22 minute read
In the Studio With
THE VISION: CREATING CLASSIC SOUNDS
The Vision: (from left) KON & Ben Westbeech. Photo: Adam Maggs
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Since first catching notice with limitedcirculation white labels in 2019, the musical partnership between Ben Westbeech and KON – known as The Vision – has been making waves ever since. Andreya Triana-fronted singles like “Heaven” and “Mountains” won over Nu Disco fans and DJs alike, and now the duo has released its terrific debut album on Defected.
Flaunting house, disco, soul and funk stylings, the eponymous full-length rides the line between classic and contemporary, as it features collabs with Triana, Roy Ayers, Dames Brown and Honey Dijon.
We caught up with The Vision’s Amsterdam-dwelling singer/songwriter Westbeech and its Boston-based beatmaker KON (aka Christian Taylor) to discuss the album.
DJ TIMES: YOU TWO HAD SEPARATE CAREERS BEFORE THE VISION. HOW DID THIS PROJECT HAPPEN?
KON: We’ve known each other a long time, and wanted to do something for a while. Finally, the timing was right, so I sent Ben a beat and a few days later he sent me back the vocals. Although it was a great track, it didn’t actually make the album. Then, from there, I’d fly back and forth to Amsterdam and, over the span of about five years, we made the album. Ben Westbeech: I played a gig in Bali, which Simon Dunmore [owner of Defected] was at, and I kinda asked for his opinion. He’d put my second solo album out, so there was a lot of history there. At the time, it wasn’t really a Defectedsounding record, but it took so long to make the album that, over that time, they started putting out different records. The whole Glitterbox thing happened and I guess it suited what we were doing when it came to fruition. As a label, they are really behind the record emotionally, as well as financially, which is incredibly important. There are a few collaborations and different vocalists on the album, including Andreya Triana, Dames Brown, even Roy Ayers.
DJ TIMES: ON THE ALBUM, THE VOCAL HOOKS REALLY STAND OUT. TELL US ABOUT THAT PROCESS.
Westbeech: A lot of the hooks come instantly when I hear an instrumental. Nine times out of 10, it will be the first thing that comes into my head. On “Heaven,” it was a combined effort with Andreya, and that track has had a great reaction everywhere and still continues to. I even got sent a video of a mass demonstration in New York and they were all singing the lyrics, which is nice to see people uniting over that sound. KON: For “Missing,” we had the demo pretty quickly and kept working it. I remember being sat at the desk and giving Ben the concept, and we developed the hook and the melody, but we could not get the verses. We knew that the track was a banger, so we didn’t want to let it go. So we asked Andreya to come in and (continued on page 32)
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PANDEMIC RESPONSE
WITH NO DANCEFLOORS TO ROCK, TECHNO VET STEVE BUG MADE HIS MOST EMOTIONAL ALBUM TO DATE, AN ELECTRONIC SOUNDTRACK THAT BIDS GOODBYE TO 2020 BY JIM TREMAYNE
Over the quarter-century that he’s been making music as an artist and curating it as a label owner, Germany’s Steve Bug has been adept at riding the waves of evolving dancefloor tastes while still maintaining his artistic vision.
The Berlin-based DJ/producer (born Stefan Brügesch) has founded labels like Poker Flat, Raw Elements, Dessous, Audiomatique and, most recently, Sublease Music. In addition to introducing unique talents like Trentemøller to the world, his Poker Flat label brought us seminal tracks like Argy’s 2005 acid fave, “Love Dose,” among many others.
His artistic output has deftly pushed elements of house, acid and techno. Bug tracks like 1999’s much-remixed, minimal classic “Loverboy” and mix-comp series like Da Minimal Funk (Raw Elements) and Bugnology (Poker Flat) pushed the minimal movement to new audiences. The latest comp, Best of Poker Flat 2020, delivers highlights from the label’s deep stable, which includes Bug, Tim Engelhardt, Langenberg, Martin Landsky and more.
Bug celebrated Poker Flat’s 20th anniversary in 2019, but, as we all know, 2020 has been another matter. Nonetheless, with Bug being such a pro-active sort, he turned this period of dramatic isolation into a time where he could stretch out creatively. Never Ending Winding Roads, a full-length artist album on Poker Flat, is the result.
In a way, the album serves as a bit of an electronic soundtrack for the whole pandemic experience. The emotional ebb and flow certainly reflects what many people have gone thru these past few months – torrents of anxiety and dread, followed by glimmers of hope and, ultimately, rays of optimism.
Initially, the album takes a somewhat foreboding posture. Trippy opener, “Ludic Loops” bristles with anxiety, then gives way to the hypnotic “A Conscious Machine,” whose breakbeat underpins an irresistible, yet edgy synth line. “Electro Harmonix” maintains a nervy vibe and, as the title suggests, “The Clock Is Ticking” spouts full-on existential dread in seven-plus minutes of tension-filled, minimal techno.
But then the full-length takes a turn. Sci-fi-flavored “The Awakening” bubbles with promise, while “Yellow Snake” hints at resolution. “Confidence Dub” bursts into a moody dancefloor mover, then “Raindance 101” and closer “Upon Mountains” provide welcome and optimistic relief. It’s quite a ride.
As this brutal year drew to a close, we caught up with the Berlin-based DJ/producer to discuss the album, his process, his outlook on the DJ/music scene and more.
DJ Times: When you began your musical journey, what were your principal inspirations?
Bug: I was infected with the house and techno virus after my first visit at The Front club in Hamburg in 1987-88. I immediately fell in love with the music, the vibe, and the fact that the music never stopped. Before, there were mostly breaks between every other record in most clubs. After my first visit, I started buying records. Later that year, I bought a second turntable and a mixer. For three or four years, I’d been mixing at home, making tapes for my friends, until I finally started my own parties at the club that I was bartending at the time. That was – besides a very first gig in a small afterhours bar in Ibiza – where it all started.
DJ Times: How have your personal tastes and approach to music evolved in recent years?
Bug: I think I might have learned to appreciate the original roots of STEVE BUGhouse and techno even more than ever. They have been in my blood from the beginning; but at the moment, I feel a stronger connection to these roots again. I’m not saying that there is no good music from the recent months, but even the stuff that I personally really like has these strong roots from the early days. When I’m in the studio and when I turn on the gear, I never know where I want to go musically. Things just happen naturally. So I end up with what’s coming out of me, and/or the machines. DJ Times: What were your day-to-day activities during the initial lockdown? Bug: I’m living in Berlin, and like in most places, pretty much everything was on lockdown – but still allowed to go to work, to the supermarket, to the doctor, or to the pharmacy. Also, taking a walk with the family or one other person, keeping the distance of two meters was allowed. As well as going for a jog, or something similar by yourself, was allowed. I was staying home most of the time, only going out for the necessary. I was spending much time in the studio, working on new music, or just jamming around. But that’s something I’d usually do as well. DJ Times: Were you feeling cooped up, with lack of exercise, maybe? Bug: I try to stay fit, which wasn’t easy, because I usually go bouldering three times a week, and there is nothing similar that you can do at home. But I found a good training app. I definitely played more video games. And home cooking, obviously, became necessary as well – but I enjoy it. DJ Times: Was your reaction to the pandemic, in any way, useful for your music and productions?
Bug: In the first weeks, it felt like a big holiday. Not having to tour, and not having anything to take care of that comes with ahead of a touring schedule, I had won some extra time that I used to be in the studio. I wrote so many new tracks, that I decided to come up with an album.
DJ Times: Why an artist album now? What was your approach, in terms of theme or inspiration?
Bug: Is there ever a good time for an artist album nowadays? I think, if you’re writing a ton of tracks that go very well together, it definitely makes sense to release them as an album, instead as a bunch of single releases. To me all these tracks on Never Ending Winding Roads kinda belong together. It’s a musical journey that, for me, works great in a listening environment, as well as in a club. Due to the won time, I had the change to dig even deeper into my personal likings. Not having the dancefloor in mind, in the first place, helped me to write something more personal.
DJ Times: How so?
Bug: My mindset was just completely different from any other project I have embarked on. I didn’t have to tour, and instead could focus 100-percent on writing music without having the dancefloor as a constant influence. This allowed me creative freedom to explore a range of styles and emotions, and as a result, it is the album I feel most satisfied with to date.
DJ Times: It certainly feels like a fully realized project – lots of distinct emotions, ranging from anxiety to optimism.
Bug: [The pandemic] definitely had an influence on me, and the music I was writing. These tracks definitely carry many of my emotions during these days. I’ve been in different places, but I enjoyed the ride. Anxiety wasn’t really something I was feeling, but I can see what you mean. I’ve always been a fan of darker, melancholic music. Maybe that shows more on this album than on any other album that I wrote. But maybe I just got better at expressing emotions through music, and that's what led to the result. I didn’t have a general vision of what I wanted the album to be. The tracks just shaped up one by one. Only when compiling the album, I made sure it ended with a rather optimistic tune, since I knew that some tunes can get you into darker places.
DJ Times: How has running the labels been impacted during all this craziness?
Bug: It’s hard to say at this point how much it affected sales, but I can definitely say it’s been strange to release dance music knowing the clubs are closed. But we decided to keep on releasing music, because we believe that new music is important, especially in times like these. And there had been plenty of live-streams and podcasts. We won’t stop releasing music that we love.
DJ Times: In the studio, what’s your set-up?
Bug: I have an Allen & Heath GL4800 mixing desk and I work with [Apple] Logic Pro X [DAW]. I was about to switch because Logic was so behind, but they finally made some big moves, and now I truly love it again. I use pretty much all of the synths of the Arturia V collection, as well as some stuff from Native Instruments. For the drums, I often use the Logic Sampler – it finally has some great features that were missing before. On top of that, I have a lot of hardware. I’ve been collecting all sorts over the years, but since I’m moving into a smaller studio, (continued on page 32)
Steve Bug’s Pandemic Playlist
The Cure – “Let’s Go to Bed” (1982, Fiction) Hall & Oates – “Out of Touch” (1984, RCA) Charles Bradley – “Good to Be Back Home” (2016, Daptone) Michael Franks – “When the Cookie Jar Is Empty” (1978, Warner Bros.) Massive Attack – “Protection” (1994, Virgin) Marvin Gaye – “Soon I’ll Be Loving You Again” (1976, Tamla) Alicia Keys – “No One” (2007, J Records) Heaven 17 – “Let Me Go” (1982, Virgin) Grace Jones – “I’ve Seen That Face Before” (1981, Island) Depeche Mode – “Enjoy the Silence” (1990, Mute)
By Miles Burke
We recently posed a question to DJs from around the country: When you’re not DJing, do you read crowds? Where do you do it, and how does it influence your programming? The replies, we believe, were instructive, so we decided to share them: Steve Owen, Some Guys Entertainment, Chicago: “Absolutely. I’m always listening and considering the songs I hear in public, whether that’s from a DJ or background music in a store/restaurant or from another car on the road. What song is this? How does it fit? What’s the vibe? Could I ever play this? What other songs would go well with it? “I’m also paying attention when I hear an MC or even a flight attendant making announcements. How do they get everyone’s attention? How do they refine their statement? How economical is their word choice? All of this drives my wife nuts ... “She’ll say, ‘Are you listening?’ Reading the CROWD “Yes, baby, of course. “To me?” MOBILE DJS REVEAL HOW & WHERE THEY GET THEIR BEST MUSIC-PROGRAMMING IDEAS
David A. Thatcher, D.A.T Events, Surrey, U.K.: “I will always watch crowd movement before playing a track. Pop music is what is popular, so everything I hear in bars, clubs, adverts and more guides me. It really depends where you are, but I just listen to what the ‘average’ person does. It gives an idea. If you are a club DJ, ignore this, and do what you think. But for ‘average’ crowds, it works because no one really takes offense. Middleof-the-road won’t get you known, but done well, it will get you bookings.”
Dennis Bosse, Steps & Sounds, Windsor, Conn.: “Yes, reading crowds, reading performers – live musicians and DJs – checking out staging, checking out lighting, you name it. There is no end to learning. Also, when people are giving speeches, etc. It may be sad. I spend more time critiquing and trying to pick up tips and tricks, I miss the message.”
Michael Cataldi, Ellagant Entertainment, Queen Creek, Ariz.: “I love the music played in Target stores. I see people often bopping along when a cool song comes on. I probably Shazam at least one track every time I go there.”
David Trigg, Revive Events, Medford, Ore.: “Target, yes. Always know a fresh track when I hear it and – bam! – out comes the phone. At least I know now I’m not the only one where the wife is like, ‘Why the hell are you holding your phone to the ceiling?’”
Michael Alevras, LB Entertainment, Newburgh, N.Y.: “One of my favorite places to read a crowd, see reactions, and to consider other songs for my own events is at sporting events. Music plays such a big role in setting the tone for the home team, to get the crowd motivated as well as the athletes. “A recent example is the song ‘Blow’ from Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton and Bruno Mars. I heard the song being used by the minor-league baseball team I do consulting work for. They used it as a hype track right before the game began. I liked the song so much... I chose it as the song for the big video I edit I made for the DJ Expo Entertainer of the Year competition in 2019.”
Tony Fernandez, Soundwave Productions, Richmond, Va.: “I read crowds at restaurants, wherever there is background music playing. And it influences my song selection all the time. I’m always in ‘seek-music’ mode, whether I’m at the mall, a store, the gas station, a restaurant, watching a movie, TV show, commercial. I always have my ear and brain on scan. So when I do hear something that I like, I either Google it or Shazam it. Once I get it, I figure out if I can work it into the set. I’m always on the prowl. “I remember a few years back, the NFL used ‘Rose Rouge’ [by St Germain] in a commercial. I lost my mind. I knew that song, didn’t ever expect to hear it in that forum. Google used a gospel-influenced house record a few years back from DJ Spen. Coca-Cola used Basement Jaxx for a campaign. “Whoever does the marketing for Target is on-point. They always use very cool, catchy tracks — Sofi Tukker, Meghan Trainor, Sam Smith. Idris Elba had a series on Netflix called ‘Turn Up Charlie.’ It was about a DJ. I was constantly Shazaming songs from that show.”
ability in winning over most audiences – and, in fact, that virtually no transitions are required so long as the DJ picks good songs and maintains a general vibe. These observations have influenced my own performances in that I eliminate marginal filler songs, and also utilize a tight mixing style that trims or eliminates low-energy sections.”
Darryl Jacobsen, A2R DJs & Entertainment, Cumming, Ga.: “As I’m also a musician, I go out to see live music quite often. It is amazing to me how many bands have no clue what they should be playing at what particular times.
It’s not that they don’t know the songs. It’s that they don’t know what goes together. When I see a band that actually reads what the crowd is into and adjusts what they’re playing, I start to think someone in the band might have a DJ in them.”
Gerry Siracusa, Golden Note Entertainment, Wayne, N.J.: “Yes, sports venues — most of the times pro and college venues hit the same playlist. Sometimes you get the creative programmer that gets a crowd to react by ignoring the playbook. Most of that stuff can be brought to our dancefloors. And I check out bars, not clubs. At clubs, people come to dance; at a bar, they have to be motivated to dance where they are. “Also, movies. I always look for ‘dog-whistle’ moments. When a dog hears the dog whistle, their head goes up and they can’t help, but react. People respond the same way to a great song. Those songs are sparks to a dancefloor. I heard ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling’ by Justin Timberlake the day it dropped at a local bar. I knew it was coming, but heard it there first. ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ — holy upbeat background! “I heard a re-drum of ‘Your Love’ by The Outfield at a college basketball game. Researched a bunch of sites until I found it. Now I play it all the time.”
Keith Alan, Keith Alan Productions, Prospect, Conn.: “I’m always looking and listening at every event I attend. But I’m not just looking at the dancefloor, I’m watching the tables. What I’m looking for are the finger taps, the toe taps and the ‘chair dancers.’ My phone is always out for taking notes and, in some cases, to Shazam the song as a note taker. I will also admit I don’t know every song. “One of the other things I observe is the way people are talking to each other at different stages of the event. During the dinner hour, if people are leaning into the person next to them, that tells me the music is too loud for that stage of the event. “I also watch the way new songs are introduced. When they get played, what’s in front and what backs it. I pay attention to their intro – slammed in or beat-mixed. Breaking in new songs is just as important as knowing when the ‘bangers,’ as the new crop of DJs call them, have run their course.”CROWD n
SunTzu: 16B’s latest offers a mix of electronic delights.
PAST IS PRESENT
By Jim Tremayne
Omid “16B” Nourizadeh has been a
favorite of the underground scene for more than two decades now. And though he was locked down for a time like much
of the rest of us, the London-based DJ/ producer never lost any of his prolific, music-making drive.
His latest album, SunTzu – named after the Chinese philosopher – picks up where 2019’s Silenciety left off. It’s a wild mix of electronic delights – cinematic, clubby, moody, trippy, melodious. While initial single, “Yellow,” pushes a wonderfully warped ’80s vibe, tech-house track “Vanished” and breakbeat cut “Rise” drop a down-anddirty flavor that you’d expect to hear on a 3 a.m. dancefloor. Terrific stuff.
We recently caught up with the British-Iranian talent to talk tech and more.
DJ Times: When you were younger, what was your initial musical goal? 16B: To make the best music possible and listen to as many artists and bands that I could find. I always get inspired by music and style. I never know it, but sometimes it feels like I’ve heard some-
thing before, even though it’s my first time hearing it. Those records used to inspire me the most. In some cases, it felt like I was part of something I had no idea even existed, felt a connection deeply and that inspired me to write the most.
DJ Times: How have you spent most of the pandemic time? What’s it been like for you? 16B: My studio is in central London,
Inspired by the Ancient Philosopher, Omid 16B’s “SunTzu” Mixes Melody & Underground Sounds to Great Effect
which isn’t far off from looking like a ghost town with most things shut or closed for good! Where I live in Putney is how it always is, quiet and green in most parts, and people are just getting on with their lives the best they can. I finished my new album, SunTzu, during lockdown and also scored some music for a new
short film that’s coming out very soon. It’s my first time composing for a film and let’s just say it wasn’t an easy task. I also moved my entire music catalog from one distributor to another. It has been
a long process which has taken almost a year, but I’m happier where I am. I do appreciate the fact we all have to spend more time at home – but boy, do I miss socializing like we used to.
DJ Times: What did you lose workwise? 16B: Of course, any producer or DJ would have lost a fair amount of income
from gigs, etc., but that’s not the only way to survive and it’s certainly not going to stop us from trying even harder to find new ways or developing existing ways to continue spreading the music to as many people as possible. Money is a universal concern when everyone has bills to pay and less work all ’round, but our spirit mustn’t be effected by that. Otherwise, we have no hope whatsoever. Times like these require more strength than usual.
DJ Times: Any revelations during this strange time? 16B: I’m just releasing good music and
making sure the style fits the general vibe of what’s going on. I’m not going to release banging techno records right now. But I may release music that you can lay back and lose yourself to mentally and visualize positivity and inspire your urges. Of course, I’m not saying forget about the dancefloor, but I am sensitive enough to know what’s going on and how we have to find new angles to keep it genuine and interesting all ’round.
DJ Times: You haven’t stopped releasing music during this time… 16B: We released the “Retro Retired”
EP on aLOLa Records, which was a very laid-back affair and the single, “Yellow,” from my album SunTzu. The album has 18 tracks on it – it’s fair to say it’s got something on there for almost everyone’s taste.
DJ Times: What was your approach to this album? 16B: To not give in to what’s going on, to keep the flow of energy and keep my heart sending out love through my music. The messages are all there on SunTzu. When you listen to it a few times, it will all make sense.
DJ Times: Sounds like you’re pretty happy with it… 16B: If it becomes the last album I’m
ever going to make, I’d die happy knowing there’s something here for everyone. I’m not into designing anything to please a certain group or style; however, this, for
(continued on page 34)
