Basics first, are you from Atlanta? If not, where are you coming from and what brought you here?
I settled here in 2010, originally for college. Prior to that I grew up moving from place to place,
mostly southern cities and even had a significant stint in Boston, MA. Atlanta is the only city I've
lived in that allows you to do whatever you want, creatively speaking. You can really grind here
and find support for what you do.
How did you get in to DJing, and for how long have you been doing it?
I've been working in nightlife for 6 years, promoting and activating spaces. I've also established
working relationships with a lot DJs and promoters that way, having come up as a performer.
That aspect of my creative career often required a lot of information exchange between myself
and the DJ or whoever was running sound and light that night. A lot of venues in Atlanta
would have the DJs do both, so I learned from working with and building performances with
those guys that I wanted to do it. When I decided to get into it for real, I reached out to Leonce
and began working with him and Helix to learn the basics. I don't even know if they knew I'd be
good or not, but I do know they believed in me the minute I said "I want to learn how to DJ".
They travel and perform a lot so the time they made for me was precious--their apartment is the best DJ school, no lie!
What was your process for putting the mix together? What equipment were you working on, what type of mood were you in?
To be honest, I wasn't in a good space. I was kind of angry, still adjusting to SSRIs and really wrestling with myself over whether
I wanted to be funky and electric or aggressive and heavy. There is always this battle within me where I think one sound may be a more
"serious" one over the other. I can't really explain it, but if I play too tracks that are too bright, I feel saccharine and way too delicate. If I play songs
that are too heavy, I feel distant and moody. So in the end, I guess I decided to go with what made me groove and what brightened my mood
--once I got there, it flowed but there are still some aspects of this mix that I'd change.
You also sent in 1 other version of this mix, what were the previous ones lacking?
The mix for me was too slow, and needed to be more aggressive also a little cleaner. I adjusted and tried to pivot the second time but to be
honest with these things, its best to leave them be. Its groovy, but I always want to go HARDER which is sometimes not doable until the next gig!
(scroll down to continue)
The mix is high energy all the way through, is that the rhythm you're going for during your live set?
I love a high energy set yeah, but I tend to look for more of a vibe than anything. My favorite thing is to see two people
dancing to techno and being in love while doing it, so whatever makes the energy flow that way is what I'm about.
Can you tell me a little about the track at the 13:30 mark? I've heard it once in a skate video [Mike Arnold's "Lloyd's" part], but don't know much else about it.
That's actually a blend of "Spiritual Encounter" by DMX Krew and a 808 State's "In Yer Face" (Bicep Remix). The synth lines of the DMX Krew song are so bouncy,
and the other song is somewhat heavy. The former helps to inject a bit of playfulness in what could otherwise just be a very big tune--it keeps it grounded and a little bit silly.
Is there a song in this mix that you have a particular connection with?
There is a lot of UK Garage in this mix, which I love because it's such a joyful sound. Garage is always uplifting, and soulful. It puts a smile on my face.
What else do you have planned for 2019? Are there any goals you'd like to type into existence here?
Right now I'm just riding this creative wave and digging into what I'm able to do. I'm still a fairly new DJ so I find new ways to tweak my sound every time I play.
There are times when you practice and practice and nothing new hits you, but once you hit the floor--you're a turntable genius! Or at least it feels that way.
Interview conducted on July 31, 2019
Photo courtesy of Zaida
Cut out and logo by R. Parks
~TRACKLIST~
Vale- Bicep
Kilt - Kettama
As I Am (Todd Edwards Mix) - Sound of One
That’s That Sh*t - Dance System
Bassline - Satoshi Tomiie
Spiritual Encounter - DMX Krew
In Yer Face (Bicep Mix) - 808 State
Guide My Soul - The Messenger
No More - L-Vis 1990 & Dance System
Shotgun - Detroit Swindle
Power of Purchase - Luca Lozano & Mr. Ho
Vale- Bicep
Kilt - Kettama
As I Am (Todd Edwards Mix) - Sound of One
That’s That Sh*t - Dance System
Bassline - Satoshi Tomiie
Spiritual Encounter - DMX Krew
In Yer Face (Bicep Mix) - 808 State
Guide My Soul - The Messenger
No More - L-Vis 1990 & Dance System
Shotgun - Detroit Swindle
Power of Purchase - Luca Lozano & Mr. Ho