Alex Mantidakis (a.k.a. Almad) is a DJ/producer on the rise. This month the Green-born, Ibiza/Stockholm-based house artist dropped the Amcha EP, an enlightened three-track affair influenced by his interest in healing sounds, on his PlayHouse Time Records.
On a canvas of crisp percussion, funky basslines and lilting synth-driven melodies, Mantidakis leverages uplifting vibes and his experience decimating dance floors at Ushuaïa, Km5, Chiringay, Es Vive, Hard Rock Hotel, and Pacha’s El Hotel to transport us into another dimension.
We caught up with the man himself and asked him about tracks that are currently rocking his world. Continue Reading →
Paco Terio (a.k.a. Groove Squared, a.k.a. Diggler Smith) is a talented Italian DJ/ producer whose energetic deep-house signature exudes emotion at the intersection of euphoria and melancholy. His experience performing live is the secret sauce to his productions.
With releases on Trapez, Engrave and Gravity Groove, Terio has linked up with Italian label/DJ crew/radio show Soundzrise to release his Use-less EP feat. TDR. On the remix tip, he tapped few pisansSIS and Lollino for their respective remix touch.
Ahead of the EP’s release on January 22, we caught up with Terio and asked him to enlighten us on five of his favorite tracks of the moment. Continue Reading →
Mattias Fridell: I have to say it was a pretty interesting year in many ways. Mostly in a positive way.
Highlights?
Two new projects I’m involved in. One being Destroyka, which is a collaboration with Alexander Johansson (who also established the idea and myself). We’ve been working together creating music for 20 years by now and it was time to make a full-scale program with a new idea over a lengthy course of time instead of a track every now and then. It’s a concept-based affair, involving music, art and dysfunctional poems. We worked on it since summer 2017. In March 2018 we launched it and kept us very busy since.
Second, I’m part of the techno online community Subsekt [for] a long time and during 2018 it also became a label. Completely run by its passionate members, releasing the members’ music as well as doing absolutely everything else that needs to be done together. Everything is being discussed, reasoned and decided together. Involvement and inclusion! Enthusiasm. It’s a mighty fine thing. No doubt it can be seen as a natural reaction to what’s happening within the scene today. Commercialism.
Too much ego, fake fame and quick results and too little focus on what really matters. The Subsekt label makes a thing of supporting and developing talent and release music from those who never released music earlier for example.
Lowlights?
Everything that is negative with the world — its inhabitants. It really appears the world is more polarized. The humanity advancement is dragged down in many aspects. On a more personal level, when the few ones close to me are in trouble, being ill or doesn’t feel well in any way. I also had to let the vet euthanize two of my cats last year. That was definitely a lowlight.
Song of the year?
It’s always very tough to just nominate one track to be the one stand out tune of the year. When it comes to techno I’ll go with a very basic, purist track to keep things simple for myself: “Kick It (Them)” by Dold on Arsenik Records.
“Kick It (Them)” by Dold
What’s your New Year’s resolution?
Never been a fan of dull traditions rooted in religion like New Year’s resolutions. Perhaps it works for some but, honestly, all I can see if that it is just another thing to subdue people in the end. A resolve to change something about you can be done at any time.
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Jesse Saunders: 2018 was an amazing year for me. Lots of great things developed, lots of amazing things happened and our Chosen Few House Music festival was bigger than ever!
Highlights?
🔥2018 started off in a big way with my annual birthday tour. This year it was bigger than ever hitting 12 cities in the month of March.
🔥Then the BBC TV series Can You Feel it which I feel is the most comprehensive historical piece on house music was a monumental success featuring myself.
🔥My release Kaleidoscope hit the top 10 across the board on iTunes, Spotify, Traxsource and Beatport.
🔥I received another pioneering award from the city of Chicago’s DiVinci Manor landmark foundation.
🔥But the biggest highlight of 2018 was being an associate producer for the I love The 90s show, which was the first hip-hop residency on the Las Vegas strip.
Lowlights?
The troubled soul Avicii’s death.
What’s your New Year’s resolution?
2019 brings the 35th anniversary of house music as we know it today with the release of “On & On.” January 20, 1984 was the date that this journey of house music began. My resolution for 2019 is to bring as many celebrations to as many people around the world so they can share in the joy and happiness that house music brings! I’m proud to bring forth the 35th anniversary remixes featuring DeMarcus Lewis (No Way Back remix), Stacy Kidd, Matthew Brian (Dark remix), VeeV from Canada (Revolving remix) and Jerome Baker and myself with the Originator remix. I want to everyone who house music has infected to being a part of history in the making.
No paywalls, free to all. Help us remain 100% independent and unbiased. Please give to Big Shot by making a secure one-time donation to help us continue covering DJ culture and electronic music like we’ve done since 2003.
