| Bulgarian House Community Interview |
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Not long ago, together with another favorite producer and DJ - V-Sag, you launched a record label called "No Smoking Recordings". Would you tell us something more about the name, idea and forthcoming releases of the label? I think the name shows everything. What V-Sag and I are thinking is that everybody can dance without taking anything. If people get focused on the music, they will understand they do not need anything. The most important thing for them is really to concentrate to the music and close their eyes, letting them to go to places where they have never been before... It is not a secret you prefer deep progressive house and tribal music... Is there any other style you like or that influences you? Where do you get your inspiration from? I also play different sounds other than deep, tribal and progressive. My other side is house which includes deep, vocal, jazzy, Latin, funky, disco elements etc. You can also see that sometimes I am different again, and I play techno which is groovy, tribal and deep :) If you ask me about electro, this is also a kind of sound I play from time to time. Everything depends on the time, the place and the crowd. The music is prepared in my case and it is really a surprise both for me and the crowd what I will play the night in the club. This is also what I like very much because people never know how I will start and then continue. Also starting with a particular type of sound and beat doesn’t mean continuing with it till the end of the night. It depends how long you will play, as well. You can play a lot of things in your set but the most important of all is the flow of the set. It makes you a really good and special dj. Everybody can learn mixing but not everybody can create a fluent set. For that reason, the dj must really have experience and has to be very talented, must have an extremely good ear and feeling for the music. It is maybe the most important thing which not many people have. God gives it to you at the moment you are born, this is his present!! Maybe you have some idea about how the house music is going to develop in the coming year... The sounds are changing very fast so you cannot really say what is next. Now it is the electro, but what is more important is the djs and producers, who are changing to feel the sound and really to like what they play and produce. They don’t have to change just because they have to, it is not compulsory. You can continue also to produce and play your sound. People get bored to play and follow the same style really fast, so they have to think what else they can do to improve the sound. It doesn’t have to be a total change!! The changes can be smoother. At the non-official party we heard some electro sounds. They are very "fashion" at the moment...Almost every DJ that had come to Bulgaria for the last half a year played more or less electro. Can you say you like electro? If so, share with us some of your favorite producers... I think I answered this question. I am not a very good follower to the electro - house at the moment but my recent favorite electro –house producers is Sultan, who is a great producer in all the styles and does a great job with his electro – house productions. V-Sag also has some electro productions which rock the dance floor all around the world. 16 Bit Lolitas also have great stuff and I am sure that they will be very “big’ soon. Of course there are a lot of names that do a great job with the new sound but for me the most important thing about the tracks is that they have to let me dance at first, and then to play them to the crowd. If they let me dance, that means that they will let the crowd dance as well, while I play them in my set. What do you prefer - being on the radio air or playing live for the crowd? Or maybe both... Both are totally different but I like them a lot. Playing at the radio is a thing that I do for many years. I enjoy this very much in Turkey especially. You can really captivate people at their house or in their car. Lots of people tell me that they couldn’t come out because of the set which is playing on the radio. Also a lot of friends e – mail or call me on my mobile and tell me that they cannot walk out of their houses. Sometimes they really shout at me and they get angry because of that. At the radio you can play some tracks which you cannot play in a club set. With `cannot` I do not mean that you cannot play them. Of course a dj can play whatever he wants on the radio air and in clubs, but I think that there are a lot of tracks which are produced especially for the radio. Maybe the producer didn’t do them only for radio sets but this is how I feel it and these are my thoughts of the tracks. The club is different from the radio. The biggest difference is that you can see the people in the club. So you have to control the crowd and see what they want. At the radio you cannot see them and you cannot know what they want. Also, in the club the crowd sees you so it is in contact with you while playing your set. It is really important and interesting to be in front of the people. You can look in their eyes and control them with your music. You command all these people with your music. It is like a remote control. It is really up to the dj if the people will stay there some hours or leave the club very early. At the party you told me you played different styles at parties and on the radio... Yes, it really depends on the seasons. For example, in the winter I play more deep at the radio and in clubs, but in summer I prefer happier sounds. The midweek and the weekend also change my mind. The time for me is also important. If I am play in the afternoon it is different, if I am play in the evening it is different, and at night it is also different. It is really such a great feeling to see that and play your music. Think about... the sun is going down and you are play a track which fits to that. Music and weather and time. This is really important. Did you like the Bulgarian crowd and the way they responded to your music? Are you in for another visit to Bulgaria? Of course I am in!! Every time!! The gig at Phobia/Stara Zagora was one of my best gigs since I am playing!! I was really happy and the crowd was great. You have been to Argentina, Hungary, Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Kosovo and the USA as far as I know... Where else would you would like to go? Do you have a special place where you want to play? I hope I will play all around the world and show all the people who dj Tarkan is. There is really no special place or maybe it was San Francisco because people cannot smoke in the clubs. I played there last year and will play there this year as well. How do you survive the complicated and crazy schedule you have – party today, party tomorrow, producing in the same time, flying on the next day? I really got used to this because I did this for many years, especially all around Turkey, and I love playing music so much... so it is really not a big problem for me. Music is my life!!! You work together with many producers…Do you like any Bulgarian ones and would you do a remix on some track? I really do not know any producers from Bulgaria but in the future of course I could do a remix if I find a track which I would love to remix. Finally, what would you say to the Bulgarian fans? That I will come back as soon as possible and that we will have a great night again there. Tarkan Ors Label Director Producer/DJ www.djtarkan.com Interview by Joji for the Bulgarian House Music Community |