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Features
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Introducing NEM3SI$’s new label Infinite Resistance! | Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’! | Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases! | Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme! | Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works. | Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain! | Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September! | NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases! | Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup! | Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast! | Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music! | SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023! | The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023! | NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music! | Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project | The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22! | A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden | Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma | Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino | New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik! | PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records! | Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters! | N-Kore talks Jean-Michel Jarre, unfinished tracks and fatherhood! | Celebrating International Women’s Day and Ten Years of Psy-Sisters with Amaluna |
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Interview with the 3 lads that have been bitten by Byte!
Reported by Ben Bennett
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Submitted 28-04-06 21:14
It’s hard enough running parties on a Friday and Saturday night, let alone a Sunday night, when all the money has been spent and the energy levels are at a low. But this one Camden-based promotion has no problem with filling its dance floor to the brim week in, week out!
With its ever growing success and dedicated team behind it, Byte has, and continues to change the face of Sunday night clubbing forever! I had a session at the Purple Turtle with the three newest members of the team, Lorenzo Barrero, Jacob Moss and Dani D, to find out what all the fuss was about…
Byte has been at the forefront of Sunday night clubbing for a few years now. Why do you think it has been such a success?
JM: London likes to party and Sundays are certainly not the day of rest where The Purple Turtle is concerned! I think the continued success of Byte is down to the ethos of the event…. It’s not seen as a chill out or wind down to the weekend, it’s all systems go!! From the music to the crowd, there is an infectious energy that people seem drawn to on a Sunday evening, even if they should know better.
DD: Byte boasts a very diverse crowd, some of them whom come in touch with hard dance for the 1st time @ Byte even, therefore we get clubbers from mainly across the Eastern block — Romania/Poland/Lithuania/Latvia/Slovak etc./Brazil/SA and from across the globe really. This diversity of a crowd in such an intimate environment as that of the Purple Turtle makes for an amazing vibe = great party = success!
Starting out as a hard house event, Byte has evolved to cater for all sorts of styles from trance, psy trance, techno, hard dance and hard house. Is this a reflection of the scene at the moment or was it natural progression to cater for the masses?
JM: The PT will always be synonymous with the harder beats and that will continue in one way or another, but it’s always good to reflect what’s happening in popular culture, so you will hear a variety of djs playing sounds that will appeal to all sorts of dance music fans. It’s about delivering a quality soundtrack, whether that be hard house, trance, or electro!
LB: I think the change was all due to natural progression. Yes, Byte did start off as a Hard House event. Since from when I’ve been resident George had explained to me and the other residents that he wanted to change the approach in the music, so that the crowd will hear different genres of music. Basically I think what George wanted was for each set (one after another) not to be the same. Each set would be different, so that the crowd would have a variety of music on the night.
Jacob Moss
The Purple Turtle has been home for some great events over the years and been played at by some of the scenes greats. What are your favourite Byte memories?
DD: Byte’s NYD event, ‘Fierce’ is always an amazing experience, NYD ’06 after Frantic hosted an event @ Koko definitely stands out for me as being a VERY special event for sure… I mean we had nearly 400 people through the doors that day. I was honoured to have last set duties on the day and man oh man did it go off in great Byte fashion!
LB: I think my favourite memories at Byte have been seeing the Purple Turtle so busy on NYD, this year. There was a wicked vibe and atmosphere inside, and everyone looked to be having a wicked time. Also another favourite memory was when I played last set b2b with Dani, not long ago. I thought our set went well, and it was a pleasure to play b2b with him and to have the opportunity to play last set.
Dani D
Dani, we’ve been on several line-ups together in the past and your style has always been the harder end of hard dance, but you’re also an electro DJ. With 2 very different styles, what are your favourite elements of each?
When it comes to hard dance it must be the energy you carry over to the dance floor and which the dance floor reacts too, in return giving you the same ‘buzz’ as you relate to the dance floor — a give and take experience as such, therefore I always endeavour to play the crowd as I know the relevant experience I will receive via the energy will be a great experience for me as the dj.
With electro it’s the Sex-Factor (like Simon Cowell would say)… the mood you can create and the trip you can take your crowd on with a sexy groove is amazing, after all I am a ladies man, haha!
Jacob, as some may know you’re a keen artist, and some of your original abstract works can be seen on flyers across London. Do your artistic talents relate directly back into your music, and if so, where do you draw your inspiration from?
I trained in art and design but have only recently started to put these skills into practice, and have had a great response regarding my artwork for Party Proactive. I’m definitely a creative type, can’t get enough of music, photography, fashion, and art. I’m addicted to pop culture in all its forms, an Andy Warhol for the 21st century!
Lorenzo
Lorenzo, as one of Bytes newest residents, you spend many hours at The Purple Turtle and see how the whole night progresses. And seeing as you are in virtually every club, every weekend you have seen so many combinations of line-ups. What would be your ideal line-up at Byte and why?
The line up would be myself to open. Next up would be Karl (aka K.A.R.L. on HarderFaster), followed by Ben Bennett, George E b2b Macey. Dani D shall play last set. The reason why I’ve decided on this line up is because I’ve heard some good feedback from people, from whenever the DJ’s I’ve mentioned have played.
Dani, you’ve been roped on board as part of the promotional team for Byte. Aside from the regular guests at Byte, what do you look for in a dj before booking them to play?
I think to me and especially to George E it is very important that any DJ we book for Byte respects the dance floor and understand that it is important to play to the dance floor instead of for yourself or your friends. You can be a so called big name artist but that doesn’t guarantee the floor to ‘move’ as such. We further look to someone whom will fit into the Byte family and is a no-nonsense/no attitude kinda person…we don’t like attitude at Byte, the party is bigger than any DJ!
Dani D
Lorenzo, George E has nicknamed you ‘Tequila Barrero’. Can you give us some insight into this?
Yes. The reason why George has nicknamed me ‘Tequila Barrero’ is because I’ve had many Sundays at Byte where I’ve got very drunk, not just on tequila, but also on beer and snakebite. One of the stories from one Sunday at Byte was when George gave me shots of tequila (some during when I was djing), and the rest afterwards. I carried on drinking throughout the night, which also included half a pint of tequila. In the end I had to get a cab home, which I mistakenly gave the cab driver the wrong address, which I also tried to insert my keys into the owner’s front door!! I had wasted the cab driver’s time, so the cab driver dropped me off somewhere else, which was a 20 minute walk from where I live. I ended up walking back home...
Lorenzo
Jacob, as another multi-genre DJ amongst Byte’s residents, do you think it is important to be flexible with your style in today’s industry and why?
I’ve said in the past that I consider myself to be a ‘music whore’! I refuse to be ruled by genre definitions or dj stereotypes. Regarding versatility, it’s not something a dj should be thinking about really. Be instinctive is my advice. Play from the heart, not from the head and you should do ok.
Jacob Moss
On the 14th May, George E will be celebrating his birthday during Byte at The Purple Turtle. If you could all get George a present what would it be, and what would you want in return on your birthdays?
LB: I think I would probably get George some music vouchers. In return for me birthday I would like the chance to play another later set, or perhaps a bottle of tequila!
JM: What do you buy the man who has everything?!! I’d play safe and go for the vest. As for me? A little something from Hermes would go down well.
DD: George E as one of my best friends and my colleague at BYTE… being his birthday for me is a rather special occasion to show my ‘respects’ in that means, maybe it’s in my culture to relate to my important friends in this way, but to me even this will be a special opportunity to get him a relevant gift to carry over such feeling…then it’s not about a gift, its about true friendships for life and celebrating his life, past and future with him! What I want in return…well, I never expect anything in return when I give a gift… simple gratitude and friendship (once again) will suffice!
How would you all describe Byte using only 5 words?
JM: One BYTE is never enough!
DD: Cool, Energetic, Unique, Viby. Eclectic
LB: Entertaining, Enjoyable, Atmospheric Dance Music!
Thanks for your time gents!
Don’t forget, that Byte is on every Sunday night at The Purple Turtle in Camden. Come and see what the fuss is all about!
Thanks to Andy T, Cheeky Chick, Chris Cee, Daf and Dani for the use of their photos. Not to be reproduced without permission.
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The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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