Rodriguez Jr. reveals a different incarnation of Mateu’s musical psyche, one that strides ahead, guided only by his kaleidoscopic vision; moving through shimmering, contemplative Electronica, to deep and urgent techno, left field melodic accents and quirky pop refrains, Rodriguez Jr. is the by-product of an untamed brand of creativity and a thirst for the new and unexpected. Drawing inspiration from artists as diverse as Stockhausen, LFO, Carl Craig, Eric Satie, Kraftwerk, and Michael Polnareff, Rodriguez Jr.’s spirit of adventure translates as soaring creativity, and music that cannot be pigeonholed.

For a solid 10 hours a day, Mateu manifests Rodriguez Jr. in his MLab Mk5 studio, which brims with vintage synthesizers, keyboards and dusty analog gear. Acclaimed Rodriguez Jr. releases for imprints such as Mothership, Boxer Records and Giant Wheels, prefaced the quirky melodies of his bass-driven house hit Princess Guacamole for Mobilee records, and the tropical techno of Kids of Hula for its sister label Leena Music. 

Drawing both pleasure and inspiration from live performance, Rodriguez Jr. relishes the opportunity to realize his project on the stage, and has done extensively throughout Europe and America during some of his most acclaimed shows at Tomorrowland in Belgium, ADE in Amsterdam, Sonar Off in Barcelona, Showcase in Paris, Watergate in Berlin, Hardpop in Juarez and Kristal in Bucharest. Two heavy milestones were passed when his first-ever solo album titled ‘Bittersweet’ was released on Mobilee Records in 2012 followed by the 7th Mobilee back to back compilation one year later.

Pulse Loves... good work ethic. Mobilee has some amazing artists under their belt. Do you interact with these other artists and work ideas off each other? We use to perform a lot together, and we share the same kind of music ethic and tastes. So, it’s much more than a basic record company. That’s also a great hub for meeting people, sharing ideas, developing new concepts.

I even put these interactions at the core of the previous ‘Mobilee Back to Back’ compilation: here, the idea was to produce an album using original loops, samples and sound elements from every Mobilee acts. It’s been a huge challenge that we manage to do all together, but it’s been massively rewarded by the quality of the final result.

Pulse Loves... hardware. What is your current set up? Software/Hardware I have quite a compact set up for playing live as it’s unfortunately more and more difficult to travel with electronic equipment. Basically, I bring a MacBook Pro running Ableton Live, The Maschine which I use as a controller, an iPad running ToushOSC, and a master keyboard for playing live lines and improvising.

In the studio, that’s obviously much more complicated as I still use a lot of hardware equipment and a dozen vintage synthesizers. My sound recipe has always been a blend of old school trickery and contemporary digital technology. I wish we would be able to set up a live show with all these dusty babes on stage someday.

Pulse Loves... preparation.The Mobilee Pool Sessions look nothing less than amazing. How do you plan for your set's where you are representing Mobilee as opposed to set's for other events? Is there any difference? The difference is not about the track list, but the way we perform in these events where we have total freedom. These parties are a global experience that actually goes way beyond the music.

Pulse Loves... the journey. Being signed with one of the most prestigious labels on the planet, what was the journey leading up to being signed with Mobilee like? I met Anja and Ralf in Berlin more than ten years ago. At this time, I was touring with my previous band - The Youngsters. We released a couple of albums on Laurent Garnier’s imprint F-Communications before it collapsed in 2006. I eventually began working on my solo project as I needed to focus on my music and find my own path. After a year struggling in the studio, recording new material, I sent a couple of tracks to Anja & Ralf, who really helped and pushed me in the good direction. And they finally let me join the family. All in all, that’s not only about music, but also a beautiful long time friendship.

Tracklisting:

01. Matt Karmil - Reverse Peephole - IRR
02. Deetron - Can't Love You More - Music Man Records
03. Daniel Stefanik - Confidence (Adam Port Remix) - Cocoon Recordings
04. Alba Prada & Ann Santos - Let Me Take You Home (Pezzner Remix) - Blue Dye
05. Rework - Touch - Visionquest
06. Anja Schneider - Hey - mobilee records
07. Rodriguez Jr. - Nausicâa - Watergate Records
08. Phil Weeks - Sharks Looking For Fishes - Supplement Facts
09. George Fitzgerald - Every Inch (Deetron Remix) - Hypercolour
10. Tom Flynn - In My Hut - CDR
11. Ian O'Donovan - Firefly - KMS

Listen to Rodriguez Jr. on Pulse Radio 

This year more than just about any other in its history, electronic music has exploded onto the global scene. Once again it’s entered the realms of pop music, and in many ways, has become pop itself. MK’s ‘Storm Queen’ became the number one song in the UK recently, artists like Calvin Harris earned more than Rihanna this year, and Seth Troxler was recently quoted saying, “underground is amateur,” and that the it only exists in kid’s bedrooms and at small, free house parties. So, is there an underground anymore, or has even the darkest, deepest techno become so big through clubs like Berghain/Panorama bar that we can finally toss the phrase aside? Rekids co-founder, Matt Edwards, better known as Radio Slave, to give us his thoughts on the situation.

With the current state of dance music, do you think "underground" still exists outside of unknown people putting out unnamed white labels with no recognition? In the same regard, is an artist like Breach not underground because he's got the most Shazamed track in the UK this week? OK, before we talk about what’s "underground," I just want it to be noted that I really thought about saying “no” to appearing in this feature. Surely it's not "underground" doing interviews, or even having exposure on blogs or webpages. I'm sure a lot of people out there wouldn't consider me as an underground producer or DJ anyway, having remixed so many popular artists and having a so-called techno "hit" with Ali Dubfire's remix of "Grindhouse." But fuck it. If any haters want to write some shit about me, please do so. It'll hopefully give me some ideas for my next record! Also, I don't want to hate on others and I hope I don't offend too many people or friends, so let's talk about the "underground" and as KRS1 once said…

"To be underground simply means that you're down
for the struggle, get 'em up, that's UNDERGROUND
You could be a classy lady or a whore
But if you protest the war, for sure, you UNDERGROUND
If the government can't see you, or deceive you
You love your people, believe you UNDERGROUND
If you refuse to play the game, you go against the grain
You ridin’ the train, you UNDERGROUND - get it!"

Firstly you mentioned Breach, and to be honest I had no idea who this was until I Googled him and realised it was Ben Westbeech. And yeah, he's a great producer, and I still play "Hang Around," but after listening to this alias I'd say his sound is definitely geared towards radio play, which is probably why he's been Shazamed. And to be honest I don't really see this as being “underground.”

It certainly references the past, especially the early ‘90s rave scene, and I guess this gives it that crossover appeal, which takes me back to the ‘90s jungle and D ‘n’ B sound - rough beats, super slick production with songs! But back then this music was referencing what was happening at that time, and it was actually very forward thinking. These days, taking sounds from the ‘90s seems to be a way of making a track "edgy" or giving it that "underground" feel. And why not? Dance music, especially the “underground,” seems to be constantly looking backwards, and I'd say the majority of records I'm wading through each week are incredibly conservative. It's become very safe, and I find this even more worrying than whether or not someone is “underground.” So, I say good luck to anyone trying to make a song like Ben’s. It's not easy making hits and it’s far easier making something everyone's heard before that's safe and ultimately very forgettable.

Also, here's a tip for any DJ or Producers out there trying to buy "underground" credibility by putting out hand-stamped anonymous techno 12-inch’s. Don't be surprised if you don't get any DJ bookings, no matter how successful the label is. Promoters will still book some old has-been (like me) who's been living off of records he created 10 years ago as it’s "a name," rather than trying to figure out who the mysterious producer is making these cool white labels.

Is Panorama still underground even though it's big enough to be a self-generating hype machine? Panorama Bar/Berghain supports the underground electronic music scene and is definitely an underground establishment. Of course it's world famous and is constantly being written about, but this is only due to the Internet. DJ culture itself blew up due to the web and it's actually changed the scene completely and blurred the lines between the “underground” and what people might consider as being commercial. DJs have become puppets to the web. Having to do photo shoots for every season, endless interviews about their favourite ‘whatever’ and having to write posts begging for votes so they can win popularity contests. Most of the top earning DJs need to spend more time in the studio as the majority hardly release any music, and when they do it's forgettable. Most of these DJs don't even go record shopping, as they're too busy on Facebook.

That’s the hype machine. It's sucking the music out of the scene and making dance music into an event industry with puppets performing on stages. Berghain and Panorama Bar are the polar opposite.

Is a track no longer underground if Pete Tong plays it?  Would you consider Pete Tong a mainstream DJ? I think this is where it all becomes so blurred. Pete's always been a huge supporter of the underground. His Essential Mix show is still showcasing the best DJs in the world, and he's got great taste. Just look at FFRR. He signed Goldie and Lil' Louis, both very real "underground" artists. It's just that dance music seems to be bigger than ever, so what he's playing these days might be more over-ground? I've been living in Berlin for 6 years, so I don't often catch his show, but I will tell you this: Remember that in the early ‘90s dance music was massive. Every pop star and rock band had a remix 12-inch, and raves like Universe in the UK were big business. It's just that the channels for delivering music were completely different. If you were into dance music back then, you had to read the magazines to find out about parties, go to a record store to check out the latest releases, and listen to the radio! Back in the ‘90s you'd hear a track on Pete's show and it might not be released for another 6 months. There would be a period where you'd only hear these tracks in the clubs. So radio stations such as Radio 1 were incredibly important in supporting the dance music scene, and it was an essential link between underground electronic music communities around the country.

In 2013, everyone is connected, nearly all music is available for free, and record companies promo the record the day of release, so I'm not sure if having your tracks played on Radio 1 is as important as it once was. But I still get goose bumps if I hear a track of mine on the radio, and it's a dream for most producers.

Is Fred P still underground even though he pays someone to do press for Soul People Music? Read on >>>>

For Just Jack's 8th birthday celebrations, two of Detroit's finest are headed to the Bristol carnival's stomping grounds at Motion on February 1st with Moodymann and Omar S taking headline duties. 

Known for having one of the world's most extensive and eclectic record collections (which he hauls to each of his highly selective performances), and with a brand new LP on the way, the birthday show will be Moodymann's debut outing for Just Jack. Also helping ring in 8 years of Just Jack will be We Love... Space regulars Bicep, Midland and 'Untitled' mastermind Paul Woolford, along with Just Jack favourite Roman Flugal and RA Top 100 fixture Gerd Janson, who dropped in on last year's birthday celebrations as NY Stomp. The show will be taking place at Bristol's Motion on February 1st. 

Head over to the Facebook event page for tickets and more info.

www.justjack.org

Listen to Just Jack on Pulse Radio.

Rapper Kanye West, that constantly finds himself in the tabloids, either pertaining to what’s happening in his personal life with the famous Kim Kardashian, or highlighting some religious babblings that, to be honest, holds very little weight, especially after his latest release donning extremely contradictory lyrics. 

Well, he’s at it again. Watch this interview Kanye West did on The Breakfast Club getting his a** handed to him repeatedly. 

Listen to Pulse Radio

After taking 2013 off to revamp its vision, Moogfest (pronounced 'mohg,' despite common misconception) will be returning to Asheville, North Carolina from April 23rd to April 27th, 2014. The festival is named after Bob Moog, who invented the Moog Synthesizer in the 60s, and is regarded by some as the founding father of electronic music for his innovations. This will be the first time the festival runs for five days, up from three in 2012. Functioning as so much more than a mere music festival, the five-day affair melds technology, art and music for a truly immersive and mind-expanding experience.

The event will have a daytime conference schedule of over sixty programs led by futurist thinkers, as well as pioneers of music and technology, including disco demigod Giorgio Moroder, Roger Linn, the mastermind of the modern-day drum machine, and Dave Smith the “Father of MIDI.” It will incorporate everything from interactive technology exhibits and film screenings to experimental performances and New Media art installations.

The nighttime lineup is being curated by Paxahau, the event production company behind Detroit's Movement festival, and promises to feature “diverse, landmark musical performances by new trailblazers, early pioneers of electronic music, and major headliners in over ten venues across the city.” Nighttime programming will run from 7pm to 2am Wednesday through Saturday, and from 3pm to 6pm on Sunday. Although the full lineup has not yet been released, we got a taste of what's in store yesterday when they announced the record labels that will be curating Showcases. The headliners are scheduled to be announced later this month.

Showcases:
Warp (London)
Fool's Gold (Brooklyn)
DFA (New York)
Ghostly International (Ann Arbor)
Movement Electronic Music Festival (Detroit)
Crew Love (New York)
Afro Punk (New York)
RVNG International (Brooklyn)
Hopscotch (Raleigh)
No. 19 (Toronto)
Switched On (Toronto)
Driftless (New York)

Tickets for Moogfest are on sale at a discounted price until December 19th here.

Listen to No.19 on Pulse Radio

Our friends at Lovelife have something special planned this weekend! Get in the holiday spirit this Sunday, December 15th with good friends and great music from Santa’s Little Lovers at Hotel Palomar. tINI, who just took the #12 spot on Resident Advisor’s Top DJs of 2013 list, will provide the soundtrack to the evening along with Touch of Class’ Pattern Drama, making a stop in San Diego on their Sweet Romance Release Tour. Michael Tello of Signal Flow and PillowTalk, and Lovelife’s very own Halo and Jon Dadon will kick off the festive party which runs from noon to 7pm.

Lovelife is known for throwing memorable parties with fun themes and this one is no exception – the theme for this year’s holiday celebration is fur! Be sure to RSVP for the event ahead of time for discounted entry before 2pm. Check out this footage from last year’s party, “The Last Xmas with No Regular Play Live.”

If you just can’t wait until Sunday, kick off your weekend early with Music is 4 Lovers’ fourth edition of Hot Stuff with Crazy P Soundsystem tonight at Los Globos in Los Angeles!

Listen to tINI on Pulse Radio

For those of you who have been hiding under a rock somewhere, the 2014 Cape Town Electronic Music Festival dates for 2014 were announced not too long ago. 

CTEMF 2014 will be taking place from the 7th - 9th February next year. And if CTEMF 2013 headlined by the nonpareil Richie Hawtin is anything to go by, South African music fans can remain calm in complete faith that the 3rd installment of this groundbreaking local festival is guaranteed to be bigger, better and even more mind-blowing! 

In light of this, CTEMF and Red Bull have teamed up to kick off the hype for 2014 with a twitter-based mechanic that will unveil the CTEMF 2014 headline acts. 

One little catch though, they need YOUR help! All of this goes live at 11am on Friday 13 December. Read on for how it works and how you can pitch in! 

CTEMF 2014 REVEAL

The headliners for CTEMF 2014 are hidden behind a grid of blocks on this link: http://www/ctemf.com

Fans wanting to reveal the headliner will hit the relevant button according to their musical tastes. This automatically generates a tweet with #CTEMF2014 and reveals one block on the grid, eventually all blocks will be removed, revealing the headline act.

Scattered around the grid are gold blocks; if a fan's tweet hits a gold block, they win CTEMF 2014 tickets! 

CTEMF is predicting this will cause a flood of tweets and consequently trend the hashtag #CTEMF2014 - ensuring an awesome turn out over that weekend! You can help by telling your followers about the campaign. 

For more info about CTEMF 2014 visit:

http://www.ctemf.com/

https://www.facebook.com/CTEMF

https://twitter.com/ctemf

Listen to Pulse Radio

Take an inside look at the makings of Plastikman from the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. Travel with Richie and the team from Windsor to Detroit, and finally to New York City to witness how this event all came together. 

Read the full article here: Richie Hawtin To Play Guggenheim International Gala Pre-Party

Listen to Richie Hawtin on Pulse Radio 

On Friday, December 13th, Cocoon will touch down in New York for a highly anticipated show at Sankeys NYC! Sven Väth’s legendary label is bringing its signature party to the Big Apple featuring Popof, DJ W!ld, Markus Fix, Taimur & Fahad, and Simon Wish for a night of fun and great music.

Pulse Radio is happy to be giving away two pairs of tickets for the evening! Entering is easy – just follow the commands. The more options you choose, the better your chances are of winning! The contest will close on Friday, December 13th at 4pm and the winner will be notified via email shortly after. Good luck!

Listen to Popof on Pulse Radio

Scuba has announced a ten-date North American tour running from early-January to mid-February! The Hotflush label boss will kick off the tour at Mexico’s The BPM Festival with the Hotflush label showcase featuring himself as well as Jimmy Edgar, Agoria, and Recondite. He’ll make stops at Igloofest in Montreal, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco among others. Check out the full list of tour dates below.

2013 has been a busy year for the London based DJ/producer, as he has brought his live shows and DJ sets to some of the world’s biggest festivals including Primavera Sound, Parklife, and Global Gathering. He’ll keep the strong momentum going in 2014 with the release of new music in addition to his North American tour.

Tour Dates:
Jan 5 - BPM Festival – Hotflush showcase – Mexico
Jan 31 – Footwork – Toronto
Feb 1 – Igloofest – Montreal
Feb 6 – Mezzanine – San Francisco
Feb 7 – Sound – Los Angeles
Feb 8 – Bang Bang – San Diego
Feb 12 – Electric Owl – Vancouver
Feb 13 – Q Nightclub – Seattle
Feb 14 – Output – NYC
Feb 15 – U Street Music Hall – Washington DC

Listen to Scuba on Pulse Radio

The xx have a new residency in New York with plans to play 25 shows in only 11 days. In order to create an intimate setting, attendance at all of the shows at the Park Avenue Armory will be capped at 40 guests. The band will play twice every weeknight and three times on weekends from March 19th to March 29th.

The official press releases explains the motivation for the unique residency: “After headlining major festivals and huge outdoor venues like Coachella and Lollapalooza and sold-out runs at quintessential venues like Radio City Music Hall, the Mercury Prize-winning trio comes to the Armory for a much more intimate experience. Defying perceptions of a traditional concert, the xx creates a site-specific environment to delve into uncharted levels of depth in their sound where dark and light collide as the memory of the outside world falls away. This uniquely voyeuristic and deeply personal setting is the perfect oasis for the band to perform, while in the process redefining their music and their relationship to the audience that surrounds them."

Header image courtesy of Jamie-James Medina

Listen to The xx on Pulse Radio

In addition to his upcoming set at Victoria's Rainbow Serpent Festival in January, UK whizz James Zabiela is set to head up the next Chinese Laundry Garden Party at ivy on the Australia Day long weekend - Saturday 25th January to be exact.

Labeled as the Born Electric Garden Party, the lineup is curated by Zabiela himself and will include sets from his new label's artists and friends including Pedestrian, Drew Hill, Fake Forward and Zabiela himself.

Full lineup
James Zabiela
Pedestrian
Drew Hill
Matt Weir
Fake Forward
Rodskeez
Strange Clouds DJs
Jumes
Eratik

Listen to James Zabiela on Pulse Radio

In a recent interview with Societe Perrier, techno icon Richie Hawtin has revealed that he has recorded a new Plastikman album.

Speaking with the site about his recent experience performing Plastikman live at the Guggenheim in New York City last month, Hawtin revealed that the gig inspired him to write fresh new material for his famed moniker - a project he had tried unsuccessfully to complete for six or seven years.

“It put me back in the studio and inspired me enough to work on new material, and in five days I created a new album,” he says.

“Music came out of me because of the opportunity to play in this beautiful architectural place that is actually renowned for art, not music. And now there’s a new Plastikman album. That’s how close these mediums actually live together but at the same time the mass population sees them as completely different things.”

No release date has been set as yet. Check out the full interview below.

Listen to Richie Hawtin on Pulse Radio

There's only a week to go until Agwa Yacht Club 18 takes to Sydney Harbour with DJ T., Guti and Will Saul. To say there's a massive buzz surrounding this party is an understatement, not only because punters are well aware of the aural delights in store for them, but also because for most Sydneysiders next weekend marks the end of the working year. Translation? Things are going to get wild...buck wild.

So without further ado, below are the set times for Agwa 18!

MAIN DECK
14:30 > 15:45 Mia Lucci
15:45 > 17:00 Gabby
17:00 > 18:00 Guti LIVE
18:00 > 20:00 DJ T.

UPPER DECK
14:30 > 16:15 CO-OP
16:15 > 18:15 Will Saul
18:15 > 19:45 Sam Roberts

Looking for the perfect mix to get you primed for the dancefloor? Look no further than DJ T.'s Pulse podcast. Not got your ticket yet? There are still a handful left here.

Listen to Pulse Radio

The past two years have been absolutely massive for Swiss producer and Vancouver dweller Cyril Hahn. Following the release of his Destiny’s Child ‘Say My Name’ remix Hahn has grabbed the opportunity that comes with over three million SoundCloud plays, making his own original tracks and touring the world. Fresh off the plan and in the middle of his fifth European tour, Hahn caught up with Pulse about his new tracks, what future collaborations we can expect and visiting Australia for the first time in 2014.

So this past year has obviously been a big one for you, if you could choose one thing what would you say has been the biggest change between say January last year and now?
Yeah, there have been a lot of changes. I think the biggest one would just be that I get to make money out of my music now. I never thought that that would be possible, I mean, my music was really just for fun and normally came about because I was just playing around with different software and practicing by making remixes. So yeah, I think just that I’m not studying anymore, that this is my job, it’s pretty crazy!

Have there been any challenges for you, moving into music production?
Um well making music and music production has never really been a problem for me. I’ve always kind of always experimented with music production, it’s always very different types of music but it’s always sort of been a hobby I would do. I think it was more being in front of people that was hard for me because I wasn’t really prepared for that aspect.

A little earlier this year you released your first original tracks, was that something that you’ve always wanted to pursue?
I mean I used to do it in high school but it was completely different stuff it was more instrumental post-rock music and it was just for fun. When I did the remixes it was the same, it was just a hobby. I didn’t ever really think about doing originals because I didn’t think things would ever progress that far [laughs].

You’ve obviously done a lot of remixes but now that you have a couple of original tracks out is there an artist or producer out there that you’d really like to remix your tracks?
Yeah yeah! That’s been really fun, for my EP even, just finding people was really fun. I mean there’s an endless list of producers [laughs]. I’m definitely excited for brainstorming again who I’d like to do a remix for my next release for sure.

Speaking of your remixes you’ve remixed a super wide variety of genres from artists like Haim all the way to Sigur Ros, is that an accurate reflection of how wide your music taste is? I know it’s always a tricky one but what are you listening to at the moment?
Yeah definitely definitely. People see me as a house producer but I never really listen to a lot of house music, that’s just sort of what’s coming out lately from what I produce. I definitely listen to a lot of different stuff. Um, at the moment I’m really liking the new Jon Hopkins album and this new band from the States they’re called Wet. It’s really funny that’s one of the hardest questions to answer. It’s crazy, it’s something I do everyday but then when someone asks me it all goes blank [laughs]. Um I like the new DJ Rashad album, the new Ryan Hemsworth album is really cool. Those are just a couple off the top of my head.

I’ve read elsewhere that you spend an equal amount of effort and time into remixes and original tracks, have you found in all your work now that you enjoy doing one over the other?
Yeah I’d say now that I’m able to release with a label remixing is not as interesting anymore as it used to be because it’s nice to collaborate with a vocalist and work with somebody new. I think I’ll still do remixes but just not as often as I used to.

One of your original tracks you’ve just released features a collaboration with Shy Girls, how did you that come about or how did you decide who you wanted to work with?
It’s usually just me, listening to my SoundCloud stream and finding new artists and sometimes there’s just a song that really stands out or a vocal that really stands out and I just try to reach out to them. That’s pretty much what happened with Shy Girls. I found him on SoundCloud and his voice was amazing and I thought his production was great, I couldn’t believe he does it all himself. So yeah, it just kind of happened from there!

Anybody in particular you’d really like to make music with down the line?
Yeah there’s a couple of people I’m talking to at the moment which I’m pretty excited for. There’s not too many I can talk about but I think the one I’m working on next is with Javeon from my label so I think that’ll be really fun. We’re throwing some ideas around now so that should be really good.

You’re originally from Bern in Switzerland and it seems as though you’ve kind of lived all over the place but at the moment you’re in Vancouver, is there anywhere in particular that you’d like to try living, you hear a lot about producers moving towards Eastern Europe and Berlin, anything like that?
Yeah, I’m living in Vancouver at the moment and I’m really happy here so I think I’ll probably stay put for a bit [laughs]. You know it’s not a big centre in terms of music like Berlin or London or Paris, but with the beauty of the Internet these days you can still do things from wherever you are. I like a city that’s a bit more quiet and has more nature than a lot of the big cities so I’m really happy.

So you’re also heading down to visit us in Australia for the first time this year, have you been here before, outside of touring and work?
Yep, first time!

Is there anything you’re super keen to check out while you’re here?
I really want to go to a Zoo and see the animals that are native to Australia. I also have some friends in Melbourne so I’m excited to see them, they both used to live in Vancouver so we’re going to link up.

You’re playing at Falls Festival which is one of our biggest festivals and you played others the likes of Bestival earlier this year, you said just before about the change to playing in front of people, how do you find playing to such huge crowds?
It’s really surreal still. I thought I’d be really scared to stand in front of such a big crowd, especially places like Bestival, I think it was over 8000 people which is just crazy. It’s been going well so far though. I think for me, shows are almost harder when people are close to me and sort of try to talk to me as I play. At a festival it’s really strange there’s this big gap and even though there are a lot more people you’re sort of detached and in your own zone. It’s a really strange experience, really fun though!

I read on your twitter that people throw ice at you on stage? Is that the weirdest thing that’s ever been thrown up there?
No I mean that was a guy who kept screaming Say My Name and then he started throwing ice to get my attention, which was a really good idea. I think that was probably the craziest that’s ever happened.

Have you had any other crazy or weird fan moments?
Not too much but it’s always funny when someone recognises you out of context. This one time I was flying and the flight attendant was like ‘Oh I noticed your name on the manifest’ and I was like oh cool. And you know she was probably over 40 and I just thought it was so cool that she was listening to my music, it really made my day.

You’re up to your fifth European tour this year, that must be exhausting! How do you find it given that you’ve only been doing this kind of thing for a little bit over a year?
Yeah, it really depends on how it’s spaced out. This one that I’m on is a lot better than most because I have more days off in between and they’re not as rushed. I mean it’s more the fact that you’re not home for a long time, you’re not like yourself after a long time. Sometimes I feel like I just need to go home and recharge. I mean this year has been great, it’s been so cool to go and play in all the cities that I have listeners but I think next year it’s going to be a lot less touring and a lot more studio time.

I was just about to ask that actually, can we expect some new music come 2014?
Definitely, yeah! I feel like I didn’t have enough time for that this year so I’m going to make sure I get some new stuff out next year.
 

Berghain resident Nick Höppner is playing three DJ gigs across Australia this weekend in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. Tour dates below!

Tour Dates:
13.12 - Melbourne, My Aeon
14.12 - Sydney, The Spice Cellar
15.12 - Perth, The Court Hotel

In anticipation of his impending tour, Heads With Tales' Cameron Duff throws some questions Nick's way...

Before entering into the world of electronic music, what were you doing with yourself for work? I went to university for a couple of years, but dropped out before I got a degree. I also worked loads of odd jobs which still make me appreciate what I've got today a lot. An internship at a small music and events magazine turned into an editorial position and eventually lead to me becoming an editor for Groove Magazine from 1999 to 2002.

I'd imagine managing one of the most infamous house/techno labels of all time would be a pretty stressful job. How do you manage to balance this between your career as a professional DJ/Producer and also your private life? Actually, I am not managing the label anymore. I have handed over the label duties to my long term assistant Jenus Baumecker at the beginning of this year. I became a father two years ago, I started playing out a bit more and I wanted to spend more time in the studio. Yet, the day has only 24 hours. It wasn't an easy decision to let the label go, but it had to be done.

Do you feel as though being the label manager, there is an added sense of pressure and expectation from the audience when they come to see you play? I never really felt that when I was still managing the label. I think people rather expect less as there aren't too many examples of label managers being great dis, too, in my experience. I always appreciated that kind of underestimation as it is easier to surprise people from that position.

Having just finished the remix duties for Dauwd's 'Heat Division' release, can we expect to see much else coming from you on the production side of things? I have done another remix for Asusu on Livity Sound which is going to come out in the first half of 2014. Sorry I can't be more precise, but that's the info the label gave me. I also started writing music for my debut album, which will hopefully be released later next year.

Lastly, being your first time to Australia, what can we expect to hear from you when you're down here? As far as I'm aware, two of my shows are leaning more on the Techno side of things and the third one is catering for a more house-y vibe, so I am bringing the best of both worlds (from my perspective, of course). Ideally, I like to mix up anything that fits between the House and Techno bookends in one set, as I don't see myself as a purist kind of dj anyway. But in the end my selection always depends on venue, crowd, vibe and a lot of other variables.

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Summer is in full swing and the dancefloors are getting hot, the weekend is now, and the line-ups out there are looking good. No need to dive into the bottomless pit of event invites that you’ve acquired over the week, we did it for you, and put together a list of what’s happening around SA this weekend.

What’s Happening Cape Town? 

Bassmint

I’ve said it once...no, I’ve said it several times, but I’ll say it again, this is the only way to start your weekend. Pull in to Jackal & Hide for the Bassmint night. This week’s instalment on the bill, supporting Dan C and Matt Blitz, will be Kanan K7 adn Rob Toca. Quality! Don’t miss this one. 

Hlanganani Project present Private Life with Mario Basanov at Fiction 

This is just ridiculous! Do yourself a favour and look at this line-up. Lineup: Mario Basanov, Julz Sanchez, Terrence Pearce and Malcolm Skene. Now tell me you’re not going to this enormous event!? Mario Basanov, House extraordinaire flying in for the Hlanganani Project backed by these local heroes, is going to make for an exceptional evening. Get. There! 

Vinyl Digz turns Two

One of the finest, most musically-sophisticated nights in CT will be turning two this weekend. On the bill for the special occasion you’ll find tastemakers to the likes of Pierre Estienne, Christopher Keys, DJ Cross Colours and Justin Slack. Join in! You won’t be sorry. 

Alex Kenji LIVE, plus more at The Sideshow

All the filth, carnage, and mayhem you have come to know and love, plus the addition of legendary DJ/producer  Alex Kenji to the line up alongside the likes of Grimehouse, Stellar Kartel, Hyphen, Tune Raider, At Peace, Lyle Masters, Leyton Lee and many more, spells out mayhem. Oh yes!

What’s Happening Jozi Town? 

TOY TOY – December

TOY TOY, a club night held at what could easily be the hottest club at the moment in SA. If its intelligent music, an underground vibe being driven by SA’s finest on a phenomenal sound system that you’re into, then there is no other. It’s their closing down party for 2013 tonight! Don’t miss out.  

In a Cloud – The Rooftop Exclusive

They welcome and thank Serbian DJ Milan K, Soul Candi's Clive Bean, the incredible The LazarusMan, and Just Move Records' Mig Madiq plus more. This should be a goodie!

Truth & Hlanganani Project present MARIO BASANOV (Lithuania)

Truth is going to cook on Saturday night. With international heavyweight Mario Basanov in town, backed by an absolutely superb line-up of local top-tier tastemakers, you can be sure this will be one for the books. 

Sugar Extra Sweet with 3 Dancefloors 

These guys are bringing it for you on Sunday. 3 Dancefloors, all billed with local heroes behind the decks. Remember – Monday is a public holiday! 

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The first 25 acts for Barcelona's Sónar 2014 have been announced. This year, the annual festival will be taking place from June 12th through 14th.

Richie Hawtin will be performing twice at this year's festival, once at Sónar By Day as Plastikman, and once at Sónar By Night as Hawtin. He'll be joined by Massive Attack, will be debuting their new live show, along with acts like James Holden, Matmos, Four Tet, Jon Hopkins, Oneohtrix Point Never, Caribou, Bonobo and Moderat. A few emerging artists have also been announced, including Evian Christ, Copeland, and Jessy Lanza.

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JHB’s Sunday extravaganza we know as Sunday Funk have locked-down a new venue, and will be christening the new playground this Sunday. 

So, the launch of the new venue will be on the 15th of December, and they’re not holding back. The epic line-up of local top-shelf tastemakers will include the likes of Ryan Dent, Ricardo Da Costa, Guy Herman, Nick Essential, Keren Onay and Jae-D, adjudicating the parties antics at the new venue that is to be the OCD, in Sunninghill. Check it out below. 

Sunday Funk have got huge rapport, it takes a lot for an ongoing event to maintain with the steam that Sunday Funk have been Sunday funking along with, and now, with the new venue, you can only expect to find your Sundays injected with a new, fresh sense of energy to take them to new heights. 

Worth a mention, the 16th, the day after the launch of Sunday Funk at the new venue, is a public holiday! There you have it, all the ingredients required to make for a Sunday that will find its way into your fondest memories. Join in the fun here SUNDAY FUNK. See you on the dancefloor. 

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