The Pondering Blonde

BPM Life Interview with Brendon Moeller

Brendon Moeller made a quick homeland visit pre-world cup and doused dub and techno lovers in Johannesburg and Cape Town with his jazz, affrobeat and psychadelic inspired dubbed out Techno. Since his move to New York in 94, the South African Dj and producer has creatively carved out his own niche in the sound spectrum, releasing his compositions on a string of renown labels including Francois K’s Deep Space Media; Third Ear Records, Echocord, Rekids and Leena Music as Brendon Moeller and his Beat Pharmacy and Echologist monikers. We caught up with him after his relocation to Europe for the summer and he gave it to us straight…

You’re bio reflects you’re proud of your South African heritage, we love that! Tell us about life in SA before you left?

Life in SA before I left was crazy.  The apartheid regime knew their days were numbered and there was violence galore. Also, I had avoided the army for 7 years and they were in hot pursuit.  I owed the government money for the study grant I got to become a teacher and had realized that there was no way in hell I could continue being a school teacher. So I made a decision to sell my car and buy a plane ticket to NYC where I was sure I had a better chance of gaining access to the necessary gear to begin producing electronic music.

How did you become entrenched in the NY dance music scene there? What was the music scene there like at the time?

I went to the legendary Sound Factory in NY for the first time in early 1994, dropped some E and soon after that began making house music.  The house & techno music scenes in NY at that time were booming and people were being turned on left, right and center.

What is one of the best kept Secrets in New York/ Where would you advise edm loving South Africans go if they visit?

http://www.beyondbooking.com/thebunker/default.asp

www.halcyonline.com

www.othermusic.com

Jazz and instrumental s greatly influence your sound, and you’ve created your own brand of spaced out, instrumental Dub Techno- what are your favourite noises?

My favourite noises are those that possess a dirty gritty edge to them. Couple those with a cavernous reverb or a serious dub echo and you’re in business.

If you could steal a track made by any other artist and call it your own, what would it be?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RskJZOoY34

You started your own label Steadfast records, last year, tell us a bit about this? And what are you plans for the rest of 2010?/ What artists are you planning to release on the label?

Steadfast will serve as a means to release original material as Brendon Moeller, Beat Pharmacy and Echologist as well as material from peers/ friends. I intend to enlist some of his favourite producers to remix tracks for almost every release to ensure a collaborative spirit. Having worked with prestigious labels such as Francois K’s Deep Space Media, Third Ear Records, Mule Musiq, Astralwerks, Rekids, Apnea and Echocord, to name but a few, I decided it time to take the reins and full creative control of my musical endeavours. Quality and attention to detail is the stamp I intend to leave on each release. The same vision, discipline and determination he practiced to build up my profile will be applied to Steadfast. Whether you’re on a dance floor, in a car, jogging, dining or wherever Steadfast Records will be heard, the response I hope to inspire with every release is a simple, “FUCK YEAH!!”

Would you look at releasing any super good local artists from SA? Having played in Johannesburg and Cape Town, what are your thoughts on SA’s club culture?

Yes, I’m down to release and collaborate with SA artists for sure. If you think you got what I want, email me at steadfast@brendonmoeller.com

What music do you listen to in your downtime/ Who’s music really strikes a chord or two with you?

I have very little downtime these days, but I tend to listen to jazz, 70’s dub and  experimental rock stuff. Of course though I spend most of my time listening to music in search of tracks I can drop when I’m DJ’ing.

Coming from a small town in South Africa- do your parents understand dance culture and appreciate what you’ve done with your career?

My folks are very supportive of my career now and are happy that ‘m doing what I love.

You’ve played at Francois K’s Deep Space night at Ceilo in New York many times, apparently its one of the best clubs in NY? Tell us a bit about the pulsating nightlife in this mad city…

Well, there’s always something to do, every night of the week if you choose. People need to escape their apartments, so bars and clubs are where they end up.

What do you miss most about South Africa?/ What was it like coming back after so long- seeing how it has changed/ developed etc?

I miss the people and the landscape. “Oos wes, tuis bes” they say. The crime and violence are obviously very troubling.

You’re moving to Europe for the summer, is this to tap more into the European market?/ What is it about the European club scene that is so alluring for djs and producers around the world?

I have moved to the EU so that I don’t have to be on planes so much. Since most of my gigs are in the EU it makes sense to be here. If after 6 months my family and I like it here, we will stay. The EU just seems to be the place where dance music culture flourishes as a result of the number of producers and venues.

If Beatpharmacy was a cockatil, what would it consist of?

Whiskey & ice!

BPM Mag: Interview with Dinky

Dinky is an electronic diamond. From humble beginnings, dancing to Techno with Ricardo Villalobos and Luciano in Chile;  penetrating New York’s underground with her esoteric essence; to discovering her production fingers, moving to Berlin and finding love with Crosstown Rebels star, Matthew Styles, Dinky is the epitome of living the dream. Joining the ranks of Anja Schneider and Magda in the female powerhouse with releases on the best electronic labels, it’s no surprise she quickly blossomed into her role as the youngest female resident for Cocoon. Ahead of her visit to South Africa in June, we visited Dinkyland to find out more!

Where did your fascination with electronic music start?

Modern electronic music came to me when I was only 12 years old. My sister was going out with Dandy Jack [of Perlon fame] and living in Berlin at that time. At a family dinner he gave me a CD and I got instantly hooked on this music. It seemed so futuristic for me, compared to what we had in Chile at that time. Thanks to both him and my sister, I would always receive goodies – music from Kraftwerk, DAF, and house tapes from Doctor Motte. And then later on, things like the early Plastikman CD. I was really lucky!

How did you get into producing?

I guess it came when I was 21 or 22, and I moved to New York. At that time it was really difficult to DJ because the police were really tough. There were no clubs, there were places shutting down, so if I was going to get into music I really wanted to produce. I asked for some advice from people; for example Dandy Jack convinced me to buy a MPC 2000. So I bought that at a very young age and I started to learn that and sampling; it’s a very basic thing!

You’ve lived in Chile, New York and now Berlin; you restlessness has prevented each from ‘claiming’ you to a certain scene or genre of music; how have all 3 influenced your character and music over the years?

I lived long enough on each country to find myself very influenced by the music of each . I was born and raised in Chile and lived there until my late teens , so I feel mostly influenced by my Chilean roots than anything. In New York I found House and some techno, so I have a big influence from that city as well , I was in body and soul every single Sunday dancing to house music. And finally in Berlin where I moved in 2003, I got very much influenced by German electronic dance music specially in Panorama Bar and Berghain where I have a residency.

You originally went to New York to study contemporary dance- have you always had an interest in dancing itself, and how did this lead you to electronic music?

I started to dance when I was around 10 years old , before that I was doing rhythmic gymnastics.  I was very flexible and musical as a child and me and my family thought it was a good idea to start with dance. Dance did not lead to electronic music at all, they didn’t have much to do with each other for me back then but I used some electronic music for choreography .

You’re first record was released on Traum, and you’ve since released on some of the best labels in electronic music- Wagon Repair, Cocoon, Crosstown Rebels- a world first for any female producer, what made you want to make music?

I studied piano when I was a little girl so I always felt like composing songs or scores , I would read music or invent my own scores in the piano when I was little so I guess it was just somehow natural for me to start making music.

As a self-confessed gadget girl- what are your favourite new toys at the moment?

My acoustic guitar! Actually, I haven’t invested much in the studio this year because I have already at the moment all I need so I’m enjoying playing classic guitar mostly.

When producing, your music has been described as a beautifully intricate and layered work of art- a very evident aural expression. Do you have a strong visual tangent that goes with the sounds you create?

Yes I do ,Im very into esoterics and art , I actually also paint and I’m quite extreme when it comes to how my house looks in terms of decoration and space. I’m very visual. I also see sound as colours , I think that has a name in psychology but I don’t remember now..

You’re also an instrumentalist- you play the piano, guitar and strings- how important is being able to play proper instruments for you to ‘compose’ quality music electronically?

I think it’s somehow good for someone to know or to have the ear to play music , to makes music in tune or out of tune on purpose. I think when you start reading and recognizing music from an early age it never goes away (unless you never had the ear) but I also think there is no rules and maybe someone who does not know anything about harmony or pitch can be more free than someone who  is subject to his or her knowledge and academic rules.

Who are some of your favourite producers at moment/ who’ve influenced you?

I really like Tensnake at the moment because I’m a huge fan of Disco music and his tracks are very different but with the disco roots.

Being resident for Sven Vath’s Cocoon party in Ibiza- some would say there are not many dj dreams bigger than that- how does it feel to have your talent recognised on this level and to become part of the Cocoon family?

I could not believe it when it happened in 2004 but I had my fears and some people were a bit… ehm… jealous.  I was also much younger so it was all quite over-whelming , a mixture of excitement and fear at the same time! Now that I finally joined the agency and I am older it feels really natural because I been in contact with them for so many years and know them well … but yes it definitely felt huge back then and I was a bit unsure of everything.

You’re first night as Cocoon, how was that? / Which has been your favourite night at Cocoon and who did you play alongside that night?

It was with Miss Kitten, it was great , really great! I did the warn up and enjoyed it very much  and even though it was around 2004, I think that was my favourite night.

Tell us a bit about the Cocoon club concept and why it has the reputation and following it has…

I guess is very modern and artistic but with a great concept of marketing as well.  Sven supports music that normally would not get exposed because it’s very underground and sometimes experimental , so he uses his popularity and brand to expose very avant-garde artists like dj’s, musicians, dancers and designers. It’s a very visual and complete experience!

Dinky tours South Africa with Ibiza’s Cocoon Night in June.

BPM Mag Interview with Troydon

There’s always an energetic stirring on the underground when news of a rare pilgrimage home from Troydon starts making the rounds. House heads clamour to shake their hips to his infectious house vibe and pay their respects to the Dj and Producer who traded the City of Gold for the Big Apple several years ago. His 2010 return is no different, so we thought a catch up was due. Here’s Troydon on his latest move- to the City of Angels no less; making music with Diplo and Switch and Die Antwoord!

It’s been a while since BPM last spoke to you; tell us what you’ve been up to production wise the past couple of years?

The last couple of years I was in New York I was doing a lot of engineering at a pretty high profile recording studio, Downtown Music. Things were pretty busy so I didn’t make much of my own music during that time but it was always something I was interested in and I learnt so much having never gone to school for recording or music when growing up. Even though I had to put making my own music on hold for a little while, what I learnt and just the life experiences I gained by working in a studio, will be of great value to me in a number of different ways in the future.

You left SA for the Big Apple several years ago- how has it been as a producer and sound engineer to make inroads into the American music industry?

It’s been really hard work and long hours full of sweat and tears, with the ups and downs as we all face in the music industry, but I love what I do and wouldn’t change it for anything. I think perseverance is key and if you just keep on knocking and knocking eventually things start to open up. I’m still really excited about the prospects of what’s out there and absolutely anything could happen in the future. It’s all possible!

Los Angeles recently became your home town, many reputed dance artists have made this their home of late- David Guetta, Steve Angello… is there something in the night air?

Yes, there is definitely something in the air… But our move happened pretty naturally; while working with Switch at Downtown in NYC when he was out recording I mentioned that my wife (Lisa) possibly had some work opportunities in LA and he said we should do it and offered me to come and work for him. We figured it was the path we are meant to take so we went for it. It’s been about 6 months, and so far we’re pretty happy. It was kinda strange getting use to driving everywhere again though after catching trains around NY for 5/6 years but I am really enjoying that freedom of just being able to get up and go. To me it’s a bit like a combo of JHB and CPT with the city/downtown LA and then also having such beautiful beaches right here too. Plus I love snowboarding and we have mountains about an hour and half away……..bonus!

We’re seeing it filtering slowly in on MTV and the like, how is the commercial music market in the US now opening up to the ‘new’ electronic music sounds?

I really think the latter part of 2009 has shown everyone that the US is most definitely open to it in a big way! I really believe 2010 is going to be an exciting year here for electronic music on a much more credible level than what we have heard so far. There’s a lot of excitement because people have seen what is possible and are hungry to push to try to make things happen.

You have a new moniker called SUBSKRPT and done remixes for Major Lazer, Rusko and Crookers, what is your vision with this alias and how does it differ to your Troydon productions?

This is something that I am really excited about and I think it’s largely due to the fact that I am getting time to make music again! The vision is pretty broad for this moniker and I really don’t wanna box Subskrpt musically at all. Just off the bat the Major Lazer Cashflow remix is Dubstep, the Rusko Woo Boost remix is a club banger and the Crookers remix I did is a bit more poppy than anything I have ever done before. I have also just finished mixing a compilation of Dubsided’s Catalogue and did an exclusive track for that which is pretty much deep house again.

So I guess its all fair game at the moment. Anything that’s good, fun and exciting is what I want to do. This attitude has really made making music fun again and I think you will hear that translate in the material that you hear coming from subskrpt in the future. Check out www.myspace.com/subskrpt for updates as there are a few more pretty exciting things on the cards that I can’t mention as yet ;-)

You are renowned for your Chicago influenced house sound, how has it developed or changed over the past few years? How much do you let yourself be influenced by music trends?

Good solid house music will always be my roots and what I grew up on. I’ll always love it but I think as you get older and more experienced, as far as making music goes, u start to explore and open up to more. I think this is just a natural progression for me. I want to keep growing and I feel that if I just keep doing something that I already know how to do I’ll get bored and that’ll translate in the music that comes out- something I definitely don’t want to happen.

You appear to be less loudly branded and hyped than many dj/ producers, is it your intention for the legend of Troydon to be spread organically?

I think that’s partly due to my personality as I really battle to dance & shout about myself and tell everyone how good I am. It’s something that I need to work on but I’m glad the material I did under my own name has grown organically because it is such a great reflection of who I am. I will however be trying to improve on this with the subskrpt bits. For some reason because it’s not under my given name it makes me feel like I can say things like “the new subskrpt beats are super sick and you need to look out for what’s coming cause its gonna be hot! ”-which is something I would have never said about any Troydon material, haha!

Dance-loving SA is always happy to hear about your return, are you aware that for many you represent an original- and much missed- house music era in our country?

I do indeed and it puts a bit of pressure on me to play music that I’m known for at home. I will do my best to play some good solid house beats for the real old school heads but also throw in some fresh new exciting stuff for the kids that are coming up now to enjoy too. This way the new kids are being exposed to stuff they do not know and the older house heads can get a taste of some of the new stuff but not just get pummelled with bleepy crazy mental ADD music all night long which makes you feel like you could explode!

What advice would you give to local artists trying to establish themselves internationally?

Just make music you believe in and have fun with it. Don’t take it too seriously; enjoy what it means to be able to make music. It’s a true blessing and you should have as much fun as possible when doing it because that energy all comes across in the tracks! Look at “Die Antwoord” when I first watched the clip for “zef side and the ninja one” they were only on a few thousand views. After Diplo put it on his blog it then got on to Pitchfork and now they at like 500 000 views or something crazy!

I am just trying to point out how quick things can break and how well it translates when you can see people are not taking themselves too seriously and are truly having fun with music and art! I mean, tons of people watching those clips don’t understand half of what is going on anyway but they can pick up on the energy which is key.

What characteristics of SA life do you miss- local cuisine, favourite places etc?

I miss all of it! Food, clubs, people, family, weather, lifestyle. I am so excited when I come home and am always sad to leave. This time is even more special for me too because I am officially an uncle as my sister has recently had a baby boy so I am very happy to get to come home and meet my first nephew. Gotta get him spinning records and making music as soon as possible!

Electric Zoo York, Zoo York

So we’re all in the know about the festivals taking the UK and Europe by annual storm- Glastonbury, Exit, Love Family- Yawn! Who’s up for quick trip to New York? I went on a little pilgrimage to find out what’s hot and happening over the Atlantic border, and high society west end clubbing aside- they have an incredible and undeterred underground scene. Samantha Ronson and DJ AM wouldn’t know it if it hit them in them in the face! Thank god!

In general the good old US of A seems to be neglected when it comes to discussing ‘the scene’ and all that lovely EDM musical epiphany we love to natter about so much. Yes they have more pop, rap and commercial crap that you can throw a very large boulder at, but remember these are the roots of some of the most important house sounds; the whip is still steadily being cracked in San Fran and Chicago and no, not all the Techno boys from Detroit have moved to Berlin!

The Electric Zoo Festival quickly surfaced on my hunt- the massive two dayer is being held at Randall Island Park over September 5^th and 6^th- Labour Day weekend and apparently it’s the very first Electronic Musical festival to happen in New York City- ever! How’d they end up missing out this long? The roll call of artists and performers is nothing but incredible- of course! Armin Van Buuren and David Guetta take the headlining helm; Frankie Knuckles, Danny Tenaglia, Roger Sanchez, and yep, all the Americano’s transplanted around the world are rushing home to join the debut, but I’m not pointing fingers Heidi and Seth Troxler!

The whole animalistic soiree is brought to you by the production team, Made Events- I looked them up- these guys are good! They cover the board with slick underground event productions in the US and host well billed parties at Pacha New York, the infamous Ceilo in the Meat Packing District and promote events like Save The Cannibals- presently one of the Big Apples cheekiest nocturnal occults- as well as the revered Sunday School for Degenerates at the WMC in Miami. Electric Zoo Festival has been dubbed ‘the next chapter in the ongoing success story’ of the duo behind Made Events, so it’s all looking set to be one massive sound celebration! Go on New York- you deserve it!

http://www.electriczoofestival.com/
Little Lexi x

BPM Mag Interview with Troydon

Local DJ and Producer Troydon went New York on us several years ago and has spent the past few years carving out his own dancefloor in the city that never sleeps. He’s upstarted his own label, Phonoshuffle Music Corp, produced a pocketful of slick house tracks and become a remixer to be reckoned with. His recent trip home saw him learn to love South Africa all over again- impressed with our rising DJ talents and bowled over by the bevy of beat lovers at his gigs – Troydon admits there’s no place like home!

Your career in dance music began in Johannesburg, South Africa over 10 years ago. How did you’re career merge to New York where you now live?
I took a year off and moved to Boston with my wife Lisa when she went there to study. While she was spending her time hitting the books I set up my first little studio and started makin’ beats. By the end of that year I managed to get a few releases signed to some small labels and things seemed to snowball from then on. We were both happy there and when the opportunity came up for Lisa to work in NYC we decided this would be a great move for the both of us and decided to stay in the states indefinitely.

You seem to have had the right recipe for achieving international success- what were you’re expectations going in and how were you received?
I had no expectations when going into it and with music initially just being a hobby I just had fun trying to explore this interest. I was overjoyed that things started moving in a direction which meant I could possibly turn this into my career.

How has living and producing in New York influenced your sound?
I think the vibrancy of NY City definitely aided me in staying motivated to write music as well as providing some inspiration but I still think I draw most of my inspiration from the other music I am exposed to. I do honestly think that I could be anywhere in the world makin’ music and it may differ slightly due to my surroundings but not hugely.

How do the scenes in South Africa and The States differ?
To me, South Africa has a somewhat commercial dance music scene at this stage and I feel that in the states electronic dance music in general has come full circle and is very underground (for lack of a better word) and reminds me of how things use to be in S.A. back in the day when I first started. South Africa will always be home to me and to be totally honest, amongst the many obvious things in our beautiful country, I miss my family most of all.

Do Dj’s and producers in the US consider SA to be a viable market?
I’d have to say 100% yes. Tons of guys ask about going to S.A. because of all the good stories they have heard about our scene. Many US artists have also licensed tracks to compilations down at home so they know there must be a following down there in order to support that and thus a good party scene to play in.

Which Dj’s and producers originally influenced you’re love for the dance side? And whose sound do you appreciate now?
For me I think initially it was outfits like mood 2 swing, the murk boys, MAW, Cassio Ware etc. (all their earlier stuff as I am not into much of what they do now) that really got me into dance music. At the moment I am really into the material Dave Taylor (Switch/Solid Groove) is producing as I find that it has a great balance between the original Chicago house sound and your current hyped up UK/EU more electronic/minimal/electro sound that is big at the moment which seems to so heavily influence people/dj’s here at home.

You’ve recently added ‘remixer’ to you’re slew of industry titles- what is it about a track that inspires you to add your own twist?
Well, with remixes generally you get commissioned to do them and I tend to ask to hear the original before agreeing to do so. This way you get to choose projects you like and are happy to be a part of. I do want to remix more South African acts though so am patiently waiting for more opportunity to do that.

Your track “Learn to Love” was a smash it. You included it on the House of Om; South Africa album- and it was well playlisted on 5FM- how did it feel getting recognition back home?
This was totally unexpected and really put a smile on my face as I had so much fun writing that track. The vocal sample I found and used was a sample that mood 2 swing used many years ago on something I loved when I was initially getting into house music which really made this project special for me.

Now for the big one- What have you heard about the current state of the local scene- and what names are ringing in you’re ears?
I think the current state of things is exciting and I am waiting for someone from home to write a worldwide smash hit, which I think will happen soon with all the talent here in S.A. From Flash Republic, Jimmy Chronic, Goldfish, Fresh, Brett Jackson, Vinny & Christos (DJ’s at work), Downsouth Music, Lady Lea, Revolution to Euphonic. Everyone is doing great things and I think it can only go from strength to strength.

What do you deem the future of Electronic Dance Music? Have all the best tracks been made, is there still far to go before we max out or will we simply find a new leverage?
I think music is endless and I am sure this question has come up many times over the decades and somehow we manage to break new ground and engineer new exciting sounds. Therefore I believe it’s only the tip of the iceberg and technology is only expanding the possibilities from day to day thus ensuring more great music in the future.

How was you’re experience returning to South Africa- were you surprised at the support from the EDM loving audience?
My trip home was super fun and I played a few dope gigs. One or two were average but that’s the name of the game and overall it was well wicked. The response I got at KISS surprised me because I play pretty underground but people really seemed to get into the beats even with the lack of commercial sounds which was refreshing!

Nice! So can you give us a little teaser on what’s coming next- any exciting projects and productions we can look forward to?
I have just started a little collaboration with a friend of mine (Joshua Heath) who has had releases on Salted Music (Miguel Migg’s label) and we call ourselves “Quality Control”. I am real excited about this project. We just recently had our first release on Drop Music which did really well. Our 2^nd release is lined up for Phonoshuffle (my own personal imprint) which will be out with a Hipp-E remix in a month or two. After that I have a possible project from the 1200 Warriors (an outfit from Brooklyn who are responsible for producing Wu Tang Clan) that I am busy negotiating with them. I am really excited about these two things so be sure to keep your ears open for them on Phonoshuffle Music Corp. Other than that I have another Troydon EP I’m working on but who knows when I will get it done.

Look out for Troydon’s collaboration with Joshua Heath as ‘Quality Control’. The track will be out on EP end of October and available for download on Digi sites soon after!