Mashing up trance and techno might not sound like everyone's cup of tea, but Hopi is going full steam ahead. This Romanian DJ and producer hopped around the world before settling into the UK. Correspondent Tara caught up with the dance music veteran to talk about India, synth music and socks.
An online providing from psy trance's most hard-core minimal animal, some might say this is the future of dance music. A boundary pushing artist of the highest calibre, Nano Record's Hopi holds firm foundations in the psychdelic scene and is eager to move his sound into the 21st century with a fresh fusion of techno and trance in a style that evades even the most die hard pigeon-holer. With his debut release The Animal EP now on the digital shelves, we caught up with this minimal animal on the eve of his appearance at Electric Circus this Friday night......
When did you first start getting into music and who were your earliest influences?
My earliest influences would have to be punk, and early electronic music, ’80s synth stuff. I did play some instruments as a child — trumpet and bass guitar, between the age of five and 12. There was a big gap until I started making electronic music about five years ago, considering I got into it early 90s. Laziness, lack of money or being slow, definitely some of those. So eventually I started DJing in India late 90s and slowly found my way into studios when I stopped traveling.
Why India? What inspired you to really get into your music there?
It was where I spent most of my time at that stage. I practically lived there for at least five years over a period off ten. As much as I loved different types of music most off my life, in India I had an overflow of trance, mostly the same tracks, over and over again, therefore I started moaning and complaining about what I was hearing, so I started DJing to see if I’m just as boring!
You’re originally from Romania and came to the UK via Germany. What made you to leave your native country and how did you come to settle in London?
I left Romania as a teenager to emigrate to Germany for material reasons and then went travelling to India and other places as soon as I had a passport. After a couple of years I gradually started using London as my base. From what I’ve experienced at that point it was (an still is) my favorite city, so I feel settled here for now.
Who or what are your greatest influences and sources of inspiration?
They’re not just musical! They range across my life experience really. I’m trying to express things in music that I see and feel. It’s not any particular artist, as there’s too many artists that I admire to actually name one, they all vary and inspire me for a period of time. There’s little bits of inspiration that you can take from here and there.
How did you get into music production? Are you self-taught or did you study?
I’m pretty much self-taught. I learned a lot from the people I collaborated with, they saved me years of studying. I tend to grab quite a bit of knowledge from various internet sites and forums too.
Having played for many years all over the world you’ve no doubt seen and heard it all. What have been the highlights of your musical career so far?
Haha... I’ve definitely not seen or heard it all. I loved Sonica, Boom and Vuuv as well as Universo Paralello. There’s been plenty of smaller parties I can’t remember the names of that I’ve had a great time at too, but it’s hard to beat a good big festival.
What software do you prefer to use and what’s you favourite piece of kit at the moment?
Logic is the one I know best. You don’t really need anything else apart from some quality 3rd party plugins. Ableton live is really nice as a rewire into Logic. Hmm... my favorite piece off kit at the moment would be the BMC-2 TC Electronic Converter, it sounds really good, as well as the Focal CMS65s speakers. Can’t wait to get the sub for them!
There’s loads of plug-ins around at the moment: are there any you recommend or would you prefer to keep them to yourself?
Haha... no big secret. Unfortunately there isn’t one that writes the music for you, or makes it sound amazingly better then anyone else’s by just inserting it. Saying that, I really like Subboombass, Waldorf largo, Soundtoys, Uhbik, Dynamic Spectrum Mapper, Aetherverb, Uad Fatso, SSL X-Comp and many more. Those would pretty much be the cream of the crop though.
You spend a lot of time in the studio; what do you do on those days you just can’t get inspired?
Hmm... unfortunately I didn’t spend enough time in the studio recently, I’ve been moving house a few too many times and didn’t have the right environment or noise restrictions to do it as much as I like, and true, I haven’t been very inspired recently either. I’m trying to get some techno tracks to a level where I actually like ’em and write some more tech influenced trance tunes.
You’ve just released an awesome EP on Nano, Hopi & Friends, ‘The Animal EP’, which included collaborations with Celli (Earthling), Dickster and Darshan. How did the EP come about? Please tell us a bit about each track.
The tracks from the EP where originally intended for an inactivity on Dragonfly’s behalf. As a result I signed with Nano and agreed to do everything as EPs from now on, as not many people buy CDs now.
The one with Celli (‘Offline Providings’) was in my old studio in Brixton, which was in a basement of a pub so a lot of cider influenced it!
‘Mission’, the one with Dickster, we had so many problems with, it just refused to open on Dickster’s computer for so long. We eventually finished it on my laptop… so it truly was a mission!
‘Minimal Animal’ is quite an old track. It’s about three years old now. We did it in about a day and a half, then we actually lost the project so it’s quite raw as it is.
You recently blew us away with an awesome set at Waveform. Was it all your own productions, or did you play other tracks? What other producers are doing it for you right now?
Oh thank you, glad you liked it. A few of them were my collaborations, most of them were other people’s. There are very few producers at least trying to do something different that still works on the dancefloor.
Your sound at Waveform was quite unique: how would you describe it at the moment?
Tech trance if I have to put it into a box.
What's been the most enjoyable festival for you this summer? What do you reckon makes a good festival?
Unfortunately I didn’t do to many this year, so it’s gonna have to be Glade, I had an awsome time there. A good festival... well there’s many factors but I would start whith some decent varied music as we all have slightly different tastes and too much of the same generally gets boring.
What’s your essential piece of festival equipment?
What I need most is money and my music (if I’m playing). And two pairs of socks! The rest won’t get used much anyway!
You're playing in the Naked room at Electric Circus @ Scala next week alongside Syber Symon, Julieta Blue, Ben Zaven Crane and Eva. What can we expect from you there? Your birthday suit?!
Haha, no I don’t have a birthday suit, so I’ll be as casual as usual.
Finally, what plans do you have for the rest of 2009? And beyond?
I’m mostly looking forward to getting settled in one place and have the peace of mind to make music. I’m moving next month so it won’t be that long...
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Check www.myspace.com/hopi74 for more info about Hopi and details of his forthcoming gigs and productions.
All images courtesy of Hopi. Not to be reproduced without permission.
The Skandalous! crew will be letting their hair down and spraying it all pink and blue for a full on night of beautiful chaos!
With Fluorotrash, Naked, Slackers Convention of Brighton, Harringey Arts and as many randoms as we can bring along – Electric Circus, a belter taking place on the 9th October at Scala in London…
The usual Skandalous! shenanigans of beats breaks bass badgers circus and mayhem will be accompanied by seriously top notch bands, foot stompingly good DJs, and maybe a banana pole
dancing…
ELECTRIC CIRCUSSSS
Our aim is to tickle all of your senses and all of your emotions with a miniature indoor festival of LURVE! :0) This will be a Transylvanian Ball packed full of sexy, cutting edge performances from Dancers and Circus Folk from around the world, with music from some of the best bands and DJs the UK has to offer.
Our manifesto is to enduce maximum fun and laughing while raising money for precious medicines needed by the people of Gaza.
After our last event - a small affair @ Inspiral Lounge, Camden - we travelled with a Hope Convoy and took the money raised to Egypt where we bought the medicines and delivered them personally to a clinic outside Gaza City. This clinic was desperately in need as they are unable to receive important supplies any other way.
This time: we’re taking the circus with us!!
See www.circus2iraq.org for more info....
This event is brought to you by women who really like their freedom, and who reckon women like everyone else in Gaza should enjoy the same freedom.
We do not give our money to a third party to do with as they will....we deliver directly to the people...it's the only way.
The next Convoy leaves at the end of November…and we intend to be going along with the money you help us raise at Electric Circus....
So YOU and your bestest, maddest costume can make a difference!!! ;0) xxx
Dress: Freakishly Sexy, Free Thinking and Fabulous!
See YOU @ Scala, Kings Cross London on the 9th October 2009.
You know it's the right thing to do!!
Basically, get invovled.
*****
The Line-up
Main room Moosica:
From Skandalous!, Fluorotrash and lots of our mates
• The Mighty ZION TRAIN
• SUBSOURCE (Exclusively Launching their new album Tales from
the Doombox!)
www.subsource.co.uk
• DICK TREVOR
• BOBBY LOST VS BUGS RAPLIN
• FAR TOO LOUD
• ATOMIC DROP
• DJ MISS PINK
• MISSODDKIDD
www.myspace.com/missoddkidd
• RYAN STYLES
www.ryanstyles.com/
• EQUADOR 'Boylesque' Show!
• FLUORATRASH Psychadelic Acrobatic Cabaret
www.myspace.com/fluorotrash
• PSYCHOLOGICAL ARTS CIRCUS
• ERIAL C
• CANCAN KNESS UP
• RAINBOW COLLECTORS
*****
Naked 'The Damn Sexy Party' room
• SYBER SYMON
http://www.myspace.com/sybersymon
• BEN ZAVEN CRANE d.j set (Mojo FIlter) with Vj PRECIOUS RGB
http://www.myspace.com/benzavencrane
• JULIETA BLUE (Naked)
http://www.myspace.com/julietablue
• EVA - Hopi (Nano Records)
http://www.myspace.com/hopi
SEXY OUTFITS ENCOURAGED
Visuals by Dottintheshark
http://www.myspace.com/dottintheshark
Photo Booth by Genie Korrigan
http://www.artistsites.org/plumkinpiestudio
Live Visuals by VJ Mouseonthetelly
Face and Body Painting
Make up and Hair Styling
Set Design by Maia Desdunes
maiades@hotmail.com
Photography by Ben Jones
http://www.benpjones.com
and more to be announced!
*****
Peppermint Hippo Lounge
•With SLACKERS CONVENTION
An Intergalactic Red Light District, watch out for our in-house
mutant walkabouts and shadow dancers…
* Speakers Corner Quartet
* LIQUID ROSS
* QDOS VS AARON AUDIO
* LOCKS OF FUN hair salon
* Roadkill Cabaret
• Badger Racing
• Dance with your Shadow
Slackers Convention brings their very own brand of 'Breaks, Beats and Party Nonsence for the Discerning Underachiever' for an evening out at the Circus . .
• NIK SEQUENCIE
• ERIK THE VIKING
• SICK BOI
• MICKEY
• MARK BEDOUIN
Plus
• INTERACTIVE THEATRE
• PEEP SHOW
• RANDOM ACTS OF BEAUTY
Flyer:
Region:
London
Music:
Psy Trance. Minimal Techno. Techno. Breaks. Liquid Drum and Bass. Jump Up Drum and Bass. Jungle. Dancehall / Bashment. Reggae. Dubstep. Chillout / Leftfield.
DJ's:
DICK TREVOR
BOBBY LOST VS BUGS RAPLIN
FAR TOO LOUD
ATOMIC DROP
DJ MISS PINK
PSYMETRIX
MISSODDKIDD
RYAN STYLES
SYBER SYMON
BEN ZAVEN CRANE d.j set (Mojo FIlter) with Vj PRECIOUS RGB
JULIETA BLUE (Naked)
EVA - Hopi
LIQUID ROSS
RICHIE BALBOA
LuQas
PAV
DIRTBOMB
SIDIUS
NIK SEQUENCIE
ERIK THE VIKING
SICK BOI
MICKEY
MARK BEDOUIN
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