DEEP Magazine Issue 18

MAGAZINE

FOR THE LOVE OF HOUSE

SOUTH SOUTH AFRICA’S AFRICA’S

NO. NO.11

HOUSE HOUSE

MAGAZINE MAGAZINE

ISSUE 18 2014 MARCH

R25.90(INCL VAT)

3870173 64 737 864

FEATURE

ATJAZZ: PUSHING CREATIVITY WITH HIS NEW LABEL: LESS THAN TEN

NAAK MUSIQ LIVING THREE LIVES, OR MORE

FEATURE

OLWE’S STORY: CHALLENGING STEREOTYPES AND BREAKING BOUNDERIES IN HOUSE FEATURE

INTERNATIONAL: POLE FOLDER & CHRISTIAN PROMMER EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS

CLUB REVIEW MANHATTANS: NEW YORK COMES TO SANDTON TRACK REVIEW SA & WORLD TOP THREE VIDEO REVIEW THE TOP 4 VIDEOS OUT RIGHT NOW GADGET REVIEW PIONEERS ENTRY LEVEL RECORD BOX

CUEBUR { PLUS

IT’S A PRODUCERS LIFE FOR HIM

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4D SOUND SYSTEM FROM THE FUTURE IS HERE, NOW! YFM’S : PLAYERS CLUB A HOUSE MUSIC PLATFPORM

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ISSUE 18’- 2014

TEAM

FOR THE LOVE OF HOUSE EDITOR IN CHIEF: Thando Mazibuko @ThandoMzb Imkhitha Mkwebula lhilhi.mkwebula@gmail.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR: MASHUDU MODAU @Modau_M FASHION DIRECTOR: Zakhe Chamane FASHION FEATURE EDITORS: GUY HARDY @GuyHardy FASHION ASSISTANT EDITOR: Thando Mazibuko @RhandoMzb PHOTOGRAPHER AND VIDEOGRAPHER: THEMBANI MANGANYI @urbankreativeSA HEAD GRAPHIC DESIGNER: SIMPHIWE TWALA. MP1 @cogent_cliche DEEP MAGAZINE

PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER: Dene Tombeen @NayBeenTom MARKETING COORDINATOR: Katlego Ramela katlegoramela@yahoo.com YOUTUBE Channel Presenter: Baxolisi Mfidi @OfficialBax CONTRIBUTING GRAPGIC DESIGNERS: Karabo Mashele @kaybemashele Bonolo Mphore @beenolo Lindsay Bobbie Dlhudlhu @Lindsvy_ CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Nkululeko Makhubu Jasveer Morar @Jasveer_Morar Cherish Mankai @Cherish_LaLa2 Tebogo Bathebeng @TeboTedstar

ISSUE 18 CONTRIBUTORS 1

Tebogo Bathebeng @TeboTedstar

@OFFICIALBAX

2

The dream chaser and reality maker the distance between the 2 are directly proportional to my height

5

Katlego Ramela

DEEP MAG Presenter Search winner.

Check out Bax on our Youtube channel as he brings the House Experience to life.

Lusanda Nkohla @LuskyDJ

6

This gentleman d e s c r i b e s himself as:living on both sides of the fence, each equally important. He’s utterly confident and creative. he lives by one word: DOMINATE 1

5

3

DEEP MAG resident music analyst and YFM DJ with an honest love for the purest form of HOUSE. Check out this months TOP 10 House Tracks 2

6

Dene Tombeen @NayBeenTom UJFM producer andDEEP MAG’s sweeet heart.

Check out her App Reviews as she helps you the best apps to help you party, drink and live.

7

Tshepo Khanyile @TshepiSchwarz Tshepi Schwarz or Wolf The purveyor...not just a DJ but a story teller.

Student and lover of all things House music.

Page me.

4

14’ Ororiseng Mulaudzi @ororiseng1 A new addition to the list this: Student, musicblogger, freelance writer and music- collector is a gem. Check out Ororiseng’s blog on : www.huiskoppie. blogspot.com

8 Louisa Nkosi DEEP MAG Music analyst and writer.

On a life time journey looking for the ultimately perfect deep House track.

Check out her expert track review

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ISSUE 18’- 2014

ISSUE 18

CONTENTS

PROFILE

COVER DEEP MAGAZINE STORY

p.38

NEWS

p.56

p.12

FEATURES 11 - FEATURE ARTICLE: OLWE TELLS US HIS STORY 52- VIDEO CHARTS: YOUR FAVOURITE HOUSE MUSIC VIDEOS 50- DEEP CHART: THE TOP 10 PARTY TRACKS RIGHT NOW! 45- TALENT TO LOOK OUT FOR: NAAKMUSIQ 18- THE PLAYERS CLUB: A HOUSE MUSIC PLATFORM

p.60 REVIEWS

p.62

20- TRACK REVIEW: SA & WORLD TOP 3 TRACKS RIGHT NOW 42- ALBUM REVIEW: WHAT YOU NEED TO BUY, AND LISTEN TO NOW! 56- SOUND REVIEW: A 4 D SOUND SYSTEM BUILT FOR TH6E FUTURE 29 - GADGET REVIEW: BEGINNERS SERIES CONTINUES 56- CLUB REVIEW: MANHATTANS’ BRINGS NEW YORK TO SANDTON

DEEP STYLE 70-STYLISTA: ZAKES BANTWINI MERGES MUSIC AND FASHION 72- FASHION DIARY: THE TOP 15 DENIM STORES WORLD WIDE 64- FEATURE ARTICLE: ART AND SNEAKERS COME TOGETHER PERFECTLY 69- STYLE GUIDE : TH6E BRAAM LIFESTYLE: GET A TASTE OF IT

p.50 ISSUE 18’- 2014

EDITOR’S LETTER

EDITOR IN CHIEF

THANDO MAZIBUKO

FOR THE LOVE OF HOUSE

ISSUE 18

DEEP MAGAZINE

Hey all I welcome you to a new month and a new issue of your favourite house magazine. As the new editor I vow to take you always on a journey, which will educate you, inspire you and hopefully shock you.

Being the leader in house publication we are on our 18th issue, can you say hello to the “adult hood” hey we’re of legal age now and we hope to be doing bigger and better things. I’d like to thank the team for their awesome contributions and sleepless night trying to put this wonderful issue together for you, we thank and appreciate you. This issue we dive deep into young house muso’s and explore 4Dimensional sound in our gadget feature. Can you say winners...Mafikizolo strikes again at the MTV awards. These and stories and so much more awaits you on this jam packed issue, so let me not bore you and let you read on. Remember a story a day keeps those peachy little house know it alls at bay. So enjoy

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ISSUE 18’- 2014

DEEP

NEWS

S.A HOUSE MUSIC HEAVEN: A HOUSE MUSIC LOVERS PLATFORM S.A House Music Heaven was founded late 2012 by a group of friends so passionate about House Music that they wanted to bring it to the people.

It’s main purpose was, and still is, to promote upcoming DJs and producers as it is not easy to breakthrough in the House music scene these days. This way, new unique sounds were brought to the people.

Overtime, the page has developed into a platform that people can trust on bringing them up to speed with what’s what and who’s who in the House scene. Recognition has also been gained from some of what we call ‘the big cats’ of the industry whom have asked for their work to be promoted.

With over 16 000 likes on Facebook, close to 500 followers on Twitter and 700 subscribers on the DEEP MAGAZINE

BBM channel, the page is still at it’s growing phase and will continue to do so as it reaches maturity. One of the main aims for the future is to help fight piracy. This is an issue that is killing our artists and music and if nothing is done then our ‘Heaven’ will be limited. A website is also under construction and there have been talks with a certain popular internet radio station to host our own show where we will play all the music that gets mailed to us, as part of this movement to promote upcoming DJs and producers.

To those who are not yet aware of S.A House Music Heaven, now would be the ideal time to join and be part of this as this page has a set vision and will be taking you nowhere but the top.

DEEP NEWS

BLACK COFFE BRING THE BEAT OF SOUTH AFRICAN HOUSE MUSIC TO NYC

15, June Central Park New York City, South African Dj/producer Black Coffee brought the beat of South African House music to NYC. In addition to Black Coffee the event featured Dj Spoko and ElectraAfrique. Surprise performances by Monique Bingham and Kenny Bobien made the day even more special. Every year the Summer Stage organization bring world class musicians, and Dj's to it's stages to entirely free to the public. The event was made possible in part by Okayafrica, Jennifer Gray and Dj producer Ed Dunn Jr

Photographs supplied by: Roy Anthony Morrison Photosoul Media ISSUE 18’- 2014

THE 2014 MTV AFRICA MUSIC AWARDS REVIEW Watching the MTV African Music Awards one could not help but have a sense of pride at the celebration of African music by Africans and the hits that made us dance throughout the year. It was particularly great to have DJ Kent and the Arrows perform their hit Spin my World Around & DJ Clock and Beatenburg – Pluto perform I Still Remember You to an audience of 50 million across the world; though they were hampered by the bad sound quality it was great that we had one of our own on such a large stage representing us.

The very best part of the night and a win for house music was when Goldfish won the award for Best Pop Act proving that

DEEP MAGAZINE

their organic sound of jazz and African is one that people should not only listen to but pay SERIOUS attention to, these boys didn’t just make people take notice of them but had us thinking if a saxophone, double bass, keyboard and flute could take on Africa and win then there is far more that could be achieved.

Though it would have been really great if there was a category dedicated to dance music and there were more house musos nominated for awards we can only hope that as these African music awards grows house gets recognised… but for now Congratulations Goldfish and Mafikizolo!!!

DEEP NEWS

THE WINNERS OF THE 2014 MTV AFRICA MUSIC AWARDS: Best Male: Davido (Nigeria) Best Female: Tiwa Savage (Nigeria) Best Group: Mafikizolo (South Africa) Best New Act: Stanley Enow (Cameroon) Best Live Act: Flavour (Nigeria) Best Collaboration: “Y-tjukutja” - Uhuru Ft. Oskido, DJ Bucks, Professor and Yuri Da Cunha (South Africa/Angola) Best Hip Hop: Sarkodie (Ghana) Best Alternative: Gangs of Ballet (South Africa) Best Francophone: Toofan (Togo) Best Lusophone: Anselmo Ralph (Angola) Artist of the Year: Davido (Nigeria) Song of the Year: “Khona” Mafikizolo ft Uhuru (South Africa) Best Video: Clarence Peters (Nigeria) Best Pop: Goldfish (South Africa) Best International: Pharrell Personality of the Year: Lupita Nyong’o (Kenya) MTV Base Leadership Award: Ashish J. Thakkar (Tanzania) Transform Today Award by Absolut: Clarence Peters (Nigeria) ISSUE 18’- 2014

A LABEL BUILT FOR THE FUTURE EarOnDaGround Music World is a rising music label mainly focusing on providing services and products to music entities as well as artists. The company which is founded

by Kagiso “Kagi” Monama who is a visionary and a dreamer. The company was initially established to do work for the music industry, work in the music industry and work with the music industry.

Kagi has always been a man of great ideas and believes so much in them.

Through all of that the aim was to expand with the inception of subsidiaries such as EarOnDaGround Music™, EoDG Music Publishing™, SLIM Promo Concepts™ and Live On Stage Events™ (L.O.S.E) which is still under construction. The label and publishing are managed by Kagi himself and SLIM Promo Concepts is handled by Conny Choenyana who is the consultant for the division. EarOnDaGround Music World will always be on the lookout for team players to make a part of the establishment and to grow.

Right now as a company the most outstanding initiative that they’re working on is #SLIM which is an acronym for “Support Local Independent Music”, a campaign

DEEP MAGAZINE

ran on social media to recognize local music across South Africa. SLIM Promo Concepts derives from the acronym itself as a marketing and promotion division. SLIM Promo Concepts also offers numerous services such as song mastering, biography write up, presskit design, press release write up (The SLIM’s blog can be visited for more details). The company is also determined to grow the division into a Public Relation empire for artists and labels.

The most notable part about their work is the EPK (Electronic Press-Kit) Distribution offered at very reasonable packages for both emerging and intermediate artists, even the professionals can use their services. This service includes submitting EPKs to digital magazines and blogs to feature an artist’s release in any way possible from profiling, review, interviews and more (Artists/Rec Labels will be required to submit their release at least 4/5 weeks before their official release, including high res photos and a biography, whereas when we submit to the media in our database it will give them enough time to organize the press-kit for publishing).

Kagi says, “in this way we could populate our local media with local content more and this will also help labels/artists in getting known, read about and given that attention. Artists now won’t have to pay thousands of rands to

PR companies, not everyone can afford that anyway but as SLIM we make it affordable and effective.” He also mentions that, “through EPKs artists will get feedback from each media outlet that we submit their EPKs to. We are here to reduce your workload so be SLIM and use us”.

However the aim is to create the necessary digital buzz for any release clients need promoted effectively, this will also include social network music such as Twitter and Facebook. The reason SLIM Promo Concepts was established wasn’t just a business move or only as part of the label expansion but seeing the real need to assist artists/rec label to get promoted in magazines, blogs etc in a professional way and to also minimize their effort of individually approaching each mag or blog available for a feature, this will be their job.Their vision for EarOnDaGround Music World is to turn it into a service company that ends up being a one stop shop for artists and music entities.

“Keep Yo’ EarOnDaGround…” – Kagi Monama

+2772 996 1166 (Kagi) : +2776 819 0636 (Conny) : slim.promoconcepts@gmail.com : http://slimpromoconcepts.blogspot.com : http://www.twitter.com/SLIMProms : http://www.fb.com/SLIMPromos CONTACT INFO :

ISSUE 18’- 2014

INTERNATIONAL PROFILE

DEEP MAGAZINE

CHRISTIAN PROMMER By: Laurent Hulsteart >>> Label Manager, electronic sounds

Christion Prommer, one of the most active German artist, released few weeks ago its first solo album Übermood on Compost Records. After several iconic projects in group, especially the Drumlessons album released on Sonar Kollektiv, Christian unveiled his universe through 16 eclectic tracks and offers to the listeners a real and amazing journey in the different musical genres that he particularly loves.

For your readers, who don’t know you yet, could you introduce yourself in few words?

I am a composer, producer, drummer and DJ. I live in Munich, Germany. I started to play drums at the age of 12 year. Since that time I am devoted to rhythm and beats. I play, write and produce records between jazz and electronic music. For my own projects like Trüby Trio, Fauna Flash, Prommer and Barck or The Drumlesson and for other artists like Dj Hell or recently Kruder & Dorfmeister.

You start your career in 1995 under the alias Fauna Flash. Since you had a lot of different aliases and a lot of musical projects. Why to use so many alias and create so many projects?

I love to collaborate with different people and that brings all these aliases and new projects into my life. Every project has its own, distinctive voice. I always write a lot of music, so it’s great to have different channels to get it out of my system.

What are the key moments of your career before the release of this first solo album? We will talk about it in few minutes.

So many great moments. I am very blessed to have this kind of life in music for such a long time. The music made it possible for me to travel the world a play in so many different surroundings and meet so many great people. From jazz festivals like Montreux and North Sea to dance events like the Winter Music Conference in Miami or the Sonar Festival. Also in tiny clubs and weird locations with enthusiastic people. Besides that, it’s a key moment for me when I work on my music and it opens a door into a new world that was not there before. That happened with my Drumlesson project when my jazz roots came together with the club aesthetics. I played some great improvised concerts last year with jazz and crossover artists like Bugge Wesseltoft or Joshua Redman. Also I did a concert with the Zürich Tonhalle Orchestra and my Drumlesson band. That was a great experience. I had some great studio sessions in Vienna with Kruder & Dorfmeiser, in Berlin with Alex Barck (from Jazzanova) and here in Munich with Tony Allen. Music keeps me busy.

Before speaking about your album, could you speak us a little about the “Drumlessons”.

ISSUE 18’- 2014

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INTERNATIONAL PROFILE

Indeed a lot of people discover you thanks this project even if you made already a lot of tracks before this one. Moreover, those two albums are still in my favorite albums.

Thank you, that’s great to hear. The Drumlesson project started way back in my head when I played a Manfred Fest Trio Records next to a Carl Craig track. Jazz on one side and Detroit Techno on the other. It struck me that these two are very similar; the energy and the drive.

I kept thinking about this concept from then on. After the Trüby Trio took a break in 2005, I started to do my first solo project. I played a lot of drums and piano to find a voice for that jazz meets club project. I arranged the Derrick May song “Strings Of Life” for a jazz trio in 2005 with my Drumlesson partner Roberto Di Gioia.

Who was a big influence and major part of that project. We recorded it and left it sitting on the shelf for almost two years. It got released in 2007 on the Sonar Kollektiv label and got very good response. That gave us the opportunity to record a whole album of Drumlesson tunes.

The album was released in 2008 and we have been touring and playing since then all over the world. The name comes from a feeling that I had while working with all these amazing musicians. I felt like a student and got a great drum lesson every time I could be in a room and play with them. It’s still like that when we perform. We will start with the third Drumlesson album this spring.

Now let’s talk about your album. Why to wait so long to release your first solo album? Almost twenty years after the beginning of your career.

I know, it’s kind of crazy. But when I started write and produce music, there was always somebody who I had a great time with doing it. I never felt the need to do this. Now for this record I went for the whole project on my own.

It’s a different way of working and creating if you do it like that. It was a great experience for me to find this voice for the ÜberMood record.

I wrote a lot of music in the past two years that led to this album and I had some great singers and musicians to collaborate. It’s my first solo album, but I did the two Drumlesson albums also under my own name and vision, but had a great band to work with on the music.

You call it “Ubermood”, a mixed words between English and German. Why do you use those two languages and also why did you call it so?

DEEP MAGAZINE

I am an American that grew up in Germany. So I have the two languages and feelings inside of me. And you need some ÜberMood to do an album on your own. It fits the music very well, I think.

Your album is a real invitation to journey into your universe composed by a lot of influences like Jazz, Folk, Classical, Soul and Electronic Music. Who are the people who have influenced you and why?

There are many influences. I am a big fan of Ahmad Jamal. The way he plays the piano and the way he plays with time is amazing to me. He always has a very strong rhythmic concept and very good drummers. Joe Zawinul and his band Weather Report has a big influence on my sound. He is the master of electronic sounds for me. The synth sounds he comes up with and the harmonies that he found amazed me. I had a few drum lessons from the Weather Report drummer Peter Ersike and the percussionist Airto Moreira when I was younger. That tought me a lot. I also listened to some classical piano concerts lately. There is a pianist called Arturo Benedetti Micheangeli.

His Debussy album on the Deutsche Gramphon inspired my track: Aturo. The way he plays is like ancient techno to me. And of course there is so much contemporary music out there right now. That’s great. I listen to a lot of podcasts and mixes on Soundcloud and all the other places.

What kind of approach do you have to successfully marry all these genres together?

It’s really impressive.

I call this “decontextualisation”: taking ideas, melodies, sounds or samples and putting them into a different world. I just try to stay very open in the process. I play around with ideas for a while and this will lead to something most of the time. Sometimes an idea lies around for a few month before it makes sense with something else.

In a near future, will you continue to explore some new musical genres?

Yes. I will. I am working on movie soundtracks and music for small ensembles right now. And I am open to what new ideas will show up soon.

But let’s go back to your album. There are also

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different collaborations on your album? How do you meet those guys and how do you create those tracks?

A few of them I meet when I play live with my band or other project. Kelvin Sholar and Florian Ridl are in my current Drumlesson collective.

With Kim Sanders I have a long writing and producing relationship. The song we did together is based on a writing session we had back in 2006. The singers on the album all came very naturally to the music. Whenever I had a piece of music where I felt that a voice would be good, there was somebody who told me about some new voice or I meet them accidentally in Munich. Like Thomas Hien, who’s sings and co-wrote “Wonders Of The World”. He is a longtime school friend of my brother. Most of the tracks had a structure and a sound that I found before I shared it with the other musicians and singers.

Do you maybe want to choose a last one yourself?

“Aturo”. I took this chord sequence from a Debussy record some time ago and played with it, let it sit, play with it again, do some changes, play it live and so on. It stayed with me for a whole year and went through many changes. It combines the classical with cinematic and club aesthetics.

I will give you three tracks of your album.

Could you tell us the story behind them? It was very difficult for me to choose because all the tracks are so good but I will start with my favorite one, “Wonders Of The World”.

I had a great time with this tune. I played the strings for that tune on an old instrument called Mellotron. It’s something like the first sampler.

It hast tape loops inside for every note. The Beatles used it a lot in the sixties and seventies.

It’s a bit out of tune but has a great vibe. I found this really nice harmony. At that time I met Thomas Hien again, He is along friend of my brother. He loved the harmonies and came up with this great vocal and guitar part.

Have you already in your luggage some new projects or tracks?

There is a lot in the pipeline. I did some remixes and a few tracks on new labels. Like my new label Musica Autonomica, Wilde Records or Lola Tracks. I am touring my new live show and as a DJ into the summer. And the comes the Drumlesson.

My second one is “Shanghai Nights”.

I had a great session with sax player Florian Riedl in Munich. I tried to record a club track with real instruments, all reed instruments that we could find for this track. We have a range from tiny piccolo to big baritone sax and baritone clarinet. I love the sound of the Flutes in this one.

And my last one is “Tob, Der Bär” I call it Rave Jazz. I played this tune for a long time in my live sets with pianist Kelvin Sholar from Detroit. We recorded the final version last summer in Berlin. This tune combines my love for jazz and house music. The trumpet melody is of course borrowed from a classic jazz tune.

As we could also notice, your first release in 1995 was on Compost Records and your first solo album is still on this label. Your work with a lot of other prestigious labels but you seem to be very loyal. What is the story behind this verylong term relationships?

I just love the guys at Compost and the way they handle music projects. It’s a family. We have been in contact all the time. For 20 years.

It was natural to go with Compost.

You already played in a lot of locations around the world and with so many different configurations. What are your best memories?

It’s always special to share great moment with so many different people at the venues I play.

There a many special moments. It’s impossible to name one. I am very fortunate to play in so different locations. I go to Shanghai in two weeks. The club in Shanghai is called Lola, that’s always an intense night. Or the Auono Mica Nights we do here in Munich. The energy is just amazing. Or playing live with a great musician and connecting to the audience. I had a great show with Bugge Wesseltoft in Genova last May. Two hours of improvised music that really moved everybody who was there.

And a last question before ending this interview, what kind of advices could you give to young musicians, DJ or producers?

Listen, learn your craft and the history of it, trust your instincts to find your own voice.

ISSUE 18’- 2014

INTERNATIONAL PROFILE

DEEP MAGAZINE

P O L E FOLDER By: Laurent Hulsteart >>> Label Manager, electronic sounds Pole Folder – a tremendous Belgian DJ and live performer - runs his own Reworck label and collaborates on a regular basis with Brussels-based label Electronical Reeds.

Their last collaboration arrives in the different shops during this month of June and offers an incredible 6-track EP Human on which we could also find the amazing voice of the Icelandic singer Simon Latham.

The first original called The Bitter Memory, is an enigmatic track with a really heart tugging male vocal floating in wide-open spaces.

Rubbery drums play and drive the thing along and main room, sweeping melodies come in to sweep you off your feet. The second track, U.S.E. was previously released last autumn on the Y3ARS album, still on Electronical Reeds.

It is a spine tingling bit of magical house with great melodies and tons of atmosphere, as well as a super evocative and neo soul male vocal line that really takes flight. U.S.E. gets plenty of remix treatment.

First to appear is Kompakt’s Icelandic Superstar GusGus alongside T-World for a squelchy tech house reinterpretation that is elegant and uplifting. Next up is Brussels man and label artist, Lex Newton that gets all slick and lively on his classy house re-rub.

Another Electronical Reeds artist, Superdrums, comes with his vision of U.S.E. and makes it into a cosmic bit of house funk. Finally, Simon Latham also turns in a solo remix that is even more moody and melodic.

During his promotion campaign, Pole Folder gave us an exclusive interview to speak about his career, his memories and his future projects.

ISSUE 18’- 2014

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INTERNATIONAL PROFILE

First of all, for the people who don't know you yet, could you introduce yourself in few words?

I'm a Belgian musician born in the 70's. I trained in music school, symphonic orchestra and jazz bands before I started my first rock bands. In the 90's I become more attracted to electronic sounds and bought my first sequencer and synthesizers around this time. I have never stopped to produce and play as a live performer since.

Could you tell us some words about the different musical projects where you’re involved since you started in the music industry?

In 2000 I signed with Sony Music and a few months later with Bedrock records. I produced an album for Bedrock called 'Zero Gold'. I also released a mix CD, several singles, an EP and various remixes on different labels from different countries.

Right now I run my own label called Reworck and have been producing my own radio show on Frisky Radio since 2007.

What are the key moments of your career before you start in electronic music? We will talk about it in few minutes.

I was in a rock band as a keyboard player in the early 90's, with whom I toured a lot in Belgium, along with a few gigs in Germany and France. It was a great experience as it was also my first experience of real recording sessions in a studio.

Why were you attracted by electronic music? What did you love in this (new) sound?

Well, while I was in the band, I was going out on the weekend to the underground electronic clubs in Belgium. I loved the sound of the new technologies DEEP MAGAZINE

and felt a similar passion for this Vocal House, Trance, to Drum music than from the previous & Bass, Chicago House ... We ones ... probably more so. didn't care, the goal was to listen to the best electronic club And why did you choose this music. Today most of the DJs nickname? with their commitment to one At that moment, I absolutely style of music killed the 'House wanted to arrive with a name Nation' vibes and messed up which sounded like a real one with the original eclectism of ... first and last name. I decided the crowd. However, some to take inspiration from some labels and artists dare to be elements we have on the different and that's a good samplers and came up with thing. Electronical Reeds is Pole Folder and have never one of them. I guess I'd say to changed since. give up on looking back to the good old days, as I am ever What look do you throw on the optimistic that a brighter future history of electronic music in for the scene is just around the Belgium? Are you conscious corner. that you’re a part of it?

To answer the second part I Let’s talk about your music. can say directly 'yes'. I'm not What are your influences and really aware of my popularity inspirations? (in terms of label level and that keeps me and/or producer) anyway with the two feet on My influences are expansive the ground.

Regarding the and so versatile that it's history of electronic music in always a brainstorm to pick a Belgium, I know that we have handful of names. If we focus a great history. Lots of clubs on the latest ones, I would were really avant guarde at the undoubtedly have to mention end of the 80's . I have had the Ame, Dixon, (and the sound chance to go to almost all of of their label Innervisions), the best clubs in Belgium since Apparat, Moderat, DJ Koze, 1990 and to discover that sound and Prins Thomas.. Guys like which was for me really unique. Sasha, Digweed and locally For example, I couldn't find the Marko and PhiPhi (in Belgium) same level of quality music sculpted my DJ sound initially. when I was travelling around But I listen also to rock, Belgium. I suspect that the era soundtracks, classic, jazz,... this we grew up in was a bit like the mixture of influences is always Woodstcock years for Rock & at the source of my music.

Roll. A new age full of passion and strong commitments from You worked with a lot of great the crowd and music pioneers. artists and great labels. How Fantastic times. did you meet those guys and how were those collaborations What is your opinion about the born? current Belgian electronic music We met Digweed at the scene? beginning of 2000 as CP my All I can say is that in the past studio partner was a regular at we used to go to a club with his Bedrock parties in London. an open attitude and we could John signed all the tracks we listen to the residents playing gave him at that time and gave everything from Detroit Techno, me international exposure

} human connection too.

About your latest EP on Electronical Reeds, how did you meet Simon Latham and why did you want to work with him?

Actually Simon contacted me a couple of years ago and I decided to compose with him. Simon is a very good singer and a talented writer. These times of affordable technologies for everyone make it easy to work with different people in different locations.

On this Human EP, the famous Icelandic group GusGus who you are a fan since a long time made a remix. I suppose it’s a kind of artistic dream that comes true?

Absolutely! I have loved their work since 1997.

With which other artist do you want to work or by which artists do you want to be remixed?

I would love to remix WhoMadeWho and maybe work with one of the more recent musical heroes such as Ame. I'm already working right now with Simon Jinadu and that is also a dream becoming reality.

with his support. Since then I have travelled a lot and met many of the scenes faces. This has culminated in having the opportunity to work with labels and artists such as Shelley Harland, Hernan Cattaneo, Nick Warren, Robert Babicz In a near future, what is your different musical and Ryan Davis to name a few. projects?

You’re also running your own label Reworck? I'm finishing a new EP for Reworck, I'm also working on a few remixes for different labels Why? And what is the philosophy behind it?

I wanted to create an area of freedom where as Sudbeat and Tribal Pulse. And I'm playing I could release my own productions when I live in a few festivals this summer.

so wished or the tracks from other artists. The philosophy is no genre boundaries. I can release You already played in a lot of locations a tech house track, then a breakbeat one ... around the world and with so many different configurations. What are your best memories? and without any questioning.

I always love Womb in Tokyo and Pacha in You collaborate also with Electronical Reeds Buenos Aires but there are so many great since 2010 and a first remix on Felix Cage’s places where I've played. It's such a fantastic track Blizzard. You work again with them in 2013 experience to travel to a club or location and with the track U.S.E. on the Y3ARS album that share the music you love with the crowd. celebrated the 3rd anniversary of the label. In What do you want to share with the audience June you release an EP Human on this label. when you’re playing in dj set or live?

How did you meet the team and what the story My goal is still the same after all these years. I want to make the audience move physically behind this long relationship?

I met them in 2009. I had a very cool connection while taking them on a spiritual journey with with Laurent, one of the founders and with some the music. I love mixing the sounds I love with DJs from Brussels which signed a few months my own tracks to create a melodic trip, yet later like Felix Cage. Laurent and I share the still with the dancefloor in the forefront of my same story and desires as label owners and mind. It's always a huge pleasure to share A&R, more or less, and the connection of work these moments with the dancefloor. That is a very cool one in Brussels... on top of a great feeling has never gone away.

ISSUE 18’- 2014

TRACK REVIEW

Cherish Mankai @Cherish_LaLa2

I am so pleased to be part of an initiative that aims to cultivate something as beautiful as house music.

It’s always such a pleasure to merit people who are doing what they love and are spreading the love too, here are the top 3 local and international hottest tracks charting and trending in South Africa right now.

TOP 3 LOCAL TRACKS IN SA RIGHT NOW

Title: ‘Easy to love’ Artist: Bucie ft. Heavy K

Title: ‘Pluto (Remember You)’ Artist: DJ Clock Ft. Beatenberg

Alluring electronic, deep house styled track, I always find myself unconsciously singing along whenever I hear it “kwaze kwa’lula ukuthanda , you’re so easy to love...”

Bucie isn’t fibbing, this track really is easy to love with Heavy K dishing out those splendiferous drum beats and the angelic chanteuse Bucie complementing every beat, definitely a club banger through all seasons for 2014.

Oh yes, I really do ‘’Still Remember you”, how can one forget this amazing track?

This infectious, wormy synth Indie Pop, electronic song has accelerated as the summer 2014 house anthem, last year December DJ Clock released his much awaited new album ‘The Fourth Tick’ , electrifying us with a collaboration with Beatenburg, known for their 2013 single ‘Chelsea Blakemore, Beatenburg delights us with their breathtaking vocals blended with the ticking skills of DJ Clock.

DEEP MAGAZINE

Title: ‘Turn You On’ Artist: Micasa

Title: ‘Bad’ Artist: David Guetta & Showtek ft. Vassy

“Can you let me into your space? I promise I won’t touch, I won’t taste... for now” What a sexy Intoxicating, groovy tune, this song has a vibey, jivey, feisty feel, very sexy. Micasa always delivering crisp urban jazz house tunes.

“Look at her go on the dance floor, she’s amazing on the dance floor...”absolute stunner of a track, this tracks identity is definitely dependant on its featured artist Vassy , with her sassy ,powerful voice ,making it very hard not to recite these lyrics.

TOP 3 INTERNATIONAL HOUSE TRACKS IN SA RIGHT NOW

Title:‘Summer’ Artist: Calvin Harris

Title: –‘Waves’ (Robin Schulz Remix) Artist: Mr Probz

“When I met you in the summer”, firstly, what a gob –smacking surprise, really, Calvin Harris can sing??? , this electronic track is no doubt a summer theme song, 2014 globally, Harris’ raspy vocals, inducing mischievous behaviour on electronic dance floors across the country, definitely a party turn upper.

This Dutch artist probably didn’t think his track would be the next big blaze, but just after a few months after he released this track in mid September last year it really is making waves!

Especially after German electronic producer Robin Schulz gave the track a lovely 112 BPM twist. “Pulling against the stream, pulling against the ...”

ISSUE 18’- 2014

VIDEO REVIEW RATING

Artist: Mafikizolo & Davido Record label: Kalawa Jazzmee Title: Tshelete

Artist: Miza ft Kabomo Record label: House Africa Title: Trust

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Following the success of their Reunited album throughout the African continent, Mega duo Mafikizolo have collaborated with Nigerian superstar Davido on this single release. Tshelete means Money in Sesotho, Mafikizolo and Davido did not spare any when they set out to make this video. Produced by Godfather productions, the video raises the bar in South African dance music video standards. On the video, Davido’s charisma is captivating, Nhlanhla looks like a Goddess and Theo looks good busting his signature moves. The several sports cars that appear on the music video have a combined value of millions of Rands. The music video location also looks like money which I think is fitting for the video given the context of the song. In less than a month since its release, the video has already attracted over half a million views on Youtube. This music video is great entertainment, after watching the video the only logical thing to do is to press repeat. Production credits of the single are given to the man behind Davido’s Dami duro Shizzi, Oskido and Uhuru.

This song is very relatable which is what I think a lot of us like about it .Miza and Nutty Nys teamed up on production while Kabomo worked on the vocals .On the music video Kabomo narrates the story of a couple whose relationship is negatively affected by snooping. The video is shot in monochrome which I think gives it a crisp look.

This music video was edited really well which gives it a good look. Miza is still on the come up and that means limited resources that did not stop him from making a good video. This music video is a good creative effort that compliments the single well.

RATING

Artist: Becca ft Uhuru Record label: EKB records and Kalawa Jazzmee Title: Move

Artist: AKA Record label: Title: Congratulate

Becca is a Ghanaian award winning Afro pop artist. The single Move is written by Becca and manager Kiki Banson while production credits go to Kaywa from Ghana and South Africa’s Uhuru and Oskido. You have to take notice of Becca because when Legends Yvonne Chaka Chaka and Hugh Masekela make a cameo on your video you have to be doing something special.

Becca dons over the top African costumes which look great .There is a lot of vibrant colour on the music video and some great dancing. This video is worth your four minutes.

I debated with myself for a short while weather or not I should review this video for DEEP Mag, in the end decided I would. Although AKA is a multiaward winning Hip hop artist, he has said several times that he does not want to be boxed as a musician and artist. Congratulate, the third single off his Levels album samples Harrison Crump‘s ride. Although there was creativity that went into producing the song the essence of house music from the sampled original is still very strong (in a good way). The artist made sure there was hype around the release of the video and I can see why. He was confident about his video because he had put in the work .While video is very simplistic and clean, it also entertaining.

By: Ororiseng Mulaudzi

ISSUE 18’- 2014

VOCALIST FEATURE

NAAK MUSIQ A

relatively newcomer in the music industry is a talent to look out for .Naakmusiq who broke into the industry with hits like Qina featured by dj Sbu and on the hit track “yini”. Anga (Naakmusiq) Makhubalo is a Port Elizabeth born artist who is not only a musician but an amazing actor in one of the biggest soapies in the country called Generations this focused, humble and down to earth artist is certainly here in the game not only to change it but take over, Naakmusiq is the name to remember, be sure to look out for the album titles “love &music” but for now check out the interview we had with him below.

“

I don’t really have time to be Anga a makubalo hey, that’s how busy I am.

I’m at SABC all day and after that it’s meetings, photo shoots, interviews, gigs and flights here and there. I’ve basically dedicated my life to what I do.

“

DEEP MAGAZINE

By: Imkitha Mkebula & Thembani Manganyi ISSUE 18’- 2014

VOCALIST FEATURE

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QA

DM: When did you start your music career, And at what point did you realize you wanted to make to be a musician?

NAAK:I realized I wanted to be a musician when I was 12 years old. My music career started in May 2011 when Move started getting airplay

DM: Who influences your sound and music?

NAAK:Honestly, nobody. I try my best to just do what my heart feels at that present moment.

&

DM: What does Naak music mean?and why did you choose the name Naak?

NAAK:N-Nomvula (mother) AAsanda (Sister) A- Anga (me) KKhanyiso (brother) I think is pretty selfexplanatory why I chose the name.

DM:Every one knew you as an actor then you surprised everyone and dropped a house track,how would you say SA has received you as musician?

NAAK:I was actually a musician before an actor. Move blew up in June 2011 and I only started Generations in December 2011. A lot of South Africans love my music and I appreciate that, but there’s still a lot more that need to catch on.

DM:Our voice is one of the most different and amazing sounds SA has heard in a while, tell us about the process of how you got there or is it just natural born talent?

NAAK:I went to Music School and did a Vocal course where I was taught by and trained by Benji Mudi and RJ Benjamin. So there’s no process as such, I just apply what I was taught and a bit of natural talent here and there.

DM: We have heard you on tracks like “yini”, “move” , “crazy” and “Qina”please give us insight on the production of the tracks and did you write any of the songs?

NAAK:I really have nothing to do with the production, AT ALL. Just one or 2 inputs that don’t really have an effect.

That credit goes to the producers. I write all my songs. No one writes for me.

DM: Tell us about your debut album “love and music”?

NAAK:It’s an amazing album. With a little bit of all the kinds of house music there is. Very Soulful. Brilliant producer.

Not getting the hype it should be getting but hopefully it does with a little bit of a push.

DM:Tell us about Anga Makubalo behind the music and the acting?

NAAK:I don’t really have time to be Anga A Makubalo hey, that’s how busy I am. I’m at SABC all day and after that it’s meetings, photo shoots, interviews, gigs and flights here and there. I’ve basically dedicated my life to what I do.

DM: We’ve seen you work with a lot of artists in the industry, who would you say you would like to work with in the future?

NAAK:Definitely Black Coffee, Nick Holder and one day David Guetta. It sounds impossible now, but wait till it happens.

DM: The ladies want to know is there a any 1 in the picture?

NAAK:Yep! DM: What does the future hold for Naak music?

NAAK:I don’t know. I wish the future could tell me. But best believe I’ll be around for a while. It’s not an ego thing.

It’s just determination.

DM: Who do you think are top 5 South African best vocalists in south Africa?

NAAK:In no particular order: Zakes Bantwini, Donald, Lungelo, J’something and NaakMusiQ By: Thembani Manganyi ISSUE 18’- 2014

GADGET REVIEW

ENTRY LEVEL PIONEER’S REKORDBOX

By Jasveer Morar Twitter: @Jasveer_Morar Facebook: facebook.com/Jasveer.MorarDJ SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/jasveermorar

DEEP MAGAZINE

IN THE BEGINNING Before I begin I would like to say that, when entering the DJ world a lot of hard work needs to be done behind the scenes that people will not see.

No one will reap these benefits of the work you do but yourself. It’s important to make sure you focus in and do the behind the scenes work before you enter the world. Cause this is what separates the great DJ’s from the Good DJ’s. We all see big name DJ’s on huge stages and festivals (Spring Festa, H2O and Ultra) playing some of the sickest tracks, making everyone go crazy and keeping that crowd going. What we don’t see is the Hours of setting up play lists, making sure all their tracks are on point, cue points are in and loops set up. This takes up huge amounts of time and no one can do this for them. For a DJ to play an Hour set, at least 3 Hours of work is needed to be done before that. It’s not like they just rock up, plug in their USB and start jamming. Respect DJ’s who play well and know what they doing, cause they the one’s putting in the Hours to make sure You have a great time and to make sure you come back to listen to them again.

Back in the day when vinyl was rocking, there was no fancy BPM counter, no loop function or Hot Cue’s. DJ’s would read the vinyl and see when the new bars would be coming in. This was due to the way the vinyl was printed. Those who couldn’t read the vinyl would place little stickers on the vinyl to be used as cue points. Now if you think about it, imagine going through 500 pieces of vinyl and putting 3 stickers on each one. Just the thought of that would put you off DJing. But people have done it. And those who did could play a lot more tracks with just the meaty, Juicy parts making their mixings a lot better than most other guys (Correct?). So when companies started making CDJ’s they include the Hot cue function, loop modes and cue buttons, BPM counters and reverse buttons. Now DJ’s could carry 20 tracks per CD and not just two per vinyl. But work had to be done behind the scenes even with CD’s.

Anyone remember the Pioneer CDJ 1000 MK3?

Did anyone know that they had memory card slots on them? These were made to save Cue and Hot Cue points. I learnt about this through a Video with Armin Van Buuren. (Now you understand why he was voted 5 times as the Number 1 DJ in the World). As the times were moving forward Pioneer knew that USB’s were going to be the next big thing, hence adding USB and SD slots to the CDJ 2000’s. To manage this system they created an App called RekordBox.

ISSUE 18’- 2014

GADGET REVIEW

REKORDBOX RekordBox is an App that can be used on

Mac, PC, tablets and Smart phones. 1st thing 1st it is not used to DJ with like your Serato, Virtual DJ and Trackor. It is here to manage you Music. Think about it as ITunes on DJ steroids. When you open it you will notice your Cue and Play Buttons as found on the Pioneer CDJ set up on the left, above that your search and next track Buttons. You will also notice your Hot cue Banks of A, B and C. Next to that you will see Quantize, Loop function and the different loop sizes being 4, 8, 16 and 32. In the middle your wave form, needle search, time and BPM. On the right memory points for up to 10 points to save. You will see you collection, playlist, Hot Cue Banks, Bridge, Tag list, Info and Devices. Getting started is easy. Simply go to file and say import tracks or else Drag and drop to get started. You will notice that the tracks will be analyzed.

This gives the BPM and Key of the Track.

This will also show the wave form of the track. Note that the algryhem that is used to measure the tracks are normal and dynamic. Out of 100 tracks I sent through 5 were abit off. That’s a good percentage. You will also get that one or two tracks (mostly Acepella’s) that don’t give a BPM. Don’t ask I am still confused.

Other than that the software works well.

You can zoom in and see where the track changes at each bar. The beat grid might be abit off so make sure you correct it from the start. Your beat grid should start on the 1st kick. Adjusting so that it all lines up. Make sure Quantize is on when adding cue point to the start of the track and press memory to save you cue point. (I’ll do a talk on Quantize in my next article). Adding Hot Cues to the track gives you the ability to change to different parts of the track by the press of a button. You can set Hot cues anywhere on the track. As I Play Techno Music there isn’t a huge Build up and

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snare drums to let me know the drop is coming. So I add my hot cues 2 bars before the drop and another hot cue before the break down. Hot cues are also there to remind you of something.

With the way I set up my hot cues 2 bars before the drop I can go crazy on the effects and making sure I don’t mess up on the drop. Another feature is the loops. You can place a loop at any place in the track. The loops can also be stored on memory. A lot of my tracks have 16- 32 loops at the end of the track ( I leant this for Kiss Sells Out) and with active loop I don’t have to engage the loop as when it gets to that point it loops automatically. After sorting all of my cues. Hot cues and loops, it is a good idea to start naming and sorting out the names of the tracks.

Making tracks have the correct name, artist and genre next to them is a Bonus as you can look for the tracks a lot quicker. It is also advised to colour code your tracks making it easier to tell the difference between them. Album art can be put on the tracks which can be shown on the CDJ’s 2000. After tracks have been sorted, play lists can be made. This allows you to put tracks in there and transfer the play list to USB or SD. Music can be sorted out in which order you would like to play them. Hot Cue banks are what make the function on RekordBox worth it. Each Hot cue is 1- 4 beats long. Putting in different Hot Cue Banks from 3 different tracks is something unheard of. E.g. Euphonik’s “they must Shut Up” sample on Hot Cue A and Fat Boy Slim’s “ Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat” on Hot Cue B. While one track is playing u can play these samples live on top of it with no lagging or buffering in the CDJ. That’s sick. Once all tracks are done and imported to USB they will work on all Pioneer CDJ’s (350,450,750,850,900,900Nexus, 2000

CONCLUSION and 2000 Nexus). All the hard work you spent will now pay off.

RekordBox is here to make sorting out you music a lot easier. You can take your laptop, tablet or smart phone to gigs and plug them into the CDJ’s or DJM to the laptop via USB or Wifi, drag and drop tracks to the CDJ’s or mixers. Tracks can be sorted out on Smart phones and through wifi or USB and played through the CDJ’s. All 8 beat loops of Acepella are made on the DJM 2000 Nexus will also be saved in RekordBox. After performing plug your USB into RekordBox and a review of your set will be shown. This way you can see how many times you tracks have been played and review which tracks go well together for future refernce. Should you need to put a track list up it will be shown in order of being played so searching through the mix won’t need to be done. Keep in mind this is a lot of work that needs to be done. Each tracks takes between 4-5 mins to do and just 20 tracks is 100 mins which is close to 2 hours of work before you can even start mixing. Look at Chuckie, he has 1530 tracks through RekordBox and it keeps on growing. His travelling DJ so when his sitting in an airport or in the air his busy doing all these tracks.

It’s not easy. But doing this makes you more aware of your music. By doing this even tracks you burn to CD’s, have the information you have done on RekordBox. Preparing for your set is key as it shows you ready and You willing to go the full 10 Yards to be a great DJ.

ISSUE 18’- 2014

RADIO FEATURE

ENTER THE PLAYERS CLUB The Player’s Club is, in essence, an in-house platform.

The DJs that play on the show are predominantly Y FM radio jocks

When YFM Programmes manager, Tumelo Diaho-Monaheng, and Y FM presenter, Mulo, sat down to conceptualise The Player’s Club it had been a while since the station had a whole show dedicated to mixes. With an interest in YTKO (a weekday mix between 18h00 and 18h30) growing more and more, the need to expand the platform saw the birth of a new destination that would be called The Player’s Club; a 5-hour treat of mixes from various DJs for the station’s listeners .

On the night of its debut, the show managed to trend nationwide and continues to hold its own alongside competition from national radio stations. And just like a literal club, all the key ingredients are there for you to turn up.

At the centre of this show is the ringmaster and host, Nhlamulo Hlungwani, aka Mulo. The Rhodes University graduate was brought in to connect the Y FM audience to this virtual club. He explains his role as being the guy walking around the club with the microphone, keeping the energy high and the crowed pumped and locked in. But he’s no ordinary hype man as he is a club DJ himself, on top of hosting another 2 shows on the station.

The Player’s Club is, in essence, an in-house platform. The DJs that play on the show are predominantly Y FM radio jocks and staff (with an odd guest appearance here and there). This is so that the listeners get to experience what

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they may be missing out on; not every listener can make it to the venues that their favourite radio jock is play at, so this takes the experience of being in a club to the listener’s car, their lounge or bedroom.

The show is driven by the DJs set, so don’t be stunned when you tune in on a Saturday evening between 19h00 and 00h00 and hear a Kwaito, Hip-hop or Dub-step mix. The dominant genre is obviously House, but it Y FM has a rich history with genres like, for example, Kwaito; at the same time that South African youth found a voice in Y FM in the late 90s, the genre was at the centre of local pop culture. Another dominant aspect is the notable scarcity of female DJs doing mixes on the show – not by design but merely by circumstance.

If you still have any reservations about booking your spot this Saturday to attend this weekly date then check out the online reaction to the show during any given broadcast. Numbers don’t lie and this time around they happen to suggest that Saturday nights are incomplete without a detour to The Players Club.

You don’t take calls in the club – at least not if you’re having a good time, so while the show occasionally will give you a chance to catch your breath and introduce you to a following DJ, the only way to keep in touch is to tweet and facebook the show:

Facebook: Yfm Twitter: @Yfm You can tune into The Playground on Y FM every Saturday between 19h00 and 00h00, YTKO weekdays between 18h00 and 18h30, and The Warehouse on Fridays between 10h00 and 00h00.

By: Baxolisi Mfidi

ISSUE 18’- 2014

DEEP MAGAZINE

COVER PROFILE

CUEBUR

THE MAN BEHIND THE MUSIC

ISSUE 18’- 2014

DEEP MAGAZINE

COVER PROFILE

CUEBUR Meet the talented DJ-producer who goes by the name Cuebur, who came to the streets of Jozi in pursuit of his, dreams and was determined not only to succeed but to engrave his name in every heart that listens to his music. Cuebur started his career at the tender age of 15,rocking dance floors all over the country and his sound hitting Sa's top radio stations. Cuebur has since established himself as a world renowned dj and producer who produced the hit song "Pepe" which was ground breaking in his music industry after being featured in dj Zinhles album "feminine touch”. He also produced songs

like "no doubt" featuring Marrisa Guzman-"Good inside" with Johnny Miller (one of the greatest international producers), NathanX with "walk a mile" and the latest hit song where he's featured by Bucie on a song called "all of me”. Cuebur has worked and played alongside big names like Bucie, Demor, Vikter Dulplaix, Marrisa Guzman, Big Nuz, Charles Webster, Heavyk, Johnny Miller, J'something, Greg Salto, DJ Fresh, Euphonik, Boddhi Satva the list is endless but rest assured he is going to be one of a few artists whose name is going to be written in SA’s wall of fame but for now check out his interview below to get to know him more.

QA

THE MAN BEHIND THE MUSIC

&

>>> By: Thembani Manganyi ISSUE 18’- 2014

COVER PROFILE

DM: Your sound had re-defined what house music is worldwide; tell us about your sound?

CUE: My sound can be defined as a percussive and soulful driven afro beat.

DM: Growing up in a country where grown folks never really embraced as a career,what made you choose the road not taken?

CUE: I love what I do. Other career choices weren’t really for me.

DM: What drives you to create the music you produce? Because you seem to be versatile in your craft CUE: I tend to challenge myself. I always go back and listen to my old or recent creations and try to find ways to better them, in doing so I come up with something new. Also, I like to keep myself relevant with what is happening around the music industry today.

DM: What would you say is your favourite bpm when you are on the decks?

CUE: My sets range from 123bpm – 126bpm depending on the type of event.

DM: Dj cuebur as an international brand how has the international music scene recieved you as an artist?

CUE: As a brand, I’ve been getting mad love from all around the world and my music has reached a greater audience within the music universe.

DM: Tell us a bit about Cuebur behind the music?

CUE: Not much of a talkative person, I love being in front of a camera. I like to design, play video games and collect DJ headphones.

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“I tend to challenge myself. I always go back and listen to my old or recent creations and try to find ways to better them”

ISSUE 18’- 2014

DM: Give us an insight on what it means to be a producer and dj?

CUE: I believe that being able to make all sorts music and getting people together is what defines a producer.

Djing is an art form, a way in which a person introduces music to the normal listener and makes a difference to their lives.

DM: What can we expect from cuebur in the near future?

CUE: Good music all the way.

DM: hat do you think of the current state of house music And what would you like to change about?

CUE: I would describe our current state as Trendy. I wouldn’t change much really, DM: Did you get a chance to vote and how has the opportunity of a democratic country affected you in terms of growing in starting and growing your craft?

CUE: Yes. It has given me the freedom to express myself through music GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT DJ CUEBUR: DM: Where were you born?

CUE: Cuebur is from a small township in Middelburg called Mhluzi DM: Where did you learn/study your craft?

CUE: I’m a self-taught music producer and Dj. I learnt everything I know from the manuals provided with the different software I use to make music.

DM: Who are the guys you've worked with in the industry?

CUE: I’ve worked with a lot of recognizable acts in the industry, to many to mention.

DM: At what age did you take interest in music?

CUE: At the age of 15 DM: Where and where was your first break into the music industry?

CUE: My break came in the year 2011 where I release my first album through Soul Candi.

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ISSUE 18’- 2014

GADGET REVIEW

4

THE

“4D sound enables you to walk through space and experience sound from all different directions. Sound seems to hover in space – Like a phantom” - Stimming

4D, 4 dimensions...Euclidean space. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear, see or read anything about 4D? The photo print size? The ring finger size? The 4th dimension? Or do you imagine the overpriced and overrated 45 second theme park demo rides that give you the normal 3 dimensional viewing experience which then tickle one of your relaxed senses and then call it a 4D experience?

Four flying Dutchmen had something else in mind.

Yes! 4D sound!

What is 4D Sound? 4D Sound was first presented to public ears in 2012 in the form of the Nikola Opera which was composed by Paul Oomen, the name “Nikola” coming from the great inventor Nikola Tesla. During the opera performance the singers performed in the midst of the crowd, thus creating a 4 Dimensional sound experience. This was nothing but an experiment Paul Oomen and the other three creators of 4DSound (Salvador Breed, Paul Holleman and Luc Van Welden) which would eventually birth a metamorphosis in today’s electronic music world.

After a successful Nikola Opera experiment, the founding fathers of 4DSound were inspired further and decided to team up with an impressive array of sound engineers, producers and software developers, thus the 4DSound Showcase was born.

Ableton, Liine and Boomline Acoustics, who teamed with the 4DSound Masterminds then decided, what better way to present this marvel to the electronic music masses than with their own “Squad” of professional producers and DJ’s? 4DSound, Liine and Ableton then selected 6 of the best live Ableton performers they could find to exclusively prepare live performances for the worlds most advanced

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DIM

th

4D

IMENSION SOUND SYSTEM: THE FUTURE IS HERE AND NOW!!!

By Baxolise Mfidi ISSUE 18’- 2014

th Psychoacoustic experiment thus far.

First in line was Max Cooper, since Liine MIDI controllers were the only controllers at the time seen suitable for 4D sound. The London based, computational biology Ph.D. Wielding producer was the first to get a crack at the system after being contacted

by Liine to be the first to try the mind blowing system out and in 2012 the world’s first electronic four dimensional sound showcase took place in Amsterdam.

Another 4DSound showcase took place at the main stage of the Blown Away festival in Rotterdam, Netherlands. This second line up was more experimental, which worked at a reselection process for the last five 4DSound Gurus. The line-up included the Philharmonic Orchestra, Eelke Kleijn, Egbert and the almighty coffee machine sampling Berlin based producer Stimming.

Now if you have had the chance to witness one of Stimming’s extra-terrestrial live performance, you can just about imagine how it might have sounded in more than two dimensions!

Stimming was then selected as one of the five 4DSound “Artist-in-Residency” performers alongside the likes of Lucy, Who DEEP MAGAZINE

collaborated his 4DSound show with Yoga Teacher Amanda Morelli by including Eastern breathing techniques and field recordings.

Producers Biosphere, Pantha Du Prince and Murcof were the last 3 of the illustrious group.

One of the most amazing features of the 4DSound set up is the initial hardware used by the producers which varies in all shapes and sizes but the heart of the system’s control lies in the fate of a 16gigabyte Apple iPad...

Yes, an iPad! iPad shocker aside, Stimming’s setup is what in my opinion was one of the most interesting of the five. The whole system took 5 days to prepare and Stimming decided to take on a “New School meets Old School” approach to his setup by utilizing hardware such as the German manufactured MFB-Tanzbaer analogue drum-computer (With 3 Outputs), a Clavia Nord lead 2 analogue synthesizer and his favourite Teenage Engineering OP-1 music work station, everyone’s favourite Apple MacBook Pro, An iPad and two Mono outs from Ableton Live. This set up was then connected to the 4DSound system which includes 8 sound sources from 48 omnidirectional speakers and 9 subwoofers.

Fellow Sound Engineering Nerds will know

how Mammoth that is compared to the “average” 9.1 channel systems and as you can see in the visualization of Stimming’s 8 sound sources, The boxes around each number represent the magnitude of the “Voice” basically how loud it is, it also represents how many of the 48 speakers are playing a certain signal. The red “walls” you see are virtual reverb plates which modify the 4D sound effects. All the 4 dimensional movement of sound controlled by an iPad. Now you know the technology behind it but you’re probably still wondering how on earth is sound in 4th Dimensions possible if we only live in a 3 Dimensional universe?

Let me break it down. The structure of the system is made up of 16 columns, each column has speakers placed at different heights in a 4x4 grid structure which you may freely walk in and around. Our normal speakers are concave, which directs sound in a certain direction, the 4DSound Speakers are convex. Making the sound vibrate out in all different directions thus allowing one to purvey sounds anywhere in a 3D environment. The catch is that it also allows you to control the movement of these sounds within the environment, hence the massive reverb plates.

They call it 4D because within the space, sound moves across time.

Max Cooper cleared the smoke when he explained and said: “You could start with the sound of someone playing a guitar on the roof, but then that sound flies down to your feet and hangs around there for a while.

They call it 4D to drive home the fact that the time dimension is under your control as well.”

Stimming further clarified by stating that: “It’s not about wave field synthesis, it is a DSP that computes the signal the way it would behave in nature. Played by 48 speakers and 9 subwoofers.”

I hope, for our sake as listeners and electronic music lovers we see and hear more of such ground-breaking innovations and inventions put together especially for our favourite genre and of course. I would love to see something of such nature grace our shores.

But for now let’s close our eyes and imagine Stimming’s “November Morning” in 4D. You can listen to max coopers 4D podcast on his soundcloud page, Make sure you use the right headphones!

By: Tshepo Khanyile ISSUE 18’- 2014

VOCALIST FEATURE

OLWE CHALLENGING STEREOTYPES AND BREAKING BOUNDERIES IN HOUSE DEEP MAGAZINE

“It sounded pretty simple, “A BLACK GAY DJ DUO. South Africa will lap it up.” NOT. It was not easy even on a basic level like getting people to download or listen to our mixes through links we would post. “ My relationship with music; more especially house music; is a long one which dates as far back as 1998, when house music was still relatively new to the mass market. Of course, I was ten years old back then, but my uncle, Tzepo, who DJs as a hobby, was always bumping stuff like Glenn Lewis’s mid tempo cassette in the house and in his car. Growing up living with my uncle also gave me several opportunities to play on DJ equipment he had in the house, but I never paid attention long enough to learn to play. My interest in music remained.

Fast forward to 2011, and my friend, Roger suggested that we DJ. We were in Varsity with a lot of free time at our disposal and we knew that we have pretty good taste in music; his being dub-step and electro and mine being house music.

It sounded pretty simple, “A black gay DJ duo. South Africa will lap it up.” NOT. It was not easy even on a basic level like getting people to download or listen to our mixes through links we would post.

A breakthrough came in November of 2011, where Hastings, a former classmate of mine, was organising the birthday party of YFM’s Faith

Mangope at ZAR in Sandton.

He heard I had begun DJing and wanted to add me to the line-up. This was nerve wrecking. It was the first time playing for an audience and playing live. Recording mixes had been easy; there were second chances if something went wrong. The pressure was also high because ZAR was a big deal back then. Little did I know we were going to learn our first lesson in how things work?

We were booked to play from 20h30 to 21h00. We arrived at 20h00 and the floor was still being swept. By the time it was 20h30, the waiters were beginning to arrive and the sound was not yet set up. At this point, I felt like it might be a sign that this gig is too big as a start and it may just be a blessing that we will not play.

The organiser was adamant that we stay and we will get a chance to play. Guests began to arrive in the hour of 22h00 and that is also when DJs began to play. We were told that we will get slotted in after a certain gig because he had a gig to get to. Essentially, our timeslot was disrespected but we had to respect that of the bigger DJ. At exactly 22:15 we got on and

were told we have 15 minutes to play. Yes; a quarter of an hour. We wanted to show off our skills finally. Unfortunately we did not. Playing live is not the same as playing alone.

Suddenly I lost my ability to cue and synchronise properly. Also there is pressure from the next DJ who is setting up his laptop and cables. If that was not enough, we were cut off when the third song was coming in for a prize give away to take place. It was a nice way of saying “we needed you for the competition and now you may go.”

I was fuming. I had this idea in my head that as a DJ you are there to entertain and therefore you are valuable to the party and organisers need to treat you like gold. I expected to arrive and have drinks waiting for me and to play when my timeslot came.

Those expectations were too high for a newcomer and I am glad I saw that the first time.

The following gig was a charity gig for Mika Stefano at Liquid Chefs. Being Mika’s friend, getting the gig was simple.

At that same gig, another friend, Tshego Seakgoe, managed to convince one of the owners to let us host and play in a weekly Wednesday session in December. On the surface it seemed easy but it soon became too real an experience.

The session was called Tank Top Wednesdays. Because we were being done a favour and it was experimental, we were paid enough for transport and enough to eat. Between the two of us, we had to play from 19h00 until 02h00. This meant a lot of stamina and a lot of music. That is where I can say I learned to play the most and where I learned about how the crowd works. I had to scrounge ISSUE 18’- 2014

VOCALIST FEATURE

for my deepest and oldest house music for the earlier hours and the commercial house music for the later hours. Having control of the music all night also meant having to keep the crowd completely entertained the entire time.

December ended and soon enough I was back at UJ for my final year: 2012. Taking the DJing seriously meant that I would have to hang out with likeminded people. Luckily, there is a DJ society on campus and I joined.

This proved to be a task and a half. I was there because I love music and I want to be a better DJ. Some of the guys there just thought I am probably there to get their attention, because gay men are always looking for male attention, right? Well, I’m certain the mindset changed because at no point did I stop going to my classes and I was getting better practising with them. Instead, DEEP MAGAZINE

the instructor stopped coming to teach, lessons faded but my hunger did not. At this time there were also no gigs. The gimmick of being “the 1st gay DJ” wore thin before it was even worth anything. Sending around demos did not help as well. People say,” everyone is a DJ these days,” and there’s no statement truer than that.

Whether it is on vinyl, CD or computer; many people are able to mix and entertain the crowd. Being a so-called “socialite,” people would ask why promoters and club owners are not booking me when they know me but that is not how it works.

I got the opportunity to be on a TV show called 10 over 10on VUZU TV in 2012. Roger and I were only commentating on this show but the effect it had was an increase in clout. It was

where the popularity increased and for someone booking me, it meant that I could draw a crowd. I got my first gig at a monthly event in Soweto called B2K; which was amazing; and all because of my popularity from the show. This positive progress made me feel like it was going to be easier to get more gigs and it would be easier to pitch for gigs, but it was not the case. Regardless, there was an improvement.

Time went on and I had my monthly gig as well as gigs here and there coming in from organisers and sometimes people I know. I eventually finished at varsity and spent most of my free time learning to play better. It was also free time to get more music, think of branding and ways to get more gigs. I love music but I also wanted to share that with other

“What I have learned from my growing career is that DJing is about your love for music and how you translate it to your audience.”

people more often. In late 2012, I stumbled onto something that worked for the audience. Being a lover of music did not only translate to DJing for me, but also dancing. I was once a contemporary dancer but I am also very good with Kasi (township) street dancing. I’m from Soweto after all. I had seen a DJ dance before and it was fun to watch. At a party in Bassline, Newtown, I did just that. It had been a long day for the revellers of the Gay Pride Parade and by the time I played, people were tired. Song after song people were not responding as much as I wanted. I eventually just started dancing- pulling tricks that looked impossible and pulled people onto the stage to dance with me and the crowd went crazy. After this, I started doing it more often when the crowd was dead and it continued to work. This DJing and dancing phenomenon took KwaZulu Natal by storm at the iBeach Festival. It was there that the producers of Live AMP saw me and invited me to do a mega mix in January 2014. Mind you, I had been asking for the opportunity before but clearly I was not offering anything different. This has, by far been my biggest break. After that TV show aired, gigs have come at a faster rate, but still not too fast. There are still months where I do not gig at all.

ISSUE 18’- 2014

VOCALIST FEATURE People have pre conceived notions of female DJs and as I would come to learn; about gay DJs too. When I say that I am a DJ people do not believe me. When I arrive for a gig, the other DJs (not all) are usually unwelcoming and expect me to play Beyonce and Lebo Mathosa for my whole set. A lot of the male audience does the same. I have had an experience where I was playing in Alexandra and there were men sitting by the booth area who were dancing before I played and stopped when I did; giving me dirty looks in the process. There were all sorts of crude comments being said about my sexuality and refusal to dance to good music. Good music that the rest of the crowd at the party was enjoying indiscriminately.

It does not go for everyone. I have enjoyed great treatment from amazing crowds and respect from fellow DJs. I’ve had the pleasure of having encounters with DJs such as Zinhle, Ms Cosmo, Miza, Nutty Nys, Pepsi, Tholi B, Warras, Heavy K, Fresh and many more. Not many DJs starting out get the chance to interact with people who they look up to. I get that opportunity a lot of the time. Such opportunities inspire me because I take a great deal even from a single sentence saying, “That was a good set.” They may not remember it and it may not be a big deal when they are saying it but to me, it makes me work harder at what I do to be counted amongst them.

Knowing I am on the right track is only half the journey.

I am not getting comfortable. I do realise that there needs to be constant convergence; I cannot give people the same thing forever. Black Coffee is admired for playing with one hand but even if he played with both he would still be the big deal that he is because he produces like a beast and gets better with time and he also surprises his audience every single time with his mixes- creating remixes that hadn’t existed right on the decks. This is why I continue to practise my DJing every day and I am also getting into production with a DJ friend of mine.

DEEP MAGAZINE

“I was fuming. I had this idea in my head that as a DJ you are there to entertain and therefore you are valuable to the party and organisers need to treat you like gold” What I have learned from my growing career is that DJing is about your love for music and how you translate it to your audience. Many people believe that we stand in the booth and just throw tracks at people but that is not the case. The best DJs love music and aim to make the audience feel the same special kind of way the music makes them feel. DJing is also not about instant money-otherwise I would own an island by now. People must expect to earn their place. A sense of entitlement will leave you disappointed. The road to success is a long and bumpy one and you’re only as good as your last gig. This is why; whether your set is at 21h00 when no one has arrived yet; you need to give your best because that is the CV you leave at the venue. I love my job and the effect it has on other people. Otherwise I would long have found a job in what I studied towards and have stability. Patience and perseverance.

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ISSUE 18’- 2014

PROFILE

ATJAZ DEEP MAGAZINE

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PUSHING CREATIVITY WITH HIS NEW LABEL LESS THAN TEN ISSUE 18’- 2014

PROFILE

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“The growth of dance music has not been without costs, having to cater for larger audiences and produce quantifiable success to satisfy institutions that back them, many musicians take less risks and do what has been seen to ‘work ‘. “

Writing and producing dance music in less than running processes. This is the simple idea but, in a time where access to advanced studios and software makes pilling filler sounds and effects into production standard this,’ taking it back to the basics’ idea lead producer extraordinaire Martin Atjazz to launch a label dedicated to encouraging creativity in the music making process .

Lack of creativity in electronic dance music has been a talking point for different stakeholders in the industry lately. Steve Angello in an interview with MTV last year said “it is really important for dance music to become creative again and for producers to think and not just repeat themselves”, Diplo went as far as calling dance music and Djs interchangeable in an interview with the Huffington post. In recent years dance music has evolved and reached new commercial heights, allowing artist to reach broader audiences and higher levels of success. The growth of dance music has not been without costs, having to cater for larger audiences and produce quantifiable success to satisfy institutions that back them, many musicians take less risks and do what has been seen to ‘work ‘.

There is fear that this commercialisation instead of inspiring artistic creativity and facilitating the discovery of new

artists has encouraged the growing trend of repetition and replication.

Atjazz, reflecting on his first album That something which was released in 1998 says that, not having limitless options of sound was key to strong character-full music and that it was the energy and the ideas that’s where the strengths of the productions . What the late Frankie Knuckles first accomplished with a razor blade and tape has led to techniques in edits and remixes that have become second nature today. With a tape and razor blades, Frankie started splicing together new versions of songs in 1979, strategically cutting break beats from other records. With very little he created what was bigger than him because Frankie embodied creativity (RIP).

Creativity is at the heart of every art form. In a music space that is so fickle, if dance music is to stay as relevant as it is now in the foreseeable future, it is without question that a culture of innovation should be fostered and supported. It is great that Martin Atjazz is taking a step in advancing the art of music production and trying to keep things interesting and exciting.Listening to Martin Iverson‘s life on Titan the first release on the label you can’t help but be positive about the Label.

By: Ororiseng Mulaudzi http://www.lessthan10.co.uk/

ISSUE 18’- 2014

MANHATTAN

STORE REVIEW

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he club has 8 bars and enough bar staff to keep the drinks coming as you focus on enjoying your night.

Not forgetting the shooter bar and cocktail bar just to make sure your night keeps

flowing. The club has been featured on top billing, movies, magazines and many more, going to Manhattans is definitely a “must do” for party enthusiasts and “turnup” kings and queens.

THE VENUE Slap bang in the core of Rivonia, Manhattans club is certainly the place to be. You can just feel the energy and vibe from the entrance with the friendly and enthusiastic door staff making sure the queues are kept flowing as fast as possible. The minute you walk in the door all you see is lights, New York style led lights, giving it the American club feel, with over 8 bars (1 dedicated to cocktails, the bar is called Pink ladies) ,the club is huge with a very wide open plan dance THE ATMOSPHERE

floor leading up to the bars and seating areas. Even though VIP is in its own area but they still have the privilege of seeing everything.

The main room is round is round with a bar in the middle and bar stools surrounding the bar, with the bar decorated by all sorts of alcohol and the seating couches with that modern vintage feel to them, not forgetting the lights hanging from the ceiling looking like disco balls.

THE DRINKS

Obviously because of its environment Manhattan club is guaranteed to be a crowd puller, so don’t be surprised when you see a queue. It attracts different kinds of sexes but i gotta say ladies love manhattans”. Girls’ dancing to all sorts of music creates a great atmosphere for manhattans.

The drink prices here are different but reasonable for the area the club is situated at. Bottles range from R800, R1500 to 15k (reserved for those with very deep pockets) But siders and beers usually range between R25-R30 and shots from R15-R30 for all the shooter addicts.

THE MUSIC

CONCLUSION

Club enthusiasts can expect a range of music from commercial House, Electro, Hip Hop, RnB and everything that keeps the party alive.

Manhattans is definitely one of the places to be and without a shadow of doubt, promises a night of fun, laughter and crazy memories.

By: Thembani Manganyi ISSUE 18’- 2014

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HE BRAAM LIFE Welcome to the city of gold (Johannesburg), most of all welcome to the buzzing hub of a new fresh and creative lifestyle of Braamfontein. In the recent years Braamfontein affectionately known by its trendy dwellers as Braam, has set the stage for urbanisation of the city and a focal point of creative artisan in food and clothing. Creating us to be constantly interested in its undiscovered gems.

THIS ISSUE WE LOOK AT 5 STORES WE THINK TAKE CENTRE STAGE TO THIS ARTISAN LIFESTYLE.>>> ISSUE 18’- 2014

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PAROOZ We start with Parooz a trendy store catering for female cliental, this store is the ultimate definition of the “The Tumblr Girl” look. With it’s one of a kind items that will having you looking “blogger- casual” (For me this means stylish but effortless) to very Dressy and lady like. It’s honestly a one stop shop for the most versatile of ladies.

Their prices range from R100 to the most expensive item being the peacock feather skirt being R1200, which I’m totally in love with. @ PAROOZFASHIONS

SUPREMEBEING Supremebeing is next on this block for us and well if you don’t know Supremebeing, which rock have you be living under? Gents this is another one for you. Supremebeing is commonly known as being sporty which it is but their winter range has moved into some trendy gear that’s very stylish. Amazing WARM cardigans, jackets, sweaters, sneakers and jeans. I promise the ladies in your lives will not want to bring back your Supremebeing gear.

Items range from R150-R1100

STACHE

FEIYUE

Feiyue is our next store we loved. This is a sneaker store and with everything being expensive these days, this store is quite reasonable for the student pocket. With prices of these sneakers ranging from R350-R575 for TWO!! Yes for two can you say bargain…They also have T-shirts with their logo on which go for R175. So stop by and make sure you grab yourself a pair both for ladies and men.

DEBUT

Debut- This store is new to the streets of Braamies and has been opened by our collective Deejay unit Euphonik and Kent. This store has the most interesting arrangement I’ve seen, showing that design was carefully thought about and executed to a tee. Besides they’re inviting and edgy street design, their clothes are provocative, daring and out there. With items ranging from R150- R850 it’s good for the pocket, so you aspiring deejays have no excuse not to be stylish anymore.

Our Last fave store in Braam is Stache. Sorry ladies this is another one for the gents, so you have many options to get your father, brother, boyfriend or husband the perfect gift for any occasion. This store has some of the best classic items for me. The jeans are the best I’ve seen and the shoes are very interesting, unconventional and cool. This store is surely for the man who knows his look and isn’t afraid to take fashion risks. Stache also holds a variety of accessorises. Their items range from R150-R1300 and the shoes range from R350 for vans – R1500 for burgundy boots. @Stachesa ISSUE 18’- 2014

STYLISTA OF THE MONTH

ZAKES BANTWINI PROFILING OUR MOST STYLISH HOUSE ARTISTS>>> NAME : ZAKHELE MADIDA STAGE NAME: ZAKES BANTWINI FIRST MAJOR HIT: JUJU STYLE : TAILORED CHIC & DARING A man with the moves Zakes is surely one of SA’s musical treasures. Being an overall artist, producing and performing. This guy is serious about his art and not only that but his a savvy business man. With these many roles this guy still manages to look amazing.

Which I think should come effortlessly to him. With his daring looks he always looks top notch and we take our hat off to him and name him for this month our Deep Mag Stylista of the month.

By: Thando Mazibuko DEEP MAGAZINE

ISSUE 18’- 2014

}} HE PERFECT MENS' GUIDE TO FORMAL WEAR

DEEP MAGAZINE

BEST MENS’- FASHION BLOG

WWW.WHATMYBOYFRIENDWORE.COM

T

he perfect guide to formal wear for men has to be given to the blog “what my boyfriend wore”, it is the perfect way to advise young vibrant trend setting men on how to upgrade there wardrobes by completely experimenting with the modern day Suit. I believe by dressing this way on

a daily basis will boost a mans confidence & help him take over the world, that’s just my opinion. The office look coupled with detailed pieces that instantly convert a look into an easy going yet powerful outfit.

To check out more of the art of dressing log onto: www.whatmyboyfriendwore.com/

ISSUE 18’- 2014

DENIM WEEK 15 OF THE BEST DENIM STORES ON EARTH

by Alexander Gwilliam

You might think it self evident that all men are created equal, but let’s get this straight from the start: all denim is not. Finding truly premium denim is like finding truffles in the forest. You can’t just walk into a store and hunt for the most expensive pair on the rack; you need someone who knows the best spots – someone who knows those dedicated vendors that deal exclusively in premium product.People don’t usually just hand this info out, but we’ve seen enough ill-fitting bootcut jeans to haunt us for a lifetime. So, like a well-dressed bloodhound, we’ve sniffed out 15 of the world’s best outlets for scoring top-grade, crème-de-la-loom denim so you can rock nothing but the best on your bottom half.

TATE + YOKO (MONTREAL) 9096 BLVD. ST-LAURENT MONTREAL, QUEBEC H2N 1M9 CANADA For the citizens of Montreal there’s only one place to get a good pair, and that’s TATE + YOKO on Boulevard St-Laurent. The original Canadian source of artisan Japanese denim, the store was stocking brands like Japan Blue, Oni Denim, D#, and Kamikaze Attack before many others had picked up on them. A classic in so many senses.

BLUE OWL WORKSHOP (SEATTLE) 707A N. 35TH STREET 2ND FLOOR SEATTLE, WA 98103 USA With a great selection of raw denim and some rare collaborative projects between some of the smaller Japanese names, Blue Owl Workshop is a solid bet for those seeking a cut above the norm. They also win mega bonus points for having perhaps the friendliest customer service known to man.

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PRONTO DENIM (BANGKOK) VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN THAILAND If you thought Thailand was all about knockoffs and cut-offs, Pronto Denim will show you otherwise.

Carrying everything from respected mass-market brands like Nudie and Naked & Famous to some of the more cult Japanese labels, there’s a little something to suit everyone’s tastes here.

Furthermore, with four separate stores across the country, there’s less of a trek required to get your hands (and legs) on the goods.

HINOYA (TOKYO) 6-10-14 UENO TAITO-KU TOKYO, 110-0005 JAPAN Pause for a moment and pay respect to one of Tokyo’s oldest streetwear institutions. Having been in the workwear and vintage game for more than 65 years, in the very country where the world’s best denim is manufactured, you better believe you can find some good cloth here. That’s about all we need to say on this one.

SELF EDGE (SAN FRANCISCO, NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES AND PORTLAND) VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN THE USA Whether you call it selvage or selvedge, there’s no denying Self Edge (see what they did there) is one of the leading suppliers of this most prized of denims. Carrying a wealth of premium U.S. and Japanese brands, along with a number of its own collaborative pieces, its four stores have been serving the discerning American public for long enough now to know exactly what they want.

Image: Isaac Likes 3×1 (NEW YORK) 15 MERCER ST. NEW YORK, NY 10013 USA Founder Scott Morrison scoured the globe in order to source the best denim and indigo in existence.

Offering three types of jeans – either from the Collection, Custom or Bespoke – 3×1 takes the idea of a personal pair of jeans to a whole new level. Even if you’re not in the market for a new pair, you should stop by the next time you’re in Soho to see the team in action.

(THIS IS A FIRST OF A TWO PART SERIES- CHECK OUT THE OTHER 9 STORES IN THE NEXT ISSUE) ISSUE 18’- 2014

ART & SNEAKERS NEW BALANCE COLLABORATIONS Following his “Space Sneaker” illustrations, Bucharest-based illustrator Ghica Popa has morphed five of his favorite New Balance collaborative releases into cartoon machines.

The West NYC “Alpine Guide” MT580 becomes a snowmobile; the Concepts “C-Note” 998 transforms into an armored vehicle; the Kith “Daytona” 1600 celebrates with a pool party; the LaMJC x Undefeated x colette MT580 appears to be a professional team’s coach touring bus; and Sneaker Freaker’s “Tassie Devil” 998 becomes a robotic version of the endangered Tasmanian Devil. Be sure to visit Ghica’s official website to see more of his work. The artistic conceptualisation of the new balance sneakers is amazing, this proves that fashion is an art form. These illustrations will surely improve the attention on new balance as a brand and what it stands for.

Illustrations by Ghica Popa

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ISSUE 18’- 2014

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