2019 Rewind: junk-E-cat

junk-E-cat

How was 2019 for you?
junk-E-cat: 2019 was a great year for the creature. My first EP, Kreatur, came out in May followed by the latest single, “Treature,” and I’m even cooking up more music as we speak. I also feel 2019 was the year where I found the perfect team to realize my creative world.

Highlights?
Melt 2019. I played twice at 5am on top of my fire truck, luring people from the festival area to the so-called sleepless floor, a bit like a new age pied piper. Making so many people dance was such a great rush.

Another highlight was making the video for my track “Levitation.” We had the use of a whole private airport, and we coordinated a dramatic performance on top of the moving truck. Everything was over within a couple of hours, but it was an amazing experience.

Lowlights?
The massive setback with PledgeMusic at the beginning of the year. Fans and supporters gave their hard-earned cash so kindly and we were all ready to be funded to make and release the record. And then PledgeMusic collapsed and the whole situation left us and the fans empty-handed.

Song of the year?
I’ve listened to so many wonderful and inspiring tracks this year. If I need to choose one right now, it would probably be “The Righteous Mind” from Throwing Snow’s latest release.

What’s your New Year’s resolution?
More music, more shows and more urban exploring and more adventures for my fire truck.

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2019 Rewind: Azusena

AZUSENA

How was 2019 for you?
Azusena: Enlightening and more loving.

Highlights?
Becoming closer with the people I love and admire, and learning to produce my own songs and music.

Lowlights?
Saying goodbye a lot.

Song of the year?
“Vermissen” by Juju feat. Henning May

What’s your New Year’s resolution?
To stay curious about the world, and say yes more!

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2019 Rewind: Balfa

Balfa

How was 2019 for you?
Balfa: Intense. Really hard work to release the album and to prepare the crafted synthesizers and machines for the concerts and workshops.

Highlights?
Red Bull premiering the first concert.

Lowlights?
[Working on] just a few hours of sleep.

Song of the year?
I would better choose an album: Come, Deathless by Surachai. Awesome work.

What’s your New Year’s resolution?
Build a space for BLF Lab activities.

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2019 Rewind: Chuck Da Fonk

Chuck Da Fonk

How was 2019 for you?
Chuck Da Fonk: A really great year for FSQ. This was a rebuilding year for us on the DJing front as our brother and FSQ member Sa’d The Hourchild Ali passed away in 2018. On the DJ front, Chas Bronz joined Chuck Da Fonk for appearances as FSQ, proudly carrying the torch for Sa’d Ali. On the production side of FSQ’s activities, we wrapped up recording our full-length album for Soul Clap Records, Reprise Tonight, out in 2020.

Highlights?
Dolette McDonald (of Talking Heads, Sting) joined us for another collaboration. This time we covered the 40-year-old classic by the Talking Heads, “I Zimbra” with Alan Dixon and Soul Clap turning in smashing remixes on that EP.

Lowlights?
A few absolutely smashing productions we turned in wound up on hold for whatever reasons by a few record labels so the slate of FSQ music in 2019 was not as robust as we would have liked it to be. Well, we guess that means more FSQ for 2020!

Song of the year?
For us it has to be Quantic’s “Atlantic Oscillations (Disco Dub).” We wish we made this track! It summarizes what we aim to achieve in our FSQ Caribbean-disco sound.

What’s your New Year’s resolution?
To be organized; continue to plug our network and make new contacts to achieve our goals of FSQ music being heard by more people across the globe; more collaborations with larger artists in dance music and beyond, and more DJ and band appearances beyond the U.S.

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