In this episode of Electronic Music Life with James Locksmith is with Los Angeles based multi-instrumentalist, composer, songwriter and music producer, Dexter Story. Story’s accomplishments cross over various areas of the music industry since the age of fourteen. He has worked in multiple facets of music, from marketing director for Priority, Def Jam and Bad Boy Records to talent buyer at LA’s legendary club Temple Bar. Story has now released albums on labels such as Kindred Spirits, Soundway Records and Brownswood.  After graduating from UC Berkeley, he has performed and collaborated with a diverse array of artists, from Carlos Niño, Sun Ra’s Creative Partners, Madlib’s Yesterday’s New Quintet, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Mark De Clive Lowe, Steve Spacek, Daedalus, Kamasi Washington, Gaslamp Killer, Les Nubians, Dayme Arocena among others. Dexter Story discusses an epiphany moment in his life and career, the power of self-talk, cultural relativism, context and using self-reflection to overcome fear and challenges.

FOLLOW DEXTER STORY:

https://www.instagram.com/dexterstory/

https://www.dexterstory.com/

On this episode of Electronic Music Life with James Locksmith is with Blinky Bill AKA Bill Sellanga, a Kenyan musician/producer, rapper and DJ based in Nairobi. BIll was the founder of his former band Just A Band and has been at the forefront of Kenya’s electronic, rap and modern Kenyan music for over a decade. Quite literally one of the main artists from Kenya putting the country on the global music map. Blinky Bill is a TED fellow, was named the Yerba Buena Center Of Arts in 2018 in the top 100 list of people shifting culture and creating change. Bill shares his story of how a new world opened up from when he chose the path of a solo artist via the challenges, self actualization and building his confidence.

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https://www.instagram.com/blinkybillmusic/

Dean Zepherin AKA Zepherin Saint, label owner, DJ, producer, musician, A&R, remix machine, is the man behind 12 year running world respected label TRIBE Records. Responsible for countless releases from a long list of artists in house, soulful, Afro house and many indigenous sounds in electronic music, TRIBE has served as a platform for new and legendary artists in these fields worldwide.  On today's episode of Electronic Music Man with James Locksmith, they discussed overcoming fear, rejection, the obstacles they create, the importance of collaboration, TRIBE Records ethos and the boys also talked about Dean's new project Inner Sauce, the new label focussing on Australia's emerging jazz and electronic talent.  

FOLLOW ZEPHERIN SAINT:

https://www.facebook.com/ZepherinSaint/

https://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/zepherinsaint

https://soundcloud.com/zepherinsaint

https://www.mixcloud.com/discover/zepherin-saint/

https://twitter.com/ZepherinSaint

https://www.instagram.com/zepherin_saint/

In this episode of Electronic Music Life with James Locksmith, recorded in early October 2020, is with Eileen Vasquez aka VZLINE, an emerging musician, music producer, poet, DJ, and vocalist, fusing hip hop, jazz, synth pop, new wave and electronic music. James and Eileen met earlier that year right before the pandemic at Femme Fest in Dubai where VZLINE performed and he discovered her obsession with lucid dreaming and her creative process. The world of dreams and interpretations has been a strong interest of James's since a young boy and was fascinated to learn about her discoveries, experiences and relationship to dreaming, to see if there were ways to answer some of his own questions.

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https://www.instagram.com/vzline/

In this episode of Electronic Music Life with James Locksmith, is with the DJ duo, label owners, creative A&R team and label of the same name, DAR DISKU. Mazen Almaskati and Vish Mahtre, originally from Bahrain, both now residing in the UK, connected several years ago through their love of digging for jazz, funk, disco and electronic rarities from the SWANA region and sharing music with DJing. Their passion for the weird and wonderful disco and alternative sounds from the SWANA region grew and the DAR DISKU DJ and label concept was born. Recorded in September of 2020, Dar Disku discussed the rise of the SWANA regions fascination around the world, the role of originality and responsibility, they shared their thoughts on wellbeing and systematic change, their mission and the ways they have been navigating through today’s new world.

FOLLOW DAR DISKU:

https://www.dardisku.com/

https://www.instagram.com/dardisku_records/

This episode of Electronic Music Life with James Locksmith was recorded in person from the ancient city of Athens, Greece, with one of countries most alternative music voices for over 2 decades. Black Athena aka Kostis Niforakis is a radio presenter, DJ, label owner, curator, agent and artist manager. He's helped the careers of many artists, like Negros Ti Moria,  worked for Jungle Juice Records, Greece’s largest trap, hip hop and RnB label and he continues his radio show, programming for Plissken festival, amongst many other projects. We spoke about the new movement in Greece, the countries youth culture and keeping dreams alive through adversity.  

FOLLOW BLACK ATHENA: 

https://www.instagram.com/blackathenagr/ 

https://www.mixcloud.com/blackathena/stream/

Formerly in the Pharmaceutical/Biotech industry, he made the leap into music four years ago and hasn't looked back. In just a short 4 years, he is now widely recognised within the GCC, Middle East, North Africa regions and internationally, for his impeccable talent and skills in the studio producing RnB, Hip Hop, Pop, Trap, Neo-Soul, Progressive Rock and Heavy Metal. His Beat Lab video series has demonstrated his passion for production,  his love of giving back to music communities and has become increasingly popular in the world of music production with over 3 million views getting the attention from a long list of artists, labels and has regularly been highlighted in regional and international press. Mohammad Bailouni aka Rayan, producer, songwriter, engineer and singer, has worked with a list of artists and provided many workshops,  enriching and enhancing artist careers as a number one priority in his work. In 2019 alone he wrote, produced and engineered over 250 songs, hitting 11 million streams with 45 artists within different styles of music. On this episode of Electronic Music Man with James Locksmith, Rayan explain's his Catharsis and Diversity process, starting with your big Why and Putting the needs of others first.

FOLLOW RAYAN:

https://www.instagram.com/m_bailouni/

In this episode of Electronic Music Life with James Locksmith is with a former dancer, turned DJ, originally from Wollongong Australia, who now lives in New York City since 2014. Lauren Murada found her calling in the world of disco working for one of New York’s integral clubs today. An avid lover of vinyl and disco culture, free expression, Lauren moved to New York to find a career in journalism however stumbled upon a social media manager role after seeking bar work at Brooklyn’s Good Room nightclub. Lauren is now a resident DJ, impacting dancers with her weirdo disco, funk rock and soulful house, along with her collective L&L&L Record Club, a monthly show on The Lot Radio and a party called Love Games with actor and DJ, Finn Jones. Inspired by David Mancuso’s The Loft, her mission is to keep disco alive. Her parties and her collective have reached Japan, Australia, Spain, Canada and across the US, sharing the decks with the likes of Danny Krivit, Spinna, Holy Ghost, Classix, Tim Sweeney, Session Victim and more. Back in August 2020 Lauren discussed how disco life can find you, New York’s clubland, disco families and the power of streaming.

FOLLOW LAUREN MURADA:

https://www.instagram.com/lauren_murada/

https://www.instagram.com/lllrecordclub/

https://www.instagram.com/lovegamesnyc/

https://www.instagram.com/goodroombk/

Honey Point are one of Sydney’s freshest radio hosts, DJ’s, producers and are a community building creative duo. The music they push in clubland is alternative, diverse, sophisticated, fun and vibrant. Pretty much sums them up. They produce the new warehouse parties of Sydney, club nights, brunches and are presenters with Sydney’s Nomad and FBi Radio. They continue to earn their stripes for Sydney’s electronic music scene, solidifying themselves as purveyors, a voice and contributors to the art and culture as a next generation. Having supported the likes of Carista, Jitwan, Lauren Hanson, Horatio Luna, Allysha Joy and since we spoke with them two years ago, they debuted on Boiler Room too. On this episode of Electronic Music Life with James Locksmith, Honey Point explain the importance of the role of community radio, what DIY culture in a COVID world was like for the pair and how they kept their dream alive.

FOLLOW HONEY POINT:

linktr.ee/honeypoint

https://www.instagram.com/heyhoneypoint/

In this episode, I’m speaking with beat maker, DJ, sample fiend and electronic musician FREE THE ROBOTS aka Chris Alfaro. Chris is recognised as a pivotal part of the pioneering generation of LA’s beat scene, FREE THE ROBOTS came to life after many bands, producing MCs and DJing, he played an integral part in the early years, which has led to collaborations, running of his venue The Crosby and sharing the stage with the likes of Fly Lo, DJ Shadow, Prefuse 73 and Afrika Bambataa. Until COVID he was based in California, when we spoke he got stuck on the Philippine Islands, where he retreated and reflected. I was able to get him on zoom via his cell phone, we spoke about letting go of the norm and simplifying environments, his experience with cultural Amnesia and the use of spirituality in search of a creative flow state.    

FOLLOW FREE THE ROBOTS: 

https://linktr.ee/freetherobots 

https://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/freetherobots 

https://www.instagram.com/freetherobots/