DANNIELRADALL

 

Danniel Radall really impressed me and grabbed my attention from the very first seconds of his track "On Mirror". Sleazy, glamorous and sexy structure along with a torturous low tempo beat, made me wanna know him better.

1. You recently released an EP called "Cocaine Love". What were your influences?

I tried to work over the whole concept of cocaine and its aesthetics in fashion, glam, 80's, nightlife, etc. It was easy because Jef Barbara is very careful when it comes about his image, I took every cliché I found related to it and I started to do my job.

I took some ideas from movies and pictures, also, having the artwork finished was really helpful, it was made by my sister.

Musically, I wouldn't name a band in particular because I'm mostly based on what I listen everyday, but if I had to, I would probably say New Order and Kool & the Gang.

2. How was the collaboration between you and Jef Barbara?

I wouldn't call it properly a collaboration. Actually, I only used the vocal stems from the original track

and then I re-worked the whole song 3 times, i performed and produced each instrument.

About 8 months ago I asked to Jef for Cocaine Love before Contamination was released but then I put it off for like 6 months, haha. So, when I finally got back on it I thought I should make it up to him somehow, so I decided I would do a few versions of it, and that's it.

3. How long have you been producing your own music?

I've been producing myself for around a year ago. I had been involved in production before with a few bands but this time I have full control, which is great if you're trying to keep clean the concept you have in mind.

4. You look very stylish. Does the image play an important role for you and why?

Aww thanks! Definitely it is as important as the sound. As I said, I try to maintain my own concept, and it's not just about sound or image, also attitude plays a lead role.

I find it a bit disappointing when I see a picture of an artist I like and I realize that it's not even close to what I expected, it's probably silly but unfortunately that's exactly how people think.

5. How would you describe your sound?

80's cops movies.

6. What are your future plans?

There are a few gigs in town that I am really interested to play, I'm still producing for it.

Steffaloo and I are about to release a single that we're very proud of, it is titled “To Make you Mine” and our friends Blackbird Blackbird and Sun Glitters are on it too.

Also, there's a video off Pardo EP in the making and a lovely remix from Okinawa Lifestyle's new material.

Jef Barbara | DannielRadall - On Mirror from broken machine films on Vimeo.

MARCELLO GIORDANI

Marcello Giordani is a music producer, DJ and a vinyl collector. Owner of "Italo Deviance" blog and label, he will be in Athens on Friday 20th of May at Skull Bar to give us the best of italo disco sounds. Along with Marcello, Freddy G from Pearl Flash and Methi will give their best for an unforgetable night on the dancefloor.

1. When did you start djing?

I started in 1992 at mycousin’s house.

2. Tell us a few words about “Italo Deviance”.

Italo Deviance started for fun in a cold morning on October 2008. I checked my “Disco” folder on my Mac and the thousand vinyls in my collection and I thought:”Why don’t share all these online?”

3. How would you describe your sound?

My sound is a mix from Classic and Electronic Disco, I love arpeggios, synth basses and Disco beat. I dig records everyday and my taste is continuously influenced by new sounds.

4. What is the ideal party for you?

My ideal party is when the people smile.

5. What should we expect from your dj set in Athens?

My sound is very eclectic, I play from Chicago House, Boogie, Garage Disco to Italo/Euro Disco ideally from ‘76 to ‘83. I describe my sets very warm and funny for a real “party situation” : )

6. What are your future plans?

I’m gonna release two records within summer also the Italo Deviance Vol.4 and the new SuperSonic Lovers.

I’m also fixin’ my new tour dates….available soon.

MATT MORODER

Matt Moroder, also known as Mikrodizko, is invited by Mirage team for their "anger" party on Saturday the 19th of March at Yoga Bala. Matt knows how to mix fluently disco, italo, early house music and afro beats. He also owns "Little Leaf" label and his "Glossy" project is fully respected from all producers and DJs in the disco scene.

1. How did you get involved with music?
- My parents had a versatile record collection when I was a little kid, including Stones, Beatles, Santana, Space's "Magic Fly" album and Kraftwerk's "Mensch-Machine". Us, kids were allowed to use the stereo and the records from an early age and so we listened to all this stuff while playing with our toys. I guess that had a big impact on me. In the mid-nineties, I started DJing in the golden era of hip hop and started to dig the funk soul and jazz essentials. Sampled by my favourite artists like A.T.C.Q, Pharcyde, etc.

2. What is so fascinating to you about making edits?
- Rap music was the first club music I fell in love with, so I'm still fascinated by the concept of using and sampling parts from tracks and put them in a new context. It is still and always will be an artform to me.

3. You became really known with "Glossy". Tell us a few words about it.
- It was just a spontaneous idea to play around with some samples and acapellas in 2006. I did this with a friend who had been already into producing music now known as Tensnake. We did a Space remix got played by Gilles Patterson on BBC, after that we had to do a "b-side" to put it on wax and it went pretty good. It turned out people liked the b-side much more ("Try Try"), so never underestimate the b-side, kids!

4. Now you have a new label called "Little Leaf". What's different now and what kind of artists are you looking for?
- "Little Leaf" is following the idea of Glossy, but much more sophisticated. The dancefloor is not the number one priority. With the first two releases we not even crossed the 110 bpm mark. Also, I am not interested in just choping up dance hits, that already work on the floor for 30 years. I am more fascinated for example, by using tracks and samples that on first sight don't work in the club context, like the "Porque te vas" edit by Nelue or taking a ballad and put it in a new context like Erobique did. I am searching for stuff like this. I love boogie and disco, but why don't try folk, rock, afro, whatever you can find? Also, the artwork is very important to me as a vinyl addict. How should I show my dad or grandma what I do? A record sleeve is something they know, they can touch and watch it. How do you touch a soundfile? It has no body, no visual life at all. The "Little Leaf" artwork is done by a really talented and upcoming illustrator from Hamburg, Anna Verhoja. She always listen to the tracks for a few days and after that we meet and discuss the visual concept before she starts drawing and painting. Analogue again, hahaha...

5. Which is the best thing you've ever experienced through DJing?
- Definitely travelling and meeting interesting people all over the world. So far I've played in the US, France, Austria, Netherlands, Australia and Germany of course. The weirdest gig/place I played so far, was an illegal rave at the end of the nineties in a cave formely used by the nazis for manufacturing parts of the V2 missiles in WW2. A really morbid and special place.

6. Do you admire any greek artists?
- Yes of course, Vangelis is a legend. I bought the "Blade Runner" soundtrack when I was a kid and I can still listen to it. Demis Roussos did some serious disco tracks but I also admire directors and movies from Greece by Nikos Nikolaidis, Costa Gavras, Giorgos Lanthimos. I am a big fan of the cinema I have to admit.

7. What is inpiration to you?
- That can be everything that touches me. A person, a place, a vibe, art... just everything!

8. What are your future plans?
- Keep the "Little Leaf" growing and contributing my small to save the vinyl. Soundfiles don't have a b-side you can discover!

9. What can really make you angry and what is usually your reaction?
- Intolerance and betrayal! Reaction: I let karma do its work, but maybe some ANGER comes up too...

10. What should we expect from you at the Mirage party in Athens?
- A unique journey into sound that will move your bodies and put a smile on the faces of the Athens people.

Listen to Matt Moroder's music here.

BLACK DEVIL DISCO CLUB

The Devil is magnetic. He invites us in his crazy circus, that is the brand new album of Monsieur Bernard Fevre, known as Black Devil Disco Club.

The year starts for Black Devil Disco Club witha brand new release. We've already listened to "My Screen" from the upcoming album "Circus". What should we expect from this album?

"Yes, there's a new Black Devil Disco Club coming out on Aprin 11th. I believe it's a very surprising one. I hope you'll be surprised too. It's called CIRCUS and I am proud of it!"

Are there any other collaborations except Nicolas Ker?

"The first extract of CIRCUS was called "My Screen" and featured Nicolas Ker from french new wave rockers Poni Hoax. It was a very eary collaboration as we both live in Paris. I had composed the track and also had some ideas for lyrics. he came to my place, and after a short time he came up with some words which fit perfectly. It's weird, sexy, scary, with a strange sense of humour. There's also pretty wild backing vocals from his lovely girlfriend. Then Pierre Dejon, a promising young director from Paris, came along with the idea of music video, shot in Paris by night with 4 characters. It's a bit like Videodrome of David Cronenberg. I love it. The Sauvage and Sal P from Liquid Liquid did two remixes, which are really different from the original but very groovy. For the rest of the record, there are some really cool guests as well. Some are famous, some are not. Each one is part of this crazy circus, but I remain the ringmaster. I am Black Devil in case you were doubting!

When is the next single coming out?

"The second single will be with Cocknbullkid, a young girl from UK, produced by Metronomy. I did a remix for them a while ago. Danger and Monkpoof made remixes for this single. It'll be out at the end of April I believe... The way Anita (aka Cocknbullkid) sings these lyrics, reminds me the cover of the 1978 record I did. A sexy black devil girl smiling. Scary but attractive."

Why did you choose the name "Circus"?

"As I said, CIRCUS is a record with guests. I'm the boss, the MC, the ringmaster. Everyone performs in the arena and remains under the influence of Black Devil. It's simple as that, ni exception. It's a kind of dictature... I'm kidding! Well, not really actually. In the artwork, once again designed by Non Format, you can see a "circus". It's maybe more a pop album than the previous, but still the "devil is magnetic", as the last song suggests. This sound is in my soul and I still compose and produce the way I used to. Some parts of my work have been helped by technology, but basically, I try to find new tricks in my brain, which is a strange world sometimes..."

Your first release was in 1978 and is extremely hard to find. Tell us a few words about that record. What was your inspiration for that extremely different sound?

"I wanted to do a new kind of disco, unconventional, more wild, more visual, less cheap or vulgar. I've always been a fan of black american music from the 60s plus the Beatles as well. Chopi, Ravel, Wilson Pickett, Damia, Yvette Guilbert... I could spend hours. Anyway, I also loved some french music from the 30s till 50s and some cinema, mostly french and italian, and of course some sci-fi stuff from the 60s. Utopia and stress at the same time."

How was your life and what were you doing between 1978 and 2004 when "Disco Club" was re-issued?

"I used to be in love. In love with the girl, with life, with the world, with friendship, with french wine and cuisine. Life seemed easy, soft and not as expensive as now. I used to go out in clubs like "Le Bus Paladium", "Le Rock 'n' Roll Circus", "La Bulle", "Le Gibus", "Le Palace" and some others everyone forgot. After the failure of my 1978 record, I was kinda depressed and I thought I could only make music as a craftsman to survive, not as an artist. I did some production, some commercials, radio jingles... till 2006. I thought Black Devil was definitely dead, but after some magic, I did this record "28 After" back in 2006, which took me almost two years of writing and producing. It took me some time to recover my skills and bring back old images I had in mind. But, I made it! I'm a working man!"

How did you start your relationship with music?

"When I was 5 years old I was playing with my two hands on every keyboard I would see, so my parents bought me some classic music lessons, which I've never liked, but then, I discovered rock 'n' roll, and that was mind-blowing. Back in the time, I was working in a factory, so it took me 3 years to buy my first keyboard, just before my military service in 1965. I also had the chance to meet a jazzman, who taught me a lot of things. Still useful more than 40 years after. Pretty good investment!"

What are your future plans?

"I really don't know. It depends. if CIRCUS is a failure, then I'll wait 28 years to make another come back. :)"

More info about Black Devil Disco Club you can find here.

DAVID VUNK

David Vunk is a really respected and talented producer and DJ. Apart from that, he owns "Moustache Records" label and he is one of the top artists in Dutch scene. He will be in Athens on Friday the 17th of December at Yoga Bala. Mirage team invited him and he will play along with Technicolor and... me.

How and when did your relationship with music start?

"My dad is a musician, who made a 14-weeks number one hit, wrote and produced many records since the 60s on very big labels such as Polygram and EMI, to name a few, so, I grew up with it. I always liked collecting music when I was a young kid. In 1990, I met a friend who had 2 turntables and 1 year later I was already playing on small illegal parties."

How would you describe your sound?

"A good record is a good record, from pop italo disco till house and techno, it has to be for the dancefloor. I always want to play a high dancable set... Smooth, mean and sexy... Mixing skills are also really important to me."

What are your influences and what is an inspiration to you?

"My family (especially my father inspired me a lot), but also my friends who are also in music business. Some inspired me as a DJ and some as a producer."

Tell us about your label "Moustache Records". How did you come up with the name?

"I always saw men with moustaches on the sleeves of disco records... So, I thought that is a good name... :)"

What is an ideal party for you?

"Where the sweat falls down from the ceiling."

What are your future plans?

"Pushing my new sublabels from Moustache Records division, dj-ing, producing some nice 12 inches... about the same, as always!"

How do you feel about playing in Athens and what should we expect from you that night?

"It's my first time in Athens! So, I'm really looking forward to it... You can expect all kinds of dancemusic. Ola and new music, from disco to italo to house and of course, some unreleased material from the secret Moustache records vaults..."

More info about Moustache Records

Event on Facebook

More info about Mirage

PHOTOHARRIE

He studied photography. But, apart from being a photographer, he is a DJ, he has been one of the founder members of the art forum WENEED, he has been a rock star with Muna Grande, he has been a radio producer since the age of sixteen, and most likely we will see him again doing lots of different things because that's his concept. Doing everything he likes and enjoys. Unique and beautiful.

1. How did you decide to become a photographer?

"When my grandmother committed suicide. I was 9 years old. I still have her portrait to remind me of her. Photographs have power, they are stronger than death."

2. Name some photographers you admire.

"Nan Goldin, Ari Marcopoulos, Juergen Teller, Katy Grannan, Terry Richardson, Wolfgang Tillmans to name a few of them."

3. Which is the picture that you want to shoot but you haven’t done yet?

"I don't think like that. When I start a project or a shooting I have some icons in my head but I have always been driven by the given reality."

4. Apart from being a photographer, you’re also a DJ. How do these different things connect for you?

"Music and photography are my drugs. They are the things that make me lose my mind. I believe there's also a secret connection if you consider that photographers act like rockstars."

5. What kind of music do you usually play and why?

"I always play different things and styles, anything that seems interesting to me. It's a commotion of genres. I'd say nightmare pop describes best what it sounds like."

6. You were one of the founder members of the art forum “WENEED”. What happened with it?

"It started like a revolution, it ended like shit."

7. Would you call yourself an “artist”? How do you explain this word?

"I don't believe there are artists in the post modern era. We are all artists."

8. Name please five things you love and five things you hate about living in Athens.

"+ bars' working hours, chaos, friends, weather, scenery. - rudeness, chaos, duress, pr, price of the booze."

9. Where can we find you DJing at this period of time?

"I am a free bird for the summer. I'll play some times at Carousel bar but I havent planned anything else at the moment."

10. What are your future plans?

"I have to wake up early, buy some smokes, pay my bills, go to the gym."

11. What if Harrie was a color, a taste, a smell and an emotion? What would it be?

"Color : ash gray, taste : poisonous exotic fruit, smell : vetiver, emotion : relief after crying on a strong orgasm."

12. Finally, I would like to ask you for your top 5 of your favourite tracks.

"My top5 for the moment: M.I.A. - Born Free, R.O.M.A.N.C.E. - Art of Losing, How to Destroy Angels - The Space in Between, Phoenix Catscratch - H, Oppenheimer Analysis – Radiance."

Watch another Photoharrie interview by H.O.P.E. & Etten.

BOTTIN

His third album called "Horror Disco" really impressed all the disco lovers all over the globe. On Saturday the 13th of March, Bottin will be in Athens at Bios, to turn the dancefloor into hell with his space and italo disco set.

1. How did your relationship with music start?

"Well, I started out when I was a kid, like very many, with piano lessons taught by an old lady. Then I have played my first gig when I was 13: I was playing keyboards in funk and acid jazz band, all the other band members where older and more experienced than me so I learned a lot from them. Being in band is really good when you learn to arrange a song and how to make a track groove. I was always curious about the possibility of the other instruments, I felt that keyboards were somewhat limited in personal expression, although much versatile in timbre. When I was 14, I started experimenting with computer music, at first with the Commodore Amiga and it's glorious 4-track step sequencer software called Soundtracker. Later the drummer of one of the bands I played with, opened a studio and I got to use it for free. I recorded a 4 track EP, it's was mostly jazz-infused drum'n'bass. It was my first production. A couple of years later I had my first release with Italian label Irma Records. It was mainly a cocktail music track, except it had a vocoder voice saying "good morning sunshine". That was ten years ago."

2. What are your influences?

"With my most recent work I suppose it is the soundtracks of b-movies of the 70s and 80s. And also the sounds of Italian television in those years. Those visions of the future that people had in the 70s and 80s, now we don't seem to be able to have anymore. Of course those predictions failed and that future never came, but at least there was an imaginative effort. Now we see the future as rather similar to our present, only with slightly unethical technological developmentsbut very few aesthetic advancement. Yesterday's future was interesting. Today's future is boring."

3. How would you describe your sound?

"I guess I'm considered part of the contemporary disco movement (if such movement exists, since most of so called nu-disco is actually good, refined house music)."

4. What would you do instead of being a sound designer?

"I couldn't imagine my life without music. If I wasn't making music of my own, I would be probably helping people producing theirs or organize music events.Truth is that I graduated in Social Psychology and I never lost interest in studying so I could possibly enjoy doing research work in that area."

4. Do Italians do it better?

"If you refer to the original eaning of the phrase (that is that Italians are better in bed) however I would extend it to all Mediterrean and African cultures. If you mean the record label, I also agree: they have a totally do-it-yourself approach that has proved itself to be very effective in today's discographic chaos. If instead you mean that Italians are better disco producers, well then I do not necessarily agree. There is a lot of crap music hailing from Italy. However there are a few excellent producers like Fabrizio Mammarella, Discodromo, Simone Fedi, Massimiliano Pagliara, Fratelli Riviera..."

5. What are your future plans?

"Remixes, collaborations, travelling the world and trying to work on some new tunes of my own. I'm also doing some secret projects :) But among the annouced release there is a 12" EP, I produced with my friend Rodion: Galli/Piazza Venezia for Eskimo Recordings (at at the end of March) then a mixed album where all tracks are my remixes (of artists Lindstrom, In Fragranti, Tosca, Codebreaker, Lost Valentinos, Jupiter and many others) it's called Discoursive Diversions and it will be out on Nang Records, UK in April. Also, for Nang I recently produced my revisitation of the Theme From V: The Final Battle (remember the Visitors tv-series from the 80s?), that's coming out as part of the "To The Stars" compilation on March 29th."

6. We will see you at Bios in Athens on Saturday 13th of March. What should we expect from your set?

"I never prepare sets, I have to improvise otherwise I stop enjoying it. Even what my current favorite tracks tend to change often, so most of my selections are quite temperamental. It's always a rathe crazy mix of ratherold (underground tracks from the 70s and 80s) and new music (some of which has even yet to be released!). But I have a personal rule, I like to create a special version or a re-edit before every gig. So I'm always preparing new edits and remixes that I will present for the first time. I'm really looking forward to coming to Athens and bring my music there!"

PLUS:

Download Bottin's "Disco Aesthetics" set.

EMPEROR MACHINE

Emperor Machine is the lust child of an EMS VCS3 and a Roland System 100. It was born on last day of the last century and was abandoned at birth. Andrew Meecham tells us a story full of psychedelic sounds and amazing disco electronics. This is the story of Emperor Machine...

1. How did the relationship between EMS VCS3 and Roland System 100 begin?

"It all began when I found a great use for my credit card. Sometimes waiting for the synths of your dreams is just no good and I knew if I got them they would inspire me to produce more music and that's a good thing."

2. Being born on the last day of the last century sounds like you have a mission. Do you feel that way?

"Yes I do have a mission to climb the walls of synths and begin to throw down my huge greedy size of a wealth for creative programing in a way thats not been done before."

3. Can you describe your sound?

"No not really, every time I do that the next day I change my mind and then again."

4. Emperor Machine is a grown up child right now. Are you satisfied with its progress so far?

"I dont think I have got where I want to be yet from a musical/creative point of view. Being satisfied is not enough for me, I want to be thrilled to the point of wanting more!"

5. What do you think about the lifestyle of a modern person living in a big city? What about his needs?

"I-Pod!"

6. What are your influences?

"Every thing in any shape or form as long as it makes me feel good and sends shivers down my back then thats an influence."

7. If you should give up playing music, what would you choose to do?

"The only two things to do would be to repair synths and spend most of my time building them."

8. What are your future plans?

"Emperor Machine has two more LPs to record for DC Recordings, play some more gigs and after that I don't know."

More info:

EMPEROR MACHINE SPACE

HELL

He visited our country once more last month for Reworks Festival. I had the chance to interview him last May because of his brand new release titled "Teufelswerk", a real masterpiece.

1. In late April you release a brand new album, which is called “Teufelswerk” that means the Devil’s Work. Why did you choose this name for your album?

"In German Teufelswerk means "the Devil's work", and that's exactly what this album represents. My work, the work of Hell."

2. “Teufelswerk” is divided in Day and Night section. What is different between them?

"The Day side of my album is a collection of ambient tracks, avant-garde electronic music blended with my own take on a kosmische music. Kosmische is an experimental genre from Germany from when I was young, it's very psychedelic and also progressive. When I was writing the tracks I was listening to a lot of NEU and Can, Jarre and Pink Floyd. The other side of my album, called Night, is the dance oriented side of the record. I wrote Night thinking back to my first influences in techno... classic German electronica, Chicago house, and when Detroit techno was ruling the world."

3. You have said that “Teufelswerk” is the best record you’ve ever made. Is it truly your masterpiece, and why?

"I think when you go through the process of making a record, it's different each time. Each time you release an album it's like bringing a child into the world. It has it's own character, it's own creation story. It's part of you, and represents you. I only make an album once every five years, so I feel like I've also been a different person each time I've released a record. For 'Teufelswerk', I wanted to show people what I was capable of. I had so much material and I had the concept to do a double album, I brought on the best of the best people I could find to work with, took my time, and gave everything I had to making this record. All of my experience from the whole course of my life and all of my heart is in there."

4. What is the atmosphere of this record? Tell us about its music style and the feelings someone gets when listening to it.

"The feedback has been great so far, and I hear from most people that they feel it's an album that everyone can pull something from. For some people I think it's very nostalgic, both discs, and for others it's a small history lesson, through my eyes."

5. You are responsible of the electroclash sound few years ago. There are also several types of music like nu rave, nu disco, nu electro, etc. What do you think will be the next movement in music?

"I think it's hard to say. Techno was always just techno and now it's splintered into so many different directions. I would like to see the music go into a more sophisticated direction. A lot of productions are getting more and more organic, by that I mean that most of the things I am getting these days have real instruments or real percussive elements mixed into the tracks somehow. I think it's probably a hard time for electronic purists. I hope this trend is going to bring some of the feeling back into dance music, open the productions up to be something more dynamic. I think in years past minimal and it's popularity changed how a lot of other types of electronic music was produced, even house music. I miss an element of depth and musicality in a lot of music these days."

6. What can an artist do if he wants to collaborate with Gigolo label? What are your criteria in selecting artists to work with?

"A lot of it is personality. I meet a lot of the artists I choose to work with while traveling and playing, I meet them on parties or festivals or I see them out somehow. The Megachurch of Gigolo is like a philosophy, a collective of artists, and the final output has to be something really good and really genuine and the whole package has to be there.... the songs, the performance and the persona. We raised up so many artists and showed them the way, people like Tiga and Miss Kittin and Vitalic. They all have that special something, they're all a part of the family."

7. Your upcoming album has some really interesting collaborations, like the one with Bryan Ferry. Tell us what was like working with each one of those artists.

"I am not a good singer so also on this side i used the best i can get and Brian Ferry is a master in what he is doing and one of the greatest singer and songwritter of all time. Puffy is a genius and to watch him is the best learning process for people like me.I think Puffy become the new andy warhol and now hes talking about after hours clubs and music thats played out in techno clubs all around the world,so poeple will listen to what he says and at the end of the day i could not get happier to work with people like this on my new album. Me and Peter are old friends and we know each other for so many years so it was clear to end up in the studio one day and getting some help from Christian Prommer and Roberto DI Gioia for playing the instruments and doing the string arrangments. What kind of music do you enjoy listening to?- I like something like classical when I am at home, and the rest of the time I am listening to demo and promo CDs."

8. What is your opinion about all software used nowadays to dj or make music? Which way do you prefer?

"I'm a vinyl DJ and I'll always be a vinyl DJ. I have software at home and have tried playing with it a few times, and I can see why people use it, I think it some DJs think it looks better to play with something like Traktor rather than to use CDs, but I am just used to the way I play and it doesn't benefit me to change now. Some of it is kind of funny, there's all these settings you can work with and it's like you don't even have to be able to mix anymore. But like anything else I think you'll only really get better at something like DJing if you practice and do it right. You can use whatever you want, but you know, you can't fake the funk.

9. Any plans to visit Greece?

"I was just there recently, but a summer would not be complete without a trip to Greece, so wish me luck."

10. The lead single of “Teufelswerk” is called “Angst”. Why did you choose this track, is it more suitable to communicate the whole record? Which will be the next one?

"I thought it was a beautiful track, one of the strongest ones on the album and so I wanted to present that as the first single from the Day side of the record. The music video is also beautiful, it was done by a director named Nicole McDonald from LA. This track was the perfect balance of all my ideas. The next single is going to be another track from the Day side of the record, it's called "Hell's Kitchen" and it will be released June 1st on Gigolo Records, with a Playhouse remix by Trevor Jackson."

11. What are your future plans?

"I will spend the entire next year traveling and DJing, and sharing my new album with the world. I will also work with Berlin designer Michalsky on another fashion show, I will release a line of men's slips with Wendy&Jim, sunglasses by a company called Freudenhaus, and I will donate my time to a feminist organization in the Ukraine called Femen to draw attention to the problems with young girls and prostitution there... just naming a few things. It's going to be a very busy but very good year."

More Info:

HELL SPACE

HELL SITE

CASSIUS

Any introduction seems needless for artists like Cassius and their influence in how french house evoluted through the years. Being in the front of "French Touch" movement along with Daft Punk made them totally respected.

1. WHEN SHOULD WE EXPECT YOUR NEXT STUDIO ALBUM?

"Soon! We just started, as we're free from EMI. We're doing our own label: Cassius Records!, which is going to be based in Berlin."

2. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC?

"It's always evolving. Sometimes it's more rockish, sometimes more housey. I would call it electronic pop."

3. WHAT WAS THE CRAZIEST THING YOU'VE EVER EXPERIENCED AS DJS?

"The craziest is deifnitely the airport and the planes, other than that, except playing in raves in England in the nineties or in Medelin in front of very special VIPs, there is always some surprise for a DJ."

4. HOW DID YOU EXPERIENCED THE "FRENCH TOUCH"?

"It was great... Something really rare for french music. We travelled a lot (and still are) and we met so many people..."

5. DID YOU EVER THOUGHT GOING SOLO AGAIN?

"We do but we always are best friends, so Cassius is always somewhere and is always the strongest."

6. TELL US WHAT YOU HATE AND WHAT YOU LOVE IN YOUR LIFE.

"I (Zdar) love a lot of things in my life. I use my talent for my music but try to keep my genius for my living. Not really hating anything."

7. WHAT ARE YOUR ACTIVITIES APART FROM MUSIC?

"Love, hollidays in the sun, cooking, reading, taking care of a little girl and watching old movies."

8. WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS?

"CASSIUS RECORDS!!!!!!!"

Cassius Top 10

PRINCE - SIGN OF THE TIME
DERRICK MAY - STRINGS OF LIFE
CHRISTOPHE - LE BEAU BIZZARE
STEEVIE WONDER - AS
VIOLENT FEMMES - BLISTER IN THE SUN
BIKINI KILL - JET SKI
METTALICA - WIPLASH
PHAROA SANDERS - KARMA
SEBASTIEN TELLIER - LA RITOURNELLE
TRIBE CALL QUEST - PUSH IT ALONG
NICK DRAKE - RIVER MAN

MORE INFO:

CASSIUS SPACE

CASSIUS SITE

TAREQ

Being the frontman of Techsoir and now going solo, Tareq proves he can success both ways. Multi-tasking in the music industry, it is more than expected he is on his way to the top.

Tareq is the Nu Electro Disco Lover. Born and grown in Thessaloniki, Greece. Half Jordanian, half Greek. From his young age got familiar with music, by composing musical pieces in piano. His musical studies were on the piano and the alticorno. Being fan of the electronic music scene, made him deal with music production and DJing.In 2002 he created the nu-electro band TechSoir and he was the frontman of the group until 2009. TechSoir had a number of releases. The singles, “Tech Soir” and “Try Me”, got in dance compilations. They also participated in the music score of Alexandros Pantazoudis’ Film “Don’t Go”. After that, the full length album “Dark Room” (Undo records/ EMI) was released in January of 2008. TechSoir appeared next to names such as Fischerspooner, Digitalism, UNKLE, Hercules and Love affair, James, The Fall and Chicane. Tareq as a DJ appeared next to Swayzak, Metope and Scorpio. Beside the TechSoir project, he produced some official and unofficial remixes for The Blow Waves, The Snoopy Lads, de:tech, Digitalism, Rod Thomas and Furiku.

1. WHEN WAS THE FIRST CONTACT YOU HAD WITH MUSIC?

"The first contact was when i was a kid.. at the age of 5. We had a piano in our living room, which was an interesting toy for a baby boy. I started playing , by ear, the songs that i liked, so my next movement was to go and study the piano in a music school."

2. YOU ARE A MULTI-TASK ARTIST. WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT YOUR ACTIVITIES AND HOW YOU ENJOY EACH ONE OF THEM?

"Writing and producing music was something that i could do by early age. That's why we created TechSoir. the singing came after that, while we needed vocals for our tracks.. We realised that this was working well, so we turned out to be more like a band than simply producers. After that i was performing in every show we did. Amazing feeling that makes you addicted! The DJ part was an act of hobby which we were doing with some friends DJs on sundays! I really enjoy DJing because it is a demonstration of the music taste you have. Is really cool to make people dance."

3. YOU WERE THE FORNTMAN OF TECHSOIR AND YOU RECENTLY DECIDED TO GO SOLO. WHY?

"Me and TechSoir where together since 2002. After all those years and experiences, you see that people change and you can't have a lots of things in common anymore. So, the best thing to do is to leave things as they are in a good shape. Ithought it was time to move on and create the different project i had in mind. I am proud of TechSoir because we released a strong album (Dark Room), it was a dream becoming true, and lots of performances next to such great names. What more to ask?"

4. HOW DO YOU GET INSPIRED? WHAT ARE YOUR INFLUENCES?

"I get inspired by things that happening in my life.. beautiful, bad, strange, hilarius.. At the moment i really dig the disco thing. I consider this as an infuence! Artists such as DFA, Godfrapp, The Emperor Machine, The Juan Maclean, Fischerspooner, Cut Copy, The Presets, Lacquer, Hot Chip and noumerous others are my influences!"

5. SINCE THE BEGINNING OF YOUR CAREER, WHICH IS THE MOST EXCITING MOMENT YOU'VE EVER EXPERIENCED?

"I had a lot of exciting experiences, while meeting some of the artists that i like.. The best and most recent was when me and TechSoir were the opening act for Fischerspooner. Meeting Casey Spooner was the most exciting moment. That was the last gig i had with TechSoir and it was the best end for that chapter!"

6. YOU'RE A MUSICIAN WHO LIVES AND WORKS IN ATHENS. I SOULD ASK YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE MUSIC SCENE IN GREECE.

"I believe that the music scene in Greece, talking ofcourse about the electronic and alternative scene, is getting better and better. A lots of respectable artists with great pieces of work. It was about time for the Greek musicians to demonstrate to the rest of the world their cababilities. Nothing to be jealous of and there is more to come! Let's keep it up."

7. WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS?

"My future plans include a solo album, which hopefully will be released this year! Lots of dj sets up to come and maybe some live gigs, while I'm working on it!"

TAREQ TOP 5

1. Curses! - The Deep End (Holy Ghost Remix)
2. Simian Mobile Disco - Hotdog (Cosmo Vitelli Remix)
3. Nomi & Deep Red - Fun girl
4. Rod Thomas - Your Love Is A Tease (Tareq Remix)

5. Mock & Toof - Underwater

At the moment Tareq lives in Athens and he is working on his debut solo album. You can listen to his radio show “Sechoir” every Wednesday at 18:00 (GMT +2) on WaveRadio.gr

MORE INFO:

TAREQ SPACE

TAREQ FANPAGE

DIGITAL RIOT

Digital Riot are one of the most promising dj duos in the Greek electronic music scene. Upcoming, fresh and powerful, they will keep us interested in their music for a very long time. They love breakbeats, nu electro tunes and they certainly know how to rock the dancefloor!

1. CAN YOU DESCRIBE HOW AN IDEAL PARTY SHOULD BE?
"First of all, the hottest and freshest music, lots of alcohol, beautiful women and last but not least, a crowd ready to party all night long!"

2. WHAT IF YOUR SOUND WAS A COLOR AND A FEELING, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
"If our sound was a color it would probably be very bright and happy but every now and then it would turn into a very dark color and if it was a feeling it would be a mix of the most happy, "dancy" feelings."

3. WHAT KIND OF MUSIC DO YOU ENJOY LISTENING TO?
"We enjoy listening to all kind of electronic music as well as indie alternative, brit pop and whenever we need to chill out we are listening to trip hop and everything else so relaxing."

4. ARE THERE ANY ARTISTS YOU REALLY ADMIRE?
"There are a lot of artists that we admire some of them are Jarvis Cocker, Manos Xatzidakis, Ian Curtis, Dave Gahan, Daft Punk, Justice, Stereo Nova, Joe Strummer, Sid Vicious, The Beatles, Radiohead, Kurt Cobain, Miss Kittin, David Bowie, Kraftwerk… that's enough, isn't it?"

5. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE MUSIC SCENE IN GREECE?
"We think that the music scene in Greece is promoting "cheap" music that will never last on time because it has nothing to "give" to the listener. We believe that the alternative music scene in Greece needs a little more support and then everything will be perfect!"

6. HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH YOUR NAME?
"We thought that we should have a word in our name that could describe our sound and this word is "Digital" then we said that we should put a second word that could describe the spirit of our music and we came up with the word "Riot" and so we are Digital Riot!"

7. WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS?
"For the future we hope that more and more people will listen to our music and we would like to work with very good djs as we did in the last party of Kormoranos where we played with The Twelves and with Feadz and we hope that such good co operations will happen again in the future either in a club or in a festival."

DIGITAL RIOT TOP 5

1. Zombie Nation- Forza
A real dance dynamite!A song that will never let you down and will make you wanna dance all night long.

2. The Black Kids- I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance (The Twelves Remix)
This song is so bright, cool and groovy that will make your feet moving by themselves

3. Daft Punk- Technologic (Balboa Remix)
Technologic is a dance anthem and this remix is too.

4. Kaiser Chiefs- Never Miss a Beat (Yuksek remix)
So aggresive and so happy same time!

5. Depeche Mode- Wrong
The new Depeche Mode track is new and already a classic!!So hard, dark and sexy!

MORE INFO:

DIGITAL RIOT SPACE

DIGITAL RIOT FANPAGE

DIGITAL RIOT BLOG

DANGER

Franck Rivoire makes music and performs it under the costume and character of Danger, a strange creature with a tendency in dark analogue sounds and old fashioned synthezisers creating an ideal soundtrack for a vintage video game.

1. WHAT IS THE IDEA BEHIND THIS SPECIAL APPEARANCE OF DANGER? WHAT IS HE REPRESENTING?
"It's a character : black skin and white eyes, he's just a part of the universe of danger, he's linked with the global story, the pictures, the music... And he knows how to mix, but he's a little weird, be prudent."

2. WHERE DO YOU GET IDEAS FROM?

"Video games, movies soundtrack, movies, classic music, hip hop, graphism, design, books, comics, manga..."

3. WHAT IS THE CONNECTION OF SOUND AND VISION AND WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT FOR YOUR PERFORMANCE?

"I try to put the public into a real universe, a real world, I’m not interested in the music for itself, but only with the pictures, the animations, the titles, the covers : the concept works."

4. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND?
"A mix of : Video games, movies soundtrack, movies, classic music, hip hop, graphism, design, books, comics, manga... the result is a cutted melodic narrative dance sound."

5. WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS?

"Wow : early 2009 NEW EP III, NEW EP II, NEW CLIP, NEW SHOW, NEW and First ALBUM -> work."

6. WHAT IS THE REASON YOU USUALLY CHOOSE A SONG TO REMIX IT?
"The first reason is : - I have to like the song, especially if it is not in the same music style than me, cause it's more interesting, more rich. The second reason is : - If an artist with good and big "aura" , reputation and visibility, even if I’m not in love with the song, I will do it."

MORE INFO:

DANGER SPACE

DANGER OFFICIAL SITE

TEENAGE BAD GIRL

Teenage Bad Girl were in Athens 2 months ago for a smashing dj set along with DJ Girl. They answered few questions to ME8H about djing and partying. Things they are totally aware of!

1. WHAT IS INSPIRATION TO YOU?
"Many things! Like all the music we listened to as teenagers… like Rage against the Machine, Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, Nirvana, Radiohead, Cassius, Mortorbass, Daft Punk of course… Our big brothers fav music, like Queen, Police… our parents fav music, like Gainsbourg, or the Beatles… and also many 70’s Funk bands like René & Angela or Gene Dunlap for example…"

2. WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS FOR A GREAT PARTY?
"Most of the time, the first thing we look when we arrive to play somewhere is lights!
They are so important… It’s very difficult to make people dance with one disco ball and a 3 colors light. Then the size of the venue… if it’s too big and not crowded, the party seems already a bit compromised. That’s why we prefer small clubs, with stuck and squeezed mood! And the last thing before we play, we walk around in the club to see if people are here for party, or to look at each others."


3. HOW DID YOU START DJING?
"We’ve first started to produce music… both of us around 18… we released our first records about 3 years ago on my label, Archibell Records, “Hands of a Stranger”. Then we made a remix for the Scissor Sisters, and Citizen, Vitalic’s label contacted us for an album project. That’s why we started to spin records on decks, especially to promote our music, and party with people who enjoy our sound."


4. WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS?
"We’re working rignt now on few remixes, and a compilation project for the end of the year. Then we’ll think about new sounds, and see what’s resulting, for maybe a new album, but not before end of 2009."

More info:

TEENAGE BAD GIRL SPACE

CITIZEN RECORDS

JERRY BOUTHIER

Jerry Bouthier is a great dj first of all. He is half part of JBAG, a project he created along with his music partner Andrea Gorgerino. They've made some of the most amazing remixes and re-edits to names such Sparks, S'Express, Kylie and many many more. They also make soundtracks for the hottest catwalks and fashion shows. Usually, after the fashion shows they travel the world driving people crazy with their beautiful sounds. I am also happy to be able to confirm that Jerry Bouthier is a beautiful person above all... Thanks Jerry!

1. HOW DID YOU START DJING, AND WHY?
"I reckon this is not really something you choose, it kind of chooses you (lol). Since school etc I was always playing/selecting music at parties, and then before you realize it, you're doing clubs etc... Also it keeps me busy in parties so I keep out of trouble (lol) which is probably a good thing as I love to party and go a little wild ha ha... It's a cliché but I think I've always enjoyed giving people a good time, entertaining them whilst getting them to discover stuff they don't know..."

2. WHAT IS INSPIRATION TO YOU?
"Inspiration is about feeling and emotion. Again I don't want to sound cliché but I'm always looking for music which is giving me a thrill and goose pimples... a strong sensation that I won't forget easily... I'm not into 'wall paper' music... every track should provide a big impression... I believe that as long I'm enjoying myself behind the decks, other people might do too... it's possibly a little selfish but it works! Excitement communicates easily ha ha."

3. NAME YOUR PROJECTS AND TELL US A FEW WORDS FOR EACH ONE.
"JBAG is myself and my music partner Andrea Corgerino, together we write, produce, remix and re-edit (Kylie, S-Express, Sparks, Rex the Dog...). We've just finished remixing the next Ladyhawke and Adam Sky singles. We're also deejaying together more and more because 'two is better than one' ha ha (a stupid French expression), no seriously I really enjoy deejaying on my own but as JBAG we're seriously rocking, the mixing is quicker, there's more mixing-desk action, it's a show... Andrea is a classically trained musician as well as a great engineer/producer so obviously it shows... I think you'll hear a lot more of JBAG in the near future... we're like a band now... we are doing an EP for Kitsuné at the moment...
BoomBox was my good friend Richard Mortimer's club. I was resident dj there (as well as at his previous club Family) and helped with the bookings of guest djs & acts. I always say BBx was an experiment but went ballistic. It wasn't really meant to be more than a great party for our friends to have fun and go silly but somehow it gave a lot of people, here and abroad, some kind of inspiration too, the excitement that you could do things how you want to and that you don't have to play the game like everybody else...
Neon Noise Project is a new party in London for which JBAG is resident dj. About time London got itself a big party into what I call 'electrock', we've had guests such as MSTRKRFT, Bang Gang djs, Cut Copy djs... in November NNP is organizing Kitsuné Maison 6 launch party at Heaven with Digitalism, Gildas & Masaya. Autokratz, Heartsrevolution... and JBAG (lol)!"

4. WHAT IS YOUR OPINION OF THE INTERNATIONAL MUSIC SCENE?
"It's very healthy! Since the explosion of electroclash a few years back, it's been growing bigger and better... for me artists like LCD Soundsystem, Fischerspooner, The Rapture, Soulwax, Goldfrapp, MGMT, Midnight Juggernauts, CSS, Digitalism, Cut Copy, Crystal Castles are the big innovative artists of today... the sounds that will have marked the present time... it's much more than one sound because everybody's doing its own thing, it's about strong personalities which is really exciting because these days so much music is formularized and formatted..."

5. WHICH ARTISTS WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO THE GREEK AUDIENCE?
"Er, I'm not so sure who's big in Greece and who isn't (lol). You should check the Kitsuné Maison compliations, they're the best indicator of what's new and hot..."

6. WHICH OF YOUR REMIXES MAKE YOU FEEL PROUD OF? WHAT IS THE NEXT ONE YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO?
"They all make us proud! They're like our children ha ha... We spend enough time on them! Nothing comes out of the studio until we're really happy and satisfied with it... and sometimes it can take a bloody long time I tell you... Today you don't make music for money because it doesn't pay anymore, people have stopped buying records, so you do it because you love it and that you want to leave something behind that is meaningful, that's the important thing... There is so much crap out there, anyone can make a tune these days... but the quality control is very low... it can be quite bad... people who are about to release tracks should really think to themselves: is this really worth putting out?"

7. HOW DID YOU FIND YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH WAVERADIO.GR?
"Yeah I loved it! I don't have much free time to surf the web so a chatroom was kind of a new thing to me and I found it much fun. Real fast and interactive... Is the station big in Athens and beyond then?"

8. WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS?
"As previously mentioned JBAG is on a roll... next is world domination ha ha. For our EP on Kitsuné we're working with vocalist Louise Prey who was the leader of the Ping Pong Bitches and sang on The Prodigy's 'Girls'. There are other collaborations with various vocalists and characters... As you might know JBAG also does a lot of soundtracks for fashion shows. That activity's going really well, we're doing all the Vivienne Westwood shows at the moment and younger designers like Jonathan Saunders, Peter Jensen, Roksanda Ilincic... Then there are the dj dates... I'm away most weekends... I was in Australia for 2 weeks in July... I went to Japan 4 times in less than a year... it's great to be able to do what you like best and meet nice people along the way..."

9. WHEN SHOULD WE EXPECT YOUR OWN MATERIAL?
"Soon! Sorry we're perfectionists! But again we don't believe in releasing stuff that we don't think if of high standards..."

10. WHAT KIND OF MUSIC ARE YOU LISTENING TO LATELY?
"All kinds. Particularly for the fashion shows, I'm always on the look out for new stuff... it can be indie, classical, experimental, ethnic, it's all good... when I travel I tend to listen a lot to poppy italo-disco, love songs you can dance too, I am a softy at heart you know (lol)..."

More info:
JERRY BOUTHIER SPACE
JBAG SPACE