DJ Mag Brasil - Edição Especial ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event) by DJ Mag Brasil

DJ Mag Brasil Rua Visconde de Pirajá 156 / sala 1009 Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brasil, 22410-000 +55 21 25127019

DIRECTORY Project Leader BAN Internacional Director Nicolás Barlaro Internacional Editor Hernán Pandelo - hernanp@djmagla.com General Director Ricardo Carvalho - ricardo@djmagbr.com

In the 80’s, when dance music consolidated itself in its clubber form, it was more than just music to dance to. It was the representation of the strength of all young people who looked towards the future. The future then came, we ended up getting stronger than ever and our music not only ceased to be only a youth thing but became a world product. Reading the news in Brazil today means facing a multitude of questions about the future of our politics. Much has been said in the last few years about all this, and little by little, us who breathe nightlife take these scars for ourselves, but just like decades ago, our best way to protest is stronger than ever: dancing. We continue to have fun in the midst of this thanks to the incredible professionals of our industry and, encouraged by the moment of great cultural outpouring we are going through, it is with satisfaction that we can say: ADE, we have arrived! And we came dancing. We are building the roots of DJ Mag Brasil in this incredible event and we have to thank this team, friends, colleagues and collaborators for all the efforts. See you on the dancefloor!

RODRIGO AIRAF Editor - DJ Mag Brasil

Financial Officer Arnaldo de Merian - arnaldo@djmagbr.com Chief Operating Officer Luiza Pagliarini - luiza@djmagbr.com Publisher Rodrigo Vieira - rodrigovieira@djmagbr.com

EDITORIAL STAFF Editor Rodrigo Airaf - rodrigoairaf@djmagbr.com Correspondant Pedro Nonato - pnonato@djmagbr.com Editorial assistant Ana Cavalcante - analuiza@djmagbr.com

MANAGEMENT Commercial Media Manager Claudia Campà - claudia@djmagbr.com Financial assistant Clarissa Crisóstomo - clarissa@djmagbr.com Marketing assistant João Manoel - joaomanoel@djmagbr.com

DESIGN Director Alejandro Ramos aleramos@djmagla.com Design María Laura Sánchez marialaura@djmagla.com Layout Sergio Aguirre

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CONTENTS 40

FEATURES BRAZIL IS BOILING

What’s been going on in each of Brazil’s five regions?

GETTING TO KNOW DOM MUSIC

The resident and mastermind behind crazy label parties in Rio de Janeiro.

SOS BAD TRIP

Harm Reduction in Brazil

VINTAGE IS THE NEW BLACK

The fruitful success of one of Brazil’s most beloved DJ stars.

BRASIL MUSIC CONFERENCE

Latin America’s largest electronic music conference takes one step further.

COMIN’ UP

11 22 18

Vinne

The meteoric rise of JetLag The electronic funk of João Brasil

10 11

A tale of two cities

Beehive Club

Green Valley World Tour

Brazilian exports

Laroc Club celebrates its twoyear anniversary

Rio Dream Weekend

ON THE FLOOR 45

Rock in Rio

Awakenings Festival

Tomorrowland

Subtropikal

13 45

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COMIN’ UP

VINNE 2017 is his year! “It takes time to realize that a lot of people like what I do.”

ince the Brazilian from Brasilia VINNE appeared on the national scene, the word “bass” has never been the same again. The hits “Bring It Back,” “Rock U” and the giant hit that “Steady As She Goes” became were responsible for a meteoric rise that brought the under-20-year-old prodigy to amazing performances across the country. “This year I realized that I have matured, both my person and my music and it is very cool to always express a different emotion for those who hear - of course, always keeping the ‘weight’ of the bass I love so much!” VINNE tells DjMag. His latest release “Tell Me” proves that the young man is not willing to stop so soon. About his creation process, he explains how this recipe that blends talent and luck gives results: “Last year I started the idea of a totally different song, with a female vocal and more melody, but I ended up leaving the project unfinished for a long time. By the end of the year, moving on the old projects, I ended up falling on this one. I accidentally switched the vocals and it was amazing how it fit the instrumental part I had already done. I just had to finish it!” The contract with Sony Music for the release of the track denotes the rare maturity of the young producer, who understands that reinventing himself is the greatest skill of those who love and make music in 2017: “For each track, I consider the same change, a continuous maturation. It’s like I take everything I’ve learned on the previous tracks and put it in the current one,” he says. “To get to ‘Tell Me’ I had the inspiration of the current tracks with a post-G-House rhythm, so to speak [he laughs]!” Asked about his favorite song, the creator does not hesitate: “every new track I feel like I’m getting over and over, but I have a huge affection for ‘Rock U’, which was the track that opened the door to this crazy world” [he laughs]. n 8

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By BRUNA CALEGARI

WE LISTED 5 REASONS THAT MAKE VINNE A NEW SENSATION FOR 2017: // A solid career, despite his age: One of his tracks got to be 4 months in the top 10 of Indie Dance and Nu Disco of Beatport. // International support: Kaskade, EDX, Croatia Squad, Nervo, CID, Fedde Le Grand, SNBRN, MAKJ, Felix Jahen, Nora en Pure, Lost Frequencies and Kolombo are some of the big names that play Vinne tracks. // Performance at major festivals and clubs: Universo Paralello, Ultra Brasil, Villa Mix, Green Valley ... VINNE also made a participation in the Alok’s tent in Tomorrowland Brasil. // Online Presence: His Spotify songs already collect more than 2 million plays. His SoundCloud has more than 37,000 followers. VINNE is also responsible for the viral hashtag “MeuBASSdoCéu”. // Unique productions: A well-balanced mix of Brazilian Bass with electro timbres that conquered the Brazilian public.

COMIN’ UP

THE METEORIC RISE OF JETLAG They went from being residents at Brazil’s top clubs to headlining major world festivals. By ANA CAVALCANTE - Photo: LEONARDO MIGDALESKI

he term “jetlag” refers to a condition which results from alterations to the body’s circadian rhythms that may cause changes in the way an organism works. An individual’s organism is accustomed to light-dark changes caused by the earth’s rotation, and when a person travels by plane across different time zones, the day goes faster and the feeling of jetlag ensues. Travelling around: that is precisely the feeling that JetLag Music project is causing on the best dancefloors in Brazil and around the world. Through their music, energy and stage presence, DJs Thiago Mansur and Paulo Velloso get the audience to lose track of time and feel a sense of euphoria. The two lads launched the project five years ago, and their career took an upward turn in 2016 after releasing the official remix of the song “Oração” (by Banda Mais Bonita da Cidade) together with Léo Fressato and, in early 2017, Ana Vilella’s track “Trem Bala.” In March this year, they released the track “Uma Noite e 1/2” featuring exclusive vocals by singer Thaeme, in replacement of Marina Lima. JetLag’s signature traits in this remix continue to be a captivating groove and rhythmic bass sounds. The duo’s presence in the nightlife is evident, with performances in 7 out of DJ Mag’s 10 top clubs and in major e-music events and festivals around the world, such as Tomorrowland (Belgium), All Gone To Sea (Miami), Future Sound (Chicago), Marquee (New York), Dream Valley Festival (Brazil), Green Valley (Brazil) and Posh Club (Brazil). Recently, the two DJs were invited to participate in the song “Meu Melhor Lugar” as part of a ten-year project by famous Brazilian country duo Fernando & Sorocaba. The song, which also features singer Luan Santana, blends electronic, pop and sertanejo genres.

With all of this in store, are you ready to feel the musical jetlag this duo provokes? n

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COMIN’ UP

THE ELECTRONIC FUNK OF JOÃO BRASIL Responsible for bringing Brazilian hits to festivals around the world, the Rio de Janeiro producer is now launching his most electronic work,”#Naite”.

o John Lennon and Carioca Funk match? And Dorival Caymmi with Jay-Z? Imagine now the Black Sabbath riffs rocking Bonde do Tigrão’s Leandrinho’s voice... It was like this, transforming improbable musical styles into fun songs that João Brasil left his imprint on the dancefloors. From John Coltrane to Sepultura, Diplo to Hermeto Pascoal, Tom Jobim, Mr. Catra and Michael Jackson, João’s multiple references explain versatility in the studio. No wonder João was the DJ responsible for opening Rio 2016 Paralympic Games in Maracanã. He and Tiësto were the only DJs in history to have the privilege of playing in an Olympic opening ceremony, not to mention that for four consecutive years, João commanded the soundtrack of the fireworks from one of the world’s most famous réveillons, of Copacabana - which requires great musical research and accurate mixing. Consistency is not lacking: graduated from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, specialized in music production in England, he became a kind of ambassador of Brazilian popular rhythms in Europe. His irreverent personality has transformed the way people have fun in clubs, adding captivating and funny verses that people can sing to, which end up in the cases of DJs like Steve Aoki and Hardwell - the latter ended Ultra Music Festival Brazil 2016 with “Michael Douglas”, a track that generated the famous hashtag #nuncamaiseuvoudormir (translation: #iwillneversleepagain) and that reaffirmed João Brazil among one of the biggest hitmakers of the country. João’s first hit, however, happened a decade ago. “Baranga” is part of his debut album released by Som Livre, “8 Hits”, and not only became the theme of TV shows as it opened the door to a succession of hits launched by the Rio producer from then. About one of them “L.O.V.E. Banana”, with the vocalist of the band CSS, released by German record company Man Records - is believed to have been plagiarized by none other than Madonna. After that, he launched “Moleque Transante” with his project Rio Shock, a hit in the clubs that went to the prime time of Brazilian television: the soap 10

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opera of the Brazilian broadcast network Globo! He had never imagined that he would achieve such great success and that he would be one of the main DJs responsible for bringing funk and electronic music to the world when, in the early 2000s, he produced alternative parties in Rio de Janeiro. Part of it was that at that time João, who was already a disco at his successful parties, had not yet thought of producing electronic music: “I started to play my own songs to build different sets and copywriting, leave my imprint on the dance floor, I wanted to be one of a kind”. It was the beginning of his adventures in the world of mashups. He started mixing Hot Chip with Luiz Caldas ... “A lot of indie music used to be played at parties and sometimes it was kind of tedious. When I played that one, I saw people moving in the dance floor in an uncontrolled way. A lot of people loved it and a lot of people hated it too, but everybody was dancing. The discomfort of listening to totally different styles in the club in the same song caused a musical anarchy in the crowd”, explains João. It was clear that his greatest gift would be to accurately sew these “musical antagonisms” and imprint his vision of the most unusual daily facts in a tone of irreverence. “As a DJ, I started producing songs that I could play at clubs around the world. Of course, not everything was well accepted. The English people had difficulty assimilating our Brazilian style, so I decided to make some mixes that dialogued with them, and gave a great result on the dance floor.” They gave so much result that, from his 365 Mashups project, where he did a mashup a day for a year, João saw his name on newspapers like The Guardian and in the mouth of artists like Fatboy Slim, who called him a “magician” and “the best mashup DJ in Brazil”. All this paved the way for him to explore his more electronic face in the newly released #Naite, with four previously unreleased tracks presented at the Rock in Rio festival. “I produced the EP thinking of the dance floors. The track ‘Latinha’, in partnership with Brazza Squad, is a bass house with funk vocals of funk and ended up becoming a ‘low funk’. It’s club music, crazy people, everyone

jumping, follows the nonsense and surrealist logic of carnival songs,” says João. The funkelectronic mark has never been so present as in this new work, which also features a funk 150BPM track, an ode to Youtubers and an unprecedented collaboration with Dennis DJ, one of the biggest DJs in the country. The flirtation with electronic music seems enduring, but João does not want to leave his trademark aside: he already has a song with the great singer Marina Lima and other unusual partnerships ahead ... meanwhile, he invests in a tour full of bass house and funk, presenting his new album for the electronic dance floors of Brazil and the world. n By GABRIELA LOSCHI Photo FERNANDO SCHLAEPFER

COMIN’ UP

A TALE OF TWO CITIES How the partnership that transformed Dekmantel São Paulo into a watershed in the Brazilian underground scene happened.

eyond the coastal limits of the Amsterdam docks, in a place that coincidentally a mural of the Brazilian artist Kobra with the well-known face of Anne Frank receives us, ADE decided to locate many of its most experimental activities in 2016. Among them, a camping site for those willing to face the city’s wind energy, as well as its University, a space dedicated to lectures and debates on the most varied and essential subjects related to the development of the global scene. Among one of the exemplary cases was what gave rise to the São Paulo version of the longstanding Dutch festival Dekmantel. The dialogue between Caio Taborda and Thomas Martojo was filled with promises and compliments, which foreshadowed the tone of what would be said about his relationship with the specialized press in the coming months. After a successful showcase of the Dutch brand in Praça das Artes, originated in the mutual appreciation between music groups that had so much in common, the conversations about the first foreign edition of the celebrated festival strengthened until culminating in what became the Dekmantel São Paulo Festival headquartered in the Jockey Club. Even in February 2017, probably none of those involved even imagined that this would be the effect of that partnership project that had been considered exactly a year ago.

The history of the transoceanic union has already become well known and today is part of the mythology of nightlife in São Paulo, as well as the list of successful contracts carried out by the nuclei of Amsterdam in the city. And here are grouped names as diverse as the legendary group of Eevo-Lute and DJax, who were the first to establish this connection in the mid-90s, through tours of their artists encouraged by the pioneering group that turned around the semifinals Hell’s Club and Sound Factory; followed by a variety of names including Tiesto; the shop/record Rush Hour; Armin Van Buuren and his Armada Records; the former Trouw club; the beginners DGTL and Apenkooi; in addition to the eclectic crowd that joined the members of Gop Tun. However, what ultimately distinguished this joint venture amidst such solid attempts of varied success was the consistency of the results coupled with the extreme aesthetic affinity they hold among themselves. The intense passion for music of the most varied genres and origins, as well as the sense of mission involved in its dissemination have always guided both in all their efforts. These elements were central to the success they achieved because they guided the actions and directions taken together. This allows them to take the risk of challenging a complex and diverse audience like the Brazilian one with avant-garde sounds, whether old or contemporary, and offer high-power experiences of permanence in the people’s imagination. However, it is not just a matter of compatibility and shared dreams that brings to reality something so successful in the short time it had

to consolidate and mature. The combination of assets and mutual trust are fundamental for a relationship to be fruitful and in this case, it is exactly what sustained the longevity of commitments and reciprocity between them. And this agglutinating element may seem superfluous to those who do not pay attention to its crucial place in establishing any kind of partnership, even more so to one involving poles distanced by an ocean and involving diverse commercial and cultural realities. The constancy of their projects led the members of Gop Tun back to the Netherlands to participate in the original festival exactly two years after they first visited the festival that inspired their attempts - as well as to Croatia, in order to compose the select team that formed the minifestival Selectors, part of the extended family of events of the Dutch nucleus. In addition, it is through this prism that one sees how everything has extended beyond Brazilian adventures abroad, to additional initiatives that will not only make Dekmantel Sound System and artists affiliated with its stamp, its philosophy and aesthetics, return to the capital of São Paulo, but also to Rio de Janeiro, in a tour in South America between September and October of this year. Not to mention Dekmantel Festival São Paulo itself with second edition confirmed to March 2018. Many things are yet to be materialized by this partnership, including events, releases, announcements and exchanges, but always designed by an unbreakable passion for obscure rhythms and arcane musicalities, as well as a solid vision of the future that diversity can create. n

By FRANCISCO CORNEJO Photo YANNICK VAN DE WIJNGAERT

COMIN’ UP

THE TASTE OF HONEY How Beehive has become one of the main references in clubbing in the Brazilian scenario.

art of the magic of the underground involves the idea that it can flourish in seemingly improbable places. You put together people with common passions and goals, you run after the resources to make those goals a reality and voilà, the seed has been planted. Years later, as you look back, you find yourself among one of the protagonists of an increasingly fruitful movement. Something like that is what happened in the city of Passo Fundo, which houses about 200 thousand inhabitants in southern Brazil, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Currently based in a mill that has been preserved since the 1930s, Beehive spreads the electronic music culture to a loyal audience. With notable frequency for a club located in the countryside, national and international artists of various calibers narrate their sonic journeys before an audience eager for good music just as bees are eager for pollen. We decided to talk to Guilherme Carrão, one of the people in charge of the club, to better understand how this musical beehive has been strengthening itself until this year’s 11th anniversary. Why an old mill? How did this place give you that eureka moment to become a club? At the beginning, Beehive was located in a building with a 500-people capacity. After two years of activity, we identified the need to expand this capacity. The part of the old windmill and the architectural proposal that it presented to the club were not the main reason for the change, but without doubt it was decisive for the choice among the options that we had. With so many years of existence, it is fair to say that Beehive had many unforgettable moments on the dance floor. Which are the ones you remember most? Each moment is unique within the club’s evolution throughout history. At the old site 12

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we received deadmau5, plus a fantastic 1 year anniversary with Gui Boratto. The night that we moved to the current location can be on that list for all it represented for the club’s history and also for the way it happened. We had little time and some difficulties during the transition and we ended up getting the licensing only in the week prior to the event. Then we started to receive great artists with greater frequency and each of them had their special moment with the club. The audience from Rio Grande do Sul is very receptive and naturally builds together with Beehive this connection between club and artists. We can remember the night with Damian Lazarus and Subb-an. The night with Guy Gerber comes to mind because his performance, which was scheduled for Christmas 2014, was postponed to November of the following year and generated much anticipation for us and for the public. On the 9th birthday there was a great moment on the Hija dance floor, where we gathered the audience after normal closing hours of the event and kept going for a few more hours with Doctor Dru, Leo Janeiro, Adnan Sharif and Lookalike sharing the small cabin for the remaining customers. These and other good memories shaped the history of the club and we take each of them very affectionately with us. Is it always a risk to bring such great artists as Carola, Troxler, and many others? Artists of this size will always represent a risk due to the difficulties imposed by the market itself. The fact that Passo Fundo is far from the great urban centers of the country makes logistics very difficult in terms of the amount of time to travel and the expenses the club may have to face. The lack of visibility given the geographical location also makes investments by sponsors and potential partners difficult, making the hiring of big names trickier in general.

How do you keep the balance between pleasing the audience, presenting incredible line-ups, and respecting the underground culture of the state? We have long been engaged in raising public awareness about the culture of electronic music through radio programs, sports events and, more recently, through printed guides where we publish the club’s program, hold interviews with the upcoming attractions, show some curiosities, etc. It is important to demystify the world of electronic music for both the loyal public and the public that is renewed every semester in the more than 7 colleges located in the city. What days are Hija days? Hija is Beehive’s second dance floor. Sporadically, we work on other projects using only this space. They usually happen once or twice a month, depending on Beehive’s own program. What are the key aspects among the partners that allowed Beehive to get so far? The main aspects are unity, respect and focus. It is natural for people to think differently. When these almost rare divergences of opinions occur, it is the unity and respect that will turn them into a productive debate. n By RODRIGO AIRAF - Photo CASSIANO VARGAS

COMIN’ UP

Words: FRANCISCO CORNEJO

GREEN VALLEY

WORLD TOUR MAKES HISTORY IN ASIA AND EUROPE The travelling event drew in clubbers around the world. By SANDRO PAIM & RAFAEL ALMEIDA

o replicate somewhat the experience of those who have partied within Green Valley’s walls in venues across the world: such is the mission of Green Valley World Tour, which in the last few months has reached both the European and Asian continents with two editions in China, one in Japan and one in Portugal. The exciting party atmosphere permeated major nightclubs such as ageHa in Tokyo, SOS Club in Hangzhou, Fusion club in Shanghai and idyllic LICK Club in Algarve. Green Valley is consolidating day by day as one of the most steadfast e-music venues in Brazil and in the world. Besides being the winner of this magazine’s Top 100 Clubs poll for two consecutive years, 2017 marks the club’s

10th anniversary, with a slew of bookings to celebrate the special day. Also, driven by its long-standing success, the club has taken its tent structure and casual atmosphere to various destinations by embarking on the Green Valley World Tour. Renowned DJs were part of the line-up booked by Green Valley, such as veteran DJ Rodrigo Vieira, a resident at the club and a staple presence on all the brand’s international tours. A long way from Southern Brazil, ravers from the country are always in attendance, as the event gives them the chance to experience the well-known electrifying nights of the club located in Balneário Camboriú, Brazil, in another continent. Yet it’s not only

tourists that make up the crowd – the mix of nationalities is really interesting. Even better than that is seeing all those people grooving to the same music in an event hosted by GV. “Our goal with the Green Valley world tour is to bring some of the experience our brand provides in Brazil to an international audience, with the most loyal replication in the overseas club or venue. We want to make foreign crowds interested in visiting Brazil and Green Valley,” says Portugal-born António Afonso, Green Valley international director. To bring the event to life, all the details are checked in advance: decorative elements, the prominent, back-lit butterfly in the DJ booth, djmagbr.com

COMIN’ UP

exclusively-produced visuals on the LED screens, as well as the sounds by the house heroes. More details of the interview with Afonso are included below. HOW ARE THE LOCATIONS SELECTED FOR THE GREEN VALLEY WORLD TOUR STOPS?

The choice of location is dictated by marketspecific needs. In the case of Asia, where the whole dance music phenomenon is virtually in its infancy, and more specifically in the mainstream scene, clubs are very well equipped and this makes our delivery much easier. Yet, at the same time, they lack content, as their market is still developing. In 2015 we took part in ADE as guests with the title of the World’s No.1 club to talk about “the Green Valley experience and the team behind it.” We had a lot of meetings as a result of this invitation, with clubs showing interest in embracing our brand. We gave preference to those clubs that are highly representative of their country and that offered us the most guarantees of their professional standards, in order to put on an event worthy of our brand. ASIA IS GOING THROUGH A CURIOUS MOMENT IN THE ELECTRONIC MUSIC SCENE. WHAT WAS IT LIKE OVER THERE?

The Asian calendar is the “kick off” of the 2017 tour, because we wanted to focus on a location where the market is on the boil, and also because of the different flavour that results 14

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from the huge cultural differences. Besides, year after year Asia is gaining relevance in the international market, and electronic music is increasing its fan base. The fact that more and more clubs are being selected in DJ Mag’s Top 100 Clubs poll is a clear proof of the market’s investment in this specific segment. BRAZILIANS ARE A STAPLE PRESENCE IN THESE EVENTS. WHAT ABOUT GRINGOS?

International crowds are very enthusiastic about the Green Valley World Tour nights. It’s

interesting to see how this also makes them want to visit the club in Brazil. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT ANY UPCOMING PLANS?

The tour will touch down in other countries in Asia and Oceania this year. The world tour will continue, following our 10-year anniversary celebration, and we’ll try to reveal the upcoming dates as soon as possible. The next stop of the tour hasn’t been set yet. One thing is true: there will be lots going on. n

COMIN’ UP

A QUICK Q&A WITH BRAZILIAN EXPORTS By ANA CAVALCANTE & RODRIGO AIRAF

LEO JANEIRO

ANDRE SALATA GENRE: Techno, Tech House BASED IN: São Paulo FAVOURITE CITY IN THE WORLD TO PERFORM: Berlin. The city exudes electronic music 24x7. PLACES WHERE YOU’VE PERFORMED OUTSIDE BRAZIL: On my last tour I played in London, Berlin and Geneva. FAVOURITE GIG YOU’VE PLAYED ON YOUR LAST TOUR ABROAD: Watergate, in Berlin, because it was the party that marked Get Physical label’s 15-year anniversary and because I was the only Brazilian in a very good line-up. TWO THINGS FROM BRAZIL THAT YOU MISS THE MOST WHEN YOU’RE ABROAD: I miss Brazilian airlines (yes, it’s true!) and my family. TWO THINGS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE THAT YOU MISS THE MOST WHEN YOU’RE IN BRAZIL: I miss the countless parties with my favourite artists and being in contact with new cultures. THE SONG THAT YOU ALWAYS PLAY WHEN YOU PERFORM ABROAD: My new track “Random Flavours.” FOREIGN DJS THAT ARE YOUR REFERENTS: Adam Beyer, Laurent Garnier, Michael Meyer, La Fleur. BRAZILIAN DJS THAT ARE YOUR REFERENTS: ANNA, Dj Marky, Ney Faustini, Ban Schiavon. SOMETHING ELSE: I have a new release coming out under a new German techno label that will be a sub-label of a big recording company. One of the tracks, “Random Flavours,” is being played by artists such as our countryman Victor Ruiz and M.A.N.D.Y. duo. It’s been a hit in the clubs.

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DJ MEME GENRE: House Music BASED IN: Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) / Termoli (Italy). 6 months each. FAVOURITE CITY IN THE WORLD TO PERFORM: Seoul. It’s impressive how they jump to the music. PLACES WHERE YOU’VE PERFORMED OUTSIDE BRAZIL: Mostly Europe and Asia. Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Seoul, Italy, France, Albania, UK, Portugal, Romania, Switzerland, Spain, and many others. FAVOURITE GIG YOU’VE PLAYED ON YOUR LAST TOUR ABROAD: Anywhere in the south of Italy. They love House Music and usually know every track I play. TWO THINGS FROM BRAZIL THAT YOU MISS THE MOST WHEN YOU’RE ABROAD: My kids and speaking Portuguese. TWO THINGS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE THAT YOU MISS THE MOST WHEN YOU’RE IN BRAZIL: The crowd that goes to see you for your music and the diversity of cultures. THE SONG THAT YOU ALWAYS PLAY WHEN YOU PERFORM ABROAD: My track “Canto Pro Mar,” at Defected Records. FOREIGN DJS THAT ARE YOUR REFERENTS: Luciano, Frankie Knuckles, Hector Romero. BRAZILIAN DJS THAT ARE YOUR REFERENTS: Ricardo Estrella, Robinho (BH), Mau. SOMETHING ELSE: I’m in the making of a new album 100% non-electronic for 2018, going deep on the 60’s/70’s sound and the music that made me the DJ I am. You’ll find Bossa Nova vibes, Disco, Brazilian Boogie and a scent of Jazz.

GENRE: House, Deep House, Techno BASED IN: Rio de Janeiro FAVOURITE CITY IN THE WORLD TO PERFORM: It’s hard to choose one [laughs]! Barcelona and Berlin: cities that are different yet complement each other. I love both. PLACES WHERE YOU’VE PERFORMED OUTSIDE BRAZIL: London, Brussels, Ibiza, Munich, Athens. FAVOURITE GIG YOU’VE PLAYED ON YOUR LAST TOUR ABROAD: They were all special, but Fuse in Brussels was really cool because of the whole history of the club. TWO THINGS FROM BRAZIL THAT YOU MISS THE MOST WHEN YOU’RE ABROAD: Having more friends on the dancefloor, and my studio. TWO THINGS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE THAT YOU MISS THE MOST WHEN YOU’RE IN BRAZIL: The technical aspect is always very good, also the chance to buy equipment at a fair price. THE SONG THAT YOU ALWAYS PLAY WHEN YOU PERFORM ABROAD: Moodisco - Leo Janeiro & Gui Boratto. Both versions: the original and Rodriguez Jr’s remix. FOREIGN DJS THAT ARE YOUR REFERENTS: Laurent Garnier, Kerri Chandler, Harvey, Derrick Carter, Deetron. BRAZILIAN DJS THAT ARE YOUR REFERENTS: Mau Mau, Aninha, Mau Lopes, Renato Cohen, DJ Marky, Leozinho, Anderson Noise. SOMETHING ELSE: I’m thrilled about my EP for D.O.C Records, a collaboration with Gui Boratto and a great remix by Rodriguez Jr. Besides, after this I have a compilation by Get Physical called “Cocada” – I did the track selection and mixing. It was hard work, but it turned out awesome! This year has been special because of the continuation of the great work done with Warung and Beehive, the clubs in Brazil where I’m resident. Regarding Warung Recordings, we have great plans for 2018 – the label is growing and making strides. RMC is reaching its 10th year and surely we’ll prepare a very special edition. Being in charge of the curatorship will be a big challenge, but it’s also a pleasure to be able to celebrate.

COMIN’ UP

ROD B

RODRIGO VIEIRA GENRE: House, Tech House. BASED IN: Rio de Janeiro FAVOURITE CITY IN THE WORLD TO PERFORM: Ibiza. You can play anywhere, from a bar to a big club, and everybody shows love and respect for you and your music. PLACES WHERE YOU’VE PERFORMED OUTSIDE BRAZIL: Portugal, Ibiza, China, Japan, Mozambique. FAVOURITE GIG YOU’VE PLAYED ON YOUR LAST TOUR ABROAD: The Green Valley World Tour gig at Ageha in Tokyo. Besides being Japan’s #1 club today, I noticed that the Japanese crowd is really changing, very open to listen to new sounds and very supportive to unknown DJs. TWO THINGS FROM BRAZIL THAT YOU MISS THE MOST WHEN YOU’RE ABROAD: The beauty of the crowd and my bed. TWO THINGS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE THAT YOU MISS THE MOST WHEN YOU’RE IN BRAZIL: The open minds, the good taste, the pursuit for good music. THE SONG THAT YOU ALWAYS PLAY WHEN YOU PERFORM ABROAD: “Cola” by CamelPhat. It’s a bomb. FOREIGN DJS THAT ARE YOUR REFERENTS: Frankie Knuckles, David Morales, Carl Cox, Maceo Plex. BRAZILIAN DJS THAT ARE YOUR REFERENTS: Fabricio Pecanha, Meme, Marky, Luciano Jacaré. SOMETHING ELSE: Watch out for my new release in October, “Skin Feelings,” a groovy tech house track.

GENRE: Techno, Tech House BASED IN: I was born in Niterói, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, but I’ve been based in Miami for 18 years. FAVOURITE CITY IN THE WORLD TO PERFORM: I can’t fail to mention Ultra in Miami, where I’ve played for the last 9 years – it’s my backyard. PLACES WHERE YOU’VE PERFORMED OUTSIDE BRAZIL: I’ve played everywhere from Belgrade in Serbia to London in England, Croatia, Slovenia, Ibiza, Amsterdam, Mexico, New York, Miami, Puerto Rico, Belgium... FAVOURITE GIG YOU’VE PLAYED ON YOUR LAST TOUR ABROAD: On the last tour, definitely, NL Club in Amsterdam, where we put on the party for my new label, Lost Frequency! The club has a great reputation in the city, and clubbers there are really energetic! TWO THINGS FROM BRAZIL THAT YOU MISS THE MOST WHEN YOU’RE ABROAD: The vibe from the crowd and the days off during the week, which are unrivalled in Brazil. TWO THINGS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE THAT YOU MISS THE MOST WHEN YOU’RE IN BRAZIL: I see less concern with fashion on the international scene. Over there, the crowd go to the club to enjoy the DJ’s music rather than to request hits and to make face or flirt in the booths. I also don’t see fights. THE SONG THAT YOU ALWAYS PLAY WHEN YOU PERFORM ABROAD: The track “Nu World” that I made with Re Dupre is my favourite! It never fails! FOREIGN DJS THAT ARE YOUR REFERENTS: Carl Cox, Richie Hawtin, Anthony Rother and POPOF are some of my favourites. BRAZILIAN DJS THAT ARE YOUR REFERENTS: Rodrigo Vieira, Anderson Noise, Mauricio Lopes and others. SOMETHING ELSE: I’m dedicating myself fulltime to my new label Lost Frequency and to my productions and imprints MUR Music, PopArt and DP Music, with my partners Re Dupre, Dashdot and Angelo Fracalanza. I also have a few projects going on for Jovem Pan FM radio with Dance Paradise, which I am a partner of together with renowned Richard Weber. I’m a sound engineer, with an Audio Technology degree from SAE Institute Miami and I spend two thirds of the year away from home on work-related trips. A DJ’s life has zero glamour: it’s about working hard, studying and not sleeping well a lot of nights. I wake up early every day and I don’t have a bedtime, but I do what I love! A word of advice for the new generation.

FERNANDO SA GENRE: Minimal and Big Room Techno, depending on the dancefloor. BASED IN: Sintra, Portugal, on the mountains. FAVOURITE CITY IN THE WORLD TO PERFORM: Until this point in my brief career, I can say Novi Sad, in Serbia, was the most special, because of the high energy the crowd gives off to music in general and the high number of pretty blondes [laughs]. PLACES WHERE YOU’VE PERFORMED OUTSIDE BRAZIL: This year I’ve played in 5 European countries. FAVOURITE GIG YOU’VE PLAYED ON YOUR LAST TOUR ABROAD: The gig in Gent, Belgium. I played alongside big friends and the place was so out of the ordinary. It’ll stay in my memory. TWO THINGS FROM BRAZIL THAT YOU MISS THE MOST WHEN YOU’RE ABROAD: It’s a difficult question, but here it goes: the two things that I miss the most are açaí fruit and tapioca, typical foods in Brazil. TWO THINGS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE THAT YOU MISS THE MOST WHEN YOU’RE IN BRAZIL: The energy and the education. When I came back to Brazil, I was rather puzzled by the lack of connection between people and the music. Very often a large part of the clubbers don’t really enjoy the music and are there for other reasons. Still, things have improved significantly in the last few years. We still have a lot of work to do to bring the real meaning of electronic music to Brazil – the way I see it, it’s union. THE SONG THAT YOU ALWAYS PLAY WHEN YOU PERFORM ABROAD: My own track “Goblins,” to be released under American label Minimal Sessions. FOREIGN DJS THAT ARE YOUR REFERENTS: Richie Hawtin and Chris Liebing are two DJs that always surprise me, and among aspiring artists, Americans Tyler Rouse and Shmitty, and Canadian Snoman. BRAZILIAN DJS THAT ARE YOUR REFERENTS: Wehbba, Spuri, RodB and Vinicius Honorio. Among aspiring artists, Arthur Martinelli, VOLKO, Lucas Arn. SOMETHING ELSE: I’m excited about the next few months, with a few tracks coming out that I really enjoyed producing, looking for a harder and faster sound. I’m going to set up a label to gather together this large network of artists that I know from around the world and to start something independent in the event market in Europe.

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LAROC CLUB CELEBRATES ITS TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY AND ANNOUNCES PREMIUM PROGRAMMING By ANA CAVALCANTE - Photo: GUI URBAN

October, famous Laroc club, located in the city of Valinhos, in the metropolitan area of Campinas, state of Sao Paulo, is set to celebrate its sophomore year and unveil a new Stage Design with an innovative format. Besides, for the second half of 2017, the club’s impressive line-up of DJs includes the likes of Luciano, Matador, Kölsch, ANNA, Adana Twins, Butch and Vintage Culture. According to Mario Sergio de Albuquerque, a club partner, the area has nothing at all to offer in terms of e-music events – plus, there are no clubs in the area. Another factor is that the audience leaves the capitals in pursuit of entertainment. Today, clubbers go to Laroc in search of a full experience, a “festival feeling” rather than just to see the acts. Mario is also in charge of production and art direction in every edition and he says that “the main point is to reach a balance between the genres, and between big names and promising artists.” His core purpose is to avoid labels and enjoy the freedom of putting on parties featuring diverse e-music artists, as well as venturing on new talents. We had a one-on-one with Mario.

FOR THIS SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR AT LAROC, IS THERE A DJ ON YOUR PERSONAL WISH LIST?

Not only one but a few! Luciano, Matador and Kölsch. Without a doubt a personal wish. RECENTLY, ITU-BASED ANZUCLUB, IN THE STATE OF SAO PAULO, ANNOUNCED IT’S CLOSING ITS DOORS. YOU WROTE ON YOUR SOCIAL THAT YOU’RE VERY SORRY AND THAT THE CLUB HAS MADE YOU WHAT YOU ARE TODAY PROFESSIONALLY. TELL US HOW YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH ANZU STARTED AND HOW IT LED YOU TO OPEN YOUR OWN CLUB A FEW YEARS LATER.

My relationship with Anzuclub dates back to its opening in 1997. Since then, I set for myself the goal of getting involved in that universe and that’s where I started my story. It was a great school to me. At the club I worked in several areas such as promotion, marketing and communication, operational management until I took on art direction duties three years before departing. I made several successful bets, for instance, we were the first and only club in Brazil to book deadmau5. There are a lot of positive memories, moments that definitely helped me evolve as a person and a professional. 18

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Soon after leaving the club in 2010, my first gig as a solo artist was with Erick Morillo at Daslu, a result of a relationship that started at Anzu. After Tiësto, Armin, Hardwell and years later I started to work at Plusnetwork, where I have evolved even more. I still work as Production Director for the country’s major festivals. My own club, without a doubt, derives from this whole experience I have gained over the years and the will to write my own story. However, this dream only came true with an invitation from my partner Silvio Soldera, who led the way. We knew each other already, he knew about my whole professional history and he called me to ask me to join him in this dream. TELL US ABOUT THE NEW STAGE DESIGN THAT WILL BE UNVEILED IN OCTOBER TO CELEBRATE LAROC’S TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY.

It’s not really necessary to completely remodel the stage only two years after opening, but such is the way we found to keep the club “fresh” and current. You can expect top-notch equipment and an audiovisual set worthy of international festivals. It’s the background I bring from events I have managed, such as Tomorrowland BR and Electric Zoo BR, among others. This sparked a conversation with our Dutch partners and together we decided to create a “high-end” stage. I’m very excited about the launch, as I think it’s going to be a surprise for a lot of people. It is an evolution of what we have today, but it maintains the concept, with wood, LED, light, special effects, etc… We will change it every two years, that’s settled. FOR 2018, CAN WE EXPECT THE SEASON TO LEAN MORE TOWARDS MAINSTREAM OR UNDERGROUND?

We need to have a balance. In this second half of the year, we ended up having more underground than mainstream parties. Not of our own accord, but because of market opportunities. During the first half of the year we’ll have a higher number of big names due to the Brazilian summer, as usual, and since mid-year, there’s more variety. The average number of [underground] artists that yield results is higher than among mainstream artists, who are difficult to afford these days. Besides, there are national artists who have reached the status they pursued so much in the last few years. Many of them have a higher value than foreigners. In fact, there’s been a shift in that sense.

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MARIO SERGIO’S 5 FAVORITE

HIGHLIGHTS ABOUT LAROC INAUGURATION

From the idea, conception, work until the opening it took only 7 months, so at the inauguration we still had not transmitted the real message of the club. No doubt it was a big surprise overall.

SUMMER A sequence of Robin Schulz, Hardwell and Axwell with only four months of Laroc! It was a huge success.

AVANT-GUARDE The acceptance of the underground nights made sure that we could follow the philosophy of being a club without labels.

TOP 100 CLUBS We were the ‘highest entry’ in DJ Mag’s poll. With only one year of life we figured among the Top 50.

FULL HOUSE Double sold out in past July, where we had maximum capacity with two openings in the same month. n

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COMIN’ UP

RIO DREAM WEEKEND BUILDING THE BIGGEST ELECTRONIC NEW YEAR’S EVE IN RIO DE JANEIRO

September, producers Kryssiam Lauria, Ruy Costa and Thomas Resende, from event production companies Connect and KL, held the official warm up of Ultra Brasil in Rio de Janeiro, and in a casual chat, they told us a little bit about their careers and the challenges posed by Rio’s entertainment field. Together, the three add up 14 years in the industry, performing both cultural and entertainment projects. In their portfolio we can find events such as P12 Tour RJ, House Boutique Party, MOB Festival Tour, Rio Hot Spot on Fiscal Island, Celebration, Festival de Esquetes, Cultural Market, among many other outstanding products. For New Year’s Eve 2017, they decided to elaborate a sumptuous project with a service of the highest quality, Rio Dream Weekend, betting on the electronic beats that the city of Rio de Janeiro asks for and has very little. Rio Dream Weekend will offer a true experience of leisure and relaxation, with three nights in a

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double room with breakfast and tickets for all events. The place chosen to host the event will be the newest five-star hotel in Barra da Tijuca, the Grand Mercure Rio de Janeiro Riocentro. A sequence of nine events from the 29th to the 31st of December permeate Rio Dream Weekend: three pool parties, three main events (Churraskot, Pre-New Year’s Eve Party and New Year’s Eve P12 Tour RJ) and three extended parties. Every day, the rooftop of the Grand Mercure will turn into an exclusive outdoor party for Weekend´s guests, by the pool, and with a dazzling view of mountains and ponds. The main events will be held in Grand Mercure´s outdoor event hall. These events will also be sold outside of the full Rio Dream Weekend package and can be purchased individually. The party can’t stop! At the end of the main events, Rio Dream Weekend guests will be invited to continue the fun. The Grand Mercure’s rooftop lounge, with panoramic views and a capacity for up to 500 people, will receive a more reserved and exclusive event.

RIO DREAM WEEKEND IS AN AMBITIOUS AND INNOVATIVE PROJECT. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THE AUDIENCE WILL EMBRACE THIS IDEA?

I think that the audience will rather embrace our Weekend. Rio is a world-known tourist town, it is a destination chosen by many people for New Year’s Eve. We have created a product inspired by our experience on the entertainment industry worldwide and pushed by the gap in Rio’s industry. Now Rio de Janeiro can say that it has a quality New Year’s Eve in its calendar for those who really like electronic music. TODAY, RIO DREAM WEEKEND IS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE BECAUSE IT’S ABOUT MANY PARTIES DURING ONE WEEKEND AND ALSO BECAUSE IT TAKES PLACE ON NEW YEAR’S EVE, A SPECIAL TIME FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU EXPECT TO PARTICIPATE?

Not only for its size, but for the complexity and grandeur of the project, the Weekend will undoubtedly be our biggest challenge ever: we expect around 10,000 people throughout

COMIN’ UP

the event. There will be 4 days with 9 parties, almost 30 DJs, a sales system in which the public can opt for either the purchase of the package or tickets for each party; it is not easy to communicate this amount of information!

CHEMICAL SURF

THE PRODUCTION TEAM WILL HAVE EXTENDED WORKING HOURS. HOW ARE YOU PLANNING THE DIVISION OF WORK?

We and our “bosses” will be staying at the hotel. The bar is outsourced to Qbaar, a really competent partner company. And all the food is operated by the hotel. So we’re pretty cool, although we know it will be super hard work. WHY ONE WEEKEND WITH 9 PARTIES NONSTOP? HAVE YOU ALREADY SEEN THIS KIND OF PARTY ELSEWHERE?

In addition to being producers, we are consumers of the electronic music industry. This concept runs throughout Brazil and the world.

FELGUK

GRAND MERCURE

JORD

HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON GRAND MERCURE? WHY OPT FOR A PLACE OUTSIDE THE SOUTH ZONE CIRCUIT?

The Grand Mercure is a 5-star hotel in the heart of the West Zone! Good music transcends any geographical barrier. The best customers in Rio have been attending our parties for years in Barra da Tijuca and they love them! We are thinking not only about the people who are looking at Rio de Janeiro for New Year’s Eve, but mainly about the locals in Rio de Janeiro, who see the city submerged in a gigantic flow of people, whose routine is altered by the huge amount of tourists arriving in Rio and who no longer see the coastal cities nearby (Búzios, for example) as a comfortable option. WHAT ABOUT THE LINEUP?

We always try to work with big names of the scene allied to the local DJs. Thus, we guarantee a lineup with great quality of music, moving from deep house to Brazilian bass. As headliner on New Year’s Eve, we hired Chemical Surf, Brazil’s Top 5 duo. The main attraction of the Pre-New Year party is the duo Felguk, as well as other names such as Jord, DOM, Andrew Gracie, Alan Pinheiro, Rafael Assad, Leo Cruz, Mainzl, Alberto Dias, Beowülf and many others!. n djmagbr.com

BRAZIL

IS BOILING

ith such a large scale and cultural diversity, Brazil is one of the most fertile soils for electronic music today - a fact proven with the country inserted in the radar of great festivals, with the flame

of underground culture lit again and with the quantity never before seen of national DJs making success. Our collaborators chose - with a great deal of difficulty, by the way, since not all who deserve to be mentioned would fit in only one feature - some highlights by region of an increasingly prolific scene. Should we enter this boiling cauldron of night culture?

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North By AMALHA DOMINGUES

n the North, when we talk about the number of DJs, producers, nightclubs, festivals and hirings of great electronic music artists, the states of Amazonas, Pará, Amapá and Tocantins are ahead of Roraima, Rondônia and Acre. But in a country with continental dimensions like ours, achieving a relevant position in the national market is a tough battle. So it’s a great pleasure to be able to talk about some of our warriors.

JØRD

At only 19 years old, the boy from Pará caught the attention of two big names: Felippe Senne and Vintage Culture - which have been playing, in addition, several JØRD tracks in their sets. Born in Belém, JØRD is undoubtedly the biggest name in our region, nowadays.

ARN

Sound MAY SEVEN

DJ Manauara has already been nominated for international female-focused rankings and, even with little production time, has just signed with the giant Sony Music. May has her own DJs and entertainment agency. She’s taking off.

BESS MAZE

From Amazonas with 3 years of career, was able to launch her tracks in two English labels, Piso e Prison, in the German Big Mamas and still in the Brazilians War Beats (of Plastic Robots), UP Club and Só Track Boa. Bess also impresses in her DJ sets.

Arnaldo Miranda is unanimous when it comes to techno in Pará. The artist has just returned from a tour of Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia, at the invitation of the American label Miami Underground. He’s setting up his own label and promising to warm up the techno scene in the north of the country this year.

VEE GROOVE

The producer born in Amapá greatly contributes to the greater professionalization of the regional market and has launches by Tiger Records, Erase and Prison. In addition, he offers respected production courses and was one of the first artists from North to score a track in Beatport Top 10.

Dance Floor PUMP ENTERTAINMENT

The label from Amazonas is now the largest electronic night entertainment brand in the region, with operations in 7 states in the North and Northeast, around 80 editions, more than 200 contracted attractions (both international and national) and partnerships with events with well-known brands like UP Club, Só Track Boa and Kaballah.

E-NATION.ORG

With 13 years of operation, the brand from Pará is now responsible for the largest number of events focused on the electronic music market in Pará. It has partnerships with other major label parties in the region, such as PUMP and DIWALI. Currently has 3 major projects in progress: “A Noite do Coelho Doido”, “Solares” and “Decibel”.

ABARÉ SUP AND FOOD

The club is literally in the middle of Rio Negro. Abaré is a floating restaurant with a (contemporary regional) restaurant service and recently opened a hostel.

A NOITE DO COELHO DOIDO - By RYAN MONOTOSHI

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Northeast By ANNY BRITO

ith its nine states, the Northeast has a good amount of professionals increasingly involved in the electronic scene. Although the regional culture is very marked in relation to musical styles, some of these professionals have been working for more than 20 years, seeking to follow national development and increasingly invest in structure and great attractions. It arouses the interest of the public and producers from other regions.

Sound NAZCA (BA) He is one of the

greatest representatives of the psytrance scene in the Northeast. He has played in 13 states in Brazil, and travelled to Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, United States, Italy, Switzerland and Belgium. He is responsible for Soononmoon, which for 20 years has moved the scene in Bahia.

ELEVA (AL) Resident of Cafe

De La Musique in Alagoas, this artist represents her state at major events in the region, sharing a cabin with D-Nox, Vintage Culture, Luthier, Gabe, Fabo among others, besides stirring up the local scene with their Sunset Maceió, Low Beat and Level parties.

Dance Floor TERRA EM TRANSE FESTIVAL (BA) It takes place

every two years since 2012. In the last edition, Costa Azul Beach in Jandaíra received national and international attractions, two stages, food court, performances, art galleries, kids space, workshops for 5 days and 6 nights.

SOLLARES (BA) A label from

Bahia that revolutionized the house scene. It takes big names from Brazil and the world to the capital, such as Kolombo, Amine Edge & Dance, Teclas and Sharam Jey. It has just announced the performance of Boris Brejcha for the first time in Salvador.

LA PLAYA (SE) Beach Club

that is opening the doors to the electronic events. Chosen by several local producers and other states to make their parties. It has received artists like Vintage Culture, Alok, Flow & Zeo, Fractall, Simple Jack and Salla since the beginning of this year.

KEVIN LUKE (PB) Kevin

Luke, born in Paraíba, started playing in 2008. In his trajectory, he accumulates international gigs like Sziget Festival (Hungary) and Sisyphos Club (Berlin). In Brazil, presentations on the Warung Tour, Noon (RJ), Unique (PE), Garage.E (GO) and Field Club (SC), as well as his residence in Ânima Pipa (RN).

JOVICK (RN) This young producer from Natal has been gaining space in the national scene with his productions. He has released several labels, such as Brazuka Music, BeachSide Records (Miami) and Prison Entertainment (London). Mandaca is his label, where techno predominates. He became a big hit, of course. 24

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TERRA EM TRANSE (BA) - By DIVULGAÇÃO

BOATE CALANGOS (RN)

Since 1995 in Praia da Pipa, Calangos maintains its trance roots, joining the progressive, psy and deep house aspects. Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, Alok, Ftampa, Neelix, Liquid Soul, Captain Hook, Vibe Tribe, Sesto Sento, Julio Torres, Mario Fischetti, Rica Amaral and Anderson Noise are some of the artists who have been there.

ESSENTIAL (PE) A trance

party that has been taking place in Pernambuco for 7 years and hasfeatured names such as Neelix, Bliss, Vini Vici, Space Tribe, Mad Maxx and Mad Tribe. Performed by Reality Managament, by Ju Cavalcanti, which also has the King Festival and Beat Plus.

CAFE DE LA MUSIQUE The

brand from São Paulo has been gaining more and more space in the Northeast. Through its itinerant tours, it has passed through Paraíba, Pernambuco, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Piauí and Sergipe, as well as the beach clubs in Ceará, Bahia and Alagoas..

Southeast By LUIZA PAGLIARINI

n spite of the wave of itinerant and street parties, in the Southeast there are clubs, there are festivals, there are launches, there is old school, for everybody, any time and day of the week. Happy is the one who knows and can enjoy everything, share new experiences and still receives a lot of references every time goes out. Come with me!

Sound ANNA

Living the best moment of her career, she has been in contact with music since she was 14, has an impeccable mixing technique and her tracks are played by important techno and tech house names worldwide. She performs at most international festivals and the compliments are not restricted to the media of the segment, but by support of monsters like Carl Cox and Richie Hawtin. Watching Anna has become a matter of respect!

BH DANCE FESTIVAL - By BS FOTOGRAFIAS

Laercio Schwantes, the transverse flute man, has studied music since he was a child and now shows his work in the midst of DJs without ever touching a record. He is part of the line ups of the most prestigious clubs and festivals in São Paulo and is required for studio collaborations by international artists. Do not miss this experience.

SOLOS

Dance Floor

DRE GUAZELLI

COPPOLA

DEKMANTEL Gop Tun, which was already making history in São Paulo, flirted with Dutch Dekmantel staff and from that relationship arose a festival of respect in São Paulo. A beautiful line up, lots of stuff “out of the box,” an electronic music class. It is worth mentioning the scenography, by SuperLimão Studio, Atelier Marko Brajovic, Studio Guto Requena and Felipe Morozini. Long live the festival!

A 16-year-old boy has been emerging on the stage and has just finished a music production course sponsored by Native Instruments. He has already been complimented by great artists like Thomas Schumacher and Victor Ruiz, and he dreams of studying in Europe. He was recently invited to join the Plusnetwork casting. Let’s follow and cheer a lot for another Brazilian to explode out there. Success alert!

L_CIO

Idealizer of INNER.multi.art festival, the DJ and producer with more than 10 years of career is engaged in the most requested parties of São Paulo and turns his plays into sessions of collective therapy. He brings joy and sensitivity to his set, and his audience responds by creating an atmosphere of celebration of life. He has played twice in Burning Man and is living the best moment of his career. Too much vibe!

Everyone is talking about this duo and presents sets ranging from house to techno. Matheus Castro has more than 10 years of experience as a DJ and joined Kallel Barbosa, a former event producer, who has been outstanding for his creativity. The duo ensures lots of fun for all dance floors. Come on it’s funny.

RAWW X ROOM

D-Edge reinvented and took the RAWW X ROOM travelling party to major cities and festivals across the country. Uniting space, design and music, it presents contemporary architecture and uses recycled material in its structure. It is worth mentioning the curator work of the party, which always brings DJs and producers with daring and conceptual proposals. Knowing D-EDGE is there, means it s a good thing.

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LEEDS

Created by the Laud agency in partnership with INNER Enterprises, Leeds is considered one of the best underground parties in São Paulo. Its last edition had an intriguing atmosphere and was very well produced. The site and the 28.room lighting project helped make the edition a milestone in the history of agencies. The passion this staff has for making parties and bringing new experiences to the public is the highlight of the story.

JAMBOX The girls that you

respect, Luísa Viscardi and Rizza Bonfim, idealized JAMBOX, which emerged in 2014 as the first Brazilian event dedicated to turntablism . Their parties have already brought none other than the American DJ Jazzy Jeff and Grandmaster Flash. In 2016, Jambox became a music platform that offers the service of curator work, content and agency of DJs. Will you face it?

JEROME CLUB Quality music in an intimate setting for friends, is what Cacá Ribeiro and Rodrigo Mussolino offer. The character who gives the club its name is a frequent-traveler, intelligent and charming person. You can dance from house to dubstep and still find night characters like Felipe Venâncio, Eduardo Corelli, Zé Pedro and Marina Dias. The club’s scenic project is signed by Felipe Morozini. I approved the idea of recovering the culture of the small clubs and was nostalgic. BH DANCE FESTIVAL

The guys from Minas Gerais are making noise. In 2016, in its sixth edition, BH DANCE FESTIVAL has reached the height of major festivals and delivered a prestigious lineup with Alesso, Afrojack and Kolombo. The public recognizes and attends: there were 15,000 people who, besides the main stage, have enjoyed the PUSH stage since 2014, of the itinerant party that attracts Brazilian audiences with a lot of trap, hip hop and deep house. It’s worth staying connected at It’s Shooow Time parties that happen at least once a month in Minas Gerais. Only good thing.

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RIO HAS COME BACK TO THE STREETS By VITOR MENDES - AND CAME BACK DANCING

ith more and more frequency, the Rio de Janeiro scene is enjoyed by an audience that dawns on collaborative parties, occupying public spaces and discovering new places through the city. It is an audience that refuses to leave before the last beat, and if for a while it was suggested that Rio was a difficult bet for the electronic scene, today there is a scene of its own, increasingly alive and fed by groups that take the music out of nightclubs. In 9 months, O/NDA, the main front of the producer D/accord, attracted 1000 people already in its first investment, and in certain edition the audience reached 5000 people. The partygoers organize themselves in an almost familiar way: they talk about music and discuss what was wrong and right in the night. Everything is done in a democratic way. The party happens monthly in different places, like sheds, parking lots and mainly public squares that until then wre unnoticed for many people in Rio. If you are a frequent goer, you may recognize faces that dance until very late. Bringing electronic music to the streets carries with it, almost inevitably, a political discourse that producers what to reinforce in their events. The intention of O/NDA, when leaving the nightclub and taking fans of techno and its aspects to the center, is also to create environments free of any type of oppression, LGBTophobia and racism. In April, for example, the line-up was handpicked to exalt the sound-making girls, totally reversing the disparity of nights formed massively by male DJs. For Esdras Rocha, the creator of the group, there is a clear separation between the two things: “I think the nightclub has to have a fixed schedule and, regardless of the parties, resident DJs and their invited DJs, become a landmark of the city’s club. And parties are other concepts that can experience new locations and experiences, more open, less hellish, more social. “ Also against the traditional electronic environments, Edu Castelo, a producer and DJ from Rio de Janeiro, created a spin-off of his party (V de Viadão) and gave another meaning to the music space for LGBTs in the city. Haus of Viadão is a night totally dedicated to

By O/NDA

house and techno, but stands out for the diversity and the escape of the spotlights of a great gay nightclub. With commitment in the curator work, it rescues disc classics and house music - genres that were born precisely in the great ghettos. Another Rio project that was born as a party and won other layers is Magma . The group has a weekly live broadcast, Radio Magma, which promotes experimental live shows and makes it possible to understand how the moment they go to the streets works. “Radio is like our studio, and the parties are where we expose our discoveries more maturely, amid all the cultural and social variables that exist in an event,” say the boys in the group. Like Magma, also transiting between online and offline is the Kode Project, which emerged fomenting techno on the internet, maintaining a portal and centralizing information of the schedule of the nightclubs. According to Ananda Nobre, who started the project, turning Kode into a party was a natural process: “We were driven by the desire to spread in our city the music we love, joining the party movement that already existed.” And they are not few! By the streets and beaches, for example, it is still possible to accompany the SOMM crew, who, like O / NDA, depends on the consumption of the regulars in the bar and does not hesitate to play quality music for free to a diverse audience. The parties Finalmente, Just Follow and Rara also make noise around. And MOO is an evening headlined by a Rio techno legend, perhaps the biggest proof that the genre has never died here. There, Mauricio Lopes celebrated his birthday in the pick-ups at Praza XV crowded with applause from all generations and in the dawn. Even though it is not a diverse and musically electronic metropolis like São Paulo, electronic music has never left the scene in the wonderful city. The spaces have changed. With techno gaining more and more strength in great festivals, which for some is a pleasant meeting, for others it is a discovery of musical experiments and a living organism of the city at night and mornings inside.

Midwest By SALOMÃO AUGUSTO

ith the growth of independent movements, the electronic scene in the central pole has improved greatly and is taking the appearance of superiority. A place that was once the scene of great manifestations within electronic music could not be forgotten, and the region’s cultural team is doing a great job.

Sound ALEX JUSTINO

The boy from Goiás make his in several labels of international reputation, like the German one Steyoyoke Black. He also acts as producer and head in the recent Lost and Found, as well as being part of D AGENCY’s casting and coordinating his own Nin92wo label with Rafael Danke. Ufa!

GABB BORGHETTI

Omnipresence is what defines Gabb’s career. Head is the curator of Fiesta Garage - that this year completes 4 years - in the Club, Gabb is reference of the tech house.

LUCAS ARR

5UINTO - By DANIEL GALVÃO

Dance Floor 5UINTO

Like Justino, Lucas Arr is part of D AGENCY’s cast. He is the owner of several hits at Beatport, he is in charge of Room Noise - a party already consolidated in Goiânia and Anápolis - and is the head of Thousand Recordings.

Underground resistance translates into this place that has become the pulse of electronic music in Brasilia. Today the club is one of the most coveted by DJs from Brasília and has received names like Nina Kraviz.

NEGUIM BEATS

The main stage of the mainstream in the mid-west concentrates its activities in Brasilia. The Federal is already a classic festival and with national prestige. It is a landing point for world-famous EDM such as Hardwell, Don Diablo, Afrojack, Nicky Romero and Alok.

José Higo, or Neguim Beats, has his name in the heralds of the world bass music, having released in numerous international lables, in addition to already having made hits in diverse national and international podcasts, like the one of Soulection.

MARIANA PERRELLI

Residing in all five the premises of 5uinto (bar and club) in Brasilia, Mari is part of the due Come and Hell. She has performed all over the country with unanimous audience approval.

FEDERAL MUSIC

HIPNOTICA

The rave of almost 5 years shelters the psytrance for the needy of the movement in Goiânia and surroundings. With ever better and bigger editions, the party has taken astronomical proportions and gained due national recognition.

LOST AND FOUND

Created by Alex Justino as a product of the conversion of his Nin92wo label, L&F keeps the concept coming from European techno: the occupation of abandoned places that, at the same time, provide the audience with comfort and safety.

ROOM NOISE

Inspiring the fight in the 3rd GNP of the state of Goiás, Lucas Arr explores Room Noise, which every edition presents a line up with highlights and revelations of the deep.

BOLHA

A line up that combines house, techno, trap, funk and other styles with a harmony that before would seem impossible. Coordinated by a robust curator work board such as DJs Igor Severo and Diego Brooks, Bolha is consolidating itself as the most interesting experience in Brasilia.

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South By ALAN MEDEIROS

he South region may not represent large numbers in terms of territorial extension, but there electronic music has for some time become something cultural and present in the daily life of cities. Techno, house, minimal and EDM are in restaurants, gyms, law firms and, of course, the best times of the radio programs. Some clubs and professionals have great responsibility for this achievement.

Dance Floor WARUNG Cultural heritage of Santa Catarina, Warung is a place that does not require great presentations. Located in one of the most paradisiacal destinations in Brazil, the club mixes state-of-the-art curator work with complete structure in the midst of the Atlantic forest. TERRAZA The then timid scene of the

capital of Santa Catarina has never been the same again after the emergence of Terraza. The club, which is in a super center of events in Florianópolis, has become famous for bringing artists out of the obvious to the national context. A strong team of residents gives body to the dense and musical nights of the club.

CHAKRA

Located in São Bento do Sul, for five years Chakra has been responsible for intensely transforming the scene in the countryside of Santa Catarina. By promoting a mix between regional artists, major Brazilian highlights and some punctual international ones, the club is building a scenario practically from scratch.

EL FORTIN From Astrix to Victor Ruiz, from Vintage Culture to Green Velvet, El Fortin concentrates the most diverse audience in the state. All the big names have already passed the stage of the club of Porto Belo that does not stop to grow, in structure and fan base. GREEN VALLEY Of historical importance for the market of Santa Catarina, Green Valley was one of the main responsible for placing Brazil in the top of the world dance music. There is an elegant mix of nature and technology inside the club, which has already been multi-awarded both in Brazil and abroad. 28

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LEVELS Party responsible for repositioning Porto Alegre among the main destinations of house and techno artists that pass through Brazil, Levels is marked by its sound structure and lighting. Nastia, Rodriguez Jr and Barem are some of the names that have eternalized the beautiful sunset that the capital of Rio Grande do Sul offers. COLOURS

Colors is the main itinerant party of Rio Grande do Sul and one of the established brands of the national scene. Throughout its more than 8-year history, Fran Bortolossi and her team have taken it to different cities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

BEEHIVE Beehive is a reference to

the electronic scene and has one of the most peculiar dance floors in the country. Besides the regional aspect, there is also an important role being developed by electronic music in Brazil, since for some years the club has maintained a strong international agenda of attractions.

CLUB VIBE The iconic ceiling lights of Club Vibe are already known by many DJs in the world. Although small, the club plays an indispensable role for the scene of Curitiba, one of the largest in the country. Over there, a strong resident team is the backbone of the calendar that receives important headliners weekly. ALTER DISCO Exhaust valve for

a scene used to artists of strong aesthetic similarity, Alter Disco grew without losing its essence. Led by a group of lovers of sounds from Brazil and the world, today the party is a reference when it comes to musical innovation.

THE LAB

Alongside OdB and Sharp, The Lab has amazingly transformed the scene in western Parana. Artists like Priku, Roman Flügel and Cesare vs Disorder have already passed by the stage of this party that has an interesting differential: long set of headliners in all the events.

CLUB VIBE - By GUSTAVO REMOR

Sound BLANCAH Patricia Laus has conquered the world as a bird flies. This girl from Santa Catarina constantly makes national and international tours, and represents the German Steyoyoke label in Brazilian lands. TARTER Emilio Tarter had to wait a few years for his dream to come true. When all seemed lost, successive supporters like Richie Hawtin, Sam Paganini and Joseph Capriati transformed his career. STEKKE Formed by Ale Reis and Renee, the duo that resides in Florianópolis is the main exponent of the minimal scene of the country. Under their command are three labels: sudd records, Sketches and MINIM, which is also a label party. ALBUQUERQUE

Great cultural agitator of the capital of Paraná, Albuquerque is one of the minds behind the Radiola project, which includes parties, a record label and a permanent seat. Besides, the DJ and producer of Curitiba is also a resident of Warung.

HNQO

The guy from Curitiba, Henrique Oliveira emerged to the world in 2013 after successes by Playperview and launches in Hot Creations. Today, more musically mature, he is a reference in the national market and is about to release his debut album.

APOENA Head of Allnite Music, Apoena is one of the most active Brazilian names in the vinyl industry, as well as a reference in house music. The hybrid character of his sets also deserves attention.

THE CYCLES AND ORIGINALITY OF FLORIANÓPOLIS SCENE

lectronic music is part of the culture of the South region and has gained significant strength among young people in recent years. In the state of Santa Catarina, turn on the radio randomly on weekends and you’ll find sets of artists like Maceo Plex, Tale Of Us and Seth Troxler. A romantic dinner at one of the major coastal restaurants is rocked by some more chill approach of dance music. In traffic, in schools, in the daily life, house and techno are everywhere. First of all, it is necessary a geographic pairing for those who do not have total knowledge of the Santa Catarina coast. Florianópolis is an island, it is about 70 kilometers from Balneário Camboriú and Itajaí, cities that together have been and still are houses of some of the most important clubs of the country. The club scene in the Itajaí Valley is strong and is evident in the figure of three brands consolidated in the international scene: Warung, Green Valley and El Fortin. Despite being close to this super pole, the island capital of the state does not share all the characteristics of the scene of the Valley and that is where the story gets interesting. As it is an island with more than 40 beautiful beaches, Floripa is susceptible to a common cycle for summer towns - the summer seasons. The arrival of the hottest season of the year significantly modifies the routine and market of the city and makes popular trends gain strength. Pin Bittencourt Neto, one of the minds behind the group TROOP, confirms the theory: “We are never satisfied and there is always a fashion to be followed. Sushi, food truck, burger places... we

already had so many cycles in the city that this article would not be enough.” This characteristic creates a certain blockage in the process of creating roots, be it for a super club, a nucleus or an avant-garde musical movement. It is a historical and social issue for the capital of Santa Catarina. This profile of the city, plus a geographic question that separates some of the districts of the island by kilometers, hindered for some time the creation of something solid in the city. This story only changed when part of the scene took time, money and a lot of work to get things started in a different way, be it in the clubber aspect or in independent locations. Names like Allen Rose and his Sounds in da City gradually made the city scene reinvigorate with an original proposal, far from being a copy or mutation of something similar that was happening in another part of the country. Renee Mussi, part part of the duo Stekke and one of Minim’s founders, also raises another question: “I believe that Conceição Night and Confraria das Artes were extremely important for the opening of different musical styles. While in most clubs you could hear dance music & hip hop, Confraria brought Arpiar, Magda, Cobblestone Jazz”. Both the clubs mentioned are no longer part of the circuit, but certainly were precursors of a clubber movement that is now led by Terraza Music Park, home that is a reference in a state plot and became nationally known for betting on line ups out of the obvious, even in its different phases. Big names such as Portable, Fumiya Tanaka, Makam, Rhadoo and Ion Ludwig have already

signed memorable nights at the “pistinha” (“little dancefloor”) as the dance floor is called by its regulars. The growth of the club in the region fostered a new clubber scene and many young people were “born” to the market inside Terraza dance floor, evolved musically and created their own brand. Today, in addition to having a club that is part of the international route of great attractions, Florianópolis also has a busy calendar of electronic music parties that are fed by groups, generate content, give space to new artists and offer options on different fronts. Pin comments on this important role developed through the niches: “we have collectives and parties like Bateu!, Minim, TROOP, Sounds in da City, Bend and Fate, that are creating roots, helping to educate the audience, are embracing the precept of universality in the music, are evolving, even if gradually.” More than in other regions of the state, Floripa collectives that carry out serious work are creating something quite interesting, professional and innovative. Even without a glamorous journey full of historical moments, as is the case of the scene in the Itajaí Valley, the Island of Magic has developed to the point of having, at the same time, people interested in consuming quality music, a good club, promising collectives and professionals engaged with a real proposal. If the inevitable and traditional cycles of the city frightened, today they seem to have less impact on the independent scene, thanks to the solidity of a scene constructed with much love and a very original and authentic identity. u

MINIM - By MAR SANTOS

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GETTING TO KNOW

DOM MUSIC R

io de Janeiro native DJ and producer Dom Music is the resident and mastermind behind the production of label parties P12 Tour RJ, House Boutique and newlylaunched Festa do DOM, an event that features big names from the electronic s c e n e – its opening night last May brought in Portugal-born Pete Tha Zouk, an artist dear to Brazilian clubbers. Besides being part of the line-up at renowned events such as Carpe Vita, his recorded works have won over the audience. Bootleg track “Don’t You Know” –together with Beowülf– and the remix of Anavitória and Tiago Iorcdo’s hit ”Trevo (Tu)”, coproduced with Jord, have had more than 1 million plays each on digital platforms. With several recordings seeing the light of day, the standout is the track “Afraid Of My Heart,” set to be released this month under Hub Records, the official e-music label of giant Sony Music. The artist, at once businessman, DJ and event producer, has two very special gigs scheduled for the year. December 30 will see the pre-New Year’s Eve edition of Festa do DOM, with Felguk duo as guests, and December 31 is the P12 Tour RJ party, the first-ever edition of Parador Internacional on New Year’s Eve away from Jurerê Internacional beach in Florianópolis, in southern Brazil. We had a quick chat with the Brazilian scene multihyphenate.

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WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO PERFORM AT ULTRA BRAZIL WARM UP LAST FRIDAY?

Expectations were high! I just came back from Gramado, where I performed next to big names from the Brazilian scene and gave my best to the dancefloor with a lot of bass! WHAT WERE THE MAIN CHALLENGES AND BARRIERS YOU FACED TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE?

instagram.com/dommusicone

HOW DID YOU START YOUR CAREER AND WHAT ARE YOUR INFLUENCES?

My involvement with music started early, at age 14, when I had a job promoting matinée discos. I fell hard for the nightlife, for the effect that music has on people, for the magic of the dancefloor. When I was 21, I took a break to focus on other jobs and last year I went back to pursuing music, one of my great passions. Names such as Gui Boratto, Felguk and Fatboy Slim are great influences for me. Of the current generations, I can’t fail to mention great master Vintage Culture, the Cat Dealers kids and Jord as references that I try to have as role models. TODAY, SEVERAL DJS ARE ON THE SPOTLIGHT BOTH IN BRAZIL AND ABROAD. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THE SCENE WILL LOOK LIKE 5 YEARS FROM NOW?

Today Brazil is experiencing a very special moment in the global electronic scene. For the first time, we see national talents drawing in larger crowds to the gigs than big international names, and this clearly shows our great ability to create new styles. I believe the deep house and “low bass” that we make in the country tend to spread widely and help the scene grow more and more.

I think going back to performing after a long break, adapting to the new scene, creating an impactful sound now that there’s a bunch of kids with a lot of energy creating a lot of good stuff is a big challenge. Being in synergy with them and seeing the response I’m getting is just awesome! WE KNOW THAT ARTISTS THAT DON’T PRODUCE MUSIC END UP LOSING SPACE IN THE MARKET. WHAT SHOULD THE DJ’S DIFFERENTIAL BE TODAY?

Before I went back to performing, I dedicated myself entirely to music production. I joined forces with several DJ friends and partners to release a few tracks that have reached more than 2 million plays. I have 6 tracks of my own that came out under several labels and soon we’ll have more releases. Another point that I think is very important is for the artist to be in direct contact with his audience: to have an open platform where he can hear and get positive and negative reviews –today, social media are great at connecting people– and to turn all that into material to improve your work more and more. GIVE SOME ADVICE TO FUTURE DJS THAT ARE JUST BEGINNING THEIR CAREER AND HAVE A LONG JOURNEY AHEAD.

What’s important is to never give up. To keep focusing on your work, because at one point you’ll get results. Try to always give your best in what you do and don’t forget collabs, because together we can go much further! n

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HARM REDUCTION F O S P U O R G E TH E SCENE BY THE CHANGE OF TH

By GUILHERME STORTI

he harm reduction is a subject discussed a lot in Brazil. The theme has been introduced in the 1990s, peaked in the mid-2000s, and then witnessed a decline in the number of projects aimed at rescuing the autonomy of drug users, and in turn witnessed a greater investment in initiatives that violate the fundamental rights of this population. Just as happened in the Netherlands in the early 1980s, once again the drug users play the leading role in the reduction of harm in the national territory - there are actions that come directly from people who go to certain environments and can see the complexity of the subject . For these people, the basic prerogative is to provide information and mobilize the player that make up the environment, paying attention and care directly to the focus of the issue. Harm reduction has always been based on the assumption of caring for oneself and others, an “innovative” technology that only depends on attention and empathy. Non-judgment of choices - which are strictly personal - is the secret to having access to a number of infinite feelings who almost never see the day light and sometimes become misunderstood feelings. Because it is a unique experience inherent in every human being, it is practically impossible to predict what a person will feel when coming into contact with any psychoactive substance, even though there are a number of “standard effects” for each. Therefore, the singularity of each person is what defines the total of the sum environment + substance + individual. Environments have the ability to attract people with something in common, perhaps the same subjective element that led them to choose that “escape.” It was through this familiarity and uniqueness in the experiences that emerged the first groups that take technology to reduce risks and harm to the festive environments. The first initiative was in the year 2006, in the city of Salvador BA, when a group of academics, psychonauts, DJs, producers and several other people founded the Balance Group. The common point between them was that they frequented the trance scene of the city and made use of various substances; people who liked to change their states of awareness, who found themselves due to the contexts and ideologies around the promotion of the autonomy. Soon after, other initiatives began to emerge in other states of Brazil, motivated by the identification with the pioneering work that was been developed in Bahia.

But was it only for the use of drugs that such people have come together and have been inspired? After all, subjectivity was the big question; this is the element that brings them together and emerges when they face different nerve stimuli and synapses, resulting in an explosion of indescribable and often uncontrollable feelings and sensations. This type of initiative is the rescue of the philosophy that inspired the movement of harm reduction: the care of one person with another. The experience on the scene and the psychoactive experience brings a familiarity to these groups and to the people that access this methodology of care. Being welcomed by the one who minimally understands its context, becomes a fundamental factor for a then unknown self-control. An important gap that is filled by these groups is the omission of public policies aimed at drug users. There is widespread denial of the use of drugs in festive environments, whether public or private. In Brazil, such people are understood, classified and condemned as criminals without the right to any dignified assistance. After the Internet, which provided virtually free access to any kind of content, much information about drug use could circulate around the world. According to Sérgio Vidal, an anthropologist, writer and one of the founders of the Group Fique Legal, from Santa Catarina, “information age” was fundamental to give access to the contents about drug use: “With each passing day, there has been an increase in not only the number of groups performing harm reduction actions, but also individuals seeking information on safe consumption, and testing substances, learning about the reactions, effects, risks , harm, etc ... is part of a greater movement, which involves two pillars that have been built in the last decades of human development in relation to such substances: free access to drug information and empowerment of drug users,” says Sérgio. From the alliance of initiatives that promote such autonomy, the opening of communication channels via the web was fundamental for the diffusion of knowledge and for bringing together people who share the same principles. And let this fight continue and advance more and more, making information arrive and emancipate as many people as possible, because we are tired of knowing that there is no world without people who use drugs. u

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VINTAGE

IS THE NEW BLACK THE FRUITFUL SUCCESS OF ONE OF BRAZILâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MOST BELOVED DJ STARS Words: BRUNA ANTERO & JODE SERAPHIM Photo: FABRIZIO PEPE

or years, it was difficult to find Brazilian artists in the international electronic music scene, but in the past few years this has quickly changed. With a new generation of producers bringing an innovative style and making electronic music more popular in the country, Brazil is gaining more recognition abroad. One of the precursors of this new generation of DJs is Lukas Ruiz, known as Vintage Culture. He left a small city in the countryside, Mundo Novo, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, to become one of the most famous producers in Brazil. The 24 year-old member of Brazilian agency Entourage also owns one of the most promising clubs in São Paulo, Air Rooftop, and a label called “Só Track Boa”, already known for its recurrent sold out events in every venue in the last couple of years. Since the release of “Hollywood EP” and the chart-hitting remix of Sofi Tukker’s “Drinkee”, he has been reaching top positions in many platforms - from Beatport to Spotify and even DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs poll, where he is this year’s #54. His track “Wild Kidz”, out on Spinnin’ Records, received support from names such as Oliver Heldens, EDX and Sam Feldt, making him more relevant for the international scene than ever. One of the recent results of this whole journey of success was his entrance on Ace Agency’s, one of the most prominent DJ booking agencies in the world - Martin Garrix, Afrojack and Bassjackers are some of the DJ’s in that portfolio. Speaking of Garrix, our scene’s #1 appears to have paid the right amount of attention around him, making Vintage Culture - who had already been promoting an official remix for Garrix’s “There For You” - his special guest in his residency at Hï Ibiza. What made Lukas Ruiz the Vintage Culture we all love? Let the man speak for himself!

YOU WERE BORN IN MUNDO NOVO, MATO GROSSO DO SUL, WHERE PEOPLE PROBABLY ONLY LISTEN TO LOCAL MUSIC. WHEN DID YOU START LISTENING TO ELECTRONIC MUSIC AND PRODUCING? The Internet facilitates the access to any type of content. In my case, it opened a new world of possibilities, from discovering new music, to the musical fascination that motivates me today. It enabled me to access resources and tutorials to learn to do what I really love, and here we are! djmagbr.com

WHAT WERE THE MAJOR OBSTACLES THAT YOU HAD TO FACE AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR CAREER? WHEN WAS THE FIRST MOMENT YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD WORK AS A DJ? The first obstacles were very trivial, common to any artist trying to put their mark on an established scene. The most crucial part was to break the first barrier and have the crowd listen to my song. From this point forward, it was when the hard work began. When you start an artistic career, the insecurities and the level of demand are constant. Messages from friends and first fans praising the tracks and performances were the first signs that everything would work out. WITHIN YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WE COULD SAY THAT YOUR STYLE, WHICH PERMEATES HOUSE, NU DISCO AND DEEP HOUSE, WAS

EVOLVING BY ITSELF. HOW DID YOU FIND THIS GAP IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS AND ESTABLISH YOUR NAME IN THE SCENE? This question is about how I found my artistic personality that reflects in a specific style. Obviously, I have never thought about labels or consciously tried to go a certain way to fill this gap. What I was chasing was a way to express myself with originality in a scene that was informing and inspiring me. TODAY YOUR MUSIC IS PLAYING ON ALL BRAZILIAN RADIOS AND YOUR NAME HAS BECOME MORE AND MORE FAMOUS OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY. WHAT DOES SUCCESS MEAN TO YOU? WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THAT IS MAKING YOU LOSE YOUR SLEEP? Talking about success is a bit complicated. I would rather think of it as an impressive result that is the result of so much work and

a close relationship with the ones that make it possible: my crowd. The biggest challenge right now is to keep myself up with new productions and be able to handle a great amount of gigs. Since I perform fully on both fronts, I always try to make the most of my time on stage and studio. So far it has worked out.

YOU ARE SUPPORTED BY MANY PEOPLE WHO TURNED VINTAGE CULTURE INTO SOMETHING BIGGER THAN LUKAS RUIZ. COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT THE STRUCTURE OF YOUR TEAM? My team is significant and fundamental for me to be able to concentrate solely on music and gigs. I work with Gaspar, Guga and Marcelo Arditti and all the Entourage crew. We also have the Image Dealers [video and photography] team and the people from “Só Track Boa”. It is a big gang in which I have the deepest confidence.

YOU HAVE ALREADY PLAYED FOR A FULL CROWD IN BIG FESTIVALS IN BRAZIL SUCH AS ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL AND LOLLAPALOOZA, SOLD OUT MANY PARTIES AS A HEADLINER AND TOURED ASIA AND EUROPE. WHAT WAS THE MOST REMARKABLE PERFORMANCE SO FAR? All of them are very special and every moment is unique! There are also some smaller performances that are still in my head! But if I have to choose a moment, I believe it was this year’s Só Track Boa Festival. It was a great festival where I also worked coordinating the brand positioning. The expectation and the delivery were great. IN 2015 YOU GOT THE 118º POSITION AT THE TOP 150 DJS FOR DJ MAG AND LAST YEAR YOU CLIMBED TO 54ª. WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE WERE THE MAIN ASPECTS THAT MADE YOU GROW THIS MUCH IN A YEAR AND THAT COULD MAKE YOU GO EVEN FURTHER? Ranking results are peculiar because I have always done what I do but I am getting better positions in the ranking each time. Of course there was intensification of my work as a DJ and enhancement as a producer, but it happens naturally when you are dedicated to and passionate about what you do. I plan to do exactly the same, just more and better, so let’s wait and see if it keeps reflecting in the rankings. YOU HAVE RECENTLY RELEASED AN OFFICIAL REMIX OF “THERE FOR YOU”, FROM MARTIN GARRIX, AND WERE INVITED BY HIM TO PLAY AT HÎ IBIZA THIS YEAR. HOW DOES THIS PARTNERSHIP WORK AND WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING NEXT? Martin Garrix is a phenomenon. He is a huge producer and is becoming a great friend. Playing in Ibiza is a dream for every DJ. To accomplish this dream playing at one of the best venues of the island by invitation of one of the best DJs in the world is rewarding. The future of this partnership promises huge outcomes. Just wait for it! YOU HAVE RECENTLY SIGNED A CONTRACT WITH ACE AGENCY. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM YOUR CAREER FROM NOW ON? Today I feel that I can propose and deliver my creations and artistic value to the Brazilian crowd, which is a dream come true for me. This relationship with Ace encourages and shows me a new step of my career. I seek to overcome national barriers and reach a bigger crowd. u djmagbr.com

grandes nomes dos últimos dois anos— nicky romero ftampa edx alok robin schulz hardwell axwell phonique deniz koyu kolombo erick morillo lee foss romeo blanco lost frequencies watermät roger sanchez vintage culture thomas gold jonas blue james zabiela claptone galantis kungs sunnery james & ryan marciano kryder guy gerber ferry corsten oliver huntemann goldfish sharam rodriguez jr. luciano

upcoming / set—fev

laroc 2 anos kölsch 04/11/2017 aniversário

anna, adana twins vintage culture 09/12/2017 & butch

14/10/2017

18/11/2017

laroc sunset club valinhos, são paulo, brazil follow us /larocclub

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SOUTH AMERICA ON ITS WAY TO THE

FUTURE THE LARGEST ELECTRONIC MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT CONFERENCE IN LATIN AMERICA,

FEATURING THE NEW NAME “BRAZIL MUSIC CONFERENCE”, IS ABOUT TO LAUNCH ITS 10TH EDITION. THE # BRMC10 TAKES PLACE IN SÃO PAULO IN MARCH 2018.

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n Brazil, it is necessary to lead movements, to be ahead of great changes and to pull the neighboring countries towards evolution and progress. This is the role that Brazil has just assumed with the changes implemented at the then Rio Music Conference, now known as Brazil Music Conference.

Change is not just in name. Starting in 2018, BRMC no longer has its global edition in Rio de Janeiro postcards and happens in the main metropolis of South America, the city of São Paulo, at UNIBES Cultural, which had hosted some editions of the meeting . “It is time to broaden the spectrum and act in a continental manner,” Executive Director Claudio da Rocha Miranda Filho told DJ Mag. (See exclusive interview on the next pages). It is not news to the world that Brazil is experiencing a moment of reconstruction. Nearly a year after the impeachment process, the political-economic crisis that has ravaged the country gives way to overcoming and the prognosis is positive in the economic environment, although 2018 is a year of presidential elections, when political instability could once again affect the exchange rate. According to Leo Janeiro, curator of BRMC content, the Brazilian scene has learned to survive in the face of the economic crisis, which directly affected investment in certain areas. “Things have not stopped happening because of these difficulties and therefore the industry has matured from a business standpoint as well. We continue with a lot of intelligent, skilled and creative people in different areas “, explains the DJ and producer.

The fact is that the entertainment and electronic music industry does not stop in Brazil. While clubs as entertainment institutions struggle to survive - the traditional Anzuclub has just closed its doors after 20 years - the proliferation of increasingly wellproduced festivals and boutique festivals is the new trend in the country, which , as we know, has continental proportions. Only in 2017, Só Track Boa, label party of Vintage Culture, had about 20 issues, including a festival on September 6 in São Paulo, at the Canindé stadium, for about 15 thousand people. In parallel, the year still reported the arrival of festivals as Dekmantel and DGTL. “South America already occupies a very hot spot in the global electronics community,” said Gary Smith, ADC co-curator and BRMC’s academic activities coordinator. “The talent that has been unleashed, as we witnessed in the RMC during the DemoDayz session, is surprising,” he says. “The combination of love for music and the passion of young people discovering electronic music will power the scenes of the US and Europe and further invigorate, inspire and change the scene, positively, forever,” predicts Smith. Taking advantage of this scenario, the moment is more than adequate to prepare a new conference, modernized and updated one, that welcomes next year, although it recognizes all the achievements of the electronic music market in Brazil in recent years. nine years, since the then “RMC” began its activities in 2009. Throughout this period, the evolution of the national scene and the impact that the meeting has had on industry, bringing speakers from all over the world and establishing strategic alliances with the largest conferences of the planet such as ADE (Amsterdam), Winter Music Conference (Miami) and IMS (Ibiza), for example.

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LAST EDITION IN NUMBERS

3 DAYS | 74 HOURS OF PROGRAMMING 6 AUDITORIUMS | 270 SPEAKERS 2 NETWORKING AREAS RMC RADIO MORE THAN 100 ACTIVITIES PANELS + WORKSHOPS + SPEEDCOACHING + Q & AS MORE THAN 60 PARTIES | CLUBWEEK MORE THAN 400 BRANDS | TRADE FAIR DELIVERY OF THE VI RMC AWARD IN 22 CATEGORIES

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In a conversation with one of the curators, DJ Mag found that 50% of the discussions covered at the conference are collaboratively thought. “They are journalists, businessmen, DJs, producers, executives of companies that supply equipment and services that bring ideas and adapt to the model of the conference,” says Leo Janeiro. “Every art curator or A & R who is not involved with the various scenes in South America is missing out on many emerging talents who are different from their American and European pair,” said Gary Smith. With more than 30 editions held all over Brazil, visiting 13 cities, and a trajectory that accumulates countless activities that gathered thousands of participants, the Brazil Music Conference begins a new phase, proposing to broaden the dialogue with the world. “We are partners in several conferences around the world, with which we exchange content, offer mutual benefits to participants and exchange promotional services,” says Pedro Nonato, BRMC’s International Director. “In the case of AFEM (Association For Electronic Music), there are commissions for various subjects, such as identifying the needs for the development of an ideal ecosystem for electronic music to develop in an emerging market,” explains the Brazilian. The campaign of the new visual identity began to be announced by social networks precisely during the holiday of September 7, when the Independence of Brazil is celebrated. According to International Director Pedro Nonato, Brazil and Mexico are realities on the global stage, while Chile and Argentina already call attention to the potential for growth, market and opportunities. “Countries like Paraguay and Colombia are next, in a line of potential growth and attractiveness for international investors,” Nonato said. “There are a lot of business opportunities because there is little infrastructure, unity and cohesion,” says Gary Smith, referring to South America. “While artists or companies need to make money, there will be opportunities to achieve great things around the world and develop a sense of shared destiny and collective effort,” he adds. On the other hand, the Brazilian Leo Janeiro, who shares the curator work with Gary, agrees: “We have to increasingly foster this creativity and support so that we can open doors for the new generations to be able to act and enjoy this market”. The # BRMC10 takes place between March 7 and 10, 2018, in São Paulo, and DJ Mag spoke exclusively with the Executive Director, Claudio da Rocha Miranda Filho, who told about the new phase of the Conference, the current moment of Brazil and the prospects of being more continentalized in 2018...

DJ MAG: What is the change and repositioning of the RMC brand (now BRMC)? CLAUDIO DA ROCHA MIRANDA FILHO: It is a new stage, an evolution of the conference. The connection that we proposed during these 9 years in the spectrum Brazil, visiting 13 cities in five regions, will be expanded, now of continental form. São Paulo is the largest business center of the South American continent. There are the largest players in the market and the connection of the region with the international market has better development conditions in this capital. We are very anxious and happy with this new moment.

DJ MAG: In 2018 will the BRMC have its tenth edition. What is the schedule when planning the # BRMC10? CRMF: The event will be launched in October during the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) in the Netherlands. It takes place in March, a few weeks before Miami Music Week and the Winter Music Conference, appropriate to the international calendar of major world events in the industry. The studies for the Market Yearbook and the organization of the Award - focused on the Brazilian market - take place in parallel to the curatorship of the event. Our planning foresees, as happened in Rio, a massive content, participants from all over the world and programming of parties in clubs from São Paulo, distributed in the 4 days of the Brazil Music Conference 10.

DJ MAG: Historically the Conference has always occupied buildings, cultural centers or museums, which always add a tourist taste to the meetings. Do you already have a location set to # BRMC10? CRMF: Not always. We started at Marina da Glória in the early years, three editions at the Pestana Hotel in Copacabana, and the last two at the Rio Art Museum and at Amanhã Museum. The # BRMC10 will have its main headquarters at Unibes Cultural in São Paulo, next to the Sumaré subway, at Oscar Freire Street, Jardins, São Paulo. The place was once the Jewish Culture Center, has a very interesting architecture and has just undergone a major renovation. Other locations in the city are being studied for Talks open to the public.

DJ MAG: How did the Conference contribute, throughout this (almost) first decade, to the maturation of the creative industry and electronic music in Brazil? CRMF: There has been a lot of positive progress throughout this period on the continent. From a clearer understanding of the type of culture and activity in societies, to the quality of experience and services offered by clubs and festivals; and, above all, the evolution of artistic, technical and musical production. The economics of the South American countries undoubtedly impose itself as a limiting factor on the one hand - mainly in the sense of the difficulty in commercial relations with the international market and large foreign currency denominations but on the other hand, as in the case of Brazil, an internal ecosystem was created capable of moving the whole productive chain, creating new scenes and developing national icons and ticket sellers, such as the prodigies Vintage Culture and Alok. BRMC has been fulfilling its role as an industry hub, a place of knowledge, new business development, opportunities and networking. It is the place to learn, to inspire, to train and to do business.

DJ MAG: Becoming the premier hub for the live entertainment industry and electronic music in South America is such a goal. What have been the actions for the meeting to consolidate in this direction? CRMF: Bring together the main leaders of the international market in Brazil. It is in Brazil, through the BRMC, that they meet annually for the purpose of expanding their business in the continent over the last nine years. At the same time, entrepreneurs, artists and producers, mainly from Argentina and Chile, are taking part in panels and activities. However, the main action is yet to come and it is precisely BRMC 2018 in São Paulo.

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DJ MAG: Artists like Alok, Vintage Culture, Anna and Marky, among others, represent Brazil abroad in an unprecedented way. Are they examples that it is possible to internationalize genuinely Brazilian products and brands?

DJ MAG: In the last edition of the RMC, the Secretaries of Municipal and State Culture promised all possible incentives to hold events focused on electronic music in the city. Have these “promises” already provided a more supportive environment for the city’s enterprising entertainers? CRMF: Not yet. Rio de Janeiro is experiencing a very delicate moment because of political issues - the state’s public treasury is bankrupt. As a consequence, the public services suffered serious damages, and from there we witnessed the resumption of urban violence and a crisis that affected all sectors. This situation has been plaguing the State in very serious difficulties. The circumstances to be an entertainer in culture and events are already very adverse under normal conditions. Now it’s complicated. This scenario has affected the numbers of tourism and entertainment activity in full. I’m from Rio, there’s hope and paths to recovery and we’re going to turn around.

DJ MAG: The current Minister of Culture, Sérgio Sá Leitão, former Municipal Secretary of Culture of Rio de Janeiro, referred to electronic music a few years ago as “a very important cultural, social and economic phenomenon.” Now head of MinC, what emergency measures could it take to strengthen the creative industry and the electronic music market in Brazil? CRMF: Brazil is once again in a moment of resumption of growth. Tourism linked to musical entertainment, concerts, festivals and the nightlife culture are a very clear vector for economic activity, collection and generation of jobs. The new minister, Sergio Sá Leitão, has always been very sensitive and aligned with this vision. Recently, a calendar of Creative Economy events for Rio de Janeiro was developed, understanding that the city is the gateway to national tourism. From Rio, tourists visit other cities and states of Brazil.

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CRMF: Undoubtedly yes. Brazil and its art have enchanting aspects, resulting from the dissident mixture of our colonization and the settlement of immigrant peoples from various parts of the world, which has brought us a lot of cultural wealth and influences. Electronic music already has its solidified bases here. However, in order for this quantitative number of brands, artists and players in a global sphere to expand, there is a conjunction of factors that must somehow be combined, from the economy itself, to the creation of conditions for the development of business and commercial relations. The BRMC, without doubt, is an important platform for these meetings to materialize.

DJ MAG: Is it possible to advance which themes should gain space and depth among the main electronic music gatherings in the world in 2018? CRMF: In an age of exponential technologies, software and information systems increasingly complex, all possibilities for innovations in this area have to create disruptions in the music industry, and therefore are an essential agenda in world meetings. Music related to applied psychology and the sensation of happiness itself are approaches where we increasingly see growth in the interest of audiences, be it the market, the chain or the artists and fans. In the area of communication, the consumer experience, the transformation of clubs and new models of festivals are common themes, but always arouse great interests. u

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

ON THE FLOOR

ROCKING

WITH THE ELECTRONIC ROCK IN RIO’S EXCEPTIONAL DANCE MUSIC JOURNEY

ould you give up seeing concert of bands such as Guns N ‘Roses, Tears For Fears, Red Hot Chili Peppers or Aerosmith to follow a little underworld of beats and synths in the corner of a huge festival for over 100,000 people? It seems a difficult decision for some, but for others this means no effort at all. This is what happens every two years in the imposing Rock in Rio, which held its most recent edition past September, divided in 7 days and 8 stages in the Olympic Park of Rio de Janeiro.

including The Black Madonna, illuminating the place - for a moment, alongside Midland - with her clever fusion of house, techno and more classics, Luciano, one of our dearest groove disseminators, and Maya Jane Coles, one of the international deep house queens.

The improvements in the structure of the Eletronica stage at Rock in Rio is very similar to the improvements in the electronic music stage in our beloved Lollapalooza Brazil. But while at Perry Farrell’s festival - a guy who, ironically, stands openly against EDM culture the lineup marches more towards triviality year after year, often missing a few opportunities to bring authentic and memorable acts, Rock in Rio seems to be giving zero fucks if the stage is always crowded or not and succeeds in bringing a balanced number between artists of historical relevance and artists with present appeal.

The Brazilian DJs were a spectacle of their own and many of them proved that the general commotion around national electronic music is very real and led to some of the most crowded moments of the dancefloor. Each of them with their style and audience, we could witness pretty much anything and everything, from João Brasil’s musical irreverence Brasil to Fatnotronic’s “electronic blues”, Manimal’s originality, the pulsating techno of L_cio, Leo Janeiro, Renato Ratier and Ney Faustini, the singular progressions of Mumbaata and IAO, Zeh Pretim & Zedoroque’s “brazilianarities” stuff, the wild repertoire of Gop Tun DJs, Selvagem and Tessuto, and the more original than ever duo Flow & Zeo. A bit of everything for everyone. One big highlight? The fun and spontaneous B2B between two pioneers of the national scene: Mau Mau and DJ Marky.

One such example was the absolutely wonderful GrandMaster Flash show. After displaying a beautiful short film explaining a bit of his story and his relationship with vinyl, there was not one person who was not thrilled with the ride through dozens of hip-hop and pop classics that the legendary DJ provided on opening night of the festival. This was just one of the highlights of the Rock in Rio’s electronic fronts, that brought as headliners dozens of interesting names,

In a very special moment, before taking the stage, Bruno Martini won a platinum album for the hit “Never Let Me Go” and was one of the protagonists of a second lineage of the Eletronica stage that gave way to sounds more known by the general public, such as Illusionize, Chemical Surf, Cat Dealers, Gabriel Boni, Zerb, Bruno Furlan, Nytron and Groove Delight. When remembering hits, you can not fail to mention the rereading of pop music + sax by Ely Yabu and

Rodrigo Sha. The closing show of the festival was with the national star and also cover of this magazine, Vintage Culture, who attracted a gigantic audience for the occasion - we could see people already occupying space to see the show from the Rock District beyond the perimeters of the Eletronica stage. Another of the most praised moments of the festival was the presentation of Erick Morillo, considered by many as one of the best house music DJs in the world, with a show that thrilled everyone for the quality of repertoire, technique and presence, aspects that were repeated soon after, in the official electronic music afterparty in Rock in Rio, promoted by the famous Privilège brand in a place adjacent to the Eletronica stage. This party started every night just after the official ending of each Rock in Rio day and finished at different times depending on the energy of the DJs and the “aftergoers”. It would be of tremendous ignorance of the most nostalgic audiences of Rock in Rio to say that there should be no electronic music at a festival that has rock in its name. First because because diversity is a positive thing anywhere. Secondly because the proportions that Rock in Rio has taken make the search for this diversity a more than natural way. And third, because, more than music, rock is also a verb. After the care and effort that Rock in Rio has been demonstrating by electronic music each edition, it is certain that we will always be there, just like this: rocking with the electronic. n By RODRIGO AIRAF - Photo: I HATE FLASH djmagbr.com

ON THE FLOOR

STAY AWAKE THE 20 YEARS OF AWAKENINGS FESTIVAL

xpectations were high to see for the first time one of the most beloved festivals of the international electronic music scene. Awakenings Festival turned 20 in 2017 and the lineup, by our standards, was as stellar as an Oscar ceremony. After a moment of typical tourist stupidity, we came to the conclusion that not every coffee shop in Amsterdam sells marijuana – screw you, eurotrip movies - and we decided to arrive pretty early on the first day of the festival. With easy access and small distance from Amsterdam, the venue of the event in Spaarnwoude had a nice size to boot and at no time became tiring to be there. Due to the competent calculation of the production, no stage had problems of sound leakage. In addition, the sound system was perfect in all environments and with an ideal volume - not too loud to disturb the ears, nor too low to the point of the heart falling asleep. The public was delightful in every way, as Holland, the majority of the festival, generally gives birth to amazing, handsome, educated

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and entertaining human beings, almost as if they had discovered the meaning of life and deliberately that fact in our faces each time they said ‘Have a nice day’. It feels like home. Finally we arrived at an adult festival with music for adults. Day 1 was pretty much all focused on the talented female techno artists. The distribution of the DJs through the eight beautiful stages meant that the intention of the festival was to make even people with more unilateral musical tastes end up walking by various stages. We started in Area Z with Amélie Lens, one of Drumcode’s new powerful weapons, and went directly to the Area X to give privilege to our compatriot ANNA, who performed a devilish set next to Monica Kruse. Praised by us and the rest of the audience, they gave us the breath to get some free water from the stations near the toilets, fail to get a picture of the ducks on the lake, and walk a little to arrive at a wonderful performance of Ricardo Villalobos, the charismatic guy of the songs that are not in Shazam.

In the sequence, nothing could have prepared us for a big punch in the face, in the good sense of the word: the discovery of Area B, which we affectionately nicknamed “little grove of hell”, where happy faces of people of all styles, ages and costumes in moments of catharsis that made everything feels like the true spirit of a rave. The soundtrack was a brilliantly cavernous B2B of Nina Kraviz and Nikita Zabelin, two true divas who raised the public’s spirits to the point of seeming to be controlling not to dig holes in the ground. Kraviz and Zabelin, we adore you. Area B, we miss you. With the end of a flawless first day of Awakenings to the sound of a bit of 220 volt set by Len Faki and a bit of the soul-devourer Paula Temple, we went to sleep already feeling that the second day would be slower and foggy. Few times we have arrived so tired for a second day of festival, since we have survived the true 5-day psytrance marathons that are easily found in Brazil’s countryside. It was a day to eat healthy, talk a little, use free and very useful wifi that the festival made available

ON THE FLOOR

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

to everyone - curiously and appropriately, the network was set upwith the name â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stay Awakeâ&#x20AC;? - and start in the nightclub in Area X with the classy grooves of the duo of father and daughter, Floorplan, proving that there is no divine miracle greater than a successful genetic sequence. A few beers later - worth mentioning that prices in general were fair compared to other festivals of this size and the food trucks served delicious food - we were in our home stretch of Awakenings to watch fireworks and strong beats from Adam Beyer in Area W, followed by a very interesting B2B in Area X involving two of the primary elements of nature that make any fan of techno sees the light: Marcel Dettmann and Ben Klock. We left with the traffic of exhausted people to the train station, feeling a youthful satisfaction in realizing that we left a festival where everything seemed to conspire to go well, reason enough to consider Awakenings Festival a must stop in every European summer season. Would it be too much ass-kissing to require Awakenings Festival to last three days? n

By RODRIGO AIRAF

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ON THE FLOOR

BOOM, BELGIUM

UNITE Tomorrowland deserves all the respect it can get. By RODRIGO AIRAF

onsidered one of the festival’s greatest audiences in social networks, Brazil has an intimate and at the same time cruel relationship with Tomorrowland. Its geographical distance, the lower purchasing power of the majority, the economic crisis that is unfortunately part of everyday life and the devaluation of its currency are just a few of the factors that keep a trip to the Belgian Tomorrowland as just a dream in the minds of many Brazilians — even though for two consecutive editions before closing, Tomorrowland Brazil filled a great part of this gap with great quality and competence. It is impossible, therefore, not to have a spontaneous idolatry for the festival and, on the part of those who can attend it, a sense of true privilege. To cover a festival of such importance to our homeland, it took us an internal work of realigning our expectations so that our judgment would not be eclipsed by the inherent love for Tomorrowland. Although it was a little tricky to get access to the festival — initially, production lacked a bit of empathy as regards the reality and the difficulties common to South American vehicles to participate in an event so far away, as well as a non-fluid communication about the accreditation due to the high demand for requests that the festival receives daily — we were surprised on site by an extremely careful, responsible, caring and professional team at all possible levels, and these aspects, together with the experience of the festival itself, turned the first weekend of the event into something very difficult to forget. Seeing the festival from both the audience and the backstage brings a very interesting experience, as you can see all the pieces of this puzzle working flawlessly in what is surely the biggest mega production ever seen in the world of electronic music. Everything is so beautiful and so thoughtfully organized that when the reality that “man, we’re in fucking Tomorrowland!” kicks in, the expectations that needed to be controlled melt away like cotton candy and turned into unprecedented levels of happiness and positive energy. This year’s collective sensorial experience was the Amicorum Spectaculum theme, something between circus, burlesque and mystic, with a myriad of emotional loops that made an instant effect on anyone attending the festival. In

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addition to the decor that seems to climb new steps every year, the performers were one of the festival’s highlights. The lineup that was presented, as usual, included practically all the artists, labels, and other relevant brands of all possible movements, dance music genres and trends, which most likely helped to demystify our belief that we would only find a giant nation of histrionic frat boys — in reality what we saw was people of all ages and cultures treating each other with respect and lightness of being. It’s Tomorrowland, after all. The amount of stimuli for all the senses of the body that the festival provides resulted in a certain detachment from the timetable, arousing people’s curiosity to break into every corner of that world and leave with the feeling that they participated in everything. The brands that were part of the festival, from the top of their business-driven creativity, did not disappoint in the sponsored spaces and they were part of the immersion that the festival wants to offer as its core goal. In particular, the beautiful Budweiser “club” dared to create an insane atmosphere in the midst of that enchanted world, receiving magnificent shows from artists who never offer a mediocre show, such as KSHMR. It is such a diverse, sophisticated and interesting festival that it is almost irrelevant to compare the Greeks to the Trojans among the DJs that performed there. We could never get a clear view of that division in an event with more than 15 stages of various sizes. It is beautiful to see that Tomorrowland brings to most of them the need to give the best possible show for an audience as international as that of a FIFA World Cup. Honorable mentions can be made, of course, to dozens of protagonists in this playful sleepdeprived story, especially Steve Angello, a full-fledged artist who did the following: he took Tomorrowland, kneaded it, put it in his pocket, and walked out with thug life glasses. It was an inspiring show worthy of one of the

most influential characters of the mainstream electronic music, a fact that helped make the next show, from our beloved #1 Martin Garrix, reach the ears in a completely different way, Garrix being one of the great DJs in the world who are at the risk of falling into a place of triviality and little innovation, more like an uninterrupted and hasty sequence of EDM drops that we have known for a long time and pray for more refreshing air to breathe. In this team of stars that “know how to arrive and know how to leave”, we had the artists of Diynamic, Barong Family, Masquerade, Netsky & Friends, Elrow, Q-Dance and basically the whole alphabet of artists through the stage hosts that even brought legendary acts like The Belleville Three and Joey Beltram. We could only be truly righteous about this if we could be omnipresent. Maximum respect also for the stages intended to local artists, where you can meet many good artists who do not have that much international appeal. Unfortunately, Eric Prydz failed to make his mark on his reduced show because of a train crash that made him arrive late and clearly influenced his set. But those who truly know how to do it just do it and adapt in the best way possible. Very shortly afterwards, it was Prydz who reigned as Cirez D at Drumcode stage. Tomorrowland will stay in our memories as one of the most complete festival experiences that ever existed, and it reaffirms itself as a great flagship for the international scene and as the most prominent reference of electronic dance music culture to the new generation. We are already looking forward to jumping into all this magic next year! n

ON THE FLOOR

CURITIBA, BRAZIL

MULTIDISCIPLINARITY Subtropikal has the potential to be the festival that Brazil always needed. Photo: WALTER THOMS

he Subtropikal was a festival of urban interaction and creative economy that happened for the second time in the capital of Paraná, Curitiba. This year began on July 15th and lasted until July 22nd. The festival aims to unite the creative bubbles that separate us within the same local microcosm and to show that the breaking of barriers can be playful and captivating. The Sub took place in some places of Curitiba, the main one being at Casarão Bittar, construction of the 1920s where exhibitions, lectures, concerts, parties and mainly people of all kinds, colors, beliefs and opinions took place connecting in unusual meetings that actually made perfect sense. There were 62 attractions in the house, 10 in Capela Santa Maria, 1 in Opera de Arame and 30 workshops outside, summing up more than 100 invitations for the citizen to interact with their habitat in a re-imagined way. In relation to the previous year, Subtropikal 2017 carried out an even more intense research and an even more specific curatorial with the support of an even more dedicated staff. The message was captured by the population and the involvement increased so much that more than 3 thousand people passed by the house during that week. Subtropikal has the potential to be the festival that Brazil has always needed, following the fusion of content and entertainment found in other references in the world, such as SXSW, Sónar and Nuits Sonores. Inviting people to have meaningful conversations, democratizing access to entertainment that is constantly labeled as a “hipster”, and promoting meetings among tribes that do not seem to mix even frequenting side streets of the same neighborhood is in fact what, changes the panorama of the relationship that the Brazilian has with culture in general.

SUBTROPIKAL IS DIVIDED INTO 3 COMPONENTS: EXPLORE This is the occupation that took place at Casarão Bittar between July 15th and 21st, with debates about entrepreneurship and female empowerment, until a surprise intervention by a naked artist while doing 2 degrees outside. Diversity was the mantra of the house and even the bartenders spread this energy by serving drinks from 4 different windows with a smile on their face. Access was free every day, with additional cost only for specific workshops. In addition to the intervention in Casarão, Sub invited the public to interact on Rua da Cidadania and participate in workshops in various characteristic spaces of Curitiba.

REFLECT It is a forum for debates that took place at Capela Santa Maria on July 19th and 20th, with lectures discussing themes such as the intervention of urban spaces and contemporary entrepreneurship. Refugees, futurism and cultural appropriation were also some of the themes explored in a relaxed format in which the audience was encouraged to ask questions and interact with the speakers in an organic way.

ENJOY Finally, the festival closed its cycle on July 22nd, Saturday, with an exciting party at Opera de Arame, one of the most important tourist attractions in Curitiba. There, who commanded the party was the Curitiba band Mulamba and the giants of the state of Bahia: BaianaSystem. It was extremely important to close the whole week of events, talks and reflections, with a unique show of energy that is what Russo Passapusso and his band bring with them wherever they go. Baiana can extract from the audience so sincere and spontaneous reactions that the aura of light and positivity generates sweat and smiles on the bodies that move, jump and shout to the sound of singles like “Invisible” and “Two Cities.” This festival format is a proposal of extreme relevance and high value for the national cultural ferment, since it places the multidisciplinary notion ahead and shows that the diverse ways of creating and expressing themselves are not only connected, but also involve subjects of greater scope, such as politics and entrepreneurship. Subtropikal has succeeded in uniting individuals for further questioning about how we consume, what we demand from each other, and how to improve the way we relate while doing what we like to do. In addition to all this, there were parties from Odara, TRSNT, MidiTerapia among other diverse pocket-shows, after all, everyone deserve to stop a little to dance and to let go. n

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