5 questions for... H.O.S.H.

H.O.S.H. is a mystery. Holger Behn, the man behind the tracks, is a high flying party machine crafting uncommon sounds for labels such as Diynamic, Kindisch and Stir Vor Talent, and is currently based in Hamburg, Germany. We took some time to chat him up during his first ever date in Canada at Piknic Électronik on August 9th.



You're one of the first artists to have released on Diynamic. How did the label come together, and how much were you implicated?
I was actualy implicated a lot from the beginning on. Solomun and me met around that time and found out we had the same vision of electronic music. We also both produced for a couple of years and kind of shared the same experiences - that people would always like our music, but still wouldn´t put it out because it didn´t fit the sound of their label. So we figured it would be best to form our own label, where we would have complete control. I guess that worked out pretty well.

Please explain the name "H.O.S.H."
I´ve been asked that question a lot, and already have a couple of good explanations, but honestly must say Hosh is just the short form of my nickname "Hoshy", and the dots are just looking good to me. It's also a quite nice tool of presentation because it will stand out, no matter where you are on the flyer!



What's your definition of "modern house"?
Flow, sex, groove, hypnotism, and a certain freshness... and NO, not just chords, which is what a lot of people think at the moment.

If you didn't do music for a living, what would you do?
I love cooking! So maybe a cook, in a small restaurant I would own. But right now, there is nothing else than music for me.



How did you enjoy your Montreal experience, overall?
I think it was a very good. Nice crowd, nice location, and nice atmosphere. It´s gonna be hard for future Montreal gigs to top! I hope you and the crowd enjoyed it as much as I did, and I hope I get back into town soon!

5 questions for... James Teej

James Teej is a 28 year old DJ and musician living in Toronto. You might have heard about him for numerous reasons; lately, he has remixed guys like Trentemoller and Solee, and is currently working with numerous labels including Rekids, Rebirth, Connect Four, No.19 and My Favorite Robot Records. He has just completed his first full length LP entitled "Evening Harvest" and will be releasing it on Rekids in late 2009. This rising Canadian star is fast on track to becoming a household tech and deep house name worldwide, with an expected world tour to begin at the end of 2009.



Would you say the Toronto scene is inspiring, right now?
Toronto is inspiring for me in a few different ways. First off because there is a plethora of artists all located here, it's a great city to widen one's influences. It's also inspiring for me because I'm lucky enough to have a really great network of support here. People that help me stay focused, and lots who have been in and around the industry for a long time, so I always feel inspired to do work... even on those days when things are tough. Also because I don't DJ or perform locally all that often here, a lot of my time is spent working in the studio and on writing music, which is a very good thing. I don't think I could have gotten as much material written had my schedule been busier. Overall Toronto for me has really become my new home, and I hope I can keep it as my musical home base for a while, even as I begin to tour more internationally.

How did you manage to get signed to Rekids?
Rekids was sort of a suprise for me - basically I was put in touch with Matt (Radio Slave) Edwards via Connect Four after an email had been sent to the label following my String Theory EP. After a few conversations, Matt told me he would like me to do something for the label, so that is when the idea came to be. I started off with a remix for Toby Tobias, and following that emerged the plan for a full length LP. I signed with them in December 2008, and spent the first 5 and a half months of this year working on my album "Evening Harvest". It has been a great experience, and it's extremely exciting to have my first full length record come out on such a respected and innovative label. The guys have been hugely supportive of the music... and that for me has been the biggest thing.



How would you describe "minimal soul", a label you have used for your productions?
Minimal soul actually is more of a term I coined for my sound. I sorta got exposed to the "real" minimal movement when I moved to Toronto in 2006. I hadn't really been exposed to much of that music when I was living in western Canada, and I really enjoyed the stripped down aesthetic. As time went on though, and after many attempts to produce the type of stuff I was listening to and playing at the time, I felt compelled to put a bit more musicality into my production. Then after a few early attempts at adding vocals to my music, and after slowly reverting back to some of my house based roots, minimal soul really came to be. I like how the term grew to describe my sound... and how I grew to make music that fit in that description... stripped down music with lots of heart and soul.

Tell us a little bit about My Favorite Robot Records and your link with these guys.
I met Jared from My Favorite Robot years ago, and we sort of came together through mutual friends like Nitin, Jonny White and Kenny Glasgow. As MFR Records began to grow, Jared asked me to do a track for a compilation he was releasing (MFR Records' Stimulus Package) around the same time Jonny White had asked me for something for No.19's "I Live in Toronto" comp. I decided to to do 2 versions of a track "Cabin Fever" and put one mix on each of the labels... that's where it began I guess. Since then for MFR I've done a few remixes, and also have my first full release on the label "Condensation EP" coming out Aug 26. In the end I like the direction of the label and will continue to work with the Robots as things move forward.



What's coming up for you in the next few months?
In the next few months people can expect to see more music and mixes coming out. Though I have really focused on putting out records, and people have come to think of me as primarily being a musician and producer, the reality is that I've spent over 14 years DJing and don't want that overshadowed. So my main focus over the next few months is to highlight my brand of DJing with live vocals, and start touring and promoting my album internationally. I expect 2010 to be very busy, and I hope to remain as focused as I am at the moment. I also hope that I can create a solid foundation of support that will help materialize my next vision of creating a more elaborate live show, one that will coincide with a follow up LP to Evening Harvest.

James Teej plays alongside Kenny Glasgow, My Favorite Robot and Clifford Brown at Resident (400, Notre-Dame East) on August 22nd for a MFR Records label party. No cover.

Mirrorballs.ca & Bender au Piknic Electronik

Marinelli a rencontré Bender lors du Piknic Electronik du 9 août 2009 pour discuter de ses releases à venir, de sa soirée Flex et d'une surprise qu'il a failli nous dire!!!



Enjoy!

Mirrorballs.ca chats with Maher Daniel

We had the pleasure of meeting up with Maher Daniel @ Piknic Electronik on August 9th 2009. Marinelli talks to him about getting signed on Get Physical, about his new night @ La Panthère Noire and also about his multiple releases to come over the next few months.



Get Full Body Workout #5 (Get Physical) including Maher Daniel's Casbar on Beatport

Great stuff!

5 questions pour... Yakine

Yakine fait partie de la nouvelle vague house française, aux côtés de ses potes Dyed Soundorom, Okain, Varoslav, dOP et Alex Dee. Il a déjà endisqué sur Esperanza, Tsuba, Circus Company, Je T'Aime et Supplement Facts, et s'apprête à sortir un nouveau EP sur Adult Only. Il est l'un des talents émergents de Paris et nous parle de ses influences et de la scène parisienne.



Tu es passé de la guitare à la production électronique. Comment s'est déroulé ce processus? Incorpores-tu encore de véritables instruments à tes productions?
J'ai toujours écouté beaucoup de musique, et ce depuis mon plus jeune âge... Mais surtout, j'ai toujours voulu savoir faire la musique que j'écoute. C'est d'écouter pas mal de métal, étant jeune, qui m'a donné l'envie d'apprendre la guitare. Ensuite, aussi surprenant que ça puisse paraître, je me suis orienté vers le rap US et j'ai donc découvert la culture hip-hop et le turntablism. J'ai revendu mon énorme ampli et ma guitare pour une paire de MK2 et une mixette pour scratcher. Au départ, je prenais vraiment les platines pour un instrument à part entière, et non pas comme un lecteur de disques à mélanger pour de longues sessions de mix - je trouvais ça inutile et ça ne m'intéressait pas. Puis un pote m'a fait découvrir une soirée, le vendredi soir à la Coupole à Paris, c'etait la Cheers. Moi qui étais à fond dans le hip-hop ,le passage à la house garage fut vraiment naturel, il y avait des danseurs, une belle faune de passionnés, j'en garde vraiment de très bons souvenirs. Après, mon frère, qui lui était plus dans la techno, m'a fait découvrir Jeff Mills et John Thomas au Rex Club et là, ça a été ma révélation. Je suis vraiment resté scotché par tous ces sons qui venaient de Detroit et Chicago. UR, Rolando, Derrick May... le vice pour l'électronique débuta alors !

Pour ce qui est d'incorporer de véritables instruments à mes productions, je pense que n'importe quelle source sonore peut être intéressante à exploiter dans des compositions. Récemment je me suis équipé d'un micro pour pouvoir faire mes propres prises de sons, que j'ai vraiment hâte de commencer à intégrer à mes compos.

Ton arrivée sur la scène house est relativement récente. Y a-t-il un conseil que tu aurais aimé qu'on te donne à tes débuts?
Je fais des tracks sérieusement depuis 2 ans, et là depuis juste l'année dernière j'arrive à terminer mes loops (rires). J'ai eu la chance d'avoir été conseillé depuis mes débuts par des potes plus confirmés comme Seuil et From karaoke to Stardom, qui me donnaient des conseils sur des loops ou des idées que je leurs envoyais. Il n'y a pas de formule magique pour réussir, juste du travail, du feeling et une grande motivation.



Es-tu satisfait de l'époque où tu arrives dans l'immense arène de la musique électronique, ou aurais-tu préféré te téléporter dans le passé?
Je suis entièrement satisfait de l'époque où je vis. Je ne suis pas trop du genre à me dire: "Ouais, c'était mieux l'année dernière ou il y a dix ans..." Il faut accepter son époque avec ses qualités comme ses défauts. Aujourd'hui, avec un ordinateur, on peut arriver à faire sa propre musique et la faire découvrir très facilement au monde entier, alors je vais pas répéter ce qui a été dit des milliards de fois sur les bons et mauvais côtés d'internet, sur l'industrie du disques et la culture en géneral. Mais au moins, aujourd'hui, tu peux envoyer des maquettes de très bonne qualité à des labels professionnels tout en les ayant réalisé dans ta chambre, au grand malheurs de tes voisins ! Je me serais quand même bien téléporté dans le passé pour me ramener une TR 909 et 808 neuve !

Que penses-tu de l'état de la scène et du clubbing en France?
Il y a une émergence de nombreux talents, c'est plutôt positif. Plein de nouveaux labels voient le jour, ça crée une bonne dynamique pour bosser et se motiver à faire de la bonne musique. En France, je pense que nous sommes encore à des années-lumière de nos voisins allemands, hollandais ou espagnols en terme de fêtes. Nous, on a le bon vin et le bon fromage pour se consoler ! Malgré ce que l'ont peut entendre tous les jours sur l'économie mondiale, j'espère que l'avenir sera fait de plein de bonnes fêtes et de dancefloors en feu !



Tes cinq producteurs favoris du moment?
Michael Melchner, Einzelkind, Kris Wadsworth, Levon Vincent et Martyn.

Mirrorballs.ca & Francois Lebaron au Piknic Electronik

Marinelli prends quelques minutes avec Francois Lebaron pour discuter des projets à venir ainsi que de la performance de Yann Perreau lors du Piknic Electronik du 9 août 2009.

Enjoy!

5 questions for... Billy Dalessandro

Billy Dalessandro, that talented kid from Chicago, has long lived a love story with our fair city and has now decided to officially embrace it by moving here. Dare we say it's about time ? It's time to catch up with our schizophreniac friend.

You recently moved to Montreal. Care to explain why ?
Hoes, music, and the bagels are O.K. No really, I love it here! Bootsy is the shiznit yo, that's my girl! Coming from the USA (specifically Chicago) life gets, mmm, pretty ordinary over there. I haven't moved over to Europe yet, as I like to be close to things at home. Montreal is a fantastic city, for many things, and I feel I get the best of both worlds. Nowhere else do I see this culture as it is here.

How was your european tour ? Any funny anecdotes ?
It was pretty intense, being gone 3 months. Although having a Portuguese agent has benefits. Instead of being stuck in some industrial looking flat in Berlin or some city where they stick you and tell you "techno is the cool here", Soniculture management leaves me close to the beach, with fantastic food and friends, and latin-flavoured shenanigans! Who else gets to pet sheep, donkeys and wild chickens while on tour? Also, Azores is a must see!

How do you see the return of house ? Any plans on joining in ?
Honestly, I find it a step backwards than forwards when it comes to the electronic music industry. Shame shame, I know yo name! I always have plans, for stuff. Nothing specifically related to 'house' music.



Have you seen Tyrone lately ?
Tyrone owes people money, especially Huge Hephner. So he's probably ditched out on Chicago. I think he's somewhere in Montreal proving that degredation can still be a 9 to 5 job.



How has your live set evolved since the last time you performed it here ?
I added some strippers, a portable kiosk for people that need gum and / or glow-in-the-dark glasses while I play, and (finally) got my license in order for my 500,000 watt nuclear-fueled pyrotechnical setup (a must see, really). In and between there I managed to put some more skills together for that new cassette tape I usually just have running in the background while I "jam" on my toys! It's not easy getting white-noise off of that, you know?

Dalessandro plays the Motion night at Daomé on August 15th alongside the Roux Soundsystem boys to celebrate his move to Montreal. Chicago + Montreal = love.

Roux Soundsystem @ Piknic Electronik 2009

This is what it's all about. Clifford Brown & Marinelli doing what they do best...

7 questions for... Damian Lazarus

Montreal is grateful to have Underworld @ Metropolis on August 12th 2009. We are even happier to get Damian Lazarus to open for Underworld for their north american tour. We had the pleasure to get a chat with the Crosstown Rebels owner before the beginning of this tour!


Damian, you've relocated from London to Los Angeles in the last year. How did that come about?

It's been 10 months living in Los Angeles now and I love every minute of it. I live in a pretty cool part of town, far enough away from the noisy people of Hollywood to be happy.

I was just listening to the Rebel Rave USA Special PART 1 on rebelrave.tv earlier. At the beginning of the episode, you're driving a very cool car. Is that your daily drive through the crazy streets of L.A. ?

I drive a 66 Mustang, hard top. I was never really a car freak but it just seemed to suit me here.



You've just finished a world tour promoting your album Smoke the Monster Out on Get Physical, how did that go ?

Every day on this tour is joy. People have responded really well to my debut album and the parties have been amazing.

You're now getting ready to leave on tour again, this time as an opening act for Underworld for their North American tour. Is that any different for you as when you're the headliner ? What can we expect from this performance ?

I have created an hour set which is more sound design than dj set.. there's a bit of djing, a bit of live, alot of experimenting.. its fresh.


You seem to have a "Love relationship" with our neighbors in Toronto ? Is there anything we should do to have you around more often ? Seriously, you seem to go up there quite often. Is the Toronto crowd a favorite of yours ?

I have some very good friends there and the underground scene is really moving forward there. Unfortunately I havent spent enough time in Montreal recently but I hope that is all about to change.

You were up here in Montreal in 2007 @ Stereo for a DJ gig... I have a weird question... Did you get to eat Poutine while you were in town ?

Cant say I tried poutine no but I'm up for anything. I drank habu saki recently (saki with a cobra snake inside).


What's coming up in the next few months for you, for Crosstown Rebels, for rebelrave.tv , etc ?

We have some amazing music coming out on Crosstown Rebels from Laurent Garnier, Glimpse, Deniz Kurtel, Seth Troxler and much more. Look out for a new Lazpod show soon plus a 12" coming of my stuff with a remix by Sasha.

Mirrorballs.ca & Bob le Chef au Piknic

Après un set complètement FOU de nos amis Roux Soundsystem au Piknic Electronik du 9 août 2009, Marinelli prends quelques minutes pour rencontrer Bob le Chef et discuter d'Anarchie Culinaire...



Enjoy!

Bob le Chef au Piknic des ROUX!

Coup de théâtre!

Nous aurons de la grande visite lors du Piknic Électronique du 9 août! Bob le Chef fera essayer sa recette de Vodka aux Skittles à l'espace cocktail SAQ. De la Vodka aux Skittles et des ROUX... Une expérience en saveur et en rousseur nous attend!

Bob le Chef - Vodka aux Skittles
envoyé par boblechef. - Découvrez les dernières tendances en vidéo.

Vous pouvez visiter le blog de Bob le Chef !



Une raison de plus pour vous joindre à nous!

Roux Soundsystem - Dimanche 9 Août 2009

Une GROSSE fin de semaine s'en vient pour Mirrorballs.ca, particulièrement pour la journée de dimanche!


Notre Roux Soundsystem (Clifford Brown & Marinelli) débute la journée du 9 août à 14h00 au Piknic Électronik pour un set de 4h en ouverture de H.O.S.H. qui lui, suivra à 18h jusqu'à la fin.

Piknic Electronik - 9 Août 2009

Ensuite, nos 2 roux (un plus que l'autre... on l'sait) se dirigent au Salon Daomé pour la soirée Beat Boutique en compagnie de Soundshaper.

Inutile de vous dire que les garçons sont particulièrement prêts pour vous faire vivre une belle journée!

Quelques entrevues vont aussi suivre sur le blog dans les prochains jours.

Stay tuned!