Over the course of 2013, 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 innumerable. Magical moments 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 and chat a little about 2013. Along with this, they also provided us a little musical recap with an exclusive mix to keep our feet dancing well after the ball drops.
First up in our little year-end special is an artist that has captured our hearts over 2013 in a tantalizing fashion. Maher Daniel has been playing along some of the industry’s best [Lee Burridge, Sasha, Richie Hawtin, Dubfire, Josh Wink, Damian Lazarus, and many others] and there is no slowdown in sight. Today marks the release of a gem that has been getting early support by the likes of Dixon, Ame, Digweed, Agoria, and Art Department just to name a few. Maher Daniel & Jon Charnis – “Lonely Stars in Open Skies” charms you with a gentle twinkling melody, soothing pads that soar over the top, and a buildup that will surely have your insides aroused with anticipation. We sat down with Maher Daniel to recap some of his own personal highlights of the year as he closes our first season out in style.
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? There are so many parties that have been absolutely amazing to be a part of this year. If I were to pick one, I would say it's the Berlin Beats and Boats. The vibe that day was out of control. I mean when you think about it, there are 9 boats each with a different label and brand and multiple artists on each. On the spree for a full day. It creates a setting which is really special and an experience everyone should see for themselves especially when you go under one of the bridges. It went off properly.
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 still can't get over the Innervisions party at BPM last year. Dixon and Henrik played some of the best music I had heard that week. It was absolutely stellar. To go a little deeper, I think the whole setting and the atmosphere just played a huge roll. Mexico, the beach, and two of my favorite artists were really special for me.
Call it what you will, but 2013 witnessed an explosion in our industry, with the South American scene growing exponentially and the American scene finally getting taken seriously…among others. Looking back on the year, is there anything that stands out to you? Anything that happened you didn’t expect to see? As it stands out, I would have to say how accepted the underground sound is getting. People are learning about what we do, especially now that things seem to be moving away from EDM and its commercial essence. That being said, I would have never expected a Paris Hilton residency at Amnesia and Paris Hilton saying she's one of the top five DJs in the world. That was a shocker and blatant lie on national TV.
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 it will be scaled back a bit. Bringing these big parties from Ibiza to the US will eventually fizzle out. People will eventually get bored. It's not the same as being in Ibiza. The island just has something special that does not exist anywhere else. So the idea of these events does not work the in the same way. I think it will be important to scale them back as well because it keeps the mystery and essence of what is trying to be conveyed at the source of origin. Then again, I would have no idea. I could be talking out of my ass.
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? Well, that's a good question. The talent that is emerging right now is what's going to keep the underground scene alive and evolving. There are so many new amazing producers putting out quality music which only sees growth and a constant evolution. With the accessibility in today’s digital era, it's easy for people to start producing. Yes, it has a negative effect as quality control goes out the window but it also puts forward a new breed of artists who love the underground and are willing to put in the time and effort to really learn and produce quality material. It will constantly keep the underground alive and move forward.
Now, if everyone just learned how to DJ on turntables then switched to a different medium, all would be complete.
During 2013, we witnessed both the resurgence of some veteran artists and the insurgence of new, was there anyone who you personally thought stood out against the rest? What enabled them to shine so brightly? Everyone knows dance music is cyclical so trends come back every so odd year. Looking back at labels like Airtight, Okotek, Greyhound, and the list can go on, I believe the sound of deep house from the earlier days will come back. Lake People and Frank and Tony have really caught my attention. Musically, every record is just quality. I love their work. That’s the sound I loved so much while growing up in the scene.