Virtual Underground

Follow and support @siskmat

Interview :

Virtual Underground: How has this Siskmat story started ?

Siskmat : Well , it started because i felt quiet stuck at a certain stage of my life so i decided to dedicate it to this music and becoming a full time bedroom Dj , will see what happen next ... :)

VU : Where do you generally draw your inspiration from ?

Siskmat : It could come from things that are outter space or just a simple memories , a color , a place , whatever ...

VU : Could you tell us more about your music selection and mixing process ?

Siskmat : To me the most important thing about track selection are "soul" no matter how well the track are produce , i want to feel that the magic happens trough the production process .

VU : Which software/hardware did you use for this set ?

Siskmat : Only record from others producer

VU : Whats your craziest dream?

Siskmat : In the end of my career i'd love to bring this music to minority across the world, educate a new generation of raver, and for sure launching young talent !

Follow and Support @jast_dj

Interview :

Virtual Underground : How has this JĀST story started ?

JĀST : I started making music at seven, when I began to play the drums. The instrument has stuck with me and I think it helps me visualize the rythmic elements in my sets. For the past ten years I've felt drawn to electronic music more and more. It still took me years of listening to tracks and podcasts of other artists and going out in the Berlin scene to actually start getting behind the decks myself. For the past four years I've been DJing and lately I started to focus my attention more on groovy, percussive and hypnotive tracks, that can be layered on multiple decks.

VU : Where do you generally draw your inspiration from ?

JĀST : Especially with the groovy tracks I play in this set a lot of inspiration is drawn from the sounds of the city - this moment where you leave the club in the morning and every rythmic and arythmic sound around you unites and together they form music in your head, that is what I want to achieve with these multilayered sets. But the sound of the sets I play is always heavily influenced by my mood as well.

VU : Could you tell us more about your music selection and mixing process ?

JĀST : I try to dig my music up from different corners of the Internet and I like to go vinyl shopping as well- a lot of it is following the right labels/artists and not being afraid to spend a lot of time out there choosing the right tracks. While mixing I try to keep every song I play running for a long time and to mix it with different tracks, highlight different elements of the track, so the set gets a natural flow that is somehow more than the sum of the tracks I use.

VU : Which software/hardware did you use for this set ?

JĀST : The set is recorded on a X:ONE43 and two Denon SC5000 and a CDJ900

Interview with ProOne79 @gioele-cantoni :

Virtual Underground: How has this ProOne79 story started ?

ProOne79: The idea of starting the ProOne79 project came up to my mind in 2005, but the first release under my artist name was in 2018. However, I have always been attracted by electronic music, synthesizers and drum machines. I bought my fist synth in the year 2000.

Virtual Underground: Where do you generally draw your inspiration from ?

ProOne79: I generally draw my inspiration from new sounds, but sometimes i draw inspiration from past experiences or everyday life.

Virtual Underground: Could you tell us more about your music selection and mixing process ?

ProOne79: I like to mix my productions with other artist's music and create eclectic mixes that combine house, techno and their subgenres.

Virtual Underground: Which software/hardware did you use for this set ?

ProOne79: For this set i used Traktor connected to an S2 MKII controller

Interview with @nakanoblu :

VIRTUAL UNDERGROUND : How did this NAKANO BLU story start?

NAKANO BLU : I used to work as a drummer before moving to the Netherlands, but I was already producing trip-hop and downtempo music as 'Paul Wilbury'. Then the pandemic hit, so no more gigs unfortunately and I moved to Amsterdam where I got exposed to the music my friends were doing, more IDM, jungle and D'nB. That helped a lot in defining what I wanted to accomplish with NAKANO BLU.

VU : Where do you generally get your inspiration from?

NAKANO BLU : Mostly from going to the club and listening to my favourite producers play there. I also get a lot of ideas from other non-musical artforms, but that is more concept-wise.

VU : Can you describe your music selection and mixing process?

NAKANO BLU : I have changed quite a bit the last two years, but nowadays I try to find non-european roots in the electronic music I play. In Spain people listen mostly to reggaeton and latin pop so I try to incorporate that in my sets with experimental dembow and other latin electronic genres like baile funk or kuduro.

VU : What software/hardware did you use for this set?

NAKANO BLU : I recorded this on CDJs 2000 Nxs.2 and a DJM-900 mixer.

VU : What is your craziest dream?

NAKANO BLU : I don't really remember my dreams but I dream a lot I chase someone parkour style XD.

Jokes aside, musically maybe my dream would be to just play at my favourite club and collaborate with my favourite artists, but who doesn't want that? haha

links:

https://nakanoblu.bandcamp.com/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/34Nv34AHWtVTQwuonomsLj

https://www.instagram.com/nakanoblu/

Virtual Underground presents 1233 @1233_music

Virtual Underground : How has this 1233 story started ?

1233 : A year ago, when I bought my first DJ controller.

VU : Where do you generally draw your inspiration from ?

1233 : Other artists mostly, and my taste in music outside techno.

VU : Could you describe your music selection and mixing process ?

1233 : I have a few playlists to choose from, depending on the mood I want to create. I try to keep my mixing simple, minimal use of FX. But I do enjoy a lot blending different styles of techno.

VU : What is your craziest dream

1233 : Reach as many people as possible with my music, and living off my music of course !

by @ioun

photo by www.facebook.com/reflexologiquephotos

Interview :

Virtual Underground: How did the story of iOÛN begin?

iOÛN: The story of iOÛN began almost 3 years ago. First of all passionate about rock and alternative music, it was impregnated with the electro culture both in France (especially in Brittany) but also during its experiences abroad (England, Poland) in clubs and festivals (I am especially at the base a spectator who likes to vibrate thanks to the music).

Two of my friends of studies create the association Armen Crew several years ago, that I will join in 2019 first as a volunteer then as a DJ.

VU: What are your main inspirations?

iOÛN: My inspirations are wide and diverse, I love rock (I also play in a band), alternative music and electronic music and especially the rhythmic sections of the latter. As far as electro is concerned, I'm very attracted by the incisive and percussive sounds of the Prodigy, Djedjotronic, Voiron or Helena Hauff for example.

I like to propose sets that will not be only with the same style of sounds all along, I like to vary and bring different phases and ambiances in my sets (mainly electro often coupled with techno, pieces a little bit calmer, also indus or even more broken pieces), to vary the intensities to finally, simply make my audience travel in a journey at the same time dancing, sometimes dark and especially energetic.

VU: Can you tell us about your selection and mixing process of the tracks?

iOÛN: I do my digging mainly via Youtube by subscribing to many channels that perpetually suggest me new ideas of sound (and also discovery of new artists) and also via Bandcamp which is according to me a great platform to digest and pay the artists.

So I pick in my last finds that I buy on Bandcamp but not only, the CD format occupies an important place in my purchases (I don't like to limit myself only to the digital format). Fortunately, there are still some record shops that offer an interesting range of CDs in this genre that is electro in the broad sense (new or second hand).

Then I build my sets so that the intensity and the tempo increase in the duration.

For the mixing, I use a rather simple and raw technique, I go to the essential while remaining in rhythm (it is the most important for me, it is necessary to stall well! and then I simply make my EQ transfers and I do not loop).

VU: What software/hardware did you use for this set?

iOÛN: I still use the same equipment as when I started, namely :

- A pair of Numark NDX 400 (MP3 + CD)

- A Mixars UNO desk

- A Reloop Tape recorder

Let's say I'm a bit old school but it suits me very well and it makes me work a lot on the rhythmic approach. I don't like to be assisted by a computer software (having two spectrums to manage annoys me more than anything else), once again I prefer to go to the essential and concentrate on the structures of the pieces (by ear) to know when to send the continuation.

VU: What are your next projects?

iOÛN: I'm planning to start a mix duo with a long time friend in parallel to my band and solo projects and that we start working on it. For the future, I plan to continue to invest myself with Armen Crew (my second family!) to organize events and play for people, it's very exciting for me. I'm also open to all kinds of proposals like online podcasts or participating in events.

Interview :

Virtual Underground: How has this all started for you?

Ekin: My first experience with music started when I discovered my sister’s old cassette player. She was listening to Limp Bizkit. I remember my first song was to Take a look around. Then I discovered other types of metal and started playing bass guitar. I was never into fancy solos. I always liked the idea of being the supporting pillar of the band and improved myself in every genre in bass. Even admitted to Berklee for a 5 week bass performance program. Before pandemic I was playing regularly with my band in a local metal bar called Dorock. Being the youngest member of the band and my tendency to use distortion earned me my nickname Basstard. Then in Berlin, Berghain to be precise, I was drawn to the vast world of techno and the limitless possibilities of sound design. That's when I started experimenting with my first controller.

Virtual Underground: Where do you generally draw your inspiration from?

Ekin: Music is how I express myself. I always felt myself full of emotions that I don't know how to let out. I had a turbulent childhood and preferred music over people. I was very good with maths and physics and could see the pattern in a song effortlessly unlike relationships.

They were very complicated for me and emotions were like randomized functions that ruined every equation in my head. In my sets and compositions I try to reflect my way of seeing the world and how it's cynical, confusing and dark.

Virtual Underground: Could you describe your music selection and mixing process?

Ekin: I like the productions from the 2000s and 1990s. I work as an electronics engineer and while working I dive in the vast archives and select the tunes that intrigues me. I list them according to bpm and key. In this set I acted extra ruthless and selected some hard hitting tracks from C mantle, Headless horseman and Martyn Hare and tried to build a dystopian and intimidating atmosphere.

Virtual Underground: Which software/hardware did you use for this set?

Ekin: I used Traktor Pro 2 software and Traktor S5 controller.

Virtual Underground: Could you tell us more about snatchers?

Ekin: Snatchers is our İstanbul based imprint/label/collective for electronic music and more sound disciplines. It is a place for young musicians to grow and share their works founded by @omeerata. It is a non-profit organization as we say in snatchers we are in it for the music :)

Virtual Underground: Any next plans?

Ekin:I started learning Ableton and hopefully I will release my own tracks soon. Also I started digging records from 1990s and my ultimate goal is to expand my musical arsenal :)

Follow and support Ekin @ingeniousbasstard

Follow Peter on Soundcloud @peter-goebel

Emmy Betiol has a musical carrer that was built over 20 years of experience, permeating different concepts, which allowed her to create an original musical identity.

Her performances are marked by a strong presence, through Techno Dark and Hypnotic, leading to an atmospheric and sophisticated journey, oscillating between percussive and industrial tones. In her performance Emmy presents the purest mixing technique, leading to a remarkable Expressionism.

Resident DJ of the Terraza club since 2014, a club that is a reference in the electronic scene in Brazil, located in Florianópolis / SC. Collect memorable performances alongside DJs / producers from different cultures in Brazil and the world.

She is co-founder of the PHOBIA PROJECT group, a label that contributes to the cultural movement in the southern region of Brazil, with a focus on Dark / Hard and Industrial Techno with the proposal of promoting the music, the concept and freedom of audio / visual expression.

Throughout her career she has always been in complete sync with the underground scene in a determined and persistent way, contributing and disseminating ideas for the development and artistic, cultural and musical evolution of his region.

Since 2009 she lives in Blumenau / SC / Brazil, where she divides her time between djing, design, video editing, event production, in addition to his consolidated career as a fashion designer.

In 2020, she signed a partnership with the Spanish collective @SoundJockeyES with the objective of promoting her music and contributing to other cultures of different nationalities.

---- SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/emmybetiol

---- YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/EMMYBETIOL

---- INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/emmybetiol/

---- RESIDENT ADVISOR: https://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/emmy

---- FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/EmmyBetiol

Social Media

https://linktr.ee/Emmybetiol

Podcast #130 with Se:Va now online!

Featured artists: Patrik Skoogà XHEI, About130, Takaaki Itoh, Blenk, Kvest, CM Falter, Blenk, Setaoc Mass, Benjamin Damage, Giovanni Carozza, Szmer and Yan Cook.

Interview :

Virtual Underground : How has this Se:va story started ?

Se:va : It all started a long ago, influenced by my father, who is the biggest music fan I’ve ever known:) Once, he brought a DVD with DJ Tiesto (I was 9 or 10 years old) and since then I’m all into music. My first experience with DJing was at 13 years old and still going on.

VU : Where do you generally draw your inspiration from ?

Se:va : Hard to say, music is my biggest inspiration, but sometimes I use my past experiences, emotional state to represent it into a set.

VU : Could you describe your music selection and mixing process ?

Se:va : I really love every sub-genre of techno and its branches, so the idea of this set was to find trippy and hypnotic grooves, without hard techno kick and 140+ bpm. So I started with 132bpm and gain it to 140 on the end. By the way, the last track is from Yan Cook, who is from Ukraine too, you just have to listen to his tracks, they are pure gems:)

VU : Which software/hardware did you use for this set ?

Se:va : For this set I used my NUMARK MIXTRACKPRO3 controller.

VU : Any next plans?

Se:Va : Now I'm all into producing! I just felt that I need more than just mixing other's music and decided to make my own. I hope that after a year I will come back with a live or at least bunch of my own tracks haha.

Follow Se:Va @sevablinov