RecThera Podcast 043 - florian

This is a regular podcast of mostly guest DJ mixes and live sets from producers, live acts and DJ's who are rising or established talent.
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Subscribe via iTunes | Interview & Tracklist 
Guests are encouraged to explore a bit further into their collections with an opportunity to step away from the dance floor if they desire.

For the forty third episode we invite florian a veteran of the Sydney underground who has been active since the mid 90's, playing at legendary parties such as Freaky Loops 1, 2 & 3, the Sydney leg of Apollo 98 and Phunky Acid Bubblebath. florian was also active initiating and presenting the 2ser community radio shows Dark Energy and Biorhythms.

Both of these radio shows and the associated events were a big inspiration for me musically in my younger days so it is a treat to have florian record this mix for the show.

In this episode florian traverses driving synthetic percussion and warped electro bass lines to conjure up a sonic tapestry titled The Fear of Freedom which clocks in at just over 60 minutes incorporating high energy, lush pads, deeper moments and even a sprinkling of Kraftwerk reinterpreted for the modern dancefloor. Kick back, put the phone on silent and enjoy the ride. 
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​Tracklist
1. Sigma 3 - Linkwood [Firecracker]
2.  We come to rock non stop (florian's remix) - Kraftwerk vs Paranoid London [Self Released]
3. Gravitational Lens (chwolson xallarap remix) Arpanet [Self Released]
4. Wayne County Hill Cops (original mix) - Omar S / OB Ignitt [FXHE]
5. Interlude (whodunnit!) - Objekt [PAN]
6. Love Loop to Fade (florian's extended mix) - Anthony Naples [Self Released]
7. Noche - Sansibar [Darknet]
8. T16.5 MADMA with nastya [London 03.06.17] - Aphex Twin [Warp]
9. S-mode - Linkwood [Athens Of The North]
10. Modularity - Cignol [Distant Worlds]
11. Questions - Scape One [Electro Records]
12. Computor Wars - Computor Rockers [Breakin]
13. Miami Nice - ERP [Apnea]
14. i.m.o.E.H. (Gosub turbidity mix) - The Exaltics [Solar One]
15. Beacon Monitor System - ERP [Forgotten Future]
16. Porcupine - Objekt [Hessle] 
17.  Illuminated Displays - Arpanet [Record Makers]
18. Ambergris 9 - Roy of the Ravers [Acid Waxa]

spoken word by: Erich Fromm on Humanist Psychoanalysis 1965

Drox · RecThera Podcast 043 - florian

First I wanted to say, thanks for putting together a mix for the RecThera mix series. When you sent me the mix I noticed the title 'The Fear of Freedom'.

Can you tell me a bit more about the concept behind the mix?
Thanks for having me on!
I got that from the title of a 1942 book by Erich Fromm I read recently. I mixed in a bit of his spoken word with the music. He speculates about why people have turned to authoritarian leaders in times of uncertainty and rapid change. Being involved in socialist politics, I'm interested in why people are reluctant to speak out against genocide or racism, to express their humanity. In the dance music scene, many have glossed over the political ideas of Mad Mike and Underground Resistance, 'revolution for change', 'escape the chains on your music' and all that.
This is my response to the programmers who seek to keep us all passive and silent.

I noticed you included some remixes also, are these your special DJ edits?  
Yeah, there are often older tracks I want to play out, but that just need a bit of extra punch to make them work in a DJ set, so I just edit and rearrange them a bit. I hope it adds a bit of surprise too. I take some inspiration from Frankie Bones who's been doing it since forever.

On the equipment side, I've started performing my mixes in a hybrid DJ / live type way using an Ableton Push and midi controller without a laptop. I want to have a DJ performance feel to it but with the ability to rearrange sections on the fly.

What has been influential for you musically and what do you listen for?
Some of my influences are ambient, jazz fusion, Detroit techno, New York house, electro and braindance. Artists like Ceephax Acid Crew, Drexciya, Bobby Konders, Juan Atkins, Kraftwerk, Miles Davis, Pat Metheny, Brian Eno, Harold Budd, Laraaji, Vangelis, Steve Roach. I'm looking for musicality, melody, mood, boldness, humanity and humour.

What are you listening to right now? 
All the tunes in this mix! I had a bunch of newer electro tunes I was listening to a lot and a few older ones I'd been trying to find a place for, and it all clicked with the headspace I was in after reading Fromm.

Lately I'm also listening to deep house stuff like Omar S, Royal Crown of Sweden, OB Ignitt, Shinichiro Yokota, Linkwood, Michael J Blood, E.B.E. and more. I'm gonna do a mix of those next.

Who or what is inspiring you musically and otherwise?
I'm drawn to space - the silence between sounds. So much dance music is too cluttered. One of my favourite tracks, Let Me Be Me by The Other People Place (aka James Stinson of Drexciya, RIP) has only a few layers but they combine perfectly to build a unified mood. And the lyric - 'let me be what I want to be' - it's like his whole life's work and statement in one. To me he was all about shaking off oppression and social filters and instead sharing a utopian vision.

Where can we see or hear your next project?
I'm putting out mixes on Soundcloud regularly and some offers to play out are trickling in, so stay tuned. 

Any final words? 
Rebel music - fighting for a better world!

Links
You can hear more of florian's DJ mixes and edits on soundcloud.
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