DJ Times December 2017, Vol 30 No 12

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NOTABLES…MILESTONES NEWS

Underworld: Rick Smith & Karl Hyde.

Dennis Bouman

Roger Sanchez at Pioneer DJ’s booth.

Mark Richter

I started doing gigs at big places like Manumission in Ibiza and it was the best buzz ever – better than being published. I mean, in that place, I could play Streisand and people would dance if it had a 4/4 beat to it…. Ultimately, I had to make a choice between writing and DJing – something had to give.”

Later that night, Kenny “Dope” Gonzalez got deep at Sugar Factory for the Groove Odyssey party, as he dropped a set of mega-jams like Fatboy Slim’s “Song for Shelter” that lit up the intimate venue. An evening of quality house.

Oct. 19: At De Brakke Grond—home to A.D.E. seminars and tech exhibitions— Canadian DJ/producer Tiga and Belgium DJ/producers Soulwax sat for a Q&A session, which revealed what studio magic can happen when traditional musician/ producers (Soulwax’s David and Stephen Dewaele) collaborate with a DJ-culture devotee (Tiga).

“I never cared about how music was made, just that it sounded good coming out of the speakers,” said the chatty Tiga. “But when I started to work with [Soulwax] and began to implement real instruments and work beyond just the laptop, a whole new world opened for me. I’m not saying one way of working is definitely better than the other – everyone can make music however they want – but it was a transition that I really appreciated. It opened new doors. It’s the best of both worlds.”

Later that night at AIR, during the Spinnin’ Deep party, the Dutch label presented a lineup of its in-house stars – EDX, Sam Feldt, and Nora En Pure. Floor-crushers like EDX’s “Bloom” and global hits like Feldt’s remake of Robin S’ “Show Me Love” got the youthful crowd going. Even later at Claire, Belgian DJ LeFtO delivered a genre-jumping roller-coaster ride, a shockingly seamless set that included Middle Eastern singalongs, percussive baile funk workouts, soulful vocal loops. blistering acid house tracks, and eventually hip-hop hits, party jams and R&B faves. It was a masterful performance.

Oct. 20: After a rainy Day 3, things cleared up for Audio Obscura’s presentation of Underworld at the Rijksmuseum. Playing inside the spooky open-air structure, Underworld’s Karl Hyde and Rick Smith connected through a spectacular production of light and fog with tones that ranged from ominous to cathartic. Of course, with a packed two-hour set, they brought the hits – “Pearl’s Girl,” “Rez,” “Two Months Off,” “Mmm Skyscraper I Love You,” “Cowgirl” and, of course, “Born Slippy” – and the well-clued-in crowd was up for every beat.

Later, at Melkweg for the annual Dave Clarke Presents event, Boys Noize and Clarke dropped hot sets in the main room – hypnotizing lasers, strafing techno, manic response. Also, in Melweg’s side room, Belgium’s Charlotte de Witte brought great energy with a mixture of taut minimal moments and explosive rumblings. Even later at AIR for the Defected in the House party, DJ Sam Divine dropped vocal-house movers from the British label (like Spen & Thommy’s Summer of Dub Mix of Barbara Tucker’s “Think About It”) to an enthusiastic, deep-in-the-groove crowd.

Oct. 21: At De Brakke Grond, Roger Sanchez hit the decks at Pioneer DJ’s expansive booth. Other exhibitors included notables like Roland, Native Instruments, Novation, Focusrite, Serato, Ableton, and Elektron.

Near the end of the day, influential minimalist composer Philip Glass participated in a Q&A session, wherein the 80-year-old musician offered useful advice to the artists that filled the intimate auditorium.

“Artists…” he said, “they always ask me, ‘How do you find your voice?’ Really, the question is: ‘How to get rid of it?’ By 30, if you’re any good, you’ll find your artistic voice – but eventually, you’ll have to change your language. You have to grow as an artist – you can’t stay in the same place.”

DECEMBER 2017

A.D.E. Playground: DJ & studio gear.

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A.D.E. ’17: PANELS, PARTIES, POTPOURRI

DJ TIMES

By Jim Tremayne Amsterdam, The Netherlands – According to organizers, Amsterdam Dance Event drew more than 7,200 electronic-musicindustry reps to the 23 rd annual conference/exhibition/festival.

While dozens of seminars were held at various venues throughout Amsterdam, A.D.E.’s evening program, which presented the major practitioners of every genre within the electronic spectrum, drew more than 395,000 fans to the city’s clubs, arenas and outdoor facilities this past Oct. 18-22.

As always, DJ Times was there for the seminars, the networking and the DJ performances. It went like this: Oct. 18: At the DeLaMar Theater, Scottish author Irvine Welsh sat down for a Q&A and detailed the impact that DJ culture has had on his work, especially Trainspotting, the 1993 novel that became the iconic 1996 film. He also explained why he had to give up DJing.

“DJ culture was everything in informing Trainspotting, really,” he said. “I got into DJing, although I wasn’t very good at it—but playing records to a crowd was tremendous. After I’d become known,

3

VOLUME 30 NUMBER 12

12 The Road Back

Krewella’s Career Path Has Taken Some Shaky Turns, but the Yousaf Sisters Return in a Big Way with “The New World”

BY BRIAN BONAVOGLIA

18 Dutch Treat

With Industry Seminars, Gear Displays & All-Night Events, Amsterdam Dance Event Brings DJ & Dance-Music World to Holland

BY JIM TREMAYNE & A.D.E. PHOTOGRAPHERS

20 No Boundaries

No Matter the Gig, Kayper Follows the Beat of Her Own Drum

BY RACHEL SKOTARCZYK

22 Mentor Notes

From Coast to Coast, Successful Mobile DJs Tell Us

What Valuable Lessons They Learned from Their Mentors

BY JEFF STILES

DEPARTMENTS 7 Feedback

As Always, the Answers to All Your DJ-Related Questions

26 Making Tracks

Native Instruments Kinetic Toys

28 Sounding Off

Pioneer DJ DJM-450

30 Mobile Profile

DJ Expo Champ, Ricardo Medrano

32 Business Line

Sales & Branding Tips from DJ Expo

34 Gear

New Products from Rane, Samson & More

38 Grooves

Phat Tracks from MK, Patrick Topping & More

DJ TIMES

DECEMBER 2017

41 Club Play Chart

4

The Hottest Records, As Reported by Our Top U.S. Record Pools

SAMPLINGS 8 Kerri Chandler

Goes Deeper

10 In the Studio With…

Nic Fanciulli

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FROM THE EDITOR

Just Like Starting Over With a string of EDM hits like “Alive,” Krewella got off to a hot start back in 2013. Along with Kris “Rain Man” Trindl, sisters Jahan and Yasmine Yousaf were an omnipresent force on the radio, online and on America’s massive festival scene. But in 2014, the sisters separated professionally from Trindl and, after some bad blood, which included a nasty lawsuit, public recriminations and plenty of blogosphere derisiveness, Krewella took time to regroup.

Now working as a duo, the Yousaf sisters have found the road back and they’ve steadied their career. New music (“The New World” EPs) and a fresh tour have brought Krewella back to its legions of fans and our Brian Bonavoglia connected with Jahan and Yasmine Yousaf around a show at New York City’s Terminal 5 venue this past November. Although details about Trindl and the lawsuit were not topics they would (or probably could) discuss, we were happy to hear some specifics about their artistic approach and their collaborative processes with outside producers like Yellow Claw.

Welcome back, Krewella.

In this issue, we also report from Amsterdam Dance Event, which brought the DJ/dance music world to The Netherlands this past October 18-22. In our Page 3 news section and a feature photo spread on Pages 18-19, we detail highlights from the show’s seminars, exhibits and performances and, as usual, there was plenty of goodness to choose from. (A Tip: Google a Belgian DJ named LeFtO – you’ll be blown away.) This was our 13th trip to A.D.E. since 2005, so many thanks remain in order to A.D.E. and Nikki McNeill of Global Publicity for hooking it all up. Bedankt iedereen.

In our feature profile, Detroit-based scribe Rachel Skotarczyk interviews Kayper, a U.K.-bred/ NYC-based turntablist who produces club-ready music and spins open-format sets at a variety of venues across America. In this month’s Samplings entries, our longtime L.A. correspondent Lily Moayeri handles the section with stories on deep-house practitioner Kerri Chandler and U.K. jock Nic Fanciulli, who details the process behind My Heart, his new artist album.

In our tech-review columns, New Jersey-based DJ/scribe Mike Gwertzman takes on Kinetic Toys, Native Instruments’ “vintage sonic toybox” which brings unique leads, effects and atmospheres to the studio. Also, new Twin Cities-based contributor DJ Deets delivers a sparkling review of Pioneer DJ’s DJM-450 mixer.

From the world of the mobile entertainer, Iowa-based writer Jeff Stiles asks a handful of successful jocks: “What valuable lessons did you learn from your mentor?” We believe you’ll find the answers useful and we hope that it’ll spur our DJ/readers to give back to the industry by helping out some young jocks on the way up. Pay it forward, y’all. Also, Jersey-based DJ Gregg Hollmann brings us sales and branding tips that originally were presented at this past DJ Expo, held in Atlantic City, N.J. Of course, at that show, Ricardo Medrano of LJDJs Event Design & Entertainment in Belleville, N.J., won the Entertainer of the Year competition, so we connected with Mr. Medrano to see how winning the EOTY title has impacted his life and his business. Congrats, Ricardo!

Cheers,

editor-in-chief Jim Tremayne jtremayne@testa.com editor-at-large Brian O’Connor boconnor@testa.com assistant editor Brian Bonavoglia bbonavoglia@testa.com chart coordinator Dan Miller dmiller@testa.com contributors Kat Bein Wesley Bryant-King Chris Caruso Shawn Christopher Matt Clark Paul Dailey Reed Dailey Chris Davis DJ Deets Tony Fernandez Tommy D Funk Michelle Fetky Mike Gwertzman Jennifer Harmon Josh Harris Greg Hollmann Mike Klasco Michelle Loeb Lily Moayeri John Ochoa Jeff Stiles Bruce Tantum 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

DJ TIMES

DECEMBER 2017

Jim Tremayne Editor, DJ Times

6

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 Matt Van Dyke mvandyke@testa.com marketplace advertising sales manager Ricky Pimentel rpimentel@testa.com art/production assistant Ricky Pimentel rpimentel@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) (USPS 0004-153) is published monthly for $19.40 (US), $39.99 (Canada), and $59.99 (all other countries), by DJ Publishing, Inc., 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 110503779. 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 © 2017 by DJ Publishing, Inc., and must not be reproduced in any manner except by permission of the publisher.

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2017 WRAP-UP

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paul van dyk The Triumphant Return

play so many different types of events – small clubs, huge festivals, stupid fashion shows, whatever – we just go from one to the next. We just have to trust our music and trust our instincts.

For us or DJs like us, it’s probably just better never to prepare.”

Legendary minimal composer/musi‑ cian Philip Glass on the toxic political climate in the United States and how it

currently affects artists: “Remember… when there are social problems happening, it’s good for artists. When society is in a bad time, that’s when the arts of all kinds come forth. Just look at history. It’s like Mother Nature taking over, as if it’s a way to balance things. It might be a tough time politically, but it’s a great time to be an artist.”

Glass on being commissioned to make music for commercial-advertising pur‑ poses: “Look, understand something: Making music for television commercials is pure propaganda. ‘Buy the car!’ That’s the message. I mean, I’ve done it, but I have to tell you… when it comes to supporting yourself, it’s better than driving a cab.”

10/17/2017 5:14:22 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.

Amsterdam, The Netherlands – From our visit to Amsterdam Dance Event this past Oct. 18-22, we sat in on several interesting seminars and Q&A sessions at venues like DeLaMar Theater and De Brakke Grond. Because we couldn’t fit everything into the post-A.D.E. online blog posts or our Page 3 news report, we present them here. Enjoy.

Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh on why he had to discontinue his DJ career: “Eventually, I felt like I was just trading on my [Trainspotting] fame and I felt guilty that I was taking jobs from more talented DJs that just didn’t have my kind of notoriety. So, I started to only play smaller venues.

“Ultimately, I had to make a choice between writing and DJing because, back then [mid-1990s], the old way of DJing was so involved. The DJ culture was so deep – you’d go to record shops, get the latest white labels, hit the clubs and so forth – so the cycle of DJing and writing wouldn’t work for me because I do my best writing in the morning. I’d be out all night, drinking and dancing, so… something had to give, and that was it for DJing– but I think I made the right choice.”

Soulwax’s Stephen Dewaele, after being asked how he and his brother David prepare for their wildly eclectic DJ sets: “We don’t ever prepare. We just show up with enough music, look at the crowd and go from there. Plus, we

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SAMPLINGS

DECEMBER 2017

DJ TIMES

Tony TK Smith

KERRI CHANDLER: INTIMATE LISTENING

8

Kerri Chandler: Deep sounds from a hands-on DJ.

All of Kerri Chandler’s social-media posts sound like handwritten notes he has left especially for you. At the same time that Chandler is creating this personal feel, his inclusive tone is such that he is also speaking to a community of family and close friends, not just fans of his deep, soulful dance music.

And it was through social media that Chandler got the message to his dedicated fans that he was putting together the 61st installment in the wellrespected DJ-Kicks compilation series, a longstanding institution that is a good match for Chandler, who is looking at three decades in dance music in his rearview.

As would be expected from Chandler, he has a very unique spin, pun intended, on Kerri Chandler DJ-Kicks. Over the course of the 20-plus selections, he spans genres and eras—leaning heavily into the late ’70s and early ’80s. He segues without a hitch from the hazy jazz of Leroy Hutson’s “Cool Out” to T La Rock’s hip-hop classic “It’s Yours” to Beckie Bell’s disco-flecked “Music Madness.”

The funky keys of James Mason’s “Sweet Power of Your Embrace” leads nicely into Chandler’s own keys-driven, expansive “Stop Wasting My Time.”

These signature live keys are included at intervals along the mix, at points where he feels it embellish the song or smoothen the transitions between his choices. The seamless mix is narrated by Chandler himself—a familiar voice for those who’ve caught his DJ appearances. He sees himself as a tour guide through this remarkably intimate musical experience, which he sets in New York City.

“This mix is my growing up, like taking you on a tour of the city and all the influences I had,” says the New Jersey-born Chandler. “All the places I go through the mix are my hangouts, how I got to play the music that we used to listen to. There are some newer things on there, but they remind me of the stuff I used to listen to.”

The mix was done using primarily vinyl and CDJs. A house jock with a foot other deep musical flavors, Chandler says he finds the tactility of physical items more expressional. Those who have experienced Chandler’s DJing know that he’s not a “no-checked-luggage” kind of guy. He comes armed with enough gear, software, hardware, cables, and visuals to come as close to possible as recreating his studio in the club. Famous for his lengthy soundchecks that include every corner of the room, Chandler may personally attend to any audio issues, if deemed necessary. His family background in sound engineering makes him an expert is assuring everything is ready, not just for him, but for anyone else DJing that evening.

“My bare minimum is two turntables, two CDJs, a mixer, and a keyboard,” says Chandler who preferred mixer is Pioneer DJM-900NXS2, and about which he says, “I update all the firmware and all the parts, and it doesn’t surprise me when I update. I’m not going to have to worry about any of the channels crashing. I even carry faders with me in case there’s a problem, but I’ve never had any problems.

I always know what a Pioneer mixer is going to sound like.

“This is a profession and you have to as professional as you can be,” he continues. “I never want to be in any position where I can’t handle it, or control it. No matter what it is, I have a back(continued on page 42)

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DECEMBER 2017

NIC FANCIULLI: MAKING MY HEART

10

Four weeks before the release of his debut album, My Heart, Nic Fanciulli was putting the final touches on The Social Festival, his expertly curated weekender in Kent, England.

As a dance-music staple since the mid-’90s, Fanciulli has collected many high-profile DJ friends, many of whom were on the line-up for the fifth-annual event, which ran this past September. With U.K. legends like Carl Cox, Sasha & Digweed and Terry Francis onboard, plus global faves like Cassy, Monika Kruse and the Martinez Brothers, Fanciulli did his best to out-do himself – but that seems to be standard operating procedure for the English DJ/producer. And such is the case for My Heart, a project 10 years in the making.

Over the years, Fanciulli has become known as one of the masters of the compilation CD, having nine under his belt including a Global Underground collection and two for Renaissance. He’s a fixture on the magical island of Ibiza and remixer for high-profile artists like Gorillaz, Jamie xx, and Radiohead. But for My Heart, Fanciulli truly had to look inward.

“It’s trying to get the right balance,” he says of the album. “The problem is, you overthink things. That’s when it starts to get confusing because you’re trying to keep everyone happy. I stopped doing that. I deleted a lot of tracks and went back to the drawing board and decided, if I like it and it fits the direction I’m going in, I’m going to be happy and that was the end product.

“I didn’t want my DJing to influence the album too much,” he continues. “I would have lost the musicality. I wanted something sonically nice that you could listen to. I was concerned with everything flowing in the right direction. There is no format to this. Even when I was doing my mix compilations, I wanted it to be something where you could play it at an afterparty, but you could also play it in a club.”

Released on Fanciulli’s imprint, Saved Records, My Heart is truly varied. From the ushering opening title track to the carefully crafted outro, “Under Stars,” My Heart moves through deep and dubby with “Twisted” to groove-driven with “Perfect Crime” (featuring Guy Gerber) and a perfectly paced slow builder “Little L” (featuring Eagles & Butterflies), making it a very satisfying listen.

Fanciulli says that many of his ideas for My Heart came to him while on the road, but he fleshed out and finished the project in his home studio in England. Ableton Live is Fanciulli’s comfort zone, having learned that platform in its early days. A Moog Minimoog Voyager and Roland Juno-60 remain standards in his studio, as are a number of soft synths, Novation Ministation and Native Instruments Maschine. It’s the samples, however, that are at the core of My Heart.

“My samples are from early days,” recounts Fanciulli. “It’s me raiding other people’s sample libraries, swapping, like sticker albums or baseball cards. Bring a hard drive and I’ll load you up with some sounds. Over time, I think I’ve managed to get every 808 and 909 you can imagine. I did the sample-pack thing as well, but I just kept hearing people use their samples so unimaginatively. Not trying to recreate it or chop it up or pitch-shift it, so I tried to stay clear of the sample packs. Actually, I made my own and, even when I was doing it, I was like, ‘Uh, this is so fucking boring.’ It took me longer to do the sample pack than anything else.”

The tracks on My Heart have gone through so many iterations over time, some of them to Frankenstein proportions, that the original sample could very well have been removed, or altered beyond recognition. Additionally, Fanciulli went a long way in boosting his work with session musicians as well as enlisting top-of-the-line mix engineers and production team.

However, he tries to avoid a “too-many-cooks” situation in the studio, instead opting to keep collaborators strictly on the internet.

“I learned that a long time ago,” says Fanciulli of studio collabs.

“You all have a different opinion and then nothing gets finished. With people like Guy Gerber and Agoria, I took them as examples of where I’d like to be and sent stuff back and forth. I’d write a demo, send the stems, they would add a melody or drum sound or bassline or EQ certain things, back to me, I’d mute out what I didn’t like and bring out what I wanted.

“Apart from me overthinking how everything sounds,” he continues, “it was the most stress-free, organic process I’ve ever done in my life.”

– Lily Moayeri

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THE ROAD BACK

KREWELLA’S CAREER PATH HAS TAKEN SOME SHAKY TURNS, BUT THE YOUSAF SISTERS RETURN IN A BIG WAY WITH “THE NEW WORLD”

By Brian Bonavoglia

Neon-Photography.com

New York City – For the ladies from Krewella, their young career has been the kind of rollercoaster ride that very few could’ve predicted.

Back in 2013, when electronic-dance music was in the midst of its massive crossover into mainstream popularity with records like Avicii’s “Levels” and Zedd’s “Clarity” dominating the radio airwaves, Krewella’s infectious “Alive” fit right in. For pop fans, the tune seemed to come out of nowhere, but Krewella was far from an overnight success.

The story of Krewella began back in 2007 at Glenbrook North High School in suburban Chicago where sisters Jahan and Yasmine Yousaf and close friend Kris “Rain Man” Trindl set out to chase their collective dream. Like most aspiring artists, the three did everything they could to get their name out there—writing songs, making beats, formulating plans—hoping to make their mark in the music world.

Riding the emotional and financial waves that come with being an up-and-coming artist, the trio toiled for three years before deciding that the group was no longer a passion project, choosing to dedicate their young, professional lives to Krewella. It was June 8, 2010, to be exact. This was the day, Jahan, Yasmine and “Rain Man” agreed to give up their part-time jobs and schooling to invest all of their time to their musical career. In fact, somewhat famously, all three members had that date tattooed on their bodies.

But, it wasn’t until June 2012 that Krewella started to garner some serious attention, as the release of its “Play Hard” EP drew the electronic community to its gritty, aggressive style of bass music. (Featured notably on the snarling debut EP was that soon-to-be-Platinum smash, “Alive.”) Additionally, in the midst of this initial push into the marketplace, the group pursued a well-documented and quite effective socialmedia program that helped engage new fans by

DECEMBER 2017

DJ TIMES 14

Krewella: (from left) Jahan & Yasmine Yousaf

the masses.

After all this lead-up, Krewella’s performance at Miami Beach’s 2013 Ultra Music Festival served as the group’s coming-out party, catapulting them to star status within the realm of electronic music. The group soon rode that momentum throughout the rest of festival season, signing with Columbia Records and releasing its debut full-length, Get Wet, the following September. The group also spoke and performed at the DJ Expo in Atlantic City, N.J., that summer.

As Krewella hit the road in support of the album, which also included the hits “Live for the Night” and “Enjoy the Ride,” fans began to notice Trindl was no longer touring with the Yousaf sisters, and that continued into the 2014 festival circuit. Then, in September 2014, it was announced that Trindl was no longer part of Krewella. This was followed by a lawsuit that Trindl brought against the sisters for allegedly kicking him out of the group unfairly.

The sisters countersued. The Yousaf sisters then fired back with “Say Goodbye,” a rock-flavored/drum-n-bass track (co-produced by Pegboard Nerds and KillaGraham) reflecting on the legal battle with their once-dear friend. Things continued to get ugly and more public – the blogosphere derisiveness got particularly nasty – before the lawsuit was reportedly settled.

After taking a year-long hiatus during the much-publicized legal battle, Krewella rejoined the music scene, rebranding its image as the sisters prepared to embark on the newest chapter of their careers with the release of buzzy single, “Somewhere to Run,” in March, 2015.

Krewella returned in a more notable way the following year with its “Ammunition” EP (featuring multiple producers like Diskord, Pegboard Nerds and Goldstein) and the intimate Sweatbox Tour that hit 16 major markets that fall.

Going back to basics, Krewella began to reclaim its place. The sisterly duo parted ways with Columbia Records and started its own label, Mixed Kids, with the release of the “New World, Pt. 1” EP this past summer. Now delivering a new sound that, in part, reflects their Pakistani heritage, while still delivering plenty of big beats and melodic moments, Krewella’s Jahan, 28, and Yasmine, 25, continue to grow artistically. And live – where they DJ, sing and perform enthusiastically – they still bring it.

Indeed, at Terminal 5 in New York City, we saw Krewella tear the place down with a mix of recent material and the well-known hits. Fans both new and old were treated to a highoctane, 90-minute performance, fueled by Yasmine and Jahan’s indisputable energy, not to

“WE LOVE WORKING WITH NEW PEOPLE BECAUSE THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW TO TAKE AWAY” — YASMINE YOUSAF

16

Doug Van Sant

DJ TIMES

DECEMBER 2017

Sandar Csudai Neon-Photography.com

mention a hefty barrage of bass. Sporting a unique, new stage design, the show also offered plenty of participatory moments – champagne showers, head-banging, crowd-surfing and, of course, sing-a-long moments that had fans on all three of the venue’s floors involved.

As the group readied for the upcoming release of “New World, Pt. 2” (and its “New World” single, a trap effort with Yellow Claw featuring Taylor Bennett), we interviewed with Krewella. We caught up separately with Jahan (before the Terminal 5 show) and Yasmine Yousaf (afterward) to discuss how they’ve righted their career course and navigated the road back to EDM prominence.

Jahan Yousaf DJ Times: A year ago, you two were in the midst of your intimate Sweatbox tour – how does it feel to be on the road again for another fall tour?

Jahan: It feels like we’re doing exactly what we should be doing. There’s no place I’d rather be right now. Seeing the fans every night, listening to their stories, watching them have the time of their lives, hearing them scream the new song lyrics right back at you is one of the most rewarding feelings of being an artist. It’s great fuel for getting back into the studio this winter because it’s a reminder the old, new, and unreleased all has a place with our fanbase.

DJ Times: Which setting do you prefer playing – intimate venues, clubs or festivals?

Jahan: We love intimate venues. It’s a chance to get up close and personal with the “Krew” and finally hear them shouting lyrics into the microphone with you. Seeing all the sweat that close is so raw.

DJ Times: Crazy to think your “Get Wet” tour took place four years ago, huh?

Jahan: It still feels like yesterday. We’re still literally getting wet with our “Krew” every single night on tour. There is not one show we’ll play that we aren’t absolutely soaked through our clothes by the end of it. Four years later and we still go just as hard!

DJ Times: Your current “New World” tour comes in conjunction with your latest EP and recent collaboration with Yellow Claw, but “New World” runs deeper than just a title. Tell us a little about what inspired the name.

Jahan: Yasmine and I grew up in a multicultural household with our dad being a Pakistani Muslim, and our mom being European, but American-born. I think (continued on page 40)

— JAHAN YOUSAF

DJ TIMES

OWNING & EMBRACING WHO WE ARE.”

DECEMBER 2017

“NAMING OUR LABEL MIXED KIDS IS US FINALLY

17

BY JIM TREMAYNE & A.D.E. PHOTOGRAPHERS Amsterdam, The Netherlands – According to organizers, Amsterdam Dance Event drew more than 7,200 electronic-music-industry reps to the 23rd annual conference/exhibition/festival this past Oct. 18-22.

While dozens of seminars were held at various venues throughout Amsterdam, A.D.E.’s evening program, which presented the major practitioners of every genre within the electronic spectrum, drew more than 395,000 fans to the city’s clubs, arenas and outdoor facilities. It all looked like this:

Branding: A.D.E. at Sugar Factory.

Joris Raaijman Techno Bash: Dave Clarke Presents at Melkweg.

Mark Richter

Dutch

With Seminars, Gear & Events, Amsterdam Dance Ev

Author Irvine Welsh: On Trainspotting & DJ culture.

Mark Richter Opening Party: Richie Hawtin kicks it off.

Mark Richter

AIR Party: The Spinnin’ Deep event got wild.

Tom Doms Studio XL: Oliver Heldens reveals his secrets.

Joris Raaijman

Canal Scene: ADE ’17 took over the town. Tom Doms Dark & Long: Underworld at Rijksmuseum. Dennis Bouman

Afterhours Madness: Elrow’s closing party.

Joris Raaijman

Treat

ent Brought the DJ & Dance-Music World to Holland

Late-Night: A.D.E. venues drew nearly 400,000 fans.

Mark Richter

DeLaMar Theater: A.D.E.’s daytime venue.

Mark Richter

A.D.E. Soundlab: The legendary Philip Glass.

Mark Richter

Networking: A.D.E. attendees compare notes.

Mark Richter

DJ TIMES

DECEMBER 2017

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N O M AT T E R T H E G I G , K AY P E R F O L L O W S T H E B E AT O F H E R OW N D R U M

Kayper: A gifted turntablist spinning club grooves.

BY RACHEL SKOTARCZYK

I went to university. This was the point where making a name as a DJ became more of a reality because I was away from home and my family, who did not approve of me DJing at the time. When I moved, I had the freedom of being able to do shows wherever I wanted, and was finally able to start building my career as a DJ.

DJ TIMES: Has relocating to New York made any profound changes for you?

KAYPER: Yes, I think it has given me more hunger to

succeed. North America is a big place, which means there is a lot more competition. To stay relevant, you must stay on top of your game and always think 10 steps ahead. I think I’ve always had this mentality, but living in the U.S. certainly keeps me on my toes.

DJ TIMES: I see that you use two Technics decks and a

Pioneer DJM-S9 mixer. What’s your mixing process?

KAYPER: It really depends on what kind of music I am

playing. For example, if I am playing hip hop, I usually scratch the track in on-beat and fine-tune, while both tracks are mixing, without channel fading. I usually cut the bass out of the track that I’m mixing out of, and sometimes I’ll scratch the track out if I feel the vibe. If I am playing house, I like to fade up with the channel faders, use the EQs and effects more, and I probably scratch less.

DJ TIMES: Do you practice your sets?

KAYPER: I don’t practice my sets, but I do have little

routines that I know work. I practice the routines and I have “go-to” crates set up in my Serato, but I never have a solid plan for what I’m going to play or in what order – I just go with what feels right at the time.

DJ TIMES: Do you always know where you want to mix in on a track?

KAYPER: Not really – I usually wing it. Even if I end up playing two tracks together that I’ve mixed before, I always mix the track in depending on the vibe of the crowd and how they are reacting to it.

DJ TIMES: How do you prepare for a show?

KAYPER: I like to research music that is relevant to the city I’m in, or I spend a few hours downloading different edits or mashups. Then, I usually put a rough playlist together in Serato. I’ll decide on what I’m going to play from the playlist when I see the crowd.

DJ TIMES: Any memorable events you’ve played?

KAYPER: Many years ago, I DJed in Ibiza for the first time and one of the gigs was

in an abandoned townhouse that looked like it was about to collapse. I was asked to climb up a ladder to get to the front balcony where they had set up turntables and someone had to bring my records up the ladder for me on their shoulder. I played to a massive crowd of people in the town center with circus acts and guys on stilts.

DJ TIMES: What’s your studio set-up?

KAYPER: Logic Pro X connected to Avid Mbox audio interface and Yamaha HS8

monitors. I use a few analog hardware synths for pads and basslines, like the [Alesis] Andromeda A6 and Roland GAIA [SH-01]. I sometimes program drums using the [Native Instruments] Maschine 2 or the Roland TR-8, depending on what vibe I’m going for. But, I mostly use the EXS24 sampler in Logic and a bunch of different plugins.

I especially like the Arturia VSTs because they sound the closest to the real analog synths that I like.

DJ TIMES: How did DJing inform your studio work?

KAYPER: Being a DJ first has helped me to be a better producer. The benefits I

got was that I understood how song structure works, what DJs look out for in a track and what works on a dancefloor. That’s really something you cannot learn unless you have had the experience of performing live.

DJ TIMES: What’s your studio process?

KAYPER: I usually start a track by playing around with ideas for different chords first. Once I have that down, I’ll work on the beat and, from there, I’ll put together some sort of rough structure and add pads, melodies, and the bassline depending on what vibe I’m getting. So, I guess it’s more of an experimental process for me.

DJ TIMES: You’ve referred to yourself as an open-format DJ, that you’ll play any style depending on the crowd…

KAYPER: I feel like I’m more conscious of my brand

now more than ever. I used to just go with the flow and not really think about what I represented. The first record I released was a house record, which was confusing for people that had followed me as a DJ, because, I guess, everyone expected me to make hip hop. However, I wanted to make a point. I don’t like to follow rules and I hate being pigeonholed. I consider myself as an open-format DJ because there are no boundaries n for me.

DECEMBER 2017

DJ TIMES: When did you begin to take DJing seriously?

KAYPER: I moved to Cambridge in 2002, which is where

“BEING A DJ FIRST HAS HELPED ME TO BE A BETTER PRODUCER. THE BENEFITS I GOT WAS THAT I UNDERSTOOD HOW SONG STRUCTURE WORKS, WHAT DJS LOOK OUT FOR IN A TRACK AND WHAT WORKS ON A DANCEFLOOR.”

DJ TIMES

As a DJ, Kayper accomplished plenty at an early age.

Bred on the hip-hop flavors of South London (artists like London Posse, Rodney P, and Black Twang) and pirate radio stations (with DJs like Tim Westwood), she acquired a youthful fascination with the genre and the art of spinning.

She began playing in public at 12-years old. At 16, the Londonborn turntablist held a residency at the legendary Ministry of Sound club. Then, at 20, she won the 2003 Vestax Juice DJ competition.

Turning to the studio, Kayper earned notice with a series of club-leaning cuts on Mad Decent, Spinnin’ Deep and Eton Messy, including the 2013 hit, “Out My Mind,” which exceeded 2 million Spotify streams. Her most recent EP, “Sweet Reminder,” offers smooth grooves that recall the heady days of U.K. garage.

Currently, the NYC-based Kayper—aka Kaajal Bakrania, 34— keeps a busy tour schedule, which includes regular gigs at San Francisco’s Love + Propaganda and Chicago’s Studio Paris.

She was also a finalist in A-Trak’s Goldie Awards DJ Battle, held this past September in Brooklyn. As she prepped for another round of shows, we recently caught up with Kayper.

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DJ TIMES

DECEMBER 2017

MENTOR NOTES

M

F R O M C O A S T T O C O A S T, SUCCESSFUL MOBILE DJS T E L L U S W H AT VA LUA B L E L E S S O N S THEY LEARNED FROM THEIR MENTORS

“[MY MENTOR D UA N E FA R M E R ] TA U G H T M E T O PRAC TICE MY MICROPHONE SKILLS BY MAKING UP A COMMERCIAL FOR THE BILLBOARDS I SEE WHILE DRIVING A R O U N D T O W N .”

– KEVIN PORTER, ROCK HILL, S.C.

Doyle was to not play the music that I myself would like, but to try to figure out what my clients would like and what the crowd desires,” explains Haggerty. “That seems rather basic, but musically reading a crowd is a talent that DJs—if they’re good at it—get praised for the most.

“Look at your audience whenever you make an announcement, and always make eye contact. This way you’ll know if they’re even listening. Your volume may not be loud enough, or they’re the type of crowd that is so caught up in conversation that you’re just white noise to them.

“You may need to repeat an important announcement a few times to get the point across— such as, ‘It’s time to sit for dinner,’ or, ‘Guests need to go outside for a picture with the bride and groom.’”

Haggerty says making contact with guests by looking at them while making announcements—a job skill taught by his mentor, Doyle—also helps him to realize what types of music the partygoers might prefer.

“We used to give our clients a sample music list for them to highlight,” he says, “but that could create problems if they saw a song they didn’t like and assumed we might play all they dislike—sending them down a negative path instead of focusing on songs they think their friends and family—and themselves—would dance to.

“When looking at a list, it’s important to read between the lines, and that list could all go out the window once the crowd is in front of you. No matter what they put down doesn’t mean it will work. Secondly, if you use a list, then you’ll never either get the credit—or the blame—for what comes out of the speakers, no matter if you or your clients picked the music.”

Haggerty claims that Doyle also pounded into his head the importance of testing all his equipment right away after setting up.

“You don’t want guests coming in the room and find you still troubleshooting a bad cable,” he says.

“All of those things I learned through my mentor Brian – and, in fact, I still hear him preaching some of those things to this day.”

When Denny McConnell began operating Music to You Entertainment in the mid-1970s, he says there weren’t many mobile entertainers in Reading, Pa. And for that reason, he says he mostly

DJ TIMES

When Lisa Capitanelli-Kasberg auditioned for a mitzvah-MC position in Los Angeles in 1990, little did she know that she would be hired immediately after accompanying Mark Ray to their very first event together.

And little did she realize at the time that she would be learning from the best of the best, as her new mentor just so happened to be one of the top mitzvah MC/DJs in their local California market.

“Mark Ray told me at the time he would put me on all of his events as his assistant, so I could learn how to be a mitzvah MC,” she recalls. “On the very first event we did together, I saw him in action and was blown away by his talent. And at the end of the event, he asked me if I thought I could do what he did – and I said yes.

“After the third event, it all started to come together, and it all came so naturally. I just did exactly what he did and then I started to add in my own style. If it wasn’t for Mark Ray, I would not be the MC/DJ I am today.”

Capitanelli-Kasberg went on to create I’m a Girl DJ in 1993, and later Cheers Entertainment before moving to Clarksville, Tenn., to raise twin daughters with her husband Kris, and also operate The Silent DJ. “By the way, I ran into Mark a couple of years ago at an event he was doing, and even after 25 years, he hadn’t skipped a beat,” she says. “He’s still as talented as the first day we worked together. We keep in touch and I always tell him how grateful I am to have had him as my mentor.”

We recently contacted DJs from around the country and asked: Who was your DJ mentor?

And how did that individual demonstrate how to do things right, or better—both entertainmentwise and business-wise?

Brian Doyle of Denon & Doyle Entertainment in Pacheco, Calif., claims that fellow Bay Area jock Andy Ebon—from whom he purchased his DJ business—was his mentor, and Doyle in turn has gone on to mentor others young entertainers within his market.

Today, Doyle mentors his business-development partner, Patrick McMichael, as well as Mark Haggerty, a longtime employee who today serves as the company’s production and event manager.

“The first thing I believe I learned from Brian

DECEMBER 2017

BY JEFF STILES

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DECEMBER 2017

DJ TIMES 24

learned the trade from experience and by watching other DJ entertainers perform.

“Yes, I’d say I’m self-taught,” says McConnell. “I went to the Billboard Disco Conventions from 1975 to 1978, in New York and then in Los Angeles.”

And then McConnell met Andy Ebon, the Northern California-based entertainer who also mentored Brian Doyle.

“I met Andy Ebon and we hit it off pretty well,” recalls McConnell. “He liked my style and I liked what he said he did. Andy wanted me to move to San Francisco and be his partner, but that never happened because I had a brand-new baby and the price of a one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco at the time was over $800 a month.

“I was going to try it for six months, but never did. So from 1978 until DJ Times’ first DJ Expo [in 1990], I learned by trial-and-error. That’s when I met Johnny Rozz, Bernie Howard, Roxanna and Jeffrey Greene, and learned a ton of things from them—especially Rozz.”

Since those earlier years of learning simply by experience and by doing things right and wrong, McConnell has gained much more by soaking up information from the true mentors he met at DJ Expo.

“Yes, I’ve attended every DJ Expo that DJ Times has ever had, and I’ve learned something at every one of them for the last 27 years,” he says. “And yes, I’ve been a successful DJ now for 43 years.”

“SOME OF THE

Down in Rock Hill, S.C., Kevin Porter with Elite Entertainment says he first got into the business after a DJ friend—Duane Farmer—accidentally found himself double-booked.

“Duane taught me mostly just the entertainment side of things, as he wasn’t much for the business side,” Porter says. “In fact, I still use one of the first things he taught me, which was the music pie:You start at a certain hour and play three songs of a genre, then three more of a different genre and so forth. As the evening goes by, your genres may vary or shrink, and as a new hour starts you rotate/mix up the genres.”

Porter says Farmer also taught him to never play a slow song at the top or bottom of an hour—unless you want to make people leave.

“He also taught me to practice my microphone skills by making up a commercial for the billboards I see while driving around town,” he says.

“Each commercial must be different, and they must be no less than 15 seconds long and no more than 30 seconds long.”

Back in New York state, DJ Mike Melice in Ithaca says he’s both been mentored and has in turn mentored other young DJs. “I learned to DJ in 2003 from one of the top battle DJs in Upstate New York, and long-time friend DJ Simon Sez,” he recalls. “When I started, all the top DJs used a pair of Technics turntables and mixer, so I was able to learn how to mix, scratch, juggle, etc.”

But it wasn’t solely the mixing skills Melice learned from Simon Sez that took his career to the next level. “The business side of things I learned from being in sales and marketing and trial-and-error,” he says. “Keeping a good attitude, maintaining high standards and having a burning desire to learn and improve are all paramount.

“Some of the best DJs I know have never made a career out of it because of their poor attitude and closed mind. However, everyone wants to work with someone who has a great attitude.”

Melice is currently mentoring his good friend Paul Manzari to help take his business to the next level. Says Melice: “Paul is living proof that hard work and a great attitude attract success.”

A series of mentors during the career of K.C. KoKoruz in Chicago have helped him develop The Keith Christopher Entertainment Group into the successful company it is today.

“I went to work for Mike Klancnik at a company called Mobile Music Systems while I was in college,” he recalls. “He was the DJ my fraternity house hired for our parties and several of my Theta Chi brothers went to work for him, so I jumped on the bandwagon as well.

“He taught me all the basics with regard to setting up sound, lights, etc.

He also taught me how to use turntables and to project my voice in a more commanding way to gain the attention of guests.”

KoKoruz says he began marketing his burgeoning sales career with Klancnik through the proven method of door-to-door sales… sort of.

“We knocked on the doors of fraternity and sorority houses,” he says, “speaking with the social chairpeople who hired the DJs for their parties.

My mentor Mike also taught me how to sell weddings—although weddings were not his primary customer base.”

AT T I T U D E

BEST DJS I K N O W H AV E NEVER MADE A CAREER OUT OF IT BEC AUSE OF THEIR POOR

A N D C LO S E D M I N D.”

KoKoruz was later taught the art of mixing by a Chicago house DJ named “Jungle” Jorge Suarez. “As fate would have it, I had gone to high school with his brother and that’s how that connection was made.

“After I left Mobile Music and started my first DJ company, I attended the 1992 DJ Expo held in Chicago. It was there that I saw John Rozz speak for the very first time. I also saw Andy Ebon speak at that same show. What impressed me about the two of them was how little they talked about themselves, and how much they simply spoke about their topic. They also had obtained a level of business success for which I was striving.”

During his first DJ Expo experience, KoKoruz says that after each person spoke, he asked for a business card and then proceeded to call each of them after the conference. In turn, these successful DJ owners mailed out their various brochures, forms, etc., and most importantly shared their knowledge with this aspiring, 22-year-old DJ. Twenty-five years later, KoKoruz says he still speaks with both of his mentors on a regular basis. “John Rozz’s energy and stage presence were very exciting to me,” he says. “I was a very confident DJ, but I had never been the MC who was on the dancefloor making the guests sing and clap to the music.

“And Andy Ebon helped me unlock my passion for marketing. He and I have said repeatedly that we both see the DJ industry through the eyes of sales and marketing, because you have to do the hustle to get the event before you can spin and rock it.”

When Mike Walter of Elite Entertainment in Tinton Falls, N.J., started with Star DJ’s back in the late 1980s, owners John Murphy and Rick Galdi were his early mentors.

“I learned literally everything from them,” he recalls, “but I guess the most important thing is that what we do is duplicatable. It can be easily taught, and in doing so, you can build a company of consistent DJs.” As it turned out,Walter went out and did likewise with Elite Entertainment, which he’s built into one of the East Coast’s most formidable entertainment companies. Additionally, he’s parlayed his always-ascending status in the DJ industry into a successful speaking career, often doing presentations on DJ training – a formal mentorship, of sorts.

As he’ll willingly admit, much of that inspiration and knowledge came from his always-energetic, business-savvy mentors.

Paying it forward, good karma, whatever you want to call it – mentorship remains a huge factor in the successes n of our industry’s biggest names.

M – MIKE MELICE, ITHACA, N.Y.

MAKING TRACKS STUDIO…HARDWARE…SOFTWARE…

KINETIC TOYS: QUIRKY SOUNDS APLENTY

DJ TIMES

DECEMBER 2017

By Mike Gwertzman

26

Eerie, haunting music boxes. Malfunctioning robots. Creepy dolls. Space cowboys and miniature rocket ships.

These are not the ordinary images that come to mind when working with soft synths. But that’s exactly the kind of optics that Native Instruments’ new Kinetic Toys conjures up. This $149 expansion for Kontakt—Native Instruments’ popular software sampler—is dedicated to reproducing and morphing audio recordings of vintage children’s toys, everything from chemistry sets to pinball games to toy pianos, jack in the boxes, and so on. It features over 200 separate sound sources, and gives you a wide range of creative modulation systems to deliver dramatically distinct audio palettes.

Kinetic Toys began as Kinetic Treats, the freebie Christmas gift that Native Instruments offered up at the end of 2016. Registered users of Kinetic Treats can upgrade to the full version for only $99.

This program was created in collaboration with sound designer Jeremiah Savage, who worked on Native’s Kinetic Metal expansion as well. There’s a deep library of sounds and presets at your disposal here, arriving with 3.5 GB of content. But the fun really begins once you start digging into the unique user interface that gives you a limitless range of creative possibilities.

Kinetic Toys relies on a mostly visual interface, and without reading through the 60-page manual, it’s hard to know what is what. But, perhaps like a child unwrapping a toy for the first time, that sense of discovery and imagination is what Kinetic Toys is trying to achieve. The best way to

get your head around Kinetic Toys is, naturally, to play with it.

When I say “visual” interface, Kinetic Toys really must be seen to be understood. After loading Kinetic Toys into Kontakt, it looks more like you’re about to watch a cartoon then work on a track.

The interface is almost entirely devoid of the typical knobs, sliders, and meters that make up most softsynth interfaces.

I took some time to scan what was in front of me. On the left, a mechanical ballerina, standing atop a wind-up music box. On the right, a 1950sstyled sci-fi robot, also sitting on a box. Two large books are behind the robot –labeled “Envelopes” and “LFOs.” And in the middle, there are a collection of little characters – origami swans, a twinkling star, a rocket ship, a Space Invader-esque 8-bit creature. Below that, there appears to be a board game of some type with two sets of inverted arrows, each with a miniature version of the ballerina and robot resting on top.

Selecting and playing different presets gives you an idea of how Kinetic Toys works. Play a key, and you’ll see everything come to life in front of you.

The ballerina rotates around on her stage, and the robot darts about on his box. The rocket ship and Space Invader icon take flight in the middle of the screen.

After a little bit of experimenting, and a bit of digging into the manual, everything started to make a lot of sense. The ballerina is the audiosource selector, and the robot controls the different effects processing the sound. The icons in the middle sit on an X/Y pad, and are assigned to

different sounds, and different effects.

The real strength in Kinetic Toys is the amount of control you have over modulating the sounds and effects. Since you don’t have the typical array of buttons and sliders, it’s hard to visualize this immediately. But both the robot and ballerina have four A through D setting assignments, and you can morph between all of them by dragging their respective icon. (They represent “snapshots” of sound sources and effects settings, and are visible by pressing the cog wheels beside the ballerina and robot.)

There are a lot of options for this movement control, including a “step-motion” mode, where the icons rotate between the four settings, and a “2D Motion” control where you can control their path on an X/Y axis. Drilling down even further, you’re able to choose different speed settings, you can record custom movement paths, and so on.

Of course, each A through D setting for both the sounds and effects can be individually adjusted and tweaked to your liking as well. This can be a bit of a challenge to master, since the icons for the effects and the sounds are jumbled together in the middle of the screen. Plus, it takes a bit of practice to figure out which icons represent the sounds, and which are the effects. Practice makes perfect, of course.

Further modulation controls come from the LFO and Envelope books. Here, you have two sets of oscillators and ADSR envelopes – perhaps the most traditional synth sound controls you have in Kinetic Toys. These can be assigned to different sections on the interface, giving you more ways to shape the sounds and effects. The “board game” at the bottom functions as mixer where you can adjust separately the levels of the sound and the effects.

It’s a bit of a bold step for Native Instruments to release a program that is so blatantly influenced by children’s toys, especially when the word “toy” is a common epithet tossed around by synth snobs.

I was a little concerned myself that I wouldn’t find many usable sounds in the Kinetic Toys library. But I was actually very pleasantly surprised.

On top of the clicks, whirrs and pops you might expect, I found loads of interesting pads, brass and woodwinds that could fit perfectly into a techno or deep-house dance track. Working with the Melodica and Ribbed Drumbone settings, for example, I added a bit of a delay, Logic’s chord trigger, and I found some rich, Berlin-style techno keys that were loaded with character and depth. This is not a gimmicky synth whatsoever.

You have a lot of material to work with in Kinetic Toys. There are 35 separate “themes,” and within each, there are 16 different presets or snapshots to use as a starting point. And since you can control so much of the effects and sound mixing, you’ll never run out of ways to create original sounds.

Kinetic Toys is a fantastic new offering from Native Instruments for anyone who is interested in trying out a different approach to sound shaping. It has a wealth of interesting, unique and rare sound samples to work with, and a very cool interface to play with. The lack of clearly defined labels and parameters may be a turnoff to some, but I did think it added a new dimension to my creative process.

Let’s be honest – it’s just plain fun to drag around a rocket ship and a robot when you’re adjusting a delay affect. Well-done, Native Instruments.

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DJ TIMES

DECEMBER 2017

SOUNDING OFF PLAYBACK…PRO AUDIO…PROCESSING

By DJ Deets There exists this destructive myth amongst the DJing and electronicmusic communities that equipment is everything. It goes that, in order to be a successful performer, a DJ/artist has to have the latest and greatest gear, which is often the most expensive.

Every once in a while, a piece of gear comes along that radically challenges this commonly held belief. It usually offers the features of significantly more expensive and higher-end gear, all the while delivering them at an attainable price point. Such is the case with Pioneer DJ’s DJM-450.

Rarely do I get this excited about a 2-channel mixer. But the DJM-450 improves dramatically from Pioneer DJ’s previous 2-channel mixer range, which, unless they were upmarket scratch/battle mixers (DJM-909, T1, and S9), rarely pushed the envelope in terms of features provided, and never came close features-wise to Pioneer’s 4-channel mixers. This trend seems to have changed with the 450, which offers a significant portion

DJM-450: Big sound & great effects choices.

DJ TIMES

DECEMBER 2017

DJM-450: PIONEER DJ’S STOUT MIXER

28

of the effects and control found on Pioneer DJ’s club-standard mixer, the DJM-900NXS2, while pricing competitively to other similarly-equipped 2-channel mixers at $699.

Unlike previous Pioneer 2-channel mixers, the 450 offers DVS control through rekordbox (Pioneer’s own DJ software), with either turntables and rekordbox control vinyl or CDJs running a downloadable rekordbox control tone or control CDs through the included license.

Upside: The successful emulation of Pioneer’s 4-channel mixers in a 2-channel form factor with many of the features of Pioneer’s larger equipment.

Issues: The lack of TRS outputs and a dedicated booth output. The lack of MIDI control native to any software. A three-position crossfader curve control, as opposed to a full range of adjustability with a knob.

The Hardware: The DJM-450 mixer features a rugged and durable full-metal construction that seems on-par with the build quality found on larger Pioneer mixers. Side-by-side with the larger DJM-900NXS2 and CDJ-2000NXS, the 450 feels considerably smaller. The knobs feel solid, playable, and seem like they will last through the rigors of regular use. The channel faders feature Pioneer’s hallmark P-lock fader caps and offer reassuring levels of resistance.

The crossfader is the MagVel fader found in the larger DJM-900NXS2, and feels wonderful to use. We compared it to another Pioneer mixer without it as well as the crossfader in a rival 2-channel mixer, and the MagVel fader felt amazing to use, offering a smooth and precise operation. Scratch DJs will feel confident in their ability to scratch, cut, and beat juggle with this fader. Pioneer DJ claims that the fader will survive well over a million cycles without any loss of quality, but we obviously couldn’t verify its claims.

The character of the sound can be altered with the full-band EQ section (low, mid, hi, with trim), the four sound-color effects that operate only on the two channels, and the assignable effects section featuring a selection of effects taken from the DJM-900NXS2. At the front of the unit, DJs will appreciate both a small and large headphone jack, meaning that a headphone adaptor isn’t a necessity.

On the rear of the unit, the DJM-450 features two RCA line/phono channel inputs with a ground pin for turntables, an AUX input on linelevel RCA inputs, an RCA master output, an XLR master output, balanced mic input with tone control, and a USB input for rekordbox DVS control.

Some DJs have lamented the lack of a dedicated control for an individual booth output, meaning that DJs cannot control booth monitors at a separate level. DJs who use in-ear monitors will have no problem, given that the headphone control has a wide level range and can switch from master, cue, as well as mixing outputs.

Sound Quality: As far as sound quality is concerned, the DJM-450 sounds great with a sound characteristic that Pioneer DJ users will in-

Hot Feature: DVS control through rekordbox.

stantly recognize. On studio monitors, the 450 sounded virtually identical to the 900NXS2 we had set up next to it when playing both lossy and lossless tracks. That’s an impressive feat for a mixer costing nearly a fourth of the club standard!

The Effects: In terms of effects and control, the DJM-450 felt light years ahead of previous Pioneer 2-channel mixers like the DJM-250, DJM-350, and DJM-400. While those mixers offered only basic effects, like channel filters and not much more, the DJM-450 offers four of the six sound-color effects found on the club-standard 900NXS2, as well as the parameter control that allows users to further control any active sound-color effect.

The traditional DJM effects section is located to the bottom right of the mixer and offers a “greatest hits” effects selection from the 900NXS2. Although not offering all the effects from the larger mixer, those offered sound really good and far surpass comparable effects by rival mixers. Furthermore, throughout our time with the DJM-450, we never felt like we needed more effects to enhance our user experience or have more control.

I feel that Pioneer’s choice in the effects to include was superb. Each of the effects can be assignable to either individual channels, the master output, the crossfader, the mic input, or the auxiliary input. The effects are triggered in a similar fashion as on the full-size Pioneer mixers by a button located towards the bottom right of the mixer that activates the effect. The level and time of the effect are controlled by rubber knobs directly above the on/off button.

The DJM-450 also offers the same effects screen as in the 900NXS2, but lacks the touchpad for controlling timing of effects – nonetheless, not a major omission. DJs wanting to use more effects can always connect an external effector, like the RMX-1000 or RMX-500, through the included send/return feature, something found on few mixers at this price. It also features a USB port on the top of the unit, eliminating the need for a send-return connection with Pioneer’s own effectors, as well as an iPad running the RMX-1000 app.

Conclusion: By offering control found on the DJM-900NXS2 and rekord(continued on page 42)

Congratulations

‘17 Winner

MOBILE PROFILE CAREERS…INNOVATIONS…SUCCESS STORIES

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Belleville, N.J. – Ricardo Medrano’s dream job? To be on the radio hosting his own morning show.

“I was always told I had a face for radio,” he says, laughing. “People would always tell me that there was something about me that one day I will be performing for the world, so I used that motivation as fuel to reach my dream job.”

It never happened — but yet, it sorta did.

“I was always asked by friends and family to be a ‘Master of Ceremony’ or ‘MC’ at events like small weddings, Sweet 16s, or a local bar,” he says.

Fast-forward to his own wedding, and that’s where it all began.

“My wife and I were DJ-shopping for our wedding and the company who was performing at a bridal show did our friend’s wedding. I told my wife that this is the company we should hire and I went to work for them. That’s when my passion for the ‘mobile-DJ’ world started.”

Today, he’s a managing partner of a multi-op called LJDJs Event Design & Entertainment in Belleville, N.J. — a crowded market in which to stand out.

“I have learned a lot from my team at LJDJs about how I can build my reputation, not just in New Jersey,” he says. “Before joining LJDJs, I learned that no one, but yourself will promote you in this industry.

You have to leave a lasting impression, not just with your current clients, but their invited guests. Every market is tough, but you have to have the right staff to push you — you have to be welcoming with your guard down and a big smile on your face. You have to be ready to perform the best event ever, from the beginning to the end.”

Speaking of “beginning to end,” we asked him for a tip on how to keep guests on the dancefloor.

“One of the things I have done is go right into a high-energy dance set,” he says. “Leave the important formalities for later, like the first dance or parent dances. Make sure your clients, especially your maître d’, know that you are doing this. This sets the energy at a new level and it’s getting your crowd hyped for the next dance set.”

But the one thing that has possibly done more to boost Medrano’s reputation was winning Entertainer of the Year competition at DJ Expo in Atlantic City this past August.

“First of all, winning Entertainer of the Year was not just for me, but for the team,” he says. “They were the reason why I won and I thank them for all of the help. I will tell you that I don’t remember half of my performance because it went by so fast. I couldn’t hear anything because the worst props to give out for any competition are stadium horns and plastic trumpets. I was afraid no one would hear my directions for the dance. The ‘Horny Dance’ was the perfect title because it describes my personality, and I am not a horn-ball.

“What put me over the top is that my wild personality could not be bottled up for this style of dance. I was able to show everyone my true quirkiness and it just came out unscripted and natural. So what everyone saw that night was a combination of team work, my crazy personality, and 10 years of experience.”

Medrano says experiencing the EOTY victory that night was surreal. “I am not going to lie – I cried,” he recalls. “I cried because of all those years of working my butt off, the months of practice. My wife was there to see me perform and she has seen me go through so much and I was so happy that my main support was there.

“Throughout the performance, I kept envisioning my daughter and son, who actually practiced with me, weeks before the event, blowing their little trumpets as we went through the routine. I had my team in my mind and just thought about how supportive they have been through everything. It was the greatest feeling ever!”

In addition to winning a nifty trophy from DJ Times, Medrano earned a pair of products from EOTY event sponsors Chauvet DJ (FXpar 9 multi-effect light) and Electro-Voice (EVOLVE 50 column powered speaker series). As for his existing set-up, Medrano uses, among other gear, a Pioneer DJ DDJ-SZ controller with Serato DJ software, a Shure GLX-D wireless system with SM58 microphone, and a QSC Audio (continued on page 42)

DJ EXPO WINNER FINDS NEW MOMENTUM

EOTY ’17: Ricardo Medrano at DJ Expo.

MetroMix Media

DJ TIMES

DECEMBER 2017

By Edwin Convery

SEE BEYOND READ OUR DIGITAL EDITION THE AVERAGE READER SPENDS 4 MINUTES READING DJ TIMES DIGITALLY Answers through a synthesis of Icons, Brands & Ideas:

First we allow you to “See”, the most influential DJ icons and how they’ve launched some of the most successful careers in the DJ business.

Going “Beyond”, we show you how to make your own brand grow and thrive by exposing you to the latest creative ideas in the professional DJ world.

SEE SEESFGHL;PWR BEYOND BEYONDWMP YOURSELF BEYONDET

Shifting the focus to “Yourself”, we then relate those ideas back to the world at large so you too can become one of the leading DJs of your industry.

BUSINESS LINE SALES… MARKETING…SOLUTIONS…

SALES & BRANDING LESSONS FROM

DJ TIMES

DECEMBER 2017

By Gregg Hollmann

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This past DJ Expo in Atlantic City was another resounding triumph for education — dozens of seminars helped DJs improve their marketing, performance and customer service. Here are highlights from a few of them: Making the Sale: Lessons from the Cruise Ship Industry.

Adam Weitz, owner of A Sharp Production in Huntingdon Valley, Pa., delivered a typically high-energy presentation that focused on marketing techniques in the cruise ship industry and how DJs can utilize them in our industry.

According to Weitz: “Once a client books, they’re on the boat” and the marketing has just begun.

Cruise lines are adept at upselling clients, but do it in a way that appears natural.

Put simply, Weitz suggests that DJs do the same, beginning with a series of email blasts. These communications should include lots of follow-up marketing deals and suggestions like “upgrade within the next [time interval] and receive [benefit]” or “book now & receive [benefit].”

Similar to the way that cruise lines offer videos of their enhanced services, so, too, should DJs. Does your DJ company offer 360-degree virtual tours of your setups at particular venues?

Do you have a well-stocked “document room” with detailed information on all of your services and entertainers? Weitz says, “If you are not taking advantage of today’s technology to market your services, then you are losing out.”

Another principle from the cruise industry that DJs can use is “pole marketing” – that is, showing clients services and options above and beyond what they are looking for. Pole marketing can help to migrate clients into a higher package and price.

One final technique that cruise ships use to secure a booking is to offer a very low down-payment to reserve the date. Even if this deposit amount is refundable, the act of leaving a small deposit is symbolic and secures their emotional buy-in.

Lessons from the Brand Makers: Branding You and Your DJ Business.

Moderated by Artem Lomaz of Ninety-Three Entertainment in Roxbury, N.J., this panel discussion gathered an assortment of brand makers from outside of the DJ industry. Lomaz created this seminar in order to gather fresh ideas on branding for DJ company owners. Panelists included a copywriter and creative director from Grey New York (Louis Wittig crafted Dos Equis’ “Most Fascinating Man in the World” campaign), a standup comic, a luxury photo-booth company operator, and former Coca-Cola product manager.

There was an assortment of powerful takeaways from the presentation. Wittig asserted that even if you have a powerful brand, proper positioning is essential. The two most important tasks for marketers are to: Know exactly what you do.

Get people to know what you do.

In creating effective marketing campaigns, simplification and creativity are key.

Comic Brett Davis spoke about the importance of knowing your audience and properly adjusting your marketing routine to reflect differences. Edgy, calculated marketing campaigns stand to generate exceptional results, but can occasionally flop.

Ian McHugh, owner of luxury photo booth company NYC Photo Party, emphasized the importance of finding a niche that motivates and excites you. McHugh’s passion is the luxury corporate market.

He suggests that business owners try to stay ahead of technology and seek to create new offerings for clientele, and, in his case, to develop proprietary software.

McHugh enjoys working closely with marketing and branding agencies to fine-tune the presentation of his company’s brand. Finally, he recommends that no matter how successful you become, it’s important to never give up the hustle.

Walt Blau, a 20-year veteran of Coca-Cola, left the business and currently is the head of business development at a photography/videography studio in Stanhope, N.J., called Generic Brand Human. When working for a company and brand, Blau stated the importance of taking ownership of the brand: “When I was at Coca-Cola, I considered it my business, and Coca-Cola was simply my distributor.”

He also recommended scheduling time to market – in his case, two hours per day of mostly phone work and relationship building. A big fan of planning, Blau says that “the year precedes the day.” In other words, it’s important for business owners to not get distracted by day-to-day setbacks, and rather to keep an eye on the prize. For DJs, this could mean a short-term setback like losing a job for failure to discount, but maintaining brand integrity for the long run.

Finally, Blau is a big proponent of catering to the middle market where customers are abundant.

Moderator Lomaz offered the insight that when a client entrusts us with their special celebration, that we as the DJ entertainer are their — and their family’s — brand representative.

How true!

Gregg Hollmann is the owner of Ambient DJ Service in East Windsor, N.J.

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

Ready for Battle Rane/inMusic Brands 200 Scenic View Drive Cumberland, RI 02864 (401) 659-8192 www.rane.com Rane’s Twelve Battle Controller is a motorized DJ control system that features a turntable layout complete with 12-inch motorized vinyl platter that plays at 33-1/3 and 45 RPM speeds. The unit also features a multi-function touch strip with eight hot-cue triggers, four decks of control and a 5.0 kfcm high-torque motor with hi/low torque adjust. The controller comes with a MIDI interface that allows the unit to be connected to a computer, or to a Rane Seventy-Two Battle Mixer, via USB.

Eastern Parade Eastern Acoustic Works One Main Street, Building 13 Whitinsville, MA 01588 (800) 992-5013 www.eaw.com The RSX218 from EAW is a dual 18-inch subwoofer designed for both portable and permanent installation applications. Part of the RADIUS family of loudspeakers, the unit provides 7dB more output than the single-18 RSX18, according to the company. Housed in an all-wood enclosure with EAW Roadcoat finish, the RSX218 comes with two three-inch voice coil 18-inch woofers powered by 1400W of onboard amplification. It features push-button cardioid operation and is equipped with the EAWmosaic iOS-based application, which allows for prediction, control and monitoring at any location in the venue wirelessly.

Epic, Dude...

Time+Space, Distribution Ltd, Unit 7A-B, Cranmere Road Exeter Road Industrial Estate, Okehampton, Devon EX20 1UE +44(0)1837 55200 www.timespace.com Gothic Instruments expanded its SCULPTOR series of SFX Kontakt tools with the release of SCULPTOR Epic Drops. It features thousands of raw sounds recorded and created by sound designer Alessandro Camnasio, as well as 79 nki presets, including Guest Presets from specially-selected composers, for a total of 960 MB. Epic Drops is designed for use with the full version of Kontakt v5.6.8 or above, and can also be used for SFX such as power-downs and futuristic sci-fi scenes, according to the company.

DJ TIMES

DECEMBER 2017

Having a Blaster

34

Laserworld USA Inc. 41 Skyline Drive, Suite 1017 Lake Mary, FL 32746 (407) 915-5577 www.laserworld.us Laserworld Group released the SparkBlaster, an indoor fountain machine that creates a cold spark fountain from a special granulate, which comes in 250g packages that allow for approximately 20 minutes of operating time. SparkBlaster is fully controllable through two DMX channels, including the ability to adjust the spark emission height. The unit features a rear display that allows users to monitor the temperature of the device as it heats up to its optimal operating temperature.

AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

GEAR

Ready to Roland Roland Corporation 5100 S. Eastern Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90040 (323) 890-3700 www.roland.com Roland released two new DJ controllers for Serato DJ—the DJ-505 and the DJ202. Both models function as USB audio/MIDI interfaces with 24-bit/48 kHz fidelity and high-resolution digital-to-analog converters. They feature two low-latency platters, a built-in drum machine with TR-808 and TR-909 sounds, eight dedicated pads, and a 16-step sequencer that can be accessed via the performance pads to control Serato DJ Intro’s sampler. Each model also includes a MIDI output for controlling and syncing external devices, and a 1/4-inch mic input with gate, hi-pass, reverb, and echo FX.

Monster MASCHINE Native Instruments 6725 Sunset Boulevard, 5th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90028 (866) 556-6487 www.native-instruments.com Native instruments announced the availability of MASCHINE Mk3, the next generation of MASCHINE hardware that has been re-engineered to offer “more intuitive workflows, optimized layouts, vivid visual feedback, and deeper studio integration,” according to the company. MASCHINE Mk3 features a built-in 96kHz/24-bit audio interface. It adds two high-resolution color screens for better sound browsing, editing and sample-slicing. In addition, the company has added dedicated function buttons and larger, more responsive pads.

MediaOne in a Million Samson Technologies Corp.

278-B Duffy Ave. Hicksville, NY 11801 (516) 870-7200 www.samsontech.com Samson’s MediaOne M30 Powered Studio Monitors are housed in a solid wood cabinet with rear porting and an all-black vinyl finish. Designed for desktop and multimedia applications, the monitors feature an internal 20-watt (10 watts per channel) studio-grade A/B amplifier, as well as a three-inch copolymer woofer and a ¾-inch silk-dome tweeter housed in a custom waveguide. Additional features include stereo RCA inputs, stereo 1/8-inch sub and headphone outputs, and a Bass Boost switch. A speaker cable is also included.

HALion 6 is a VST workstation from Steinberg that is tailored to contemporary composers and sound designers who wish to create custom instrument libraries. It features a new sampling editor that records, maps and plays sounds directly within the software. A wavetable synthesis engine is included, as well as a new Macro Page Designer that allows users to design customized user interfaces and a Library Creator that compiles custom instruments in a monolithic VST sound container. With HALion Script, users can now program complex instrument behaviors and MIDI modules.

DJ TIMES

Yamaha Corporation of America 6600 Orangethorpe Ave Buena Park, CA 90620 (714) 522-9011 www.yamahaproaudio.com

DECEMBER 2017

HAL to the Chief

35

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

Propellerhead of the Class Propellerhead Software Hornsbruksgatan 23 SE-117 34 Stockholm Sweden www.propellerheads.se Propellerhead Software announced Reason 10, which adds more than 3GB of samples in Reason Drum Supply and Reason Loop Supply. Features include the Radical Piano instrument and Synchronous Effect Modulator, which lets users create sidechain effects and draw their own LFO curves to control filter, delay, reverb, distortion and level. There are also two new synthesizers—the Europa Shapeshifting Synthesizer, a dynamically generated wavetable synthesizer that offers advanced spectral filtering, harmonics processing and custom waveform drawing; and the Grain Sample Manipulator, which offers a selection of algorithms, ultra-flexible modulation, routing and effects that can be applied to any sample.

DIGI-Ri-Do

DJ TIMES

DECEMBER 2017

UDG Gear Industrieweg 18-21 3846 BD HARDERWIJK The Netherlands www.udggear.com

36

The UDG DIGI Headphone Bag is a foam-padded headphone carrying bag made from water-resistant 1680D Ballistic Nylon. Available in black, the bag is designed to fit most folded DJ headphones.

In addition, the bag holds USB drives, SD cards, hard drives, mobile phone, cables, business cards, credit cards and accessories. Features include a handgrip and a shoulder strap that is both detachable and adjustable.

Home on the Full-Range Who’s the BASSBOSS? BASSBOSS 9501 Cargo Ave, Ste. 600 Austin TX 78719 (855) 822-7770 www.bassboss.com The DV12 Powered MicroMain is a compact full-range speaker from BASSBOSS that offers 3,000 watts of built-in power amplification over two channels, delivering 123 dB of bass output in full range mode and capable of over 130 dB when used in satellite mode. Its Class D amplifier features a four-inch voice coil, 12-inch woofer and 1.4-inch throat compression driver, all housed in a vented cabinet design the company says can counteract standing wave reflections. The unit is housed in a Baltic Birch plywood construction with a black polyurethane coating, ergonomically integrated handles and a steel grill.

The XY Factor Pioneer DJ Americas 2050 W. 190th Street Suite 109 Torrance, CA 90504 (424) 488-0480 www.pioneerdj.com Pioneer Pro Audio’s XY Series has expanded to include the XY-3B three-way full range speaker and the XY-2 mid-high speaker. The XY-3B is equipped with an eight-inch neodymium cone driver that uses the company’s X-Phase system; two 12-inch neodymium cone drivers; and a one-inch compression driver with a molded bihorn. The XY-2 speaker is the mid-high section of the XY-3B, according to Pioneer. It can be used in large-scale venues for PA applications, as a DJ booth monitor or as a down fill in an XY-3B cluster setting.

AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

GEAR

With All Your Mighty Bright Mighty Bright 650 Ward Drive Santa Barbara, CA 93111 (800) 922-3233 www.mightybright.com The DuoFlex LED Music Light Kit from Mighty Bright includes a four-meter micro USB cable and gig bag. The light comes with four warm white, energy-efficient LEDs and an optical grade lens that the company says spreads light evenly across pages. The unit also features two flexible silicone necks, both with independent light heads that each offer three-step dimming levels. The DuoFlex is powered by three AAA batteries and features a battery life of 15 hours.

Reach Out & Touch American Music & Sound 925 Broadbeck Dr. #220 Newbury Park, CA 91320 (800) 431-2609 www.AmericanMusicAndSound.com Reloop’s Touch is a DJ controller that comes with an integrated 7-inch touchscreen that allows for real-time control of FX via the XY panel, visualization of the various performance modes, and dragging and dropping within the media library.

Touch is designed in a 4-channel club mixer layout and with a combined EQ/filter section and high-resolution jog wheels on each deck. Additional features include eight RGB performance pads, a built-in audio interface with high-retention USB port, two headphones connections, a mic input and both balanced and unbalanced master outs.

Catch a WaveLab Steinberg/Yamaha Corp. of America 6600 Orangethorpe Ave Buena Park, CA 90620 (714) 522-9011 www.steinberg.net Steinberg released new versions of its audio editing and mastering workstation, WaveLab Pro 9.5 and WaveLab Elements 9.5. Both come equipped with RestoreRig, a new plug-in suite that includes a DeClicker, DeCrackler, DePopper, DeNoiser and DeBuzzer. There is a MasterRig high-end mastering plug-in suite that includes five plug-in modules for WaveLab Elements and six modules, eight instances and full M/S support for the WaveLab Pro. Both also feature support for the Apple Touch Bar, the MP3 Gapless option, Bleep Censor Generator, iXML track name support and high DPI compatibility.

iZotope announced the joint release of Neutron 2 mixing console and Ozone 8 complete mastering suite. The two can communicate using the new Tonal Balance Control plug-in. Ozone 8 comes with a Spectral Shaper module, low latency IRC mode, Transient/Sustain Stereo Independence, and Learn Threshold. Neutron 2 features an improved track assistant and Mix Tap to add any track to the new Visual Mixer, Masking Meter, and Tonal Balance Control plug-in.

DJ TIMES

iZotope 1 Kendall Sq Cambridge, MA, 02139 (617) 577-7799 www.izotope.com

DECEMBER 2017

Look Me in the iZotope

37

TRACKS…MIXES…COMPILATIONS “FALL DOWN” EP u Solardo u Hot Creations The Manchester twosome knocks it out of the park with this raucous corker. Centered around a classic rave-inspired riff, the tech-house stormer is sure to be a set highlight with its chugging bassline and modulated vocal refrain. MK’s remix on the B-Side is a much quirkier groove, while Carlo Lio’s rework is a relentless peak-hour bomb.

– Chris Caruso “RUNAWAY”

u Carl Hanaghan feat. Leanne Brown u Duffnote Gene Farris

This latest release on Duffnote is up there with the label’s best, as remixer Richard Earnshaw takes an already solid, soulful cut and turns it into a classic disco-house groove.

– Curtis Zack “YEBO” B/W “MANTEKILLA”

u De Gama u Samosa Records Well-known for using rare Afro/Jamaican, dub-style beats and samples, De Gama offers a ragga-flavored two-tracker that kids the tightest of club grooves.

Don’t sleep on the rugged, rattling “Mantekilla.”

– Tommy D Funk “SO BEAUTIFUL”

those tracks that will always summon you to the dancefloor.

– Jennifer Harmon “BE SHARP SAY NOWT” EP

u Patrick Topping u Hot Creations The Newcastle lad strikes again with another set weapon with “Be Sharp Say Nowt” on the A-Side, dropping an absolute screamer of a track that’s sure to terrorize dancefloors everywhere. The belting diva vocal is rousing in all the right ways, with a chunky bassline and some massive synth stabs primed for peak hours. “Track Change” takes things to the deep end with a throbbing low-end and flittering chords, all of which are perfect to quickly change up a set’s vibe.

– Chris Caruso ORIGINS u Souldynamic u Tribe Records Long players are back in vogue and it’s now the turn of the Souldynamic boys to get in on the act.

With 12 outstanding deep and soulful cuts featuring a range of different vocalists, Origins is one of the better house albums of the year. Faves include the smooth “There’s a Place” featuring Deborah Bond, the deep “Live Your Life” featuring Dana Weaver, and jumpin’ “You’re Beautiful” featuring Mr. V.

u Sterling Void & Robert Bond feat.Geneva u Distar Some legendary names on this bumpin’ house release from Italy’s Distar. Rollicking mixes from Eric Kupper, Maurice Joshua and Marcus Wedgewood complete the impressive package of dancefloor winners.

– Curtis Zack Patrick Topping

“17” (IN THE AIR DUB) u MK u Ultra Once again, MK delivers an upbeat, piano-driven house track with a supremely good-time vibe. The insistent kick drum and its continuous, resounding chant of “in the air” combine to make this one of

– Curtis Zack “NOST RMXS 2” EP

u Ellen Allien u BPitch Control Another set of cuts from the Berlin techno baroness’ Nost LP get fresh reworks from a variety of genre heavy-hitters on this four-tracker. Gerd Janson’s stomping big-room remix of the LP’s erotic highlight “Call Me” stands out as the most floor-ready, while Truncate’s take on “Innocence” is an entrancing late-night journey built around delicate layering of its elements.

– Chris Caruso

DJ TIMES

DECEMBER 2017

Solardo

38

MK Miguel Migs

Souldynamic

“FLESH WORLD” EP u COEO u Toy Tonics The German label keeps on firing with three more disco-infused tracks that’ll shake your booty and get the dancefloor jumping. Check “Kapote’s Drum Jam Version” of the title track – cosmic and bumpin’.

– Curtis Zack “LIVING IN THE CITY”

u Jimmy Read & Prefix One u Digital Soul With Janaishia Wade out front on vocals, the Digital Soul label returns with a classic hands-inthe-air number that should light up any dancefloor. The main mix is the version getting all the attention, but the original stands up as well.

– Curtis Zack

“COLA” (FRANKY RIZARDO REMIX)

u CamelPhat & Elderbrook u ADA/Defected Kicking off as ominously as the original, Rizardo’s remix, a plenty-eerie house track itself, transitions into an effects-filled, bassline-driven groover – sassy, dripping with swag.

– Jennifer Harmon

Carl Hanaghan

“BLUE PYRAMID”

u Virginia u Dark Entries Records With classic acid squelches and Middle Eastern violins, this is one reissue that feels as fresh in 2017 as it did in its original 1988 form. Bézier’s rework adds a thick layer of late-night drama, heavy on synth pads and wistful melodies. Mark Pistel’s take is the grooviest of the bunch, boasting bouncy, euphoric vibes and driving percussion.

For a more sinister, punishing offering, check out Khidja’s dark, bass-filled remix on the A-Side.

– Chris Caruso “MOMENTUM” (ZIGGY PHUNK REMIXES)

u Soulpersona feat. Princess Freesia u Peppermint Jam

You might not think the unmistakable voice of Brandon Flowers would mix well with Duke Dumont’s devoutly groovy aesthetic, but this one works. Rocking a slightly industrially edged synth, Dumont delivers trippy loops and a fairly manic drop. This one will have your head boppin’.

– Jennifer Harmon

Originally released in ’16, the cut benefits from Ziggy Phunk’s remix, which brings the funk. Deep synths and a subtle groove sublimely support the strong vocal to give this track a new lease of life.

– Curtis Zack “THE MAN” (DUKE DUMONT REMIX)

u The Killers u Island/Republic

“GIRLFRIENDS REVENGE”

Ellen Allien

“TKL (THIS KIND OF LOVE)”

u Rightside feat. Maria Marcial u Soulstice Bumpin’ bass, funky guitar and a kickin’ bottom add up for an irresistible disco groove from Italian producer Luzio Rightside. Remixes come from Shane D and Mark di Meo for a release of the highest quality.

– Curtis Zack

u is Dirty Secrets u Masterworks On this four-track EP from Masterworks, one of the U.K.’s nu-disco hotbeds, the lead track, “Floatin’,” takes a hefty slice of Ashford & Simpson and creates dancefloor damage. The other three tracks are equally hot, so don’t sleep on this.

– Curtis Zack

DJ TIMES

Various Artists Material Series On this four-track EP, Gene Farris delivers a stomping four-to-thefloor, no-frills, jackin’, tech-house bomb with “What I Feel.” We get a sassy female voice over a supple groove – credible for any dancefloor. On “She Wants,” Adapter transforms the Ace of Base hit into a frenetic house number with Lee Fletcher a woozy whistle, catchy vocal and rolling bassline. On “Dance,” Click Click bangs us with a kick, a snare and tasty hi-hats; then on “Bailemos,” De La Suitte drops a tough, Latin-flavored tech-houser. A must for any house DJ.

DECEMBER 2017

GUEST REVIEWER: LEE FLETCHER MATERIAL HEADS, VOL. 22

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DJ TIMES

DECEMBER 2017

Krewella

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(continued from page 16) that diverse palette is what has made our life so rich with color, and what kept our minds open to different values and traditions of others. Moving out to L.A. almost five years ago and touring the world has given us so much perspective and only reinforced our already strong feelings about how integral cultural diversity is for our community.

DJ Times: So that is where a “New World” stems from?

Jahan: The song “New World” came from our love for the diversity in our own family and community of friends and fans, and then from there we decided to rock with that vibe for the entire “New World” movement.

DJ Times: Would you say that played a part in choosing the name for your Mixed Kids imprint as well?

Jahan: Absolutely. Growing up, being mixed was somewhat confusing. I just didn’t know where I belonged. I was the random white girl in Islamic school, and then I was the kid with the weird foreign name in junior high.

I absolutely loved watching and listening to Bollywood records in the privacy of my home, but felt ashamed wearing Pakistani garments out to the mall when our family had gettogethers. It took me years to finally gain perspective and realize where I came from and how beautiful of an experience it has been to be exposed to something unique. Naming our label Mixed Kids Records is us finally owning and embracing the essence of who we are. We were brainstorming at the kitchen table with our dad and once we said Mixed Kids, he slammed his head on the table and said, “Yes, that’s it!”

DJ Times: Speaking of that, how does it feel to separate from Columbia Records, and now have your own record label?

Jahan: It feels incredibly liberating and empowering knowing that both of us are now the label. Yasmine and I are calling the shots, deciding what song we want to release and when.

DJ Times: Any advice to those who think signing with a major-record label is the only key to success as an artist?

Jahan: Being on a label is so instrumental if you’re an artist who is trying to play the “radio game.” If you have a song that you and a reliable team is confident sounds like it could fit within the radio world, and there is pursuit from labels, then I would think it’s a great opportunity if the deal is carefully worked out.

However, if you have a cult following and diehard fans, who aren’t limited by what is fed to them on the radio, then I would keep stay in that world.

If you have something that’s already working in the underground, then why change up the dynamic?

DJ Times: How do you two organize your workflow when working on a new record track in the studio?

Jahan: We both write lyrics and melodies simultaneously. We work best when we are “filling in each other’s sentences” and tweaking each other’s melodies. Occasionally, if one of us needs a day off or isn’t feeling well, the other will go into the studio alone and then when we’re back together it’s nice to know there’s someone who can listen with a fresh, unbiased ear. We’ve also done “split sessions” where both of us write separate songs with different producers, and then we’ll play it for the team and see if it’s worth going in on together.

DJ Times: What does a studio session with Yasmine usually entail?

Jahan: Lots of snacks, laughs, weird gibberish lyrics in the vocal booth, talking about deep shit, tea, coffee, listening to some of our childhood favorites, watching music videos in the background.

DJ Times: When it comes to production, you’ve recently been implementing your Pakistani roots into the mix – is that something fans can continue to expect going forward?

Jahan: We have yet to reach our full potential as artists, who are diving into their roots. It’s something that we will continue to explore and incorporate as it feels so natural since we are half-Pakistani.

DJ Times: How did your recent collaboration with Yellow Claw and Taylor Bennett come about?

Jahan: We sent the vocals and verse beat idea to Yellow Claw and they immediately started working on production on their end. We saw each other in passing at festivals, but all the revisions were back and forth through email. It was really cool seeing how confident they are in their vision and sound design, and how quickly they delivered the first idea for the drop. They just really know what they want and they’re really focused, which is so badass.

DJ Times: With a number of massive collaborations over the years, who are a few artists you hope to work with in the near future?

Jahan: Starting as early as this fall, we’ll be dropping some collabs with Pegboard Nerds, Lookas, and R3hab.

DJ Times: What’s your ideal DJ set up these days?

Jahan: We still use CDJ-2000 media players and a Pioneer DJ mixer, and have since Day 1! On this New World Tour, we are incorporating live vocals, so it’s more of a hybrid live-DJ set.

DJ Times: You two have made a name for yourselves with your exceptional songwriting ability, vocals and bass-fueled DJ sets. What is it

that made you fall in love with the electronic-music genre?

Jahan: I always loved the endless capabilities of electronic music. It has allowed us to experiment and evolve.

However, when I heard electronic music for the first time in my early teens, I remember it sounded like it was beyond modern times. It made me feel like that very moment was a scene from a movie, set in the future.

DJ Times: Who was the first DJ that caught your attention and introduced you to the bass-music scene?

Jahan: Yasmine first exposed us to bass music when we heard of Skrillex right before he popped off. I remember feeling so moved the first time I heard Bassnectar. To this day, I still don’t think there’s another DJ who is doing something comparable to Bassnectar. He’s truly in his own lane.

DJ Times: Krewella has been quite the tear as of late – what can everyone expect from Jahan and Yasmine in 2018?

Jahan: To be honest, I don’t know yet myself. I like that feeling. I really feel like we’re both just living in the moment, hopping from one city to the next, and then going ham in the studio whenever we’re back home. Let’s see where that takes us!

Yasmine Yousaf DJ Times: Let’s talk Krewella’s studio/songwriting process. How does that work?

Yasmine: Every song starts differently. Sometimes we’ll start writing a song over just piano or guitar chords, and other times we’ll rock over a rough percussion track and build a song from a production standpoint first. Most of the time, we focus on songwriting first and production second, though.

DJ Times: What is your preference when it comes to DAW and microphones?

Yasmine: We always record vocals and anything live – i.e., random percussion sounds, guitars, etc. – in Pro Tools. We work with a couple of different producers who work in Ableton and Logic as well, so we jump around depending on the session. We love our voices on pretty much any Manley microphone. It’s been our goto mic brand for over two years now.

DJ Times: How does a collaboration work with Krewella these days?

Yasmine: A lot of the time, collaborations will happen over the internet, because we’re working with artists from across the U.S. and sometimes even on different continents.

We love working with new people, because there’s always something new to take away from such an experience. Recently, we released our collaboration with Yellow Claw called “New World” and it was such a cool

process, partially because we fucking love everything those guys make. We sent them the full songwriting over what was essentially a hip-hop beat.

They added a build-up and drop, and we went back and forth tweaking the details for about six weeks until both parties were happy. Most collabs work that way unless you’re lucky enough to be in the same city and get in a studio together.

DJ Times: Musically, what’s lighting Krewella up these days? Any other producers/artists you appreciate at the moment?

Yasmine: We are loving so many artists right now — to name a few: Reo Cragun, Oliver Francis, PVRIS’s new album [All We Know of Heaven, All We Need of Hell], Odesza’s new album [A Moment Apart], and Circa Survive’s new album [The Amulet].

Our musical tastes, between the two of us, are all over the place, but it all helps ground our perspective in the studio.

DJ Times: Are there any new sounds that have caught your ear as of late?

Yasmine: Personally, I’m loving the genre-bending of rap and these post-emo melodies. We grew up on pop-punk and hardcore bands, and to hear that influence bleeding into some newer hip-hop and rap acts is super exciting.

DJ Times: Where does your “New World” tour rank compared to past Krewella tours?

Yasmine: It feels like an evolution past all tours we’ve ever done.

There was a time and place for the tours we did in 2013-14 with gigantic production that had a larger-thanlife stage presence that we did, and a time and place for the punk-rock room tour we did last year with a live band. This tour took on a more mysterious and dark vibe, coupled with a simpler stage production that captured the vibe we set out for in creating the music and artwork for “New World.” The rooms are large, but still intimate, which brings us a lot of joy on tour because we still feel like we’re so connected to our fans during the shows.

DJ Times: What are a few memorable moments that took place during this tour?

Yasmine: We have meet-andgreets every night with anywhere from 30 to 60 people. The shows are insane and such a high moment, but meeting the people who have followed and supported your music for six years and hearing their stories and experiences is the most memorable thing from this tour. That, and Jahan dressing up as the “old Krewella” for Halloween, that was fucking hilarious.

DJ Times: You two had quite the

MP3s in 6

Compiled As November 16, 2017

NATIONAL CROSSOVER POOL CHART

NATIONAL URBAN POOL CHART

1 J Balvin F/ Willy William & Beyonce’ 2 Dua Lipa 3 Kelly Clarkson 4 Maroon 5 F/ Sza 5 Pink 6 Sam Smith 7 Nial Horan 8 Demi Lovato 9 French Montana 10 Tove Lo 11 Portugal The Man 12 Halsey 13 Marshmello F/ Khalid 14 Gryffin 15 Justin Bieber + Bloodpop 16 Taylor Swift 17 The Weeknd 18 Macklemore & Kesha 19 Kesha 20 Bruno Mars 21 Axwell & Ingrosso 22 Avicii F/ Sandro Cavazza 23 Raquela 24 Alan Walker 25 Kim Cameron 26 Dimitri Vegas F/ Kiara 27 Daya 28 Fergie F/ Nicki Minaj 29 The Bloody Beetroots 30 Nick Jonas 31 Jax Jones F/D. Lovato & Stefflon Don 32 Fenix F/ Lisa Williams 33 Andreas Moss 34 Liz Asaro 35 Greg Gatsby F/ J Allen 36 Camila Cabelio 37 Disco Fries F/ Jared Lee 38 Rosabel F/ Tamara Wallace 39 Taylor Swift 40 Stonebridge F/ Hayle Joelle

1 Yo Gotti & Mike Will Made-it F / Nicki Minaj Rake It Up Roc Nation 2 Cardi B Bodak Yellow Roc Nation 3 Goldlink F/ Brent Faiyaz & Shy Glizzy Crew RCA 4 Chris Brown F/Yo Gotti/A Boogie Wit’Da Hoody Pills And Automobiles RCA 5 Kendrick Lamar F/ Rihanna Loyalty Interscope 6 Sza F/ Travis Scott Love Galore RCA 7 21 Savage Bank Account Epic 8 G-Eazy F/A$ap Rocky & Cardi B No Limit RCA 9 Miguel F/ Travis Scott Sky Walker RCA 10 Gucci Mane F/ Migos I Get The Bag Atlantic 11 Wiz Khalifa & Ty Dolla $ign Something New Interscope 12 Tk Kravitz F/ Sexton Space Republic 13 Kendrick Lamar F/ Zacari Love Interscope 14 24Hrs F/Ty Dolla $ign & Wiz Khlaifa What You Like Problem Child 15 Quality Control F/ Quavo, Takeoff & Offset Too Hotty Capitol 16 Lil Uzi Vert The Way Life Goes Atlantic 17 Miggos F/ Nicki Minaj & Cardi B Motorsport Capitol 18 Dj Envy F/ Fetty Wap & Dj Sliink Text Ur Number BMG 19 Lil Pump Gucci Gang Warner Brothers 20 Dave East F/ Chris Brown Perfect Def Jam

Most Added Tracks 1 Maroon 5 2 Niall Horan 3 Raquela 4 Rosabel F/ Tamara Wallace 5 Kim Cameron 6 Liz Asaro 7 Neiked F/ Mimi 8 LeAnn Rimes 9 Marshmello F/ Khalid 10 Stonebridge F/ Hayle Joelle

Mi Gente Universal New Rules Warner Brothers Love So Soft RCA What Lovers Do Interscope What About Us RCA Too Good At Goodbyes Capitol Slow Hands Capitol Sorry Not Sorry Hollywood Unforgettable Epic Disco Tits Island Feel It Still Atlantic Bad At Love Capitol Silence RCA Love In Ruins Geffen Friends Republic Look What You Made Me Do Republic Reminder Republic Good Old Days Warner Brothers Woman RCA Versace On The Floor Atlantic More Than You Know Def Jam Without You Interscope These Tears RE Tired RCA Beautiful Side FX Complicated Smash New Interscope You Already Know Interscope Saint Bass City Rockers Last Gang Remember I Told You Island Instruction Playdigital California Sun Carrillo Stuck In My Feeling Curb 1000 Years Indy I Got You 418 Music Crying In The Club Epic Reckless Enhanced Freak Carrillo Ready For It Big Machine Meet In The Middle 418 Music Best 4 You Too Much To Ask These Tears Freak Beautiful 1000 Years Call Me Love Line Silence Meet In The Middle

Interscope Capitol RE Carrillo Side FX Indy Reprise Curb RCA 418 Music

REPORTING POOLS Nashville, T N - Carlos Cabrera n Masspool - Saugus, MA; Gary Canavo n Chew Fu - Woodbridge, CT; Chew Fu n Dj Stickyboots - Goshen, NJ; Blake Eckelbarger n Victors - Milwaukee, WI; Chris Egner n Kahoots - Columbus, OH; Ilan Fong n

MetroMix - Pittsburgh, PA; John Hohman n Soundworks - San Francisco, CA; Sam Labelle n Dixie Dance Kings - Atlanta, GA; Dan Miller n Mixxmasters - Li‑ thonia, GA; Brian Stephens n DJ Laszlo - Las Vegas, NV; Laszlo Szenasi n Pacific Coast - Long Beach, CA; Steve Tsepelis n Peter K. Productions - Peter K

LOOKING FOR THESE TITLES? YOU CAN HEAR THEM AND BUY THEM AT WWW.DANCEKINGS. COM. JUST CLICK ON THE LINKS IN THE CHART. DDK HAS LIMITED MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE

Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5

Migos F/ Nicki Minaj & Cardi B Lil Pump Meek Mill Jonas Blue Fetty Wap F/ Monty

MotorSport Gucci Gang 1942 Flows Mama F/ William Singe There She Go

Capitol Warner Brothers Atlantic Capitol RGF

NATIONAL LATIN DANCE POOL CHART 1. Nacho 2. Pedro Alonso 3. Adassa 4. J Balvin & Willy W 5. El Gran Combo 6. Romeo Santos 7. Alexandra ft Eddy Herrera 8. Maluma ft Marc Anthony 9. Luis Fonsi feat Daddy Yankee 10. Prince Royce ft Farruko 11. Jerry Rivera 12. Limi T21 ft Elvis Crespo 13. Pabanor ft Lu-K 14. Maelo Ruiz 15 Farruko 16. Ilegales 17. Jose Alberto El Canario 18. Ozuna 19. Lefty Peres & Nino Segarra 20. Vakero

Bailame Ya No Vale Tu Traicion Mi Gente Besar tu Boca Imitadora A Dormir Juntitos Felices Los Cuatro Despacito Ganas Locas Me Hace Daño Like Tu Me Pones Mal No Entiendo Quiereme Tamos Happy Ese Tipo Soy Yo Te Vas Goza La Vida Mi Sepelio

Universal Lopera Music Sky Urbano Umle Republic EGC Sony J&N Sony Universal Sony Crossover Renew Music Corp.

3 Knots MR Latin Hits Music Dotel Prod.

Los Canario Music Universal Indie Mayimba

Most Added Tracks 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Zawezo Juan Magan ft Pasabordo & Nacho De La Ghetto, D. Yankee, Ozuna Grupo Mania Fherramy

Frikiao (Trapbow Version) Sigueme Bailando La Formula Tirenme El Diablo

AMD Universal Warner MM ET Music

REPORTING LATIN POOLS n Latinos Unidos Record Pool n Salsamania Latin Record Pool n Lobo/Bass

Record Pool n Urban Tropics Music Pool n North East Record Pool n Mixx Hitts Record Pool n Ritmo Camacho Record Pool n Ritmo Internacional Record Pool n DJ Latinos Record Pool n Mass Pool n Record Pool Latino n V.I.P. Chicago Record 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

roster of support throughout this tour, a little bit of everything.

Yasmine: We absolutely love all of the acts that supported this tour.

Some of them we’ve been fans of for years, such as Sigma, and some of them are newer to the game, like Ray Volpe or Crankdat. Being homies with a lot of them helped, too, because all were a fucking pleasure to tour with.

DJ Times: Which DJs do you enjoy seeing and why?

Yasmine: We both love heavy, hard music live, so anyone who captures that vibe while still connecting with the soul of crowd does it for us. Bassnectar, Lido, Flume, Alison

Sounding Off

Wonderland, and Unlike Pluto are a couple examples of this.

DJ Times: Going back to the very beginning, what artists, singer or songs made you love music as a whole and make you want to pursue it?

Yasmine: If we’re going way, way back, we grew up on Incubus, System of a Down, Linkin Park, and Fall Out Boy, to name a handful of bands that made us fall in love with music.

Later in our teen years, MSTRKRFT, Justice, Daft Punk, The Faint, and Cut Copy sparked our love for a more electronic sound, and Krewella was born from all of these influences coming together. n

(continued from page 28) box DVS, the Pioneer DJ DJM-450 becomes an exciting new mixer and should be on the shortlist of anyone considering a new mixer. Any DJ familiar with Pioneer equipment will feel right at home on the new mixer. Conversely, users who want to become familiar with Pioneer DJ’s club-standard mixer should seriously consider the 450, given its appealing street price of $699 and feature set similar to that of the larger 900NXS2.

Having one in your bedroom setup will allow you to practice and become familiar with Pioneer DJ’s mixer range. Previously, DJs want-

ing to practice on mixers similar to the Pioneer’s flagship mixers had to purchase a 4-channel mixer, but now there’s a 2-channel alternative. Buyers of the DJM-850/800/750, who don’t need the four channels, can now purchase a 2-channel alternative that still offers them the ability to familiarize themselves with Pioneer DJ’s club-standard mixer range. In smaller spaces where booth sizes might be restrictive of a full 4-channel mixer, this will easily fit, and DJs who want more space in tighter booths, should also consider this enticing mixer.

Entertainment last year.

“I love what I do,” he says. “In five years, I still see myself rocking all types of events. By discovering the new ‘me’ this year and the way I connect with people, I see myself doing this forever. The support I have gotten and the love I received from everyone has been great. I use that as a fuel to get me through every event and show that I perform at.”

The support came in handy at an

event that Mercado describes as the “most challenging ever.” It was a wedding he officiated and DJed. “The ceremony was 30 minutes away from the venue, on the beach, hot day, and 23 bridesmaids… let that sink in,” he says, laughing. “I thought ahead and I did bring an extra suit, but I didn’t bring extra shoes, and mine quickly filled with sand. I sweat profusely, and I can feel a waterfall of sweat down my back and I was very uncomfortable.”

Still, he kept his composure. “But I can feel that my suit and shirt were just glued to my skin. I literally peeled the suit off of my body and — thank the man upstairs I was in a golf club — I took a quick shower. I went upstairs, to the venue, and this is why a strong team is important: We were all set up and ready to go. This was a very challenging day and event, but when you have a strong team who supports you, any challenging event becomes easy.”

“It’s all I’ve ever known.”

To this end, he has a set of four cloned USBs (as well as a second set of sticks with just firmware updates) and vinyl. He also has his laptop, which provides him with additional sounds and Native Instruments Traktor DJ software. Just in case he’s provided with a non-Pioneer mixer, he brings along some effects pedals.

Much of Chandler’s selections are informed by being familiar with the space and its audience. You’ll find him on the dancefloor, getting a feel for what the crowd is feeling. Plus, he keeps in touch with people across the globe and gets info ahead of his sets on the type of place he’s playing and what he can expect. This is in keeping with his sign-off for every-

thing: “Love, respect and admiration.”

Says Chandler, “Love, respect and admiration for every part of what I do, the music and the people. You have to respect what you do. You have to love what you do.You have to admire what you do—with anyone’s job. It’s what I try to put into everything I do.”

– Lily Moayeri

Mobile

(continued from page 30) PA – two K12.2 active loudspeakers and two KW181 subwoofers. As for lighting, Medrano’s faves include Chauvet DJ units like the Intimidator Spot LED 350.

The elation he felt from winning the EOTY title was quite a contrast from a year ago, however, when Medrano says he was ready to move on from the mobile-DJ world. “Until I met my new DJ family…” he says about joining LJDJs Event Design &

Chandler

(continued from page 8) up plan for my back-up plan for my back-up plan. There is no reason why I shouldn’t know the gear or how to fix a situation. I never want the party to stop.”

The shorter set times that seem to be the default for newer DJs don’t seem to apply to Chandler. “I’m used to playing New York-resident-DJ hours,” he says of his extended sets.

I rest my case.

Purple Disco Machine, Next Month in DJ Times

Tasya Menanker

I call myself Purple Disco Machine.

Andrea Tortelli

42

Do Germans have a sense of humor?

Tasya Menanker

DJ TIMES

DECEMBER 2017

Funky Grooves & The Color Purple

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15% NOV. 1 – DEC. 31, 2017

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