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Interview with Dan-Identikal........
Introduce yourself Sir...
Dan-Identikal, Dj/Producer/ HQ Manger and label manager to Presence-Recordings
Recreation Resident.
When did you start mixing and how did you get into music?
I Started mixed from when I was about 16, I was a strong gatecrasher addict, and a lover of trance and Hard Trance. My passion for mixing come from watching my friends mix at party’s and going to weekly hard dance events on the south coast, such as Restless@ honey club and numerous frantic/Tidy events as well as Peach@
Camden, Then 2yrs back formed Identikal with Lee Walls and together we started our own brand ENERGIZE which run once a month in Brighton, from then on it sort of snowballed really and got a lot more serious, with hosting backrooms and playing at such events like Frantic 9, Wildchild, Raindance, Harder, Puzzle Project, Peach after party so after them events decided to crack on seriously with the DJing and Production and here I am now!!!
What’s your background and how would you describe you're style?
I would say I’m pretty creative in what do, but not technical like some of the main players, I would say it would be a blend of the DJs mentioned below; they have all influenced me in some way about the way I mix. But my style has the more Sean Tyas approach for trance, I like it to be euphoric and driving and am starting to really get into my techy stuff so I think in march (Recreation) I will blend the two…
What or who would you describe as you're influences?
I’ve always looked up to such DJs like Judge Jules, Red Jerry, Sean Tyas, Phil Reynolds anyone really with good crowd control and passion in what they play. And of course the people I’ve worked with and currently working with, such as ,Carl Nicholson, Lee walls, Dean Keeble aka Drummer, Salerno and friends and following…..
So, what are you doing at the moment? Anything going on in your world at the moment?
I’m a recent proud dad, of my son Jules who’s 8 months so that has been very special to me, as well as being asked by “Carl Nicholson” to run he’s label Presence-Recordings and the launch of my own label on presence, Presence trance which is launching early march which features track from the likes or Lee Haslam, Wandii, Acute and many more. And also back in the studio soon with James Condon to do some follow up remix work with Vandall these coming months so look out for them soon…
You've been working for presence this year, how has that been and how did it come about?
This all happened through hooking up with Carl. I asked him if I could remix system shock, which him and Alf Bamford agreed too, done the track got chatting on the music subject, and he mentioned he was looking for someone to run he’s label and I think he noticed my enthusiasm for the scene and my passion for the music I do, That’s why he asked if I would be interested in becoming manager. Since then we’ve gone from strength to strength with signings, profiles, magazine reviews, and happy to say that also the dj’ing has taken off as well as hosting our own presence radio show on www.unite-radio.com
You've remixed Carl Nicholson's "System shock" for Tidy Trax. Can you tell us a bit about this? Is it a personal favourite?
This came about really for the tidy trashed album that’s just gone and didn’t make lol! We ended making our submission a couple of days late, but the lads I done it with Mda and spherical and Simon Qudos, were really good, Matt and Mark are really good to work with and are certainly fantastic producers, Simon qudos is also pretty new to the scene again gonna be a good name in the future, But System shock has always been a personal favourite tidy track of mine and was a privilege really to have the chance to do a remix like that, With fresh new idea’s both with electro and hard trance thrown in the mix, and also having it signed to tidy it self and featuring on the tidy weekender live cd mixed by Technikal and Kym Ayres was great stuff!!!
What would you describe as you're finest moment in DJing so far?
My finest moment lol!?...Every time I get to play out is a privilege but if there’s an event I’ve played that stands out, it would be the after party @ Frantic 9, pure class from start to finish. It was having the opportunity to play after Andy Whitby B2b Kevin Energy, the crowd was proper pumped from the set before, it was like playing to an explosion and I’m glad to say we played our hearts out that morning and got a fantastic reception for our debut set at frantic, for me that will always be a good moment as a dj.
How do you see the scene at the moment, Hard House has been on the down recently, do you think it is coming back again?
The harder edge stuff I found has unfortunately taken a downhill slide the last year or so, but that’s what us at presence are trying draw out is, “The new talent”, new sounds, and a fresh scene, I would say give it a little while and the impact from these new up n coming producers will put certainly make an impression on the scene, and we are very proud to have this kind of level music onboard our label, But the tech stuff and the trance are really churning out some brilliant tracks, and in my mind that’s the scene that doing it for me at the moment,
So, you've got yourself a residency at "Recreation", a night which pioneers musical progression and caters for Hard dance and electro house, what’s you're opinions on new events coming up, are you keen on events which mix more than one genre of dance music?
Yeah defo, it’s good to have variation in nights and I would prefer to go to an event with an electro house room/ funky house, it’s a nice break from the harder stuff, and certainly a good night is a night that progress’s. It creates more of an atmosphere and makes the night more interesting, Can’t wait for Recreation I know that this night will have a real good following and a strong impact on the scene… :O)
Check out Dan you can see him playing Recreation 15th March @ The Factory!
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http://www.myspace.com/bugbitten
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