2019 Rewind

2019 Rewind: Rocky Valente

Yehouda Silverman Leave a Comment

rocky-valente

How was 2019 for you?
Rocky Valente: It has been the most amazing creative year in my life where I truly understood that we can create our own reality. It was also the most too, with my first release under the name Rocky Valente, my Rebirth EP (Elevate) which was in the top 3 techno releases on Beatport within five days. It was a proper pinch me moment! I played in amazing locations with amazing people for amazing crowds. I learned a lot about myself and my dreams, and more about how I want to prepare my kids for the world. I laughed a lot and cried a bit. It was a very, very special year.

Highlights?
My Rebirth EP. Seeing the work not just of the last months but to be honest the work of my last ten years inspiring people to listen, play and dance. Also not just the big festivals in front of thousands, but the special intimate parties, too. I did with Be-at.Tv in a kitchen in Lisbon that went viral which was amazing, and a live stream I did on a boat in Amsterdam. This year, I wanted to put my soul into everything I was doing, With these streams, people who can’t always go out can still watch a DJ playing in another part of the world and imagine they are there. I believe that the concept of DJing will change; virtual reality will be there soon and I want to be part of it!

Lowlights?
My grandfather passed away a few months ago. He was an amazing person and very important to me. I love him, and I always will. I hope he is proud of me like he always was.

Song of the year?
I’m going to choose something not out of the techno box. I will say Madonna’s “Looking For Mercy.” I grew up listening to Madonna, and this year I’ve been lucky enough to work with one of her guitarists, Portuguese musician Gaspar Varela. I love the lyrics. We are all looking for mercy and Love. Madonna has achieved so much as an artist. I respect her and admire her for how crazy she was, and how she did fight against so much both as an artist and a woman.

What’s your New Year’s resolution?
Learn even more about music, about people, and about how to connect better with my fans. Free my creative soul even more, and be happy with the simple things in life. Oh, and go back to riding horses.

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2019 Rewind: Jody Barr

Ian Fleming Leave a Comment

jody-barr

How was 2019 for you?
Jody Barr: It was filled with both sheer joy and heartache. I did some collaborative projects which will see light in 2020, released with Last Night On Earth, played a life affirming gig and built up some prosperous relationships. One of my aims was getting out to meet and work with other creatives. Stuck in a windowless box room doing music can often end up a hermit occupation.

Highlights?
Playing with Sasha and the Last Night On Earth family in London. It was a heart-warming yet life-affirming gig and solidified that hunger feeling of why I’m still chasing my childhood dream. It was a dream come true.

Lowlights?
I’m never normally a believer in lowlights as my life’s dreadful moments are always changing points but this year was an exception. Undoubtedly, in personal terms there were some very traumatic times with an unexpected family bereavement, shortly followed by the loss of a close childhood friend. It sure was a mentally testing year and one that felt like I was trying to pull myself out of a swamp by my own hair.

Song of the year?
There’s been some amazing music released this year, but I’m going to roll with one that instantly struck my emotive strings: Kollektiv Turmstrasse’s “Ribbon Reef.” The string melody is beautiful. I heard the record a few years back and it’s stuck with me ever since. Thankfully, it’s finally been released.

What’s your New Year’s resolution?
Stress less and share things that make the world a better place to be in.

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2019 Rewind: Reshift & Robin Tasi

Darren Ressler Leave a Comment

Reshift_&_Robin_Tasi

How was 2019 for you?
It was a successful year for our project, Acid Wave Records. First, it began as a podcast series in 2017, and we converted it to a label two years later where we already released two two-track-EPs, both distributed via Bandcamp only, accompanied with amazing drawing skills by Lea Pieper and mastered at Trope Recordings by Thomas Heckmann.

In 2019, we also started inviting people to talk with them about everything and nothing. We are uploading those recordings under the name Acid Wave Talk. You can check it out here.

Highlights?
Since our first invitation together at Hexagon in Club Favela, Münster in January 19, we became long-term residents at this amazing party which is organized by Münster’s very own Dylan Köhler. We also became really good friends with the whole crew and many people around Münster which is just amazing for us.

We also got invited by Tom Talenberg to play at Griessmuehle’s Silo floor for a party called Level Delta Connecting. We didn’t expect the party to be as excessive since it happened on a Wednesday night. It turned out to be hot AF, and we had one of the greatest nights in 2019 there. Love goes out to the Level Delta crew and also to Griessmuehle.

Song of the year?
On our gigs we are always switching between different kind of sub-genres like EBM, ghetto-tech, early tribal & acid techno up to electro and new stuff. But we never miss Disintegrator – Dark Black Ominous Clouds‘ (also not in 2019), which was actually produced by Oliver Chesler (a.k.a. The Horrorist) and John Selway back in the early 90s.

What’s your New Year’s resolution?
To spit out some more EPs in 2020, that‘s for sure. Also, we will continue destroying Club Favela at the Hexagon Dance Events on a regular basis. We want to record a lot of new episodes for our Acid Wave Talk, so for everyone who‘s interested in: DO NOT HESISTATE N‘ DROP A MESSAGE! We are always looking for chilled guests who want to have a nice time with 1-2 beers (3-4-5…). 😉

Image by Dylan Kohler

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2019 Rewind: Doc Brown

Ian Fleming Leave a Comment

doc-brown

How was 2019 for you?
Doc Brown: Happy to report it was the best yet! I’ve always said as long as I’m making progress every year, things are going well.

Highlights?
I started the year with a bang, playing the Stereo Productions party aboard the infamous Groove Cruise. I’ve played aboard the Groove Cruise many times but this was my first performance with the Stereo family (after releasing on the label late in 2018) so that was very special for me. In May I played at EDC Las Vegas for my first time, and then last month performed again at the Orlando version. The scale of those events is absolutely insane. I love the energy and festivals always feel like a big industry reunion!

Lowlights?
I had a pretty long streak without a release this year. I raised the standards on the types of labels I wanted to work with, which made signing tracks harder, and I was really beginning to feel a bit restless. It’s always at my lowest point when things seem to fall in to place though – and the second half of 2019 came together nicely, culminating with my new three-track EP out on Vanilla Ace’s WyldCard label. I also signed a new EP to Roger Sanchez’s Undr The Radr, which really goes to show how important it is to keep pushing ahead, even when things look bleak.

Song of the year?
When I think of a song of the year, I think of something that came out early and stayed big all year long. For me, that track was The Deepshakerz’s “Try.” It always got a great reaction.

What’s your New Year’s resolution?
Try to eat more vegetables and get more exercise! Basic!

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