DJ Times 2020, Vol 33 No6

THE LATEST REBOOTED

AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED 1988 FALL 2020 ISSUE

VOLUME 33 NUMBER 6

HOW TO ATTRACT A BIG-TIME AGENT UNIQUE MARKETING TACTICS FOR DJS ERICK MORILLO, 1971-2020 PLUS:

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Ben Gold Tensnake Bruno Martini SSL 2+ Pioneer DJ XDJ-XZ Mackie SRM V-Class

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SAMPLINGS

VOLUME 33 NUMBER 6

8 Tensnake L.A. Story

10 In the Studio With…

Bruno Martini

DEPARTMENTS 7 Feedback

DJ Expo Update: Nov. 16-19 in Atlantic City, N.J.

24 Making Tracks Solid State Logic SSL 2+

26 Sounding Off Pioneer DJ XDJ-XZ & Mackie SRM V-Class

28 Mobile Profile

Reigning Expo Champ Dishes Strategy

30 Business Line

Ask Why, Not How – Plus a Timely Pep Talk

32 Gear

New Products from Reloop, Rane & More

38 Grooves

Phat Tracks from Robert Babicz, BRKLN & More

41 Club Play Chart

The Hottest Records, As Reported

by Our Top U.S. Record Pools

FEATURES

12 Gospel Truths

18 How to Stand Out

BY BRIAN BONAVOGLIA

BY JOSHUA VOLPE

For Tchami, Future House’s Faux-Pastor, 2020 Was Both “Year Zero” & One Big Challenge

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2020

20 Full-Stream Ahead

22 Aiming for the Top

Maintaining His Brand, Trance Star Ben Gold Goes with the Digital Flow

Do’s & Don’ts for DJs Seeking a Big-League Booking Agent

BY DANNY TURNER

BY SUJIT KUNDU

NOTABLES…MILESTONES NEWS

By Jim Tremayne Miami Beach, Fla. – As has been widely reported, world-renowned DJ/producer/label head Erick Morillo was found dead in his home in Miami Beach, Fla., this past September 1. At presstime, the cause of death had not been reported.

For the pioneering DJ, his fall from grace was tragic and ugly. He was facing sexual battery charges in Miami Beach and was due in court to face those charges on September 4. (It wasn’t his first scrape with the law. In 2009, he was arrested at the Glasgow Airport in Scotland and charged with cocaine possession. In 2010, the charges were dropped.) It’s an inglorious ending – there’s no getting around that.

But as honesty compels us to report the ignominy, it also informs a clear look back to Morillo’s days of glory. And there were plenty.

Beginnings: After paying his dues as a mobile jock and club DJ in northern New Jersey, Morillo earned his big break at a 1991 NYC club gig when he dropped a self-crafted Nardo Ranks remix that caught the ear of Latin reggae star El General, who tapped Morillo’s youthful production skills for a series of top-selling cuts like “Muevelo” and “Te Ves Buena.”

“The week after I met [El General], he showed up in a limo at my mom’s house,” said Morillo in a 1998 DJ Times cover story. “I did three cuts on his album, which went Platinum and won Billboard Latin Album of the Year. Then I got screwed, never got paid. That’s when I decided I didn’t want to do reggae anymore and I wanted to do house music.”

Morillo’s biggest crossover hit came with Reel 2 Real on New York’s seminal Strictly Rhythm label. Fronted by rapid-fire dancehall toaster Mad

Josh Kerman

DJ Expo On Tap

Atlantic City, N.J. – DJ Expo is set to run Nov. 16-19 at Harrah’s Resort in AC. As always, the DJ Times-produced show will present an exhibit hall full of the latest DJ-related technologies, nearly 30 educational seminars tackling the hottest topics and sponsored evening events. For the latest on the show, please visit www.thedjexpo.com.

Morillo at DJ Expo ’95: Club Déjà Vu, Atlantic City, N.J.

Stuntman, the Morillo-produced act hit platinum in 1994 with “I Like to Move It,” a ragga-house tune that gained new life in advertisements, TV and film, including multiple uses within the “Madagascar” film franchise.

Moving on from Reel 2 Real, Morillo finished up his time on Strictly Rhythm with the enduring house groover “Jazz It Up.” In 1997, founded Subliminal Records and delivered a slew of club hits from NYC-area producers like Harry Romero, Jose Nunez, and Junior Sanchez, plus global breakout hits like Pete Heller’s “Big Love.”

Before long, Morillo became a successful global DJ and Subliminal became one of America’s first big brands. In 1998, Morillo began his legendary Subliminal Sessions at Manhattan’s Champs club and then later Centro-Fly – originally mid-week parties that served as industry nights for NYC’s dance-music community of

labels, promoters, artists and DJs. He soon became an Ibiza favorite with regular nights at Space and a longrunning residency at Pacha, which pulled the difficult trick of drawing genuine house-music lovers and A-list celebs. If you ever caught Morillo at Pacha in Ibiza, it was probably a night to remember.

Of course, by then, Morillo had become one of America’s first superstar DJs. He was a reigning resident at Pacha New York, a mega-successful club that he co-founded in late 2005.

By his own admission, Morillo lived the high life and, for good and ill, its trappings and his indulgences form a big part of his legacy. But his raging talent, his huge influence on DJ/ producers and his overall impact on the industry won’t soon be matched.

“I’m at a point right now where I have a list of about 30 offers that I don’t even have time for,” said Morillo in another DJ Times cover story, this time in 2005. “I travel around the world. As far as what makes a superstar DJ, I’m fortunate to be in that handful.

“But,” he added, “you also really have to love what you do and you gotta go into a room and rock a fucking crowd. That’s it. There are no shortcuts in that respect.”

For this story, we reached out to DJs big and small, plus a group of longtime New York dance-music industry insiders: On His DJing: “[He’s] one of the best DJs I’ve ever seen.”

– David Guetta, DJ/artist

“Morillo took you to another place, almost as if he had a spell on you.”

– Hazel Zoleta, OnCue Management “He was so unique behind the decks, very festive. He mixed three records at the same time and it seemed to be one song. He was a super mixer, juggler. We never missed his whistling or him getting on the mic while he danced during his sets. A great entertainer with an unmistakable style.”

– DJ Vivona, DJ/producer “He was a DJ’s DJ – hands down.

There was no DJ in the world who could destroy a club like Erick Morillo.”

– Debra Eriksen, Oracle Entertainment On His Musical Legacy: “Erik’s impact on the culture was undeniable.”

– Junior Sanchez, DJ/producer “He had the ability to marry different genres, where it would translate nicely onto the dancefloor.”

– Annie Ramirez, former Strictly Rhythm/Subliminal Records employee “Erick’s legacy may be one of having the foresight and persistence of making DJing into a business model and not a hobby for the weekend.”

– Mario Lobo, former Strictly Rhythm employee On His Influence: “Regardless of the ups and downs in his life, you can’t take away from the fact that he arrived, worked hard, Photo: BigCityBeats (continued on page 42)

Bill Borrelli

GLORY & TRAGEDY: ERICK MORILLO, 1971-2020

FROM THE EDITOR

editor-in-chief Jim Tremayne jtremayne@testa.com

C’est Magnifique

editor-at-large Brian O’Connor boconnor@testa.com

Over the years – and at DJ Times, we’re talking since 1988 – we’ve interviewed pretty much every influential French DJ/producer. From Grammy winners like Daft Punk, David Guetta and Cedric Gervais, to underground darlings like Laurent Garnier and Agoria – not to mention the one and only François Kevorkian, the French-born/NYC-based talent who has had a hand in almost every epoch of the modern DJ culture – we’ve talked to all of them.

But for some reason, we kept missing the jocks from the Pardon My French collective. Including DJ Snake, Malaa, Mercer and Tchami, the PMF group’s output has impacted the EDM/festival scene to a very large degree over the past decade, so (partly because we’re overdue), for this issue we bring you Tchami, EDM’s faux-pastor/future-house pioneer.

Despite the full-on craziness that 2020 has brought, the Paris-born/Miami-based Tchami (aka Martin Joseph Léonard Bresso) has managed to have a consequential year. Yes, the post-March gigs (which included a big tour) evaporated, but he’s delivered his debut full-length (aptly named Year Zero) and his contributions to Lady Gaga’s Chromatica album (released this past May) have exposed his talents to a wider audience. So, despite the year’s obvious challenges, Tchami’s 2020 has been notable and our Brian Bonavoglia has connected with him for this month’s cover story.

Ever wonder how some of the bigger DJs have gotten where they are? Yes, of course, talent. And yes, a few breaks perhaps, but as they say, “Luck is the residue of design.” So how do you make your breaks? An agent who books great gigs can help in a big way. So how do you attract a top agent who books big-league gigs? We went right to the source and asked one, Sujit Kundu of SKAM Artist, to give us five do’s and don’ts for attracting a big agent who can help your career.

From over the pond, U.K.-based writer Danny Turner connected with Brit trance jock Ben Gold, who explains how streaming has helped maintain his brand during the pandemic. In Samplings, our L.A.-based scribe Lily Moayeri interviewed Tensnake who told her how the City of Angels informed his latest pop-leaning artist album, suitably titled L.A. In our studio-oriented Sampling, I visit with Brazilian talent Bruno Martini, who details his process of making records with the legendary Timbaland.

In our tech departments, Denver-based DJ/writer Wesley Bryant-King heads into the studio to test out Solid State Logic’s SSL 2+ interface. For Sounding Off, he also runs Pioneer DJ’s XDJ-XZ all-in-one system through its paces. Additionally, Twin Cities-based DJ Deets reviews Mackie’s new SRM V-Class series active loudspeakers.

For the mobile entertainer, Joshua Volpe details several unique marketing methods that can give your DJ company a much-needed boost. In Business Line, veteran DJ/entrepreneur Randy Bartlett offers sage advice: Ask why, not how. Also, we visit with two-time DJ Expo “Entertainer of the Year” Artem Lomaz, who explains how he’s managed to win the competition in consecutive years.

And don’t forget about this year’s DJ Expo, set for Nov. 16-19 at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City, N.J. As always, the DJ Times-produced show will present the industry’s largest exhibit hall, nearly 30 educational seminars and three evenings of sponsored events. For the very latest on the show, please visit thedjexpo.com.

Cheers,

assistant editor Brian Bonavoglia bbonavoglia@testa.com chart coordinator Dan Miller dmiller@testa.com contributors Wesley Bryant-King Chris Caruso Amanda Chavez Shawn Christopher Paul Dailey Reed Dailey Chris Davis DJ Deets Tony Fernandez Tommy D Funk Jennifer Harmon Josh Harris Ryan Hayes Greg Hollmann Josh Kerman Michelle Loeb Erik Miller Lily Moayeri Jordan St Jacques Jeff Stiles Ashley Teffer Danny Turner Phil Turnipseed Curtis Zack President/Publisher Vincent P. Testa FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND TO ORDER SUBSCRIPTIONS, CALL 800-937-7678 VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.djtimes.com

Jim Tremayne Editor, DJ Times

DJ Times Sound & Communications The Music & Sound Retailer Sound & Communications ClubWorld Blue Book America’s Best DJ The DJ Expo IT/AV Report Convention TV News VTTV Studios

director of integrated advertising Paul Bozikis pbozikis@testa.com art director Janice Pupelis jpupelis@testa.com production manager Steve Thorakos sthorakos@testa.com digital art director Fred Gumm fgumm@testa.com social media coordinator Amanda Mullen amullen@testa.com traffic manager art production assistant Jeannemarie Graziano jgraziano@testa.com Circulation circulation@testa.com Classifieds classifiedsales@testa.com operations manager Robin Hazan rhazan@testa.com Editorial and Sales Office: DJ Times, 25 Willowdale Avenue, Port Washington, New York, USA 11050-3779. (516) 767-2500 • FAX (Editorial): (516) 944-8372 • FAX (Sales/all other business): (516) 767-9335 • DJTIMES@TESTA. COM Editorial contributions should be addressed to The Editor, DJ Times, 25 Willowdale Avenue, Port Washington, NY, USA, 110503779. Unsolicited manuscripts will be treated with care an d should be accompanied by return postage.

DJ Times (ISSN 1045-9693) is published monthly except for February, July, September and December for $19.40 (US), $39.99 (Canada), and $59.99 (all other countries), by DJ Publishing, Inc., 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050-3779. Periodicals Postage Paid at Port Washington, NY, and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DJ Times, PO BOX 1767, LOWELL MA 01853-1767 Design and contents are copyright © 2020 by DJ Publishing, Inc., and must not be reproduced in any manner except by permission of the publisher.

Websites: www.djtimes.com and www.testa.com Fall 2020 Issue

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FEEDBACK

AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED 1988

$4.95 US

$6.95 CANADA

PLUS: BOB MOSES n SOUL CLAP n ADMN n MOBILE MARKETING n DENON DJ PRIME GO n PRESONUS STUDIO COMBO

SUMMER 2020 ISSUE

djtimes.com 048AU20_p001-044.indd 1

VOLUME 33 NUMBER 5

*Upsell Your Video Screens: A Hands-On. Jimmie Malone from Ex‑ ceptional Receptions in Binghamton, N.Y., will show you how to create slideshows to upsell video screens — and how to pitch them to clients *How to Improve Your Crappy Website in Just One Week. Presented

by Digitera’s Jordan St. Jacques, this session’s title says it all. Here’s how a DJ company hits reboot.

*Mitzvahs — Beyond the Booth. Jer‑ sey jock Adam Hirschhorn, owner of AJH Entertainment, will cover a variety of mitzvah-related topics. *Fix the Mix: Easy Ways to Trick Out Your Mobile Sets. Presented by San Di‑ ego’s DJ Staci, this session will help keep your music mix up-to-date and unique. *Why the Caterer Should Not Do the Lighting. Presented by Mike Fernino of Connecticut’s Music in Motion En‑

BUSINESS BEAT

HERE FOR NOW

BATTLE TIPS PANDEMIC-ERA BOOKINGS FROM 3 CHAMPS THE STORIES, SO FAR

tertainment, this sales-and-marketing session offers a specific niche concept to combat venues that try to steal away your lighting work – and do an inferior job at that!

Other seminars include: *Photo Booth — The Next Generation. *Social Listening: How to Identify Potential Clients on Social Media. *Diversifying DJs: Weddings-Finance-Insurance-Escrow

8/7/2020 2:37:40 PM

This is Feedback, a monthly feature that fields questions from you, our readers, and funnels them out to in‑ dustry professionals. If you have any questions about DJing – marketing, mixing, equipment or insurance, any at all – drop us a letter at DJ Times, 25 Willowdale Ave, Port Washington, NY 11050, fax us at (516) 944‑8372 or e‑mail us at djtimes@testa.com. If we do use your question, you’ll receive a free DJ Times T‑shirt. And remember, the only dumb question is the ques‑ tion that is not asked.

DJ Expo Update DJ Expo is set for November 16-19 at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City. As always, the DJ Times-produced show will present the industry’s largest exhibit hall, more than two-dozen educational seminars, and three eve‑ nings of sponsored events.

At presstime, DJ Expo’s seminars include: *Search Marketing in the COVID-19 Era. Presented by Digitera’s Jordan St. Jacques, this SEO session for do-it-yourselfers will put you on the right path from the jump. *Gear: New DJ Tech & What It Means to You. Whether it’s discuss‑ ing software, control options, audio, lighting, video or studio products, this seminar will give you the straight dope and the latest tips – and it’ll explain how you benefit from these new technologies. Moderated by DJ Times Editor Jim Tremayne, this ses‑ sion will include top retailers and industry insiders. *Making It Count: The Importance of Client Experience. Presented by Tom Gambuzza, Michael Carleo and Michael Saulpaugh from New Jer‑ sey’s Elegant Music Group, this sem‑ inar will show you how to maximize every opportunity from every event. *101 Track: Get in Someone’s Face and Grow Your Footprint. Bostonbased Rob Peters DiFazio of Rob Peters Entertainment will share his secrets on how he networks.

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DJ Business Beat (monthly eNewsletter) What DJ professional has time to sort through every single news item in their inbox? The Business Beat does the work for our readers, bringing them only the most important industry updates from each month. Get late-breaking, relevant stories, vetted by our editorial staff, delivered straight to your inbox — without having to slog through all the extras.

INSIDER

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Twice a month subscribers will receive an email containing the past two weeks’ most relevant web articles as selected by the DJ Times staff.

The DJ Insider reports on the entire spectrum of DJ and producer news, ranging from music business to industry news, DJ culture to new DJ gear and technology, marketing & business tips to the latest DJ charts, and much more.

BUSINESS BE

REPLAY REPLAY

DJ Weekly Rewind (weekly eNewsletter)

The life of an Professional DJ is a busy one, and it’s tough work keeping up with the latest news as it breaks throughout the week. The DJ Rewind has you covered.

Our weekly newsletter keeps MI professionals in the loop, delivering the latest stories straight to their inbox every Saturday. Our editorial staff is eager to bring our readers updates more frequently, focusing on the most relevant stories from each week in addition to the highlights featured in our monthly newsletter.

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SAMPLING

TENSNAKE’S L.A. STORY

Katja Ruge

For all its hustle, Los Angeles is permanently covered with a blanket of nostalgia.

This is best experienced through music. It’s in the numerous oldies radio stations that soundtrack the drives that never seem to end. It’s in the elevators of office and medical buildings. It’s in the songs piped into department and grocery stores.

For the five years that Marco Niemerski (aka Tensnake) lived in Los Angeles, this nostalgia matched up perfectly with the mood he was inadvertently capturing on his second studio album, aptly titled L.A. “There is magic to the city,” says Niemerski, who has since returned to his native Germany and resides in his hometown of Hamburg. “I constantly felt like I was in a movie.

What’s holding the songs on the album together is my time in L.A. It’s a chronological journey. It took me a while, but I really fell in love. It’s the best city in the world. It was a fantastic experience. I’m more excited to go back to L.A. on holiday and enjoy it as a tourist who knows the city a little bit.”

The album got started in 2017, about halfway through Tensnake’s time in Los Angeles.

Having moved around a few times, he left his outboard gear in Germany and worked wholly in the box for L.A. Furthermore, his studio space was not acoustically treated and he didn’t even have a selection of microphones through which he recorded the myriad of vocalists on the album. Besides the wonderful Fiora, who appears frequently on his debut album, Glow, L.A. also features the instantly recognizable voice of Boy Matthews (Duke Dumont’s “Ocean Drive” and “Duality”), Cara Melín’s Michael Jackson-meets-Bruno Mars tones and the warm and soulful Daramola, among others.

“I worked with whatever I had, sometimes we even recorded on an iPhone,” says Niemerski, whose DAWs include Ableton Live and PreSonus Studio One. “For processing, I mostly use Universal Audio plug-ins. I also used the Manley VOXBOX Channel Strip [alltube vocal processor], which as a pre amp, EQ and compressor. For Boy Matthews on ‘Somebody Else,’ I used a Gefell microphone. No fancy setup, not even a pre-amp, straight into my Apollo 8. We were going to re-record it later, but as is very often the case, the first take was the best so we kept that one.

“I used to think you needed super-fancy gear,” he continues. “But some of my most successful songs I did on lo-fi cheap equipment.

It’s really about creativity. I’m also not a big fan of being in a hired studio with an engineer. I prefer to do everything at home.”

There is a very intentional pop bent to L.A., a noticeable shift away from the disco/ house vibe of Glow. While the songs have a modern sheen to them, the album’s overall style is more rooted in ’80s pop and R&B. This is exemplified in the fresh cover of the Pointer Sisters’ “Automatic,” in the slick feel of “Antibodies” and the smooth grooves of “Night Shift.” Not only was L.A. not created with the dancefloor in mind, but Tensnake wouldn’t play any of its songs in their album form in his DJ sets.

“Album Tensnake and DJ Tensnake are different,” says Niemerski, whose DJ set-up is simple and flexible with any Pioneer DJ gear. “The album is way too pop for my DJ sets.

There was no point testing the songs on the dancefloor when I was making them. They’re for listening at home or your car or at the beach or walking to work or on your phone, not for the club. My remixes are mostly four-to-the-floor. I could play those in my sets.” (continued on page 42)

Tensnake: Inspired by his stint in Los Angeles.

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IN THE STUDIO WITH...

Though he’s already tasted plenty of international success, Brazilian DJ/artist Bruno Martini remains poised to take his career to the next level, pandemic be damned. After all, since he was a teenager, the 27-year-old talent has seen nothing but incremental success – so why stop now?

After achieving national notoriety at 19 in the pop duo, College 11, Martini broke out solo as an EDM-leaning producer and DJ in 2016. “Hear Me Now,” his hit debut collab with Alok featuring Zeeba, rang up nearly 500 million streams and catchy follow-up singles like “Road,” “Sun Goes Down” and “Living on the Outside,” all reached gold or platinum status. He also hit the festival circuit, playing mainstages from South America to Europe.

As latest single, “Bend the Knee,” a bright, poppy collab with Timbaland featuring Iza, was making plenty of waves and we neared the release of his debut solo album, Original (Universal Music), Bruno Martini connected with DJ Times.

DJ Times: Where did you spend most of the pandemic?

Bruno Martini: I spent most of the time inside my studio here in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

I’m lucky that it’s super-close to where I live. I’m really enjoying spending some time on my own here, creating new sounds and trying to find myself in music. Still a long way to go, but I can say I needed this time. I also spent more time with my family.

DJ Times: Tell me about recording this new album, Original.

Martini: I’ve been working on this for two years already. I recorded all over the world, but, of course, most of the records were recorded in my own studio. I started this project when I met Timbaland in Los Angeles. We recorded in a studio called Westlake Studios, and it was a huge experience in learning and creating music with this icon.

I also recorded some in Holland.

DJ Times: Why an album now?

Martini: I did a lot of collaborations since I started my solo project. I’ve been a working professional in the music industry for almost 11 years already. I started when I was 16-years old working for Disney [in College 11, which recorded for Disney Records]. I’m grateful for all the opportunities I had in my life, but I feel it was time to show people what Bruno likes to hear, what are my influences in music, what I listen to. Before Disney, I used to have a rock band in school with friends. So, I can say that finally I can show people who I am. I had great moments in my career already, got some worldwide hits like “Hear Me Now,” but this is the most important thing I’ve ever done.

That’s how excited I am with this project.

DJ Times: The single, “Bend the Knee,” got off to a good start. Tell us about that collab with Timbaland and Iza.

BRUNO MARTINI: THE NEXT LEVEL Martini: I still can’t believe I got to do some records with the king, Timbaland – he’s my idol. His music inspired me since I started and made me fall in love with music. Being able to work with him is a huge blessing. I wrote this song with Mayra [Arduini] she’s my writing partner in Brazil and she actually cut the vocals on the first version we did.

Timbaland and me were in the studio having a lot of fun doing this one. We actually worked with one more producer, Angel Lopez. It was us three at Westlake Studios. We had so much fun that, when I came back to my country, I knew it was a special song.

DJ Times: What was behind the choice to have Iza as the vocalist?

Martini: So I wanted to have a power voice and also a voice that means a lot for Brazil. The first artist that came to my mind… it was Iza. Also, because the lyrics of “Bend The Knee” talks about women’s empowerment in an easy way, it had to be her on the record. I showed her the project, she fell in love and cut the vocals for “Bend The Knee” and another song that is coming out soon.

DJ Times: What got you started DJing?

Martini: My dad works with music in Brazil – he’s also a musician. He’s always been involved in the electronic scene and I was surrounded with artists and DJs. I think it was a normal process. It happened naturally. First time I touched vinyl was at my dad’s studio and I was 15-years old. I totally fell in love. I listened to everything.

My first instrument was the guitar, so I started playing rock-n-roll. I used to listen to Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin. Then, I had my first contact with electronic music through Kraftwerk. I can go from Deep Purple to Jay-Z and Daft Punk. I just love music, in general, but my biggest inspiration comes from rock, hip hop and electronic music.

Collab: On Martini’s latest, (continued on page 42) he works with Timbaland.

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DJs: We want to help you Get DJs: We want to help you Get Heard, Get Booked & Get Paid.

Heard, Get Booked & Get Paid.

The new Skrachy platform, launching in beta, offers DJs an The new Skrachy platform, launching in beta, offers DJstheir an all-in-one business management platform to monetize all-in-one with business to monetize their business, toolsmanagement geared just forplatform DJs. business, with tools geared just for DJs.

www.skrachy.com www.skrachy.com

The Connected DJ is Now The Connected DJ is Now

By Brian Bonavoglia

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Adam Weissman

W

hether you’re a longtime clubber or a relatively recent convert to the EDM-fueled festival scene, there is no denying the impact that French DJ/producers have played in electronic music’s rich history.

If you didn’t know already, the list of legendary musical exports is a long one, and it includes Daft Punk, Laurent Garnier, Bob Sinclar, David Guetta, Martin Solveig, Cedric Gervais, and Gesaffelstein. And don’t forget the French-born/NYC-based François Kevorkian, whose contributions to the music and industry overall are as deep as it gets.

But, even with such an impressive list still going strong, it has been the Pardon My French collective (DJ Snake, Tchami, Malaa, and Mercer) that has been dominating the global festival circuit in recent years.

A quartet of lifelong friends, each boasting their own unique personalities, the DJ/producers have all made their individual marks to varying degrees of success, with DJ Snake certainly riding the loftiest heights in the pop culture.

But Tchami’s not far behind. Not only have his spiritual aura and clerical collar helped separate himself from the traditional DJ mold, his musical output has helped define what we’ve come to know as “future house.”

Born Martin Joseph Léonard Bresso in Paris,Tchami’s musical journey began at the age of four with classical training playing a significant role in his development.

As a teenager, he befriended one William Sami Étienne Grigahcine (aka DJ Snake) and the pair would become quite the cratediggers, quickly entrenching themselves in the world of electronic-dance music.

Tchami popped onto the scene back in 2013 with a remix of “Go Deep” by Janet Jackson, followed up by his two-track “Promesses” EP on A-Trak’s esteemed Fool’s Gold Records. Making waves out of the gate with a refreshing style of production (he coined the term “future house”), Bresso delivered a modern-day makeover to classic house music, while serving up hard-hitting tunes that were festival-friendly. At the same time, Tchami was a part of the production of DJ Snake and Lil Jon’s 2013 trap anthem “Turn Down for What,” which took the world by storm.

Fast-forward to 2015: Tchami launched his very own record label, Confession, a platform for rising producers to continue to push the traditional boundaries of house music, while helping them get their music heard. That same year, the French talent would release his “After Life” EP, which dominating the blogosphere, officially catapulting him into the spotlight.

Since then, Tchami has made the rounds across the globe, bringing his spiritual presence to iconic clubs and festivals, boasting a discography that includes “Prophecy” (alongside the masked mastermind Malaa), his blissful beauty “Adieu” and his recent Revelations EP. In 2020, following a steady flow of singles, Tchami looked to take that next step. Not only did he see his collaborations with Lady Gaga find their release on her Chromatica album, he prepped his debut album for release. But as he finished what became Year Zero, it became apparent that the global pandemic would have its say about the proceedings.

Gospe

For Tchami, Future House’s Faux-Pastor, 2020 Was Both “Year Zero” & One Big Challenge

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Consequently, with a headlining tour and major festival dates cancelled, Tchami – like other global talents looking for a big 2020 – had to imagine what could’ve been in a year gone wrong. Despite the challenges, the Miami-based Tchami has given us a terrific album, so he took the time to connect with DJ Times to discuss his journey and reflect on a very strange year personally and professionally.

DJ Times: What got you started DJing? Was there a DJ that influenced you in the beginning?

Tchami: I think the first DJs that influenced me were guys like Cut Killer, A-Trak, DJ Premier. It was the end of the ’90s.

DJ Times: What was your first DJ set-up? Did you start with vinyl?

Tchami: Yes, I had two BSTs PR-90 belt-drive turntables and a Gemini PS-626 three-channel DJ mixer.

DJ Times: At what point did you become comfortable DJing in front of a crowd? Is there a story?

Tchami: It was when I started touring as Tchami. I already had experienced small crowds earlier, but this always was a challenge to overcome. With Tchami, I had no choice – I had to make it work.

DJ Times: What kinds of clubs were you going to?

Tchami: I was not into partying in clubs. I only went when the DJ was a friend and I wanted to listen to his set and maybe be allowed to play at the end of the night.

DJ Times: What DJ gear do you require in the booth now? Why do you choose this platform?

Tchami: These days, I use the classic Pioneer DJ CDJ-2000NXS2 media players with the Pioneer DJ DJM-900NXS2 mixer. I’m comfortable with these and they are very reliable.

DJ Times: Which DJs impress you now and why?

Tchami: Recently, I enjoy Floating Points for the crate digging and his selection of songs.

DJ Times: From Laurent Garnier to Daft Punk and David Guetta to your Pardon My French collective, Paris has always seemed to have a vibrant DJ scene, but one very different from the other European countries. Any reason for that? Did your countrymen hold most of the influence on upand-coming French DJs? Or did the French DJs look to other places for inspiration?

Tchami: As I like to think, we have our own way of absorbing different cultures in France. Most of the time, there is a genuine approach in this process. Long story short, we may want to do it exactly like the originators, but we always end up making our own blend and trying to create something else with respect to where the inspiration came from. I think we study the music a lot. Maybe this is what makes French music a bit special – or, at least, sets it apart from others.

DJ Times: You moved to the United States a few years ago – what’s it been like for you, culturally and musically? Likes/dislikes, compared to Europe?

Tchami: It’s a cultural shock in the business field. As for music, the United States has the best infrastructure. People are prompted to discover new genres and they are more on-board with innovation. The U.K. has that, too. They always have been in a special creative place, aside from the world and defining countless trends.

DJ Times: Your clerical theme/clothes… what was the origin of that? Have you run into any trouble with it?

Tchami: No trouble at all. This is a visual artefact that tends to spread a message of unity through the music I make and play. Music is pure energy. You either feel it or not.

DJ Times: What is it about house music that made you fall in love with the genre?

Tchami: I was producing for artists at the time – I was more like a beat maker. I was frustrated about all these beats sitting in my computer with little result. I saw [the late] DJ Mehdi, who was on my radar as a hip-hop producer, make a move towards electronic music. He made history in the French electronic-music space being at the forefront of labels like Ed Banger. He showed me that I could evolve. And that’s what I’ve been doing ever since. This was a pivotal moment, for sure.

DJ Times: What was so appealing about the genre that you wanted to produce it yourself?

Tchami: The freedom. The control of your music. I was not going to have to answer to anyone else, but myself. More freedom and, so, more responsibilities. I didn’t know it at the time, but I needed that.

DJ Times: How have you spent your time in lockdown? You were in the midst of your “Elevation” tour when the coronavirus pandemic caused the shutdown of the country.

Tchami: Yes, the pandemic hit me hard, as I had to cancel half of the “Elevation” tour shows. But it also made me realize that I needed some time home to figure some important things out. I’ve been struggling to create the first two or three months, but the summer gave me some good vibes to write about. My mind needed some rest, apparently. The good thing was that I had my album nearly done and some other music for other projects, as well. That gave me some air, for sure.

DJ Times: What was it like for you to release an album during all this coronavirus chaos? Was there any silver lining to it?

Tchami: It’s been challenging, but I think the world needs music – and art, in general – more than ever. Don’t be afraid to put out some great songs just because, due to the pandemic, you can’t promote them on tour now. People need the music.

DJ Times: You’ve released plenty of tracks over the years, but Year Zero is your debut album.

What was the process like putting a complete studio album together?

Tchami: It was a long journey. One day, I came across a dozen unfinished tracks and demos, and I thought it could be the backbone of an album, if I wanted. I wasn’t ready, but the idea never left me.

At some point, I went through a bit of a creative block and realized that I needed a new challenge.

The idea of the album came back to me and I started to work on more songs. Then, we started the songwriting process mostly in Los Angeles and London with amazing artists that helped me complete my vision. The album was definitely a co-creation.

DJ Times: How would you say your sound has evolved since your earliest releases compared to Year Zero?

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“I think we [French DJ/producers] study the music a lot.

Maybe this is what makes French music a bit special – or, at least, sets it apart from others.”

Confessions: Top Tchami Tracks 1. Marshall Jefferson – “Move Your Body” (Tchami Tribute) [Ultra Records], 2015: Revisiting Jefferson’s timeless classic from 1986, the French producer pumps new life into the soulful house hit, injecting it with some serious bounce.

2. Tchami feat. Stacy Barthe – “After Life” [fformat records], 2015: Offering a fiery taste of Tchami’s hard-hitting, future-house sound, this titillating track became a staple in his sets and an immediate fan favorite.

3. Tchami & Malaa – “Prophecy” [Confession], 2016: Working with his fellow Frenchman – the masked Malaa – Tchami co-authors a track with a booming bassline that radiates a darkened aura throughout.

4. Tchami – “Adieu” [Confession], 2017: A true standout of the Parisian’s lengthy discography, “Adieu” delivers a serving of blissful beauty that’s fueled by a soulful vocal. Not exactly your traditional club-ready dancefloor weapon, but it’s quite the flawless bit of production.

5. Tchami feat. Hana – “Ghosts” [Confession], 2020: One of the first singles off Tchami’s debut album, Year Zero, “Ghosts” is driven by Hana’s soaring vocals and accompanied by a devoutly ethereal production.

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“Don’t be afraid to put out some great songs just because, due to the pandemic, you can’t promote them on tour now.

People need the music.”

Tchami: I honestly don’t know. I don’t like analyzing my work. I just do what I like in the moment. Then I work on the music until I feel it’s the way it’s supposed to be.

DJ Times: When it comes to production for this album, where did you find inspiration?

Tchami: In my past, my vinyl crates, my all-time classics and my experiences as a young music lover and explorer. It’s not a tribute, but I dug up some of my best musical moments and translated them into new sounds. That’s what Year Zero is about. A new beginning based on what was already good.

DJ Times: Not only does 2020 see the release of your debut album, but you also co-produced a few tracks on Lady Gaga’s recent album, Chromatica, including “Rain On Me’” with Ariana Grande. How did you get involved with that project and what’s it like working with a superstar like Lady Gaga?

Tchami: It has been an amazing time spent with her and her team. First, [producer/songwriter] BloodPop came to me and asked me to come to Los Angeles to hear the music and maybe work on it. I think what makes the album so rich is that they were not afraid to let all their collaborators touch each and every song. They had a vision, for sure, but they let me do what felt right for the record. To me, that’s the best attitude when you try to convey something unique.

DJ Times: Speaking of producing, what gear and programs do you use? For example, what’s your DAW? Tchami: I currently use Ableton Live. I started on [Sonic Foundry] ACID Pro 3.0, then [Steinberg] Cubase SX, then [Propellerhead] Reason. For now, I stick with Ableton Live 10.

DJ Times: Is there a studio product that you’re especially loving now – a plug-in or vintage synth – that helps you get unique sounds?

Tchami: I love u-he Diva as a VST [analog] synth. I love all the DMGAudio suites. They’re very versatile and tweakable, if you want to do that.

DJ Times: Do you have a favorite track from your album?

Tchami: I honestly don’t have a favorite. I love them all – they all mean a different thing to me.

DJ Times: When your album gets released, will you be taking a break? Or are you headed right back into the studio?

Tchami: Those six months were the break I didn’t know I needed. Now I’m in a great shape creatively, so we’ll see what happens next. Whether it is music for me or for others, there is so much room – and I love it. n

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SCARCITY MARKETING

UNDERCOVER MARKETING

USER-GENERATED MARKETING

Is Your DJ Company Ready for a Post-COVID Boost?

Try These Unique Marketing Tactics

HOW

CAUSE MARKETING “There are dozens of ONLINE UPDATES

ways user-generated content can be repurposed across

DANCING

various online mediums — an

SET-UPS

Instagram post tagging your business can be

MUSIC shared on Pinterest!

The possibilities are endless.”

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By Joshua Volpe In the DJ industry, we are always looking for new ways to stand out and market ourselves, so we can stay ahead of the competition. There are so many different marketing strategies that a business owner can create, but the question that comes into play is: “What if everyone else is using the same exact strategies as I am?”

This then becomes a challenge because you need to think of creative tactics that are not very common or often used. Standard marketing is all about PR, digital advertising, content strategies, collateral, websites, and many other topics that I have discussed in my articles. The techniques below put a different edge on standard marketing that you may be able to utilize for your own benefit:

mixes so that clients can hear or see how you DJ – show them that you are not offering the same thing being played in the room or venue next door.

Online Updates: Keep your social media and website updated constantly.

You should be posting on your Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Tik Tok, etc., multiple times a week and engaging with your followers. Your website should be updated every couple of weeks to keep content fresh. If you visit a DJ’s Facebook page and their last post was eight months ago, that could be a strong red flag and sign that they are not as desirable and unique as the DJ who is always posting interesting content. Remember, three out of every four consumers rely on social-media content to influence their purchasing decisions.

specifically ask for.

Companies can do a great job of using user-generated content for their own benefit, such as sharing brandinspired fan art and customer testimonials across various social networks. You could do a “Fan Pic Friday” where you ask clients to share their favorite pic from their event and tag you in all of their social media. Reviews are another form of user-generated content that can easily be re-formatted for different mediums. You’re letting your clients do the work for you.

When you have a popular business that generates client attention, the user-generated content that rolls in is immensely valuable. Why? Well, for one, there are some pretty creative people out there who find fun and innovative news ways

TO STAND OUT SCARCITY MARKETING

UNDERCOVER MARKETING

This strategy works by driving demand for something that is rare. If consumers decide they want the latest service or item and it is hard to get, many will act fast to get their hands on it. Clever marketers know how to create this rarity among the population. This can be done by making the product appear unique and desirable. The demand for something that only a few people will have and is in limited supply creates a rare option which then turns to quicker and better revenue.

OK, so what are some ways that a DJ can make their company appear unique and desirable? Here are a few ways to really stand out from the crowd: Dancing: You don’t have to be the world’s best dancer, but if you learn even the simple basic dances that happen at many events (Cupid Shuffle, The Git Up, etc.) and you actively join your guests on the dancefloor for even a few seconds, it can really make you stand apart from the next business who has DJs that just stand behind their booth all night.

Set-Ups: Learn and research what set-ups your competitors are using at their events, by looking at pics and videos. If they all are using the same gear, the same lighting, and same set-ups, switch it up and come up with something different.

You might not think that will matter, but clients will see this quickly and realize you offer something that is unique.

Music: DJs all over the world can share a very similar playlist at their events. Come up with different ways to play that music and have a different playlist. This could be mash-ups, remixes, hype tracks, etc. Record yourself or have live

Also known as Stealth Marketing, Undercover Marketing is the subtle way to promote your brand or business. It can have a massive impact on sales and brand awareness. If your clients see an actor or well-known local person using your services or talking about your company, they are more likely to sign you as their entertainment of choice.

This can also sometimes be comparable to Influencer Marketing, which is designed to tap into an existing community of engaged followers on social media to help boost your business and brand.

You don’t have to necessarily know a celebrity for Undercover Marketing to work in your favor. It could be someone who has a large social-media audience or someone locally who’s known by a lot of people. It could be your mayor, a promoter at a large nightclub, a clothing designer who puts on fashion shows, the owner of a well-known restaurant, etc. If none of that works, there’s always paid Undercover Marketing and influencers.

Sites like Cameo where you can pay a small fee for a celebrity or influencer to make a video that plugs your business, has been used by small and large companies all over the world for this very reason.

USER-GENERATED MARKETING This is when businesses ask the public for ideas, information, and opinions on social media or run contests to help them craft better marketing material.

This can be molded into a focus group, which then creates feedback from the public to develop better strategies and tactics, which in turn bring you more business based off of what your clients

to talk about your company. There are dozens of ways user-generated content can be repurposed across various online mediums — an Instagram post tagging your business can be shared on Pinterest! A shout out on Twitter can become a Facebook testimonial. A Facebook poll asking people to decide between one thing or another. The possibilities are endless. Don’t let user-generated content go to waste—make the most of it to enhance your business and get your name out there more. Surveys say that 84-percent of millennials say on-site, user-generated content impacts their buying decisions.

CAUSE MARKETING As consumers become more aware of the inequality surrounding them, they seek to make differences. Cause Marketing includes social-responsibility strategies that aim to simultaneously improve society and boost a brand’s awareness by promoting and supporting a charitable cause. A general example of this includes public-awareness campaigns for cancer or putting on an event to help a cancer foundation that is local to you.

No matter what strategies you decide to tackle, it is extremely important to find new and unique ways to market yourself outside of what others are doing. This gives big results and you will find your business doing much better, especially in these current times where everyone is scrambling to come up with ways to getting back to doing what we all love to do. Stay safe, stay well friends!

Joshua Volpe is the owner of Rochester, N.Y.-based Kalifornia Entertainment.

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Renowned for his fierce, dancefloorfriendly arrangements, Ben Gold is one of trance music’s most prolific and versatile artists, electrifying a global fan base with his perfectionist approach to DJing and production.

Fresh from the success of 2019’s sophomore album on Armada, Sound Advice (Chapter Two), and his collaborations with Ukrainian talent Omnia (as FUTURECODE), the British-born DJ was set to consolidate in 2020 with a string of summer-festival appearances. However, in a familiar story, COVID-19 wrecked the DJ/producer’s plans, forcing him to re-evaluate his short-term career path.

In typically enthusiastic fashion, Gold embraced live video streaming, metamorphosing his “Open to Close” live concept into a two-hour streaming event and embarking on an ambitious “24 Hours of Trance Classics” set. In addition to maintaining his BenGoldMusic channel on Twitch TV, Gold’s mixes are also available on other platforms like SoundCloud, Instagram and Facebook. We caught up with the Amsterdam-based Gold to discover how live streaming has rejuvenated his passion for DJing.

DJ Times: Amsterdam is such a social area – so how’s lockdown been for you?

Ben Gold: At the start, I was pretty concerned about what would happen to my livelihood and asked myself the obvious questions about whether clubs were going to close and festivals be cancelled.

It would have been easy to spiral into bad mental health, but it actually ended up being perfect. I was going to Dubai at the last week of March for a much-needed rest and now realize I needed to have a much lengthier break. As a consequence, I’ve been able to press pause on my life and bring everything into focus. Now I find I have a really clear vision of what I want to do moving forward as an artist and a brand.

DJ Times: When did you decide that video streaming would be a good idea?

Gold: Quite early on – although I didn’t really plan it and wasn’t a Twitch user before I decided to use it as a streaming platform. To get help setting up, I bought a MacBook that was powerful enough to stream from and spoke to a friend of mind in Montreal who streams seminars for a living. The first stream was a six-hour set, and the week after I did a three-hour “Who’s Afraid of 138?!” special.

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DJ Times: Rather ambitiously, you also performed a 24-hour stream as well…

Gold: That was one of my favorite streams throughout this whole lockdown period. The set was “24 Hours of Trance Classics” streamed live over three eighthour periods. The initial idea was to do an extended set of trance classics, but I found that I loved doing these long mixes and was starting to build a community of regular viewers and streamers coming back to the chat room. I also dusted off some old hard drives, found a bunch of unreleased tracks and DJed my entire discography in just over10 hours. There were almost 140 tracks, which was actually quite emotional, as I’d completely forgotten how some of them sounded.

DJ Times: What happened to the open-to-close concept you had planned for this year?

Gold: I was really looking forward to playing a series of open-to-close shows that I’d planned for after the summer.

I’d written music exclusively for these shows, but there’s a very slim chance of any of them going ahead this year. So I’ve been working tirelessly to change the concept into a regular weekly stream. It’ll be a two-hour show with only the latest and best melodic house, techno and trance, mixed live in the style of a miniopen-to-close set where the viewer can feel the same energy in the music, visuals and performance, as they would if they were actually there.

DJ Times: What’s your streaming set-up?

Gold: I’m running a MacBook Pro to get the stream online through Streamlabs OBS [open broadcast software], which is free software, two Elgato LED lights and two Logitech C940 1080p webcams.

I’ve also bought some green material on Amazon, pinned it to my wall and worked with my album designer to create a rectangular still .PNG image that’s basically my “DJ booth.” We’re also experimenting on an animated screen concept.

DJ Times: Did live-streaming feel strange at first?

Gold: I’m quite an energetic performer. Loud music gets my blood going and that’s something I want to bring across to the audience, so it did feel a bit strange having no one in front of me. But I had a few beers before the first couple of streams to loosen up a little [laughs].

DJ Times: Where are you sourcing tracks from?

Gold: When I realized streaming was likely to become more regular, I upgraded to a Pioneer XDJ-RX2 with USB. Normally, I’d use four CDJs – two to play on and the others to search through tracks.

Now I’m playing from and planning my music in rekordbox using separate laptops. To be honest, if you can mix and DJ, it doesn’t really matter what you’ve got.

You’ll make it work.

Full-St DJ Times: Has streaming changed how you present yourself as a DJ/perfomer?

Gold: I’ve really embraced streaming and think it’s the way forward. At festivals, you’re constrained to playing one hour and I’ve always treated those sets as a power-hour where I play the best records I’ve got, mixed in a way that’s designed to create a few really big moments. You don’t have to think too much when you’re up there because everything’s planned. But what I’ve really missed as a DJ is reading a crowd and going on a journey with a beginning and an end. Pre-COVID, there wasn’t many opportunities to do that, but with the benefit of streaming, you can take as much time as you want to tell that story and show a side to you that maybe 80-percent of your fan base has never seen.

Maintaining His Brand, Trance Star Ben Gold Goes with the Digital Flow

DJ Times: Is it possible to monetize these streamed gigs in a meaningful way?

Gold: Due to all the 24-hour, tranceclassic sets, I received partner status on Twitch and that’s enabled me to start earning money. People can subscribe to your channel, make donations or gift subscriptions to people they don’t even know, which is incredibly generous. It doesn’t pay all the bills, but it certainly contributes to the loss of earnings from not touring.

DJ Times: What copyrighting challenges are you encountering when it comes to streaming content?

Gold: I was finding that Twitch had put some silences into my audio where copyright had flagged up tracks that I maybe shouldn’t have played, and they also told us we can’t keep those streams or clips available on their service after they’ve been viewed. We’re now looking towards YouTube and SoundCloud to put these sets online after the event.

tream Ahead

By Danny Turner

Ben Gold: Streams include trance-classic sets and more.

DJ Times: What music have you been working on in lockdown?

Gold: I’ve just released a remix of Simon Patterson’s “Blink,” which I premiered at A State of Trance 950. Seventyfive-percent of the music was brandnew to that set and my releases were all primed to be promoted, and then “boom” – no shows. A week before lockdown, I was in England writing two new records with Roxanne Emery and I’m excited about a new batch of music I’ve been making because I somehow feel closer to it. Maybe that’s because I’ve been reminiscing over my discography, although it also helps that I’m no longer running to the airport all of the time! n FALL ISSUE

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Do’s & Don’ts for DJs Seeking a Big-League Booking Agent

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Editor’s Note: For the moment, most of the gigs have stopped, and the DJ, nightclub and festival scenes are hitting reset. But it won’t always be like that – eventually, we’ll all be able to gather again in safer environs and DJs will lay down the beats that get people moving and grooving, a necessary ritual for all.

Still, for most DJs, getting to a position where the big gigs are coming fast and furious requires talent, drive, timing and connections. It’s on the DJ to be motivated and to practice. It’s up to the DJ to acquire skills on the decks and in the studio. But once you’ve got the DJ skills and perhaps some in-demand tracks, how does a DJ make those vital connections to get the bigger and better gigs? What is the correct way to step to those booking agents who regularly play in the big leagues, and hopefully can take your career to another level?

For the answers to those questions, we asked Sujit Kundu, the founder and CEO of SKAM Artist, one of America’s top DJ/artist booking agencies. With roster acts like Lil Jon, DJ Mustard, Dallas Austin, Swizz Beats, Bad Boy Bill, DJ Irie and T-Pain repping all genres from hip-hop to house and R&B, Kundu has the experience from which to offer some valuable advice.

So, for DJs looking to attract a top booking agency, here are Sujit’s 5 do’s and 5 don’ts:

5 Things You Shouldn’t Do Don’t be too pushy! When an agent is ready to make a move, they will. Timing is key! If they are politely beating around the bush to tell you no, don’t push the issue. It may happen down the line, but if you’re too aggressive, it may never happen.

Don’t talk shit. Never say you are way more talented than other DJs they already represent.

Don’t miss meetings – you should never miss meetings. If an agent asks you for a meeting, make time for it. You can’t be too busy – you have to show you want it.

Don’t have unrealistic expectations that the agent won’t be able to achieve. Everyone wants to headline Coachella or get a Las Vegas residency.

Don’t have the kind of manager who doesn’t add anything, but instead just complicates things.

If a manager and agent are not on the same page, this will be an unhealthy relationship. The first question every manager asks is: “Can you get the money up?” Agents are commission-based, so that’s the ultimate goal. Second question every manager asks is: “Can you see about routing shows around this date?” That is also obvious. Managers need to focus on things to increase demand for the artist, not micro-manage the agents.

5 Things You Should Do

top g

Know your audience and find an agent that works in the space you are going after. For example, if you’re a festival DJ, find an agency that lives in that world. If you spin at nightclubs or you prefer private-event gigs, you need to find an agency that specializes in that. Also, the genre of music is important when it comes to finding an agent.

for the

Manage your expectations when picking an agent. Agents are just that… agents. They are not an employment agency or a manager, so don’t expect that it’s their job to make sure you are working as much as you want.

By Sujit Kundu

Have solid residencies and/or clients. If you are already working, you are more likely to pick up an agent who can take your existing business and take it to the next level.

Have a vision – production, social media, celebrity status, technical DJ skills, etc. There are multiple ways to be a successful DJ, but you have to know your brand. The biggest DJs will do all of the before-mentioned items at the same time. Think about that.

Get to know the agent first. Make sure you both get along, vibe well together, and ultimately that you trust them. If all of that lines up, success will be much more likely. n

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MAKING TRACKS STUDIO…HARDWARE…SOFTWARE…

ACE INTERFACE: SSL 2+

By Wesley Bryant-King

At the NAMM show in Anaheim, Calif., this past January, I got a demo of a product from a rather unexpected company: England’s Solid State Logic (SSL).

For those who may not know, SSL was founded back in 1969, and is a legend in a specific niche of the market: the mixing console. Working across broadcast, education, installed sound, music production, post-production and professional touring audio, among other segments, SSL’s mixing consoles have been used worldwide on thousands of noteworthy projects and events. (The brand is distributed in the U.S. by the Farmingdale, N.Y.-based Group One Limited.)

Over the years, however, SSL has slowly, but surely expanded into an entirely different segment of the market, applying their console-centric expertise to somewhat lower-end products, including the Nucleus DAW and studio controller, and the SiX SuperAnalogue desktop mixer.

How “low-end” these products are to the market is debatable, I suppose; a Nucleus 2 runs nearly $5,000, while the SiX mixer costs about $1,500 — suggesting that both are seeking a particular profile of end-user.

But back to NAMM… the product for which I received a demo was nowhere near those price points; in fact, the company’s new audio interfaces, the SSL 2 and the SSL 2+, are both in the sub-$300 range, bringing the company squarely into the home24

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studio “prosumer” space. The SSL 2 is a two-channel-in, two-channel-out, USB-C-based audio interface, while the SSL 2+ adds a couple of extra outputs and some other niceties.

To be honest, the audio interface market is a crowded one, and it takes a lot to really stand out. So, does SSL 2+ manage to do so? I recently had a chance to kick the tires on one for a bit to find out the answer.

First Impressions Let’s start with who the SSL 2+ might be intended for. While it does have potential applications for DJs (something SSL’s web site does refer to), given that most digital DJs today are using controllers that have long since incorporated audio I/O, those applications are honestly fairly limited in my view. Where I think the SSL 2+ (and the SSL 2 for that matter) shines is for musicians and producers making music in home studios, and that’ll be where I focus this review.

To be certain, the SSL 2+ would be a really handsome addition to a home studio. Unlike many of its competitors, it’s not really designed to hide away at a corner of the desk; rather, it’s intended to be front-and-center and accessible. It’s a sexy-looking package with a plastic base, and a brushed aluminum top plate. Dominating the top is a chunky blue knob that serves as your volume control.

To its left are controls for the two mono inputs; push-on/push-off buttons let you enable 48-volt phantom power for your condenser mics

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SSL 2+: Great for collabs, an all-in-one solution.

should you be recording vocals and the like, while a pair of additional buttons on each channel let you configure line and instrument levels. Each channel also includes a five-segment LED to display input levels, plus rotary gain knobs.

SSL also included a “Legacy 4K” button for each channel. And no, this has nothing to do with hi-def TV; rather “4K” is a reference to SSL’s legendary 4000 Series consoles. When enabled, the button dials in a highfrequency EQ boost and a tiny bit of harmonic distortion. The intent is to slightly color the incoming sound and provide SSL 4000-like character. To be clear, if your studio workflows are entirely electronic (i.e., you’re not recording vocals or instruments like guitars), these buttons don’t provide much value, unless you create a loopback into your DAW, and run samples through it. But for someone like me who works across genres and, in fact, does the occasional vocal or instrument recording in my home studio, I did find that they added a slight, but interesting boost to the incoming signal, delivering on their promise.

Also, on the top panel sit knobs for the monitoring balance (which provides a latency-free way to monitor vocal or instrument recording), along with a pair of volume control knobs corresponding to the two headphone outputs that the SSL 2+ provides. In short, it’s everything you need for a two-person collaboration where, for example, one person is managing the

recording, and the other is providing vocals during a recording session.

On the back panel, the SSL 2+ provides Neutrik dual XLR/TRS connectors for its instrument or microphone connections. Main (channel 1/2) outs are provided with both TRS and RCA, while the channel 3/4 outputs go to RCA only, and are designed for line level inputs, such as those found on DJ mixers. I already mentioned the dual ¼-inch TRS headphone jacks — separately controllable — and finally, there are a pair of standard 5-pin DIN MIDI connectors — one in, and one out.

Worth mentioning is that the SSL 2 and 2+ use a USB 2.0 Type C connector, as mentioned earlier, and the company includes both a Type C to C cable for newer computers, as well as a Type C to A cable for older ones.

Hands-On As a Mac user, the SSL 2+ was completely plug-and-play and uses the standard CoreAudio capabilities of macOS. Windows users will need to download and install an ASIO/ WDM driver from the Solid State Logic web site, but that’s simple and quick enough.

The company spends a lot of space in its marketing for the SSL 2 and 2+ talking about its technology. Again, if you’re workflows are entirely electronic, things like mic preamps may not get you jazzed, but if you do any vocal recording work, you’ll be pleased to know that the company (continued on page 40)

DJ EXPO, NOV. 16-19 @ Harrah’s Resort, Atlantic City, NJ www.thedjexpo.com

11/20

DJ EXPO ’20: SEMINARS SET TO RE-GENERATE YOUR BUSINESS

Looking to jump-start your DJ business? DJ Expo will re-unite the industry & re-ignite its potential “Fix the Mix: Easy Ways to Trick Out Your Mobile Sets” “Why the Caterer Should Not Do the Lighting” “Photo Booth — The Next Generation” “101 Track: Get in Someone’s Face and Grow Your Footprint” “Mitzvahs — Beyond the Booth” “Upsell Your Video Screens: A Hands-On” “Making It Count: The Importance of Client Experience” “Gear: New DJ Tech & What It Means to You” “How to Improve Your Crappy Website in Just One Week” “Search Marketing in the COVID-19 Era” “Social Listening: How to Identify Potential Clients on Social Media.”

“Diversifying DJs: Weddings-Finance-Insurance-Escrow” More seminars to be announced.

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@djexpo_

SOUNDING OFF PLAYBACK…PRO AUDIO…PROCESSING

PIONEER DJ FULL SYSTEM & MACKIE SPEAKERS

By Wesley Bryant-King & DJ Deets

Editor’s Note: For this issue’s Sounding Off, we hand the Pioneer DJ XDJ-XZ all-inone controller to Denver’s Wesley Bryant-King. Also, Minneapolis’ DJ Deets takes on the SRM215 from Mackie’s SRM V-Class of active loudspeakers.

Pioneer DJ XDJ-XZ It feels as if I’ve said this a lot in recent years, but as I survey the DJ hardware and software landscape, I continue to feel like there’s no better time to be a DJ. There are so many ways to perform now — so much gear, supporting so many different approaches and styles — I can’t help but feel great about the state of the DJ universe (well, other than the lingering impacts of a global pandemic, anyway). From entry level to midrange to the stuff of pros, we are all (as the Brits would say) spoiled for choice.

At the Winter NAMM show in Anaheim, Calif., this past January, Pioneer DJ showed off its latest entry, an all-in-one controller dubbed XDJ-XZ. I recently had a chance to spend a couple of weeks with a review unit, and I’m happy to report that Pioneer DJ has still got it going on — should anyone have had any doubts.

Whether you call them “all-in-one” or “standalone” controllers, they’re sort of the rage these days. These DJ controllers are designed for party life without a laptop — a time, quite frankly, I never thought I’d see (but am happy to do so).

As much as I love my DJ software of choice (and I do), computers occasionally have issues, and it is just one more thing to lug around gig to gig. Having the option to load up some digital media on some sort of USB mass-storage device and plug it directly into a controller to start a gig certainly has its merits.

It’s important to note that many of these all-in-one units also provide support for laptop-based DJing, providing an additional layer of flexibility, and the XDJ-XZ is no exception – more on that in a moment.

First Impressions: Let’s just say that, in terms of first impressions, the Pioneer XDJ-XZ certainly makes one. It comes in a shipping carton that is roughly 1- by-2- by-3-feet — and tips the scales at a hefty 35 pounds. Strip off all the packing material, and it’s still a very substantial 29 pounds of hardware, which stands 5 inches off the desk, and is 18-inches deep and 35-inches wide.

This forces me to take issue with Pioneer DJ’s website stating that it’s “easy to carry,” but the recessed spaces on the unit’s sides at least provide you with a solid grip while you’re hefting it around.

One of the unit’s key benefits is that it provides what is in many ways Pioneer DJ’s revered NXS2 configuration in a single piece of hardware. Indeed, it does “read” in some respects as a pair of CDJ-2000NXS2 decks with a DJM900NXS2 mixer glued in between, with some of the parts moved around. For DJs accustomed to ubiquitous Pioneer DJ hardware of the more conventional type, the familiarity will resonate.

The unit has a number of ways to get the music into your performance.

There are two separate USB connectors on the top for USB mass-storage devices for a start. You can use the unit as a very nice Serato DJ controller while taking advantage of the unit’s key hardware features. Or, you can use Pioneer DJ’s own “rekordbox” performance features. And finally, Pioneer DJ has equipped the XDJ-XZ with Pro DJ Link. While I was unable to test this personally, you can connect Pro DJ Link-equipped CDJs to the system, and get full audio and music browsing integration right on-board the controller.

It’s worth noting that the XDJ-XZ unlocks the full Serato DJ Pro and unlocks certain features of rekordbox as well (more on that in a moment) when it’s connected to your computer via USB. Doing a quick test with Serato DJ Pro worked quite well (once I upgraded the unit’s firmware to unlock that capability). But inserting my USB key that contains a small music collection I use for DJ-gear testing was a slightly different story. I was able to get to the fun fairly quickly, but it was rapidly evident that the on-board music analysis of the XDJ-XZ is limited strictly to tempo (BPM); there is no on-board key detection. If you want full track analysis, Pioneer DJ’s rekordbox software is required as a pre-analysis step. Having no dependency whatsoever on external software for full functionality would have been preferred for a truly standalone solution.

Whether you’re interested in rekordbox beyond analysis depends on myriad factors, including how you perform, what sort of music management you’re looking for, and likely whether you’ve used rekordbox before (and want to continue to do so). The product has a pretty wide array of library-management and performance capabilities that will help make the XDJ-XZ truly sing. While some of the features are unlocked at no additional cost simply by having the XDJ-XZ connected to your computer via USB, others require a monthly subscription plan.

I’ve been quite vocal on these pages about subscription plans in the DJ and

XDJ-XZ: Pioneer DJ’s all-in-one solution.

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Familiar Features: FX, pads & club-ready sound.

studio-production spaces; I still have trouble seeing how it tangibly benefits and provides demonstrable value to the consumer over the classic perpetual (buy once and use indefinitely) licensing model. After all, this isn’t Netflix where you get access to something new pretty much every day in exchange for your monthly bill.

In Use: Using the XDJ-XZ is — in no small part due to its physical NXS2-like design — very straightforward. Everything is right where you expect it to be, it works like you expect it to work, and honestly, everything has a top-notch, solid, professional feel. The enormous 8-inch jog wheels have among the most rock-solid feel of any I’ve used (they have internal circular LCD displays, too). It’s the sort of thing you’d expect on hardware sporting the Pioneer DJ name.

Honestly, using the XDJ-XZ is a sheer pleasure from a DJ-performance standpoint.

Anyone who’s spent any time in the booth with Pioneer DJ gear will understand immediately what I mean; things just work right, they feel right and they sound right — that last bit not a surprise given Pioneer DJ’s focus on the controller’s audio quality. From basics like EQ to applying effects, Pioneer DJ established a standard what seems like eons ago, and the company has carried it forward and modernSRM215: 2,000 watts & multiple applications.

Mackie SRM V-Class: The smart speaker series. ized it in the XDJ-XZ. quality and reliability, and his brands grew in size and fame.

One of my favorite features on this unit is its two microphone inputs — a Monitors and loudspeakers were a natural next step, and Mackie began must, in my view, for mobile DJs. But more than that, they provided separate applying its expertise to developing high-quality and affordable pro-audio loud3-channel EQ and gain for both of them independently. I usually have a Shure speakers for a variety of applications. Its current product portfolio is incredibly SM58 mic for the booth and a separate wireless-mic system when doing diverse: Mackie produces well-respected mixers, loudspeakers, monitors, mimobile gigs, and the sound profiles are quite different. The XDJ-XZ lets me crophones, interfaces, headphones, amplifiers, power supplies, and much more. tailor them to perfection, while the feedback reducer can help eliminate those All of these products follow Mackie’s time-honored philosophy of providing embarrassing mic missteps that we’re all familiar with. (It’s worth noting that superior performance at a competitive price. there’s also 3-band EQ on the master output – a nice touch.)

Mackie’s current speaker portfolio is about as diverse as the types of situYour local music content and much of the management of the device itself is handled through the onboard 7-inch touch-screen interface and, candidly, ations where loudspeakers are needed. The company provides many different options to buyers, as opposed to offering generic one-size-fits-all products. it’s the one area where the XDJ-XZ doesn’t quite live up to its promise. The This approach means that its products are well-designed for various live-sound visual UI (user interface) design feels a bit dated in-use; more reminiscent of applications and perform extremely well in these environments. the feature-phone era than the smartphone era. While there is touch, there is Mackie’s DRM Series offers both passive and powered speakers and lineno multi-touch (two or more finger gestures) — but there seems to be little array set-ups for the most-demanding applications. The THUMP series of in the design of the UI itself that would benefit from multi-touch. Among other speakers includes affordable PA systems – including 12-inch and 15-inch speakthings, there is no waveform display of tracks played directly from the unit; if ers and an 18-inch subwoofer – that do not compromise on sound quality and there were, you might want to pinch to control zoom. (Waveforms are shown performance. The SRM Series speakers are where magic happens and, as such, when DJing with Serato DJ, which shows a fairly classic arrangement on the they’re some of the industry’s more popular portable loudspeakers. screen when performing with the software.) But even beyond the visuals and Mackie stamps the legendary SRM name on its lightweight SRM Portable touch interface, the system, for me, seemed a bit difficult and not completely Series and on its “built-like-a-tank”-certified SRM Professional Series. However, intuitive to navigate. Don’t get me wrong; it does its job. It just doesn’t do it new for 2020, the SRM name is bestowed on three entirely designed-from-thewith quite the finesse and polish that I would expect from a controller at this ground-up speakers: the SRM V-Class. segment of the market.

To build the SRM V-Class, Mackie took its years of building loudspeakers for Conclusions: It feels like DJ gear is getting more sophisticated every year, all sorts of applications to create a high-performance, powered loudspeaker and the prices are rising to match the ever-increasing capabilities. The Pioneer that incorporates top-of-the-line features at under $1,000 per speaker. The DJ XDJ-XZ rings up for right around $2,300 on the street, which positions it at the high end of the market. For that, you get a powerful, great-sounding, SRM V-Class range consists of three models: The SRM210 V-Class features a 10-inch subwoofer; the SRM212 features a 12-inch subwoofer; and the rangeall-in-one controller with a club-standard layout, club-ready audio quality, and topping SRM215 V-Class features a 15-inch subwoofer. club-ready performance features. While the on-board software doesn’t match All three models are built inside all-wood enclosures with a metal grille and the sexiness of the rest of the unit, it gets the job done. All-in-all, this all-in-one they employ an all-new 2,000-watt Class D amplifier. Global users have been is truly worthy of the Pioneer DJ name. taken care of with a universal power supply, complete with power factor correction functionality.

Mackie SRM V-Class These speakers have been clearly well-engineered to be durable and to withFor any DJ looking to buy a pair of loudspeakers these days, you sure have a stand the rigors of heavy, frequent use: the 10-inch model weighs 30.9 pounds; lot of choices. As such, there’s a seemingly unlimited number of configurations, the 12-inch model weighs 40.6 pounds; and the 15-inch model weighs in at set-up types, and personal preferences that make choosing a loudspeaker a 48.9 pounds. The speakers feature robust grab handles on the sides and top, daunting task. and there are rubberized feet to support both vertical and angled positioning.

Woodinville, Wash.-based Mackie is one brand that has been synonymous with producing high-quality speakers for DJs, bands, venues, and rental agencies. There are also two holes on the bottom to place the unit on speaker poles at different angles. All SRM V-Class models have LED strips at the top and bottom Believe it or not, company founder Greg Mackie was an engineer at Boeing of the grille that can be customized to display either green, white, or remain off. and made audio equipment in his spare time before he left the Seattle-based Things get really cool on the back of the SRM V-Class range. Considering airplane manufacturer to pursue designing and building pro-audio equipment full-time. His products, mainly mixers, quickly gained a reputation for their (continued on page 40) FALL ISSUE

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MOBILE PROFILE CAREERS…INNOVATIONS…SUCCESS STORIES

REIGNING EXPO CHAMP DISHES STRATEGY Anthony Ziccardi Studios

By Tom Osborne

Artem Lomaz: DJ Expo’s 2X “Entertainer of the Year.”

other entertainers could use for their events, with their own personalities.

Roxbury, N.J. – Artem Lomaz, owner of NinetyThree Entertainment, is a two-time winner of DJ Expo’s “Entertainer of the Year” competition (2018, 2019), so we asked the Jersey-based jock for some insights he’s gained. He offered plenty more than that.

DJ Times: Were you confident going into the 2019 competition as a reigning champion?

Artem Lomaz: I’m honored to be part of a small list of multi-time winners. I was confident in my concept and presentation. I felt that I had a winworthy concept, but also knew that the competition is not cumulative, so anything in the past is exactly that, in the past. There’s certainly an advantage to having been in the competition previously, as you somewhat know what to expect. But it’s certainly possible to achieve victory without that — as many have.

Tell us about what you had learned about the scoring and how you devised a routine for it.

The competition is certainly a showcase of MC skills, but it is also designed to be educational. What I mean by that is that, not only are the competitors looking to display their hosting talent, but we are also teaching concepts that will engage an audience. So when conceptualizing, I think of what would encourage audience engagement and participation, and is it something that 28

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What cool things did you see from your competitors?

Every competitor brought something unique to the table.

Every year, the bar of showmanship is raised. I loved seeing the brilliance of some performances, the winning over of the audience from others, and I have to say that I was slightly jealous of the performers that executed wardrobe changes. I don’t know if anyone archives the competitions or keeps track of the statistics, but I’d have to say that the “2019 Entertainer of the Year” competition was likely one of the top-tier ones from the first competitor to the last. The interaction and participation level from the audience seemed to be at an all-time high.

Let’s talk a bit about what’s going on: How has your business been impacted by the pandemic?

My business has been impacted by COVID as much as our entire industry has been. I choose to focus on the positives and have an outlook of gratitude; once this is all in the past, celebrations will have that much more meaning for everyone.

Have you been able to pivot in some way?

As an MC, there have been some virtual opportunities, but I’ve found that my pivots have really been more internal. Reassessing goals and evaluating what lies ahead has fueled some projects that I’m excited about.

What have you been doing in the downtime?

I’ve taken this time to focus on various elements of the business that usually find themselves taking a back seat to events. Marketing concepts, promotional strategies, etc. I also took the time to finish off a personal passion project — a children’s book, and proceeds from sales go to a pediatric non-profit. (continued on page 40)

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IRX SERIES POWERED LOUDSPEAKERS WITH BLUETOOTH

Bluetooth available in black, white, and red, or wired in dark silver, there’s a pair to match your style. Accessory packs include ear pads and a detachable cable in either orange, yellow, green, blue or pink.

The JBL IRX Series portable powered PA loudspeakers deliver class-leading output and clarity, total ease of use and an unrivaled feature set at our most affordable price point. Sound amazing with a custom, pro-grade system engineered to outperform larger competing systems.

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BUSINESS LINE

SALES… MARKETING…SOLUTIONS…

ASK WHY, NOT HOW – PLUS A TIMELY PEP TALK Resistance is futile. Become a full-fledged entertainer or become one of the legions of people who “used to be a DJ.” That means honing your craft as an entertainer, including MC workshops, DVDs, comedy classes, improv classes, acting classes, writing classes, community theater, rehearsals and practice.

By Randy Bartlett

Editor’s Note: Longtime Cali-based DJ Randy Bartlett recently retired, but he hasn’t stopped chiming in on the industry’s goings-on. He’s been blogging for DJ Times, and the two posts below gained the most views – in the thousands. It’s some sage advice.

Here’s a wedding-DJ tip: A bride asks “What is a good alternative to the traditional father-daughter dance?”

We tend to try to solve that problem by asking, “How?” — as in, “How can I deliver what she’s requesting?”

Instead — and here’s the tip — we should be asking, “Why?” Before answering her, we need to know why this bride wants an alternative. If her father has recently passed away, that will be a very different idea than if he passed away when she was 4… which is very different than if he’s still alive, but they have a strained relationship… which is different than if they’re so close that they would both be in tears on the dancefloor… which is different than they both despise being traditional.

The key to creativity is to get to the why. Once you do that, the how will reveal itself.

I see it in online DJ forums daily.

What song do you play next? What do you say when this happens? How do you handle this situation? How much should I charge for this service?

And the only reasonable answer to these questions is: “It depends.”

Asking why is more than a onestep process. It requires asking, listen30

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ing, sifting, asking again, going deeper and peeling back the layers – and that means not just in being a DJ, but in being a business owner, a parent, a spouse, a friend, a human.

When I look at the people in our business, the performing arts, those who are the most successful, most creative, most influential — I consistently see people who seek to understand why they are doing things.

In acting, you hear the phrase, “motivation,” and it comes down to why the character is angry or sad or happy or fearful, because those emotions aren’t one-dimensional. Happy because your team made it to the Super Bowl is a very different kind of happy than when you won the lottery or you just had a baby.

In our businesses, it’s imperative that we not only ask our clients why, but ask ourselves as well. Why do we have the same policy regarding deposits today that we had 10 years ago? Why do we always end the party with a slow song, or a fast song, or the same song? Why do we keep saying, “Ladies and gentlemen, at this time…” every time we get on the mic? Why are we wearing a tux or a suit or casual clothes to this event?

Instead of asking what we should wear or what we should say, we need to ask why we are doing it. What is our goal? Nothing should be done out of simple habit, but instead, out of thoughtful, examined motivation.

When we do that, when we ask “why” enough times, the how will

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reveal itself.

With few exceptions, most of us got into this business because of a love of music, but it’s that very love of music that will ultimately cause too many of us to leave the business.

When we focus only on the music and not the overall emotional experience of the day, especially for social events like weddings, we risk being replaced by technology. You think Spotify lists are a problem? You ain’t seen nothing yet.

Thirty years ago, clients didn’t have access to the music we had, so they had to hire us for music. But those days are long gone, and even for the club DJs, technology will replace you, whether you like it or not.There is already software that can mix and create, and more that is being perfected that can read a crowd and use algorithms to choose what to play next.

Much like the independent-radio DJ is really a thing of the past, we need to evolve or be replaced.

As entertainers who use music as a tool, we have great power. As a music provider, we have very little.

Learning to be a great master of ceremonies, rather than just another DJ making announcements and yelling the names when the wedding party arrives, is the difference not only of survival as a performer, but in eliminating all those calls for someone “looking for a DJ.” Wouldn’t you rather have a wedding client who is looking for you, specifically?

Resistance is futile. Become a full-

fledged entertainer or become one of the legions of people who “used to be a DJ.” That means honing your craft as an entertainer, including MC workshops, DVDs, comedy classes, improv classes, acting classes, writing classes, community theater, rehearsals and practice.

For example, in our advanced microphone skills workshops, we spend a great deal of time on our opening for weddings, reducing their complexity, making them more direct and succinct.

Instead of the typical, “How’s everyone doing tonight?” which generates, at best, a tepid response, try an enthusiastic and heartfelt, “Good evening. Welcome to Ryan and Jessica’s wedding reception!” Delivered correctly, this opener will generate spontaneous and enthusiastic cheers and applause — and now you have the guests right where you want them, something no algorithm will ever be able to do.

You can spend your time and money on marketing; you can try to get every millennial bride to send you a request for prices via email or text, but getting direct referrals from guests at your events, clients who will pay a premium price and even schedule their wedding around your availability — that’s the real payoff.

Don’t be the last one to realize this. The ship has sailed.

Randy Bartlett is the retired owner of Premier Entertainment in Sacramento, Calif.

MAINSTAGE

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SIR IVAN'S AWARD-WINNING MUSIC VIDEO - OUT NOW!

PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE IN A SMALL PACKAGE The JBL EON ONE Compact packs a professional-grade speaker, a full-featured 4-channel mixer and Bluetooth control into our most compact battery-powered PA, weighing in at just 17.6 pounds.

Sound your best with premium effects and presets that you can customize using the JBL EON ONE Compact Control app. www.jbl.com/portable-pa-systems/JBL+EON+ONE+Compact.html

Sir Ivan's "Get Together" finds new life in video form and the message could not be more relevant, given current times. His award-winning depiction, which groups together the most renowned peace leaders in history, is one of Sir Ivan's best works yet. Watch and share with everyone you know! www.vimeo.com/437678918

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

GIVE ME A BOOST VocoPro 1728 Curtiss Court La Verne, CA 91750 (800) 678-5348 www.vocopro.com VocoPro has released its Boost Dual Wireless Mic Antenna Extension Booster Kit, which extends the range of most VocoPro wireless systems up to 600 feet and boosts the system’s RF signal strength by +15db. The package includes two antenna boosters, power supplies, plug adapters, an 8-foot coaxial antenna cable, connector hardware, wall-mount brackets and table tripod stands. Up to two Boost antenna amplifiers can be used to amplify a single antenna.

THIS I KNOW FOR SHURE Shure 5800 West Touhy Avenue Niles, IL 60714 (847) 600-2000 www.shure.com The SLX-D Digital Wireless System from Shure is a digital replacement of the company’s SLX system. Offered in single and dual channel options, the new system improves on its predecessor with new mechanical designs and a more reliable RF performance that enables operation of up to 32 channels per frequency band without worrying about dropouts or signal fades. It also offers a streamlined setup process thanks to Guided Frequency Setup and a Group Scan feature that assigns frequencies to all receivers automatically via Ethernet connections.

SINGING IN THE RANE Rane/inMusic Brands 200 Scenic View Drive Cumberland, RI 02864 (401) 658-3131 www.rane.com Rane’s TWELVE MKII turntable controller features a full 12-inch motorized platter that offers both 33-1/3- and 45-rpm platter speeds, in addition to featuring 3,600 ticks of platter resolution for greater precision.

The unit also comes with four decks of control, an OLED screen display, RCA output for DVS audio signal, a 5.0 kfcm high-torque motor with Hi/Low torque adjust and a dual mode strip with both track search and eight hot cue triggers. Housed in an all-metal body, the TWELVE MKII is equipped with a plunger-style Start/Stop button and traditional Motor Off switch.

PIXIE CUT ADJ Products 6122 S. Eastern Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90040 (323) 582-2650 www.americandj.com

The Pixie Driver 2000 controller is designed specifically for the ADJ Pixie Strip 30, Pixie Strip 60, and Pixie Strip 120 indoor LED pixel strips. It features a universal auto-switching power supply (100-240V), a four-button LCD control menu display and RJ45 Ethernet in/out ports. The unit features a manual RGB mode, as well as full pixel mapping control and manual dimming and strobe control. The Pixie Driver 2000 can be mounted in a standard 19-inch rack or attached to truss with a clamp.

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BURST YOUR BUBBLE Chauvet DJ 5200 NW 108th Ave. Sunrise, FL 33351 (800) 762-1084 www.chauvetlighting.com Chauvet DJ’s Bubble Haze X2 Q6 features six quad-colored LEDs that illuminate bubbles, haze or haze-filled bubbles. The unit doubles the effect and volume of its predecessor, according to the company. It features twin blowers with variable-speed loft fans that push bubbles up into the air, as well as a gravity-fed bubble reservoir that recirculates unused bubble fluid to reduce fluid consumption. Bubble Haze X2 Q6 also comes with a built-in cleaning function to reduce clogs.

FLIGHT OF FANCY PreSonus Audio Electronics 18011 Grand Bay Court Baton Rouge, LA 70809 (225) 216-7887 www.presonus.com PreSonus released its Deep Flight One instrument library for Studio One’s Presence XT sampler. The library includes what the company describes as dramatic sounds, both tonal and atonal, from field recordings, as well as percussive sounds and tonal and atonal soundscapes from classic modular synths. All instruments offer real time controllers and the presets are structured in versions with and without the real-time Note FX plug-ins, including arpeggiators, chorders, and rhythmic gating effects.

MINI MOUSE IK Multimedia 590 Sawgrass Corporate Pkwy.

Sunrise, FL 33325 (954) 846-9101 www.ikmultimedia.com

LEGGO MY ECHO

The iRig Keys 2 Mini is the latest addition to IK Multimedia’s iRig Keys 2 series of mobile MIDI keyboard controllers. The 25-key controller comes with the company’s Mac/PC sound and groove workstation SampleTank 4 SE, which includes more than 2,000 sounds. Features include volume control, octave up/down buttons, a data push encoder, four assignable knobs and on-board MIDI in/out.

The unit can be powered by a computer or mobile device, as well as a USB power supply or USB battery pack. It works with iPhone, iPad, Mac, PC and most Android devices.

Zero-G www.zero-g.co.uk Echo Factory – Dubtechno Mechanisms 1 is a collaboration between Zero-G and German dub-techno producer Marco Rockstroh. It comprises more than 6.5GB of sounds and instruments designed for the electronic music genre. The 53 Kontakt instruments come with custom GUI featuring filters, reverbs and delays, while all of the loops are supplied at 120 BPM and 127 BPM. All chords, pads and noise textures have been manipulated and recorded live in 24bit and 48Khz.

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GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

HOLD THE PHONES NOIIZ COMPLAINT Noiiz www.noiiz.com Noiiz released seven brand-new Noiiz - Kits! drum kits: Old Skool Kit, Stomp Kit, Broken VHS Kit, Transistor Kit, Organic Kit, Corrosion Kit and Sunday Kit. Each of these royalty-free kits features 26 sounds, including 16 one-shot samples, 10 corresponding audio loops and a collection of MIDI files that can be used interchangeably between the kits. In addition, the kits offer sampler instruments for Ableton Drum Rack, Battery, Logic EXS24, Kontakt, Maschine, Reason NNXT and SFZ.

Pioneer DJ Americas 2050 W. 190th Street Suite 109 Torrance, CA 90504 (424) 488-0480 www.pioneerdj.com Pioneer DJ announced its new customizable HDJ-CUE1 DJ headphones, available in a wired model that comes in a dark silver finish, as well as a wireless Bluetooth model that comes in a black, white or red matte finish. According to the company, both are “specially tuned to accentuate important low bass and kick-drum frequencies for mixing.” They feature ear cups that swivel 90 degrees, as well as a padded headband with metal sliders. The cable sports a bayonet connector that prevents accidental disconnections.

AUDIO REPAIR iZotope 60 Hampshire St. Cambridge, MA 02139 (617) 234-1200 www.izotope.com iZotope has released RX 8, the latest update to its flagship audio-repair and enhancement software. Its newest version is a complete toolkit for audio cleanup and restoration needs at any level, from content creators to music producers to post-production professionals. RX Advanced now allows greater audio fidelity, whether repairing streamed dialogue with new features like Spectral Recovery or correcting pitch modulation with Wow & Flutter. The Batch Processor and Loudness Control have also been revamped, saving users precious time when they are repairing or delivering audio files. The new RX Elements is a budget-friendly noise reduction and audio repair tool for small home studios that need the basics.

BOOMIN’ BASS Subpac www.subpac.com The new SUBPAC X1 – the latest patented, tactile audio system from SUBPAC – is a software-driven, modular, wireless design that is focused on studio creators, audio professionals and serious enthusiasts. The SUBPAC X1 offers an innovative hybrid design allowing for both wearable and seated experiences – one SUBPAC, from the studio to the street to the stage and beyond. The SUBPAC X1 system features a companion control module, the SUBPAC C1, for professional analog, digital and wireless connectivity, offering maximum freedom and flexibility. The SUBPAC X1 is built on the SUBPAC FLOWTM platform, an extensible set of software and hardware technologies that are fast becoming the de-facto standard for creating and delivering deep, immersive audio experiences.

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GEAR

ROUTER 66

PATCH IT UP Roland Corp.

5100 S. Eastern Ave Los Angeles, CA 90040 (323) 890-3700 www.cadaudio.com Roland has announced the release of four new patch collections for Roland Cloud, all crafted by electronic artist and sound designer Brothertiger. They include JUNO-106 Brothertiger, JUPITER-8 Brothertiger, JX-3P Brothertiger and SH-2 Brothertiger. Best known for his dreamy, chillwave sounds, many of Brothertiger’s new meticulously crafted patch collections were inspired by his own vintage Roland gear and drew on his passion for nostalgic 1980s electro-pop. Each new Brothertiger patch collection on Roland Cloud features 32 patches. With these new collections, music creators can explore a wealth of new chillwave sounds. All four new patch collections are offered with Roland Cloud Ultimate and Pro memberships.

Waves 2800 Merchants Drive Knoxville, TN 37912 (865) 909-9200 www.waves.com The Waves WRC-1 Stage Router is a rack-mountable wireless router that is designed specifically for pro-audio applications. It comes housed in a 19-inch rack-mountable metal chassis that sports two pro-grade lockable RJ45 ports, three standard RJ45 ports and five 10/100/1000 (1 WAN and 4 LAN) Gigabit Ethernet ports. There is also an integrated USB3 hub with fast charging for mobile devices. The Waves WRC-1 comes with basic router management software and features a DLNA player with balanced analog outputs.

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

GET SMART American Music & Sound 925 Broadbeck Dr. #220 Newbury Park, CA 91320 (800) 431-2609 www.reloop.com Germany’s Reloop, distributed Stateside by American Music & Sound, has released The Smart Display. The continuously adjustable and foldable stand works well for DJing, recording, live-streaming, video chats and more. With a minimalist design made of high-quality aluminum is suited as a monitor extension and is compatible with common smartphones and tablets from 7 to 13 inches. Features include: stable and lightweight construction; anti-slip stands and rubber inlay for stable use; and adjustable angle with up to 270-degree rotation for optimal alignment.

IN THE EAR Mackie 16220 Wood-Red Road NE Woodinville, WA 98072 (425) 892-6500 www.mackie.com Mackie has released an expansion of its MP Series Professional In-Ear Monitors. These units include Mackie’s new MP-320, MP-360, and MP460 in-ear monitors, which join the current lineup of MP-120, MP-220, and MP-240. The line expansion adds Bluetooth capabilities to the entire MP Series with the introduction of the new MP-BTA Bluetooth Adapter, available as an accessory or bundled with the MP-120, MP-220, and MP-240 to add Bluetooth connectivity. All three new additions feature an over-ear design, keeping the monitors securely in your ears and the cables behind your head for uninterrupted performance and also feature a 3-way crossover that ensures a balanced sound across the entire 20 Hz to 20 kHz frequency range.

USB MICS CAD Audio 6573 Cochrane Rd Bldg 1 Solon, OH 44139 (440) 349-4900 www.cadaudio.com

LET THE MUSIC PLAY SYQEL 1023 Walnut St #100 Boulder, CO 80302 (203) 951-1614 www.syqel.com SYQEL is a music visualizer, designed for DJs and other performers, utilizing streaming content. Users visit the website, allow microphone access and then either speak or play their song of choice from a desktop media player, YouTube, SoundCloud or Spotify. They then have access to more than 10,000 free visualizations. A paid subscription option is also available, which allows access to premium visualizations, features and settings, including karaoke mode.

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CAD Audio has added to its USB line of microphones with the introduction of the u29 and u49. Serving the rapidly expanding market demand for easy-to-use USB microphones, CAD Audio has delivered a pair of products that are perfect for a variety of uses – home recording, podcasting, Zooming and more. The u29 side-address studio mic comes equipped with a true studiograde capsule and is outfitted with a tripod stand, mounting clip, USB cable and windscreen. The u49 side-address studio mic has similar features, but comes equipped with a headphone monitor, windscreen and echo signal processing.

Read us on issuu

TRACKS…MIXES…COMPILATIONS

“FIRE” u Ytram & Elderbrook u STMPD Rcrds Martin Garrix’s alias teams up with Elderbrook for a definite winner. Opening with a classic keyboard melody and drum buildup, the overall tone offers intrigue then progresses into a robust, symphonic sound showcasing the trance, house and progressive elements. Melodic and memorable.

– Jennifer Harmon “BODY ROOTS” u Marco Lys u Soulfuric Trax On his fantastic solo debut, Lys brings in the live instruments – heavy basslines, jazzy sax, etc.

Matched with the rubbery 4/4 house beats and glorious percussion, “Body Roots” displays an uplifting vibe that you can’t help but feel. Massive.

– Tommy D Funk RENEWAL u AJ Mora u Deeplife Grooves With tunes like “Another Day,” “Bassline Kicking” and the title track, Mora’s full-length offers a first-rate selection of deep, techy and jackin’ grooves – smokin’ deep vibes of pure underground goodness and quality.

– Tommy D Funk “CELEBRATION OF LIFE”

u Mr. C u Superfreq

Guest Reviewer: Richie Dio

A taut, but bewildering, acid-tinged journey on the original mix – this one gets plenty deep and dark, perfect for 3 a.m. David Scuba’s remix get even quirkier with more effects, foreboding noises, echoes, etc., while Noel Jackson’s more techno-leaning effort somehow dives even deeper.

– Jim Tremayne

“ROCK ON” (MINT & PECK BOOTLEG)

u Southside Rockers u White Label

Mint & Peck have tweaked the Southside Rockers original into a rolling house track tinged with a lively groove and sublime late-summer vibes. The white-labeled remix is perfect for DJs, providing an ample three minutes before it slams into a horn section that most revelers have heard, but tweaked in a way they’ve probably never experienced before.

– Chris K. Davis “TREAT ME RIGHT”

u Funkatomic vs. Don Welch feat. Octavia Lambertis u WU Records Fronted by the sassy and soulful Lambertis, this nu-disco mover offers plenty of soaring, funky, uplifting goodness. Jumpin’ and pumpin’ with tasty retro flavor, the “Funkatomic Mix” hits hard with irresistible grooves.

– Jim Tremayne “OURS” u BONNIE x CLYDE u Ultra Though only tracking a short two minutes, this spacey, tripped-out, synth-laden track is a heavy and effective d-n-b/dubstep/trap hybrid. The echoey vocals really complement things – expect to test your subs with this high-energy, bass track. Perfect to start the party, or change up the vibe.

– Jennifer Harmon “LONDON GIRLS”

u BRKLN feat. Brando u Armada Wobbly beats, hook, hummable chorus, crescendo, repeat. Despite its nearly by-the-numbers, EDM-popcraft tendencies, there’s no denying that it’s one catchy tune – hit-worthy, actually.

“SOMETHING ABOUT YOU”

– Jim Tremayne

u Birdee feat. Angela Johnson u Big Love Music

Richie Dio

Robert Babicz

“PEOPLE HOLD ON”

u TWISM, Tom Novy & Wavy dot. feat. Karmina Dai

u Wavy dot.

TWISM and company usher in this full-bodied, soulful, vocal-house cut with an uplifting rhythmic groove and powerful piano-driven chord progressions. Enter R&B singer Karmina Dai, delivering beautiful and dynamic vocals sure to immerse the crowd in an energetic, positive feel-good vibe. A true dancefloor pleaser to keep everyone moving.

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This one delivers all that you’d ever want from a vocal-house track. Combining a funk-filled bass, tasty strings and a solidly soulful vocal performance, this irresistibly groove-laden track doesn’t let go.

“TESTIFY” u DAVIE u Defected The righteous, gospel-infused original hits the right spot with its rhythmic claps and perky grooves, but check out the remixes. Efforts from Mousse T, KDA, Alan Dixon and Danny Krivit all carry the cut to another level.

– Tommy D Funk

– Tommy D Funk “HOUSE ARREST” (JACQUES LU CONT REMIX)

u Sofi Tukker & Gorgon City u Ultra

Kicking off with a retro-electro intro, this track shifts into an airy, organ-based progressive-house jam, then dips into trance. The beautiful vocals and solid build-up make this track undeniably danceable. Haunting and beautiful.

“HERZ” u Robert Babicz u Babiczstyle Sweeping, melodic, and riding a stout 4/4, the stirring original gets full-on cinematic. Meanwhile, the dub version delivers a punchier, more disorienting vibe, one better suited for the dancefloor.

– Jim Tremayne

– Jennifer Harmon “TO THE LIGHT” EP

“PARTY PEOPLE” u Paul Costello u Good for You

u Jaden Thompson u Classic Music Company

An upbeat, bongo-led groover with a fierce vocal, “Party People” flexes piano stabs and an ultra-funky bassline to good effect. On the remix, Pausepushers drop the tempo and funk the groove up with some Rhodes keys – just lovely.

On this superb three-track EP – title track, “My Way” and “Bloom” – Thompson offers warm synths, powerful basslines, gospel vocals and memorable hooks. Just right for the dancefloor.

– Tommy D Funk

– Tommy D Funk

Mr. C

Octavia Lambertis

AJ Mora

BRKLN

Don Welch

TWISM

Paul Costello

Birdee

Gorgon City

Tom Novy

Marco Lys

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Sounding Off

(continued from page 27) its features, this is definitely a “21stCentury” loudspeaker. All speakers feature a built-in digital mixer that can accommodate a variety of inputs and outputs, including two line-level inputs on XLR/TRS combo ports, a headphone jack, and Bluetooth streaming functionality. The mixer is controlled by a scroll wheel, and information is displayed on a full-color screen.

Additional parameters of the speaker can also be controlled wirelessly by a smartphone or tablet running the proprietary SRM Connect application. Two SRM V-Class speakers can even be linked wirelessly – not only can settings be identical on both, but the two linked speakers can also act as a dual-zone setup with separate levels.

With the 2,000-watt amplifier onboard, these speakers have a presence. The range’s most-compact offering, the SRM210 10-inch speaker, is capable of a mighty 131 dB SPL. The mid-range 12-inch SRM212 generates 135 dB, and the flagship 15inch SRM215 pumps out 136 dB. The sound coverage pattern – 90 degrees vertically and 60 degrees horizontally – is identical among the three models.

Heavy-duty transducers are supported by a custom-designed, premium-polymer, high-frequency driver and an advanced, digital, signal processor that works to keep the various frequency bands distortion-free

from any listening angle. When the levels are cranked to 11, a feature called “Transparent System Protection” steps in – it continually monitors the audio, identifies specific problematic frequencies, and applies band-specific compression, instead of damping the overall output.

In my testing, it was clear that these speakers push the envelope of what loudspeakers are capable of.

While the screen and the rotary control might initially seem daunting, the system is incredibly intuitive, and the learning curve is miniscule. On the mixer menu, individual channel levels can be manipulated, along with high, mid, and low frequencies. Each band on the EQ can be tailored plus/minus-12 dB, and the change is noticeable. There are also digital VU meters in the main mixer menu and when an individual channel is selected.

The mode menu allows the speaker to be configured to specific applications (flat, live, speech, club, and monitor), and there is even a setting for indoor-vs.-outdoor set-ups.

When an external subwoofer is connected, the “sub” menu allows users to control the crossover and the mix-out, and there are even presets for Mackie’s SRW and DRM subwoofers. The delay menu allows users to set a delay of up to 100 ms; the speaker even calculates the corresponding distance in both feet and meters. The BT menu makes pairing the unit to Bluetooth-transmitting

devices a cinch – no more having to remember what buttons engage a pairing mode.

Also, the configuration menu further enhances the customization.

Here, users can change the color and brightness of the front LEDs, the brightness of the screen, and various other settings. In this menu, the user can also set a numerical password to lock the settings of the device from being tampered with. Finally, the about/reset menu found within the configuration menu displays a live temperature readout, the version number of the software, and allows the user to perform a factory reset on the device.

There is so much to these screens that I found myself discovering new features almost every time I used the speakers. These controls can be replicated on larger screens with the free Mackie SRM Connect application. The app also allows users to save and name parameters into profiles that are called snapshots.

Users might, for instance, save snapshots in frequent venues and recall them when setting up to cut down on set-up times. In a venue, snapshots might be used to differentiate various times of day: there might be a lunch snapshot, a dinner snapshot, or a latenight snapshot.

Crucially, these speakers sound good – really good. I found my SRM215 V-Class to have a healthy amount of bass, as well as very-ca-

pable highs and mids. The different “voices” of the speakers sound distinct and highlight different types of applications. The sound can also be tailored to different rooms with the in-depth EQ settings. Lo-Fi, EDM, pop, and hip-hop sounded best on the warm, inviting sound.

I can easily envision these being purchased by mobile DJs, venues, rental agencies, and bands looking for an advanced speaker that will remain contemporary for the foreseeable future. While these aren’t your typical “consumer” speakers, I could also see committed users who want a powerful PA speaker with Bluetooth capabilities purchasing this unit.

For mobile DJs, especially, these speakers are phenomenal to use. The screens and the control that they offer are nothing short of a showstopper. They advance the control and functionality of the units without becoming gimmicky or needlessly complicated. I’m astounded that this functionality can be had for just $699 (SRM210), $799 (SRM212), or $899 (SRM215).

As mentioned, there are a lot of other speakers in this category, including the QSC K-Series, Bose F1, Pioneer XPRS, and JBL SRX series.

All of these speakers will be great assets to any DJ, band, venue, or rental agency, but the SRM V-Class re-defines the segment with its innovative features and ease-of-use. This isn’t one to miss.

easy to use, and it’s right there within reach — a nice change from having to lean in and find a tiny little knob on a front panel like I do on my usual audio interface. Sometimes, it’s the little things that matter.

Speaking of Ableton Live, it’s part of what Solid State Logic calls its “SSL Production Pack.” In addition to Ableton Live Lite, the pack includes some of SSL’s own plug-ins, some entry-level instruments and sounds from Native Instruments’ incredible collection, a ton of Loopcloud samples, as well as Avid’s starter edition of Pro Tools (with an additional 23 plug-ins including the Classic Compressor Bundle: BF-2A, BF-3A and Purple Audio MC77, Fairchild 660 and Fairchild 670). For those just getting started, it provides a nice introductory collection of tools and content that can be upgraded and expanded with ease.

Conclusions My bottom line is that the SSL 2+ makes a really solid solution for those just starting out — as well as more experienced producers and musicians looking for a compact, easy-to-use, high-quality, affordable

audio interface with everything most users would need or want to get the job done. While I might prefer more ins and outs personally for my own gear-intensive production workflows, the SSL 2+ would even top my list as a really capable mate to my MacBook Pro for more mobile workflows outside my home studio.

Regardless, for about $279 on the

street, it seems like a great choice at a great price. And to save even more, you can forfeit those two extra outs and get the SSL 2 for $50 less. Either way, it feels like Solid State Logic’s foray into audio interfaces is poised to be a successful one.

If you have any questions for Wesley Bryant-King or Making Tracks, please send them to djtimes@testa.com.

Making Tracks

(continued from page 24) has integrated its own mic-preamp design — something they know a thing or two about from making recording consoles for the past 40-plus years. And finally, they’ve sourced some key components from leaders in their fields. The pots (potentiometers) come from Alps and are the same ones they use in their consoles.

The AD and DA converters come from AKM. And the high-current headphone amp chips are NJMs from New Japan Radio.

All of that is well and good, but without a laboratory full of diagnostic gear, it’s hard to argue with the marketing spin one way or the other.

What I can tell you, albeit subjectively, is that the SSL 2+ truly does work great and sound great — but then, I’d have expected it to. While I had the review unit, I did both vocal and instrument recording, as well some mixing and mastering work in my DAW of choice, Ableton Live. As expected, everything worked great, but it felt great, too, as if they’d carved the SSL 2+ out of a chunk of one of their consoles. One of the things I particularly liked is that big chunky volume control knob; it’s easy to find,

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Mobile

(continued from page 28) The downtime is minimal... by choice.

Has the pandemic changed your opinion on the DJ business?

No. Industries evolve when needed, and I’ve seen the event-entertainment industry morph into so many different things during this pandemic. We were already experiencing a focus on smaller, more unique and experiential events, and this certainly expedited the trajectory. Brands, businesses, people — we all evolve and with the event entertainment industry full of creative minds, we’ll always find a way to make progress.

Looking back, how has winning the DJ Expo’s big prize in consecutive years impacted you?

What’s next?

I’ve been extremely fortunate to have competed in the “Entertainer of the Year” competition. It’s always an honor to share the stage with some of the world’s top event MCs, and I cherish the experience. I’ve had the pleasure of winning, and retaining the title. I have an opportunity to expand further into speaking and educating within our industry and, for that, I’m honored as well. We’ll see what the future holds.

NOW! Listen the DJ Times National Dance/Crossover Chart on SPOTIFY! LISTEN NOW!

Compiled As September 19, 2020

C LU B P L AY C H A R T

NATIONAL CROSSOVER POOL CHART 1 Topic & A7s Breaking Me 2 Joel Corry X Mnek Head & Heart 3 Surf Mesa F/ Emilee Ily 4 AJR Bang 5 Saint Jhn Roses 6 Miley Cyrus Midnight Sky 7 Dua Lipa Break My Heart 8 Ava Max Kings & Queens 9 Zedd f. J. Thompson Funny 10 BTS Dynamite 11 Sofi Tucker & Gorgon City House Arrest 12 Regard & Raye Secrets 13 Gabby Barrett I Hope 14 Kane Brown F/ Khalid, Swae Lee Be Like That 15 Harry Styles Watermelon Sugar 16 24kGoldn f. Iann Dior Mood 17 Katy Perry Daisies 18 Martin Garrix F/ John Martin Higher Ground 19 Avenue Beat F2020 20 Drake f. Lil’ Durk Laugh Now, Cry Later 21 Lewis Capaldie Before You Go 22 Marshmello And Halsey Be Kind 23 Ashe f. Niall Horan Moral of the Story 24 Alesso Midnight F/ Liam Payne 25 Love Regenerator Live Without Your Love 26 Tiesto F/ Ilira Lose You 27 Bob Marley Sun Is Shinning 28 Jawsh 68 X Jason Derulo Savage Love 29 Maroon 5 Nobody’s Love 30 Major Lazer Lay Your Head On Me 31 San Holo F/ Broods Honest 32 Gloria Estefan Rhythm Is Gonna Get You 33 Tiesto Lose You F/ Lira 34 Peyton Things Can Only Get Better 35 The Killers Caution 36 Cash Cash F/ Laura White Gasoline 37 Anabel Englund So Hot 38 Kygo & Sasha Sloan I’ll Wait 39 Willan & Chelero Catz 40 Krewella & Yellow Calw Rewind

Capitol Big Beta/ EMG Astralwerks S-Curve Hitco RCA Warner Max Cut/ Atlantic Atlantic RCA Ultra Epic Warner Bros.

RCA Columbia Atlantic Capitol RCA Big Machine Republic Vertigo / Capitol Capitol Mom + Pop Astralwerks / Capitol Columbia Republic Epic Columbia Interscope Columbia Astralwerks / Capitol Not Listed Casablanca/Republic Peyton Music Island Records Atlantic Ultra RCA Made 2 Dance Mixed Kids

Most Added Tracks 1 Jonas Blue & Max 2 Kygo & TIna Turner 6 Jason Derulo 3 Galantis & Hook & Sling 4 Zedd f. J. Thompson 5 Jack Harlow F/ Dababy 7 Willan & Chelero 8 Mr Eazi & Major Lazer 9 24kGoldn F/ Iann Dior 10 Afrojack & Fedde Le Grand

NATIONAL LATIN DANCE POOL CHART

1 Afro B x Ozuna Drogba (Joanna)(Global Latin V.) Chosen Few Ent. 2 Black Eye Pea f. Ozuna, J. ReySoul Mamacita Epic 3 Bragi Tu Cuerpo Sky Urbano 4 Ozuna Caramelo Aura Music 5 J Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny Un Dia (One Day) Universal Latin Music 6 Farruko La Tóxica Sony 7 Zion Y Lennox ft Natti Natasha Te Mueves Warner 8 Pedreo Arroyo Ahora Que Soy Libre Codiscos 9 Tono Rosario Vuelve Mami Mayimba Music 10 Crocro y su Tumbaka Pa’ San Agustin CO 11 Gilberto Santa Rosa Canta Mundo InnerCat 12 Zion Y Lennox feat Natti Natasha Te Mueves Warner 13 Prince Royce Loteria Sony 14 DoseRock Friky Friky Soundcheck 15 Drizmali Ala La Lala Oriental/Ingrooves 16 Romeo Santos feat Alex Bueno Nuestro Amor Sony 17 Bad Bunny Yo Perreo Sola Rimas 18 Alsikiatra Baila Pegadita de los Hombres Alsikiatra 19 Anthony Santos Se Acabo el Abuso Sunflower Ent. 20 Tony Succar feat Angel Lopez Mas De Mi Unity Ent.

Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5

Manny Cruz y Miriam Cruz Chiquis Rivera & Becky G Viti Ruiz Maelo Ruiz Carlos Garcia

Yo Quisiera Ser Jolene Sabanas Mojadas Injusta Te Pasa Algo

OMG Fonovisa Promo Media Muv MDR

REPORTING LATIN POOLS n n n n n n

Latinos Unidos Record Pool Salsamania Latin Record Pool Lobo/Bass Record Pool North East Record Pool Mixx Hitts Record Pool Ritmo Camacho Record Pool

n n n n n n

Ritmo Internacional Record pool DJ Latinos Record Pool MassPool Record Pool Latino Latin Beat Chicago Record Pool All In Music Pool

ATTENTION DJ TIMES READERS: DJ Times is currently looking for DJs that are interested in reporting to the DJ National Dance/Crossover chart and the DJ Times National Urban Dance chart. Reporterships are open to Record Pools and individual DJs. For more information contact: Dan Miller, dmiller@testa.com

Naked Capitol What’s Love got to Do With It? RCA Take You Dancing Atlantic Never Felt A Love Like This Big Beat / EMG Funny Atlantic What’s Poppin’ Atlantic Catz Made 2 Dance Oh My Gawd Mad Decent Mood Atlantic 1234 Wall

REPORTERS n

Gary Canavo

Masspool

Saugus,MA

n

Blake Eckelbarger

Dj Stickyboots

Syndicated

n

The Dance Environment

Powered By Spectrio

Los Angeles, CA

n

Manny Esparza

Nexus Radio

Chicago,IL

n

Howard HK Kessler

In The Mix With HK

Minneapolis,MN

n

Brian Stephens

Mixxmasters

Lithonia,GA

n

Peter K. Productions

Peter K

Syndicated

n

Kidd Leow

Vindictive Vendetta

Tampa, FL

n

Randy Schlager

Soundtrack Your Band Seattle, WA

n

Dan Mathews

KRYC

Sacramento, CA

n

Alan Chasen

OMAP

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Bruno Martini

(continued from page 10) DJ Times: What was your first DJ set-up? What do you use now?

Martini: Dad used to have a lot of vinyls at his studio – so my first contact was with vinyl. But when I fell in love with electronic music, I learned DJing with a Pioneer CDJ because that what we had at his studio. I don’t remember exactly what CDJ it was, but it was one of the first ones. For live shows now, I use the Pioneer DJ gear, like the CDJ-2000NXS2. I also use rekordbox for preparing my music. Most of my edits and mash-ups I make on [Avid] Pro Tools.

DJ Times: Which DJs impress you now?

Martini: I really like the sound of CamelPhat now. I like the melody and progressive chorus. I think it re-

ally gets you.

DJ Times: What’s your main studio gear?

Martini: I use Pro Tools to produce. I use [reFX] Nexus, [Native Instruments] Kontakt, [VengeanceSound] Avenger, [LennarDigital] Sylenth, [Xfer Records] Serum. It depends on the music I’m producing.

I also produce and write songs for different artists in Brazil, different genres. I have a guitar collection in my studio. But, I’ve also been using the CLA Guitars plug-in from Waves a lot for my guitar sounds.

DJ Times: What’s the process?

How do you work?

Martini: Usually, I record all the instruments in my music, acoustic guitars, pianos, bass, etc., and I also like to be with the artist when

Tensnake

(continued from page 8) Remixes are a large part of the Tensnake catalog with high-profile efforts for the likes of Lana del Rey and Dua Lipa being particularly notable.

He did 12 of them last year and this year, he’s done six so far. These have paid off during the lull in DJ dates, as Tensnake is ticking over with income from streams of his original producEarning respect as a DJ in Detroit tion and remix fees. But he’s not in a is no easy feat. In the land of techno rush to put himself in the live-stream snobs where everyone’s an expert space, having only participated in Inand posers never prosper, DJs must somniac’s Secret Project so far. stay true to their roots and never “The first single from the album sell out. [‘Automatic’] came out and everyADMN (aka Alexander Drazin) – thing got cancelled,” says Niemerski. network engineer by day, DJ/produc“DJ streams popped up left and right er by night – has spent years earning and I didn’t want to do them. I’m not his stripes in the techno mecca. He’s judging anybody for doing it, it just been on the grind since 2009, making wasn’t right for me. If people can see techno-leaning tunes, like his latest

you every day for free, how do you get back to your regular fees when this is over? For others, it’s so people don’t forget about you and you get more follows. I don’t have a clear concept yet, but I have a feeling DJing might change.

“In my ideal world, I hope parties go back to where they were 10 to 15 years ago before everything got so massive and crazy and DJs became superstars. For me, it’s more fun to play those parties. If I can find a way to make a living through producing and writing music and releasing it and doing very picky smaller gigs here and there [at a reduced rate], I wouldn’t be mad about it.”

– Lily Moayeri

we are working on some music. I’m always looking for new stuff, new sounds, new sample packs, new plugins, etc. I really enjoy the studio vibe and the moments and the atmosphere that is created when we are working on something... especially if the energy matches. I’m an energy guy, if I feel it, I’m down!

DJ Times: What’s Brazil’s DJ scene like?

Martini: We, of course, love progressive house, melodic house, and techno. Tech-house is hot in Brazil now, but Brazil created his own sound back in a day and still superhot. The sound is called “Brazilian

Morillo

(continued from page 5) and showed us [DJs] what’s possible.

That can never be taken away. We needed guys like Erick doing this in the NYC scene. It had an impact. It inspired many. It made us believers.”

– Oscar P, DJ/producer, Media Services

“Erick was a rare musical breed able to combine his creative talents with administrative skills – traits that require different sides of the brain. He was one of only a handful of DJs-turned-remixers-turnedproducers-turned-artists-turned-record-label owner. Quite a feat.”

– Brad LeBeau, PRO MOTION On His Lifestyle & Pitfalls: “Like any human, Erick Morillo might have done questionable things.

But just as any who seek the extraordinary, burning the candle at both ends, he burnt twice as bright, yet lasted half as long. We may say he’s

Bass” and it’s all about the sounds of the bass. Brazilian people really like the tight beat with an amazing bassline on it and sometimes with a tropical flavor in it.

DJ Times: For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect in DJing?

Martini: The fun thing about DJing is that you’re always traveling to different places because music talks to everybody. Saying that, you’re able to meet different people and different types of culture. It’s funny to see that every show is a different one and it always surprises me. I still get goosebumps before the shows.

– Jim Tremayne

gone too soon, but he lived fully. R.I.P. – Inma Suarez Ramirez, former Subliminal Records employee “He was always professional with me, but he was quite troubled – haunted by numerous demons. Seems like things continued to spiral out of control for him – from being arrested for drug possession/trafficking to the recent sexual-assault charges.

There are so many mixed emotions out there. It’s sad that there will be a dark shadow hanging over his legacy. I hope now he can have some peace.”

– SiouxZ, Magnum PR “Some DJ/producers catch it as they go along. Erick Morillo was born with it – to create and be a trailblazer for dance music. But one has to keep a light around, though, so darkness can’t destroy your gift that the creator sent you here with. R.I.P., my love....”

– Barbara Tucker, Artist

I’m gonna have to get a real job.

Next Issue of DJ Times

Kate Laskowska

Because otherwise…

Kate Laskowska

Hey, man… are gigs gonna start again?

Kate Laskowska

The DJs’ New Dilemma

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