ーCould you tell us about the theme or mood of today's DJ set?
For this set, I picked some of my favorite dance music that I thought would be easy to listen to in everyday life. I also had the atmosphere of ELLA in mind and wanted to put together a set that felt like me.
— Were there any tracks you especially wanted to play or introduce to everyone today?
One of the records I'd especially like to talk about is “Karaoke Brœs,” released around 2004 on the German label Inzest Records. It's a release by the German duo Mitte Karaoke and Märtini Brös. I've really liked it for a long time, and I often play it out.
The second record was released on Local Talk and features a remix of Corrado Bucci’s “No One Can Stop Us” by Italian DJ and producer Martin Patiño. I have the impression that Local Talk releases a lot of House and Deep House, but this one has a particularly spooky atmosphere, which I really like. I especially love Martin Patiño’s remix, and I play it quite often when I’m DJing.
— We heard that you're moving to France. Why did you choose France?
Through dance music, I've always been interested in going to Europe. Last year, my girlfriend lived in Paris for about two or three months for work, and I stayed there with her for about the last month.
Once I actually lived there, I liked it much more than I expected. I remember thinking, “Yeah, I could actually live here.” I'd wanted to go to Europe for a long time, but France was somewhere I happened to visit, and it was the first place where I could really imagine myself living.
I also feel like this might be my last chance to make the move, age-wise, so I decided to give it a try and go to France at this point in my life.
ーWill you continue DJing after you move to France? Are there any new things you'd like to try or goals you'd like to pursue there?
What I do might not change so much. Just more digging and being better at DJing. I'll keep putting in work.
— Were you already interested in the French club scene?
Although I knew some artists and DJs, I wasn't so familiar with the scene before going there. Compared to cities like London or Berlin, the scene might be relatively smaller but they have a strong local scene. So I’m very excited to be there.
ーBesides DJing, what stimulates your creativity?
Of course, I’m often directly inspired by music and other artistic works, but outside of that, I’d say it’s the time I spend with people I love, like my friends and my partner.
The feelings that come up when I’m spending time with people I care about are a great opportunity to become more aware of who I am as a person. I hope I can take those feelings—things that I find beautiful or meaningful—and share them with others through music and parties.
ー What do you think is the appeal of DJing with vinyl?
First of all, I just really enjoy digging for records. There’s such a huge pool of music out there, including records that have never been digitized, and I love searching through it to find records that really speak to me at a particular moment. The fact that records exist in a physical form also makes me feel more attached to them.
When I go to record stores, I enjoy those unexpected encounters with records. And when it comes to used records, I also love the emotional aspect of knowing that a record has passed through the hands of different people before eventually making its way into mine.
Of course, I also enjoy DJing with records. Maybe because we live in such a digitally saturated age, I really appreciate being able to play without having information quantified or made visible to me. There’s something more intuitive and analog about it that I really enjoy.
ーWhat kind of mindset is important to you as a DJ?
I’d say it’s about being true to myself. I’m really drawn to DJs who have a strong sense of individuality and originality, so I try to stay true to what I love and make sure I can play in a way that feels like me, whatever the environment, the place, or the moment.
ーLastly, how was your experience DJing at ELLA RECORDS today?
It was really fun. I usually play in club settings, so it was refreshing to DJ in a different setup from what I'm used to. The atmosphere of the store and its location in a quiet residential neighborhood also created a very different feeling from my usual gigs. I really enjoyed being able to play a lot of records that I personally love.
