The Aras label duo see the mighty ‘Beetle’ released as the world goes crazy
Interview : Dan Prince
Andrè, Dana welcome back to DMCWORLD! Dana it seems like only yesterday we were talking about Sex In The City! Where in the world are you both right now?
Andrè: “Hey, nice being here.”
Dana: “I’m in Berlin…just back from Milan. And yeah, Sex and the City…good idea Dan, I’ll start watching it again to relax a bit!”
It’s a big week for you two as one of the tunes of the summer gets released and ‘Beetle’ gets to fly! Seriously, did you know you had created such a monster on completion?
André: “Haha…’monster’! Well…It’s a cool track that gives off a good idea of our sounds. We were very happy that we could show a typical hand through ‘Beetle’.”
Dana: “The funny thing is that we didn’t even plan the track; it just sort of came out of a jam session. I remember it very well…I was in the studio jamming around, André came over and we just had fun and it just came to us in a way. I guess that’s the best way to go around making music.”
Who excels in the studio, who is better at what?
Dana: “For me, if you work in a team it doesn’t really matter who excels. What matters is what comes out…and nothing more!”
André: “Each week, when I return from traveling, I always bring so much inspiration and ideas back with me. I tend to give the basslines, the drums or other sounds by playing live on the synth and I’m in charge of the direction of the arrangements. And Dana is really excellent in that regard because she makes my ideas come true. We’ve got a similar understanding in the studio and I don’t have to explain what’s on my mind. Dana realises by nature exactly where it is we need to go.”
Your label, ARAS, was created in 2011. What was the original idea behind the label and how has that idea expanded as the months have rolled on?
André: “The idea for ARAS came about when we decided to produce an independent sound. If you do a record for an external label, your style needs to meet many different requirements and expectations. With ARAS, I free myself in a artistic way and work in more experimental tones.”
Dana: “ARAS was created to give us and our productions a sense of space and freedom. We also wanted to put out music out that we would like to play!”
The label re-located to London earlier this summer, one of the reasons being that you recognized the city is a great melting pot of cultures and could only improve the label. Has the city done it’s job so far?
André: “For me, London is a really colourful music city and a great place to be for the label.”
Dana: “Absolutely, I mean I don’t live there but I work there a lot and have some friends living in London. When I’m there, I like to go out, to walk around and to discover new sides and corners of the city. It’s a different vibe than in Berlin. Living in Berlin is great, I’ve lived there for a long time so for me it’s important to find out what else is going on in other cities so I can take that vibe and put it into my productions. It’s like cooking in a way!”
What do you both love and hate about London life?
André: “Well, the weather is beautiful but the traffic in the city is more than you can take after a weekend full of traveling. I love to spend time at Phonica as they’ve got so many good records. I used to go out at Shoreditch a bit too, but really, I just love spending time with old friends over here.”
Dana: “I love London. It’s a very inspiring place for me! I also don’t like the word hate… but what I don’t like is that it is expensive to live there.”
You are both very busy DJing all over the world and working on side projects – how much time do you actually spend together or is all down to internet communication?
André: “Well, this is true, it’s not always easy but we do our best to spend time face to face at the studio. Facts you can discuss by Skype, mobile or email. But finding ideas, creating a sound, that comes up when you having a cigarette break in front of the studio.”
Tell us about the forthcoming releases…
André: “Our next release, ARAS04, is a Various Artists record with Maher Daniel & Matthew Dekay / Marc Miroir. ARAS05 will feature a few remixes of Aras 01, ‘Trambolia’, the track I did alongside Guido Schneider. Daniel Stefanik will do one remix, and Dana and I will do another. I’ve also done a remix on Matt John’s ‘Hello Again’ on Bar 25, which will be coming up at the end of October.”
Dana: “Personally speaking, I will be releasing more music soon but I don’t want to speak about it quite yet! Hahaha! One thing I can say is that I’ll release again on my own Brouqade imprint this year…”
Are there any other new artists you are working with at the moment?
André: “We do have projects in pipeline, but we can’t reveal too much as it’s all under construction at the moment, sorry! But we have been in touch with some Romanian artists and we’ll be working with Matt John on a new project too…”
If you were to describe the sound of ARAS, what would you say…?
André: “Hmm…colourful, tribal, autonomous, original. Multifaceted.”
Dana: “A club sound… without any rules.”
Tell us about your trip to Argentina last month, what were some of the highlights?
André: “The “Autobahn”! No, Argentina was great, we played at a big rave there. But you know, I forgot about the different seasons. They’re in winter now and I arrived in shorts and a t-shirt!”
Dana: “The highlight was definitely BATEC, the party we played for. It was massive and the production was amazing. The light show, the sound…it reminded me of Timewarp. Also, we did a live radio show there too which I really enjoyed and the people there were so lovely to us. Rosario was more a club gig…more intimate but for me I really like the small gigs so that was cool too.”
Dana – whenever we see you DJing you are always dancing. What are your thoughts on the superstar DJs (we could name many!!) who never dance whilst DJing?
Dana: “I never think about that…I just do what I feel like and what comes instinctively to me. Sometimes I dance, sometimes I don’t…to DJ can also be very meditative! Everybody has their own way of doing it…”
What are both your current top 10’s you are spinning…
André:
1. V/A – Cocoon 100 (Cocoon)
2. La Fleur – Nightflow (Kenny Larkin Mix) (Watergate)
3. V/A – Tauben/Under Control (Aras)
4. Daniel Stefanik – In Day Of Old (Kann Records)
5. Butch – FTS (Desolat)
6. Lewis Fautzi & Nuklear Default – Point (Soma)
7. Steve O’Sullivan – Bluetrain Retrospective (Sushitech)
8. Copacabannark – Cave (Minibar)
9. Isolee – Dennis (Tamed Musiq)
10. Tobias – Classics (Naif)
Dana:
1. Fred P. – Moving System (Studio r°)
2. Radio slave – Repeat myself (SPN –>RMX) (Work Them)
3. Dana Ruh – If You Have No Name
4. Daniel Stefanik – Confidence (Mr. G Remix) (Cocoon)
5. Markus Fix – Back On Earth (Deep Vibes)
6. Liviu Groza – Feel (Double R)
7. Birdsmakingmachine – Multiverse (Birdsmakingmachine)
8. DJ Qu – Across the Floor (Underground Quality)
9. La Pena – Jam FM (La Pena)
10. Evan Baggs – Arises Passes Away (Kurbits)
Who are some of the producers from around the world you are giving high fives to at the moment?
André: “Daniel Stafanik, Matt John, Isolee, Koze, Carl Craig…”
Dana: “DJ QU, Fred P, Markus Fix, Dragosh…”
Anthem of the summer?
André: “For me, ‘Allowance’ by Isolee; absolutely essential summer time track.”
Where have been some of the stand out parties over the past few months?
André: “Oh wow, there where many. Well, my birthday bash in July at Katerholzig sticks out. I did one of my characteristic 12 hour-sets!”
And finally – Aras has 2 definitions. One means an experimental style and sound, the other means a brilliantly coloured parrot. Which one had you in mind when choosing the name?!?!
Dana: “André…your turn. I had nothing to do with the name!”
André: “We feel like birds in paradise, colourful and loud in the jungle that is Berlin. So the name came easily – and still fits perfectly.”
https://www.facebook.com/AndreGalluzzi.official?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/danaruh
http://www.residentadvisor.net/record-label.aspx?id=6903
https://soundcloud.com/aras-records
‘Catch Andre Galluzzi & Dana Ruh at Buddha Lounge Amsterdam for the Aras & Discotronic label night on Friday, 18th October. Tickets are available here: https://shop.ticketscript.com/channel/web2/start-order/rid/RVMCDPBL/language/en Further information can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/events/166048993584541/ ‘
‘Andre Galluzzi & Dana Ruh’s ‘Beetle’ is out now on vinyl and digital as part of Cocoon 100, the 100th release on Sven Vath’s label’
