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[onthe5thday]

5th Day Residents Revealed: Abstract Man

The final part of our 'Residents Revealed' feature (4/4) brings Abstract Man to the limelight, a project uniting two hungry minds on a journey of exploration and discovery through the realms of techno.

​"Some artists choose to hide their identities with a mask; we chose to come up with a creative outlet that is neither of us, but both of us at the same time, enabling us to create some distance from our own separate identities and egos and join forces to create a “being” with its own voice, which is always evolving."

​With two EPs to be released within the next several months, and with an increasing number of memorable performances under their belts, exciting times lay ahead for the duo who share their journey so far here. Thanks to On the 5th Day resident, Matt Hayes for the questions!

​Support Abstract Man here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AbstractMan.London

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/abstract_man

RA: https://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/abstractman

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Where did Abstract Man come from?

Katie: About five years ago I was starting out on a new chapter of my life and I was hungrier than ever to take my love for electronic music to the next level, a love that had been ignited when I was about 11. The dancefloor had always been a place of total freedom for me – where I could really connect with myself and with music to new, amazing levels; I could feel myself coming out of my shell more and more every time I went out to soak up music, and at home my decks and I were good friends, but it was a relationship confined to my bedroom. At the beginning of that new chapter in my life I suddenly found myself ready to step things up, to shift the focus and explore whether I could take people on a journey by being on the other side of the decks. I stumbled across Mantas and Egle’s DJ’ing school in Shepherds Bush and Mantas became my mentor, and here we are!

Mantas: Over time we found we were inspiring each other more and more with our individual sounds, and that our tastes were evolving in a very similar direction. We also both happened to be suffering a lot as over-thinkers, where you run the risk of thinking rather than feeling your way, which can be very stifling creatively. With time Katie and I recognised this in ourselves and in one another and one evening, we decided this made sense – to collaborate. Some artists choose to hide their identities with a mask; we chose to come up with a creative outlet that is neither of us, but both of us at the same time, enabling us to create some distance from our own separate identities and egos and join forces to create a “being” with its own voice, which is always evolving. Abstract Man allows us to explore and create more freely; it encompasses parts of us both, but it’s not about either of us independently. The creative process is now a shared one. 

Tell us about the dynamics of playing as a duo. Is it different to playing solo; does being in-sync take work?

Going from a teacher/student dynamic to an artistic collaboration was a journey, that’s for sure, during which we both learnt a huge amount about ourselves and each other. You have to be ready to communicate very openly, be comfortable and even better, warmly welcome any disagreements that come up, as well as recognising and letting go of your ego so decisions are made for the right reasons.

We’re very in tune now musically – our taste and vision is 95% identical, and we're glad and grateful for that remaining 5% which is is really healthy too. We got to the point we're at now very organically, but it took time and patience and we had to agree not to rush things – to keep exploring until we found a distinctive sound and style that we both connected with. This happened after nearly 18-months of studio time and 50+ tracks which probably won’t see the light of day, but we’re okay with that.

In terms of playing out as a duo, we put a lot of time into prepping – finding music, selecting tracks we both connect with which each say something that helps Abstract Man to communicate a message. Digging takes a lot of time, to find the gems, but its definitely an enjoyable process and we know what we're looking for: a certain feeling which is quite instinctive. Of course, it’s all about a tracks’ place in a wider journey – the narrative behind a set is very important to us – conveying a story and hopefully igniting something special for our listeners through that story.

We're at an exciting stage because we’re now ready to spice up our performances. We’re craving more - other ways of feeding off of each other’s creativity in the moment, perhaps via more of a hybrid set and so on. This is the next phase of things but it was important for us to wait until it felt like we were ready to evolve – rather than forcing it because we felt we should.

You’re making music in the studio and will be releasing a series of EPs imminently. What can we expect from your sound and what influences have been shaping it?

Of course there a lot of influences behind Abstract Man, but the important thing is that it now has its own voice – one which is constantly evolving as we continue to explore, learn about ourselves, each other, discover new sounds, improve technically and so on. Each EP we release will have a new twist, exploring different sides to us individually and as a collaboration. We’re not married to anything too specific although we definitely like things groovy, with lots of texture and trippy elements.

The first EP will be out before the end of the year and includes a remix by Mike Parker, a huge inspiration for us. The second EP will see the light during the first half of 2018 and features a remix by Von Grall – up there as one of our favourite producers!

You’re two of the minds behind On the 5th Day. Organising events and running the podcast series takes a lot of time and effort, what motivates you?

As it says on our new website (coming soon), On the 5th Day is a means of sharing our love for the underground electronic music scene, and the artists and sounds which inspire us, via events, a podcast stream and a label (also coming soon). We have a simple mission which is to build a family of trusting and dedicated music appreciators and to create opportunities for them to connect with the music they love.

So yes, On the 5th Day is absolutely a passion project, which doesn’t come without its pressures and stresses of course but at the end of the day, what motivates us is quite simply a love for the music. The three of us behind the project are very close, so the fact we get to work together on something we care so much about is very motivating.

Our nights are also perfect for Abstract Man to play at, which of course makes a lot of sense given how this has all been shaped, but that’s an added motivation. Not to mention the fact the events and podcast series provides us all with the opportunity to interact and connect with artists who inspire us - that’s pretty amazing too!

How do you design lineups for 0T5D? Is the vision always the same; what makes your formula distinctive from the techno on offer in London?

Our own personal tastes and connection to music plays a critical part in our artist selection. We’re more concerned with an artist’s sound rather than their name – both from a production perspective, of course, but more importantly from a DJ’ing / performance perspective – someone who we can trust to deliver behind the decks, with an understanding of how to tell a story and take the room on a journey.

​On the other side of things, we like to shape interesting line-ups where artists will potentially ignite something unique in another, pulling out a particular side of another artist’s sound, or complimenting their sound in a particular way. We try to think about the event as a whole, each artist as a piece of a puzzle. Of course, this approach is a gamble and a risk, but one we embrace in order to try and create a memorable night. So, for example, we won’t just put the biggest or most well-known name on the peak or closing slot, we’d rather be led by the artist’s sound and overall journey of the night. So in October, you might expect Etapp Kyle to close but we’ve given that slot to Takaaki Itoh, as we have no doubts this will allow Takaaki to really stretch his legs behind the decks.

We’re also looking at how we can incorporate more and more lesser-known, up and coming artists on our line ups, something which we've made a focus of our nights so far, but we want to step this up even more going forward. Now that we're beginning to built up trust in On the 5th Day to deliver, and we have quite a clear sound, people will hopefully trust our choices, even if they don’t recognise all of the names; they’ll be intrigued to come along to experience something/someone they might not otherwise know.

What are the signs that an OT5D party is really delivering as you’ve intended?

Simple, when the vibe is there… when you can tell people are connecting with the music and with each other and there is an electricity in the air. Success for us feels very instinctive and we’re usually always on the same page with this.

When we hear positive feedback from artists we book that is a big sign of success too. Perhaps they could feel they were in front of a really trusting, hungry and open-minded crowd which enabled them to really let go, and it’s clear that they On the 5th Day gig was a memorable, positive one for them. This makes us really happy.

Finally of course, when we hear that people come from across Europe to our events – that’s pretty special! The 5th day family is growing all the time and we’re seeing more and more familiar faces which is great and definitely a sign of a successful project.

All time favourite tracks question… 3 please?

Three tracks which have played a big part in shaping Abstract Man so far:

Acronym – Wrapped

Voices From The Lake - Reptilicus

Svreca & Neel - Tangara

​Abstract Man will be opening room one at our October event on the 21st, with Etapp Kyle, Takaaki Itoh and YYYY.

[onthe5thday]

5th Day Residents Revealed: Gertie

The penultimate edition of our ‘Residents Revealed’ feature focuses on none other than London’s very own and much loved Gertie. Despite popular consensus the duo aren’t actually brothers, however the strength of their connection through music, bought to life through their consistently impressive performances - not to mention a shared love for facial hair - may lead you to think otherwise.

The charismatic duo have been making ripples on London’s scene for many years and are a solid favourite for many regulars. United through a shared love for techno and collaborating to deliver something unique and truly expressive, here we learn more about how the pair work together, what techno as a genre means to them, and their thoughts on the local techno scene that they’ve come to love so much.

Support the guys here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficalGertie/ 

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/gertieofficial

RA: https://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/gertie

You can catch Gertie playing at our October event with Etapp Kyle, Takaaki Itoh and YYYY: https://www.residentadvisor.net/events/994677 

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Can you tell us a little bit about where Gertie came from, how did you guys meet and what led you to start working as a music act? Lenny: George and I met in 2012 as residents in a club in Colchester, Essex. I was based there as a solider and did DJing on the side. We initially bonded over some early French House music and a shared appreciation of Kelly Kapowski from Saved by the Bell. I wanted to get into production at the time and George was already releasing tracks as part of another duo. He kindly offered to show me the ropes. I did a few courses online, purchased some equipment and eventually in 2014 we started writing and releasing tracks as Gertie. George: It was a mutual friend (Theo) who introduced us one night, Lenny and I played at the same venue where Theo was a resident, but never at the same events. I’d just finished a gig not too far away and got a text from Theo saying ‘you have to come to the club…there’s a guy you should meet.’ I almost didn’t go but he talked me into it and that guy was Lenny. We talked a lot about production and he asked if I’d mind helping him out getting started. I didn’t think much of it, people had asked before and never followed through, but the next day he called and asked when I was free and if I could show him the basics of Ableton. I knew he was serious when we sat down a few days later and, instead of a laptop, he pulled out an A4 notepad and asked me for a pen.

What does techno as a genre mean to you?

Lenny: Techno has played a huge part in shaping my life over the last few years. In 1997 I joined the British Army at 18 years of age, it was all I had known my whole adult life until I left in 2012. After that, I struggled to find my place in the world feeling lost professionally and personally. Looking back I was searching for some form of connection, something to identify with and the techno scene in London offered me those things. The people I met along the way and the experiences I had during those times, helped shape the person and artist I have become. Recently, I have struggled at times with feeling overwhelmed by all that I have going on personally, professionally and artistically. Music can feel like such a luxury and perhaps an indulgence that should be disposed of when real life presents you with important issues. However, I have come to find that if I deny myself the time to indulge, I suffer as a result. There is something very calming and grounding about this music for me. It’s extremely hard to articulate but I would liken it to meditation. The experience of it in whatever capacity allows me to quiet my mind and feel more centred. George: Techno for me isn’t like other genres of music, there’s fewer rules; it’s less defined by what goes into it and more by what comes out of it. What I mean by that is you can have a track that’s just a 909, and an ambient track with no drums at 1/3 of the tempo, and they’re both techno. Of course there are things synonymous with techno, but tempo, time signature and rhythm are all less important than the mood a track creates as a component of a set. As a producer that freedom lets you imagine the mood and the sonic environment you want to construct as a whole and create what’s missing, even if it’s just some carefully layered ambiences. This freedom filters through to the DJs who take those ‘pieces’ to create a different world of their own, completely recontextualising the tracks in the process. I think there’s a simplicity in techno but it’s there by design - to allow for this. The complexity comes from the texture of the sounds. Sonically it’s unlike anything else.

Do you believe DJing is an art form? If yes, what makes it so, in your view? Lenny: When done really well, yes. The true art of DJing for me lies somewhere between a technical showcase, the expression of a deep-rooted understanding of the music and the ability to interpret the energy of a room. A DJ becomes an artist when he thinks not of tracks but of flow. This requires emotional intelligence and is less about presenting other people’s art to an audience but piecing together something unique and of that moment. Much like more traditional art forms, the magic happens not in the accomplishment of total technical accuracy, but more in the imperfections, the character flaws and the spaces in between. If you consider art to be a reflection of the human condition then techno has a very basic and primal ability to create a fleeting reflection of the energy in that moment. That to me is art. How do you guys perform? What is your process for building a performance and how do you manage any challenges that arise? George: We’ve played together for so many years now that there isn’t really a set up we haven’t tried. For us the idea now is to to maximise the potential for creativity in our sets, without it becoming a limitation. We learnt through trial and error that just because you have all the kit in the world doesn’t mean you need to use it. We played a set once with two laptops sync’d over lan, running both Traktor and Ableton, 2 mixers, 6 midi controllers, a motorised fader mixer, 2 drum machines and a keyboard. It was more like a live performance than a dj set. We could manipulate any track and bring in any sound we wanted, and while we had some moments that we simply haven’t touched since, those infinite possibilities actually became a problem. We could do anything…and in the same way it can be limiting in production we found it limiting in djing. Where do you go when you can go anywhere? On the reverse side, boxing yourself in can also be super effective, just as it is with production, because it really focuses everything you can do into only a few things. Vinyl sets can still be so devastating because there’s none of the modern features like auto loops and hot cues to play with which leaves you with only one job: spend 100% of the time selecting the absolute best tracks in the crate. Of course there’s inherently less scope for creativity without those modern features, so somewhere between those two is a balance we’re still, and probably will always be, trying to find. What is your approach to music making? Do you always start with an idea or is it sporadic? Where do you draw inspiration from and how do you interpret that into music? George: Our approach is that we rely heavily on our sets to guide us in the studio. We try to think of what we had and what we didn’t have and then create the missing pieces. The idea will usually come from a point in the set where we thought ‘…ok, if we had a track like this that would be perfect for where we’re trying to go here.’ A lot of the inspiration comes from the nights; I’ve hummed toplines and basslines into my phone mid-set before…I’m not sure how that looks from the dance floor, probably a bit weird, but if that’s the moment you’re feeling inspired then you have to capture it however you can. Creating music for a club when you’re in a quiet room in your flat is always going to be a challenge, so mentally you have to take yourself back to those moments and start from there. As far as technical workflow goes we don’t do anything too groundbreaking, but something we do try and do is put limits on things. For example, we might decide to only use a small number of channels, or to only use sounds sampled from vinyl instead of synths. Sometimes deciding where to go can be so overwhelming you end up not going anywhere, so by forcing yourself into a smaller box you can end up making more out of what you’ve got that you otherwise would.

What are three of your all-time favourite techno tracks?    An almost impossible task, to make this easier we had to set some parameters.  We decided to pick tracks that stand well as pieces on their own. They aren’t  ground breaking choices by any means but rather contain the necessary  ingredients of what we consider to be a quality techno track:

Ben Klock - Sub  Zero (Function & Regis Remix) [Ostgut Ton] The original is beautiful in  it’s own right. However the deconstruction of the various elements, cleverly  pieced back together, simple washed out hints of sound, creating space that  invokes tension and groove. Genius.

Fabrizio Lapiena – 1003b [M_Rec] A truly  stunning and emotionally charged piece of music. Listening will bring never  fail to bring goosebumps.

UVB – Mixition [Mord]. So much groove, so much  tension, full of momentum and drive. The growl on a solid low end paired with  a loopy, heady top line, the perfect blend.

What makes a good "techno crowd" for you? Lenny: For me it’s three things: education, patience and openness. Like all genres of art the scene only flourishes when it continues to experiment and evolve, to push the audience’s boundaries. For that to happen you need a crowd that is willing to be taken to places they are not expecting. It’s the responsibility of the artist to nurture the audience’s appetite for the new. This is not about being self-indulgent or inaccessible, but more about avoiding the temptation to mimic, imitate and play it safe. In the past I have fallen foul of this and as I grow and develop my craft, I am learning to be more fearless and to respect the intelligence of the crowd – it’s where I feel our music is at its purist and the audience connects with that.

What are your thoughts on London's techno scene? Struggling or thriving? Lenny: The London techno scene is extremely dear to me. Often there are unfavourable comparisons drawn between London and Berlin, but London is creating something of its own, an experience that can only be born out of the unique set of circumstances this city is presented with. Historically the underground music scene as a whole in London has been viewed as something undesirable and devoid of artistic integrity. In contrast, the German government recognises the cultural importance of institutions such as Berghain, and with that comes a certain level of security. Clubs in London face sometimes insurmountable odds to stay alive which means that our scene has become extremely cohesive and supportive. It’s in this struggle, in the small collections of stalwart fans, promoters and artists that London creates its own take on the genre. Of course there has been casualties along the way (RIP Dance Tunnel) but there are so many intelligent and progressive people driving things forward that the scene will always find a way to flourish. That said, with the appointment of our Night Czar, the saving of Fabric and venues such as Printworks and the new Village Underground project ahead, it’s an extremely positive and exciting time to be involved in the London techno scene.

[onthe5thday]

5th Day Residents Revealed: Matt Hayes

For part two of our ‘Residents Revealed’ feature we bring you Matt Hayes, someone who brings beautifully infectious feeling to anything he touches, his exquisite journeys through the realms of techno included. 

Matt’s personal journey with music to date has been one that we’ve followed with much happiness and intrigue and what he delivers via his sets at 5th Day events is always a powerful and emotive experience, no matter what time or in which room he plays.

Enjoy the following honest and heartfelt insight into some of the motivations, inspirations and moments that have made Matt into the person and DJ that he is today.

You can support Matt here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matthayeslondon/

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/matthayeslondon

RA: https://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/matthayes-uk

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So, here we go... This is going to be fun!

Firstly, can you remember a moment or time in your life when you decided to step things up with music and DJ’ing? What were your motivations? Do you remember what were you thinking and/or feeling?

 I’ll talk about three which were pretty definitive:

I was getting bored with critiquing the music everywhere I went. My stock phrase had become “Yeah, but it’s not really techno”. So I realised I needed to put my money where my mouth was and show people my idea of techno. Retrospectively, this long stage was key because it was about asserting the intention and gauging people’s responses to that. 

I got to grips with Traktor in order to play for friends at a party Christopher and I hosted in the mountains north of Cape Town. I played all the way through the most beautiful night imaginable with the Milky Way swirling overhead… Somewhere in that experience it clicked that I was sharing something significant and it created a very special bond with the people that were there. I wanted to create more of that.

The actual step up was a very specific moment. I’d dragged friends to The Steelyard to see Rodhad and Alex Do. It was a fun night but my feeling all the way through it was that I just wanted to be playing myself. As we rode home in an Uber I made the official statement: ‘I am going to do this. Seriously, I’m going to learn to DJ properly and I’m going to play in a proper London club”.

The following were the steps down to Mantas’s studio…

Do you believe DJ’ing is an art form? If yes, what makes it so, in your view? 

Art is the effort of encapsulating and sharing the way we experience the world. I totally connect with the emotional subtext of DJs I admire and I know that all the On The 5th Day team share a wish to communicate something of themselves when playing. I frequently have moments in a mix when I feel an overwhelming rush of emotion because something in the transition is so exactly and sublimely what I feel/ want to communicate. And the brilliant thing is that doesn’t need explanation or even much reflection. It’s an ephemeral fragment of art, maybe only perceptible to me, but I trust there are moments that other people are affected by too. Wanting to affect people like that makes DJing an art form. So I think yeah. 200%.

What is techno to/for you? 

Let’s get really philosophical… I think, in life, each of us sets our carriage onto the parallel rail tracks of hope and fear and we mostly keep locked on them; whilst swirling around us are influences and ideas that we’re hurtling past and miss . I think techno encapsulates the truth of this AND offers a resolution. That duhh, duhh, duhh, duhh of a 4/4 beat is subconsciously very reassuring. It allows us to feel steady on those rails and open ourselves up to the influences beyond. And I see people experiencing this on the dance floor all the time. So I’d say that techno is a vehicle for opening ourselves up. I truly think grasping this is one of life’s gifts and I feel an elevated kinship with people that have this experience and understanding.

 Which artist(s) in your view capture the heart and soul of On the 5th Day, and why?

The way Abdulla Rashim locked down his dance floor in the most subtle and restrained way totally blew me away. Twice. You don’t have to do too much to make people feel connected. He’s the master of tapping into that reassuring 4/4 structure I mentioned above. I was also captivated by the way Shifted created a dense tide of sound which he kept pushing towards the dance floor. It was a continuous morph of sound rather than the interweaving of tracks. Both artists took an elevated command of the space. They made me think about the shape and feel of sound which I’d say is a key factor that goes into the planning of the On the 5th Day experience. It’s not just about the style and calibre of artists but an overall emotional shape that’s laid out.

Having seen Antigone at Berghain in April I’m excited to see him play more intimately at Corsica Studios in November for On the 5th Day. His Berghain set was unequivocally art form. He created an epic plain of sound which flooded the turbine hall with constant, uplifting energy. It was a total joy to experience and very life affirming, which also goes to the heart and soul of what On The 5th Day delivers.

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind a particular set you’ve delivered?

So my warm up in the main room for the March party was special. I definitely found my groove playing that set. It was thrilling how it unfurled across the different types of techno I’d pulled together. I wanted it to have a strong narrative feel. I talk a lot about the anthropological aspect of techno by which I mean there’s a quality to its rhythms (that opening up thing I talked about above) that humanity has always reached for so I endeavoured to weave-in allusions to this. I also find techno is one of the best vehicles for capturing the shimmering qualities of flora and fauna and I love finding ways to wrap these motifs into my sets. There are peafowl scampering all the through this one… In my head anyway!

Check it out here: https://soundcloud.com/matthayeslondon/matt-hayes-djset-17-mar-corsica-studio 

Top 3 tracks of all time? Sorry, couldn’t resist.

To deal with this I’ve had to give myself 3 categories (click on each title to check them out):

The track that made things click

Traversable Wormhole - Universal Time: Techno is very subjective. Personal is probably more accurate. And my notion of Techno clicked with this track and it made me want to DJ and make tracks. It represents the combination of elements that define the sound I try to cultivate: structure, depth, space (minimal), something a little sinister lurking and definitely sexy. I love to play it.

The track that never fails to make me go whoa!

Dino Sabatini - Modulation: This track blows me away every single time I hear it. The sense of suspension is breathtaking. It makes me feel like an astronaut dangling in space. Then this spine dissolving drop splices through…. And propels every atom in my body into another galaxy. You could just say I think it’s f*cking cosmic.

Errr, the funeral track

Len Faki - Kraft und Licht: I described this to Lenny (half of Gertie) as an iceberg dying because it creaks and groans with exquisite finality. It’s epically sad to the point of ecstasy. It captures the feeling of longing, which every single human being that’s ever existed has experienced, so I find something incredibly universal about it. Naturally it’s the track I want to have played at my funeral. Everyone will fall into a heap of devastation… I just hope I get to see that from somewhere.

 Tell us about one of your all time top raving experiences to date? When, where, who… we want details! What made it so special? 

More Cape Town inspiration. This would have to be the party I go to every year that’s a couple of hours outside the city. I don’t arrive anywhere else in such a state of excitement. It begins to ripple on the drive to Heathrow in the dark wet of February and breaks the surface 15 hours later on the track that leads to the party; behind a cavalcade of vehicles billowing hot dust into an intensely blue sky.

The location is a spectacular, in a beautiful valley by a river where everyone cools off through the day and night. The heat is searing and I’m always struck by an incredible sense of freedom and fun. I love how different the rhythm of the party is to what we’re used to. People retreat at what is peak time in a London sense - 2am to 5am - and come out as the sun is rising at 5:00am for the best period on the dance floor.

The party is Origin. Technically it’s a trance party but it has evolved a strong appreciation for techno. It’s the playground where I’ve jumped though some pretty crazy hoops under the secure watch of beloved friends. I leave every time feeling like I’ve consumed a year’s worth of life and grown a little too. It’s been a big reason why I’ve wanted to DJ.

  What else are you getting up to when you’re not preparing for sets, podcasts or DJ’ing?

Have you heard about the house we’re renovating?!! A long slog but it’s nearly done and will soon be ready for chill-down sessions after On The 5th Day outings. Catch me for a stamp at the next party :))

Matt will make a not to be missed reappearance at our November event: https://www.residentadvisor.net/events/1010134

[onthe5thday]

5th Day Residents Revealed: Lucien Biscop

To kick-start our On the 5th Day 'Residents Revealed’ feature we bring you our much cherished Lucien Biscop - an artist with a love for melancholic elements in his techno and who nearly resigned when we asked what his top 3 favourite tracks of all time were… he does have a point!

Whether warming up at the start of a night, bringing his take on ambience to the room in order to pull 5th Dayers in, or peaking proceedings in room two where he’s guaranteed to consistently bring it, Lucien can always be relied on to to deliver.

Delve into his 5th Day podcast for a beautiful taster of what Lucien likes to bring to the techno table:    https://soundcloud.com/onthe5thday/on-the-5th-day-podcast-036-lucien-biscop

Support Lucien here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lucien.biscop

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/lucienbiscop

RA: https://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/lucienbiscop

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So its fair to say we know you pretty well by now, but for the sake of the not so familiar, tell us a little bit about yourself and the short and sweet version of what’s bought you to where you are today.

It probably all started with a love for music; not very original but that’s the reason why. From a young age I always enjoyed discovering new music. I then realised later that I also really liked sharing it. I was fascinated by DJs but always thought that it was inaccessible for me - I’m too old, or I’m going to ridicule myself. But then one day I googled “become a dj” and the rest was a one step at a time journey. A combination of hard work and luck, to be part of the On The 5th Day family is what made me where I am now.

What is techno to you?

I have a very wide taste in music, I particularly like sad music regardless of the genre, and techno really doesn’t lack melancholic tracks. When playing it fully allows me to express myself. I’m discovering new tracks and artists that I like almost every day, that’s one of the reasons why it’s the genre that satisfies my hunger for new music the most. It’s also the music that allows me to get completely lost regardless of my mood, the location or the activity. It will affect my mood but out of the very varied sub genres in techno, I can also easily select something that will correspond to my mood of the moment.

What have been your most magical On the 5th Day moments so far, both sides of the decks?

That is a difficult question. Every On the 5th Day has had its unique moments, every party brought something different, a bit like a new chapter in a story. Behind the decks, it’s going to sound un-elaborate, but maybe just recently the last September party when mixing 3 tracks that I had never imagined would have worked together and getting a very good response from the crowd. I am very self critical and when it comes to playing or producing, I depend a lot on others’ opinions, so I must have been smiling a lot in that moment.

In front of the decks, I cannot remember a moment that has not been magical, it is very difficult to choose one in particular. If I really have to choose it might have been for the Semantica showcase, obviously a great lineup and the crowd that it attracted made it a very nice party.

In your view, is there a particular artist On the 5th Day has booked who perfectly captures the heart and soul of On the 5th Day and what we stand for?

These questions are not getting any easier [our bad]. I think if I had to choose it might be Svreca or Abdulla Rashim. In my opinion their productions or their mixing are a good definition of what On the 5th Day is about. From a DJ’s point of view, every time I hear them play it is the equivalent of a masterclass, and from a dancer’s point of view it is always an absolute pleasure. Flawless mixing that makes complete sense from the beginning to the end which will send you into a trance.

Can you tell us about the inspirations behind your recent On the 5th Day podcast (which is frickin’ lovely by the way!)

The inspiration behind my mix was partly my mood at the time and also artists/tracks that I enjoyed in the moment. I always think that my mixes are a direct reflection of who I am at the moment I play them. Any external stimuli somehow will make a difference whether it’s the painting that I just looked at, the weather outside or a memory. Of course this mix was prepared but I would definitely have played it differently or changed it altogether if recorded on another day. Although I think all my mixes have these melancholic elements which really define the music that I like.

What for you makes a positive crowd / party vibe?

It’s a combination of different things but when you take your eyes off of the decks and you realise that the whole crowd is dancing in rhythm, as one, with their eyes shut, when music is the only connection, it almost makes me shiver thinking about it. Most of the time I would say that the location/lineup attracts the right people. The vibe is a direct consequence of the promoter’s approach and connections.

We’re intrigued, can you name your top 3 tracks of all time?

Definitely not easy, also it should be illegal haha, DJs cannot give secret weapons away. Looking at the play count on my rekordbox it appears that Reggy Van Oers | Tetra [The Gods Planet 2015] or Shifted - Vacive [HOS470] have been played quite a few times though. And maybe Polar Inertia - Hell Frozen Over [DM3D011], everyone knows that one and it has been a bit overplayed so I’m not really breaking grounds here. I have actually never played that last one, but the first time I heard it I was really wondering what was happening, “what spaceship or planet am I on” haha.

What else is happening in the life of Lucien at the moment, what else are you working on?

If I am not at work or preparing the next gig I am spending my time producing and spending money on buying new equipment. My main goal right now is to get an EP out. I have a lot of finished and unfinished tracks but nothing that I feel ready to be shared yet. It probably never will be completely ready but I want to take my time to hopefully reach a point where I will be satisfied (not happy, that will never happen ha) with the quality of my productions.

Whenever I find the time I really enjoy recording random things and that really inspires me. The rain, a river, machines, anything. A few weeks ago back at my parents’ place I found this really crappy stereo, a terrible thing. I turned it on and it made a really weird organic noise which was brilliant. Or recently I found that if my Analog Rytm is plugged on a specific USB port of my computer, it glitches, it drove me mad at first, I even contacted emailed Elektron but then I realised that some of these glitches sounded very cool.

Besides music I still enjoy driving fast cars, arts in general, photography and sports.

You can catch Lucien playing at our November event with Sigha, Antigone and VSK (https://www.residentadvisor.net/events/1010134). 

#techno #onthe5thday

[onthe5thday]

Teaser Interview with The Gods Planet

Ahead of their headline appearance for On the 5th Day on Saturday 17th June, we’re honoured to bring you a teaser of an exclusive interview for On the 5th Day with The Gods Planet (full interview to follow after June 17th’s event).

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5th Day: We thoroughly enjoyed both of your sets at our recent On the 5th Day parties, when you each played earlier time slots and set up the nights perfectly, drawing people in with the deeper, more emotional side of your individual sounds. Your collaboration, The Gods Planet will be closing Corsica’s room 1 in June, which we seriously can’t wait for! Can you tell us a little about what can we expect to hear? Claudio PRC: I am very excited to be back at Corsica for the On the 5th Day party, last time was simply beautiful, so this next time is going to be something special which I feel very much. Expect a mantra made of sounds and rhythms, no matter what kind, in which to dive into and lose completely. Ness: Really happy to return to London with you guys. My last solo performance gave me some unforgettable moments! Playing as TGP we’re very focused on the selection of the music and trying to combine each time in different way, I still believe endless ways, it’s gona be an intense wave of pulsating frequencies.

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5th Day: We saw you play as The Gods Planet at Corsica in May 2016 and we were blown away, not only by the music and set itself (which was incredible) but by the clear synergy between you, where very little communication was needed yet at the same time, it was clear you were absolutely connected in that moment. How does this work? Is it entirely down to pre-planning? What are each of your roles and how do things work whilst you're actually playing? Claudio PRC: Andrea and me are best friends since long time now, that synergy was born at that time that we met and we took care of it during the years, both in life and in music, so for us it is a natural thing to go in the booth, start to play and follow each other. Of course before playing a gig we check what kind of sounds we want to use, but at the end we let us be lead by the feelings we are getting from that moment. Ness: The only thing we prepare is the starting point (literally the first 2 tracks) then the choice become unpredictable in the stage, we know which tracks works together but we also like to take some risks. Using two mixers while we play allows each other to have more space to build the rhythm structure combined with atmospheres / loops / voices or FX during the set. We’ve redefined this setup during the years and we really feel this is the one we feel more comfortable with at the moment.

........................................................... 5th Day: We all know that home is where the heart is and so it must be quite special when you play on home turf, in Sardinia or in any other Italian region - we can imagine the love and support you must receive. We’re fairly sure there will be a strong Italian presence at Corsica in June too… What does it mean to you to have support from fellow Italians when you’re performing away from home? Claudio PRC: I always feel playing home like a big challenge because I am playing for my friends, my loved ones, and they support us a lot, so it is a very emotionally hard to manage. When I am away it is always a nice pleasure to see Italian people coming to listen, dance and support what we are doing, it let me feel comfortable and sure that everything will be fine, especially when I travel very far. Also at Corsica Studios I have to say that every time I’ve been there I felt so good to meet lot of familiar faces, many from Sardinia also :) Ness: Personally when I think of Sardinia I have always mixed feelings in me, the love for and from my friends is considerably the most valuable point, sometimes I can feel more pressure, but it’s still fun to be surrounded by many familiar faces with all the pre and after party moments. Having by our side some stable followers when we play in Europe is something that really make us feel happy and grateful about.