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Samoth

We meet Samoth (Thomas Haelterman) mere days after the media-hyped teknival in Brustem, Belgium. As one of the free party scene’s backbones here in Belgium, we’re eager to hear what he makes of the past media frenzy. While the free party scene remains shrouded in mystery, it’s abundantly clear it embodies strong, human-centered core values that started to seep in the regular club scene as well.

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— What happened there in Brustem, the last weekend of april?
The second ever teknival in Belgium - and a very successful one as well. While free parties are locally organized by one sound system or a predetermined group of sound systems, a teknival is more open. People would travel from all over Europe to attend one. In terms of music, it’s not only about tekno or hardcore; way more genres are represented. You’ll find circus acts, stalls with handicrafts, people with food stalls, …

Both free parties as teknivals serve as an answer that it’s becoming harder and harder to organize a barrier-free event on such a scale, in this day and age. For instance: there’ll be no ticket fee, but a donation system. The aim is to organize an easily accessible, low-threshold event, for everyone.

Some media would portray this type of events as reckless and irresponsible, but really, it’s the complete opposite. They will paint an exaggerated picture, focusing on the stuff that will make people click the article. 

“ Free parties as teknivals serve as an answer that it’s becoming harder and harder to organize a barrier-free event on such a scale, in this day and age. ”

— This is of course not a new phenomenon, but some media had a frenzy about that weekend. How come?
Nothing else news-worthy was happening that weekend. I guess that made for the fact that they focused so intensely on this event. And that, in itself, is part of the fact why it got so hyped. Some claims about the event were downright false. The amount of substance abuse is not higher than in the legal party circuit. There were, by no means, 15.000 people. Sensation sells, I guess.

On the other hand, I have to say that some news outlets were actually quite nuanced. For instance: a good friend of mine was invited by the late-night news and the interview felt genuine. Other articles emphasized the true incentives behind organizing events like these, so personally I think the tide is turning.

“ Let’s say I didn’t go to a lot of scouts parties. ”

— How does one start organizing an event like this one?
I’d say it takes four to five months to properly prepare it. Inviting sound systems and artists, making sure everything is settled in terms of production and technical stuff - that’s the easiest part. The biggest chunk of work is figuring out how to get everyone there, setting up meeting points, figuring out how to approach the terrain - all without drawing too much attention.

The organization(s) behind events like these happens in very shielded and closed-off circuits, to not draw unwanted attention. The emergence and rise of social media surely didn’t make it any easier in that perspective.

Organizing an event - whether it’s legal or illegal - always comes with possible pitfalls. Of course the aim is to minimize mistakes, complaints and damage. Especially since you know the organization will be looked at with a magnifying glass.

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“ For me personally, the values and standards are the reason I became so invested. The scene is about freedom - it exceeds music. ”

— How did you end up in this scene?
When I discovered electronic music, it didn’t take long before I took a deep dive in underground sub genres such as drum and bass, acid and hardcore. Let’s say I didn’t go to a lot of scouts parties.


Ending up in the free party scene, however, happened by accident I guess. My parents moved at some point during my youth. In our new neighborhood, I stumbled upon a group of people that were involved in the scene. Up until this day, they are very dear friends of mine.

— How important is the ideological aspect of the free party scene for you?
For me personally, the values and standards are the reason I became so invested. The scene is about freedom - it exceeds music. Everyone should feel welcome and unbiased. If you can’t afford to give a donation at the entrance, you’re welcome to enter anyways.

Anti-sexism, anti-racism, LGBTQIA-friendly, … are all ingrained in that movement. Everyone feels responsible for everyone - keeping an eye out, in case things take a turn for the worse. Fifteen years ago, these concepts were still quite new in the electronic music scene and I felt thrilled being able to be a part of it all.

Nowadays, you see a lot of clubs in the regular and even mainstream scene implementing concepts like safer space, measures like awareness teams, free tickets for the ones that need it, … There’s more and more common ground between the club circuit and the movement. And that’s a good thing.

Funke is actually a prime example. It’s certainly part of the reason why I enjoy visiting, playing and being a part of that place.


— Can you tell us a bit about the number “23” and what it stands for? It pops up widely in the scene - how come?
According to some, everything can be traced back to that number. It represents chaos and there are a lot of theories revolving around the “23”. It was introduced by Network 23 - a record label founded by the Spiral Tribe sound system in 1994. That group organized free parties in the UK but fled the island in 1992, fleeing pending trials after organizing the Castlemorton Common Festival.


Afterwards, they traveled through Europe and spread “the virus”; in The Hague, Prague, Berlin, … They kickstarted the scene here on the mainland - they were the pioneers, leading the way, really. So “23” became some sort of a mark or a stamp, representing the scene. 


— Your projects carry that number as well - can you tell us about them?
Exit 23 is a sound system, an event series and a label, founded in 2008 and run by a group or like minded friends. The common denominator is tekno - throughout what we play, throughout the acts we program on our events and through our own label. But everyone plays and loves other genres as well.

Lab23 is my record store. Although the shop is not directly linked to tekno or free parties, it might not exist if I wasn’t so knee-deep into the scene. By organizing parties and spinning records myself, I got immersed in the wondrous world of vinyl. I run a label as well, so owning a records store was the next logical step - it had been a long-time dream anyways. I was a stage technician before the pandemic hit, but being out of work for so long gave me the chance of figuring out and realizing this dream eventually.

When you come to think of it; almost everything I have, or everything good that ever happened to me, kind of derived from the whole free party scene. My girlfriend, who I met 15 years ago at a teknival in France, understands what it’s all about and she supports me in what I’m trying to achieve in the scene. We have a kid. We bought a house. I’m involved in music on so many levels. I feel blessed, really. The only thing I’m really looking forward to is a proper, long holiday. I can honestly say that's my goal for the next year.

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Interview with Samoth + words by Hans Empereur

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Corvus Ex

From background tunes in Nintendo games over IDM YouTube digs to sets that are marked by tribal, hypnotic and introspective grooves: it all flowed very naturally in Corvus Ex’s musical journey. Being part of a pivotal generation that is both in tune with the super young and somewhat less young, we couldn’t wait to hear about his perception of communities and the scene nowadays in Ghent.

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— Where and how was your musical journey sparked? How did it evolve?
My first active memory of music are the background tunes featured in my Ninentendo video games. Up to this day they linger, somewhere in the back of my head. I also recall the era when digging for music on YouTube was fun and good - nowadays the suggestions are shit. It took a while before I truly developed an interest in music. YouTube, and the discovery of IDM through it - with the likes of LFO and Autechre - played a big role in it. I like it when soundwaves stimulate and challenge me and IDM features sounds that do exactly so. Dub techno was a second revelation.

However, my first parties were in the realm of goa. This genre also stars a varied sound and it definitely grew on me. These first experiences were about more than listening to music though: it dawned on me that music has an effect on an individual body and on a group of people.

During my teacher education, I stopped going out altogether. This hiatus came to an end when I moved to Ghent. At first I lived together with my cousin, who moved abroad shortly after. Going out was also a means to get to know new people and Decadence was where it first started. Now the seed was planted.

” To be honest: the ambition to DJ was never really there.
I was more interested in producing and creating intriguing sounds. ”

— How did your ambition as a DJ develop?
To be honest: the ambition was never really there. I was interested in producing and creating sounds. Experiments with a MIDI controller and Ableton never really led to finished tracks but it was compelling nonetheless.

Next to that, I grew interested in learning how to spin and out of curiosity (and a fair share of boredom from being alone in Ghent) I enrolled in DJ School. I didn’t learn that much, since I mastered the basics with a simple DJ controller I had at home, but it was a good pastime.

During that time I also handed out flyers for Kompass. Thanks to that I put myself out there until (after A LOT of flyers) the time was right to subtly ask for a chance to play in front of a crowd. I got that chance eventually. It was the second time I played a club. The first time, funny enough, was the day before at Decadence. So my first two proper gigs took place on the same weekend.

“ I was always able to stay close to the (strict) vision and limits I set out for Corvus Ex: tribal, hypnotic, introspective. ”

— Looking back, do you perceive a musical evolution?
The vision stays the same, I’d say. And I was always able to stay close to the (strict) vision I have for Corvus Ex. Tribal, hypnotic, introspective - these are some of the pinpoints I set for myself. Even though the music I play has changed and the skills developed over the years, these core conditions were never tempered with.

I’ll probably never listen to techno during my free time. I visit less techno parties as a dancer. And also as an artist I don’t want to be exclusively linked to one genre. This sometimes clashes with the strict vision I have on Corvus Ex as a project.

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“ An off-grid weekend: that's what I get the
most pleasure from. ”

— I guess that’s where your alter ego “Norbert” comes into play?
Yes, absolutely. I created it out of a certain necessity to be able to share something else, without these self-imposed standards. Recently I played my first solo gig as Norbert, whereas in the past it was always a duo venture, together with Mariette (aka Nina Ampe). “Norbert” and “Mariette” both are our second names - has a nice ring to it, right?

Norbert enables me to color outside of the lines. I need that from time to time. That being said, I don’t think I will conceive many more alter egos. With Norbert, you never really know what you’re going to get.


— How do you perceive the scene in Ghent nowadays?
I feel like we have a pretty rich and diverse tapestry of scenes and communities. Especially when you look at the rise of the youngsters since covid. Sure it’s different compared to before, but the heart of it stays the same. I’m not looking down on these evolutions, on the contrary.

I was born in 1992 and I feel like I’m both in tune with the younger generation as with the people who are a bit more experienced. I feel like I contributed in an indirect way to what the scene is today. First and foremost by supporting. Secondly by teaching some youngsters how to spin tunes: for instance Stimular residents WØRTAAL. Actually Nina (Ampe) was my first student - subconsciously I started my own DJ School now that I come to think of it.


— Do you feel like Funke plays a big role in Ghent?
100% yes. That’s one of the reasons why I was so glad to accept this residency. For me, Funke is the only place in Ghent that’s in line with my own vision of nightlife. Not only in terms of music, but mainly in terms of community building. It gives loads of opportunities to youngsters, it creates space for other art forms. Community is key, especially when you want to introduce new genres to an audience. They need to be connected to a place (or group of people). That creates trust. Trust creates openness to new things.

Lineups are important, don’t get me wrong, but a consistent vibe is key. My all time favorite parties are organized by Ojoo and despite the fact I rarely know their headliners, I will always get a ticket.


— Residency-wise, what are your expectations or wishes here in Funke?
I’d really like to organize an ambient event because I’m quite fond of it myself and because it doesn’t happen that often in Ghent. Can be on a Friday evening for instance. At first we’d fill the pit with pillows, people can bring their books or blankets. Some moments of relaxation and introspection before the party hits off.


— What’s your happy place?
I live for a chill Sunday as well: spent in bed while watching movies and ordering takeout food.

Every once in a while a small group of friends take a little trip in the Ardens. To truly disconnect. Something to look forward to - rest is not always easy to find. I experienced panic attacks when I was younger. An off-grid weekend: that's what I get the most pleasure from.


— Looking back on 2023 - what stood out? What made you happy?
I joined Pulp Agency, definitely a highlight. Founder Sylvie is one of my best friends and she knows me inside out and knows about (and actively defends) my core values and communicates. Being part of this (super) young roster I must say I’m impressed with the youth’s passion and their drive.

In June I went to Waking Life for the first time and I have to say it was the most beautiful experience I had so far, in my life - a very intense feeling of happiness. I’m sure I’ll be riding that feel-good-wave for a long time to come.


— Are you looking forward to any specific moments?
Not really. I try to keep things in limbo - not planning too much or expecting anything. I try to focus on what’s here and now. As long as it’s fun and fulfilling, I keep on doing what I’m doing.

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Interview with Corvus Ex + words by Hans Empereur

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Ampe

As we near the end of this interview series, we sit down with Ampe. Over the past years, few have left a bigger mark on the Ghentian scene than her. After an unequivocally and dashing conquest of all that is restless and unrelenting, before us stands an impressively calm and collected artist and Butternut co-founder and organizer who truly found her own voice.

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— How did you get involved in the scene?
I started studying in Ghent and I moved here as well, some 10 years ago. After going out in Overpoort - you’ve got to start somewhere, right - I discovered a more in-depth sound in Decadance and I stumbled on techno. I was intrigued, feeling it right away, and wanted to dive deeper.

I had a brief career behind the bar in Kompass, which exposed me to many different kinds of music and nights. During the occasional after party I would spin tunes using a DJ controller. People present seemed to dig it, which motivated me to actually develop the skills and find out where I could play in front of an actual audience. Didn’t take long before that ball started rolling.

A friend of mine hosted an open air event and was set on booking me. My first gig I played as “Mariette” - which is my second name, by the way. I stuffed my USB sticks with mediocre YouTube rips and had a blast - the crowd dug it too.

” For my first real gig I stuffed my USB sticks with mediocre YouTube rips and had a blast - the crowd dug it too. ”

— Can you explain the difference between “Ampe” and “Mariette”?
“Mariette” is part of the illustrious DJ duo Mariette & Norbert - “Norbert” is Kjell’s (aka Corvus Ex’s) second name - so there’s that. I’d describe the music played by Mariette as fun and a bit more lighthearted, whereas Ampe is of course still fun, but more on the serious side of things.

— How was your first all nighter? Playing 8 hours is not an easy task
Honestly, I loved it. Finally I was able to dig through my entire library. In general I don’t want to limit myself to a single genre or mood, and this was the perfect opportunity to showcase that diversity and these different layers. Two hour sets are a bit restrictive in terms of conveying a message and - above all - a feeling. During these eight hours I was able to put forward a truly emotive trip. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. And being able to dance, together with the remaining audience, to my last tune was the cherry on top of the cake.

Of course it was challenging as well, changing the way I look at my music collection and forcing me to make deviating decisions. It’s not something to do every month, let’s say.

— As a Funke resident, you started a series called “Amped”. What are you hoping to achieve with the series? And how does it compare to Butternut?
For starters: Butternut was founded by Lien De Keyser and me and thus it’s the result of two people's perspectives colliding. Butternut is mainly affiliated with techno, whereas with Amped I do it all by myself. Considering the fact that I’m into an abundance of genres and styles it’s nice to be able to make singlehanded decisions. The result might be a night that’s a bit more broad and experimental - featuring artists like CCL that span a more junglish spectrum. Juggling with tempos and toying around with emotions: that would be Amped for me.

In terms of what I want to achieve: I’m dreaming of having a different feeling for all of my parties - featuring distinct deco for instance. Next to that, I have a loooong list of artists that I’d like to invite.

“ Two hour sets are a bit restrictive in terms of conveying a message and - above all - a feeling. ”

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“ Juggling with tempos and toying around with emotions: that would be Amped for me. ”

— Let’s dive a bit deeper into Butternut: how do you look back on the first three years of your baby?
It became way more than what we anticipated. We tried a lot - but really, a lot of different things. By doing that, I think we sometimes overplayed our hand a bit but we learned a lot from it, eventually returning to the core reason why we started all of this: featuring an underground sound that was rarely heard in Ghent. This kind of techno was not really represented in our town - maybe because it’s a risk from a commercial point of view. And of course, maybe even more important than our stylistic choices: we’re doing this for a tight-knit, small and passionate community and during our events we want truly to enable them to be themselves - fully and unaltered.

We took opportunities that brought Butternut to venues and festivals where we had to compromise - especially on the community aspect - but we learned important lessons from these experiences. Also: hosting a stage at Tomorrowland for instance, was simply a lot of fun and it made us connect with an audience that we didn’t have before. I’m quite convinced that we won some souls in the Rave Cave. It was quite the ride up until now, but I think it’s safe to say that it feels more stable than ever.


— Butternut, Pulp Agency and its affiliated artists with their own concepts and parties - it seems all connected. Do you feel like you started a wave in Ghent?
Maybe? I don’t know - we started something non-commercial which resonated with a lot of people. One thing is crystal clear: it all started with a like minded group of friends who all had (and still have) very pure intentions. In that sense you’re right: we’re riding a wave that we ourselves created.

— How do you look upon the Ghentian nightlife scene nowadays?
A lot is going on, some of it can be linked to each other - some of it is not. Main differences - at least for me - is the approach to social media. A lot (still) revolves around social media and here I am, wondering if that’s the way to go. Let’s take for instance the making and distributing of videos during sets. In my opinion they divert the attention away from the music itself, and that’s a pity.

Alas, social media (and even videos) are key in promoting a party. People want to get a glimpse of what they can expect. Open question: how can we convey the vibe of a party without all these literal references?

— Does Funke influence the scene in Ghent?
Over the past years, Funke became the breeding ground for a lot of these different genres. For me, Funke feels like coming home. Everyone is welcome - everyone shares the same mindset

— Do you have a specific ritual going into the night?
I stress, still. But give me a beer and half an hour and things will eventually work out. Despite the stress, in general everything always works out.

— When you’re not busy, what do you like to do?
Finding inner peace in nature or just by being plain lazy. Away from impulses, away from the busyness of my mind. Organizing, being social during the weekend, working during the day, … It demands some peace and quiet to balance it all out. Avoiding social media, indulging in a bath - these things help.

— Looking back on 2023 - what stood out? What made you happy?
All the opportunities I was given - thanks to Pulp and Butternut. I was able to play at beautiful venues and festivals, surrounded by many supporting friends. That simply feels good.

I recently moved, together with my girlfriend. Settling in the nicest, cutest and homiest of homes makes me very happy as well. Bonus: it’s not far from Funke

— Are you looking forward to any specific moments?
Personally, I feel like I (finally) found my own voice in terms of music. I’m looking forward to exploring that even further. Of course I’m also looking forward to our next Butternut event in Wintercircus - quite the honor to be the first concept to host a party in this new venue. Another hosting in December still has to be announced, but let’s say it will be somewhere around the city of Vilvoorde.

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Interview with Ampe + words by Hans Empereur

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Timmerman

Timmerman juggles with a job in the communications team of Horst Arts & Music, being the co-promoter of Supergay and, of course, his own DJ-career. Spanning over eight years and becoming ever more refined, the latter covers the biggest chunk of what you’re about to read. We will also discuss the death of presale, ever-faster-paced music and Call of Duty.

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︎︎︎ Funke exclusive set
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— Can you tell us how Toon Timmerman became Timmerman?
Growing up, music was already everywhere. Although my parents are obsessed with classical music, the gift of music itself was handed to us on a silver platter at home. The first records I remember buying were ‘Illmatic’ by Nas and ‘The Eminem Show’ - carefully covering the “Parental Advisory” sticker for my mother.

When my brother turned 16, he got a JB Systems speaker-meets-turntable. I was 11 at the time. We both started toying with that and discovered the basics, like beatmatching, together. My brother and I played together for some time, later he discovered the visual arts.

On the built-in radio of my alarm clock I used to listen to Dave Clarke’s show ‘White Noise’ on Studio Brussel. I didn’t really like it, but was nonetheless triggered by this new style of unconventional and fast-paced electronic music I'd never heard before.. At the age of 14 I was spinning drum and bass sets at the local scouts parties and youth centers.

Not too long after, and through my first night outs at places like Café d’Anvers and Decadance, I got into tech house and even had a brief obsession with what deejays like Joris Voorn were doing at the time. Later on, I stumbled into house music - chasing a sound that had more depth.

“ I grew closer to myself and what I stand for musically. There's more focus now. Rather than being only a party DJ, I want to contribute to something meaningful.”

— Eight years ago you moved to Ghent and started studying here. Can you explain how the city and scene shaped you?
During a night out in Decadence and throughout the set of a rather mediocre DJ it dawned on me: maybe I could do a better job than him. I already had some experience and I certainly had a story to tell. I started stalking a lot of people to give me a shot and on a Wednesday evening in 2016 it happened: I opened Decadence for Amelie Lens.

In 2017, I won a pretty influential DJ contest - after which it all developed very fast those first years. Maybe even a little too fast at times. I got huge opportunities to play big festivals like Tomorrowland and Pukkelpop while I was still very much in search of what I actually stood for musically.

As time moved on, I gradually started to feel that I could be more significant in other places, playing for crowds and communities my sound actually resonated with.  I still vividly remember playing two extended back2back sets on the same New Years night; one with Jonathan (Uni Son - or Just Nathan back then) and a second one with Stijn (Sixsixsixties). I had been looking up to them for quite some time, and felt a little insecure in an attempt to keep up with them behind the decks. It was an eye-opener really. They showed me there's so much more to the craft of deejaying than what I thought I already knew at the time. Thank you Jona & Stijn!

By going out more myself, by meeting new people and by dedicating most of my free time to music, I grew closer to myself and what I stand for. There’s more focus now. Rather than being only a party DJ, I want to contribute to something meaningful. To a community.

“ There’s a substantial queer community here in Ghent that deserves and needs quality events. That’s why we founded Supergay. ”

— How did Ghent change over the past years?
I can’t help but feel like there was more going on when I first got here. Household names like Alpha, Nachtvogels and KERK all stopped over time. These were all institutions that influenced me as a person so I was sad to see them go. At the same time, the Brussels’ scene as we know it today, started to emerge. It kind of became more fashionable to play, or organize, events there.

The last couple of years venues such as Broei, Minus One and Funke have given more opportunities to young promoters and artists. I feel like nowadays in Ghent, a young, vibrant  and tight-knit scene is coming up again.

Together with my friends Jonathan (Uni Son) and Zakarya I try to contribute to the local scene as well, by founding Supergay. We've been going to plenty of gay parties all over Belgium, which were hardly ever held in Ghent. We felt a need for quality and safe events by and for the vibrant LGBTQIA+ community here. They deserve better and safer queer parties. So you could say we founded Supergay out of an urge. Musically, we focus on quality house and techno music and provide a platform for LGBTQIA+artists.

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“ There’s a new generation. They are young, wild and free and their music reflects that as well. High tempos, high energy and very accessible in its own way. ”

— What do you make of the last two years - the post-covid scene, so to speak?
The landscape is even more saturated with new clubs, concepts and festivals - there’s more going on than ever. I guess a lot of people get lost in this “oversupply”, deciding very late and on an ad hoc basis which event they will attend - which kind of kills presale.

In terms of the audience itself, there’s an influx of a new generation. They are young, wild and free and their music reflects that as well. It features high tempos, high energy and is very accessible in its own way. Youngsters are triggered by this kind of “TikTok techno” and that makes for the two sides of the coin: substance and form. Everything is so fast-paced - both the music as the content that is being generated. At times I find it quite difficult to keep up with it all.

Coinciding, a countermovement is happening - as it always does. Thesis and antithesis. Think about the renaissance of a more minimal sound in Brussels and all the events, artists and crowds focusing on decent house music.

Everyone flows in their own way, of course. Some people might enter the nightlife scene through a snappy hardtechno video on social media, to find out later there’s way more to nightlife than that. I didn’t come straight from the underground myself, so who am I to judge?


— Away from all the (fast-paced) noise, where’s your happy place?
I spend a lot of time in restaurants and would dare to call myself a foodie but I also enjoy spending a lot of time at home, which always surprises people. The combination of an intense daytime job, organizing events and DJ-ing can become quite exhausting. I need plenty of time to myself. Otherwise, I would be letting myself down by pleasing other people.

To that extent I claimed a full floor in the house I share with my boyfriend. My man cave features a dj-booth, a desk, a sofa, a beamer and a Playstation. I bought the latter during the pandemic. In isolation, me and a couple of my friends used to play Call of Duty Warzone online - just drinking some beers while violently shooting each other up. I also thoroughly enjoyed Red Dead Redemption and Uncharted, so anyone with leads on a game with an outstanding campaign mode; come forth.

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Interview with Timmerman + words by Hans Empereur

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phrex

Juan Awile, aka phrex, aka Seduction, has been a pillar of the Swiss electronic music scene for many years. He’s heavily involved in concepts such as Dubtopia, Midilux and the Montsomnia Festival. From hometown club Kapitel Bollwerk to Ghent’s Funke seems only like a small stretch: “both of these places feel like a living room, where you’re surrounded by familiar faces”.

︎︎︎ Soundcloud
︎︎︎ Funke exclusive set

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— First off, can we draw some comparisons between Bern and Ghent?
Definitely! I feel like Ghent has a similar vibe to Bern. Both of the cities seem to be on the same, left field-ish team, compared to bigger hubs like Brussels and Zürich.

Funke kind of feels like my homebase nightclub Kapitel Bollwerk - especially its second room. They both have this “living room” kind of feeling, with a lot of familiar faces popping up. There’s a new kind of scene sprouting from this second room at Kapitel which is fueled by a younger generation of artists, promoters and dancers.

These young ones seem to be more adventurous by allowing multiple genres in one night. Back in the days, when you were booked on a four-to-the-floor lineup, you kind of had to stick to it - whereas now you can make your set go wherever you want it to. It feels like a breath of fresh air, compared to many years of pretty rigid deep house or minimal-ish kind of stuff going on.

“ I got crazy about sound, bass and sound system culture by making very basic, rudimentary music in my friends’ basement. ”

— How and when did you get involved in music?
It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact moment where it happened. What’s important to understand beforehand: my roots lie in Syria. Especially when I was younger, it wasn’t always easy to pair my migrational background with my musical interests and traits.

At one point, my brother took me along to a drum and bass party. I was way too young and didn’t know what it actually was but at the same time I liked it.

At the same time, between the ages of 14 to 17 let’s say, I was heavily involved in the anti-racist skinhead movement. In that scene it was all about early-reggae, rocksteady and ska. I started collecting these kinds of records, started playing them and also started to promote early-reggae nights. As an artist, I didn’t get booked anywhere else though. This early-reggae scene was irrelevant in the Swiss club scene.

“ People are looking for something; whether it was during a Northern soul-party in the 60’s or during a rave nowadays. No matter the moment in time or the genre. ”

— How did you evolve from there to bass culture?
You can basically boil it down to an intense friendship which blossomed in a friends’ basement. There, we started making very rudimentary music. It was basic and it felt like we were breaking a lot of rules. This is where I got crazy about sound, bass and sound system culture: an important moment in my musical bildung, let’s say.

From those basement sessions flowed Dubtopia, 2011 or 2012. Our main motivation was to get our songs out there - through a decent sound system preferably. Again, finding bookings wasn’t easy, as the scene was all about minimal back then. We played dubstep which, I believe, is also very minimal in a way but somehow it didn’t work out. Hence we just did our thing.

Maybe that’s why it feels like with Dubtopia it’s us against the world. We’re just doing it, whatever. Through time, we were able to bring acts like Mala, V.I.V.E.K, Commodo and Sicaria Sound to Bern - which is cool. Nowadays we are lucky to be backed by Dachstock, a seminal venue  that appreciates what we’re doing and finds it relevant, although financially it doesn’t make a lot of sense. We have a super loyal audience of some 350 to 400 people, always showing up early to the party. That’s enough people for a perfect vibe.

“ One of my greatest joys is to take the music (and the audience) to completely different places - without them even noticing. ”

— Apart from Dubtopia, you’re also part of the Midilux collective. If Duptopia is your baby, Midilux is your …
… best friend? I guess something like that (laughs). Midilux is a ground of friends; we speak the same language and there’s full trust among us, which isn’t always the case in a collective. For instance: I’m responsible for the bookings and I don’t have to fight for my lineups.

It all started by accident almost. In 2012 they were throwing a big rave. One of the artists on the bill had to cancel last-minute. I jumped in and suggested some other possible DJ’s. It worked out really well and that was the start of it, I guess. Although I officially joined Midilux a few years later, in 2018.

In terms of music, Midilux is oriented around house and, mainly, techno - with a modern twist to it. Throughout the years, we booked artists like Bambounou, Dr. Rubinstein, A Made Up Sound and  Aleksi Perälä. It is still revolving around the idea of techno but at the same time, it’s more fractured. It’s about good energetic music - not too heady, still understandable. Booking is all about finding the balance between these aspects.


— Along the way, you touched upon a lot of different genres - to say the least. How do they compare?
In the end, it’s about escapism - although that’s probably not the best word to even describe it. People are looking for something; whether it was during a Northern soul-party in the 60’s or during a rave nowadays. No matter the moment in time or the genre: people are always looking for something. Sometimes they find it, sometimes they don’t. But it’s always worth a shot.

In terms of music, I’m sure you can find so many parallels between so many genres. It’s all fluid - especially nowadays in contemporary music - everything is cross-pollinated in a way.

During my sets I strive to connect some of these dots. It especially works well for me during a closing set: taking the music (and the audience) to completely different places - without them even noticing - is one of my greatest joys. In a way, I’m hypnotizing (or seducing) the crowd by sneaking in new elements and making them listen to a sound that they might not even like in a different setting.

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— How do you prepare for these (often very versatile) sets?
I’m a very spontaneous DJ. I do prepare playlists and my record bag but I leave these playlists very early on usually. But I obviously check out the lineup to see who’s playing. I try to get as much information about the other artists as possible; especially when I don’t know them. Sometimes I even contact them to gain some information - especially when I’m warming up for the main act.

Because things can take a turn for the unexpected, I always bring two SSD drives - one is basically a mirror of the other one. They basically have everything on it, so I can roam wherever I feel like going. I always take everything because you never know what’s going to happen.

One time, when I was playing outdoors, there were noise complaints and the police came over. The music had to be turned down. I told them to wait. I started playing stuff without bass, which was still groovy - rhythmical ambient let’s say -, for about thirty minutes and it worked. Everyone - even the police - was happy with this sonic solution. But it was a huge relief when the bass drum could kick in again.

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Interview with phrex + words by Hans Empereur

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a momentary selection by phrex in no particular order

agonis - king cobra not happy

150bpm was for a long time a deadzone for me. amenthia recordings creative buttonpusher agonis changed my mind.

the lysergic and energetic, yet spacious feel of this tune — and the whole album — is just beyond!

colliding fields - love

it was a rainy sunday evening. an ambient session with two live sets at a beautiful location in the heart of bern.

Colliding fields were playing the last tune of the night when it struck me: the sound of a synthesizer paired with a heavy 808 subbass shook the dark room and dissolved into a wonderfully composed edit/remix of the 1986 released seminal tune „moments in love“ from art of noise.

you could feel that everyone in the room was fully immersed into the emotionally driven grimesque proto-dubstep soundscape.

i decided on the spur of the moment that this needs a proper release.

this is still a dubplate to be released on dubtopia records. coming later this year on 12“!

telepathテレパシー能力者 - アンドロメダ

i have a softspot for the hazy sound of the more ambient-leaning side of vaporwave.

the misty a e s t h e t i c of the whole album is the perfect companion for massively stoned and lazy post-rave sundays.

LDS - organic computer awareness

clocking at almost 160bpm this fast paced yet spacious LSD-peaktime-triggering tune aimed at late-night psychedelia and perfectly tuned to resonate in a forestrave has all the elements needed to transcend the audience into wild hallucinations on a dancefloor. needless to say that this tune needs to be well placed in a set to unfold all its power. rarely played — but when I do it creates a very special atmosphere.

killer.

vivian jones - flash it & gwan

after jah shakas passing i swayed in memory of the few sessions i was able to experience. this tune struck me on a different level when the zulu warrior played an allnighter. this was played pretty early on that night but it went deep and still resonates.