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"You never really know how it’s going to go when you release something like an album" chirps iconic UK DJ Sasha over a long distance phone call from Ibiza. "There’s been some stuff I've been very proud of and sometimes I’ve read things and they’re not very favourable. It leaves you scratching your head" he continues, shedding light on the feelings conjured from a bad review or piece - something that can still have a sharp effect on the world famous DJ icon.
Perhaps this is just one of the reasons why Sasha has remained a popular - and integral - figure to dance music as a whole. While globe trotting DJ's take hard-line action to quash negative press, blow millions on sensory-damaging live shows ("I'm a DJ; I NEVER bother with all that live stuff" quips Sasha) or find their huge egos dented by constructive criticism, DJ Sasha still takes each day in his stride, never resting off the back of a good review or never once feeling that he doesnt have to try.
"Most of the time it’s received well across digital media, and the fans say they like it… it’s great when something like that happens though!I find the criticism hard to deal with sometimes!” he states. “So if I put my whole energy into something and it’s felt with a bit of a lukewarm response it can be kind of hard to swallow... saying that, you can’t dwell on the bad reviews and press, same as you can't be dwelling on the good ones. You just have to progress and move forward - that’s something I’ve tried to base my career around.
From his humble days as resident DJ at Renaissance, to creating Involver, one of dance music's most celebrated and innovative artist albums, Sasha has never been one to make a quick appearance and even quicker exit. Sustaining relationships with clubs (that stretch back to the early nineties), a concept album series that's just seen the third partreleased) and maintaining a strong balance between DJing for the love and DJing as a career all point to a key figure that's got a long term plan set out in front of him, even as the industry and methods oif consuming music are in a state of constant flux.
"I think there’s always been a long term plan involved. The Involver album (the first) took a little while to finish before it felt right but there were some extenuating circumstances. We had to move a couple of times and I think that affected the record a little bit; in fact we ended up remixing remixes of tracks [laughs]. I always want to make something that can stand the test of time" he muses.
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and stand the test of time it certainly has. Involver 1 - released way back 2004 - plunged club culture and electronic music further into a serious artistic realm, the tightrope of creating an artist album that draws from outside influences but dosen't stray too far from the dancefloor. This mix of music for the mind - and that of the body - is still present, and the combination of human and machine technologies in a symbiotic harmony.
"I did have an idea to release albums in a concept – although after the second I thought that was it actually" he reveals. "But for the third part I ended up being blown away by some of the artists that contributed - I checked them out at home - and it really sparked interest again. I felt it was a great time to do a third instalment. On top of this, Ive had some great gigs across the UK since the album came out, it’s been a really fun time to play at home”
Growing alongside mix CD culture and digital technology, it seem Sasha's output - stretching back to the early nineties - is reflective of the time period its made in, bringing in talented artists and musicians from across music in general to contribute and create; a by product of a digital age where music and genres of all forms are firmly at our finger tips.
"The first record was written on a beach in Miami… It's really got that summery feel to It. But I think you’re always influenced by your surroundings - but for that first \Involver record, it was inspired by my time in Ibiza" he says before pausing to accept another call.
And after a career that has stretched across a 30 year period, Sasha is in as good a place as any to offer critique and comment over the changing face of dance music culture. Remnaining current and up to date throuhg the many changes that have occured over the last two decades - including download culture, the death of the illegal rave and condensed production studios - the Welsh born DJ and produicer still has the longevity and open-mindedness to accept and move with those changes - without comprmising his trademark sound.
"I think dance music's got longevity" he confrims. "The commercial end is an entry point for most people into electronic music, and then they discover more niche sounds” he ponders. I don’t know though… the commercial sound is so far away from the world’s that some people (and myself) live in."
I’m not sure how much cross pollination can happen between the two. It’s definitely become its own entity. Saying that though, all the big commercial events have fantastic underground stages featuring really cool, cutting edge line ups. So I can’t complain; everyone, including me, is busy and hard at work and there seems to be plenty going on across dance and electronic music."
One of Sasha's biggest roles was his championing of the mix CD format - something that him and fellow Renaissance resident DJ John Digweed pioneered on the ground breaking Renaissance - The Mix Collection in 1994, demonstrating the technical ability and creative prowess of modern electronic music. But in these days of instant downloads, free podcasts and the rise of bedroom DJs, the art of the mix must surely be a redundant one? Definitely not, says Sasha - in fact, perhaps there's even more need for a tailored, special mix album in these days of over-saturation.
"The mix CD - or the art of creating one - is an important part of my career for sure" he confirms."Signposts of my career even, stretching right back to my Renaissance Days. Trying to perfect that 74 minute mix –it isn’t relevant anymore (laughs) – but to me its important as I like to put out a physical product so I think magic is still there" he lovingly tells. "But It’s not an easy task - choosing that 74 minutes, especially before digital mixing really took off.
"It's something I’ve obsessed over across the years. I haven’t thought about making another one yet, though."