It’s Monday morning, you still hear that faint bassline and snare you fell in love with over the weekend ringing in your ears, feeling as if you’ve just run the comrades from dancing all weekend. Mondays - we bring you the Fresh series - this time round we catch up with Marcela Ospina to find out what she has been up to whilst putting out the mix she did at the Toy Toy Vs Series.
Where are you from originally and how did you come to find yourself in South Africa? I am from Colombia. I first came here 10 years ago to do my Masters degree. I have lived here on and off since.
When did the love affair with electronic music begin? What's your earliest memory of electronic music? It started when I still lived in Colombia in early 2000s. I remember me liking Air and French electronic music in general, Kruder and Dorfmeister and Thievery corporation.
Describe your sound to someone who has never heard you play before? I would say it can be dark but also very warm and emotional, bassy and driving.
Who has and does influence and inspire you musically? When I first started liking electronic music, I was drawned towards minimal techno, so my early influences were German artists such as Dominik Eulberg and Gabriel Ananda. My music spectrum has broaden quite a bit since and now I listen to different genres from minimal wave to techno. In the techno scene I respect Marc Houle, Tomas More, and Rødhåd. I recently discovered a female dj, Veronika Vashicka who runs a label called Minimal wave and has her own radio show in Brooklyn. She rediscovers obscure music from the 70s and releases it.
Name your 5 favourite tracks so far of 2013 to play out?
1. No one is out of touch (Lauderbach remix). Tomas More. Get the curse.
2. Falling skies. Dubspeeka. Truesoul.
3. Red line. Mr G. Phoenix G.
4. Dark star. Marc Houle and Miss Kittin. Items and things.
5. Best friend. Nina Kravitz (DVS1 Forever mix). Rekids.
Who’s your all-time hero and why? I am not sure he is my hero but he’s certainly an influence and his work has stayed with me since I am 20 years old. He’s a writer, Milan Kundera. His most well-known book is “The unbearable lightness of being”, which is an exploration of existentialism in life, of emptiness and the emptiness that relationships leave you with. Definitely an important theme if you are as fascinated by understanding human nature as I am.
As a female in the industry what has your experience been? Does sex matter? Do you think its more challenging for the fairer sex to succeed and earn respect? It is a tough question and it can’t be answered objectively as I am a girl myself. I personally think that the electronic music scene, and the techno scene in particular are male dominated. It seems to be a matter of taste as women in techno tend to go for progressive techno, or tech house, but not commonly for techno as such. I think the industry is niche, regardless, and that leaves djs, both females and males, with a few options in terms of parties and venues to play at. I think that yes, being a girl is not always easy in the industry, but being a techno dj in South Africa is challenging too.
I believe that if you want to be respected as a dj, regardless of your gender, you need to produce your own music, organise your own parties, and/or be very well connected as well. It is a tough industry, and you have to stand out in terms of musical taste and skill in order to be respected.
What can’t you live without? The Internet and music.
What’s your vice? Chocolate, lots of it, and once again, music.
What’s the best club you’ve ever been to and tell us about the experience? It sounds like a cliché these days but I love experiencing the Berghain. It is a place that truly depicts what electronic music is about. The level of engagement with the music is undescribable, plus it has the best sound system in Europe, I love the fact that the club still maintains a strict music and people’s policy as not everyone plays and not everyone goes in there. I always enjoy watching people and there are always weird things happening around you, which I will tell you about at another time.
