The Vagabundos legends live and direct on the release of their brand new album
Argy & Andrea Oliva welcome to DMCWORLD – a superb compilation! Let’s get down to business, how long did it take to compile the track listing and then create your respective mixes?
Andrea: “Thanks! The clearing part took a while as we have some classic tracks on it which weren’t very easy to license but we got there in the end. The mixing part was very quick! I always mix all compilations live, so I went to my resident club Nordstern, and I started to mix the CD as I would if I were playing at a party. It’s all about transmitting a certain mood when you do a mix CD and I can only do that by mixing it live without a computer, Ableton and other stuff.”
Argy: “It took me 3 months for the whole thing. I am rather “autistic” with these things. The mix has to look like a painting.”
What tracks were absolutely on the list when you were choosing the records, what were the big tunes that you just HAD to have on there?
Andrea: “Of course my remix for Luciano “Rise of Angel” was a must, but also my all-time favourite track DJ Rolando “Knights of the Jaguar”, There are so many of my favourite tracks on this compilation, you really have to check it out.”
Argy: “I wanted the mix to resemble the way i play! I wanted it to be a party mix, so what’s in there is mostly tracks that i have actually been playing a lot.”
You are in the middle of a huge tour – how was Bologna and Istanbul last weekend – I loved the pool table in the Turkish Airlines Lounge you had a game on…
Andrea: “It’s great touring from country to country, the traveling part is always the same (boring!) but every city and club has his own special thing. Bologna was fun as I feel at home in Italy and a lot of my friends made it down to the party which was really nice, I was also surprised about Istanbul, and they definitely know how to party!”
Argy: “Bologna and Istanbul were amazing. I like playing with Andrea, the result is always harmonious. I was alone in the lounge, Andrea is lazy with his mileage program as he likes to travel by train.”
How do your styles compliment each other in the DJ booth – is there a game plan, or does it usually end up with you playing back to back?
Andrea: “If we play the same night, we usually cut our playtimes of half an hour or an hour. We have to play b2b after we did our individual thing which is really cool. b2b with argy is always fun!”
Argy: “Me and Andrea never talk or communicate verbally before we start playing. We just do it! Sometimes we don’t even have a single common record in our bags but it all makes sense in the end!”
The Vagabundos brand has been putting on parties all over the world for years, but perhaps it’s Ibiza where you are best known. What are the plans for summer 2013?
Andrea: “It’s a worldwide brand with its home base in Ibiza during the summer, after seeing the plans for 2013 I can say it’s probably the biggest year for Vagabundos so far! It goes without saying that I am super excited!”
Argy: “I am not sure I can yet reveal this but there is a new venue which we will be taking over. Of course Ushuaia is still our Thursday spot.”
Tell us what you love about the island of Ibiza…
Andrea: “It may sound too simple but it’s not: EVERYTHING!”
Argy: “That it’s next to Formentera. I also enjoy spending time in the Santa Gertrudis area.”
What is the current top 10 you are both spinning?
Andrea: “There are so many tracks…. I can’t really make a top 10, because I like to take out old tracks, start to play them again, mixing old stuff with new stuff… My top “x” would be too long.”
Argy:
Jordan Peak – It’s Time (Argy dub mix) – Air London
Nail – Til The Feelings Gone – Fear of Flying
Savas Pascalidis – Magic Orchestra – Sweatshop
Jerome Sydenham – Deeper Love – Ibadan
Justin Berkovi – Newmatic (Ben Sims Remix) – Prosthetic Pressings
Carl Taylor – Debbie’s Groove (Robert Hood remix) – EPM Music
Marc Romboy & Kink – Over & Out – Systematic
Lucero En Vivo – La France – Desolat
Alex Arnout feat. Tyree Cooper – This is that sound (Argy Remix) – One Records
Soundstream – Inferno – Soundstream
Cadenza are also celebrating their 10th Anniversary this year – where will you be throwing parties?
Andrea: “It’s actually all around the world, hosting stages at festivals, favourite clubs and other locations. We just played the 10 years anniversary in Bucharest and Cocorico in Italy, the whole vibe left me speechless. People are really coming together to celebrate with Cadenza, it’s more than a party!”
Andrea – I hope you have that signed Diego Maradonna shirt you were given in Napoli under lock and key now, it’s worth a few thousand…
Andrea: “I actually gave it to my brother for his birthday… I really need a plan to get another one.”
If you could choose one record that sums up Cadenza and Vagabundos vibe in Ibiza, what would it be?
Andrea: “Luciano “Rise of Angel”.”
Argy: “Petar Dundov “Oasis”. Dreamy, intense, nostalgic and powerful. And already a Vagabundos secret classic!”
Argy – you moved from your home city of Rhodes to London to persue a career in music. But in your own words you described landing in London “as a slap in your face” as you were so out of your depth. It would be two years before Steve Bug heard one of your releases and you were away! Looking back, would you have done things differently and what would be your advice to aspiring producers and DJs reading this wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Argy: “Handling a career at the age of 20 wasn’t easy. I advice people to stick around with people who are honest and tell them “what’s up”. There are enough satellite people for small talk, but I really think artists need a steady and strong background of friends and colleagues as a backbone. When was the last time your best friend told you that your last record “sucked”?
Andrea a great quote from you…” it’s not all about bongos and Latino grooves at Cadenza”. So try and describe the sound of Cadenza to someone just getting into their music…
Andrea: “It’s all about the rhythm first and then once the melody kicks in it takes you to a journey, which makes you feel free…you get addicted and you want to listen to more and more of it.”
Argy: “It’s hard to say. Cadenza changed a lot in a decade. Nowadays Cadenza doesn’t stand for a signature sound but for a certain dance music romanticism that is hard to verbally describe.”
Who out of the Cadenza dudes party the hardest – who is always the last man standing?
Andrea: “We have a lot of top shots, some of the most professional party animals around. Top 5 in no specifically order: Luciano, Reboot, Mirko Loko, Cesar Merveille, Ernesto Ferreyra. Haha!”
Argy: “I am not there to see otherwise I would be the second to last man standing!”
You know each other very well even though you live in different countries. When you are on tour together, what is each other’s most annoying habit?
Andrea: “We spend too much time locked in hotel rooms, sat in front of our laptops! But you can always tempt us out with food and party!”
Argy: “Andrea is Swiss. He has no habits and that’s quite refreshing.”
Who were your early DJ heroes growing up?
Andrea: “My very early DJ heroes where some Swiss dudes like Rozzo and Gangsta.”
Argy: “Danny Tenaglia was one. Nowadays it’s Derrick May.”
Who are the producers from around the world you are giving high fives to right now?
Andrea: “I would high five Shlomi Aber, Martin Buttrich, Henrik Schwarz, Ame, Reboot and I always have a high five for Luciano and Carl Craig!”
Argy: “KiNK is very consistent and unique.”
And finally – what is your proudest career moment to date?
Andrea: “Always when I finish a track , I play it out at a gigs, that moment when people start to freak out and recognize it when I mix it in, always makes me feel proud of myself for making people happy with my music. These are the moments you live for as a DJ/Producer.”
Argy: “It’s not one single moment but something like a way of life. The fact that if you ask around, Argy has been standing for honesty and doing things differently. My own weird way.”
Vagabundos 2013 mixed by Argy & Andrea Oliva is out now…
Tracklist
CD1 (Mixed by Argy)
01. Plastikman – Koma
02. Nathan Baratto – Hard Werq
03. YMC – Man In The Green Shirt
04. Per Hammar – 8 Track
05. Andrade – Dancing (Quell “Grind” Mix)
06. Bjorn Wolf & Youri Donatz feat Mike Dunn – Iz Diz Houz / DJ Sneak – Wickedy Sounds (Andrea Oliva Mix)
07. Sante – Spotlight / DJ Jesus – Yes Come On
08. Radio Slave – Mood
09. The Deepshakerz – Never Say / Butch – Oh Manaha Shiva
10. Jordan Peak – It’s Time (Argy Rude Dub)
11. Jay Lumen – Raw Basses
12. Technasia – Sunkiss
13. Christian Smith – NYC
14. Coyu – Techno Raw / Boys Noize – Trooper (Robert Hood Remix)
15. Marc Romboy VS Kink – Over and Out (Instrumental Mix) / Argy – What Time Is It? (Acapella)
16. Argy – I’m In
17. Argy – Thick & Thin
18. June – Lost Area (DJ Sprinkles’ Empty Dancefloor)
19. Harmony Funk – Happy Feelings
CD2 (Mixed by Andrea Oliva)
01. Shlomi Aber – Foolish Games feat. Moggli
02. Nick Curly – Underground (Original Mix)
03. Franck Roger – When You Touch
04. Dan Ghenacia – Da Doo Da
05. House Of Gypsies – Ways Of My Life
06. Andrea Oliva & Egal 3 – Those Bangers
07. Kodac – The Night Train (Julian Perex Remix)
08. Loco Dice – Detox
09. Waff – Jo Johnson
10. Mark Henning – You’re Digging Into Me
11. Kink – Express
12. George Fitzgerald – Needs You (Deetron Remix)
13. Luciano – Rise Of Angel (Andrea Oliva Remix)
14. DJ Rolando – Knights Of The Jaguar
15. Ian Pooley – CompuRhythm
Digital available from Beatport – http://btprt.dj/15VF5jN
Argy Mini Mix – http://soundcloud.com/cadenzamusic/vagabundos-2013-mixed-by-argy
Andrea Oliva Mini Mix – http://soundcloud.com/cadenzamusic/vagabundos-2013-mixed-by
Argy 12″ Sampler – http://soundcloud.com/cadenzamusic/vagabundos-2013-argy-12
Andrea Oliva 12″ Sampler – http://soundcloud.com/cadenzamusic/vagabundos-2013-andrea-oliva
Here is a nifty little video too – http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2fdw-gUJk3k
