Special Edition
C L A P T O N E DOMINIK EULBERG
DIVERSITY AND AWARENESS
THE METROPOLITANO EXPERIENCE
ABOVE & BEYOND
AND FROM THE INSIDE
La Feria, Argentinean sensation Juan Hansen, Uruguayan DJ Detected, DJ Erick Morillo & more…
Ecuador 367 piso 13 oficina A - CP: 1214 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires Buenos Aires - Argentina +54 11 4778 1500
EDITORIAL Proyect Leader B A N Directors Nicolás Barlaro, Pety Peltenburg Editor Hernán Pandelo hernanp@djmagla.com
COMERCIAL Institutional Relationships Gustavo Rana gustavorana@djmagla.com
Sales & Advertising Leo Jurjevich leoj@djmagla.com
We are more than happy to return to what is for us one of the most important events that the electronic scene has today. Listed as the fastest growing electronic event worldwide, the Amsterdam Dance Event is a key figure in the geography of dance music and the culture that lives around it.
Event Production Roberto Fernández rfernandez@djmagla.com
Financial Assistant Belén Casas info@djmagla.com
DESIGN Director Alejandro Ramos aleramos@djmagla.com Layout Sergio Aguirre
TRANSLATION Grosman Traducciones www.grosmantraducciones.com
We arrive with a new edition shared with our brothers from DJ Mag Brasil to demonstrate the power of the region in an unbeatable setting, surrounded by expectant people who seek to tune in with anyone who’s part of the spectrum of electronic music in its different forms. With Claptone on the cover, one of the biggest names in today’s scene -and one of the main acts that will come to our region during our summerand a list of our favorites, this is a small portion of what which we have been doing for more than seven years. Feel free to learn a little more…
HERNÁN PANDELO Editor
Special thanks to: Agustin Clark, Ariana Ramos, Bobby Bassett, Cristina Serrano, Emma Buezas, Ezequiel Dafont, Fernando Diaz, Gabo Semlich, Nicolas Basaure, Roxana Carreras, Thais Bello & Zach Kurfirst.
CONTENT
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FEATURES 20 DIVERSITY AND AWARENESS
A sincere talk with the German DJ and producer Dominik Eulberg.
24 ABOVE & BEYOND AND FROM THE INSIDE
Above & Beyond released “Flow State”, a new ambient album focused on yoga and mental health.
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The Man. The Concept. The Mask.
CLAPTONE
28 THE METROPOLITANO EXPERIENCE
The arrival of Guy J at Metropolitano de Rosario has become an experience in its own right.
08 COMIN’ UP La Feria becomes first nightclub in the world to operate completely on renewable energy, Get To Know Argentinean sensation Juan Hansen, Uruguayan DJ Detected remembers some stories in the mix, Colombian DJ Erick Morillo unravel the exclusive tracks of his recent “Subliminal Summer Sessions 2019”... 6
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COMIN’ UP
CHILEAN CLUB LA FERIA BECOMES FIRST NIGHTCLUB IN THE WORLD TO OPERATE COMPLETELY ON RENEWABLE ENERGY A NEW ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THE CHILEAN NIGHTCLUB THAT WAS VOTED THE WORLD’S NO. 89 CLUB IN THE TOP 100 CLUBS THIS YEAR.
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enowned electronic music nightclub La Feria, located in the heart of Santiago, Chile’s Barrio Bellavista will become the first nightclub in the region to sustainably cover 100% of the energy it uses. This joint campaign between the nightclub and Budweiser follows a global initiative of the beer brand where, according to an announcement made at the World Economic Forum in 2018, Budweiser is committed to transforming their global production by 2025 with 100% clean energy. Together with this initiative, the iconic brewery intends to bring sustainability into the daily lives of Chileans. The club’s new concept will include the implementation of 35 photovoltaic panels in the club which will produce 1,299 kWh of energy per month, covering 100% of what the club consumes. This translates to a saving of 6.51 tons of CO2 annually that would have been otherwise emitted into the atmosphere – more than what five houses would consume. La Feria is the only Chilean venue to have made it to DJ Mag’s top 100 clubs list, ranking 89th for the first time ever in 2019. With a clear contracting policy, the club has hosted the best exponents of international house and techno music. The switchover happened on May 30th in the club with 20 years of history. DJ Damian Lazarus graced the decks.
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35
photovoltaic panels in the club
1,299 kWh
of energy produced every month
100%
of what the club consumes will be covered
6.51 tons of CO2 will cease to be issued annually
COMIN’ UP GET TO KNOW Photo: LUCKA BUENO
JUAN HANSEN FROM: SAN FERNANDO, BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA FOR FANS OF: WEVAL, SEBASTIAN MULLAERT THREE TRACKS: KOBALT, HIDING SUN, MADIN NEXT GIG: SAVAGE, BUENOS AIRES – OCT 26TH. Ever since he was 13 or 14, Juan Hansen has sat down with a guitar to write music keeping in mind that it will be played live on stage. ‘I’ve always felt the need to listen to new stuff — music that inspires me or drives me to create something myself,’ he says. At age 18, a friend played Tiesto and Paul Oakenfold on a car ride they took together, and then he slowly took to listening to electronic music. ‘I’ve always enjoyed finding new sounds but with dance music it was like entering a new world. I kept going to clubs or festivals to listen to different genres and after a few years, I got the chance to start producing when I came upon Ableton Live in 2015,’ he recalls. With experience playing in bands, he adopted a more experimental approach, recording organic instruments as a rule and trying 10
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to expand the limits of music made for the dancefloor. ‘That year a friend gave me his AKAI APC40 midi controller and I started to put together my live set,’ he chronicles. In 2017, he started playing live in this format and has never stopped since.
for a smaller audience where I can explore my most experimental, downtempo side.’
He began to focus on the most electronic side of music, and from there, things started to roll. He quit his job as a graphic designer and started teaching guitar, harmony and music production, until he got requests to play live. ‘Today I am lucky and blessed to devote every day of my life to creating rhythms and melodies,’ he says enthusiastically.
Juan is proud of how far he has come and intends to keep working hard to deliver fresh-sounding shows with new music and his distinctive fusion of genres. ‘I love to play in venues where very few people know my music because I get to use all my tracks as if they were new – I can play sets that I haven’t played in ages and see the crowd react to the music in different ways,’ he says with passion. In addition, he recently premiered his ‘Storyteller’ show alongside cellist Jacquie-O – a highly intimate, theatrical performance where both musicians improvised for almost two hours.
Among his accomplishments, Juan mentions his recent performance alongside Argentine idol Hernán Cattáneo when he came back to Buenos Aires. ‘It was a unique experience for me. Perhaps the most soul-stirring moment in my career,’ he says humbly. Also, in Argentina, he has found the proper place to experiment with his shows. ‘I’m lucky that I get to perform both in good clubs where I can develop my most intense side and in other smaller venues
So far this year, he says he’s been spending a lot of time in the studio. ‘This year I’ve been focusing on putting together seven or eight tracks that I intend to include on my first album. It’s all new music and I’m going to play it live with a band before releasing it,’ he says. This, along with the ongoing reinvention of his live set plus collaborations with fellow countrymen such as Santiago García and Sidirum have fans excited. HERNÁN PANDELO
COMIN’ UP TRACK BY TRACK
ERICK MORILLO
Colombian DJ Erick Morillo unravel the exclusive tracks of his recent “Subliminal Summer Sessions 2019”... • ANTRANIG – ‘SEDUCTION’ “Known for his dark tribal beats, Antranig delivered a monster track with ‘Seduction’. The tribal underground beats are just perfect for the Subliminal Summer Sessions 2019 compilation.”
• MONOKY AND ITSBILLY – ‘KEEP MOVIN’ “Monoky and Itsbilly are producers from California. I’m loving their sound! ‘Keep Movin’ has that funky tech-house vibe which was what I was looking for when curating the compilation.”
• E & G - ‘SO DEEP (ANTRANIG & JOSE NUNEZ REMIX)’ “‘So Deep’ is a rework of a track I produced many years ago. Antranig & Jose Nunez’s rework is pure fire. The bassline on this remix is perfection!”
• MARCO LYS - ‘WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN’ “My boy Marco Lys from Italy is on a roll and this track fits perfectly with the sound of the compilation. Loving the sexy vibe. It has summer written all over it!”
• PATRICK M - ‘CAVAZ’ “Patrick M is from Miami and is known for his underground sound. The minute I heard ‘Cavaz’, I knew it had to be part of the compilation. ‘Cavaz’ has that deep underground vibe that DJs love playing at any time of night.”
• QT-HIGH - ‘PERCUSSIVE’ “QT is a Mexican producer who is known for the funky beat driven tracks. ‘Percussive’, with stacked grooves and thrilling sound effects, whenever and wherever it’s played, will get the crowded moving.”
• NICK LAMPOS – ‘BLACK MADNESS’ “I road tested ‘Black Madness’ at the Electric Gardens festival in Australia in early January. The crowd reaction was madness and I’ve been playing the track in my sets ever since. Nick Lampos production on this track is perfect!”
• ALI GHANAVI AND CHAKA & MARTY - ‘I NEED MUSIC’ “Ali Ghanavi and Chaka & Marty are producers from California who collaborated on this tech-house gem called ‘I Need Music’. A great track to drop when it’s time to go deep.”
• SEAN SINES - ‘LOST MY WAY (DEAN MICKOSKI REMIX)’ Releasing his first record back in 1992 on he iconic Strictly Rhythm imprint, Morillo is now into the 27th year of his illustrious music career, and remains as consistent in his output as ever. This past august he has released ‘Subliminal Summer Sessions 2019’, the latest instalment of his much-lauded annual mix CD, via his own Subliminal Records. A two-disc, 30-track release, the compilation features no fewer than twelve exclusive tracks from Morillo’s friends and contemporaries. “This year’s compilation is slightly different as it will contain twelve unreleased tracks. I’m very excited to have everyone hear what I put together as I devoted a lot of time curating and aggregating this project”, he said. We asked the house legend about those new tunes. 12
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“Sean Sines UK based producer is the artist behind ‘Lost My Way’, a masterpiece meant to lighten up the dance floor. Dean Mickoski’s rendition is a great compliment to the original.”
• DEAN MICKOSKI - ‘SILENCE’ “A chill, melodic vibe. ‘Silence’ is one of those tracks that can be played at any time. I love how ‘Silence’ brought the second mix of the Subliminal Summer Sessions 2019 compilation together. Dean Mickoski took it to another level with this track!”
• RAYVEN & VALEXX - “GROOVY CIRCLE’ “Rayven & Valexx’s ‘Groovy Circle’ is a definitely a groovy track with a funky bassline. Based out of Italy, Rayven & Valexx brought the heat with this production. It was a great addition to the comp track list.”
• ANTRANIG AND MARLON D. - ‘JUNGLE JUICE’ “Deep, dirty, tribal animalistic! ‘Jungle Juice’ has all the elements. Antranig and Marlon D. collaboration keep you wanting more!”
COMIN’ UP STORIES IN THE MIX
DJ DETECTED
The Uruguayan DJ remembers some anecdotes of his career...
Photo: ÁLVARO LÓPEZ
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s a strong driver of the Uruguayan electronic scene, DJ Detected is an artist who has come a long way, accumulating lots of experience in clubs and festivals in different cities in South America, also performing in different places in North America and Europe. He is currently one of the leading exponents of electronic music in Uruguay, with residences in spaces such as Technocracia and Club Phonotheque, an also being the local representative in the recent edition of Resistance Montevideo sharing stage with acts like Carl Cox and Pan Pot. We ask him to remember those interesting stories that took place during your career.
ICE ICE BABY “In 2015 I was invited to participate in the We Are Techno party, which took place in the Carnival Museum of Montevideo. The place is an old warehouse near the port, a true charm for parties... But it didn’t have air conditioner so the production hired a company of industrial fans. I asked them to have one in the stage and, while I was playing the first songs, I tried to bring it as close as possible. When I tried to lift it, it fell on my foot. The base of the fan literally fell on my foot and the pain was tremendous. At that time and with more than 1000 people ahead, all I could do was ask for an ice pack and keep my set going with my foot submerged in it.”
CONFUSED
EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING
“I’m used to perform in Punta Del Este but, last year, I had to live an unusual situation. When I was arriving at the club, I started listened to music that had nothing to do with the warm up that would have to be playing. Then, I went directly to the booth to introduce myself and ask what was happening and the DJ told me that there was no guest DJ that night and that my party was somewhere else, in another place, a few meters away. The promoter gave me the wrong address and the proximity of the places unleashed the confusion!”
“After several successful editions, the Springlove party in Uruguay raised the bet and made a special edition outdoors in a bigger place, waiting for a bigger audience. The preparations were flowing and, a few hours before the start of the event, the government canceled the authorization and the date was postponed. The big drawback was that Samuel L Session was already in Uruguay and I personally had a great expectation to play with him and listen to his set. The attempts to reactivate the festival were in vain and, when everything seemed lost, an alternative place appeared. It was much smaller and more intimate and, finally, we could listen to Samuel in a dreamed environment, surrounded by friends and saving a night that we thought it was lost.”
LONG LIVE THE KING “In September, 2018, I was invited by Key Producciones to participate in the Resistance festival in Montevideo, which celebrated its first edition in Uruguay. My set was at sunset time of an incredible spring day. The event was going perfectly, the dancefloor was filled early with incredible energy until, in a moment, I suddenly felt an ovation for no apparent reason, an euphoric explosion of applause and screams. I didn’t understand the reason, I just laughed, until I looked at my side and saw Carl Cox appearing on the stage. With that characteristic smile, he greeted me and waited for me to finish my last song with the best vibes. I have the memory of a magical afternoon.”
TECHNO BET “At the beginning of 2009, we met with my colleagues and friends DJ Black and DJ Koolt and decided to start a party of exclusive techno parties. At that time, techno was not a popular genre in our country but the event was somewhat innovative, a new musical profile for our scene, which at that time was mainly minimal and tech house. From its first edition, Technocracia broke into the scene with a proposal that aimed at the purest techno and, against all odds, the party became strong and managed to transcend through the years.” djmagla.com
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THE MAN. THE CONCEPT. THE MASK.
CLAPTONE NEVER FELT SO GOOD. Words: HERNÁN PANDELO
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hen we talk to the man behind the mask, the mystery covers us. His approach to answering questions is not the same as everyone. The mask gives him some advantage when it comes to deal with not only press but also with the crowd. Excitement can be noticed on his voice while talking about his present and the opportunity on being on a new magazine cover. He used to live in the shadows, enjoying some lonely nights. Gradually, he started playing more and more DJ gigs showing his golden face while playing. Today, he plays more than ever, headlining big festivals worldwide. “It feels like I look into the mirror all the time. I see golden faces looking back to me in the crowd”, he explains about the people using the mask he popularized. “The socials, the 14
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magazines… That’s amazing. Being in the cover of DJ Mag Latin America. Wow!” “The best about being on a cover is that more people than ever know about Claptone and by that I don’t mean my private life, they know about my music, my albums, remixes and my DJ sets”, making a clear statement about him maintaining his identity in private. “I saw an interview with Billie Eilish where she was asked what it was like to be a star and if she enjoyed it. She answered that she loved it and all the benefits that come with it, but she wishes there was a switch that you could just turn your popularity off with once in a while to feel and be treated normal again. I found that switch.” We wanted to know even more…
MORE THAN A MASK How important is the Claptone mask for the entire Claptone concept nowadays? “My solar system revolves around the mask. It’s the apple of my eye. It spells my name faster than anything else, it’s a logo, it’s a fingerprint, and it’s the core image, a small vessle containing my unfathomable universe. And it’s not only me wearing this mask, it’s on every flyer, poster, photo and flying above the iconic stage design for my event series ‘The Masquerade’. Everyone can buy this mask as well as gloves and the black long sleeve in my online store and take part in or be part of Claptone. I mean, if you have a face like that why not use it?” How much effort you and your team put in order to keep the enigmatic image rolling? Does this give an extra to your act as a whole? “As much as I love music and it will always be the center piece of what defines Claptone, I love to play around with the mask and my image as a whole. I dare say Claptone has already become an icon, so why not be playful and extend the universe, unveil legends and invent new chapters of the Claptone story? For me, this feels like a blessing, because not many DJs have the opportunity to create their own playing cards in Claptone design, to publish their own comic book giving their fans insight in the origins and other adventures of Claptone or to create a stop-motion video starring a toy Claptone. Shortly, I’ll even have a Claptone bobblehead for sale and other crazy projects are in the making.”
“I DARE SAY CLAPTONE HAS ALREADY BECOME AN ICON, SO WHY NOT BE PLAYFUL AND EXTEND THE UNIVERSE, UNVEIL LEGENDS AND INVENT NEW CHAPTERS OF THE CLAPTONE STORY?” Why the mask in the first place? “This mask is part of my personality, one of my many faces. Its origins lie in the old Italian city of Venetia and for me hints at the rich history and culture we all share and of course at the masquerade balls we hold since centuries. A social tradition which allows us to explore our identity and to fathom our freedom as individuals in performative play. One aspect of it is being able to question authorities and hierarchies, structures of self-sustaining power, question the ones we kneel down before. The beak with its birdlike shape is giving me access to perform beyond human abilities. At the same time it ridicules ‘pop idols’ who think they are more than just human and love to run around present their tail feathers. The resemblance to a plague doctor’s mask is not by accident either. You are welcome to perceive me as some kind of sonic plague doctor. The mask was casted out of titan’s gold. Gold for me reflects the treasure that I found in music. It simultaneously ridicules the greed and materialism of your average ‘rock star’ or ‘Hip Hop hero’. Last not least wearing a mask is liberating and it’s shielding your privacy extending your personal freedom.
This, together with reflecting on the mechanisms of media and popular music, empowers me to be in charge of my image and be creative with it as described above. This way, I can perform my artistic identity much more consciously and self-controlled than artists who have their face irreversibly connected with their image when media and fans never allow them to take off their mask.”
THE MASQUERADE This has been a fantastic year for your party The Masquerade… After an amazing season in Ibiza, how would you describe this year’s journey? “You’re right, it’s been crazy. It was my first season in Ibiza and I didn’t have any clear vision of how it might be really. I only knew it’ll be a great party because I know my fans and I knew they’ll come and enjoy this experience. But, to be honest, for the first season it surpassed my wildest expectations. So many amazing people that appreciated all the quite various line ups I had been programming. The greatest compliment surely was that so many of these great DJs whom I booked like Todd Terry, Kerri Chandler, MK as well as DJs whom I couldn’t have on the bill like Solardo, Camelphat, Paul Oakenfold, Roger Sanchez, Erick Morillo, Martin Solveig came in private on some Mondays to just enjoy the party and the great vibe of the night. There is nothing more rewarding than that. Now, after Ibiza, I’ll take ‘The Masquerade’ to Amsterdam for ADE, to Montreal for Halloween and I am super excited to be able to take it to Viña Del Mar as well as to Buenos Aires for celebrating the biggest event I ever did in Estadio GEBA with Green Velvet and Solardo supporting. What a great show to be finishing ‘The Masquerade’ in 2019 to return even stronger in 2020.” We know you curate the line ups so, what did you try to achieve here in the first place? Who’s able to play in a show like this? “It was my very first season for ‘The Masquerade’ on Mondays at Pacha Ibiza and I was given 19 weeks to program the most exciting line ups. So I tried out lots of interesting combinations of great female and male talent. I wanted to bring the freshest new guys in house music together with the legends that inspired all of us for decades. And of course I invited all the friends who played ‘The Masquerade’ events around the world for the last three years since the birth of the event. I wanted music and the show revolve around the house sound that we all love so much and created a great unforgettable party for everyone. My aim was to connect the dots musically by showcasing every DJs different approach and style towards house. I dare say all the guests I had where pretty capable to play the Masquerade and I really enjoyed some being more niche others being borderline mainstream. In other words: I don’t like the music staying the same for eight hours, all night. I have always been one for mixing it up.”
“I WANTED TO BRING THE FRESHEST NEW GUYS IN HOUSE MUSIC TOGETHER WITH THE LEGENDS THAT INSPIRED ALL OF US FOR DECADES.”
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Which were the highlights of this season? It’s hard to pick just one or two moments when you just had 19 weeks of mayhem at the first season of your very own night with your very own concept ’The Masquerade’. The pure fact that I was able to program the line up, invite and play with Armand van Helden, Andhim, Audiojack, Basement Jaxx, Bob Moses, Catz n’ Dogz, Chus & Ceballos, Danny Howard, Danny Tenaglia, David Penn, Dennis Cruz, Dennis Ferrer, Diplo, Duke Dumont, Eli & Fur, Faithless, Felix Da Housecat, Hannah Wants, Heidi, Illyus & Barrientos, Jon Hopkins, Kerri Chandler, Lars Moston, Maya Jane Coles, Mat.Joe, MK, Nhan Solo, Nora En Pure, Pirupa, Purple Disco Machine, Riva Starr, Route 94, Shiba San, Shir Khan, Sidney Charles, SG Lewis, Sonny Fodera, Tensnake, Todd Terry, Tube & Berger and Weiss was such a game changer for me. It’s tough to put that into words and even harder to pick a favorite moment. But the b2b with Diplo was certainly a highlight for me as this was my very first and to date my last back 2 back ever. And as it was Diplo playing house music in front of a super excited crowd. And speaking about the crowd, I think the crowd all these 19 weeks was the main highlight for me. It was always packed, the vibe was always magic as in electric, positive and party rockin’. So I want to use the opportunity to say thanks to everyone who came out.”
IBIZA “I EMBRACED THE RICH AND LONG GOING HISTORY OF IBIZA’S OLDEST CLUB.”
Why do you think the party went so well on the island? What was that extra that made it one of the most successful events of the year? “First off, I didn’t try to make Pacha into something it isn’t. On the contrary. I embraced the rich and long going history of Ibiza’s oldest club. Even before I got asked to bring ‘The Masquerade’ into Pacha, I knew this would be a perfect fit. First of all, it’s a match made in heaven musically as Pacha helped grow house music in Europe over the decades and I am all about house. ‘The Masquerade’, same as Pacha, has always been about high quality dancers and performers and we share the same idea about how to create an ambience for people to let lose. An ambience, though being mystical, transporting a positive disco, party or rock feel. Both the club and my event don’t stand for that dark dungeon vibe. No judgement. When starting preparations early 2019 I made a huge effort in growing the regular stage setup of my ’The Masquerade’ parties - the huge golden mask above the booth and the smaller masks with the LED-lit eyes hanging from the ceiling - to match Pacha architecture and space and come up with interior design ideas to go along with that. We brought in the paintings that come from the ceiling, the huge chandeliers and the masked statues. I put even more effort into the dancer and performer costumes as I had taylors from Pacha as well as taylors from Torture Garden in London work out details on costumes and designs I came up with. That’s why in the end there are about 30 amazing characters from futuristic Venetian carnival to cinematic Eyes Wide Shut from classic Circus to Dia de los Muertos dancing, wandering or even flying through the club. Music is the key and, yes, it’s the answer, but I wanted to put that music into a unique ambience supported by the amazing dancers and performers in order to -with the help of all this amazing musical talent- make this the show it is.”
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And what was the best about being the whole summer around and having the Mondays to enjoy a crowd that is coming for you? How was the routine on these months? “Ibiza is certainly one of the best places to be stuck for five sunny month per year. Not only do the biggest DJs come through on a daily basis to play great clubs in front of a music loving crowd, but also you do have crystal clear water with amazing beaches or bays to chill and sunbath during the day. And the cuisine of the island is just far out. There are have so many mindblowing restaurants, quite often situated, so they offer breathtaking views or sunsets. On mondays I quite often came in with an early flight from my weekend gigs. I made an effort to be there early to chill before the show and get into the mood. Around 7pm there was a team dinner and quite often some of the DJ guests joined to enjoy the sunset. Then there was the pre-party at San Antonio’s legendary Cafe Mambo where me and a guest of the night each played a 30min showcase set in front of the Mambo crowd. A warm up to what’s to come later as the main extravaganza so to speak. After Mambo everyone went over to Pacha and at midnight doors opened. I was quite surprised that on most nights at 1am the club was packed already. The first and second acts had a blast quite early and then I went on and blew the roof off. Don’t ask me for after, cause it all ends in a blur.” And Ibiza helped you to have the confidence to try it out around the world? “It was the other way around. The last three years growing ‘The Masquerade’ brand, taking it everywhere from Berlin to Lima, from Los Angeles to Melbourne, from Bogota to New York gave me the confidence to bring it to Ibiza. The island is certainly the place on this planet where you have the biggest competition and party nights that have been running for about 10 to 20 years. To start something new in Ibiza is a big risk, so many big acts have tanked their nights on the island. Many people actually told me not to do it, amongst them people I work very closely with. But I dare say the confidence I had paid off.”
JUST MUSIC How do you see the scene nowadays? How different is from the day you started playing & making music? “Music and scenes, clubs and venues… They are always evolving and I embrace that constant change. It keeps me young and excited about music. When I started to DJ, what you call ‘the scene’ was completely different. People were not dancing towards the DJ, they were just dancing. The DJ wasn’t important at all, the music was. And the whole dance music thing grew into something no one would have been able to imagine. Back then there weren’t any dance music festivals at all, just clubs. Today for many people DJs are the new rockstars and the biggest jocks are playing in stadiums. Was it better back then? I don’t know. It’s just a completely different animal today.” There’s always some kind of nostalgia going back on the scene… Are you a nostalgic? How much do you think about the past? “Even though I am centuries old, I am not nostalgic at all. I like
looking back at times, but mostly to take something old and make it into something new. I am definitely not one of the people who tell you ‘everything was better back then’. I think it’s our responsibility to create a future for every single human being that gets born today. And for that we have to learn from the past, but must not tell ourselves the tale of what an amazing past it was and pretend we could go back. Like in music, you can’t go back. If you try it feels old, you sound old.”
“TODAY FOR MANY PEOPLE DJS ARE THE NEW ROCKSTARS AND THE BIGGEST JOCKS ARE PLAYING IN STADIUMS. WAS IT BETTER BACK THEN? I DON’T KNOW. IT’S JUST A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ANIMAL TODAY.” What is house music for you? “The beautiful thing for me is the ambiguity of the term house music. It can mean so many different things to different people and covers so many different visions of positive four to the floor music at different times over the last few decades that you need to be open minded if you like house. Another thing that makes it so precious to me is that house doesn’t discriminate. Never did since day one. People can come together under the house flag and get accepted for what they want to be. They’ll have a good time no matter who they are or have to be in their everyday life. Even when being hedonistic and self-indulgent and without evidently political lyrics, house is much more of a statement then you might think at first sight.” djmagla.com
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STUDIO TIME Last year’s ‘Fantast’ was great but this year you slowed down your releases… is this right? If so, why? “Up to this point of the interview you’ll have an idea of how much energy and planning went into ‘The Masquerade’ in Ibiza. On top of that, I have constantly been touring. In 2018 and 2019 I played over 250 gigs each year. I just didn’t have too much time left to compose original music. The time I did have to make music, I spent on creating exclusive remixes, edits and mash ups that you can only hear on my gigs. At least ten or twenty tracks that won’t ever be released. On top of that, I worked on remixes a lot and this year worked for Florence & The Machine, Purple Disco Machine, Sam Smith, Marina & The Diamonds, Ry X and you’ll soon here what I did for Mark Ronson, Michael Kiwanuka as well as Charlie Puth. But I promise that I’ll start producing new original stuff soon.”
“I SOMETIMES THINK I FIND ALBUMS INTERESTING BECAUSE I AM OLD.”
After one year out, how would you analyze ‘Fantast’? “‘Fantast’ for me was a bit step forward in sound and composition. I love the album. It’s got lots of character and is anything but just another boring dance music album. I am proud of so many great songs on there like ‘Wildside’, ‘Birdsong’, ‘Stronger’, ‘Cruising’ or ‘Animal’.” How good is to work on big releases like an album? What is the best about it? “The best thing about it is that you can break with the formats of club music and prove to yourself that you are more than just a DJ. You can work with amazing vocalists from your favorite indie bands and make beautiful music as well as try out many things in music that you won’t if you’d only be after a club banger.” With the enigma behind you entire act, albums can help you to develop concepts that people would love to explore. Do you find LPs interesting because of this? “I sometimes think I find albums interesting because I am old. I mean, seriously, all your friends listen to Spotify and stream their music, don’t they? Who listens to albums anymore? Anyway, I collect vinyl and I listen to albums wherever time allows me this luxury. I love the long player with all its ups and downs, its strengths and weaknesses. And yes, I love a good concept behind an album. Not only as a listener who appreciates the so called artistic vision, but also as an artist for whom limitation and focus points open up new creative spaces.” Are you planning the next one already? “Actually, I just yesterday listened to layouts and did a new mixdown of a song which I had laying around. Yes, I already think about a third album. But most likely that won’t be out before 2021.”
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CLAPTONE CHOOSES HIS BEST TRACKS NO EYES
“I played and listened to this song countless times and I still love it. Without this song there wouldn’t have been an album, a second album and most likely there wouldn’t be any career.”
UNDER THE MOON
“Another amazing song I wrote with Nathan Nicholson. The hymn for each summer, for each party weekend, but at the same time a homage to all the women on this planet. And I am not talking sexiness… I am talking power, intellect and beauty, I am talking real love.”
GHOST
“The first song I wrote with Alec from the US Indie Band Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. His voice is truly unique. Such a beautiful haunting song with lyrics as cryptic as they come.”
PUPPET THEATRE
“That piano line and the funk groove pair up with this heavy political lyric by Pete, Björn & John. The first slightly slower track I produced, which gave me confidence that the Claptone vibe works as well outside the 4/4 world.”
A WAITING GAME
“One of my favorites off the ‘Fantast’ album. A song you can only release on an album, far away from house music. I just love it when you listen to a song and it touches not only your heart, but you instantly get pictures in your head. This is one of them.”
DIVERSITY AND AWARENESS “MUSIC IS NATURE AND NATURE IS MUSIC.”
We had a sincere talk with the German DJ and producer Dominik Eulberg days after the release of his new studio album “Mannigfaltig”. Words: HERNÁN PANDELO
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F
or Dominik Eulberg, getting into the studio is not just a moment to create sound. As a graduate ecologist, his way of seeing the world is crossed by an uncontrollable desire to preserve the resources of Planet Earth, including flora and fauna. After eight years, Dominik returned to his favorite format with a plea: let’s take care of the environment. With a concept that is present in all the songs of his new work, the artist wants us to become aware. From the garden of his home in Germany, the producer spoke with us about “Mannigfaltig”, the fifth studio album of his career, released last September 6 on !K7 Records. “I’m just sitting in my garden having a muesli with freshly picked blackberries for breakfast while watching the last house martin as they hunt insects - such amazing aerial acrobats!”, Dominik replies, giving us a little understanding of his love for the environment. Tell us about “Mannigfaltig”! How did this project start? “Finally, after more than eight and a half years, there is another album from me coming. Two and a half years ago -while implementing my discography in my new websiteI realized how long ago my last album ‘Diorama’ was so I felt an urge to create a fifth one. As always, I started with its concept. The cover was done before I even started with the music. Making music is actually nothing else than selecting from an infinite number of options. But with a finished concept I already have a red thread in which direction I want to go. For instance, that it has to be exactly twelve tracks long.” What is the aim of this new album? “I came up with the idea for the concept during a hike at home. On a flower meadow, I spotted a yellow-luminous butterfly, which has a pattern on its wings in the form of the number eight. This is why the moth is called ‘golden figure eight’ -‘Goldene Acht’. Shortly after, I spotted a very special songbird that stockpiles food for bad times by impaling his prey on thorns. According to folk belief, he would kill nine animals before eating one. This is why he was called ‘Neuntöter’ –‘red-backed shrike’, in English-, referring to the senine killed animals. After that, I heard the calls of a dormouse, a rodent that owes its name to long hibernation -‘Siebenschläfer’, referring to a sevenmonth hibernation phase in German. It got me thinking: ‘Wait a minute! Nine, eight, seven…’. I spun the chain further and indeed: for every number from one to twelve, a native animal species could be found by name. This is how diverse -or even better-, how manifold our nature is. But this breath-taking diversity is at risk.”
And what message are you sending to your listeners? “Never before this many species disappeared in such a short period of time because of human influence. That’s very stupid, also for us, humans, because we need nature. It is our livelihood, the mother that feeds us. Everything that goes against nature ultimately also goes against us. Each living being provides important services to an ecosystem that we use on a daily basis. Something as obvious as the air that we breathe is not God-given. We should face our animal and plant friends again with more respect and give them back the space they need. They are a survival insurance for us. Otherwise, homo sapiens quickly becomes homo suicidalis.”
“Never before this many species disappeared in such a short period of time because of human influence. That’s very stupid, also for us, humans, because we need nature.” Why did you decide to give this album a concept relating to biodiversity, rather than simply making the music? “In my heart, since I was able to think, I have been a nature conservationist and above all someone who wanted to raise awareness in others and make them more sensitive to their natural surroundings. The sensitization, sharpening the senses again for the essentials, is much more important, as it is the start of a causal chain as the human only protects what he values. For me, music is an excellent instrument to pick people up and give them something to take with them on their journey. That’s why I always provide albums with a meta-level, trying to initiate thought processes with it. We also produced several sensitizing music videos to go with the album. The renowned nature filmmaker Jan Haft, for instance, shows the breath-taking diversity of the native flora and fauna; the macro-photographer Thorben Danke and I portrayed insects like humans through ‘focus stacking’ in order to move the shifted view into the right light again.” Is there a way you can describe the music in it? “I find it almost impossible to assign my music to a certain genre. Which is even something that I don’t want. The music that I make is always intrinsically, for the sake of the music itself, without any genre convention thoughts. I find it strange and also mentally limiting to put music into boxes. I mean, music is a communication medium that is older than language. I think that you specially listen to good music when not having to ask yourself about its genre or genesis. I personally follow the approach of manifesting the positive vibrations that I perceive during my contemplative experiences in nature, through melodies. Similar to a painter who paints pictures of nature.”
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“Music is a communication medium that is older than language. I think that you specially listen to good music when not having to ask yourself about its genre or genesis.” Why did you choose the album format? What is the best thing about working on this kind of sizeable project? “The beautiful thing about the album format is that you don’t have to deliver as an artist, you don’t have to follow or listen to the ‘partying-hedonism’, but you can really show the full range of sound. I really love making albums. You can completely submerge yourself in a cosmos and take a close look to each of its corners. Oftentimes albums consist of just three to four populist tracks and then many other to fill the gaps. They merely serve to create a promotional tool for a tour. I find that terrible. I like it when you can sonically experience an individual in the long play format. When you can encounter an artistic soul more and more from all the different perspectives.” What connection does the music have with nature? How did you start connecting the sounds with the nature in the beginning? “Music is nature and nature is music. As we know nowadays: subject matter doesn’t exist. Everything consists of molecules which again consist of atoms. These atoms aren’t subject matter but consist of so-called quarks. If you take an even closer look at them you realize that neither them are subject matter and instead consist of so called strings – giving the name to the superstring-theory. The way they vibrate creates the illusion of subject matter for us. So, everything consists of vibrations and vibrations are nothing else than music. In the beginning I tried to entangle my two great passions – music and nature. This was somewhat naive of me. I used to record animal sounds and other sounds in nature. Today I still do that, but only for production reasons in order to have a third sonic, acoustic dimension beside the analogue and digital sound sources. My way of combining my two passions with each other is nowadays, as I mentioned before, rather indirect.” Where are you nowadays in your career? “I’m getting more and more to the point in my career where I can dare to unite my two passions in a healthier, more sustainable and more holistic way. This is why I often go to bat excursions or other guided tours through nature before my gigs, in order to give my travels and my life an additional intellectual dimension of meaningfulness. It is important to identify who you really are, what you need to be happy and where your own limits are. If we identify this, we are satisfied and are able to run the marathon. But if you let your greed for
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fame and money spirit you, you can quickly lose yourself and turn into the allegorical donkey that runs after the carrot and rapidly collapses.” Do you feel pressure to maintain this high level of your productions? “I don’t feel any type of pressure while producing. This is in part because I meanwhile founded my own label Apus Apus, where there are in fact no deadlines at all and where I can release certain music at a specific point in time and in a specific way that I find suits best. In the end, we always create the pressure ourselves and it lies in our hands to make it harmonic and digestible. Because digestibility is at the same time also biological efficiency which in the long run is the healthiest way.” If you weren’t a DJ and producer, what would you be doing? “I studied ecology and environmental protection and worked as a ranger in the national park afterwards. I never intended to start a career in music, it simply happened. But by now I am very glad and grateful to have this stage where I can reach even more people with my mission in life – to make them more aware of the nature around them. If all this never happened I would probably still be publicly engaged in matters of nature conservation and do daily guided tours through nature as well as creating neo-pedagogical concepts for environmental education.” Where do you think you’ll be in ten years? “I wish that I will have managed to interweave my two passions into one as much as possible. It’s a great balance between both but switching from one state of mind to the other is quite a challenge sometimes. Going on stage on Fridays after having done meditative nature conservation work for the past few days, while absorbing things humbly and being in your yin-energy and then going on stage and fully be in your yangenergy is definitely a challenge. The same goes with getting out of the rave mode on Sundays.”
ABOVE & BEYOND
AND FROM THE INSIDE ABOVE & BEYOND RELEASED A NEW AMBIENT ALBUM FOCUSED ON YOGA AND MENTAL HEALTH. WE TALKED WITH PAAVO SILJAMÄKI ABOUT HOW THE PROJECT WAS BORN AND WHAT THEY LOOK
AFTER WITH “FLOW STATE”.
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I
n this last decade, there aren’t many electronic groups that have achieved such a real connection with their audience as Above & Beyond has done. With music created from the heart, the British trio composed of Paavo Siljamäki, Jono Grant and Tony McGuinness has always known how to please their fans while continuing to innovate and surprise them. An experience in 2014 triggered a new stage of their career in parallel with his sessions for main stages. “A friend of ours had been telling us for years to go to Burning Man. When we told him we were finally going, he hooked us up with his friends at Robot Heart. The team at Robot Hear asked us if we wanted to DJ for Elena Brower’s sunset yoga practice and we did!”, Paavo Siljamäki explains from his home, while he prepares to travel to Scotland to play at the EH1 Festival. It was a beautiful day in Playa. Paavo and his teammates had a great day at Burning Man, quietly nervous, thinking about what the yoga and deep sets at Robot Heart would be like. “The whole thing felt spontaneous and it all happened so fast. It left us with a feeling of amazement as the class was so beautiful, ”he recalls. After the experience, the set was uploaded to Soundcloud and received countless amounts of love from the people. “The more people spoke about it, the more we spoke to Elena about how we could collaborate more,” says the artist about the relationship with the yoga expert. From then on, everything was on the rise: they made a new yoga session in their show for the 250 episodes of their ABGT radio show in the Gorge and and then repeated it in Hong Kong for the show 300. “Elena is an incredibly inspirational, wise person and has also been a guiding light during some of my dark times in the past few years,” he adds. These first experiences led the group to think a little further and the album “Flow State” began to take shape. Far from being the first time they produced downtempo music to relax, something that also happened at the beginning of the group with their Oceanlab project, this time there was a clear purpose behind everything. “The real porpose of the songs was to coexist as part of the Flow State album and our yoga shows. I felt this made the whole process exciting but also challenging as the songs needed to work together as a journey”, he explains. “It was a little bit about going back to my roots. I love playing piano and love really subtle ambient music. This was like a return to childhood for me.” For them, music is born from a very simple idea: to express themselves freely. “What’s amazing is that something so personal resonates with others: those feelings at shows, the stories we get to hear”, Paavo analyzes. And it is that service that makes this new album something so special, a space that not only takes the listener on a sound journey but also helps to modify some internal issues. “It’s all too easy to think that some people are ‘ok’ and some ‘broken’ but the reality is that all of us go through life’s ups and downs”, Paavo tells, who remembers the sudden death of Bill Hamel of Fatum djmagla.com
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as one of the things that led him to worry about mental health. “It was a true shock to all. Having gone through life’s downs myself, I know how important it is to have open discussions about mental fitness challenges.” “Technology and social media has evolved faster than us as people”, Paavo thinks. He’s also had some burnouts and still sometimes suffer from anxiety. The feeling of connectedness that social media give us is a true challenge and make is interact with less people in real life. “The less we do it, the harder it gets”, he states. “There’s a real loneliness epidemic despite all the dating and social media apps. Loneliness leads to internal discomfort -and an elevated need for comfort. So how we handle this internal discomfort is the key. How do we solve this riddle?” Maybe with music, right? That’s why ‘Flow State’ is something so interesting. The aim is way more than just having the people listening but also feeling and finding time to solve whatever is hurting them. Paavo has his own tools too. “I’ve found regular meditation practice to be incredibly helpful as it equips me with the tools to handle my own internal dark dialogue. I start each day with a 20 minute meditation which gives me a feeling of comfort, reduces my stress and anxiety. A regular yoga practice, using the sauna and swimming in frozen lakes are all also important for me to look after my body as well as my mind.” In parallel with this new healthy search, the group continued to deliver its characteristic sounds for large stages, full of progressive sounds and melodies. Some of them were collaborations with different producers, something not so usual for them, including names like Spencer Brown, Seven Lions and Armin van Buuren. The results were great. “We’re always looking for ways to keep things interesting in the studio and love learning by working with others. The way I look things is that the more fun we have creating, the better the things we create”, he replies. Above & Beyond has been working together for 20 years and seems that these collaborations are a nice bonus. In this way, the trio not only remains consolidated as one of the most important acts that the electronic scene has but also goes in search of a deeper personal search. With elements to dance at night and others to relax during the day, Above & Beyond offers a 360 treatment. 26
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ABOVE & BEYOND TELLS US HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR MENTAL HEALT
MEDITATION “A REGULAR DAILY PRACTICE!” YOGA “A REGULAR PRACTICE TO LOOK AFTER BODY AND SPIRIT.” SLEEP “IMPORTANT AND OFTEN OVERLOOKED…” THERAPY: “REGULARLY TALK WITH PEOPLE.” HEALTH CHECK-UPS: “I RECENTLY FOUND OUT THAT I HAD VERY LOW VITAMIN D LEVELS WHICH CAN AFFECT YOUR MOOD.”
ON THE FLOOR
ROSARIO, ARGENTINA
Words: HERNÁN PANDELO
THE METROPOLITANO EXPERIENCE The arrival of Guy J at Metropolitano de Rosario has become an experience in its own right. We went to one of the best venues in Argentina to discover why...
O
ne month after a new electoral process, the agitation that Argentina seemed to experience has gone into pause and the country is living a sporting craze. The national basketball team has once again reached the final of the World Cup, Maradona is coaching a team in the Argentinean football league and the city of Rosario is living its own football episode in anticipation of the city teams’ classic match up, Newells vs. Rosario Central — two of the greatest teams in Argentine football. The city walls catch your eye with graffiti and paintings in yellow and blue, the colours of Rosario Central, and black and red, like Newells. The TV joins in, with one of the main local news shows talking about the rich history of this match and what Sunday’s victory means for both teams. However, there is a part of the city’s population that has only Saturday night on their minds. It is not hard to understand why Guy J has found in Metropolitano de Rosario a special place to reveal his full potential. For years now, this venue in the middle of the city has been enjoyable for concertgoers. Since its makeover in 2007, the venue that used to be a train station not only provides comfort but also raises the standards of a growing scene. Located near a mall with cinemas in it, its proximity to the city centre, its accessibility and free car park are the top factors that allow young people to reach the place without inconveniences. 28
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We arrive minutes before the end of the set by young local talent Joan Retamero, who has already received the support of artists such as Paul Oakenfold and Hernán Cattáneo, playing at Metropolitano for the second time after having opened the dancefloor for another of the stalwarts of the most classic progressive house, Nick Warren, in February this year. The crowd cheers their fellow countryman, making it clear that the night will not be starred exclusively by those at the DJ booth. The dancefloor is a breeding ground that slowly looks for its place as a supporting actor in this film. ‘The protagonist of the night is Guy J,’ Retamero said to us a few days earlier, when we asked him how he felt about returning to Metropolitano. From the general entrance to the DJ booth there are several hundred meters, which makes Metropolitano’s versatility even more incredible. There are actually two storerooms that have been joined together to offer the comfort that such an event deserves. The first, which is accessed from the main entrance, is designed for concertgoers’ relaxation and wellbeing. Stands with fresh fruits, free water and a space dedicated to harm reduction are some of the offerings that Lado B production company has decided to incorporate to make this night a real party. “Has it started yet?”, a young man asks his friend as they walk through the first room, unable to take his eyes off the amazing stage they’re facing. Guy J already started about 15
minutes ago and the dancefloor begins to fill. Horizontal screens cover the entire width of the building with blue tones, as the name of the Israeli artist appears on the central screen located above the booth. The structure offered by the Metropolitano building is one of the keys that help to understand the reason for this seduction. The architectural details, and the fact that it has stood for many years, speak about the magnitude of the work it entailed. The height of the ceiling allows the images and lights to work together and, in fact, reminds us of Gashouder, the mythical Dutch venue where the renowned Awakenings festival takes place. Guy J begins to raise the tension with his music in a gradual manner, without skipping any step, with a staging and light game that is revealed with the passing of the minutes. By 1 am, there are no more empty spaces and the movement of the walkers is no longer a problem. At the back of the venue you can get water easily, which helps the bars to work smoothly so it is not a problem to go and get a beer. It’s really easy to find a place to feel comfortable. The acoustics of Metropolitano is recognized as one of the best in the whole country. It is not something that has only been verified by electronic events but also by countless events of all kinds of genres. But it is interesting to experience it first-hand. The sonic layers proposed by Guy J reach us clearly, while we try to determine the size of the solitary mirror ball that hangs from the ceiling in the centre
ON THE FLOOR
of the main dancefloor. And then comes the first moment that continues to resonate in our heads: the DJ plays his own ‘Skywalker,’ much to the delight of the crowd. From then on, the night seems to have moved on to another stage. The first moments of recognition are gone and the musician seems to be in tune with his audience. Everything seems to flow, resulting in a slight intensification of the use of lights and visuals. Almost half an hour after 2 in the morning, for the first time, a red spotlight is on Guy J, while the tension rises from the speakers, with the signature hypnotic passages. People take the opportunity to give back some love and the applause of the crowd brings a smile to his face. There is total connection. When the basses drop, we experience the night becoming a transcendent experience, where everyone is in tune with one another. From then on, there is not much left to analyze. Music is the star of the night. Argentines, so often recognized by international DJs for their unparalleled passion, have in their own country a venue that is every bit as good as the best in the world and that allows elite musicians to give their performances smoothly. Guy J finds in this enclosure everything he needs to deploy his arsenal and deliver his promises before an audience that believes in his talent. And the crowd does something similar: instead of demanding that the DJ meet their expectations, they give in to his charm. And so, all in love with each other, we got our first-hand Metropolitano experience. n djmagla.com
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