Sunday, July 11, 2010

Sunday Special: Magda presents 'Forty Fathoms'

Magda is that rare combination: a truly talented DJ and an exceptionally lovely human being.

I first met Magda in the front bar of a friend's friend's launch party, where she was mixing some disco records.

Not only was the mixing flawless – which was astonishing, given how bad the acoustics in the place were and the absence of any foldback - but the track selection and programming were both inspired in and of themselves and perfectly sympathetic for the mood and moment.

Then there's her versatility: I had her pegged as a house and disco DJ, then she killed it at HaHa's 'Redshape' party in Sydney a few months back, with a technoid set that would have done any of the panoramabar residents proud.

Magda is proof that some people are just meant to DJ. Listen to this and you'll hear why.

Magda presents: Forty Fathoms

...casual skype Q&A follows...


m: just remembered you gave me the extended mix of Carly Simon's Why... oh the awesomeness!

p: It is fucking hot, no? But this morning I am 'oh my fucking god' spazzing out over one of the tracks on Efdemin's newie, 'Wonderland'. Reminds me why I liked Brinkmann and microhouse.

p: *ahem* First question for the Q&A: tell me (describe) a little about this mix. Specifically, tell me a little bit about what makes it your mix? Where's the Magda in this mix, the 'Magda' moment? & (what) can this mix tell us about your general approach to DJing?

m: I try and create a specific promotional mix annually, one that encapsulates where I'm at with DJing as a craft and an aesthetic, if I can say these things without sounding too pretentious! I make them to give out to friends, promoters and musical types as a promo tool, and also for the pleasure of the process. I try and present as many of the sounds and textures that are interesting to me at the time in as cohesive a package as possible when doing these promos. I love allowing the records to breathe, be their own entity, but also interact beautifully with those around them and in the mix as a whole. Also I've always been interested in that magic moment where two records playing together create something entirely new, and that tends to mean long, smooth mixes for better interplay of parts. That can get boring though - it's good to provide contrasts as well! I think this sums up this mix and my overall approach to DJing.

p: Over the past two years, I've developed two rules of thumb (and fingers!) when mixing: 1) if you can, make it good. If you can't make it good, make it quick. 2) Mixing is over-rated; track selection is not. ...what do you think about that?

m: Absolutely agree – it all falls over if you throw down a couple of ill advised tunes and the energy dissipates. Coming back from that is much more difficult than from a fluffed mix - in fact, you can often turn a shit mix to your advantage, or at least the crowd's often much more forgiving of it. I remember seeing Gilles Peterson do exactly that in Berlin a few years ago, he absolutely trashed a mix, did a spin back, got on the mic and said something along the lines of "let's try that again", started the tune and the place erupted. All because the tune was excellent.

p: What are some other moments - either out, on the phones, in the past or recently - have been really transformative for you in terms of DJing? For me, it was hearing the Globus mixes by Herbert and Dan Bell, then hearing Michael Mayer play in Tokyo in 2002 at Blue, which is now defunct. The final event was so hot for me... it made me REALise how amazing DJing could be...

m: Oh wow, that's really difficult to answer - sketchy memories! Gigs that had a huge impact in the early years were the Tweekin and Sabotage parties held in Sydney at the Metro - moments of a dancfloor enthralled. Later on, Charles Webster's appearance at a Mad Racket NYE party was bliss also, and most recently I've had most fun at Picnic's first Horse Meat Disco party and Chris Duckenfield both as PPE and at Racket. These are all moments that stand out as reminders that above all, a night out has to be fun. And all the DJs that played are masterful technixians. In the headphones, recently, Steffi's Panorama Bar II mix, Move D's mix for Sydney's Aprés Sunday session (on their soundcloud, get onto it!) and pretty much anything by Mark E.

p: Where do you feel house and techno are at right now, in three senses or sites: 1) generally, as an artform; 2) geographically, in Sydney; 3) from the heart, personally? Where do you think things are moving, and what kinds of things are moving you? ....also: what do you think makes a fun night 'fun' - and/or: what are things that venues MUST have; what are things they often DON'T have (but should); what are some other things you wish they had? I keep going back to this interview with RV:

m: PC, this is crazy Q&A styles. Alright...

1) As with any artform, music has peaks and troughs and it seems as though we're on the up and up at the moment. I judge this by how much I'm inclined to buy, and at the moment what I'm finding exciting is that there is too much good music, which hasn't been a problem over the last 12 months or so.

2) I think Sydney heads have realised over the past several years that the only way to find a platform for great music is to create it yourself, and the result is a really healthy underground scene. Parties run by HAHA, Future Classic, Loose Kaboose, Co-op, Everyone, Shrug, Picnic and more besides are all about nurturing local talent with the occasional international headliner and it's really exciting to see.

3) Personally, I'm really loving the deep house resurgence that's occurring, now that the first wave of more generic derivative stuff has passed through and producers are really digging deep. Like point, one, there's too much really exciting music getting released!

m: Also...

Geeky discourse aside, a fun night depends on so many variables that it's almost irrelevant listing them. All the essentials should be in place, sure - sound systems need to be good, clear, not too low, not too loud, behind the scenes seamless, all that stuff. But unless you have a trusting, up for it crowd ready to go wherever they're taken, the details don't necessarily matter. I guess the challenge lies in attracting that crowd - people that want to dance! I think Mad Racket does that really well in Sydney - a venue that has faith in the promoters, a solid sound system, but mostly the reputation to pull in a great crowd of trusting, clued up punters who know they're getting a good party regardless of who's playing, pretty much. and with that, i sign off! good night to you, sir.


.

24 comments:

  1. Oh, I was really confused until I got to the parties in Sydney part. I was like uhhh this can't be the minus Magda.

    It's an interesting mix, I like it

    ReplyDelete
  2. splendid set..

    thanks for reminding me that RV interview :P

    ReplyDelete
  3. what a lovely mix - thanks for bringing it to the blog!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Reeeeally nice ... typical isnt it. 3 comments!! people dont know here so they arent bothering. best mix i have heard for months ... check it out folks!! ... beautiful piece of work!
    d.

    ReplyDelete
  5. you might want to mention its "magda b" not "magda."

    i saw this and was like "uhh...why the hell do the ssg's care about m_nus?"

    ReplyDelete
  6. @ Eric: if you read the post it should be very clear. The fact that she plays disco and lives in Sydney might be a give away... ;)

    ReplyDelete
  7. no it's not clear, they have the exact same name.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Magda from m_nus plays some "dark disco". And she is a good DJ, no matter how anti-Minus you may be. Listen to the latest RA podcast....
    Just sayin....

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks boys, superb mix. And an afternoon off to enjoy it too!

    ReplyDelete
  10. have to say, i was thrown by the doppelmagda thing. was really enjoying this mix on the way to work this morning, but thinking 'shit, this is pretty different for her' (m_nus magda).

    ReplyDelete
  11. @pc : seeing as how the new magda ra podcast has cuts from esg and chaka kahn in it, i'd say no, outside of the sydney connection, its not very clear.

    ReplyDelete
  12. wow!! this is a really great mix.
    but just like eric says, you have to check out the other magda last mix at RA: http://www.residentadvisor.net/podcast-episode.aspx?id=215

    ReplyDelete
  13. With all due respect, I am utterly surprised by this pointless discussion about Magda (m_nus) and Magda (not_m_nus), or more precisely about whether it was obvious from the post who she is, or who she is not.

    From the interview, it was clear that is not Magda. Also, Magda's RA is good, indeed. But still. I would understand the following: holly crap, this mix is great - which it is + the interview also, but it does not really sound like Magda (m_nus). And there is a point.

    Anyways, as said, with all due respect. And it is on the picture also...But m_nus Magda would be Magda C or Magda Ch?! Mix is tops, discussion interesting, thanks for the post!

    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I was also thrown off because I'd never heard of Magda B. Reading the interview, I was wondering when it was that Magda lived in Australia. I did a few searches for "Magda Forty Fathoms" and found these:

    http://www.youclubvideo.com/audio/116883/magda-presents-forty-fathoms-11-07-2010-t7c

    http://www.deepmovement.com/magda-–-presents-forty-fathoms-–-11-07-2010-magda-forty-fathoms/

    and other such posts... not saying the sources are ones I'd expect to be reliable, but it seems Magda B is not getting credit where credit is due. I suppose this is the curse of having a shared name with one of the most well known female djs. All that aside, what a wonderful mix it is!

    ReplyDelete
  15. thing is i didn't even read the interview because i saw "magda" in the title. i shut down there. is that my bad? probably. but the thing is the title is going to tip people off as to whether or not they should venture on, and by that title...i didn't find a reason because of the omission of one letter. all you had to do was put "magda b" and i'd probably have given it a chance a lot sooner than i did.

    ReplyDelete
  16. besides, if there was someone named "farfel dettmann" that only played yacht rock and polka, and you only put "dettmann" in the title, how many people would be annoyed that you omitted the key factor in keeping the names separate?

    ReplyDelete
  17. @eric cloutier

    it's not that I do not see how it happened, it's that this mix is far better than to spend time on "confusion". and tweets came right after. Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  18. @ all magda ambiguous things:

    I'm just amazed you guys would rather have this boring discussion about naming than read the interview and listen to the mix.

    But: it does show you the importance of frame and caption, as well as tell you a lot about people's online reading/scanning habitus.

    In any case, please have a listen to Magda from Sydney's mix, it is fantastic. And please take the time to read the Q&A, it should show you unambiguously that this is a unique individual from Sydney, who is a talented DJ, whose name is Magda.

    ...I guess this would be an everyday problem in Poland...?

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anyone no the name of the track from about 14:00 onwards?

    Cheers

    ReplyDelete
  20. @Daniel: It's Marek Hemmann- Compass. I listened to this mix again at work the other day and I have to say that it's absolutely a gem! Not a dull moment, seriously enjoyable mix. Thanks ssgs for bringing it to us, and thank you Magda for putting your heart into it.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Jeremy, thanks for the track ID. Was just listening to this thinking I had to have that exact one. And as for the confusion about the name, I totally agree. I read on mainly because I was sure it couldn't be Magda Minus so I wanted to prove myself right (and my continuing faith well placed). But there was definitely some surprise and doubt on my part at first. Still, even if it said Magda B I'd likely be just as confused. I recommend Magna-not-Minus.

    ReplyDelete
  22. word. why is the mixer repeatedly announced as "magda", while her name is "magda b" (even on the artwork)?
    i'd be not amused if i was her..
    awesome mix though!!
    btw. m.i.a. is now called mia grobelny. this is her new release. http://bit.ly/dev12c
    **promo spam end** sorry :-|

    ReplyDelete
  23. on another note, minus might not be the most interesting label in the world right now, but i'm confident to say alot of their current releases are nicer to me than most of the hype tracks of the season. but what does minus-magda have to do with that anyway? she is a good and versatile dj and has just made one record on minus, 5 years ago..

    ReplyDelete
  24. I don't know why I didn't notice this before but props for exposing Magda to a wider audience. I caught her set at that HAHA warehouse party as well and it was probably set of the night for me. Great DJ and great sounds!

    I'm looking forward to listening to this. If any peeps are in Sydney you can catch her this Friday at the Polo Lounge too. She's got a new night with Mark Murphy called 'Jack'. It looks pretty good.

    ReplyDelete

Say something constructive, bitte. Or if you're gonna take a swipe, at least sharpen your nails.

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.