L.I.E.S Archives ~ Bolting Bits

MIXED BY/ Fabio Monesi

Florent — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 14:30:03 +0000

Over the last decade Milan-born London-based producer Fabio Monesi has carved a secure place for himself among the upper echelons of classic house music. Monesi is a true house maestro whose hardware-driven productions bring timeless rhythm to the dancefloor through their gritty Chicago vibe. Most of these productions have landed on his own imprint, Wilson Records, with other releases finding their way to labels that share his distinctly raw club-based sound such as L.I.E.S. Russian Torrent Versions, Skylax Records, and Crème Organization. Monesi also operates under his Hissman alias, where he indulges in his even more underground side, having delivered dusty cuts on his other label Hardmoon London, as well as Dog in the Night and Dixon Avenue Basement Jams. Beyond the studio, Monesi’s biography as a DJ is equally as impressive. 2014 saw the launch of his analogue live set, and his busy touring schedule has helped keep him in demand as a hot booking among some of Europe’s finest lineups. If you hail from London, you can catch him at Five Miles on June 22, playing an Axe on Wax party alongside Florian Kupfer and Fede Lng – bring a towel.

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/mixed-by-fabio-monesi” /]
In between all this, Monesi managed to squeeze us in to spin some yarns and some records for our MIXED BY/ series. You can read the full interview below:

INTERVIEW

As usual, let’s kick things off with where it all began. Growing up in Milan in an era where house music was still very underground, we’d love to know about your early experiences in the scene and its influence on you. Were there any parties that were particularly memorable?
Well the house music scene in Italy was very popular in the 90s so all the thing that arrived when I started playing were influenced by the past and by those italian dj who played very hi quality house music. Some of these dj are still very popular as they gave a big contribute to the world scene.

I had so many good memories from those years so I cannot choose a specific party right now. I remember that in Italy, we used to have some kind of shows with dancers dressed in a particular way during the night, something special for each night and this is something we are missing nowadays as all the attention is focussed just on the guest dj.

Your music is known for drawing inspiration from the golden era of house in Chicago, Detroit and New York. What is it about the producers from these scenes that attracts you most? Are there any other genres or scenes that are worth a mention?
Since I am a machines lover I draw inspiration from those producers who used to make music with hardwares. All the process is more fascinating to me, it doesnt matter where they were/are from, what counts to me is the process. I like to know how they arrived to make certain sounds/tracks. Which machines they used to play and how they processed the sounds.

Hip hop is definetely the genre I listen to most.

While we’re on the topic of your distinct sound, it’s no secret that you’re a hardware whiz. What was the first piece of hardware you bought? Do you still use a lot of your original machines?
The first drum machines I bought was a roland R8, I’m still using it sometimes while the first synth was a Korg M1, I still remember how excited I was.

Still speaking production, I have to say that your samples are out of this world. Can you talk a bit about your approach to sampling?
I sample everything, when I listen to something suddently something happen in my mind and I say ohhh man, this is something I could use in some way.

It’s not a simply process, I’m quite messy with samples and sounds but this helps me to be different all the time, in all of my tracks, as I never use the same sound.

Wilson records has featured quite a lot of stuff from unknown artists. Is this an intentional part of the way you curate your label?
If you are refering to the wilson limited series, it’s a series born in order to support physical record shop and I decided to let the music speak. This kind of releases have always fascinated me as they drive my fantasy.

Can you tell us the story of the Hissman alias? Where did the idea come from and how would you describe the difference between a Hissman track and a Fabio one?
As I said, I’ve always been attracted by the past and the process the old producers used to have in their home studios. Those dirty sonorities inspired this project. When Hissman was born I felt I still had a lot to give to the new wave of the new jersey deep house scene so I decided to create another project in order to show my passion for the darker/rawer sonorities.
Nowadays I could say Fabio Monesi is more club oriented while Hissman remain a experimental/raw/ project probabily much darker than Fabio Monesi but I have to say sometimes I don’t know who is Fabio and who is Hissman. I am also thinking about launching new projects but I cannot say much at the moment.

Running two labels, producing your own material, and touring must have your schedule pretty packed. Outside of music, is there anything you do to unwind?
Nowadays I run 3 labels, the third one is not pushed at all trought my socials but it’s going very well and I’m keeping it more underground.

As you said I already have so many things to think about and so I don’t have much time to focuss on something else.

In terms of your own crate digging adventures, what are some of your favourite records you’ve picked up over the years?
The best records are those that are still underrated and relatively unknow. :)

What about out of your own music? Do you have a favourite track or EP? (mine is 623, by the way.)
Oh 623 was dedicated to Kerri Chandler who was my main inspiration source at the time, I have to say I’m not into that mood anymore I think I gave my contribution to that sound and now I’m looking for something else.

Probably my favorite EP is Pipe Dreams on Wilson Records. And Abduction EP on Hardmoon London.

Your career trajectory has been pretty stellar so far, what does the future look like? Can you let us in on any exciting plans?
Well thank you, I am never satisfied so I work hard everyday in order to build something stronger and stronger. My dj gigs are going very well so I wish to continue this direction.

Finally, let’s talk about the mix itself. How and where was it recorded and was there any particular mood or theme you wanted to convey?
I recorded the mix while I was choosing records for my gig at Il muretto.

The good things of podcast is that you don’t need to bang all the time, I like to play something that I will be pleased to listen to in every situation, like at home while cooking for example, so decided to play something I don’t play often in clubs, alongside some unreleased and upcoming tracks.

Lily

Cet article MIXED BY/ Fabio Monesi est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

MIXED BY/ DJ Water Ski

Florent — Thu, 14 Jul 2016 12:06:15 +0000

DJ Water Ski aka Ryan Otis is a Montreal based DJ, McGill finance grad, graphic designer (worse than average), future label head (hopefully), and head honcho over at Mushi-Shi Radio.

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/mixedby-djwaterski” /]

INTERVIEW

Hey Ryan! Thanks for joining us!
Hey man, thanks for having me on :)

You’re Montreal-based, so how long have you been in the city?
I was born here, so 22 years to date.

How would you describe Montreal’s dance music scene? What is it that makes it unique?
I think that scene wise, Montreal has always had something special. It’s the people, the charisma, the energy, the parties. More importantly, it’s how all of these factors fit together so naturally in this city. That being said, Montreal has its issues. Per capita we easily have the most events and promoters in NA. This leads to constant concern about whether or not your event will fill up.

Side Note: An alternative electronic night club needs to open up in St. Henri.

It’s my understanding that you went under “Otis” before picking up the “DJ Water Ski” moniker, correct?
Yeah! I haven’t officially said that Otis is dead. But the project’s pretty much face down in the water at this point.

You were already a prominent DJ in the Montreal scene. Why give this up? What caused the change?
The change came from me getting tiered of dub-house and minimal. I wasn’t feeling inspired anymore, so it was time to switch things up.
In terms of giving up the reputation I had as Otis, I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. I know who I need to know in Montreal, so going under a different moniker isn’t a game changer.

Cool. So tell me a little bit more about your artistic ventures. What type of music are you into these days? Do you consider yourself more of a producer or a DJ?
Well at the moment I’m riding on the lo-fi train. And let me tell you, it’s quite the train to be riding. In terms of whether I consider myself to be more of a producer or DJ, I think that in my case I definitely consider myself a DJ before anything else. I’m an organizer, overseer, representative. When I wake up in the morning I want to discover new music, categorize, and play. My first thought isn’t to open up Ableton. Far from it actually.

Nice. So what are your thoughts on the state of the lo-fi scene? Where do you see things going from here?
I think it’s fair to say that lo-fi isn’t really a genre, rather, it’s an esthetic. You can have lo-fi techno, lo-fi house, lo-fi jungle, etc. However, you can’t just have lo-fi hanging out by itself. With that in mind, I think that the techno side of lo-fi has really been exposed with the rise of L.I.E.S in the last few years. However, I feel like the house side of things has yet to explode.

There’s something to be said about the energy that the community has, the amount of young artists making music here, and the innovation that’s being pushed out. The Soundcloud community is just exploding at the moment, and everyone is sharing and talking and getting excited. It’s really great to experience.

So all in all, I think things are still growing. It feels like everyone who’s in it right now is on the crest of a wave, about to break onto the masses. Or at least that’s what we hope. Shout out to Strictly Lo-Fi.

Mushi-Shi Radio has put on some amazing producers and DJs of late. How did this radio show come about? What is your selection process for the artists involved? What’s been your key to success, and why do you think so many podcast series never get to see the light of day?
Well actually the whole thing started out as a podcast series to go along with a night I was organizing at a club here in Montreal. Back then it went under a different name, and the music, well, it wasn’t really all that great. The turning point for MSSR was when I separated it from the night, and started to look at the series as something I could grow into a long lasting brand.

Selecting artists for MSSR has always been very growth oriented. At least up until this point, where I’m now getting more freedom to pick and choose exactly who I want. Originally, I would always try to select an artist who was bigger than the last. I mean, it wasn’t that simple, and definitely didn’t work out linearly like that, but in general, that was the idea.

It’s really hard to get something up and running from nothing. Everything plays against you. You have no followers, no brand, no previous mixes from artists who are established. Literally zilch. And that’s why so many podcast series die before they really have any chance to live. It’s like the bartender who needs experience to work, but can’t get any experience because all work requires experience.

You have a label coming out soon, can you tell us a bit about that or is it a secret for now?
Haha, not much of a secret anymore. I’m not too certain how soon is soon, but it’s in the works. I’m currently putting together the first three releases in order to have a suitable amount of content to pitch to a distributer. Hopefully I’ll be able to land the project on one of the top 3. The music is definitely at that level, so hopefully things go as planned!

Do you have any other projects that you’re working on at the moment?
Yeah I’m also starting up my own booking agency. Looks like I have one artist under my belt, so I’ll more than likely be focusing on him for the next little while as I get my label off the ground. Then if that goes well, in the future I’ll look to expand my catalogue.

Damn. So things are rolling eh?
It’s on the verge of rolling. I don’t want to get ahead of myself and say that things are happening in all their glory, but it’s definitely a start.

Can we expect any original productions in the coming future?
Possibly. Maybe. Who knows? I want to say yes but I don’t even know. I’m not working on anything at the moment because I’m trying to get these projects off the ground. That being said, I’ve had my issues with producing. It’s always been a means to an end for me; a way for me to tour professionally. I think that that in itself has kept me from truly being able to enjoy the art. However, now that I’m exploring other avenues in the music industry, hopefully that expectation to make something will be lifted, and maybe I’ll be able to go back into the studio and make something for fun. I definitely have the hours and the technical know how to make something good, so now it’s just a matter of environment, mood and timing.

What’s one thing you’d like to improve upon as an artist?
I’m very hypocritical when it comes to music. There’s nothing I dislike more than when another individual in the scene harps on an artist or DJ. Yet I’ll catch myself doing so all the time. I think that sometimes as creators we can get jealous. We have the tendency to write off success as “luck” or brand things as inauthentic once they become very popular. It’s a very self destructive way of thinking. It’s hard to put yourself out on the line, so we all have to respect that no matter what our preferences are.

So to answer the question I want to stop criticizing people for their efforts. I want to enjoy more moments.

Any favorite producers or labels at the moment that especially deserve the readers’ attention?
Of course. For artists you need to check out Baltra, DJ Seinfeld, SZCH, Mucho Sueno, DJ Pegasuz, 45 ACP, and Antonio. For labels, well my absolute favorite right now is Shall Not Fade. Their white label is especially good. Also, Cazeria Cazedor has some stupid records on their label that I feel are a little underrated by the community. Finally, I think that Collect-Call (Montreal based label) needs to be on here as well. They put out their stuff slow, but boy, all of their releases resonate deeply with me.

Your mix for Boccara was top-quality and I can only imagine that your Bolting Bits contribution will be on the same level. Any comments on the selection?
Yay! Thanks! This mix is a little bit more housey than the last one. I start you off with an emotional lo-fi stinger, then move into some dancier tracks, continue onwards to some lo-fi vocal tracks, then close off the show with a classic and a remix of a Legowelt jam. I also may or may not have snuck in a track forthcoming on the label!

Well, that all about does it! Thanks for taking the time to join us Ryan!
Cheers, and thanks for having me!

Oliver

Cet article MIXED BY/ DJ Water Ski est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.