exCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH
MARKUS SCHULZ FEBRUARY 2016
IMAGINE FESTIVAL RECAP
ALSO FEATURED: LIQUID STRANGER JOHN FLEMING nine lives OXBLOOD TRONIX avve AU5
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CONTENTS 4 8 12 14 16 17 20 24 28 30 34 36
Markus Schulz John Fleming AVVE Au5 Nine Lives Liquid Stranger Imagine Festival Oxblood Tronix Raver Girl - Cristina #RaverMagazine Sta
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Markus By: Michael Beas
Markus Schulz has for more than 10 years pioneered and forged the worlds of Progressive, Trance and House music into an array of sonic perfection. With cutting edge sounds that are always fresh, always unique to the U.S. EDM revolution, his drive to create profound music resonates out of the speakers and deep into our dance culture. As a creative artist, Markus’s passion for songwriting is once again about to be unveiled to the world. His new album, which is soon to be released, has 17 tracks, of which 14 are filled with prolific lyrics and masterful songwriting that will take us all on a very special musical journey. Headlining DJ sets across the globe, working on Coldharbour label releases and chairing the weekly Global DJ Broadcast radio show are just part of daily life for Markus. Nothing fazes him and those with creativity are always welcome at his table. There is no doubt that Markus Schulz will be around for the next 20 years. Raver Magazine had an opportunity to catch up with Markus Schulz for an exclusive interview in Charlotte. Q - You’re a man of many talents. The host of Global DJ Broadcast, owner of Coldharbour Recordings and one-half of New World Punx, not to mention that you’re an International Rockstar that tours and preforms at venues across the globe. How do you manage to keep everything fresh week after week? It’s funny, when you look at it from the outside it looks like a lot, but really its day-to-day life. I mean you wake up in the morning and you work on music; you wake up in the morning you work on the radio show; you wake up in the morning you go to the studio and have meetings. Every day there is something new to work on. Like I said, from the outside, it may seem like a lot of work, but its really everyday life for me. Musically, when you do something that you’re passionate about, you can go on forever. It’s in your blood. There are a lot of people these days chasing a certain sound, but they are not really passionate about it. I’ve met a lot of really big people that have told me that they are going to be in it for 3 or 4 years and then they are out of the game. But for me, I have always planned on being in this industry. I’ll be around doing this for another 10 to 20 years. This is my life and this is what I love to do. Q - There are so many festivals debuting and sprouting up across the world. It must be almost impossible at times to pick the best ones to showcase your artistic talents. What are a few of the festivals that you have played in the past that have created some of the best memories for you as an artist? There are many great festivals around the world. Each of them has their own nuances. Believe it or not, EDC and Ultra are very different. Transmission in Prague I love to play at; it too has its own unique vibe that I enjoy. I think that festivals are a great way to introduce your music to new people and new fans. Depending on where the festival is located that vibe is different and is filled with its own set of challenges. Q - Your new upcoming album is lined up to be massive. It will encompass 17 tracks that took over two years to create. During that time, many things could have shaped the overall look and feel of the final masterful creation. If you had to pick one element that you wanted to have resonate throughout this album, as opposed to past albums that you have conquered, what would it be, and why? From experience, I know that every album has a story behind its existence. What’s the story behind this album that you want all your fans to know about, especially about the energy that you put forth on this album?
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Schulz
The thing about this track is that I have been doing a lot of songwriting. After the Scream Series, I was like, okay, where am I going with my music? You can only play around with synthesizers and stuff like that so much. When you’re young, that’s what you do. Don’t get me wrong, I like twisting up the synthesizers and I do it in the mash-ups that I work on for the radio show and big room reconstructions, but the question I had for myself is was, what is the next step in my artistic career? That’s really what albums are for me… They’re milestones for me as an artist. With this album, I wanted to see where I wanted my artistic career to go. For me, that inspiration came from songwriting. When I was young, I use to do a lot of creative writing in school. But then when I started playing music I kind of got away from that. For me, it was amazing to take a step back into creative writing. The first one I really wrote in this chapter of my life was “Destiny.” When it first hit and everyone was blown away with both the lyrics and the story within the lyrics it gave me the confidence to keep going. Two years later, here we are with an amazing album that has some great stories. Each track has its own unique journey that I am ready to play for the world. There will be some instrumental tracks on this album as well, but the real stories are the words contained within and how they connect with us. They are not just stories of someone wearing a red dress or something like that. It’s far deeper. These stories are those that bind us together as a community. That’s why I am happy about this album. I am happy because I was able to write words and write things that connect and relate to us as a community. Q - EDM is growing on an astronomical level. Everyday new genre and crossover genres are spouting out, as well as artists that are coming from all walks of life and all ages. You are one of the original pioneers of Trance, a successful owner of a record label and talented international music producer. My question is, do you feel that the “EDM Bubble” that people are talking about can burst at any moment? And if it were to burst, or lose its driving force, what genres would you say might survive the aftermath? I think that it’s very stale right now. It’s an over-saturated market for certain. Now hear me out on this. I thought that
Photography by Matt Vivanco
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Trance music in 2010 – 2011 was getting stale. I thought to myself, ‘what are we doing here’? The same names, the same thing and then came along this whole EDM boom. At the time, I was all for it. New names, new music, new people, new energy, new artists and in my opinion, it gave new life to a scene that was very stale. That being said the lack of creativity and the lack of artists pushing forward has been really disappointing and, in my opinion, the whole EDM thing has really become stale. You are starting to see people come out and say what else is there? They are starting to explore more new niche sounds and I am all for that. There is amazing Trance music, there is amazing Deep House music and there is even amazing EDM music. But the bad thing is that once a producer makes an amazing track that is groundbreaking, then that one track gets turned into a whole new genre with 50 or more clones. I mean someone decides to play the guitar in one of his or her tracks and then before you know it, it’s like a whole new genre of music has come about. That is really the disappointing thing for me. I champion creativity and I think that we are at the stage in the game where there are really a lot of disappointed people. I think that people
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are just standing up and saying, you know what I am just going to focus on making amazing music. I always say that it doesn’t matter what people say or do, but rather what comes out of the speakers. If you make what comes out of the speakers amazing, then the rest will be amazing and work its self out. Q - What advice do you have for the new producer that is trying to get into the world of dance music? And what are some of the elements that you look for from a new artist when they submit their tracks to Coldharbour for consideration? Study. Study not just my sets, but people who have really created good quality music in the past. Study the history of music. Study the old Digweed sets. Study the old Tiesto sets. There are so many sets that can inspire. Don’t just listen to sets of music and say; oh, I am going to just do this or that. No. Listen to what was then and then find out what inspires you. Then after that, carve out your own path. I think all of us are all looking for the next big thing that can inspire us and push us towards greatness.
Photography by Matt Vivanco
As for Coldharbour and me, I am not just looking for a new track. I am not just looking for a new vibe. I am looking for a new attitude. I am looking for someone who is going to blow me away with the whole package. Like, send me an amazing track and then follow it up with another amazing track and then another one and another one and that is filled with energy and that is mind blowing. Right now Arkham Knights is doing that for me. They have really come up with this new Tech Trance old Tiesto sound that is filled with energy. I think that is really what Trance is missing right now. It’s missing that groove and sometimes there is too much standing around. I miss the drive from the old Tiesto sets and I think that Arkham Knights does it perfectly. It was an amazing night presented by Label Presents, Sugar Society and Disco Donnie in Charlotte Label North Carolina. The vibe, the crowd and the venue all lined up to what was a wicked blend of unforgettable moments.
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By: Zachary Leete John 00 Fleming operates one of EDM’s premier Trance record labels: JOOF Recordings. JOOF has been delivering the purest Trance music to listeners across the globe for over a decade, but in 2016 JOOF is shaking things up with the announcement of two new JOOF subdivisions – JOOF Mantra and JOOF Aura. In our exclusive interview with the melodic maestro, Fleming outlines some of the BIG changes coming to JOOF in 2016, gives us the scoop on the rising popularity of Psy Trance and sheds light on how to operate a label efficiently without oversaturating your audience with too many releases.
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Q - After 18 successful years of delivering some of the deepest Trance music in the scene, JOOF is undergoing some big changes. What caused you to reconfigure the label after all this time? We were at full capacity having releases almost every week, a position that we didn’t want to get ourselves in. We take care with each and every release and don’t want to be seen as a factory with a conveyer belt of releases. It made sense to expand, let the releases breathe with a specialist sub-label that suited its sound and vibe.
Q - Explain JOOF Mantra and JOOF Aura. What do you hope to achieve by remapping JOOF into separate-yet-related entities? Within each genre there’s a big world to explore. Psy Trance, for example, used to be a wide pallet of styles and vibes. Today it’s quite the sameish with producers copying the same production techniques. The results are a kind of generic sound. Having a JOOF Mantra as our specialist Psy label allows us to explore new worlds within Psy Trance and we’re encouraging our producers to do this.
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Q - What are some of the upcoming releases for JOOF Mantra and JOOF Aura? The ethos behind JOOF recordings will always stay the same, discovering emerging new talent. We spend a lot of time hunting and help new producers. Coming we have artists such as Moontripper, Satinka, Molok, Manifestor, Daniel Lesden on JOOF Mantra and Tim Penner, Matt Holliday, Latin Intelligent, Dynacom and Craig Townsend on JOOF AURA.
Q - Trance has a strong presence in the underground dance music scene. What is JOOF doing to bring Trance and its subgenres to a global audience? Is JOOF supporting any upcoming festivals or tours? We’ve been doing JOOF Editions events for over 10 years and have huge plans in 2016. We’re doing a huge JOOF show at KOKO in London on May 29th, along with a stage at a festival later this year in the UK. In September, we head to Australia, Canada and the USA. We must not forget our JOOF Editions mix compilations that spread the music.
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Q - I recently visited Asheville, North Carolina where the Psy Trance community is vibrant and thriving. Before my visit, I had only seen Psy Trance artists perform on smaller stages in local gatherings. Is Psy Trance on the rise? This is a common story across the world - the Psy scene is growing. The commercial boom always fuels an underground movement and we see the start of something new and fresh happening.
Q - You’ve noted that you don’t want JOOF to become a “factory” for pumping out music weekly, but you’ve also maintained a high-level of artist support despite more and more releases. How will the label remap help you recalibrate your release schedule? Will we be listening to more music across all of JOOF’s imprints, but less from specific imprints? We have dedicated A&R teams for each label that specialize in each sound. We’ll probably release one or two tracks per month on each label allowing the staff much more time to work on each release giving the music the time and love it needs.
john00fleming.com Q - If you had to add another new imprint to JOOF recordings, what would it cover?
Q - What should we be looking forward to in 2016 from JOOF?
We wouldn’t do this, it’s a lot of work as things are!
Just sit back and enjoy the music journey that we will give you. I promise you that there are some gems heading your way.
Q - Specifically, what have been your favorite locales to play shows, whether festivals, clubs or underground? In the UK, Steve Arnold is an amazing DJ with impeccable taste for high-quality music. The exact same can be said for Tim Penner based in Toronto, Canada.
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avve Hail to AVVE
By: Maddy Pertiwi If we asked you to name a female duo DJ group, there’s a 100% chance that you will say Krewella or Nervo. What if we tell you that there is another name you can add to the list? Meet AVVE (pronounced: ah-veh), Indonesia’s newest female duo DJ group. Yes, you read that right – a female duo DJ group from Indonesia. The two women behind AVVE are Alexis Brille and Jeia Rouge. Since their debut in 2014, AVVE has continuously produced new tracks and remix songs. How did the girls meet? Surprisingly, not in a music environment. Alexis was working for an agency and was looking for a web designer. As fate would have it, she stumbled across Jeia’s website. Alexis contacted her for the web designer gig. Although the project was canceled, Alexis and Jeia kept in contact. Alexis was interested in Jeia’s ability to play musical instruments, especially drums. “I totally fell in love. I was mesmerized!” said Alexis. Alexis had a childhood dream to become a musician, and she was sure that Jeia could help her achieve that dream. In 2012, they chose Bali as their meeting point. They met at the beach, watched 12 | RAVER MAGAZINE
the sunset view, and said to each other that they were bored working with the agency. Both of them had a childhood dream of becoming rock stars and were determined to do so. They decided to form a duo. They considered a few concepts, including an acoustic duo. Eventually, they chose EDM. Alexis and Jeia started to explore EDM artists, such as David Guetta and Swedish House Mafia, as their entrance into the EDM world. “It was like a rolling snowball since then,” said Jeia. They called themselves Red Diamonds, as suggested by Alexis. After few months, they decided to change the name. To find this new name, they opened the dictionary and found “Ave” from “Ave Maria.” Both girls liked the word and chose it to be their new name. Their philosophy is simple. Every time they perform on stage, they spread their hands or lift the hands into the air, just like a god receives prayers from a congregation.
They put another letter to the word so their official name is AVVE. Early 2014, AVVE released their first bootleg pack. The bootleg pack contains 12 songs, from Miley Cyrus to Krewella. They also dropped various remixes from Hardwell to Nicki Minaj. Their first release shows how AVVE has a wide reference of music and is not afraid to try new things. In August 2014, AVVE dropped their first EP called “Alive With You” which is available for free download on their Soundcloud. The single “Alive With You” is heavy with electro sound. Jeia plays the drums and Alexis wrote the lyrics. The EP also contains the tracks “Zion” and “Wildfire”. AVVE’s breakthrough came in December 2014. They were part of the Djakarta Warehouse Project 2014 (DWP) line-up. After their incredible performance at one of the biggest festivals in Southeast Asia, they received several offers to perform elsewhere. In October 2015, AVVE competed in a program called The Remix. They finished in the Top 5 and received many loves from fellow producers and gained new fans. Their song “Pull It Back and Reload” premiered during the Djakarta Warehouse Project 2015. In 2016, AVVE plans to release more original mixes. They also are in the process of preparing a second EP that will be available around February 2016. Recently, they just released their new single, “Save Me Now”, which is available to download on their Soundcloud page.
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au5
By: Hannah Carlson New Jersey native Austin Collins, going by the stage name Au5, is helping to create the vibe on the Rise of Wakaan Tour. Since the age of four Au5 has been involved with music. He plays multiple genres of electronic dance music. His stated mission is simple: “Putting the music back into Electronic Dance.�
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Q- In 2012, you won the Steve Lions Remix contest. You became an international success. For a growing artist that was in many ways life changing. Back then, did you ever think that contest remix and so many others that followed would propel you to the level you are at today as an artist? The remix was a big help. The contest helped me gain more fans, a broader audience and more followers through my various social media accounts. The Internet scenes vs. live shows have been separate for me. I’ve had a lot more exposure on the Internet than on stage. This Wakaan Tour will be great to increase my stage exposure and balance out my live presence vs. the Internet fans scene. I’m really excited and I’m getting a great reception from fans on tour so far!
Monstercat has served its purpose in my journey to the top of my music industry. Now I am focusing on new endeavors.
Q - You are touring the country with Liquid Stranger on the Rise of Wakaan Tour. Thus far, what is one of the most memorable moments that you have had? What do you have in store for the fans during the rest of the tour?
Q- What was it like to collaborate with BT and release on the Walt Disney Record label “Partysaurs Overflow”? It was a lot of fun. BT is an inspiration and a mentor to me. Collaborating with him was pretty effortless because we both have the same idea of our musical destination. We speak the same message through our music. Exposure for this track was limited until Walt Disney Record Labels released a compellation album.
Q - Is there any new music in the line up with your new label Monstercat? For the past three years, I have been with Monstercat. They’ve been a great label to work with. Monstercat has helped me grow as an artist - particularly with my Internet following. But what I am doing now is taking a break from releasing on Monstercat and exercising other options to take full advantage of the opportunities that may arise while I am focusing on this Wakaan Tour.
The most memorable moment so far was the show at RUSH “The Iris” in Atlanta Georgia. The crowd was pretty wild! They gave the best reaction and the best feedback. The venue had some crazy awesome light show, the stage was accommodating for our lively performance. The confetti was actually feathers shot out of CO2 fog machines blasters. It was the most party like of all the venues we have played at so far. Fans can expect a very engaging, energetic, fun time while watching my performance and listening to my passion. I have about an album’s worth of unreleased music that I have been playing during my set on this tour. I am hoping to give a good taste for my fans to hear and to expect when I decide to release my music.
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Louis The Child (ft. K. Flay) It’s Strange (Nine Lives Remix) Ultra Records / Next Wave Records
If you had nine lives to live, what would you do with them? Perhaps you’d finally be free to express that part of you that normally lies dormant and imprisoned by the boundaries of the identity you’ve built. Would you reinvent yourself as someone or something else? The liberation that comes with anonymity breaks down boundaries of all sorts, from the personal to the sonic. An enigmatic presence has recently emerged out of the shadows and into the airwaves of dance music; aptly known as Nine Lives, the duo recently teased us with their trap-influenced, chilled-out remix of MORTEN’s “Beautiful Heartbeat”. Now Nine Lives is back for round two with their take on Louis The Child’s “It’s Strange”, which put the teenage duo solidly on the map and is featured on the FIFA 16 video game.
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Nine Lives’s remix of “It’s Strange” breaks sonic barriers with its unique and seamless blend of melodic electronica and relaxed trap. K. Flay’s raspy vocals lend an emotive contrast to the instrumentals, carrying the listener through the track’s duration as the dreamy basslines help them discover their bodies’ inner rhythm. With two commendable remixes released, Nine Lives has piqued the interest of critics, artists and fans alike. Stay tuned for more from the dance scene’s newest duo in 2016 as they release a steady stream of productions and let the music do the talking.
By: Michael Beas
LIQUID STRANGER
Swedish-born electronic musician Martin Stääf aka Liquid Stranger has officially launched the Rise of Wakaan Tour. This past week the tour made its way into the Neighborhood Theater in Charlotte, NC. It was a blast off to space as the night progressed with the tour’s massive all-star lineup of Producers that includes Space Jesus and Au5. Generation Bass, Psychedelica, Dubstep and even hints of Jazz infused Dub Reggae swept through the sold-out crowd that came to dance and see the man behind the hood play to the energy of the night. B2B sets by Liquid Stranger, Au5 and Space Jesus drove the energy above and beyond what Charlotte event goers expected.
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You named your tour “Rise of Wakaan”. What does Wakaan mean?
Wakaan is a Mayan word that means “great mystery.” For me, the tour is about creating active conceptive energy that I hope can be conveyed through my music and through the artists that are part of the tour. There are over 11 of us on the team. We are focused on creating the perfect experience for our fans. We hope that the vibe we create is one of individuality. We have one goal in mind always – “How can we make things better for everyone week after week.”
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As your career progressed was it hard to turn down the main street labels that, I am sure, were presenting high dollar offers to you? And now that the Wakaan Label has taken off, in retrospect did you make the right decision? At first, when I was making a name for myself it was hard to turn down the offers, but I took a look at the whole scene in the music world and I didn’t want to have others be in control of my music or the direction that I wanted my music to go. I had to make a decision and this was the path that I choose to take. Has it always been easy? No. In fact, I had to build this with my own two hands, with the approach of never giving up or giving in. I always have to go bigger, to go harder and to leave nothing behind when I am on stage. Now that things are taking off my next goal is to help other artists and to give back. Everything I do now is always focused on that goal, to give back. It’s not about me anymore but rather to help talented artists like Space Jesus and Au5 grow. I do this for them and for the fans that come out to watch us play.
Staying healthy while on tour can be challenging at times. What’s your secret to staying fit and keeping things fresh week after week?
Most don’t know this but I am a student of martial arts. I used to kick box and cage fight so staying healthy for me is always number one. Apart from working out, I don’t drink, and I try my best to eat right. Producing music is a passion of mine, so usually, when I am off stage, I produce new beats and new tracks. I am not addicted to anything really. My drive is always focused on giving back to others and it starts with your individual core that has to have a strong footing on who you are as a person. If not, especially in this industry, it is easy to get side stepped in the wrong direction. I never judge and always respect others decisions for their own lives, but for me this is how I get through it and stay fit week after week.
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What’s with the name Liquid Stranger and how did the whole connect of wearing and branding yourself with a hood come about?
Good question. Everyone calls me the Idea Man, I am always finding ways to try and stay ahead of the game. I used to ghost produce for other artists. So I thought, what name can I use for myself? The “Liquid” part comes into effect because people that come to see me will never know what I am going to drop next. It is different every time they come out to see me perform. For instance, I can drop a Dubstep track or Jazz or Bass or Reggae no one will know what I am going to do next. I always play what my heart tells me to play and not some preset track that a label wants me to play. My music is always “Liquid” to the beat of the night. As for the “Stranger”, that’s where the whole concept of the hood came about. I wanted people to start asking, “Who is this producer that is doing what he wants to do on stage?” I wanted the buzz around being different than the rest and breaking out of the misconceptions of having to stay in one genre vs. crossing over into different elements. The hood gave me the factor of being different. So there you have it; Liquid Stranger came into existence.
Martin Stääf aka Liquid Stranger is truly a profound artist who is taking the musical world to another level with genre-shattering tracks that are as groundbreaking almost as much as they are revolutionary. As a person he is as real as real can get. He is never one to shy away from meeting fans after a show, or helping up and coming artists achieve a high level of success. He personally responds sincerely to those who reach out to him on socials knowing that his success is driven by the personal touch of those who support him. Catch the Rise of Wakaan Tour all over the U.S.A. We promise it will not disappoint.
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Building Connections at – A Retrospective
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t Imagine Music Festival By Zachary Leete
I
t’s been nearly 5 months since I attended Imagine Music Festival 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia. I should first preface by noting that I am what many would consider a “seasoned” festie. I’ve attended upwards of 20 festivals in my 5+ years of legal partying, but that record only begins to scratch the surface of my involvement in our unique scene. _ I have worn many faces; attendee, promoter, struggling musician, vendor, media, and more while placing myself in the epicenter of a culture that is only growing larger and larger as the days go by. This familiarity from immersion is both a boon and detractor from my overall involvement because despite drawing a positive experience from the majority of the events I’ve attended, many of those experiences have become forgettable; or worse, forgotten. Not Imagine Festival. I felt connected to the different sects of the festival community in a way that I have never felt before or since. The “many faces” I have worn were represented by a community of diverse, talented individuals truly opening themselves to each other without any restrictions. This was camping festival-level togetherness; it was immensely satisfying and beautiful. Building connections was arguably the greatest thing about Imagine Festival, and it was included for free with the price of admission (which is also famously low starting at only $69 for two days of partying!). Imagine Festival can be summarized by the strong connections it allowed its attendees to form with each other and the music. I’ll break it down for you:
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Crowd Connections
Imagine Festival manages to lock down top tier talent without inflating ticket prices. How they do it is a question only IRIS can answer, but the connection to the music doesn’t stop at quality. Imagine Festival expertly elevates the sound and visual production of its various performers throughout the day. The stages are in close proximity, but they are expertly isolated by intelligent planning on thoughtfully laid out vendors and facilities. What all of this equates to is full immersion between attendee and artist at each stage, with expedited travel times between stages. Imagine Festival allows more access to more artists than any other festival I’ve been to. By the end of the night, you’ll question whether or not you’re even in the same geographical location. Imagine doesn’t cut any corners.
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musical Connections Photography by Chase Morgan
Imagine Festival 2015 had one of the friendliest crowds I’ve ever had the pleasure of partying with. Whether I was intermingling with head-banging dub enthusiasts, tranquil gypsy souls, or that guy wearing all-white New Balance tennis shoes and khaki cargo shorts, I was enamored with the graciousness of my new, open-minded festival friends. Friendship of this quality is normally born at the campground and then transferred into the festival grounds after copious shots and blunts. Imagine Festival isn’t a camping festival, so I was understandably blown away when those extremely specific vibes were captured over two short days.
vendor Connections There will always be vendors at festivals. Woo big deal, right? Like who cares? I usually feel the same way too but Imagine Festival’s carefully selected vendors actually changed the way I look at vendors. I’ll otherwise forget in the next thirty seconds.” 20 minutes later I’m rocking a rainbow fanny pack but I’ve already lost my wallet and friends. Now I’m feeling as though I’ve been had. Those damn vendors got me again. Vendors are actually really awesome human beings. Most of them are vending to party for free because renting a spot at festivals is expensive and not especially profitable. At Imagine Festival, vendors from different companies and brands were working together to help each other sell their wares. And they actually had really cool stuff! I won’t name names for the sake of professionalism, but I was treated to more than my fare share of gifts this go around which speaks well to the vibe that was felt between everyone.
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Oxblood
February Premiere Artist of the Month School by Day / Producer by Night: By: Michael Beas Twenty-one year old Chicago native Nathan Susman, known as Oxblood, is on the rise with not one, but two new EPs in 2016. Passion, drive and energy are what best describes Oxblood who is producing music while finishing college in NYC.
Oxblood
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The question is, can a person focus on school and produce quality music at the same time? College in general, no matter what area of study, entails many avenues of concentration, skill and determination. With the rise of dance music and the growth of the dance culture it is easy to see that students, with a passion for music, can bypass the road to school and go for a more alluring path of money and fame. It comes as no shock that school and studying might not seem as fun as becoming an international performer. During the past few months, I’ve met many aspiring artists that range in age from seventeen to twenty-three. These artists are creating good, uplifting, quality music. What surprised me was the fact that all of them were in school, and all of them had a passion and dedication to both working hard and playing hard. Case in point: Tom Stræte Lagergren known by his stage name Matoma. He started playing the piano as a child, went on to produce music throughout school and attained his college degree. Matoma is now one of the most talented composers in the world. His remix of “Old Thing Back” by The Notorious B.I.G. got him international success with millions upon millions of plays. While some find it tempting to skip the hard work of college, most stick with it. College students who are working hard to follow their dream of becoming a producer have a captive audience. Think about it, how many parties happen every day on a college campus? How many college students have social media on them while they are on campus or attending a party or a local bar or club? The point is, that with a captive audience and sometimes limited funds, producing to a loyal tribe can have its rewards. During college life, it is not unrealistic to gather a group of supporters that will back you to the end. This is a huge platform that cannot be taken for granted. Talent and dedication to create new music are key in this regard. If you’re not good, then you’re simply not good. But if you have what it takes then what can be a better place to start as a producer than at college? In 2015, Oxblood released his first original song “Drinkin Smokin Chillin” on Brooklyn Fire Records. Since then he’s been working on producing music. No detail to make is music immaculate is overlooked as he is constantly looking for ways to improve his already popular sounds. The first of the two releases, “How Long Is Forever” that are set for 2016 is out now Gold River Entertainment. During an interview, this is what he had to share with us.
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Q
- Your New EP “How Long Is Forever” is different in many ways from your original song “Drinkin Smokin Chillin.” This EP has more elements that really distinguish you as an artist. While “How Long Is Forever” has a House style vibe, it really is on a level far on its own. My question is, where did the inspiration come from to create such an uplifting chill track that will appeal to your fans?
A
- First off, thank you for the compliments and your belief in my music. I heard the bassline in a dream. The next morning I woke up and began composing. I took breaks from producing to eat and go to class. After four days, plus a quick two hours in the studio with my friend Eli Frank of the band PUNT who put down the guitar parts, I had created the music I heard in my head. “How Long Is Forever” is a huge mélange of influences. The clicking percussion was inspired by a song by the group worriedaboutsatan called “I Am A Crooked Man,” which is a really heady mix of post-rock and techno. The sample at the end comes from a Samuel Beckett play called “Krapp’s Last Tape” which I was first exposed to by my professor Matt Sargent in an experimental electronic music class I took at Bard College. I took field recordings of the waterfall on South Campus and placed them underneath the drums to form a sort of bedrock and ground the song in a specific place. I chose vocal samples that evoked the passage of time because when I wrote the song I had just turned twenty. On my twentieth birthday, my mother printed out the lyrics to a Joni Mitchell song she always used to sing to me when I was little called “The Circle Game.” There’s a lyric that goes “and now the boy is twenty” that she highlighted and gave to me along with a really nice letter. She also printed out the lyrics to a Neil Young song called “Sugar Mountain” which is an extended metaphor about
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leaving childhood-- “you can’t be twenty on sugar mountain” goes one of the lines. I cried a little bit when I read it-- thinking about it right now is actually making me pretty emotional. Ever since then I knew I wanted to write a song about the perpetual forward motion of time. I wanted to write a song that people could play when they were on the precipice f a new chapter in their life. A song of change, reaching forward while looking back with no regrets at all. I’m just glad I was able to accomplish that.
Q
- Your artist name, Oxblood, by definition is a color considered to be a dark shade of red. It resembles Burgundy but has more purple and dark brown hues. In short, it is a color that is deep as it is rich in boldness. How did the name come about and what does it mean for you as an artist?
A
- During my senior year of high school, a few months after I started producing, I was getting dressed in the morning and I needed to find a belt that matched my shoes. I didn’t have one, so I asked my dad for help. He went into his closet and handed me a belt and said, “Here, this is Oxblood, it goes with everything.” Pretty much instantly I realized that’s what I wanted my DJ name to be. I want to be able to go with everything, to work in every genre, with any artist, to create music that is pure and authentic and real.
Q
- Is it difficult to juggle producing music and still keeping up with your day in and day out activities, especially when your friends and fans are asking you to perform live? How do you manage to stay focused on producing music and finishing up your goal of getting out your two EPs?
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- I wouldn’t say it’s very difficult. I think at this age people have a lot more free time than they realize. The only difference between me and some other people is that I don’t spend nearly as much time binge-watching Netflix or browsing Facebook or trying to hook up with people every weekend. Most Saturday nights I would rather be alone with Ableton.
Q
- Apart from the two EPs and creating an amazing House vibe what’s the one thing that you want those who hear your music to know about you as a person as an individual? How do you feel that individuality will carry you deep into the future of dance music?
A
https://www.facebook.com/oxbloodoxblood
- I’m not doing this because I want to become famous or f*ck models or photo-bomb Grimes at the Versace show or whatever. Not that there’s anything wrong with Grimes or the Versace show. But my primary motivator for making music is spreading beauty and love and truth to people who don’t have enough of that in their lives. I’m trying to make art for the girl behind the register at Safeway to help her get through one more shift. I’m trying to make art to help the kid studying for his SATs get into that studying mood. I’m trying to make art for those lonely nights and long drives and life-altering trips. That’s why I do what I do!
Oxblood is an artist that has the future in his reach. Fame, success, and money are sure to follow, not because of his amazing music productions, but rather because he is real and sincere as an individual. He knows what he wants and best of all he is not afraid to go out there and work hard to get it. Be sure to check out the releases of his new EP “How Long Is Forever” tracks and support him.
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Tronix
Creating the Vibe through Bass with Tronix Exclusive Interview By: Michael Beas Carl Dorvil, known by his stage name Tronix, hails from Haiti and has been producing music for three years. Tronix doesn’t bind himself to a specific genre. He is inspired by and produces a broad array of music with his own unique style. He produces music ranging from Progressive House, House, and Electro to Dubstep, Drumstep, and Drum & Bass. Tronix’s unique production methods create a very different sound and style that is all his own. Raver Magazine had a chance to catch up with Tronix after his set to get a glimpse of what he has in store for his music in 2016. 28 | RAVER MAGAZINE
Q A Q A
- Your music has its own unique style, its own vibe. Not many artists can cross over so many genres and perform them in the way that you can. Tell me what you look for in genre selection when you prep for an event. - Honestly, it’s all about the bass music for me, there isn’t really more today about that lol! - You started producing music over three years ago. At what point did you decide that producing music was the direction that you wanted to take your life?
- My whole life I’ve always wanted to do something with music. The biggest battle that I’ve had to overcome is making the time and having the motivation to do it day in and day out! It’s still really a great hobby of mine. I do hope that one day my hobby can become my livelihood. Until that day, I’m going to just keep grinding and doing my best to come up with new and original content.
Q A
- What do you have in store for your fans in 2016? With your unique style can we expect more of your music coming from one genre over another? - 2016 is going to be a pretty interesting year. I’ve been working on a few solid tunes. As for genre, you should be expecting some new dubs. Even some 110 Electro - which has quickly become one of my favorite styles to produce.
Q
- Fast forward to a year from now. You’re on tour; you’re playing music all over the world. What’s the one thing that will stay constant in your life? The thing that makes you who you are as a person?
A
- The personal connection I create with my fans. There’s nothing more important to me more than the people who support me. I just hope that throughout my journey I can build a family and relationship with each and every one of my fans. My goal is to do my best to create music that is timeless. I don’t ever want to follow a trend of producing what’s “hot.” Artists like Flux Pavilion inspire me because they have such a distinctive sound. My main goal as an artist right now is to create something that in five years people could still listen to and think its pretty dope.
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Raver Girl of the month
Cristina
Model at Nhan Tran Models of Eclipse Model and Talent Hometown: Dallas, TX Photographer & Interview: Nhan Tran 30 | RAVER MAGAZINE
You are the Raver Magazine Girl for February, How does it feel to be the one chosen for the month of love? I’m very excited to be chosen but I think the month of love should be taken to another level and call it the month of PLUR. Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect is more fitting than Valentine’s and should be brought to a higher level.
What EDM artist would you want as your valentine and why? Gosh, there are so many….Calvin Harris, W&W, too many to pick just one.
Music festivals are getting set to kick off soon, any plans of hitting them up? If so, which one(s)? Well I am going to go from one extreme to the other. The Ultimate Music Experience 2016 here in San Padre, TX is a possibility but I am also planning on attending Tortuga which is a country music festival but then EDC Vegas in June is another one I am eying up.
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“Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect�
Which country do you believe parties the best at EDM festivals? Colombia of course because I am part Colombian!! We are passionate about music and celebrate everything to the fullest!
What would you like to see change at music festivals? To be honest, seeing the incidents that occurred in the previous festivals especially the debacle of Tomorrow World with the weather and unsafe conditions at the venue and locking people out of the venue and leaving them stranded, I would like to see better planning, better security, have some kind of regulation to prevent price gouging on shuttle services.
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#RaverMagazine on Instagram
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our team: Michael Beas CEO and Founder
Director of Entertainment Management
Creative Director and Sr. Vice President
Manfred Reyes Villa
Matt Vivanco
Nhan Tran
Celeste Swatling
Hannah Carlson
Photography and Fashion Director
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Chase Morgan
Fashion VP and Photography, California
Columnist, New York
Lead Designer
Fernando D’ Avila
Maddy Pertiwi
Zach Leete
Wid Bastian
Schamy Nieme
JJ
Columnist, Texas
Chief Content Officer
Columnist Jakarta, Founder Rave Colony
Columnist, Bolivia
Columnist, Florida
Columnist Jakarta, Founder Rave Colony
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