Over the course of the last year, we have all been taken on a variety of magical journeys through unique fusions of music and art. Whether you were sharing the room with a 20 foot gorilla shooting lasers out of its eyes or moving along with gentle flames dancing atop of melting wax, the artists providing the soundtracks to those experiences are too many too list. Magical moments are just that. They shouldn’t be degraded to a preferential top list. We don’t do top lists here. What we do here at SoundPark is a bit different. Our Season Closing will encompass some artists that crafted their own magic over the last year. We invited some of our favorites to come by the Park to answer some questions about what impressed them the most in 2013. They also provided a stunning exclusive mix to accompany you well into 2014. We also have an added treat for everyone considering its Valentine’s Day.
This closer was one that had to be left for last. Naveen G is no newcomer to the scene. He had a proper start back in '96. Not only that but some of his very first productions were used on the infallible Global Underground mix compilation series. There is a specific reason why we asked Naveen G to close out our Season One Finale. Throughout all of 2013, Naveen’s mixes were easily some of the most played here in our office. His sound transcends the word “genre” and his track selection from mix to mix has been as close to immaculate as one could imagine. Naveen doesn’t get caught up in the nonsense of playing the freshest promos either. He is equally fantastic technically as he is musically. Furthermore, he is no stranger to the skies. He’s hit dance floors all across the world from South America to Asia alongside some of the industry’s most influential artists (Sasha, John Digweed, Lee Burridge, S.O.S., Hernan Cattaneo, Audiofly and plenty of others). If you somehow have yet to hear Naveen G in his natural element then you have really been missing out. Naveen G sat with SoundPark to answer some fun questions about has provided us with a gorgeous two hour entry making his SoundPark debut.
As an artist, you are lucky enough to fly around the world – from party to party – bringing fans on your own music journey. What was your favorite party you had the chance to play at this year? What made it stand out for you? Strangely enough, my favorite parties of 2013 have been here in NYC at Output, both times opening for John Digweed. If you're talking about a musical journey, nothing beats having a solid 2.5 hours or more to really craft that ride through a number of different sounds and vibes with little experiments along the way. I dig really deep for those nights and pull out some older obscure tunes that some of the older heads will appreciate and make that night just a bit more special. The crowd that shows up to see John Digweed and to Output in general has seen the music evolve over a long period of time as so they can appreciate a few twists and turns.
On the flip side, all artists are obviously fans themselves too (something many people forget about). Was there a particular party that can be considered your favorite of 2013 as a fan? I guess it was technically 2014, but Innervisions at BPM this year was quite special, from the production to the choice of venue to the lineup – a collection of musicians at the top of their game, in a perfect setting. Everyone who was there really wanted to be there as there was no way to wander into that party. Otherwise, the Cityfox Experience: Space Knights party here in NYC last September really raised the bar. The production and sound of that party was like nothing I’ve seen in a long time and it was capped off with really eclectic spread of DJs I've been waiting to see for a long time. Honorable mention goes to the Bedrock 15 year anniversary in London.
Looking back on the year, is there anything that stands out to you? Anything that went on that you didn’t expect to see? I really like the fact that people are re-embracing some older sounds and that progressive is no longer a dirty word. It’s losing the connotation it developed somewhere after 2004, even though much of what is labeled deep house in the last two to three years really quite sounds like some older prog tunes. And I think it’s been missing in a proper form for such a long period of time from the collective consciousness, that a lot of the people just getting into the scene have never heard of it, and think the next step up in melodic elements is trance. So I think it’s exciting to see these elements working their way back into the music. Everything runs on cycles anyway, so in 2016, I’m sure we'll be back to Florida breaks or minimal or something.
One particular thing we noticed in 2013 was the massive insurgence of mega-residencies; from Ibiza to New York it almost seemed like some parties are actually cannibalizing themselves. Do you think this will continue in 2014 or do you think it will be scaled back a bit? I think a lot of the weekend warrior types like the fact that they can catch a huge number of artists at a single party and make the weekend more economical. I'm not a huge fan of the festival size lineup, and would rather see some of these guys stretch their legs and play for a longer period of time. I hope the crowds that go to these things will eventually carry that interest into some smaller events, or push for seeing longer sets from fewer artists because that’s really where/when the magic happens.
Looking forward to 2014, where do you see the underground dance music industry going? How do you think it can continue to evolve and keep itself fresh? I think the newfound popularity and acceptance of the music is definitely a plus. The music will always keep changing, with genre names becoming less and less applicable as the lines blur between the niche sounds. I'm a huge fan of seeing more acts taking the steps towards really performing their music live, with instruments and room for improvisation. It makes for a much more engaging experience. I’d also like to see less DJs hitting sync on a playlist of tunes and standing around. There so much more to DJing than just a good tracklist and some passable mixing, but I think so much of what we do and how we do it is still somewhat of a mystery to the audience. So, hopefully that level of appreciation and awareness in the crowds will rise, and in doing so, force people to work a bit harder behind the decks. 
Taking a look at your body of work, it appears to most that your main focus is that of a DJ over a producer. Does your passion for music push you more towards that of stirring a crowd into an auditory bliss over programming your vision into a studio production? It’s been quite a few years since I've worked steadily in the studio, and that's mainly due to still having a day job. But, there are always little bits and bobs of music floating around in my head, and I’m in the process of getting them nailed down in the next few months. Producing is so much more of a love of labor, as you can work on a tune for 20 hours and it still may not go anyway, whereas it is way easier to get a feeling of accomplishment by spending a fraction of that time hunting for new tunes for DJing or doing some edits. The immediate satisfaction from DJing and its related at-home work is much higher. However, the reward from making your own tunes is far greater, but it just happens to be hard to crowbar into a schedule. So anyways, enough excuses, I’m mainly working on stuff that I can start out using for my own sets as I’m always in need of some good intros, interludes, or transition tracks to take the energy down a notch, little functional tools like that. It has taken a while to find a new sound of my own that I’m happy with, having made what was considered straight "progressive" back in the day.
You have been one of the Listed resident artists for some time now, how did this relationship begin? What made them special enough for you to commit to them? To put it briefly, it was a similar principle that we both abide by and that was to create an experience for the audience/listener that is unique, memorable and ahead of the curve in some way. With Listed, there's been a great variety of the types of parties and in the artists involved, so it’s been a lot of fun.
Coming off of BPM and a party in New York (and another planned in February), where can we expect to catch you in the upcoming months? Are any of these parties particularly exciting for you? I'm really looking forward being a part of the next Cityfox Experience here in NYC on April 5th, after travelling for most of March. The Cityfox parties have always been a blowout in terms of scope and talent involved. And I’m actually looking forward to taking a year off from WMC, having been there for the last 13 years in a row, it’s probably a good time to see a city other than Miami for the last week of March.
As a special treat to everyone who’s been supporting SoundPark since its beginnings, SoundPark’s own Erika Mysti put together an incredible mix that dives deep into the auditory world of powerful, deep bass-lines, tantalizing melodies, and percussive rhythms. It's deep house with a fusion of melodic techno sprinkled with elements of Nu-Disco all while having rich progressive undertones throughout. Erika Mysti answers a few questions about what some of her favorite experiences were last year and what to expect from her in 2014.
As an artist, what was your favorite party you had the chance to play at this year? What made it stand out for you? Well, perhaps experience or endeavor is a better way to describe this, but I must say Burning Man was the most significant and memorable this year. I had the opportunity to not only spin but also curate a lineup for the Disorient sound camp, and we had a magical night on an incredible sound system with Maxxi Soundsystem, Bedouin, Lovecraft, Holosound, Adrian Ravelo, and myself - it was off the hook!
On the flip side, all artists are obviously fans themselves too (something many people forget about). Was there a particular party that can be considered your favorite of 2013 as a fan? Well, artist or not, it seems impossible for anyone living in NYC to forget about being a fan, since we are surrounded by talented artists showcasing their passion any given weekend (and weeknight!). Some that stood out for me? I’d say seeing one of my favorite artists, Guy J, captivating Sullivan Room in NYC with his masterful textures of sound, which was unfortunately my last time at Sully before this iconic mainstay of NYC’s underground nightlife was prematurely closed. Then, throughout the year, NYC was treated to a handful of big events such as the Cityfox/Listed parties that have been making big splashes and a number of All Day I Dream events - wow you’re making me look forward to summer now! Burning Man also offered an unlimited supply of incredible music and experiences. This year I had some amazing times dancing away at Pink Mammoth’s dusty dance floor. Look out for them if you’re out there next August!
Tell us about what’s in store for you personally and musically in 2014? Musically, I’m continuing my journey throughout the NYC underground, and another trip out to Burning Man is in the works. In addition to that, music has been the catalyst for my creativity re-emerging in other areas of my life, so this year I’m diving head first into graphic design and other visual art – allowing me to expand my role as the Art Director with SoundPark into all aspects of my life.
