「Love On Me」や「Peanut Butter & Jelly」が良い例だろう。もちろん 「Runaway」はセットを締めくくる曲として はこれ以上ない曲だろう。結果、既存のファ ン達だけでなく新たなファンを大量獲得して 舞台を降りた。
そうしていると、遂に皆が待っていた瞬間が 訪れた。Afrojackがトリを務めるステージ の幕開けだ。彼の開演セットは、タイムテー ブルや派手な花火等が無くともヘッドライナ ーの登場を一瞬にして会場中に知らしめるも のだった。数曲後には帽子を投げ捨て、観客 達の身体に残った全てのエネルギーを出し尽 くす様、促している。少したりとも休ませてく れる様子は微塵も無かった。 「Let It Rip」 が観客のジャンプの早さに輪を掛ける。彼が 観客からの光をせがむと、皆がスマホのフラ ッシュを点灯し瞬く間に光の海原が現れた。 「Turn Up The Speakers」の途中途中で 完全に曲を停め、観客との合唱を楽しんでい た姿も見ものだったと思う。 「Sober」の後に 掛けられた「New Memory」に体を委ね、 文字通り日本での「新しい思い出」を楽しん でいた。締めの曲で「Scarlet」が流れ、壮大 な花火で２０１９年のウルトラジャパンは幕 を閉じた。
ここでひとつのジレンマを抱えてしまった。
また渋滞に巻き込まれた帰路で、今夜のプラ ンを練っていた。■ djmagasia.com
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SEOUL, KOREA
JPN
Words: KEVIN KANG
ベッドルーム・プロデューサーから グローバル・スターへ オーストラリア出身の天才が来韓
寝室のパソコンでの作曲に始まり、グラミー賞を受賞するア ーティストにまで成長したが、Flumeは常に世のベッドルー ム・プロデューサー達の間ではアイドル的存在だった。因みに ベッドルーム・プロデューサーとは、自宅等の最低限の設備し かない空間で作曲するアーティストたちの別名だ。 Future Classicの同僚であるChet Fakerと共に、大量の LPも最新の機器もないスタジオでオーストラリアのエレク トロニック音楽シーンの新たな幕開けとなる曲をリリースし てきた。セカンドアルバムの「Skin」は、彼にグラミー賞をも たらし、２０１６年の大ヒット曲「Never Be Like You」は Spotifyで３億８００万回のストリーミングを記録している。 彼は２０１２年にセルフタイトルのアルバムをリリースして以 来、世界を席巻してきた。２１歳の時には既にエレクトロニッ クミュージックの天才と呼ばれ、R&B,ヒップホップ、ソウル 等の要素を取り入れ広大なサウンドスケープを生み出してい た。斬新なボーカルチョップにヒップホップのリズム、非常に 細かで計算し尽くされたサウンドデザインがブレンドされ、 彼独自の音楽ブランドを生み出している。 日本のサマーソニックのラインナップにFlumeの名前が発表 された瞬間から、多くの韓国ファン達がオーストラリアの天 才プロデューサーが韓国にもやって来るのではないかと固唾 を飲んでいた。結果的に彼の来韓が決定し、皆安堵の息をつ いただろう。 サポートとして出演した海外勢は、オーストラリアのデュオ Cosmos Midnight, LAで活動するDJでプロデューサー
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のMr.Carmackで、ローカルアーティストとして、DJ AVIN, KINGMCK, Deluxe Seoulが出演した。 観客達は前日の大雨のせいで不安で堪らなかっただろう。正 直私も不安と期待が入り混じる中、午後３時に会場である、 ナンジ・ハンガン公園に向かった。幸いなことに会場入りす る頃には雨も収まり、抱いていた不安は一蹴された。 まるで絵画のように美しい会場を見下ろすと、既に多くの観 客で埋め尽くされていた。美しい公園の来場者と、フェスティ バルを見にきたテンションの高い観客が入り混じる風景が、 それは非常に興味深いものだった。 ステージではKINGMCKがパワフルなトラップのセットで観 客を盛り上げていた。そこに燃料を投下するようにスペシャ ルゲストのラッパーKeith Apeが登場し、会場は熱狂の渦に 巻き込まれた。 １時間ほどのハードなバンギングの後は、Cosmos Midnightの出番だ。このオーストラリア出身のデュオは２０１２年 にFuture ClassicのコンペでFlumeの「Sleepless」をリ ミックスして以来、順調に出世街道を進んでいると言っても 過言ではないだろう。彼らは晴天を味方にしながら、独自の グルーヴとポジティブなエネルギーで次第に会場を満たし ていった。 才能あるシンガーのAstaがセットに加わりヒット曲や未リ リースの曲をかけ、観客を彼らのグルーヴに引き込んでいっ た。最後にヒット曲であるGoldlinkの「Dark Skin Women」
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が流れると、会場は大きな熱狂に包まれた。 次はMr.Carmackの出番だ。背が低めの無精髭の彼は、ステ ージに上がるや否やバンギングに続くバンギングで一気に観 客を彼の世界に引き込んだ。ステージのスクリーンに映し出 されるビジュアルも観客を楽しませるのに一役買っている。 夕日が空を鮮やかに染め始めた頃、Mr.Carmackが「皆ん なFlumeの準備はできてるか！」と叫んだ。彼がDrakeの 「Trophies」のリミックスをかけると観客の熱気は最高潮に 達した。皆が次に何が起きるのか確信していたのだ。周りを 見渡すと、観客数が驚くほどに膨れ上がっていた。
そんな状況でも満足できないFlumeは、スプレーペイントで 「Hi this is Flume」を韓国語で書き始め、ステージ上にあ る壺を次々に割り始めたかと思うと、次はチェーンソーを取 り出し、ステージに「I love Seoul」と刻んだ。同時に彼は、 観客全員の心にも深く深く、最高の思い出を刻んでくれた。 天才的な音楽の才能に自分を含めた全ての観客が圧倒され 続けたパフォーマンスだったのは間違いないだろう。私は自 信を持って言えるだろう。今夜のFlumeのセットは、今年最高 のセットのひとつであり、来年の彼のパフォーマンスを大き な期待で満ち溢れさせるものだった。■
暗闇が空を包んだ頃、会場にいる全ての観客の大きな期待 のせいか１分が１時間に感じるほどだった。ついに彼がステ ージに現れると会場は歓喜の叫びでいっぱいになった。 「Hi this is Flume」と言うロボティックな声とスクリーンに映し 出される「HELLO」と「独立記念日おめでとう」というメッセ ージに会場はよりテンションを上げていった。 宇宙服とボウリングジャケットを混ぜ合わせた様な銀色のジ ャケットを着たFlumeは観客の耳を、そして眼までも虜にし ていった。興味深かったのはユーロトラックを流しながらス テージ上の光る球体をロリ・ブロックに接続して同調させて いる姿が、まるで宇宙船を操縦しながら会場全体を彼の音楽 空間へと誘う様な気分にさせた事だろう。 突如「You&Me」のミュージックビデオが流れ始め、レーザ ービームとドラムのビートにシンセサイザーが合わさり圧倒 的なエネルギーを観客に投げかけると、ただただ息を呑むし かなかった。彼の定番、Lordeの「Tennis Court」のリミッ クスが流れ始めると、Flumeの世界に魅了された観客は激し く飛び跳ねていた。
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TOKYO, JAPAN
Words: DAVID LEE
ULTRA JAPAN 2019
REMEMBRANCE OF ROMANTIC ERA David Lee went to experience the sixth edition of Ultra in Japan...
I
had been checking the weather for more than a week before I set my foot on Japan. It was supposed to rain all weekend; but there’s always a benefit of a doubt with weather forecasts as it is a hit or miss. And it missed! At least for the time when the show was on. But the show? That was a hit! A BIG PHAT H. I. T.
DAY 1 Going to a festival always feels like a journey and the way to the festival feels like a car ride to an airport: excitement, full of hopes and joy, and teeming expectations. All those feelings began to stir up on the way to the venue, located on a man-made island only 15 minute ride from Roppongi, the central location of Tokyo. As I crossed the bridge in a taxi, from a far, was a ferris wheel that was idle. Ferris wheel provokes a feeling of genuine, candid childhood memories from my own experience and also from the media; and also romance, not love. The kind of romance that we used to learn in the western world history class because I was pursuing this festival journey for my love of music and the culture that is behind it. As soon as I made through the gates, I speed walked to the main stage. A curiosity of a 32-year-old was no different than a 5-year-old. When I arrived around half past three, the Main 76
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Stage was only one tenth full, almost empty. Of course, there was no music playing from the Main Stage as DJ Snails had just finished his set. The main stage was grandiose but rather simple. Two giant screens on each end with a mix of handful of screens in the middle to add complexity and depth to the stage. I left the main stage to give myself a tour of the venue. The festival had two stages: The Main Stage and Ultra Park Stage. The RESISTANCE Stage, a much-loved stage for house and techno lovers, was not present for this edition, and was saved for an after party on the second day at Club Womb in downtown Tokyo. For this edition, Ultra Tokyo had to leave its usual hosting grounds to accommodate for the upcoming Tokyo Olympic in 2020. As the whole country is behind the mega sports festival, the number of people who showed up to Ultra proved that everyone understood the reason for downsizing and stayed loyal to the brand of Ultra. The tour was like a walk in the park, both figuratively and literally, as people were still making their way in to the venue. Tokyo proved itself as one of the world’s fashion mecca. The crowd embraced their individuality, yet the squad goal was strong. Some fashion styles were bold, and some were eclectic, which only added entertainment other than what was prepared by the Ultra brand. I overheard a
conversation from a fellow New Yorker who was telling his friend how impressed he was about the order and patience of the Japanese people at the festival. He mentioned that going around the festival couldn’t be easier than here in Japan. I totally agreed with him in silence. When I arrived at the Ultra Park Stage with a Chupa Chups lollipop that they were handing out in my mouth like thousand other people, the crowd was very chill. A local Japanese DJ, DJ Martin, was spinning and people were chilling. Located near the main GA entrance, it would’ve been hard to miss. It was a welcome stage that warmed up the hearts before racing too fast from the Main Stage experience. Ultra Park Stage was filled with hard to meet celebrities: four Marshmallows, three Steve Aoki-es, and the long-forgotten Power Rangers. 5 minutes after 4 PM, I came back to the Main Stage to catch NETSKY. He was playing his remix of Chemical Brother’s ‘Hey Boy Hey Girl’. When he turned on Wuki’s ‘Pon De Time’, the crowd turnt up with the most familiar verse in EDM, “One More Time”, all commending to Netsky’s question, ‘Are you guys ready to jump for me?’ They were more than ready. The energy of the crowd had gone from 0 to 100 since I’ve seen the stage last. The Main Stage was filled up to at least 50 percent at this time. With Netsky’s own ‘Higher’ in the background, I went to greet my friends who were just arriving. I am not going to lie; I had been waiting for my friends ever since
ON THE FLOOR I got to the venue. It’s always a pleasure to do what you like solo, but when you are making great memories with your friends while sharing your passion, you simply can’t ask for more. As the sun was on its way down to make the stage brighter and light up the crowd, the sun and I were facing face to face at this point. I stood standing welcoming Pendulum Trinity while saying good bye to the Sun. The LED screens began to fill up with red smoke as the suspense began to build up like a horror movie. During their ‘Witchcraft’, they had one of its members singing live in the back, making it a live concert. The sky was filled with waving hands as a chilled ‘Come Together’ was playing, keeping everyone relaxed to just take a breather for a moment. Then with Macky Gee’s ‘Never Wanna Stop’, adrenaline began pumping into people as stage began to burst its flame coinciding with the graphics on the screen. Pendulum Trinity was enchanting the crowd with his demands and the crowd followed; people had their hands up in the air jumping up and down. As the stage was filled with blue lights, an aquatic experience started with their ‘Watercolor”. It reminded me of my middle school days when I used to listen to skate punk genre; Offspring to be more specific. The song definitely took me down my memory lane reminding me the silence power of music. I needed some rest, but my friends insisted that I needed some shots: pure peer pressure. So, we left the Main Stage hoping that everyone was already buzzed and is now at the main stage to watch Steve Aoki play. From the midsection of the stage, we made it to the back of the stage and to the back of the stage, and now we were in front of the alcohol booth. The truth was that the main stage had no choice but to end itself because of the booth; there simply was no gap between the stage and the alcohol booth. Because there was only one stage, the Main Stage, with international DJs, almost the whole festival was by the Main Stage. Our initial hope of the line for alcohol being shorter was shattered as soon as we were at the end of the main stage. We had no choice but to wait. Luckily, there was a giant screen in front of the booth that showed the UMF TV; so, the only thing that we were missing out on was the action. The sound was carried all the way to the back and the video was sufficient to keep us immersed in the moment where we thought we had left off. Oh, and sometimes your friends are right. After couple shots, I was ready to dive back into the crowd again for some Steve Aoki. The energy level was at its pinnacle. Steve Aoki showed no mercy to DJ Snake by not leaving any room for growth of the energy on the floor. Steve Aoki’s remix of ‘Bella Ciao’ with MARNIK was amazing as a fan of Netflix series, La Casa del Papel. In my opinion, the visuals for the song were so much better and on-point than its official music video. The night sky is completely dark but it’s brighter than ever. People’s feet are only touching the ground half the time. And it surely felt like it was soon going to be
over, but I looked at my watch only to find that its 6:45. Steve Aoki was almost half way into his set, and of course, he has his shirt off and is running across the stage left and right. Steve Aoki paid his respect to Avicii, RIP, with ‘I Could Be the One’. And 10 Pikachu, a favorite anime character of one of Ultra Angels (if you know, you know), came on the screen along with ‘Pika Pika’; totally appropriate for Japan! When ‘Cake Face’ was playing, suddenly and without any shock, Steve Aoki disappeared from the stage. We all watched him throwing those giant cakes to the crowd on the screen. At this point, there was no point of going back because it would have been almost impossible to come back to where we were standing. Honestly, I don’t even remember if there was any break between Steve Aoki and DJ Snake. That’s how pumped up the energy was at the Main Stage. With his set including songs like ‘Turn Down For What’, ‘Taki Taki’, and ‘We Will Rock You’, I am not sure whether to call him a popstar or a superstar DJ. His actions and the aura that captured more than 30,000 people was like a rockstar with a hip-pop’s swag. The chants in unison of the verses from ‘Let Me Love You’ was definitely the loudest and the clear east chant of the whole day. The lighting, the graphics, the flames, and the music; they were all jacked up on steroids. And sky was painted with colors as DJ Snake finished his set with ‘One More Time’. With one more day to go, my friends and I safely made it alive through the 1st day of Ultra Japan 2019. djmagasia.com
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DAY 2 A whole new lineup was ready for a Day 2. I was pumped, but my body wasn’t. Who said Day 2 is a brand-new day? It was a continuation of Day 1 with a long break. There was a long detour until I made it back to my hotel room. I will just tell you that I saw all 4 headliners from day 1, AGAIN. I got to the venue around 3:00 PM. Instead of heading straight into the venue, I decided to take a walk around the place. There were two things that I noticed: an eight story-high statue of a Gundam, a Japanese anime robot character, and tents. Next to the venue was a multiplex shopping
mall that housed the Gundam exhibition. But I am sure its mere existence of the multiplex during the weekend was to be used as a shower space for all those who slept in the tent. For your information, Japanese hotel prices are more on the expensive side compared to those of other parts of the world. And majority of rooms are so small that there isn’t enough room for an extra person to sleep on the floor. There were people outside the tents, enjoying picnics on the grass; pre-games in disguise. And some were already asleep. Going into the venue, I can already sense that there’s a lot more people compared to yesterday. I wasn’t sure if it was a quick walk
around the park or the energy from all the people at the venue, but I began sobering up. From the look and feel of the crowd, I thought it was Day 1. People were going places, eating things, and having fun! I say eating things, because I witnessed a small girl that was having a turkey leg barbeque that was the size of her forearm. That was pure dedication. It meant that she felt the necessity of fueling up to give all she got for the DJs. I got to the Main Stage at around 4:00 PM with a turkey leg barbeque in one hand to catch Kayzo, who had closed Ultra Korea earlier this summer. I honestly don’t remember his set, as I was probably partying too hard instead of focusing on the music. But, listening to his set again, his spot as the closer seemed well deserved. I really enjoyed his remix of Travis Scott’s ‘Sicko Mode’ or so called Kayzo’s ‘Psyko Mode’. Kayzo’s ‘Feel the Power’ had everyone headbanging against his hard trap sounds. If you are hungover, you can’t headbang. So, either they were all sober or they were pushing beyond their physical limits to return the energy that Kayzo was giving them. I was gently nodding on the side like a bobblehead. Kayzo closed his set with ‘Cruel Love’, which just made it harder to say to say good bye to him. Yelling “Arigato!”, which means “thank you” in Japanese, with all he got, he made it to the backstage. I got the same crew from yesterday with me who arrived later than myself, no surprise there. My friends were excited to see Jeffrey’s comeback as Dash Berlin once more; hence, the “Return of Dash Berlin” on the timetable. With few other artists coming back to the music scene this
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ON THE FLOOR
year, 2019 has been a welcoming year for the fans of EDM. Damian, the Voice of Dance Music, described Dash Berlin’s comeback as “something magical”. When Dash Berlin set the tone on stage with his remix of ‘Faded’, the crowd screamed and welcomed his official return. On the screen, we saw his smile with a nod as if he was responding to the crowd, thanking our warm welcome. It was a great moment of connection and acknowledgement between the fans and the artist. I am not sure if he usually includes the song ‘Here I Stand For You’ in his set, but the song sounded like his message to his fans. During his last song of the set, ‘Till The Sky Falls Down’, the whole crowd sang along the melody with all eyes on the Ultra Angels. With a big “Thank U Japan” on the screen, he took his vow. Drumroll please! I’ve always been a fan of Galantis, especially their opening act. It’s so charismatic! By this time, everybody had their phones out above their heads. And the scream? It’s been the loudest yet today. Along with “Tell Me You Love Me”, up went the fireworks, and up went the crowd. The Main Stage is noticeably more packed than yesterday. Galantis’ drumming performances between the songs provides the entertainment for the crowd, but it’s not a necessity. People would’ve loved them just for their songs and energy that that the duo pours out. Despite their slick hairs and cool jackets, some of their songs are bit jolly, putting everyone in a happy mood: ‘Love On Me’ and ‘Peanut Butter Jelly’. Or maybe I am biased because PB&J has been and will always be my favorite breakfast. And of course, ‘Runaway’ was the perfect way to end their set, leaving the new fans with a big impression if you weren’t a fan already.
Now at this point, I am for certain that there were so many of us who shared the same dilemma. Do we go back for drinks? Or do we stay where we are? I am no Hamlet; but the question, it’s a harder one to answer than what he posed. I am a responsible social drinker. And I am a great learner. And I have learned from yesterday that couple shots can get you running again, so off we went towards the back of the stage for drinks. Tired from yesterday, we wanted a head start on the way out anyways. The moment that everyone was waiting for all day long. Afrojack took over the stage as the headliner. You could’ve known that he was the headliner with your eyes closed, even without the timetable or the crazy lasers and flame throwers from the stage. He made a big entrance with ‘1234’. With only couple songs into the set, he threw his hat to show his afro. There was no way that he was going to give a break to the crowd. He wanted everything that was left from the crowd. The jumping got faster during his ‘Let It Rip’. He ripped it. He teared it. He commanded all the lights up from the crowd and a sea of lights appeared. And naturally, the crowd chanted along ‘Turn Up The Speakers’. There were couple of times where he’d cut off the music completely to connect with the fans. After one of cut-offs, came out Rae Sremmurd for ‘Sober’. And I’ve definitely made ‘New Memories’ like the song with my friends in Japan. With ‘Scarlet’ as the finale, the fireworks lighted up the last night of Ultra Japan 2019. And again, the night was still young and I had another detour back to my hotel. djmagasia.com
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ON THE FLOOR
SEOUL, KOREA
Words: KEVIN KANG
FROM BEDROOM PRODUCER TO GLOBAL STAR The Australian music genius Flume lands in Korea.
A
s an artist who’s gone from making music on a laptop in his bedroom to winning the Grammys, Flume has always been an idol among bedroom producers—a term that refers to producers who make music at home with a minimal setup. Without crates of vinyl or a studio equipped with state-ofthe-art gadgets, Flume managed to open a new chapter of electronic music in Australia with his Future Classic colleague Chet Faker. His second album ‘Skin’ earned him a Grammy Award for the best dance/electronic album, and his 2016 hit ‘Never Be Like You’ was streamed over 380 million times on Spotify. Ever since the release of his self-titled album in 2012, Flume took the world by storm. At 21, he was already being called the genius of electronic music, weaving together expansive soundscapes of R&B, Soul, Hip-hop, Pop and many more. Fresh vocal chops, hip-hop syncopation, and the detailed sound design are all blended together beautifully creating his own brand of music. From the moment Flume’s name appeared on the line-up for this year’s Summer Sonic Festival in Japan, many people held their breath hoping the Australian producer would come to Korea. So, it was a huge relief for many Flume fans in Korea when the event was finally announced. Supporting the headliner was the Australian duo Cosmos Midnight, and DJ/producer Mr. Carmack who is a part of the LA collective Soulection. The local line-up was consisted of DJ AVIN, KINGMCK, and Deluxe Seoul.
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A downpour on the previous day kept everyone on tenterhooks. Feeling half worried and half excited, I set off for Nanji Hangang Park around 3pm. By the time I got to the festival grounds, the rain finally subsided, and everything started to look better. Overlooking the picturesque Hangang Park, the festival was already packed with people. It was quite a sight to see the contrast between the chill park visitors and festival-goers getting pumped up for Flume. On the stage, local DJ KINGMCK already had the crowd going off with his powerful trap-infused set and he had brought along a surprise guest –rapper Keith Ape came up on stage and drove everyone into a frenzy. After an hour of hard-hitting bangers, it was time for Cosmos Midnight to perform on stage. The Australian duo slowly rose up to fame since their twist on Flume’s ‘Sleepless’ for the Future Classic remix competition went viral in 2012. The band showcased a live set, filling the atmosphere with their signature grooves and positive energy, which was accompanied by the beautiful sky that cleared up completely after the rain. Talented singer Asta joined the team as they performed their hits as well as some unreleased pieces. The band kept everyone grooving up until they played their rendition of Goldlink’s ‘Dark Skin Women’ as their last song, and everyone went crazy. The next act, Mr. Carmack appeared on stage after 15 minutes of intermission. Ever since the short man with a hobo beard
ON THE FLOOR
came up, he quickly took over the stage with a strong presence, dropping bangers after bangers of his trap & bass infused tracks. The visuals behind the stage also provided an extra eye-candy for the show. As the dipping sun soaked the skies with vivid colors, Mr. Carmack shouted “Is everyone ready for Flume?”. Then everyone almost lost their mind when he played his remix of Drake’s ‘Trophies’. We all knew it was time. As I looked around, I saw the festival grounds packed with more people.
off with spray painting ‘Hi this is Flume’ in Korean, he then broke a bunch of pots on the stage floor and also pulled out a chainsaw to engrave ‘I love Seoul’ on stage, making it an unforgettable night for everyone at the show. The festival certainly ended on a high note, and I was left in awe over the phenomenal show put on by the musical genius. Without any doubt, it was definitely one of the most memorable events this year and I hope to see him again next year. n
The skies turned dark, and the crowd waited impatiently for what felt like an hour. When the man finally came up, everyone went mad. The robotic voice featured on the intro of his ‘Hi this is Flume’ mixtape resonated throughout the stage and messages in Korean including “Hello” and “Happy Independence Day” appeared on screen, which were met by wild cheers of joy from the crowd. Wearing a silver jacket which resembled a cross between a spacesuit and a bowling jacket, Flume caught the eyes and ears of everyone since he stepped on stage. Another thing that caught my attention was his unique setup—a Eurorack with a lightening orb connected to multiple Roli Blocks made the artist look like a space cadet steering the ship towards his own musical universe. The video of his Disclosure ‘You & Me’ remix suddenly emerged on screen, accompanied by lasers shooting to the sound of music. As the drum-breaks and synth resonated throughout the stage, everyone was blown away by the energy of the show. By the time he played his classic—Lorde’s ‘Tennis Court’ remix—everyone was jumping, fully immersed in his music. And as if that wasn’t enough, Flume started to surprise us by incorporating unique performance art into the show. Starting djmagasia.com
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Techno REVIEWS
respected labels. Taking his career to new heights, he is taking the underground sound to a new level with his recent adition to Drumcode’s compilation ‘A-Sides Vol. 8’. Starting off strong, with a dangerous bass line, snares and claps alternate in melody. Spacey synths interject every so often to give the piece an outof-this-world feel. It’s a techno piece with a futuristic groove.
and remakes marks a highpoint in Drumcode’s history. Remix package included artists like Maceo Plex and main Adam Beyer but Sangiuliano’s take is fire. A trademark cosmic rework underlined by tribal bass stabs and twisted synth lines to accompany the famous riff. A big summer favourite for the Drumcode crew.
Erell Ranson
Lenske
Many Moons EP
Magnonic Signals 8.0
MARC HOULE You Go Out
Items & Things 7.5
Windsor producer Marc Houle delivers a dark new club journey with his new single ‘You Go Out’. Together with remixes from Magdalena and newcomer Beige, this is a nice package coming out on its own Items & Things label. Marc’s original inspires a dark synthwave mood with sinister moves, adding a hauntingly simple and effective vocal line to bring the whole atmosphere together. This is a nice take from Canadian Houle with some reminisces of Kraftwerk’s sound. This is cold and warm at the same time. A techno yin and yang.
Spin Fidelity
Centrifugal Force EP Subwax Excusions 8.0
Antonio Velazquez’s Spin Fidelity project is clearly inspired by classic Detroit techno and electro, as ‘Centrifugal Force’ demonstrates. On ‘Advanced Centrifuge’ and ‘Untitled 3’, these influences take form with rolling 808s, warbling acid and ominous basslines. On ‘Hazed And Confused’, the sound is even more purist, with sleek synths and futuristic yelps unfolding over steely drums. ‘Out With The New’, meanwhile, is slightly more playful, as Velazquez layers acid and dreamy synths over a clubby, bubbling groove.
Northern Powerhouse NP007
Northern Powerhouse 8.0
Number seven in this series presents two different sides to the project. ‘Q-Branch’ is what happens when the machines take over and then start to malfunction: the result is sonic sprawl littered with detuned tones and a rough rhythm. If that sounds too off-centre, then the NP trio steer the ship back 82
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towards Chicago territory on ‘From Barça With Love’, where steely hi-hats slice through rumbling acid infested drums.
Anja Schneider Funk That EP Sous Music 8.5
DJ, producer, label boss and broadcaster Anja Schneider marks the 11th release on her Sous imprint with her new ‘Funk That EP’. This new release comes with two original cuts where Schneider shows her creative maelstrom, developing two contrasting techno rollers, pushing boundaries and warping dancefloor ideals for an allconsuming experience. ‘Funk That’ opens the EP with chunky 909 kicks and an undeniable groove before ‘Far Side Of The Moon’ flips the mood on its head, pairing melodic bleeps, an off-kilter bassline and sparse percussion to dramatic effect.
Wehbba Mantra
Drumcode 8.0
As one of Brazil’s main electronic producers, Wehbba is making a name for himself across the world’s most
Ranson continues his run of fine form — this is his sixth release so far in 2019 — with a reflective EP. Both the title track and ‘Look At The Past’ are downtempo pieces, with the French producer teasing out beautiful soundscapes and warbling acid lines over slower beats. However, this release also features two fine dancefloor tracks: ‘Cold Mornings’ is a bubbling acid groove, while Ranson really impresses with the spacious twists and turns of ‘Starting From The Bottom’.
Push
Universal Nation (Bart Skils Remix) Filth on Acid 7.5
Filth On Acid welcomes Bart Skils back with this interesting crossover. Drumcode affiliate remixes the classic trance song “Universal Nation” from M.I.K.E. Push, creating a brand-new version with his trademark powerful hypnotizing techno grooves. Pounding kick drums lead the way alongside deep rumbling basses that dominate the low end courtesy of the dutch producer. The infectious ‘Universal Nation’ melody filters in and we can find the original robotic vocals on the break as the melody builds along with a snare roll taking us to the climax and back to full-on mode.
The Advent & CJ Bolland
Camargue 2019 (Enrico Sangiuliano Remix) Drumcode 8.5
Originally from CJ Bolland and The Advent, the track was born out of a golden age of Belgium dance music and first released in 1992. It stands as one of the most treasured pieces of vinyl in Adam Beyer’s collection and this six-part compilation of remixes
Amelie Lens Little Robot EP 7.5
Techno sensation Amelie Lens returns to her own LENSKE to drop her second solo release following 2018’s ‘Basiel EP’. Across the four cuts of ‘Little Robot’, Amelie offers a much compelling arsenal of powerhouse techno. Pumping kicks, nasty acid lines and spiralling groove dynamics, energetic 4/4 winds blow fiercely throughout this release. A nice addition to his label and four hard-hitting bombs to hypnotize crowds all over the world.
Michael Klein Yuzu EP
Cocoon Recordings 8.5
After a string of releases on BLK DRP, Second State and Micro.fon, together with a DJ schedule thats established him as a well-known face on the European techno circuit, destiny has come knocking and the result is a two track EP that will blow the roof off even the most sturdy of clubs. A full-on dose of headstrong, slamming techno. Rampant hi hats, a rasping bass and a frenzied acid riff conjure up a deliberately disorientating electric storm that takes a certain amount of pleasure in battering the dance floor like a force ten gale.
Sara Simonit Evolution EP Tronic 8.5
Italian rising star Sara Simonit drops the Evolution EP on Christian Smith’s Tronic after his recent bootleg of DJ Rolando’s timeless ‘Jaguar’ catapulted her into the spotlight. Now Simonit returns with her latest EP, Evolution, which shows the remarkable growth of her sound with four club-ready bangers. Euphoria and beats for big festivals and dark nightclubs on this four-track EP with rolling baners, mighty kickdrums and solid percussions. Nice work!
TECH HOUSE REVIEWS Solardo & Eli Brown
Roger That
Ultra
Cr2 Records
XTC
8.0
Production duo based in Manchester, Solardo quickly rose up to fame as bona fide talents in the techhouse sphere. This time they collaborated with another house music genius Eli Brown on a track titled ‘XTC’. Starting off with a thumping kick drum, the track blends together classic rave elements with cool arpeggios and “shining in the ecstasy” female vocal.
Mihalis Safras Afrodance EP Moon Harbour 7.5
The nu skool tech (power) house Mihalis Safras debutson clubland favourite, MoonHarbour, with a sizzling two-track EP. ‘Afrodance’ is thecrowd-pleaser, full of energyvia its hefty sub and peak-timebuild and drop arrangement.Though surely we’ve movedon from tribal chant vocalsampling? The flip is a classicB-side; an understated, well-balanced piece that builds agroove revellers will appreciatebetween the peaks.
Work 8.0
Tech-House staple Roger That unleashes a brand new take on Pupa Nas T’s ‘Work’ ft. Denise Belfon - a certified club slammer to continue the summer in style. A recent entry in the tech house circuit, the UK DJ boasts support from frontline producers including Camelphat, Michael Bibi, Jamie Jones, Solardo, Marco Carola, Latmun and plenty more. Combined with appearances at Studio 338 & Ministry Of Sound, Roger That produces a dance-floor belter that see’s a raw energy laced with a dominant bass line and Denise’ indisputable vocals.
Catz N’ Dogz Force DFTD
EAST END DUBS Fuse London
Santos
Catz ‘n Dogz are doing their DFTD debut with ‘Force’ clearly showing that the duo are a perfect match for the label, storming in with this heavy club hitter set to get pulses racing and dancefloors moving with this adrenaline-fuelled cut. One more for the impressive catalogue of the polish duo that’s been rocking dancefloors here and there.
Let Me Understand Records
Eli Brown
LMUR shows just how versatile and playful the legendary Santos is, with his technical and groovy, floor-focused house and techno. This EP is miles ahead of your average tech-houseby-numbers producer, with the mid-2000s, main-roomtechno-styled ‘Born From A Kiss’ standing out, while the alert percussion of ‘Expression 727’ can be felt as well as heard. Lastly, ‘Fragment 005’ shows class, walking a thin line between carving a solid groove and catching hella emotional vibes.
DFTD
Fusion EP 9.0
Elio Riso & Muter Take It Over
Repopulate Mars 8.5
The label of Lee Foss presents a good amount of songs for the summer. Among those pumps for the dance floor, the Argentine duo of producers stands out with this energetic track and full of attitude. Elio Riso and Muter had been producing serious bombs these last couple of years with support of some of the biggest names in the game. A new addition to their discography.
8.0
Change The Situation 8.5
Eli Brown is one of the most prolific producers on the scene right now with 2019 being his biggest year to date. The Bristolian producer has made his name synonymous with a killer bassline and been behind a number of this year’s biggest club tracks. With a production style that fits seamlessly with DFTD’s catalogue of fresh, dancefloor-focussed cuts, his two-track label debut is set out to get pulses racing. Progressive breakdowns, thick descending basslines and slick production generate infectious club appeal on both tracks.
Rodriguez Jr. Malecón Azul Mobilee 9.0
This EP marks a very welcome return to Mobilee from renowned label affiliate Rodriguez Jr, aka Olivier Mateu. An impactful two-track offering that begins with the powerful, emotive ‘Malecón Azul’, the showstopping, multi-layered melodic progression is proof alone that
bRave EP 10
One of the most highly sought-after tracks of the summer so far finally sees the light of day. East End Dubs’ ‘bRave’ has been teaching dancefloors a right old lesson with its choppy, swung beat and speed garage bassline. ‘Trancendence’, meanwhile, flutters through with synthy 16ths layering from the sublow through to the high-end; a trippy, punchy groover. ‘Warped Riddim’ feels a little more Fusefocused: a headsdown, arms-up roller that settles in deep and dark very quickly. Enzo wraps things up with a straight-hitting rough cut of the original. Mmm hmm! he has returned in top form. The flipside joint, ‘Cluster #1’, is a tetchy but enchanting, melodic roller, providing a crunched and distorted version of Mateu’s signature synth lead sound.
Tod Louie The Eye EP
Det Gode Selskrab 8.5
A founder of Oslo’s blossoming DJ collective Det Gode Selskab, Tod Louie, throws down only his second production and second release for the young imprint. A-side, ‘Øye’, is a sparse but energetic, nine-minute minimal/ tech bass bubbler. Maestro Mike Shannon takes ahold of the bassline for a revision that’ll see you chasing it around the dancefloor, and another DGS co-founder, (Chris) Solaris, completes a solid package with his energetic acid mix.
Joeski
‘Let The Drums Speak! feat Rachel’ Rebellion 8.5
There’s oodles of groovy percussion on Joeski’s ‘Let The Drums Speak!’, which is classically progressive, layered
with sharp and punchy drums and a simple but essential synth bass teasing a melody in the background, while Rachel’s poignant spoken vocal cuts through the middle. The second track, ‘Expressions In Dub Love’, is an enchanting, dark and hypnotic tonic, suited well for the late hours, while he completes the EP with the uplifting and melodious ‘As We Dance’.
Wayward
‘The Energy EP’
Silver Bear Recordings 8.5
Here’s a punchy, spaced-out EP from Silver Bear affiliates, Wayward, who with ‘The Energy EP’ turn in b2b selections on Rob Da Bank’s growing imprint. The duo’s fast-grooving bass on ‘The Energy’ is enhanced by the atmospheric pads and distant, trippy spoken phrases. It’s a style that tees up the highly regarded producer Voigtmann for a wandering bass and (ultra) trippy refit. The boys complete their energetic assault with the wild disco-styled, arpeggio synth trucker, ‘Space Marines’. Have some of that.
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House REVIEWS moment of towering clarity with his mix, which could be the highlight here. A highlight among highlights, at any rate. Gorgeous.
Patrick Topping
An old-fashioned, feel-good house jam from Brooklyn’s Moon Boots, via Above & Beyond’s Anjunadeep, reminiscent of Roach Motel and Fire Island, Farley & Heller’s much revered aliases of the early ‘90s. ‘Juanita’ features soaring diva vocals from Kaleena Zanders, warming synth stabs, joyous pianos at the break and a driving digital bassline that will propel the whole thing towards absolute dancefloor devastation. Even the moody sods at the bar will be abandoning their tops and cuddling strangers.
Trick
8.0
UK bass production duo TC4 dropped another bomb for this summer. Cuatro is a part of the duo’s EP titled ‘Ola’. The track features a heavy garage-infused groove accompanied by classic house samples. Vocal chants and various percussive elements add heat to this masterpiece. Get ready to get down with ‘Cuatro’ this summer.
8.5
Yaeji is back! We haven’t heard much from the Korean-American producer/DJ this year due to her busy world tour schedule. ‘Beach2k20’ is taken from Robyn’s 2018 album Honey and it is the latest rework in a series of remixes from the LP. Yaeji adds her brand of spice to the already experimental track with her own vocal takes and spacey percussive elements.
Bagagee Viphex 13
Floating Points
Davolab
Ninja Tune
Last Night Remix 8.0
‘Last Night’ is taken from producer Chris Park’s progressive EP of the same title. The track’s beauty genuinly shines through the Korean producer/ DJ Bagagee Viphex 13’s remix as he adds choir sounds and extra sound effects, transforming it into a sublime energy-packed progressive track. We love it!
Jamie Jones & Darius Syrossian Rushing
Defected Records 8.5
With some deep tribal drums, jacked-up beats and Strictly Rhythm vocal sample, this is an interesting combination of the sound of these two big names in the game. Jamie Jones and Darius Syrossian make an impressive inaugural release as a pair with “Rushing”. Already being played the whole summer in Ibiza, this one has already reached the anthem category. A prime example of how both these artists have reached such calibre, with an irresistible beat and slick groove that make it an essential tune for dancefloor peaktime. 84
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LesAlpx 9.0
Sam Shepard, better known for his alias Floating Points came back after two years with a new track titled ‘LesAlpx’. The producer/ DJ hailing from Manchester gained fame following the success of his debut album ‘Ekaenia’ and has been touring around the world since. Pulsating synth sits over a walloping garage-infused groove, as Shepard adds microscopic tweaks to the soundscapes.
Dino Lenny Camouflaged Hafendisko 9.0
House veteran Dino Lenny pitches up for Hamburg’s Hafendisko with ‘Camouflaged’, a thing of chugging, pulsing glory. There are grand, deep piano chords and moody strings, bursts of brassy synths, messed-up vocals, clanging bells and a breakdown for the ages. While the original eschews the four-four, his powerful, surging ‘Black & White Mix’ panders to the wide-eyed wonder of the wee small hours with a driving loop. Hafendisko regular Brynjolfur brings a 303 bassline and a
8.5
Anjunadeep
Safebro
Konichiwa Records
Poker Flat
Moon Boots
Cuatro
Beach2k20 (Yaeji Remix)
Never Enough
Kotelett Heiko and Martin Zadak return for a second bite of the cherry on Steve Bug’s Poker Flat, following last year’s twinkling ‘Clovis’, with another absolute stunner. This time they’ve come with a one-tracker, always a ballsy move, but why muddy the conversation with extraneous details? ‘Never Enough’ is a brooding, chugging behemoth punctuated by hollow percussion and galactic interference. It builds to an admirably subtle climax, all understated class, but with production this pristine, you know an awful lot has gone into making this sound as elegant as it does.
TC4
ROBYN
Kotelett & Zadak
Juanita ft. Kaleena Zanders 9.0
Popka
Manhattan Sandbar EP Nervous 9.0
York’s (not New York) Popka has clouted this out of the park for the legendary Nervous. Which is in New York, of course. Not York. ‘From The L’ mashes up a lush jazz sample, with some heavyweight Jersey-style beats butting up against sweet electric piano chords and swinging rides. ‘Club Hopper’ is the big one, a thunderous loop and bassline one-two punch. ‘Get Down On The Roof’ has soaring strings, blissful vibes and Balearic house chops, giving this sterling three-tracker all the versatility required to lodge itself in your box for the remainder of the year, and likely well beyond.
Turbo Time 9.0
DJ and producer Patrick Topping has graced the decks of his platform Trick with the new EP “Turbo Time”. This new work of the Newcastle DJ present three groove-laden tracks, representing a clear departure from the darker techno sound of TRICK’s maiden release “Watch What Ya Doing”, further demonstrating Topping’s versatility as a producer. The EP’s title track is underpinned by an infectious vocal sample and the funkiest of beats and it has been around the dancefloors of Ibiza the entire summer. A diva vocal anthem.
Todd Edwards & Sinden
Deeper (Gorgon City Extended Remix) Defected Records 8.5
After the successful debut with “You’re Sorry” on Defected Records, Todd Edwards is back alongside LA singer Sinden. With this one, the pair captured the spirit of 90’s garage that influenced both careers. Then Gorgon City stepped up to remix this track, lending their signature euphoric house sounds to the release. This thunderous remix is a deep and rumbling club cut prepped to rattle dancefloors way beyond the Ibiza season.
Bass REVIEWS
Negativ Stealth BRØKEN
8.5 Negativ’s beats punch well above their weight. Their notoriously slick programming consistently places them among the scene’s heavyweights, and rightly so. This latest offering via the superteam at Brøken delivers snappy drums, raw Amen breaks, laserdipped bass leads and a sparse low-end energy that could knock you out. Extra points added for finding a sound that hasn’t been rinsed in 2019.
Joe
Get Centred Cómeme
9.0 In the wake of tracks like ‘Claptrap’, ‘Maximum Busy Muscle’ and ‘Punters Step Out’, the seven minutes of samba drums, oddly filtered hand claps and off-kilter pan pipes of ‘Get Centred’ don’t feel like an odd proposition coming from the single syllabled producer, Joe. And that’s precisely why he’s one of the greats. His intermittent release schedule (just three 12” releases since 2013) makes him unpredictable at best, but his steadfast and singular focus in exploring the outer realms and following his odd beat ideas through to their natural conclusion is truly most admirable. These new productions are hypnotic, unassuming creepers. TIP!
Bengal Sound Never Mind Bandulu
9.0 A duo of zero-guff, semioddball heaters from Bengal Sound grace the latest already long-sold-out plate from Bristol’s Bandulu label. Simplicity is probably both the driving force and saving grace. Thick, dense, foggy atmospherics. Hard, basic rhythms, and the kinds of hooks that’ll carry a tune all on their own, regardless of progressions or arrangements. Why dress it down when they hit so hard on their own?
Terror Danjah Module
Tru Thoughts
7.0 The lead cut from Terror’s latest album project ‘Module’ doesn’t try and reinvent the wheel; it exists to embrace the smoothness of the wheel’s curve and the sleekness
of its perimeter. A tightly wound scythe of a bass riff that sounds like a PC choking itself for pleasure guns in and out over a scattered drumline that feels delightfully restrained. Stripping things back gives it a wonderfully raw, motivated feel.
Phace & Noisia Non Responsive Neosignal
7.5 Neosignal clearly means business. Right in the thick of its 10-year anniversary celebrations, and after the success of its‘Neosignal X’ compilation, the imprint continues on with its second release from the new ‘Linked’ series. Here, we see label owner Phace collaborate with long-time friends and gods of the scene Noisia. The result is hard, techy and industrial, infused with a funky groove that plays against the aggressive feel of the track. We’re especially feeling the attention-grabbing bleeps.
DJ Marky Should I
Innerground
8.5 The Brazilian badman does it again, with a stunning sunset soundscape which has been on repeat in this office for long enough to be classed as an obsession. The track radiates Latin American sunshine from the very first beat: the intro is a subtle samba with a welcome corniness that reminds us of the coolest elevator music ever. We’re soon dropped into banger territory, with a melodic sub, tell-tale Brazilian wobble and a soul-soothing vocal. It’s a classic in the making.
D*minds
Kaos Reigns RUN DNB
8.0 We always feel like D*Minds don’t get enough credit for the chaos they cause in the dance, after all, we mustn’t forget they co-created the immortal beast that is ‘Mr Happy’. If you’ve been about for a wee while you will no doubt recognize the patterns of this track — which pays huge homage to the classic ‘Ho Bass’ — but beneath the surface there’s a brooding aggression which dulls the dancefloor humor of the sounds, making it fit into the modern scene, and today’s penchant for blending jumpup with darker, more techy sub-genres. Big.
SUB FOCUS & WILKINSON Illuminate Virgin EMI 9.0
Sub Focus and Wilkinson, two titans of the most commercial side of drum and bass, come back together on the new ‘Illuminate‘ single. Turning the scene upside down every time they release music, this is an example of how much melodic drum and bass can be. As the first time they get together in the studio since last year’s ‘Take It Up’, this new take is underpinned by infectious vocals and an emotive breakdown, delivering a measured blend of euphoria and club-ready energy. It’s a quick-fire slice of modern D&B that is destined to take dancefloors by storm!
VNSSA & Walker & Royce Rave Grave
Higher Ground (Mad Decent)
9.0 House music maestros Walker & Royce have released the highly anticipated collab with VNSSA, “Rave Grave”. This is the first-ever release on Diplo’s newest imprint Higher Ground and it comes with this two-track offering of house grooves for anyone who wants to get down and dirty on the dancefloor. The in-demand duo’s clear-cut sound with crisp high hats and booming four-on-the-floor beats yields the perfect house tracks to get down to. VNSSA’s vocal line is that catchy hook that makes house music such an earworm genre. The shooting synths and sirens are classic Walker & Royce. The perfect introduction for this new label. Higher Ground is Diplo’s homage to bas legends that made this sound so big.
Excision & Wooli Evolution EP Excision Music
8.0 Old school meets new school. Excision and Wooli have collaborated in this new project
called “Evolution” and has demanded the inexhaustible attention of bass fans not only for its interesting sound design but for its decisive showcase of stylistic colors in a formidable EP package of four tracks. The freshman Wooli is capitalizing on its momentous rise in the bass scene, and “Evolution” marks a fundamental act of art in his career.
Eptic
Flesh & Blood Monstercat
7.5 Renowned Belgian artist Eptic has released his very first EP via Monstercat. “Flesh & Blood” is an interesting comeback to his initial style with an interesting variety throughout the five tracks that appear in it. Effusive build ups and extreme shouts mixed up with dubstep drops and lots of energy are part of this new release from the Canadian label. It include “Let It Go”, an interesting collab with the always funny Dillon Francis, a big room approach with some Moombahton inlfuences. All in all, a powerfull delivery from Eptic.
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Trance REVIEWS as ever. Psy speculations see it into the drop, where a fairly standard spoken vocal ominously intones about the “real bad” perils of “the darkside”. Just when all seems lost, an almost impossibly cheery riff-uplifter swings in, efficiently delivering the floor its salvation.
Maor Levi
Disconnect/Take Your Love Anjunabeats 8.5
9.0
Oh Stoneface & Terminal, you had us at ‘Berlin’! The dazzle of their Berlinprefixed ‘99’ & ‘2000’ offerings has generated considerable good will and ‘2001’s so confident it deliberately throws in an ironic (meta-even) frontend wildcard. The ludicrously OTT-bosh of its drum/bass intro melts away into a rolling, overwhelming groove that develops in urgency and energy seemingly by the second. Tiny harmonics pop to its surface, skillfully micro equalizing its otherwise thrillsome doominess.
Cosmic Gate Come With Me
Wake Your Mind Records 8.5
‘Come With Me’ feels like it might be purpose built to challenge ‘Fire Wire’ and ‘Be Your Sound’s dead-heat positions as CG’s best-knownfor. Bleepy note inflections herald string grandeur, which in turn presages that most Cosmic Gate-ian of signatures, the bleached sub synths. Add a chant that at once name-checks the group and meta-references their first ever release, and you can mark this down as a contender.
Daniel Kandi
JP8080 Paradise
Future Sound Of Egypt 8.0
Although my vintage synth knowledge ain’t all that, the ‘Paradise’ in Kandi’s ‘JP8080’ 86
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is likely courtesy of Roland. Running the melodic/euphoric arc, the track pulses with unforced energy, while boasting strong composition. Crucially, though, it has the extra ace to play. Its midsection/drop heralds an unusual, whistling Oxygène-era-like sequence. Never my favourite musical reference point, but it’s rarely been done better and within the confines here, engages superbly.
Shugz
The Darkside Afterdark 7.5
Continuing his grand tour of trance’s harder-faster imprints, Shugz debuts on Afterdark. Scudding bass and drum get a swift boost from ‘The Darkside’s all-directions-flying vocal and FX triggers, while Shugz’s mod-wheel finger is as twitchy
Regenerate 8.0
Mythology
Markus Schulz & Bt
‘Sign’ has Jules Neptune singing on it; his first vocal venture since 2014’s ‘Lost All My Tears’, and singularly my favourite use of the male vocal chords ever since. So, personally, it’s already up on the expectation petard. It slaloms that trap brilliantly by sharing enough DNA with ‘Lost’ (feel, vibe, titular theme), crucially without feeling like it’s format replicating. Receptors open, you’re free to enjoy the elevating brilliance that unfolds.
Coldharbour Recordings
9.0
Future Sound Of Egypt
‘Drop Two’
Neptune Project A Sign From Above
Berlin 2001
Sean Tyas & Niko Zografos Following its Activa/Simon Bostock ‘Contour’ debut in March, release-wise, Regenerate hasn’t hung around. It has taken eight notches for label co-owner Sean Tyas to do the righteous thing though. Produced with a high degree of efficiency alongside Niko Zografos, ‘Drop Two’ services the uplifting end of the night. It does, however, add the most judicious waft of psy, which — by virtue of its casually (and unusually) understated use — makes it all the more successful.
More Maor eminence rising to this month’s top. Heartfelt throughout, ‘Disconnect’ finds the spot between the near-infinite melancholy of its vocal and Maor’s production countermeasures. The end of its break rocks satisfyingly dirty too. ‘Take Your Love’ has more of a trance ripple up top, a grooving production below and a house-tipped vocal chorus. Of the pair, ‘Disconnect’ comes in first, but only by a nose.
STONEFACE & TERMINAL
Ireland’s Kristian Nairn (DJ, producer and Hodor of Game Of Thrones) meets Ferry Corsten to rewire ‘Galaxia’ by Moonman (also Corsten). A cool, chugging, grand piano loaded prog-trance vision is the result… and a whole lot of curio value besides.
Indecent Noise ‘Doctor Acid’
Mental Asylum 7.5
Not a big lover of leading titles, especially when they’re pointing at something as previously well addressed as the 303. As such, ‘Doctor Acid’ has some convincing to do. Success in that quarter has as much to do with creativity as anything, and Indecent finds some decent tricks — unexpected dropouts and the like — to keep things spicy. Nonetheless, I suspect this is one you’ll need to have the right head on for.
Kristian Nairn & Ferry Corsten ‘Galaxia’
Flashover Recordings 7.5
‘I Need Love’ 8.0
Deducing the ‘who’s doing what’ on first time meets like this never gets old. With ‘I Need Love’, the first part’s easy at least. That’s BT on vocals, and with its half-angst/halfanthemic lyrical theme — I’m betting — songwriting duties too. From there, the picture’s less distinct, though. Tempo, the thrusting drum/perc march and murky intro-riff: all likely Schulz, but the celestial twinkle of its effortlessly captivating mainline, well that’s anyone’s guess.
DT8 PROJECT
‘Adrenachrome/Circles’ Mondo 8.0
‘Adrenachrome’ is another textbook example of the subtler route ultimately proving the more satisfying. The track will outright capture few on first listen, but plant just enough of a highly honed/ melodically served note arrangement to beget a second. Seed planted, so it sinks in. ‘Circles’ is strong musically, but — by the high bar Darren’s set with song elements of late, its lyrics are a touch so-so.
EDM POP REVIEWS Armin Van Buuren & Inner City Could It Be
Armada Music 8.0
When two important acts of dance music join forces for a new single, it is impossible not to think that it is something that will exceed all expectations. Completely unexpected, this one shows everything that could happen when you enter the studio with an open mind and are willing to be inspired by sounds, styles or genres that are different from yours. A big thumbs up for these two legends.
KSHMR & Lost Stories Bombay Dreams Dharma 8.5
‘Bombay Dreams’ is the latest collab between KSHMR and the Indian duo Lost Stories. Reggaeton-oriented, this one adds a certain melancholic vibe coming at the end of a big summer. This is a relaxed song that comes accompanied by a stunningly hypnotic vocal by Kavita Seth, making us feel relaxed and crave for a warm hug. It’s a sweet, delicious composition, a combination that I know will be highly effective for Indian audiences.
Tiesto ft. Mabel God Is A Dancer Casablanca Records 7.5
A new vocal dance single from the superstar Tiesto featuring sensational UK songstress Mabel. ‘God Is A Dancer’ sees Mabel’s vocals taking the spotlight amid an inviting club groove laid down by the Dutch EDM titan. A great feel-good dance song that’s going to be shared with dance floors and festival crowds around the world.
Steve Aoki & Backstreet Boys Let It Be Me Ultra Music 7.5
After spending time talking about making music together, Aoki invited Nick Carter to a show in Hakkasan and the pair immediately recognized the unexpected energy that created the moment. Two years later, a collaboration arrives for fans of both worlds. A new comeback from the iconic group of the nineties with a nice addition of beats courtesy of Steve Aoki.
Kayzo
Unlashed LP Ultra Music 9.0
Alternative rock and pop-punk from Houston born and now Los Angeles resident, Hayden Capuozzo better known as KAYZO. He continues to view his pop-punk roots through an EDM lens, seamlessly blending rock, metal, trap, bass, dubstep, and more into a cohesive and wholly unique sound. Each song brings something new and different to the table.
Jax Jones ft. Tove Lo Jacques
Polydor Records 8.0
Born from mutual admiration in each other’s work, this collaboration between Jax and Tove Lo has been cooking for a long time. The sensual voice from the pop singer is backed by a house underground rhythm and a catchy bass line that be traced to the producer’s early days. Interesting to see how he sneaks this beats as he conquers the mainstream.
Blasterjaxx Blackout Maxximize 7.0
Fresh off from their latest album, the duo-logy has denied any further intervals and straight away revealed yet another red-hot single. Titled as “Blackout”, this production is another satisfactory Big Room work. This one surely makes us reminisce of the earlier heavyhitting tracks from this dynamic pair. Formulaic but effective.
Hardwell
Retrograde
Revealed Recordings 8.5
Also known as ‘2010 ID’, this song has been circling the Hardwell fans for a good time. A gem crafted wholeheartedly, a sign that there is still some passion in the scene, this seems like the real Hardwell sound. Elegant vibes with big room influenced breakdowns. It’s nice to see the dutch DJ and producer going back to his roots to trigger some nostalgia to all of us.
Major Lazer ft. J Balvin & El Alfa Que Calor
Mad Decent 7.0
The new song by Major Lazer gives a strong nod to the
HENRY FONG Rave Tool SKINK 8.0
LA-based luminary DJ/Producer Henry Fong created this bomb for the reputed label of Skink. This new song rattles with raw-energy and aggression from beginning to end. Presenting the frenzy atmosphere, and a somewhat funky tone, ‘Rave Tool’ has a jabbing presence, almost cartoon-ish with the melody hook presented by a whirring synth. With hints of 90’s hardcore embedded in the schematics, the drop segment proceeds with a radical alacrity. countries of origin of both guest stars, J Balvin and El Alfa. ‘Qué Calor’ samples the classic “Curara” from Colombian Toto La Momposina and adds rhythms from the Dominican Republic’s dembow scene. Latin vibes from Diplo and his friends.
Martin Garrix & Bonn Home
STMPD RCRDS 7.5
This is the third collaboration between young Martin Garrix and Bonn. It comes with a classy guitar accompanying Bonn’s exceptional performance with a rock’n’roll fashion. Garrix progressively adds some of his style, switching into a more EDM buildup. This slowness, based on pauses and breaks, is typical of many of his recent releases and works well for a song like this, aimed to the radio.
ARTY
Find You
Armada Music 8.5
A high-on-life summer anthem dreamscape filled with hands-
in-the-air action, ARTY’s ‘Find You’ channels the upbeat energy that dares you to live in the moment. Tailspinning piano chords lead supercharged drops that keep the crowd kinetic in this vibrant triumph. This is the soundtrack of festival memories made around the world.
Chico Rose ft. Afrojack
Sad
Spinnin’ Records 8.5
Rising star DJ/producer Chico Rose makes his Spinnin’ Records debut with the much anticipated new single ‘Sad’, featuring fellow Dutch phenomenon Afrojack in a shining role. The two artists go back for years already, and explore an exciting new path with this moody piece of vocal house music. It’s a record that brings various emotions, with its melancholic melodies, tasteful layers of synths and sentimental vocal lines alongside a cool, subtle but highly infectious future house groove.
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Further Listening
ROBERTO SURACE “Joys” Defected Records
SUMMER JOYS Throughout every Ibiza season there is a record that becomes the track of the summer and it seems that Defected Records is becoming a monopoly on this matter. Being played by Marco Carola, “Joys” by Roberto Surace gained recognition while a label battle started in order to sign it. Finally, Simon Dunmore platform ended wining and the song is out. This funny piece of music is as catchiest as it can be, something that explains why it has been topping the charts of different lists like Beatport and Shazam. With a cheerful sample taken from the 1986 funky song “The Finest” of The S.O.S. Band, the roman producer demonstrates his ability when it comes to sampling, delivering a hands-inthe-air moment every time the song comes out of the speakers, backed up by a percussive groove that has earned the song a lot of support from key players of the scene. Released in July, it has grown exponentially and stands firm in the race to be the song of the year. Another summer joy for Defected!
ROBERTO SURACE TALKS ON “JOYS” How did you end up signing the track in Defected? After producing it, I had ‘Joys’ as one of my most precious tracks but still without a label to sign it. My manager Luca Piccolo was the one who made the first contact with the labels. Luckily, we had several offers and in the end we signed with Defected. As a legendary house label, being part of its catalog made me very excited. After that, everything went like a snowball: it had enormous support from Marco Carola, a reference artist for me. Then, the DJs started to play it and the media began to notice it. Winning the DJ Awards as ‘Track of the Season’ was the climax of the history of this track.”
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How did you face its success? “Knowing that people like the music you produce is already a success. It is very comforting to see the positive feedback that your music receives from the public and also to see that DJs like and play it. It’s very satisfying! It gives me energy to continue with everything.” Why did you think of using that vocal sample? How was the production process? “I was at home this morning, I listened to the vocal and I couldn’t get it out of my head. I kept imagining the sound scheme of the track I was about to start producing. I produced it with a drum machine and a midi keyboard.”
Further Listening
808 State
Above & Beyond
Catnapp
808 State
Anjunadeep
Monkeytown Records
Transmission Suite
Flow State
8.5
8.0
Seventeen years on from their last release, pioneering duo 808 State have dropped a full album at a moment in time when full-on rave and early techno revivals are rinsing the underground scene. With other “legacy acts” of their time also making recent appearances and going back on tour, 808 State further cement the fact that there are still a few artists from this proto-era of club music with enduring music that still sounds relevant and fun today. That said, Graham Massey and Andrew Barker aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel with this album; instead of changing their aesthetic to match 2019 trends, they’ve focused on still immersing us in the hardware-led world of sonic futurism that’s defined the electronic music of postindustrial cities like Detroit, Berlin and Manchester, while staying relatively timeless.
Dominik Eulberg
Break
Mannigfaltig !K7 Records
8.5
Do not expect the fist-pumping beats or heartfelt lyrics fans may be used to. Beloved U.K. trance trio Above & Beyond’s latest album release is a reflective, ambient album specifically for use in meditation and yoga. You can no flow with Above & Beyond for some of the most relaxing 50 minutes you will have all week! As one might expect from an album with that purpose, it is chilled out ambient electronica all the way through. Introspective and soothing, it helps to unlock those moments of bliss and peace in a world where everything is flying one million miles an hour. ‘Flow State’ keeps electronic elements alive, with soft strings, floating pads and a piano flutter that can dance slow melodies.
9.0
Finally, the time has come to present Catnapp’s debut album on Monkeytown Records. “Break”, with seven own productions from the Argentinean producer, comes after the release of the “Fear EP”, published last year. The album captures the amazing energy of Catnapp’s live shows and focuses on its refined mixture of rap and heavy electronic beats. The now Berlin based, whose real name is Amparo Battaglia, challenged herself exploring more complex emotions and themes for this album which, in her own words, “is more than a collection of love songs”. “With so many things happening in our current world, I feel incomplete telling only love stories. I want to give people inspirational tools that work as fuel. Songs that can make one go from a bad and complicated situation to move forward with confidence.”
“For every number from one to twelve a native animal species could be found by name. This is how diverse -or even better- how manifold our nature is”, Dominik explains. “Mannigfaltig” was already a reality before Dominik even started with the music. “With a finished concept I already have a red thread in which direction I want to go, for instance that it has to beexactly twelve tracks long.” After eight years, Dominik returned to his favorite release format with a plea: let’s take care of the environment! With a concept that is present in all the songs of his new work, the artist wants us to become aware. The album is a personal approach where he manifested the positive vibrations that were perceived during his contemplative experiences in nature, through melodies. Lots of melodies and nature in this one!
RICHIE HAWTIN Close Combined
9.0 Legendary DJ and producer Richie Hawtin has released a new audiovisual album. The British-Canadian electronic artist shared the next step in his series of innovations related to his new concept: “CLOSE COMBINED (GLASGOW, LONDON, TOKYO - LIVE)”. This audiovisual album is presented with a vertical three-panel design that allows the viewer to obtain different perspectives of what some of their live shows were, with
footage from the crowd and others frames mounted on stage, in a video created by his visual collaborator Ali M. Demirel. The album features music by artists such as Charlotte de Witte, Edit Select and Kaiserdisco, and it comes in an audio version that features 15 songs and an audiovisual version that features 18 and can be viewed through his new CLOSER application. Always a step ahead!
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TECH NEWS
Words: MICK WILSON
SEVENTH HEAVEN
Technics is back with the latest in the 1210 series, the MK7
A
good few years ago it would have been unthinkable to even imagine yet alone write a news story about new Technics turntables, however the demise of vinyl never did fully materialise and the classic format is, according to some stats, in fact going from strength to strength. As a result, many DJ technology manufacturers continued or started to manufacture turntables in order to fill the gap that was left when Technics decided to bow out of the marketplace. In a strange turn of events when Technics confirmed the rumours back in 2016 that they were going to start manufacturing the SL1200/1210 again, the company CEO openly stated that it wasn’t a DJ turntable and the deck itself was priced way out of a normal DJ’s reach. This had us and many others confused, seeing that the 1200/1210 was always seen as a standard when it came to DJing.
heir to the original 1200/1210 variants. The pricing for the MK7 turntable, while still on the high side, is much more manageable than the price for 2016’s SL1200G remake, which was coming in at almost £3,000. The new MK7 has not been aimed at the obsessive turntable fanatic or audiophile user, but as the next generation turntable for vinyl or DVS DJs. Based around the original deck but with updated looks and features the new MK7 keeps true to the original but with modern innovations that should help it to stand out from what is currently doing the rounds. Saying that, Technics will have to really work it, as the likes of Reloop, Pioneer DJ, Denon DJ, and even newer companies like Mixars all have decks that have captured the hearts of DJs and turntable users. And with new technologies like Phase, it is going to be a tougher fight for Technics to just walk back in and claim the crown that they once held.
Technics then appeared to backtrack with this dismissive attitude and announced the release of the MK7, which hit the stores back in June. This time around, the new turntable is being marketed specifically for DJs and as the rightful
As part of their new-found appreciation for the culture who originally championed their decks, Technics have been putting on DJ workshops and showcases with the new unit. DJ Mag Tech popped along to one which was held in London
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back in July at Fabric. It saw a line-up of DJs across various genres hitting the new MK7 decks, demonstrating how they have been getting on with it since its launch. DJs included Low Steppa, Matt Jam Lamont, DJ Marky, Micky Finn and Prime Cuts of Scratch Perverts fame. The showcase was to celebrate dance music history as well as the 1210 turntable, taking in the rave scene of the late ’80s up until the present day with vinyl sets performed on the new deck. Now in a complete comeback moment, Technics have also announced that they are now, once again, one of the co-sponsors of the DMC turntablist championships, alongside Rane DJ and their Twelve controller. The new MK7 1210 Technics will be provided as an option at the World Finals, together with the Rane Twelve and the original turntables from the brand. Looks like Technics has fully embraced DJ culture once again and is hoping to jump in where it left off with the new MK7 turntable. Expect to see them also hitting up the likes of Red Bull 3Style and any other major mixing event where turntables are a big part of the proceedings. technics.com
TECH NEWS
AT A GLANCE NOVATION 49SL MKIII novationmusic.com
Build Quality
8.0
Ease Of Use
8.0
Features
9.0
Value For Money
8.0
Sound Quality HYPE
Words: MICK WILSON
A controller keyboard that can take centre stage in your studio or live setup.
KEY CONTROL
Innovation and tasty features await those who use Novation’s SL MKIII controller keyboards
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ovation have a great reputation in electronic dance music circles — each and every one of their products delivers a sterling performance and as a result they have managed to amass a huge army of fans, be it for their synths, controllers or software. We’ve been using their gear for many years and are equally as happy with what’s on offer from the company. We were recently sent one of their new keyboard controllers to test out — the 49SL MKIII, (it also comes in a 61-key version) which represents the third generation of their SL keyboard controller range (obviously), but what sets this apart from the previous models and a lot of controller keyboards on the market is the wealth of connection capabilities that Novation have installed in the new controller. It’s a move designed to make it more than just a handy keyboard for controlling your DAW, but something that can be installed as the centrepiece of your studio setup. Novation have recognised that there’s been a shift back to hardware formats and so the new SL range has addressed this by designing a controller that isn’t closed off to the number of connection setups that are currently part of the modern studio make-up. In terms of the connectivity the SL MKIII comes with standard MIDI DIN In, Out, and Thru, which also doubles up as Out 2. There are two channels of CV Gate and Mod, which is ideal for anyone using analogue or Eurorack systems and, in particular, ancient and rare gear that isn’t MIDI enabled. There is a clock out for syncing purposes
PRODUCER TIPS
Selective Response “Less is more. This is something that rings true for nearly every aspect of making music. While it’s simple in theory, it’s far too easy to overcomplicate everything we do when trying to present our best work. Some of the greatest records are often the simplest. “Learn to set and use limitations when making music. With so many different tools available at our disposal at any one time, it’s easy to get caught up and lost in the latest and greatest. By setting limits in regard to your tools, you’re then forcing yourself to be more creative by trying to do more with less.”
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and USB for connecting to your computer setup. Rounding off the connections at the back are three pedal inputs for sustain, expression and foot switch and the power input for the external power supply. The keyboard is not buspowered and has to be plugged in to use. The build of the keyboard is pretty good for an all-plastic affair — all the knobs, sliders, faders and buttons have a good feel to them. There are a few little things on the unit that we thought were well thought through, nothing essential but kind of cool. On the bottom of the controller there is an aqua green rubberised strip that runs around the base which replaces the normal four-point feet approach and the USB lead that comes with the keyboard is a fancy weaved variety instead of the bog-standard black plastic. You can tell we are easily pleased. The keybed of the controller has a decent feel to it — more synth-style than piano — and is semi-weighted with aftertouch. There are also five LED screens that sit on the top offering a good amount of visual feedback as to what parameters are being adjusted or are on display. In terms of added features, the SL MKIII comes with an adjustable arpeggiator and a built-in sequencer. This in itself really does open up the creative aspects of the keyboard and how it can be used with other connected gear. The keyboard can also be split into Zones so multiple instruments can be played at once and has Scale modes to help users who aren’t skilled
GRIPE
Plugin control is a little limited now that AutoMap feature is gone.
in the art of Novation has covered all keyboard playing. the bases here with the SL MKIII keyboard controller. Plug-and-play capability has also It does so much more than what we’ve been previously been given the ‘level used to from a keyboard up’ treatment, and controller. the SL MKIII comes with a number of templates that can be used to control various other hardware like Moog Sub37, Elektron’s Digitakt and Analog RYTM, DSI Prophet 6, Korg minilogue, and much more, and of course it makes for the perfect partner for Novation’s Circuit and Peak synths. As with most things these days it’s future-proofed and Novation state that additional pre-mapped templates will be made available, saying that studio boffs can easily create their own templates for their gear using the Components app, that’s like a software centre for the SL MKIII as well as other Novation synths. Templates and settings can be controlled from here and sent to the SL MKIII, further simplifying the process for users to go in and tinker behind the hood.
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Novation has looked around at the competition and instead of just coming up with a copy and tweaking a few existing features from their previous SL keyboards they have designed a controller that is capable of controlling every aspect of your current studio set-up.
MONITOR STATIONS
IK Multimedia has finally released their iLoud MTM reference monitors. These compact speakers are packed to the brim with technology to deliver a sound that engineers and producers can trust. The new compact monitor has been designed with nearfield monitoring applications in mind and is perfect for both professional and home studios. The iLoud MTM monitor offers an ultra-flat frequency and truly linear phase response. IK Multimedia state that it’s ‘a premiere feature in this price segment, available only on a handful of products costing considerably more’, which gives the MTM speaker ‘a natural, true-to-life sound’. IK Multimedia has plenty of DSP expertise, which they have incorporated into these compact speakers. They even include self-calibration ported from their ARC (Advanced Room Correction) System, so that users can easily adjust them to any room’s acoustics. The speakers also come with a tilting mount for correct positioning in a wide range of listening setups.
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TECH NEWS
Words: MICK WILSON
IS IT ART OR IS IT WERK? VONDA7 talks to DJ Mag Tech about her production process...
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ONDA7 — DJ, producer and label head hailing from Poland and now residing in Berlin — has managed to craft her own identity, while deliberately not being pigeon-holed into one specific genre. DJ Mag Tech paid a visit to her Berlin studio to find out more about her art and her work. Tell us about your first forays into music and production? “My first music adventure started with my younger brother at a very early age — we would always play some music-related games, like doing our own ‘mini playback show’, recording mixtapes and radio shows for our parents — I need to find those cassettes! I took some piano lessons and my dad bought us our first Casio keyboard — from then on we were hooked. We saved up and took a couple of summer jobs, just to get our first turntables and started collecting vinyl. “My taste has always been quite broad so I would buy everything from Mouse On Mars experimental stuff, melodic techno to more house-y Defected and Strictly Rhythm EPs, through Matthew Herbert and beyond. Then I would get quite upset when I couldn’t mix it in all together easily! “Sadly, I gave up on DJing when I went to study in London. I didn’t think I was good enough and at 92
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the time I probably wasn’t, but I still loved music, collected records and attended parties. When my brother moved to London, we reactivated the band and made some songs together. We had some shows and released an EP but we didn’t commit enough to the project to keep it going, but this time around I was not going to give up and so I decided to give it a go alone and went to study an electronic music production course at SAE in Amsterdam. I was the only girl in the class and at first I was more involved in vocal parts but I was determined to learn and become a full-on producer.” You’ve just finished a remix for Maya Jane Coles’ Nocturnal Sunshine project, tell us how you went about the mix? “Each remix is different but I usually choose the key elements that I like the most and work around them. I have been a huge fan of Maya and her work since I can remember, so I was very excited to remix her track. I’m really into heavy basslines, coming from my early love for hip-hop and those heavy [TR-]808 beats. So, the bassline of the track was a key element. I also really like chopped vocals, which can add into a groove or can be used as interesting sound design FX. I have been incorporating my own vocal into my beats recently as well, so it was great to do something similar here. I still love 808 and
909 drums but I am trying to experiment a bit more with other sounds too, so for example my own voice or field recordings I buy or record.” Is this generally how you work in the studio? “There isn’t really one way, it’s always a bit of an aesthetic thing. I usually build a beat and the bass first, but sometimes I have a day when I just jam and play some chords and melodies, and they make me want to work around them, or I write some lyrics and vocals for my library and suddenly I come up with something that really makes me go, like, ‘Yeah!’ and then I work around that.” You mentioned creating your own sound library, how do you go about this? “I recently have been recording my own sample packs using my voice or field recordings. I record takes from my [Elektron] Analog Rytm drum machine or drums from my synths. I also buy libraries which I later manipulate — pitch down and up, change tempo, add effects, chop it up, just having fun with the sound. But it’s only fun to me if I can find what I look for. I have built some decent libraries on my drum machine and on my computer over time and I label everything. It makes it easier for me to make a track later when I am in a creative mood. I need to work fast and I need to
TECH NEWS
know where things are, otherwise I get annoyed and lose my motivation to finish the track. I can feel when I have a day to be creative and there are days when nothing comes out and on those days, I do the sound admin stuff, which is crucial to me and makes my creative days so much more creative. When my beat is there, I record melodies or vocals live, based on how I feel that day.” Talk us through some of the equipment you’ve got in your studio? “I have a small but solid setup including my UAD Apollo Twin soundcard with amazing UAD plugins, [DSI] Prophet 6, Moog Little Phatty Stage II, Roland TB-03, Analog Rytm by Elektron and lots and lots of sample libraries, especially the organic sounds I mentioned. I buy a lot of hip-hop libraries too and change the sounds a bit to make it more VONDA7. I try to search for sounds and elements that have some texture to it. I like the unpolished sounds, a bit noisy, organic and always look for something that hasn’t been used in techno or house before.” You’ve recently released tracks on Sasha’s Last Night On Earth, Alan Fitzpatrick’s We Are The Brave, as well as your own label, art | werk. When you’re producing a track for a label, what are you thinking of achieving? “Hmm — you know when I was starting out I was definitely trying to fit into labels more but as you get more mature and confident in your abilities, this starts to feel a bit wrong. I don’t want to change myself so that other people will like me, it’s not going to be 100% me, it won’t feel authentic. So, I try not to make music for the labels. I make music coming from my mind and heart and then after something comes out I think of the labels that I know and will send it out to see if they connect with it. I don’t take it personally if they don’t — everyone has their own vision for their label and they may play some tracks as DJs but maybe they won’t necessarily fit the label direction right now — and that’s OK, I understand that! I am very happy that I started my own label art | werk last year too, this has taken a lot of pressure off me and it has given me a lot more artistic freedom, and full creative control over my music and my release schedule. I have the opportunity to build my own little home for me and for the artists that I think fit musically and personally — it’s the best feeling in the world. And I can still contribute to other labels when it fits but without compromising my sound.”
We’ve noticed a few videos on your social media channels where you are working with a selection of synths? [Laughs] “Yes, I love jamming on my Prophet-6, the sound and possibilities are unreal. We have been together for quite some time and I still cannot get enough of it. If I’m working on a simple melodic element then sometimes I use virtual synths. I use U-he Diva sometimes, but for more complex melodies — live takes — I prefer to use my hardware synths and incorporate some human element and movement into a recording. Virtual synths can be OK but it’s not the same, it’s like walking in flip-flops on the sand — I need that real feeling.”
VONDA7’S ESSENTIAL KIT 01. Sequential Prophet 6 02. Moog Little Phatty 03. Roland Aira TB-3 04. Roland Aira VT-3 05. Elektron Analog Rytm 06. UAD Apollo Twin 07. Shure SM58 Microphone 08. Neumann KH120A Moniors djmagasia.com
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EVENT CALENDAR 2019 FROM OCTOBER TO DECEMBER
The complete guide to winter music festivals & concerts in Asia! Words: ARIEL JO
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ike how winter snow transforms your mundane life into epic sceneries, music events change our life and allow us to make the best memories. Myriads of festivals and events are in store to heat up the dance floors in Asia this winter. From ESCAPE: PSYCHO CIRCUS landing for the first time in Korea to ISY MUSIC FESTIVAL, CHINA, home of idyllic beaches and rainforests, check out the exciting events taking place in Asia this season.
October [FESTIVAL]
WATERZONIC THAILAND WHERE? Show DC Arena Rama 9, Bangkok, Thailand WHEN? October 4th – 5th HOW MUCH? 3,333 – 4,800 THB HIGHLIGHTS: Waterzonic returns in 2019, once again as a 2-day festival. The unique festival is a fusion of EDM music festival with massive production and Songkran-inspired water play event. The confirmed lineup features Excision, Boombox Cartel, MAKJ, Yultron and Nicky Romero. waterzonic.com
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ZOMBOY IN JAPAN WHERE? Club ageHa, Tokyo, Japan WHEN? October 19th HOW MUCH? 3,000 JPY HIGHLIGHTS: UK producer and DJ Zomboy, one of the biggest names in bass, is coming to Tokyo, Japan. He has gone from strength to strength over the past few years and he will show you the power of bass music. zomboyofficial.com
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ESCAPE: PSYCHO CIRCUS KOREA WHERE? Seoul Grand Park, Gwacheon, Korea WHEN? October 25th – 26th HOW MUCH? 99,000 – 300,000 KRW HIGHLIGHTS: The Korean edition of Escape: Psycho Circus will be bringing dance music fans in Asia the first taste of this Halloween-themed event. Marshmello, Seven Lions, Slushii, Galantis and Jauz have been released as the first line-up. escapehalloween.com
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November [FESTIVAL]
IT’S THE SHIP SINGAPORE [FESTIVAL]
SHI FU MIZ FESTIVAL HONG KONG WHERE? Sai Yuen Farm, Cheung Chau Island, Hong Kong WHEN? October 26th – 27th HOW MUCH? 508 – 932 HKD HIGHLIGHTS: A music, art, and wellness revelry all rolled into one, Shiz Fu Miz is back with a new lineup and new venue on Cheung Chau. Experience the best underground electronic throughout the two-day fest and dive into the almost ridiculous amount of activities including yoga, gong bath meditation, drumming and silent disco. www.shifumiz.com
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ALAN WALKER AVIATION TOUR IN CHINA WHERE? Chengdu, Pudong Xinqu, Foshan, China WHEN? October 27th – November 2nd HOW MUCH? Various Prices HIGHLIGHTS: Norwegian artist, DJ and producer Alan Walker is returning to China with his “Aviation Tour” and is set to perform at HUAXI LIVE•528 M Space on October 27th. Besides Chengdu, Alan Walker will also be performing in Shanghai on Oct. 29th at MercedesBenz Arena and Foshan on Nov. 2nd at Foshan International Sports and Culture Center. alanwalker.no
WHERE? Marina Bay Cruise Centre, Singapore WHEN? November 13th – 15th HOW MUCH? 709 – 5,108 USD HIGHLIGHTS: Asia’s Largest Festival at Sea, IT’S THE SHIP, turns 6 this year! Ben Nicky, Darren Styles, Nervo, Ookay, Quintino and What So Not is here with their electrifying performances. Have your own experience of a lifetime at sea! www.itstheship.com
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URBANSCAPE MALAYSIA WHERE? Sentul Depot, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia WHEN? November 22nd – 24th HOW MUCH? 199 – 219 MYR HIGHLIGHTS: Time to groove those moves, KL! Urbanscapes returns this November with two bangin’ nights you don’t want to miss! Stellar lineup featuring Cuco, Sunset Rollercoaster, The Drums and Boy Pablo has been announced. urbanscapes.com.my
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CLOCKENFLAP HONG KONG WHERE? Central Harbourfront Event Space, Central, Hong Kong WHEN? November 22nd - 24th HOW MUCH? 570 – 1,640 HKD HIGHLIGHTS: Hong Kong’s premier music and arts festival returns for its 12th year! The massive three-day music and arts fest’s initial lineup includes controversial rapper Lil Pump, electropop sensation Halsey, and British indie giants Mumford and Sons. www.clockenflap.com
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[FESTIVAL]
NEON LIGHTS SINGAPORE WHERE? Fort Canning Park, Singapore WHEN? November 23rd - 24th HOW MUCH? 30 – 138 SGD HIGHLIGHTS: Singapore’s premier outdoor music and arts festival Neon Lights is back with yet another stellar line-up of music’s biggest and most eminent acts across two nights! Mumford & Sons, Harlsey, Honne, Mura Masa and Nick Murphy will be waiting for you. www.neonlights.sg
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EDC GUANGDONG CHINA WHERE? Chimelong International Ocean Tourism Resort, China WHEN? November 23rd - 24th HOW MUCH? 950 – 1,580 CNY HIGHLIGHTS: Electric Daisy Carnival is coming back to Guangdong! Across the weekend, there will be performances by Marshmello, Tiësto, San Holo, Alison Wonderland and even an exclusive B2B set by 2 is 1, which is made up of Timmy Trumpet and W&W. guangdong.electricdaisycarnival.com
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DON’T LET DADDY KNOW MYANMAR WHERE? The One Entertainment Park, Yangon, Myanmar WHEN? November 29th – 30th HOW MUCH? TBA HIGHLIGHTS: One of the world’s biggest international festival brands Don’t Let Daddy Know is returning to Myanmar for the second year with a massive weekender! Join on this rollercoaster ride that brings you the most epic way of clubbing that has no parallel. dldk.com
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December [FESTIVAL]
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WHERE? The fields at Siam Country Club, Pattaya, Thailand WHEN? December 12th – 16th HOW MUCH? 3,700 – 9,600 THB HIGHLIGHTS: Now in its sixth year, Wonderfruit returns to Thailand once again for another unforgettable journey of musical and artistic discovery in the gorgeous Thai countryside. The first wave of lineup includes Floating Points, Sonja Moonear and Craig Richards. wonderfruit.co
WHERE? Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam WHEN? December 27th – January 7th HOW MUCH? 1,510,000 – 6,655,000 VND HIGHLIGHTS: Epizode Music and Art Festival returns for a much-anticipated fourth edition. Line-up includes even more of the world’s greatest musicians and selectors, including Carl Craig, Jamie Jones and Nastia. epizode.com
WONDERFRUIT FESTIVAL THAILAND
EPIZODE VIETNAM
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DJAKARTA WAREHOUSE PROJECT INDONESIA WHERE? Jiexpo Kemayoran, Jakarta, Indonesia WHEN? December 13th – 15th HOW MUCH? 1,460,000 – 3,000,000 IDR HIGHLIGHTS: This year marks the 11th edition of DWP, which has, over the years, grown to be one of the largest dance music festivals in Asia. An impressive line-up including Martin Garrix, Axwell Λ Ingrosso, Nicky Romero and Zedd awaits you in Djakarta. www.djakartawarehouse.com
ISY MUSIC FESTIVAL CHINA WHERE? Sanyachen, Hainan, China WHEN? December 31st – January 2nd HOW MUCH? TBA HIGHLIGHTS: Home to idyllic beaches and rainforests, ISY Music Festival welcomes ravers from far and wide to share their passion for EDM. Armin van Buuren, R3hab, KSHMR and more are already confirmed for the line-up. www.isymusicfestival.com
[FESTIVAL]
SUNBURN FESTIVAL INDIA WHERE? Vagator Beach, Goa, India WHEN? December 27th – 29th HOW MUCH? TBA HIGHLIGHTS: In what seems to be a massive piece of announcement, Sunburn will head to Goa this December, for the flagship event. Recent lineups have included dance royalty such as Martin Garrix, Afrojack, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike and many more. sunburn.in
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Words: ARIEL JO, KEVIN KANG
JAUZ Sam Vogel, better known for his moniker Jauz, is a DJ/producer based in Los Angeles who stays true to his motto “music has no boundaries” through his eclectic category of music. His sounds range from chill trap and future garage to dubstep and bassheavy bangers, captivating the hearts of the dance community. Alongside performing at some of the hottest events around the world, the artist has collaborated with the likes of Diplo, Zeds Dead, Tiësto, DJ Snake and more. DJ Mag Asia sat down with Jauz, who recently dropped ‘Movin’, an explosive new single from the young artist which is destined to be an ultimate peak-time weapon. ‘Movin’ includes a sample from Fargetta’s 1993 track, ‘The Music is Moving’ and it is out now via Bite This!
THE TRACK THAT REMINDS YOU OF YOUR CHILDHOOD?
“Linkin Park, ‘A Place For My Head’. Honestly, it could have been any Linkin Park song from ‘Hybrid Theory’ or ‘Meteora’, but that song specifically I have so many memories of running around in my backyard, skateboarding, playing videos games to. Always makes me think of being 12 or 13 years old.” THE FIRST RECORD THAT YOU EVER BOUGHT?
“‘No Strings Attached’ from N’SYNC. I think I was about 8 years old and I remember waking up the day it came out and running to the closest Tower Records to my house, and they only had one copy left. I was the biggest N’SYNC fan when I was a kid. It was always my dream to be the next JT.” WHAT DO YOU LISTEN TO THAT ISN’T DANCE MUSIC?
“Rock, metal, punk... Everything from Metallica to Sum 41 to Bring Me The Horizon and back. I grew up as a metal kid in my teenage years, which is why I started playing guitar and eventually what led me to making dance music.”
WHAT’S AN ALBUM (OR ARTIST) THAT YOU’RE CURRENTLY INTO?
“I just recently listened to the new Post Malone record all the way through and, even though I normally am not a huge fan of pop music, I really loved it. There’s so much cool stuff he did on that album, it’s not just a collection of ‘typical’ Post songs. It’s really fun to listen to as someone who produces music and think about how and why they made some of the songs the way they did.” THE RECORD IN YOUR COLLECTION THAT YOU MOST TREASURE?
“‘Ride The Lightning’ from Metallica. They are the reason I play guitar and am who I am today as a musician, and I’ve probably listened to ‘Ride The Lightning’ all the way through thousands of times. I used to be able to play every single song from that album on guitar, one after another, all the way through without stopping.” YOUR ALL-TIME FAVORITE TRACK OF ALL TIME?
THE TRACK THAT’S GUARANTEED TO MAKE YOU CRY?
“Ed Sheeran – ‘Perfect’. It was the ‘First Dance song’ at Joann and I’s wedding, and I had actually never heard the song before she played it for me and suggested it as our first dance. Now every time I hear it I remember that day and it’s really hard not to shed at least one happy tear!” 98
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“Linkin Park – ‘In The End’. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that song, probably in the tens of thousands, and I’m still not sick of it when it comes on. I still sing every single word. And so does everyone, all across the planet. It’s not their heaviest or poppiest song, and even if it isn’t in my opinion their best song, it’s still my favorite. It can’t be beaten.”