The Swiss producer firing on all cylinders for Cadenza and smashing Ants in Ibiza…
You have a great story to the start of your DJ career, 13 years old watching older boys spin trance and techno at your local youth club until you plucked up the courage and asked them to show you how to DJ. Have you kept in contact with any of your friends in that little Swiss village, do any of them know what you have gone onto?
“Of course! All of them are still my best friends and I also still live in that little Swiss village!”
You, like many others learnt how to DJ in your bedroom after saving up for equipment. You could only afford rejects from the local record store, in your own words, “awful music”. It must have felt like Christmas for you when you got a job aged 16 in a local record distributors?
“It was like Christmas every day! It wasn¹t really like a job because I looked forward to going to work every day and listened to all the new music which they sold to the stores and I got to keep all the promos I wanted for myself.”
What were the early tracks/producers that influenced you?
‘I was so young…I used to listen to tapes of Swiss DJs and there was also a radio show on the Swiss radio Couleur 3 which used to stream live from raves at that time. In the beginning I was just blown away by that kind of music, Trance, Acid House etc…I remember liking Jam & Spoon and Cosmic Babe a lot, and labels such as Frankfurt Beat or Ummm Records. The older I got the more I moved into one specific genre.”
What did your family think of your career choice?
“I started to play a lot in Switzerland because of my job with the record distributors, at the age of 16 I already had a couple of important residencies in Swiss clubs and once I finished school and my parents saw that I could earn the same money DJ-ing as I could in a normal job, they were quite relaxed about it. They were happy if I was! Also, my older friends were taking care of me so everything was fine!”
Was the early idea to become a DJ and then a producer or did the producing just kinda happen?
“Everything just happened naturally. I was really into the music and my older friends Alex and Michel then started to show me how to mix. I was allowed to use their equipment whenever I wanted and those guys were my biggest supporters. This remains the same today! These days I see myself more as a DJ but that doesn¹t mean i don¹t have fun in the studio, I love to sit for days and nights in the studio and work on my own tracks and there is nothing better when you can tour the world and play your own music in a club.”
What is the current top 10 you are spinning?
“I don¹t really have a top 10; I like to mix everything up. If I don¹t pay attention to a track for at least a month, then I tend to just forget about it. I like to play my own music, my edits, or promos other producer friends send me and mix it up with new stuff. Also, if I can catch the right moment, I like to sometimes throw in a classic track.”
Your Banditz parties took Switzerland by storm and soon Ibiza came knocking with In Bed With Space wanting your skills. Had you been to Ibiza before gracing the Space decks, what were your initial thoughts on the white isle?
“I had never been to Ibiza before, and playing at Space for In Bed With…was my first visit to the island. I fell in love straight away with the magic of the island.”
2004 saw your first release on Sweden¹s Joia Records, before you knew it you were releasing tracks via many of our big labels; Viva Music, Saved Records, Be As One, Hideout and Cadenza Lab. You are now firmly part of Luciano¹s Cadenza family, what is it about this label and the team you love?
“My first release was a techno track on Joia Records, it’s true…and you know what, it was Sebastian Ingrosso who did the deal for me! Him and Steve played out in Switzerland a lot and we became friends and when he first heard that track, he called Adam Beyer straight away, I remember it like it was yesterday…in the end I released it on Sebastian’s Oncle’s label. but after this release I didn’t put out any music until I signed an EP to Steve Lawler’s Viva Music and once I got productive and put my ass in the studio everything happened very fast, I released music on Cadenza, Be As One, Saved, Magnetic..etc and remixed Luciano, DJ Sneak and some other artists and all this was because I joined Cadenza, they opened the doors, believed in my talent and gave me the chance to show it worldwide. I have a strong connection with all my Cadenza friends that has been growing for a couple of years now and the best has yet to come!”
What is coming out next from you studio wise?
“I just released the Vagabundos 2013 mix CD and in a couple of weeks I release an EP on Memoria records with remixes by Guti and also Egal 3! I also have a release on Saved Records plus Kenny Larkin is going to remix one of my old Saved track. We have planned the next Cadenza release for the end of the year and I really can’t wait to go back to the studio in October, after the whole summer touring thing get a bit easier.”
2013 saw the explosion of ANTS in Ibiza down at Ushuaia. When were you contacted about becoming a resident and what were your initial thoughts on the project?
“They came up with the idea already last year and we always kept in touch during the year, so they updated me with what they had in mind about ANTS etc…I love the concept, the line up and the vibe of the party and it was very easy for me to straight away say YES to a residency!”
How have the opening few weeks been?
“I played the Ushuaia opening and also the Luciano and Friends party…both of them were just amazing, it was special because a lot of friends travelled from all over the world just for the opening parties.”
Who are the craziest ANTS in the DJ party?
“Great bunch of djs all the ANTS are crazy! You should come and check out the original ANTS animations, for me those guys are crazy. They’ve got some crazy acrobatic skills!”
Who are some of the producers around the world you are giving high fives to right now?
“Carl Craig, Luciano, Villalobos, Mathew Jonson, Martin Buttrich, Shlomi Aber… and then there are tons of other old and new producers I really like.”
Away from your residencies, were are some of your favourite club nights in Ibiza?
“Also here, there are too many to name just a few…to be honest, there are maybe too many parties going on in Ibiza this year.”
What are your favourite beaches and restaurants?
“I like Cala Oliveira (not only because of the name), Cala Bassa but also Sa Caleta beach. The food on the island is as good as the parties and there are also too many amazing restaurants to mention.”
Where have been some of the stand out gigs in recent months for you?
“Of course the openings…but also the 10 Years Cadenza party at st. George’s Hall in Liverpool as well as the roof top after party at Ushuaia Tower for Luciano and Friends opening, I also can’t forget the Nordstern Club Basel summer closing party where I really enjoyed playing b2b with Dyed Soundorom.”
Best ever festival experience?
“The festival season is full on and I have a few festivals left to play but I really enjoyed playing at Extrema Outdoor Festival in Belgium recently.”
Not many people know this, but Andrea Oliva is really good at…
“Cooking pasta for sure!”
And finally, who from the world of history would you like to have a beer with?
“Maybe Che Guevara but Maradona would be also fun he made history too.”
http://www.andrea-oliva.com
http://www.cadenzabooking.com
http://www.nordstern.com
