Monokreck describes his style as "open minded house, from glitchy microhouse to deep techno, and all in between". Melting many styles of electronic music together to create a warm atmosphere on the dancefloor.
Op vrijdag 26 december zal VOLTT dit jaar nog eenmaal goed uitpakken voor een knallende afsluiting van 2008. Op 2e kerstdag zal de Paradiso namelijk in het teken staan van VOLTT met een hoop vooruitstrevend talent en gerenommeerde artiesten.
In navolging van het overdonderende geweld op het tot nok toe gevulde CLiCK feest tijdens het Amsterdam Dance Event krap twee maanden geleden, maakt de organisatie zich op voor een nog meeslepender en vooral intiemer spektakel.
De jaarwisseling neemt altijd een beetje spanning met zich mee, meestal met de grote groep dierbaren die je hebt is het altijd een beetje onderling onderhandelen. Wel uit, niet uit, wel thuis, niet thuis, wel afteren, niet afteren, wel werken, niet werken...
Originally hailing from the East Coast, Mieka Du Franx began to explore underground dance music in the early 90s in New York City, where she found herself plugged into Manhattan’s hottest clubs, at the age of just 15. Since Mieka has been invited to the Netherlands as a very special guest for the Schmoov Special Edition in Nijmegen this summer we thought it would be a great opportunity to learn more about her. She also made a special podcast for Beatfreax which you can download here.
You’re not only a producer and a DJ but as well highly educated in the music business. You have majored in the music industry with the focus on music theory, recording, production and music business. Where has this education brought you today?
My education has been a tremendous foundation for me in both the business side of things as well as the technical side. Just being able to communicate all the various tech aspects of recording and production allows me to extensively describe my ideas about a project whether it’s an engineering concept, a musical component, or a networking idea. There are a lot details to cover with each project that can be easily missed if you don’t have a grasp on the full picture, which is some of what my schooling helped to bring to my attention.
You have lived in 11 big cities from the east to the west coast. Which city influenced you the most in your music?
Well, that depends on which style of music I play. Each city has strength in certain departments of sound, which also changed with the times. From my personal experience, New York and Los Angeles were my main squeezes for all ranges of house and techno music. Once I moved to Vancouver, I found myself magnetized to nu house & techno sounds (nu: present / future). My first 7 months in the couv were dark and rainy; the only thing that saved me from myself was techno.
You also have your own record label felinephonix (www.felinephonix.com) that benefits from online distributions. What can we expect from this label?
I have been building my label since 2004. The first release was pressed in 2005. Since then, I moved the label online for many reasons. These days residing in North America is not exactly strengthening as far as pressing records goes. I wish it were because I would still be doing it, but the politics here are crap and I don’t involve myself, I prefer to do it myself. This way I can nurture each project from start to finish with no drama, package it up according to the way it makes me feel, and promote the hell out of it. The artists that I have worked with up to date have been extremely supportive and I’m thankful they have the same energy to see things through.
I’ve been a bit stifled at some of the online distributors. I guess finding myself having to put a choke on my horses, has been a bit of an energy pause. I also realize not everyone works like east coast people do. We like to get things done and we like it done the same day. So, in other words, my label is going through its natural process of waiting for others on the other end. Mass distribution is my goal, as well as killer music.
Do you combine live and mixing in your gigs?
As of now, I am focusing on my DJing. I have a couple of people with whom I have discussed doing live shows with, the next year or so will predict all that.
The crew at Beatfreax listened to your latest mix NU-FLEX and we discovered a new Mieka sound! It has a nice blend of new futuristic house sound mixed with the old skool house bass-lines which we are familiar with. Deep & delicate! What’s up with this mix?
This mix was a bit of a Zen take if you will…I have been fascinated with a lot of sounds coming out of Spain, France, and Germany. I move through sounds, kind of like that way I move through cities, I find a few sounds that are unique in their own way and completely turn me on, then I just keep searching on the same note. Eventually I come up with a collection of new sounds. The funny thing about this is, long before I started producing and was just collecting records, I used to wake up with loops in my head that would not go away. I didn’t know what to do with them, so I would hunt in the record shops and eventually I would come across what I had in my head. I still go through this process. Now I have choices, I can search for it and develop an entire DJ set with it, as well as sit at the computer and juice it until it’s freshly squeezed.
You also mixed a special edition for the Beatfreax podcast. Can you tell us something about your record choice?
My goal for this podcast was to give a dash of different sounds. I usually have some fans that believe I have completely abandoned my old sounds because I have recorded something altogether different. My sets are just an inch of my sounds, I am always changing therefore there is no way my sets are going to be the same style each time. There is some drive, some atmosphere, micro bits, and bump.
This set is dedicated to my girl back on the east coast, Jamie Daze (CT represent).
Which producer/DJ you admire? Are there records you always carry in you bag when you have a gig?
In the last year I have been turned on to more producers then I can keep track of.
I have a strong admiration for Sarah Goldfarb from France. I not only admire him for being a purest, his studio work leans toward a smart blend of Micro House and hypnotic Techno. His mix downs sound amazing and he really captures the energy he goes for in his tracks. Another guy that is on my A list is Alecs Marta. Alecs has a knack for ill beats that cut the floor outside of the 4/4. He’s crafty and slices a fresh take with acid. Jay Tripwire has been leading my admiration since 2000. I have been listening to Jay develop his musicality in the studio for 3 years. He is a perfectionist and a master engineer. He is also the hardest working producer I know.
You’re playing at the next Schmoov Special Edition 15 July. Is this your first gig in the Netherlands?
Yes it’s my first time to the Netherlands as well. I not only get to play, but also visit with my father who lives in Delft, so I’m really excited about my trip.
What are your plans for the future?
My plans for the future are to keep moving through cities and sounds, expand my label, protect my hearing, support who I love, and break some boundaries along the way-oh and master life.
You can listen to our fresh new podcast to learn more about Mieka Du Franx or check her websites.
Don’t want to miss Mieka Du Franx’s first gig here in Holland? Come and schmoov along at the Schmoov Special Edition 15 July in Nijmegen! (www.schmoov.nl)
"These days residing in North America is not exactly strengthening as far as pressing records goes. I wish it were because I would still be doing it, but the politics here are crap and I don’t involve myself, I prefer to do it myself."
- Interview done on 28-06-2007 "These days residing in North America is not exactly strengthening as far as pressing records goes. I wish it were because I would still be doing it, but the politics here are crap and I don’t involve myself, I prefer to do it myself."
