The meeting of giants! EGG LDN get ready for lift off. The boys are back in town. B2B London stylee
Familia’s third and final instalment of the series is fittingly fronted by one of the most celebrated back-to-back acts of the year. Uner and Technasia’s collaborative sets have been on peoples lips since the Winter Music Conference and have been rocking the biggest events and festivals around the word ever since. The night are thrilled to have the pair headline this event for an exclusive London appearance as they weave their magic over six hours of music in this fitting finale to the trilogy of themed parties which is set to be a highlight of the seasonal gatherings. Rob Chadwick checks in with two of the most exciting producers in the world right now….DMCWORLD salute you for a stunning 2014…
Guys welcome to DMCWORLD. The obvious question to get the ball rolling, where did you first meet and how did it come about the two of you are now playing together?
Uner : “The truth is that I can’t remember the first time we met…but if I am going to take an educated guess it may have been at a Cadenza showcase in Barcelona. What I do remember is that we did a session together for the first time in Miami and at the end we looked at each other and said: this is cool!!!!”
Technasia : “Uner and I have known each others for a few years. We are part of the same Madrid based management and booking agency Magnum Bookings. I organized my birthday bash in a small club in Miami last year during WMC and Manu (Uner) and I ended up playing together at the end of the night. We got that perfect match feel right away, a nice flow and mutual understanding of where we wanted to take the set to. So the next day, and after a good hangover lol, we sat down and we realize that we could take this to the next level by making it a very concrete side project for both of us.”
Fantastic. Well you’ve both really taken Ibiza by storm with your b2b shows this summer. What show sticks in the mind for you as the most memorable?
Uner : “Yes. It’s been an amazing summer for the two of us separately and the sessions we’ve done together have been amazing. I’d maybe pick doing the closing act on the mainstage of Ants in August. I think it was one of our best sessions together!!! And it was where I drank the most Hierbas shots!”
Technasia : “We did quite a few this summer and to be honest, they were all quite different and very enjoyable. The great thing about this project is that, given our both respective broad DJ style, we both can adapt to every single kind of situation. Techno festivals, VIP Ibiza beach clubs, we can play a very different set at each of these venues, yet we are still able to connect with the crowd and nail it.”
Why do you think that it works so well with you two together? What do you think it is that makes the relationship and bond so strong?
Uner : “We are two quite similar people, in that we’re always joking and laughing. That means we get along very, very well. I really enjoy it when we play together. And the best part is that being musically different, we were able to combine our two styles to create something special and fun!! We’re also both bald, which makes the subject even more fun. I’m also very happy to work with Charles because the moments of relaxation and travel are outstanding. He’s a good child hahaaha…”
Technasia : “We come from the same dance scene, we share similar friends, tour in the same clubs and events. We both play different kind of sound but we have a similar understanding of our scene, our industry and our public. So it’s easy for us to connect with them, and to have that connection between us as well. Add a little dose of techno magic to it, and you get what we do. And we’re both bald so that helps LOL.”
I saw your performance at Ushuaia on the Ants Stage, which was pretty special. What do you prefer, big open air gigs like that, or playing the more dark and personal club scene?
Uner : “We’ve done many festivals this summer. You already know that in summer there are bigger stages and I really do feel like doing small clubs where you can investigate the sound even further and you’re able to risk even more!!! Musically, a club gives you a freedom that you sometimes don’t get on a stage in front of 15,000 people. Even still, it’s all amazing.”
Technasia : “Both have a very different feel. Of course it’s very enjoyable to play outdoor, more especially at such an amazing venue such as Ushuaia, but I personally love the club vibe as well. It’s very challenging to play with a much closer crowd, there’s no place for bullshit. It’s an experience all the way down to the core of electronic music, authentic.”
What have been some of the key lessons you have learnt, or musical experiences you have had, throughout your career?
Uner : “Musically, I’ve learned many things over the years. And above all, I’ve got to know myself even more as an artist, but the most important thing I’ve learned has been to be a better person, to treat everyone equally, to be respectful of all professionals and peers and to live this job with all the love in the world. In the end, the technical part comes or goes, but the people are the most important and music has given me many important people in my life.”
Technasia : “That when you’re pissed off with something and wanna write an email or post about it, just wait for one night of good sleep before sending/posting it. This has always brought me positive outcomes rather than shitstorms. On a more artistic side, I’ve learnt that it’s no need to rush your fate or destiny. Things arrive always at a certain time, and you just have to be ready when they do. That’s how you build success and a career over the years.”
What do you think the most important features of a good DJ set are today? Have your thoughts on what makes a great DJ set changed over the years?
Uner : “I think it is and always has been this way, the most important thing is the music. What music does, as you put it, is move the public, it gives off energy with the mixes… Much more than the technique or the tools you use. To me, a DJ is not a philosopher of the technique when merging 2 tracks but a good musical speaker.”
Technasia : “Today you find yourself in so many different kind of events, with radically different styles of music that I find it stupid to just not adapt to what the public fancy. Some DJs just play their same shit, regardless of anything, and to be honest, I find that quite lame and close-minded. The key to a great show is to be able to connect with the crowd, and find a good compromise with what they want and what you dig. In the end, people pay to have fun, so if you’re able to bring them that and have fun yourself at the same time, then it’s all good!”
What is the best world stage both of you have ever played?
Uner : “Together, today, I would say that it was the Dream Beach stage in Spain. An amazing night with nearly 40,000 people. For me, I would say the most fun stage this summer was in Ushuaia.”
Technasia : “I would not be able to tell, there’s been too many… Each country has amazing venues, crowd, events…How to tell when one is best ? They’re all good for different reasons. Ok let’s say that some venues have been very consistent over the years, and have remained at the top of their game, regardless of trends. That’s always a pleasure to perform for them. I’d say, amongst others, Fuse in Brussels, Berghain in Berlin, Reverse in Madrid, Space in Ibiza, Space in Miami, but that’s only a few. There are way more…”
You are playing Familia at Egg Ldn on December 6th. How excited are you for the show and also to be playing with the venue’s unique custom made Flipside sound system?
Uner : “It’s always a pleasure to return to Egg. It’s one of the first clubs I played in London and where I go 3 or 4 times a year, it’s somewhere where I always feel at home. The sound system is amazing and everyone that works there is adorable!! And this time, it’ll again be something special as it will be the first time we gather at a b2b in the UK. I think it will be a night to remember.”
Technasia : “A lot! I’ve been a regular for Egg for quite a few years now, but I haven’t been there since the whole renovation and the new sound system. I’m super eager to crank it up for the first time and see what it’s got below the belt hahaha. As for the Egg public, they’re awesome, real good underground party people, so we should have an awesome night as always.”
You’re to play for a full 6 hours at Egg, how do you prepare for such a marathon?!
Uner : “With a good diet, plenty of exercise and being far away from Charles when he asks for more shots hahahaha…”
Technasia : “To be honest, I don’t really prepare my gigs. Of course, I check new tracks and promos every week, but I like to not think too much about what I’m gonna play in a specific event. I try to arrive early, at least an hour before the show, to try to feel the energy, and when I start my set, I build it from there.”
I hear you are working on some new tracks together. Can you let us in on how far along they are and when we could be about to see them released?
Uner : “We haven’t started working on it yet, but we plan to soon. First we have to sit ourselves down and watch the musical direction and how to combine our sounds in the studio, which is different from when we’re just DJing. We also have to see schedules because we are both very booked up and travelling the world. But it’ll happen very, very soon and we’ll keep you informed.”
Technasia : “We’ve been talking about that for quite a while. We do have some common music projects in the planning but nothing concrete yet to announce unfortunately.”
What else are you guys excited for/have coming up for 2015? Any exciting plans to unveil for DMCWORLD?
Uner : “I have a lot of new music to edit, both original and remixes…I’m beginning to think about the second electronic album and of course I’ll be rolling worldwide as I do now. We have a very tight and intense schedule. But the most important thing is my new live band project, which, alongside other musicians and friends, will give a different view of electronica but on an acoustic level, mixed with other styles. It’s something that took time or wanting to do, and this December we put on our first public performance!!”
Technasia : “I’m working on my next Technasia track together with Green Velvet. After tracks like Heart of Flesh and I Am Somebody, I really needed to come up with something as strong as these. I think we’ve got that mega-bomba tune now. It’s nearly finished and it should come out early second quarter of 2015, so stay tuned!”
Uner and Technasia B2B are headlining Egg LDN on Saturday December 6th. All details at…http://www.egglondon.net/
To check out everything Uner is doing check…http://www.unermusic.com/
To check out everything that Technasia is doing check…http://www.technasia.com/
