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5 questions for... Tigerskin

Tigerskin is the kind of musical beats that needs no introduction. If you've been partying in the last 5 years and never heard any of his tracks in a set, then you must be deaf. Prior to his Montreal gig, we had a chat with the man.



Q - In an age where it's real trendy to have an animal in your music project name, what do you think a name like Tigerskin projects on people ?

Tigerskin - I have no idea... When we put out the first Tigerskin 12" in early 2004 I needed a name and I needed it fast, overnight. So I didn't even think much about what people would put into it. The release turned out to be a good one, an album followed, so here I am now...

Q - You are said to have one of the best studios in Berlin. Is that so ?

T - No, I don't think so. My studio has some crappy sound, and I didn't care much for building it up properly - I just recently started to go for good quality speakers and some backend gear like good hardware equalizers... but I have some vintage gear, modular synth towers and stuff. So for most people it looks impressive at first...



Q - Have you ever played in Canada ? And what can we expect from your Montreal live performance ?

T - I played in Toronto and Montreal a couple of years ago, and a while back at Soundwave (BC). What I'm going to play will depend on the people and the general spirit of the night - it could be deep techhouse or something else, I'm prepared for quite some styles.

Q - If we put you in a cage with Tiger Stripes, who do you think will win ?

T - I don't know the man. I'm not a DJ, so I don't buy much tracks, but for a while I remember we had certain similarities in taste... BUT I WAS FIRST TO USE THE TIGER IN MY NAME! :D



Q - What's next for you, music-wise ?

T - Quite a lot. There will be a new Phonique album soon, which I produced, and lots of Tigerskin stuff on Dessous, Audiomatique and Dirt Crew, just to name a few. I have also recently finished some Dub Taylor dub tracks, which probably will be released this year, don't know yet. And I just finished working on some new tracks with Jens Bond...

Tigerskin plays live at Salon Daomé on Feb. 13th alongside the Fizz Factory Crew and ROUX Soundsystem.

5 questions for... Holger Zilske

Holger Zilske is not just another german producer. He has been making music as half of Smash TV for a long time, and decided in 2006 that it was time to make it on his own, under his real name. Constantly touring and producing, you could say that Holger is quite the music lover.

Q - You've been a long-time BPitch man when releasing your Smash TV project. Under your real name, you just released an album (Holz) on Playhouse. Why the label switch ?

HZ - I started to release records under my real name in 2006 with my first release on Playhouse. The music was different from my Smash TV project at that time. I wanted something deeper, and I wanted to work without self seeded boundaries. So I decided to use my name for it, and to work with labels I respect most. Since then I have released five 12" on Playhouse plus my album, one 12" on Leena (a Mobilee sublabel), one on Dialect / Battle, one on Factor City, a couple of remixes, and there is more coming. I also did something on Mood Music with Dave DK and Richard Davis. I also remixed Kiki's “Immortal” and "Big & Round" from Claude Von Stroke’s new album.

Q - You have played in Montreal numerous times already. Any particular feature of the city you really like ?

HZ - I think I was in Montreal five times so far, and it really is a beautiful city. Because I always stayed over a couple of times, I made some friends that I meet when I'm there. So I feel really at home in Montreal. Besides, it's one of the best cities in Canada in which to party. I really hope to come back soon.



Q - Are "your eyes" really something special ?

HZ - Haha… OK, I think you had the track “Mes Yeux” from my album in your head when you wrote that. In fact the voice and the text are from DJ Mini. I'm sure most readers know her. She's from Montreal, and a former resident of the Overdose weekly at Parking. But besides this, of course, my eyes are really something special!

Q - Who would you say is your bigger inspiration right now ?

HZ - I don't really have one particular artist that I take my inpiration from. I try to find my own way, and I try to find my inpiration in other things than in another artist. It can be a city, the radio, a sound experiment in the studio, a dream, a movie or whatever. And that's how my music is. I didn't try to make just a club album. I wanted to have a concept, a red line in the album, but music that is versatile. Something you can listen to at home, and that still works at the prime time of a club set. The challenge was to put these two different things in one album, and to create something that sounds like it belongs together. I'm still very happy with my work.



Q - Your top 5 tracks of the moment ?


1. Soulphiction – A Short History Of… - Philpot
2. Soundstream – Life Goes On – Soundstream
3. Lauhaus – Latenight – Intacto
4. Holger Zilske – Pleasure – BPitch
5. Kenny Leaven – Odyssey (dOP remix) – Elenore Records

MIRRORBALLS Jan. '10 mixed selection!

AT LAST!



This one, we have to admit, has long been overdue. But it was well worth the wait, my friends. Through day jobs, multiple gigs, partying, family gatherings, werewolf hunting, fitted shopping, sneakers chasing and internet browsing, we have survived and have been able to provide you with a soundtrack to your car rides, house parties and make-out sessions.

This is Mirrorball's first offering of 2010, but definitly not the last!

You can download it by clicking right here.

And due to popular demand, we are coming back with a track listing:

Mirrorballs Jan. '10 Selection
Compiled & mixed by ROUX Soundsystem

1 - The Royal We - Party Guilt (Acapella)
2 - Frederico Molinari - Party Faktor
3 - Solomun - Cloud Dancer
4 - Elef.Ant - Hey Folks
5 - Elef.Ant - Un Viaje a la Capital
6 - Minimow - Bollyhouse
7 - Die Vogel - Petardo
8 - DJ W!ld & Mr. K - Not now I'm dancing
9 - M.In & Jonas - Get Tuned
10 - Butch - Joy (Extended version)
11 - Pitto - Feelin' (Joris Voorn remix)
12 - &ME - Bleed
13 - La Cantina (let's keep it a secret...)

See you on the dancefloor!

REFRESH launch night at Parking on Jan. 7th

You know what?

Parking has a new weekly on Thursdays, called REFRESH, and dedicated to all things bumpy, housy and ethno-tech.



And the residents are ROUX Soundsystem and Nathan Burns.

Come spend the night with us in your birthday suit, in latex, in leather, in jeans, in leggings, in your best dress - it doesn't really matter, because full bootyshaking will be in effect.

It's a new student-friendly night where everything will be 3$: the cover, the beer, and almost all the drinks. Like back in the days! With a modern house twist.

Bootylicious.

PHEEK @ Microzoo ce mardi 5 janvier

You read right - Pheek will be at Daomé (141, Mont-Royal Est) for the Microzoo night on Jan. 5th.



Clifford Brown will be opening & closing, and it's the first part of his ongoing trio of birthday celebrations. Check out the Facebook event here and don't hesitate to contact us for a guest list!

5 questions for... Simon Baker

Brits know what good house is. And Leeds resident Simon Baker knows it particularly well. He has been releasing music since 2005 on labels as diverse as Infant, 20:20 Vision, Playhouse, Connaisseur, Get Physical, Leftroom and Murmur, and has surprised many montrealers with a solid and groovy DJ set at Piknic Électronik in 2008.



Q – You’ve been in Montreal before, for Piknic in 2008. How was that experience, overall?

Simon Baker: Yeah, I loved the gig and the people were great. Unfortunately, I didn't get much of a chance to see any of the city. Maybe this time I will! I hear it's amazing.

Q – What’s your current favorite city to play in?

SB: You may think this is weird, but its my hometown of Leeds in the UK, at the moment. The people are very into the music here, very switched on, no one is afraid to have it BIG, it's my home crowd. I love it! Other favorites are L.A. on the Standard Hotel rooftop... amazing! And Romania is always a good one.



Q – You’ve released your productions on lots of different labels from the start. Why can’t you stick to just one?

SB: I like to keep things varied in my life, with everything. I don't see the point in sticking with one thing. Explore new avenues and new doors opened is the way I see it. It's worked for me so far.

Q – How did you like your Miami experience at WMC last year? Are you planning on going again this year?

SB: Miami was in the middle of a month of touring in the US. If I am honest, I was a ruined man before I even got there, but I still had fun. I am debating this, next year, whether to go or not - I say this now, but I will no doubt be there! I've liked the vibe over the past 2 or 3 years.



Q – What are your plans for the near future?

SB: I am working hard in the studio on my album, at the moment. It will be released in 2010 on 20:20 Vision. Other than this, I am busy with tours of Central America and the U.S again in January, Australia in March, and the usual European gigs - and hopefully throw in a few dance floor bangers in between!

Simon will be performing a DJ set at Salon Daomé on December 15th for the Microzoo night, with opening sets by Nathan Burns & Clifford Brown.

5 questions for... Tomas Barfod

Tomas Barfod is a multi-talented man. His debut EP, 1995, was released on Get Physical in 2004, and he's been unstoppable ever since. Some people might be surprised to learn that he is the shadowy figure behind the analog god Tomboy. On top of all that, he also plays drums for WhoMadeWho.



Q - You are a man of many identities. Tomboy, Tomas Barfod, Filur, and you also play drums for Whomadewho. How are you able to decide which style fits to which persona ?

Thomas Barfod: It's actually pretty easy, because with the projects I have with other people, the music often ends up as a democracy between my partners and me. My Tomboy name is for more experimental and retro sounding music.... It started with my acid / disco series on Gomma. Tomas Barfod is a name I use for Get Physical and Turbo releases, which are a bit more clubby and electronic, and less 'warm' than the Tomboy stuff.

Q - You went from producing cold electro acid numbers under your real name, like your early Turbo and Get Physical releases, but your latter productions with Fredski have shown a housier edge. Is that a direction we'll see you take more ?

TB: Yes, you are right - the new stuff on GPM is definitely more housy and fun than my older releases. However, if you listen to Tomas Barfod tracks like Girlfriends, Saturdaya and 1995, they still have a bit of irony and funk - with cowbells, and guitars... it's not just electro. For my future releases, you never now where I'll end...



Q - I heard (Twitter) rumors that you were starting to work on a new Whomadewho album. Can you tell us more about it ?

TB: I can tell you that we have been in the studio for a week now, and it's some of the most exciting stuff I have heard from us, ever... We already have made a lot during these few days... You never know, as the process is only at the beginning, but I really expect a lot from it. The sound is 30% epic techno, 30% 50s and 60s r'n'b, 30% old school WhoMadeWho disco, and 10% pop.

Q - You often update your Facebook status while playing. Do you think that technology such as iPhones is now a useful self-promotion tool ?

TB: Yes, I think it has been a fun and sometimes powerful tool for me. Sometimes, when I meet people in clubs, they are very informed about my projects - which is a good thing!



Q - What's next for you after the much excellent Mr. Fleurquin release ?

TB: I'm putting different EPs together, with different Danish friends - Fredski and I always have something exciting up our sleeve, and besides that I'm working with my friend Kasper Bjørke, and with two kids I discovered... they are 15 and 16 years old, and are making the most amazing deep techno - expect James Holden meets Supermayer...

8 questions for... DJ SNEAK!

It's not quite often that you get the opportunity to chat with an artist as influencial to a genre of music as DJ Sneak has been for house music over the years. As I was thinking about what questions to ask him, I was listening to my old copy of his 1997 Buggin' Da Beats mixed cd and have to say I was taken back to GREAT memories... 12 years later, he has a new album out that is banging!!! Also, Sneak was nice enough to send Mirrorballs.ca a preview of his upcoming video and it is SMOKING HOT! ENJOY!!!

Mirrorballs: Ok, you've surprised us this year with an amazing record called "The house of house" that contains 20 tracks of banging crazy beats. Did the last few years of electro, minimal, etc. give you that much inspiration to produce such a big "statement" record?

SNEAK: Well the state of music is still suffering with badly produced music and a saturated market. I decided that it was time for me to get serious and get my stuff out. I feel that I stay true to my sound and my production is accurate. I am who I am, and have always been that person, I feel like I survived the madness and fakeness of the last 7 years and now I’m shinning again like a new found Diamond in the ruff.

You're in the middle of a world tour that will take you all over Europe and America to spread the good news around. What has been the response so far?

SNEAK: The vibe and response has been great, people are ready for a change and good times again. I’ve been playing a lot of gigs and the house heads have certainly been keeping me busy. I love seeing people enjoy the soul and groove of house music … It’s kind of hard to not have a good time when good house music is bumpin!!

Is house music really alive again?

SNEAK: Hell Yeah, House is back, listen to what all the top European guys like Luciano , Ricardo Villalobos & Loco Dice are playing, this has been the year that people are demanding better music. The musical revolution is on the way my friend.

Was there ever a down point in the "dark" years where you thought you would have to do something else with your life ?

SNEAK: NO, I know myself, I knew I was going to have another piece of the pie soon enough. My never ending amount work and music is what keeps me going and to tell you the truth I survived like I always do, I’m consistant and always motivated, I know my role and that is to LEAD so I’m doing it now again.

You've collaborated with German techno greats such as Ricardo Villalobos which you've become friends with that have been embracing the Chicago sounds recently. Has these new friendships and encounters inspired you to push your sound to new directions in any way?

SNEAK: It’s been great to meet other DJS and Producers that are underground like myself, the Ricardo encounter was dope cause we had known of each other for years, we played same events but not the same rooms. I have respect for a lot of these German brothers that have also helped get “house music” back in the main rooms, they know I’m a Purist and an innovator and they love that, I respect the fact that they have also pushed their sound and music and now we can elaborate with each other and push each other for a better musical experiences.

What about old friends that have disappeared with house music's downfall. Are there any of them you'd like to see back in the game ?

SNEAK: I can’t speak on what DJ's from the past are doing with themselves today, I know that a lot of them thought the “gravy train” was forever and many have dropped out and gotten normal Jobs and lifestyles. Many people did not plan for the future as I did, I can only speak on what I’m doing for my Music and my fans, I have stayed true always and that is showing big time again.

Are there any new artists that inspire you that we should be looking out for in the near future, any labels that are on your hot list ?

SNEAK: There are lots of people out there doing the do, I have many on the lookout but not trying to single a few out the bunch, Music is what is important not the DJS PERSONAS or the FAME factor that has damaged the scene for so long. Focus on the music not the persona and you will find great music being released from all over the world.

What's next for DJ Sneak?

More DJ SNEAK, more hard work, more innovation for the world and most def more “HOUSE MUSIC ALL NIGHT LONG!”

We couldn't agree MORE!!! Speaking of innovations, check out Sneak's upcoming video preview :

DJ SNEAK ON MYSPACE
DJ SNEAK'S HOMEPAGE

Marinelli at Pearl on Nov. 13th

It's not about bad luck at all. Did you ever hear that when you touch a ROUX, you get a healthy dose of good luck? If you touch him on the right spot, that is...



Our man Marinelli will be at Pearl this Friday Nov. 13th to generously spread the good vibes and play some funky-ass music.



It's all going down alongside Logan Hollow and FancyFhreek, and the address is 2021, Saint-Denis. Heathed terrasse, fancy drinks, good music = good times.

ROUX Soundsystem @ Microzoo, Nov. 3rd

You know it's going down... and you know you won't let the fact that it's a Tuesday night stop you.



5 hours with the ROUX is all you need to chase the Fall blues away.

RSVP here and send your names to info@microzoo.ca to be on the guest list!

141, Mont-Royal Est.

Motion @ Salon Daomé - September 19th 2009

It's ON this saturday @ Salon Daomé for Motion with the Roux Soundsystem ALL NIGHT! Clifford and Marinelli are pumped up for this one and you should expect some CRAZY BEATS that will make your legs HURT BAD!

Facebook event page


If you haven't done so, please download the August/September Mirrorballs selection of the month. It will pump you up for MOTION!

Mirrorballs selection compiled by the ROUX SOUNDSYSTEM

You want to be on our guestlist ? Send an email to clifford@mirrorballs.ca before 5PM on saturday. You need to get in before midnight and you will only be charged 1$ to get in.

SEE YOU THERE!

Mirrorballs selection - Aug/Sept.

Here it is!

Our selection for the last two months (yeah... we've been slacking) is now available on the link below. The good news is... this means it should be twice as good right ? Well it is !!!

The selection was compiled by The Roux Soundsystem (Clifford Brown & Marinelli) and mixed by Marinelli.

Mirrorballs selection - Aug/Sept

ENJOY!!!

6 questions pour... Seuil

Alexis Bernard est un parisien plutôt habile de ses mains qui concocte une musique envoûtante et housy, et qui grave une cicatrice de plus en plus profonde sur la scène électronique européenne sous le nom de Seuil. Il a récemment remixé Ray Okpara, Mirco Violi, Jan Driver, Anthony Collins, Dyed Soundorom et Delete, et ses productions ont trouvé refuge sur des labels tels que Einmaleins, Eklo, Raum... Musik, Moon Harbour et Freak n' Chic.



Tu fais paraître des EPs sur une base régulière depuis 2006. Y a-t-il un release en particulier qui a, selon toi, propulsé ta carrière?
Oui, c'est difficile à dire, mais un de mes premiers, sur Einmaleins, a été assez reconnu par la scène et supporté par Hawtin, Villalobos, Luciano, Magda... À cette période, c'était top d'être joué par ces DJs... Il y avait moins de musique qu'aujourd'hui il y 3 ans donc voilà, mais je pense que mes deux derniers EPs sur Moon Harbour ont poussé mon nom un peu plus...

La house effectue un fracassant retour en Europe en ce moment. L'avais-tu anticipé?
Ce retour de la house, ouais c'est sûr... Anticipé, je ne sais pas, mais je jouais déjà cette musique il y a 5 ou 6 ans, c'est juste que tout le monde copie un peu tout ce qui a déjà été fait. Faudrait s'employer à inventer et apporter un peu plus à la musique électronique... De toute façon, ce qui marche bien auprès du public et des jeunes DJs, ça n'est pas la musique complexe et "stripped down" qui mexcite aujourd'hui; je vois bien que la musique plus automatique et "loopy" se vend beaucoup plus.



Quel est ton niveau d'implication chez Eklo Music ?
Je suis le boss de Eklo, et la seule personne à m'en occuper...

Tu as récemment travaillé avec Tolga Fidan (sur le EP "The Organ, the Hope"). As-tu d'autres collaborations du genre qui s'en viennent?
Oui, plusieurs projets: une track sur Moon Harbour avec Matthias Tanzmann, un EP avec Masomenos sur leur label Welcome to Masomenos, d'autres collaborations avec mes vrais proches de la musique, tout d'abord sur mon album sur lequel je travaille avec dOP et Nôze... et aussi d'autres tracks avec des artistes parisiens comme Dyed Soundorom, Yakine, Boris Horel, et des artistes d'Eklo également.



Expliques-nous ton nom?
Seuil, c'est la "limite", threshold en anglais... et c'est français cette prononciation, "eui", c'est difficile à dire pour tout le monde, et on le dit de différentes façons dans différentes langues... c'est drôle!



À quoi peuvent s'attendre les gens qui viendront entendre ton live set?
De la musique deep, que j'espère groovy et sexy, avec un côté un peu weird pour ceux qui aiment découvrir un univers...

Seuil se produira live dans le cadre de la soirée Microzoo, le mardi 8 septembre, avec Nathan Burns et Clifford Brown, au Salon Daomé. 141, Mont-Royal Est is the place to be.

5 questions pour... Masomenos

Véritable incarnation du renouveau musical de la capitale Française, le duo Masomenos s’est depuis quelques années distingué par son univers musical et visuel unique et original. Leurs pistes paraissent sur leur propre étiquette, et ils ont même une boutique!
Mirrorballs a voulu en savoir plus sur ces deux originaux:


Si l’Europe vous adule, l’Amérique du Nord vous connaît moins. Pouvez-vous nous parler du monde merveilleux de Masomenos?

Héhé, adulés, non, à la rigueur acidulés, oui ! Masomenos est avant tout un terrain de jeu. Quand nous nous sommes rencontrés, nous avons assez vite commencé à échanger des idées et à les faire vivres sous ce nom. Pour nous il s'agissait de s'exprimer au travers de différents médias: vidéo, musique, images, mix… Nous y avons mis beaucoup d'énergie, car nous avions envie que cette association devienne autonome, que ce soit plus qu'un hobby. Notre premier projet musical et graphique a été "Bon Voyage", une sorte de compilation bootleg assez spéciale. Ensuite les projets sont nés de rencontres, de voyages, d'opportunités. Nous avons considéré l'idée de monter notre propre label car nous avions les images, le son, et surtout un univers, qui ne pouvaient s'exprimer pleinement que dans notre propre structure. Éparpillée sur différents labels, notre musique n'aurait pas forcément été entendue de la même manière, ni même comprise. Le test a été de savoir si un distributeur (Intergroove, en l'occurrence) y croyait aussi, car nous n'y connaissions pas grand chose, nous savions juste que le marché était mal en point. Intergroove a dit oui, et nous nous sommes lancés. Nous avons sorti une première série de maxis et un album (Masomenos Live Mix Project). De là, nous avons eu plus de dates pour nous exprimer. Une deuxième série d’EP et un album (The Third Eye Project) sont sortis cette année.
Et effectivement, parallèlement à tout ça, nous développons des projets tels que la boutique, ou une ligne de cashmere, ou même des t-shirts.
Tout ça fait partie de notre univers, et même si ça implique beaucoup de travail, nous sommes contents de pouvoir nous exprimer aussi de cette manière là. On nous parle souvent de marketing, mais il s'agit plutôt pour nous de faire vivre nos idées.


On sent un lien très fort entre vos visuels et votre musique - lequel de ces deux univers artistiques inspire le plus l’autre?

Ils sont totalement entremêlés. Nous venons tout les deux de l'image (d.a, réal, graphisme) et le son a été pour chacun une découverte tardive mais définitivement majeure. Ce sont deux médias qui se complètent à merveille.




Votre musique est un OVNI sur la scène actuelle: très originale , surprenante et parfaitement élaborée. Comment aimez-vous la définir?

Nous n'aimons pas trop la définir, c'est pour ça qu'on s'appelle Masomenos (plus ou moins), mais pour l'exercice, on pourrait dire ronde, mentale & souriante.



On remarque que vous collaborez beaucoup avec deux grecs que l’on aime beaucoup chez Mirrorballs.ca: Kreon et Lemos. Parlez-nous de votre rencontre, et de vos projets actuels et futurs liés à ces artistes?

Nous parlions plus haut de "rencontres, de voyage, d'opportunités", et bien, nous avons rencontré "les grecs" (comme nous nous amusons toujours à les appeler) lors d'un voyage en Roumanie pour le festival Sunwaves à Bucarest. Nous sommes arrivés dans ce festival un peu par hasard, et ce voyage a changé beaucoup de choses pour nous.
Georges et Marc étaient là aussi, nous avons commencé à discuter, puis nous avons gardé le contact. Ils nous ont invité à jouer à Athènes, et nous les avons invités à Paris. Et ces voyages ont donné naissance à des collaborations musicales très enrichissantes. Alors, aujourd'hui, nous essayons de nous croiser régulièrement.

En tant que parisien, vous avez certainement remarqué le retour dans la ville lumière de la house et des sonorités joyeuses au détriment de rythmes plus obscurs. Vous êtes d'ailleurs des acteurs essentiels de cet engouement.


Que pensez-vous du rôle de Paris sur la scène internationale? La capitale n’a plus besoin de rougir face à sa voisine allemande?

Oh, pour cette musique, l'Allemagne en général restera toujours à part, c'est quasi culturel. Paris va et vient, en fonction des modes, ce n'est pas comparable, mais nous sommes contents de voir qu'effectivement, le son que nous aimons y fait son chemin.

Visitez leur site pour vous rendre compte de l’imaginaire du duo.
Vous pourrez vous y commander un chandail. Les Masomenos n’ont pas encore de date prévue au Canada mais nous gardons espoir.

5 questions for... Till Von Sein

Till Von Sein, whose real name is Jan Till Lüdtke, has been a sure shot for deep house and tech on the German scene since he started working with Aera in 2006. With recent collaborations with Chopstick and Tigerskin, and releases on Dirt Crew and Baalsaal, you can expect to hear a lot more from him in the future.



You're constantly labeled as "the deep house guy" by the press and in the promo documents your labels send. Do you ever get tired of being strictly categorised, and do you think that an aspect of your personality drives you towards deep music?
A bit, yeah. I would love to be labeled as a simple "house" dude... but in the end it's OK. My first records are really deep, and I'm a big fan of deep music - when I'm at home and start working on new tracks, most of the time I end up doing deep stuff... That's just the stuff which comes out naturally. But from time to time I get funky and try to do work that's more "floor orientated". It really depends on my personal mood... When it comes to DJ gigs, sometimes people are a bit suprised that I also play stuff like Lauhaus or more disco stuff like Prins Thomas. I really like to keep it open minded when it comes to DJing.

You have recently completed a EP with Tigerskin - can you tell us more about this collaboration?
I met Alex (Tigerskin) because he wanted to release a track of mine for his own label 2 and a half years ago... From that point on, he always did a mixdown of all the stuff I produced. I'm a huge fan of his work, and as a person he is the coolest cat around... So down to earth... We are vibin' perfectly together. We got similar feelings on music, politics, women... For me, it was a big honor to work with him, and he is a bit of a teacher to me, with all his knowledge. He's got so much nice equipement, and I feel like a little kid when entering his studio, because I've got none at all!



You have played Salon Daomé, in Montreal, last year. How did you like the city?
It was amazing. I mean, the club was dope, the crowd perfect, really cool residents - but all the rest was fantastic as well, I'm glad I had such nice hosts, and can't wait to meet these guys again! We went to the nice park where you can overview the whole city... stunning! I'm really looking forward to my stay this time, not like last time where I only came for one night. We wanna go to Piknic, where James Holden is playing, and I hope I can visit the countryside as well...



What are your views on the important place that modern house is now taking on the electronic scene in Europe?
I'm really, really happy about it. There is a big wave of talent from all over the place, and due to Facebook, Skype and these types of social networks, it's a nice community... Sometimes I get like 5 tracks a week of friends and think: "Damn, they are all doing such good tracks, I need to work hard as well". But besides Europe, I'm also a big fan of the U.S. stuff. There are so many great producers around, pushing things forward, like the whole Wolf & Lamb clique. These are good days for house music, and it's really exciting to see things develop. It's also wonderful that in some clubs, you can play really deep stuff, around 120 Bpm, and people start dancing and love it... Solid good times.



Your 5 favorite tracks of the moment?
Chris Carrier - I'm in love today
Adam Port - Chemistry
Soulclap - Dreams (edit)
Gadi Mizrahi - Who's gonna love me tonight
Sasse - Reject my love
Three times the word "love"... wow... I didn't realise before I wrote it down... Good times!

Till Von Sein will perform alongside Fizz Factory's Max Reynold's at Beat Boutique on Sunday September 6th at Salon Daomé.

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!