Ari Frank (Melodeum records). Electronic French music in Chicago.


1)What has been the path of Ari as an artist between France and United States? Why did you move so far from Europe?

My relationship between France and Chicago and their respective cultures is what shaped me as an artist but also in my everyday life. As a kid I moved from Chicago to Italy and the South of France in the late 80s. I absorbed a wide variety of music during that time which shaped my ear as an adult. This includes popular French and Italian music but also ethnic genres like Flamenco, Ska, Raï, Salsa, Cuban, adn Israeli music. When the mid-90s hit, I was obsessed with French and US Rap and the raw funky feel that I was getting from it. I even started recording mixtapes for myself and my friends to make the daily commute to school a bit more fun. Without realizing it, in a way that was my first exposure to sampling, editing, and recording, which I absolutely loved doing. I would even spend hours listening to the radio waiting for a specific track to drop and chop it. This is how I discovered DJ Cut Killer, the art of scratching, and the DJ culture as a whole. In parallel this is also around the same time when French House music was blowing up. So at 16, I was going out to clubs and for the first time we were hearing music from newcomers like Daft Punk, St. Germain, Motorbass, Alan Braxe, Fred Falke, Dj Gregory, and Étienne de Crécy. Even late-night radio was playing techno from Laurent Garnier, Jeff Mills, Francois K, Moby, Chemical Brothers, Miss Kittin, Fatboy Slim, and The Prodigy. 
Eventually my passion for music and entertaining culminated into a real interest in DJing when I befriended the resident DJ at a club next door to the restaurant which I worked at. He would let me shadow on weekends as he mixed disco and house using one of those old Denon CD rackmounts and two turntables. Immediately I fell in love with that energy and the atmosphere on the dance floor. I knew that DJing was going to be an integral part of my life in some fashion. 
When I turned 18 I moved back to Chicago and a couple years later I discovered the local underground world. This is really what triggered me to take my passion for DJing to the next level.

2)What was the idea Between Melodeum? Are there any particular references or musical inputs? How the label is born?

I founded Melodeum Records in 2019 after being involved with promotion groups like Tied (Chicago) and Legotek (Tel Aviv) for many years.The idea was simply to put out the type of music that I enjoy playing as a DJ and have total creative freedom while doing so. With Melodeum the focus is staying authentic to the underground and showcasing master Producers who have acquired a specific analogue signature sound. This can range from stripped down house to minimal techno or anything in between. All the while putting a heavy emphasis on the dance floor. Actually, before releasing an EP, I try to picture it being played out and if it will get people dancing. That’s one of my most important criterias.
As a DJ and vinyl collector, I can spend hours, even days at a time researching music that I want to share with an audience. I spend that amount of time digging because it’s a labor of love for me and I want my sets to be special. For Melodeum I took the exact same approach. A lot of attention goes into the quality of the vinyl press, the analogue mastering, and the overall design concept. I collaborate with the best professionals in each field to deliver a record that truly stands out from the moment you see the jacket to when you drop the needle.
The producers who appear on the label were chosen because they fit with this concept and have an honest, easy-going attitude - which is important to me as well. This applies to our releases and our podcast series alike. We’ve been blessed to have released from Producers such as Herck, Alci, Nima Gorji, Birdsmakingmachine, Roluce, and Christian Burkhardt. We’re still in the infancy stages but my goal with Melodeum is to curate a dope platform for artists to showcase their best work and eventually turn this thing into a family affair with a tight core of rotating artists.
In terms of what’s next for Melodeum, we’re about to drop an amazing limited press from Terence :Terry: in a couple weeks.This is a 3 track EP with all the raw housy vibes that we came to expect from the French OG.We’re also excited to start working with Yoyaku on the logistical side of the business and we actually just announced that we’re making a few early EPs available for download on Yoyaku’s curated “AZE” platform.

3)How is the electronic scene now in Chicago compared to New York, is it still the place to be for House music and underground parties & small labels? Is there a Resolute after-party in Chicago?

Chicago and New York’s underground cultures are very different as you can imagine.I’ve played at clubs and afterhours in both cities and both are loads of fun.They are meccas for our scene so they take the music and underground culture seriously which is key. I’ve met some amazing people at parties in both Chicago and New York who’ve become lifelong friends actually. But talking purely in terms of the specific type of music that we love, from my perspective New York set the standard for underground parties in the early 2000s. It’s difficult for other cities to compete with NYC’s massive crowd potential which is a huge benefit for them. On the flip side, Chicago does a bang up job on a smaller scale and the vibe is more intimate. An artist who plays here will feel a closer connection to the crowd and maybe have the opportunity to play a bit out of the “box”.
All that said, Covid had a reset effect on the US circuit and we’re seeing cities like Miami, Chicago, and Austin gaining a lot of ground. It will be interesting to see what pans out in coming years.

4)Can you give us a short description of your sound as DJ/producer? How did you connect with Terence :Terry:? Are there any others releases /projects you want to mention from you or the label?

Currently I’m most inspired by European producers and old school Detroit and Chicago labels. During a set I’m going to showcase my range and keep it funky with a high intensity level. A performance should always be about the energy that the crowd gives back so I work to see heads bobbing, people dancing, and smiling faces. Actually, I just recorded a 3-hour mix for radio BLV in France which is on my soundcloud now and is a good example of the type of records I play.
I discovered his music years ago when he was putting out bombs on Freak n’ Chic, La Vie En Rose, and Appolonia records. I could tell that there was something special and original about his vibe and when I recognize someone's talents I keep them in my mental rolodex. Fast forward years later, I was planning the release schedule for Melodeum and knew that he could be a perfect addition to the family. Terry represents that authentic sound and approach to electronic music that I described earlier so it made perfect sense to reach out to him
2022 is going to be a super busy year for Melodeum. We will be welcoming Tuccillo (a gem of a producer) who composed a fantastic 4 track banger EP which will be available in June. Then later this summer Ryan Crosson will be reviving his Berg Nixon moniker from his Minus days for his first release on Melodeum. We’re also expanding our team and have a few other surprises in the works so overall feeling stronger than ever about what’s to come. Stay tuned!

5)Give us five favorites YouTube music links, any style that represents the world/style of Ari Frank ?
















 

Nebulaee & Flmb Records  (Sintra, Portugal)


1)What has been the path of Nebulaee as an artist, first inspirations & inputs ?

Ive started drying In 1999 listening to my oldest brother playing records, and thats when I started going out and listening to renowned djs. At that time I was only dying, and it was only a decade later that I started going into the production world. I was heavily influenced by the west side American House scene, from labels like Tango, Siesta, 6400 Crew or Artists like masters at work, Joeski, Jay Tripwire and so on.

2)What was the idea Between the Nebulaee concept & Flmb records? Are there any particular references or musicals inputs? Which Portuguese artists have influenced and shaped the sound of Nebulaee?

In relation with my label FLMB I always wanted to release music that I could include I my sets, one of my main goals is to have a full case full of FLMB Records and manage to play for hours with it. As far as Portuguese artists go, Mario Roque, Luis Leite, Urban Dreams or Dj Vibe I would definitely make part of that list, and labels like Kaos or Nylon from Portuguese legend Tó Ricciardi.

3)What are the Habits of Nebulaee, Lifestyle? How did you find your time to be so prolific between Labels, day time job, family and you as an Artist? Are you living far from Lisbonne?

So Im working full time during the day, so any spare time I have I usually divide it between family and studio. That's basically my life cycle right there. I live in Sintra which is a quiet place near Lisbon, and has the tranquility I need to be at peace with my family and music.

4)Can you give us a short description of your sound as DJ/producer ? How did you connect with Terence :Terry:? Are there any others releases /projects you want to mention from you or?

I could label my music first and foremost as experimental in the sense that I always like to experiment with different sounds and textures that are yet to be explored. Believe it or not where I find my sweet spot is sometimes to explore the errors I make. I met Terrence a bit before the pandemic started but I was already a big fan of his work and Record label. I have a project which I’m part of called Lifestyling, a collective of like minded people and artists which their main focus is to bring a bit of joy in these dark times. We are growing steadily in the Lisbon scene and Im proud to be part of it. In regards to my label FLMB / Flammable Records I have 3 new releases in the pipeline, waiting to see the light of day very soon, but unfortunately I cannot disclose more about it at this time.

5)Give us five favorites YouTube music links, any style that represents the world/style of Nebulaee?

My sets have always been quiet diverse, I would say that I try to cover all corners of House Music. One day someone told me that I play house like if it was techno, which I think describes well the type of vibe I try to transmit while I’m playing.








BREINERY 

Rising house music talent made in Madrid (Spain)


How the passion for music came? Why electronic? Can you tell us your first inspirations & steps into this world?

The music has started since my youth, my parents were travelling all around the world and brought some CDs of every kind & style of sound, it was an incredible experience.

Electronic music came to me as my father was involved in video games, I listened to techno & trance, as a child, it was an inspiring moment


What’s the style of Breinery? How would you describe the scene in Madrid at this time? Clubs & Others events?

The musical style of Breinery, my name as an artist, I would say that the base is coming from the Chicago House mixed with some Jazz influences with some light doses of minimal & micro house oriented. 

I definitely think that the house music scene in Madrid should be more open to what’s going on out of Spain, Djs & Producers are taking this way and in new directions.

Unfortunately, I would have the same kind of opinions regarding Promoters/Bars & Restaurants. In Madrid, we have an amazing mixed crowd coming from all over the world, and sometimes some quality events are missing.


How the Pandemic has affected the scene in Madrid? Can you tell us about your projects for 2021 & Beyond?

I think that the pandemia has had some good & bad effects on our scene, the good is we took time to reset some old habits and improve our capacity to understand each other and others information, we had time with Terence who was teaching me about productions & mixing technique to produce 2 ep and other special projects.

One of them is seeing the light really soon on Floorpiece records (Uk) coming with a remix of Terence :Terry: (Excited!!)

Besides that, I'm working also on another project not particularly house but with some pop tendencies under another moniker.


Can You tell us what your favourite tracks of any kind are?


Leo Pol - chantal

Black loops - ode to lpse

Anotr - up to love

Thelonius Monk - Solo Monk album

Duke Ellington & John Coltrane ( album)
 



 T.GARCIA 

                                                                       (Electronic producer from Canaria islands)


                                                                                         

-Can you describe how the wave of electronic Djs & Labels from the Uk at the beginning of the 90’s has been a major influence on the clubbing scene in Tenerife ?

Incredible and inspiring, from capital city, Santa Cruz, to the rest of the areas in this island. Always went out to Las Americas (Veronicas) looking to hear the best DJs and sets in the 90's. Our electronic scene was absolutely influenced by rhythms coming from England. Fortunalely, we were witnessess of great performances by emblematic artists during years, such of Steve Foster, Micky Finn and many others.



-What are the influences of Tito Garcia? When did you start your career?

I started DJing in 1996, which is when I also started to get my first suitcases of vinyl, especially old school/hardcore classic house and underground hip hop. Years later, in 2004, I began to participate professionally as a DJ in discos and events in the islands.



-How is the nightlife in Tenerife and the other islands after this weird period of lockdown due to the Covid? 

In the first dates of confinement, it was especially hard to get used to the idea. I had a lot of time to reflect and focus on the production of new tracks, and that helped me and showed the opposite side of that situation concerning inspiration & creativity to me.


-Which 5 records you will die with ?


1. The Fat of the Land (The Prodigy)



2. In The Groove (Marvin Gaye)



3. I Believe-D Cruze (Suburban base records)



4.Thriller (Michael Jackson)



5.The Chronic - Dr. Dre









 Kamron & his collective Hot Mess made in Melbourne (Australia) 



1)What has been the path of Kamron as an artist between England and Australia ?Why did you move so far from Europe ?


I’ve been DJing for around 10 years or more now. I started playing in Manchester all over the city and also on a weekly basis at a club called South. My housemate at the time was running a night there which took off massively, we were playing to a sold out club every Tuesday night so that was really the thing that helped me cut my teeth as a DJ and made me comfortable playing to a full room fairly early on in my career. 


While I was living in Manchester I was also working for the Warehouse Project and Parklife Festival as an Artist Liaison and Stage Manager. I absolutely loved this job! I was studying Events Management at Uni and was observing and being involved in the inner workings of one of the biggest night time events in the UK every week. As well as this meeting so many cool people and watching some of my favourite artists and inspirations play from the stage was an amazing education and I wish I could still be doing it now! 



I moved to Australia in 2017, I was just a bit bored of life in England and wanted a change. It was one of the best decisions i’ve made, I love it in Melbourne. It’s a beautiful country with great people and we have a wicked crew over here as well so whilst I really miss my friends and family back home I feel like I have another home now too. 


In terms of production, I have only been actually producing music since April 2020. Whilst living in Australia is great, the visa situation is sometimes difficult, I got stuck in a loophole in the system when lockdown hit which meant I wasn’t allowed to work for a while. I thought there is never going to be a better time to get stuck into Ableton and i’m so pleased I did. It instantly felt like something I should have been doing for 10 years already and now i’m addicted. 


2)We are hearing a lot about Hot mess, all the Europeans DJs are making a stop there ? How was this party born ? Is it a collective ? Party or Label ? Main difference about the electronic the scene between Sydney & Melbourne ?

That’s good to hear! We’ve had some wicked parties and amazing guests so far like Dan Ghenacia, Alec Falconer, Pierre Codarin and Okain to name a few. I can’t wait to see where we are in 5 years time or something like that. 


Hot Mess was born really out of my frustration really. I moved to Melbourne completely on my own and when I got here I was sending mixes out to people etc. and not really getting anywhere. I also noticed that there was a bit of a musical gap for the kind of sounds I wanted to hear. The scene in Melbourne is very techno focused, some industrial but a lot of melodic techno which is not really my thing. In Sydney they are very into their house and minimal but for me Melbourne is a better city to live in. After a while I just thought fuck it, I’m going to start something, so I did! 


The first party went way better than I could have hoped for and it has pretty much carried on from there. I now have two friends involved in Hot Mess with me, it was 4 of us but one had to go home when COVID hit unfortunately. Every party we have done has been wicked and the most pleasing thing about it is it really feels like we are bringing people together. We have made a lot of new mates through the parties and connected with a lot of like minded people, which when you are on the other side of the world to home, is very cool. 


We have also launched Hot Mess as a label recently on Bandcamp with the first release also my own first release. We will be putting out Friends & Family vol. 1 sometime close to Christmas which will be a 6 tracker from all Melbourne based artists we have met through running Hot Mess which I’m really looking forward to. I have a few of the tracks in already and it’s going to be a bomb EP so keep an eye out for it!


3)Can you give us a short description of your sound as DJ/producer ? How did you connect with Terence :Terry: ? Are there any others releases /projects you want to mention ?


My sound as an artist I would say is definitely 90’s influenced, trippy and driving. For me I don’t really like genre’s but i’d probably say house is in the middle of my scale and it tips either side to garage, electro, minimal and a few other bits and bobs thrown in for good measure. I have always listened to a broad spectrum of music for as long as I can remember so I feel like that comes out in my sets and productions. 


I think myself and Terry connected through our mutual friend Greg (Pepperpot) we just started sending each other tracks and it went from there. 


In terms of other releases and projects I already mentioned our next Hot Mess release above. I’ve not sent much music out yet to be honest but I am going to get things moving properly for 2021. I am also working on potentially starting a little festival with my friend next year which is still in early stages but things are feeling good. If it comes off it will probably be the best event i’ve put together in my life so far and very special so fingers crossed!


4)Give us five favorites YouTube music links, any style that represents the world/style of Kamron ? 


Ok i’ll give you some old and some new, cause that’s normally what you hear from me when I play. 












Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/kamronmusic

https://www.facebook.com/hotmessmelbourne

Soundcloud: 

https://soundcloud.com/kamron_music

https://soundcloud.com/hotmessmelbourne 

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/kamron_music/

https://www.instagram.com/hotmessmelbourne/ 



 Constance et Passion 
La House musique de l’ile de la Reunion par Dj Nayah 


1) Quel était ton parcours avant de devenir Dj et Promoteur? Premières influences et inspirations?


Mélomane depuis ma tendre enfance, j’ai commencé à mixer dès l’âge de 15 ans. C’est à cette époque que j’ai commencé à collectionner mes premiers vinyles.

J’étais très attiré par les musiques populaires d’Afrique de l’ouest (Nigeria, Congo), j’étais fan de FELA KUTI et des orchestres: T P OK JAZZ de Franco et de l’AFRICAN JAZZ de Joseph KABASELE pour ne citer qu’eux. J’écoutais également de la Funk.


A cette époque la vague Electronique n’avait pas encore conquis la Réunion c’est bien plus tard que je me suis intéressé à la musique électronique en France métropolitaine dans les débuts des années 2000 avec la déferlante minimal. Mes premières influences: Cabanne, Villalobos, Nima Gorji, Delano Smith. 


2) Quel a ètè l’impact du Covid 19 sur l’ocean indien et l’ile de la Reunion? Et également 

ton travail en tant que promoteur /dj?


L’impact du Covid 19 a été brutal, douloureux pour le secteur de la fête à la Réunion. Dès le mois de mars, date à laquelle le premier cas de Covid 19 a été recensé la Réunion a été confinée. 


Après le déconfinement la situation s’est aggravé avec l’augmentation de cas importés et l’explosion des cas autochtones. Aujourd’hui encore le secteur de l’événementiel et de la culture est au point mort, ma dernière vraie soirée remonte au mois de janvier et entre temps j’ai refait deux petites soirées en comité restreint au mois de juillet.


Je profite donc de ce temps d’arrêt pour suivre des formations dans le domaine de la culture afin d’approfondir des connaissances me permettant de travailler sur l’élaborations de mes futures projets artistique et aussi afin de me structurer d’avantage mon label Kamarads et ma future entreprise de production de spectacle.


3) Peux-tu nous en dire plus sur ton label Kamarads son ADN et direction artistique? 

Comment est -il né? Quelle est la saveur musicale de la scene locale et des autres iles voisines?


Comme son nom l’indique, Kamarads records est un label qui veut avant tout véhiculer des valeurs de partage, d’amitié et de fraternité à travers des sorties et évènements régulier. Les sonorités de Kamarads sont orientées avant tout House minimaliste mais les sonorités Chicago House auront aussi leurs place, notamment sur le prochain Ep avec un track  du parisien et légendaire artiste Jef K et Iy...

Je veux produire des artistes que j’aime et dont la charte musicale correspond a la ligne artistique que je me suis fixé.


Mon ami David Mattarasso aka Politics Of Dancing a était l’élément déclencheur dans la création du label, pour moi c’était un vieux rève inaccessible avant que David m’est encouragé à sauter le pas. Il m’a présenté Djebali dont j´etais déjà fan depuis longtemps.


Par la suite j’ai rencontré le producteur et Dj Terence :Terry: qui m’a permis de signer le nouveau prodige house israélien Stephan Bazbaz. Ainsi est né Kamarads Records. Pour le futur et je ne devrai pas le communiquer mais :


Jef K & ILyes ,Reda Dare ,Laurent Ci et Nicolas Brusegan seront les prochains artistes du KMRDS 002, sous la forme d’un Various concocté par mes soins (J’ai Hâte!!)


La scène House et minimal à la réunion se porte bien. Il y a un public averti, la scène est très dynamique et continue d’évoluer dans le bon sens, grâce aussi au travail constant et régulier que nous avons accompli depuis une dizaine d’années avec ma première entité: Nayah Event


A l’Ile Maurice, la musique Electronique se porte très bien également et des collaborations avec la Réunion voient régulièrement le jour.


4)Tes projets /souhaits pour 2021 ,en tant qu’artiste et promoteur ? 


Mes projets pour 2021 seraient de faire des soirées encore plus conséquentes, plus qualitatives et de booker des artistes qui me font vibrer sur quelques «Label Nigth Only» 

J’aimerai sortir au moins 2 ou 3 EP sous la formule d’un Various, regroupant les artistes internationaux que je dénds, mais aussi de développer les jeunes producteurs locaux de la Reunion.


Je serai ravi si je pouvais faire quelques dates en France ou en Espagne et enfin pourquoi ne pas aller faire une virée en Roumanie: je rēve d’aller faire la fête au moins une fois au Sunwave Festival.

Cependant mon souhait le plus cher pour 2021, c’est que cette situation sanitaire s’améliore vraiment, pour que nous puissions tous retrouver notre liberté de danser car rien n’est sensé arrêter un peuple qui danse, alors nous danserons tous en 2021. 😊 


5) Quels ont ètè tes cinq derniers coups de coeur musicaux, électroniques ou pas ?


*Pour le Sunset : Unknown «Ya Zdes» (CCCP EDITS 1)





*En Warm Up: So Inagawa «Count Your Blessing»

 



*Peak Time: Politics Of Dancing «Machines» (LCS003)

 



*En After: Roman Flugel «Acid Test»




*A la maison le lendemain: Zan Mari Bare «Voun» 































PSTW & Chris Whittaker: once upon a time in Manchester

-Can you give us a short presentation & inspirations ? When the music production & deejaying has started ?
PSTW: PSTW, namely Paul Sansome and Tom Watkins are a DJ /Producer duo and record label owners of Lacuna Recordingsfrom Cheshire, UK. Having started DJ’ing together in 2014, the duo have played at some of the most iconic clubs across theUK and Ibiza whilst over time developing their craft within the studio. Their sound, which focuses on uplifting ambience, tightgroove and rolling bass has seen them gain a number of releases under their belt already getting early inspiration from
artists such as Janaret, iO Mulen, S.A.M and DJOKO to name a few.

-A short description of Lacuna ? Concept /Adn of the label?
PSTW: Lacuna, which means 'unfilled space' was born in 2016 where we hosted small intimate parties within unique spaces around the North West of England. After multiple successful events we wanted to express our musical taste and launched the record label. The concept is linking upcoming talented artists with established producers from the scene which we personally admire thus giving them a great platform to feature and work with some of the hottest artists around.

-The « advanced » underground house/tech house scene is growing a lot at that time in the Uk, many new talented producers ,where is it coming from ?
PSTW: I think the first big brand to come out of the UK in the last 5-7 years has been FUSE in London in which a lot of artists in the UK gained inspiration from. The family vibe and the way the brand has grown over the last few years is something we definitely aspire towards with Lacuna. The UK has always had great producers across all genres of music though to be fair! A few artists to mention are Charlie Banks, Josh Baker, Adam Chapman and Demarzo.

-Can you give us five records or tracks that definitely changed your vision of house music?
PSTW: SO MANY TO CHOOSE FROM! In no particular order,
1. A Distant Now - S.A.M (Delphine)
2. Cluborama - Shonky (Freak N Chic)
3. Eau De Chante - Delicious Inc (Tuccillo Rework)
4. Closer - Matt Antonio
5. Offshore (Ambient Mix) - Chicane.

-How did u connect with Terence :Terry: ?
PSTW: We've always been aware of Terence's music and when we started the label we were eager to get him on as one of our first established remixers. He crafted a quality remix of RareBit's track 'Ethereal Acid' on LCN 002 which gained support from multiple industry heavyweights. From then on we kept in touch and he is someone we truly respect within the industry.

-What we can expect from PSTW & Chris Whittaker for 2021?
PSTW: Obviously right now the whole world is on lockdown however this has given us a lot of time to finish multiple projects. We have releases forthcoming on Whoyostro (22nd May), Hat trick Records, Music Related and a remix for Jerome. C on Modula Records. As well as this we have a full schedule for Lacuna until early 2021 featuring some incredible artists and our first vinyl release which is a collaboration with another great label.
CHRIS WHITTAKER:You can expect a lot from us three next year. We have a BIG project in the works which we can´t say too much about just yet! We really enjoy working together both in our studio and socially as you can tell from our past collaborations. We love experimenting with synths and pads to see what crazy sounds we can make when we are together. Big plans for 2021 for PSTW & Chris Whittaker so keep your ears to the ground!