路遥知马力, 日久见人心

Fashion

Posted: February 16th, 2009 | Author: John Kuan | Filed under: dance music culture | 1 Comment »

Runway Audio Operations

DJ Tatiana covering the BEBE Spring ’07 collection in Los Angeles.

The runway DJ is a respectable discipline. Do you have the mindset of a fashion show DJ?


North

Posted: February 16th, 2009 | Author: John Kuan | Filed under: dance music culture | 1 Comment »

I have to say that I’m doing all of this because I’ve realized what sort of a comfort zone I’m suddenly in.

Not that there’s anything bad with being comfortable, I just have a problem with being satisfied. Looking around me now, there’s really nothing to be satisfied with.

The party at Holy Cow went really well. DJ Samadhi really beat the living daylights out of the rookies. If there’s anything to really root for at a psytrance gig, it’s got to be a good mental rewiring.

holycow.jpg

Working with the guys to put this thing together, I must say, seemed to have a little bit more resistance than we all had anticipated. But a fantastic turn out with some of the best vibes that we’ve had in a long time was worth every creak in probability.

Since then and it’s subsequent after-party, there’s been somewhat of a pause. As if something needed to catch its breath before it rampages past me at full speed. I’m not terribly sure what it’s all about.

In just under 12 days, I’ll be heading out to Koh Panghan for the first time to meet up with Sanuk. A few months ago the Epic Tribe had invited him to come down to play at our Fierce Green Fire party, and since then Daniel and ourselves have had a mutual fascination with each other.

I’m really looking forward to it. It’ll be a good idea to get out of the city for a while to clear my head before the real work begins.

It’s going to be real tough to keep that low when The Plan finally takes place.


Day

Posted: December 3rd, 2008 | Author: John Kuan | Filed under: dance music culture | No Comments »

Why We Need More Dayclubs

A few minutes after sunrise has always been one of my favorite times to practice on the CDJs. There’s just something about that cool blue light filling up the house.

Nightclub culture wouldn’t be what it is if it didn’t spend its formative years in the dark. But when did dance culture go the same way?

I guess that’s why outdoor psytrance experiences have always been so fun. Especially how many of these gigs have DJs specifically for the mornings.

And it’s a different experience compared to listening to a DJ play for an entire night then into the following morning. After 8 hours of continuous dancing, your mind and body respond very differently. Tiredness calls for completely different kind of music.

This isn’t the morning I’m describing.

morning.jpg

Dancing in the dark has become a bad habit. If you are truly uplifted by the act of dancing, by dance music, then stop hiding behind the parcans, strobes, and smoke machines. There’s a much better venue.

Try this, compose yourself a ‘morning playlist’, it really doesn’t matter what style or genre it is, you don’t even have to play it loudly. No headphones allowed.

It helps if the tracks serve to inspire, energize, or even heal.

Double-plus good mornings call for double-plus morning music.

Make sure fresh, clean air is moving about. Then let your playlist do it’s work.

Don’ forget to share your results and playlists here.