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Goa Looking to Host Its Own EDM Festival in India
Tourism minister Rohan Khaunte said on Tuesday that the government was contemplating organizing an EDM festival in Goa, India. He also said that the government may not permit Sunburn to run in December if its dates clash with the Goa’s state festival.
âSunburn has not been given permission nor has it approached the tourism department,â Khaunte said. âThe Goa government is trying to have its own festival this year with a different flavor. If we are able to organize it in December at the same time as that of Sunburn, the latter may not find a space.â Read more
Dotdat’s “Terra Incognita” Forms Part of Charity Compilation
Dotdat’s new release “Terra Incognita” makes up the fourth installment of the System Revival charity compilation. This charity compilation aims to raise money to supply art materials and music instruments to the organization Wave of Hope for the Future.
Opinion: Why A Women-Only Music Festival Does Nothing Long-Term
It’s Domestic Violence Awareness month and while the media’s focus has been on sexual predator and recognized American film producer, Harvey Weinstein, people on Facebook and Twitter have been sharing personal sexual assault stories with the hashtag #MeToo.
Unfortunately, the festival culture has contributed to this problem. In 2015, a Coachella festival attendee proudly wore an âEat, Sleep, Rape, Repeatâ shirt while he posed with a grin and the peace sign. In 2017, one rape was reported at Glastonbury festival in the UK. The BrĂ„valla Festival in Sweden reported four rapes and 23 sexual assaults over the course of the four-day event and was consequently canceled for 2018. These are a few of the recurring tragedies in our community.
To confront what happened at BrÄvalla Festival, a Swedish comedian and radio host, Emma Knyckare, proposed an idea on Twitter:
Vad tror ni om att vi styr ihop en asfet festival dit bara icke mÀn Àr vÀlkomna som vi kör tills ALLA mÀn har lÀrt sig hur en beter sig?
â Emma Knyckare (@Knyckare) July 2, 2017
“What do you think about putting together a really cool festival where only non-men are welcome that we’ll run until ALL men have learned how to behave themselves?”
The idea spread like wildfire and Knyckare created a Kickstarter to crowdfund Statement Festival, “the worldâs most awesome music festival – without cis-men” where her goal is to, â…create a safe space for the people who want to attend a festival without feeling scared for their personal safety.â The fund surpassed its goal of 500,000 Swedish Krona, which is approximately $61,630, by 3,300 people who funded the campaign.
Regrettably, this voluntary gender segregation implies that men and women cannot coexist peacefully. It reminds me of the commonplace gender segregation that occurs in places like India and the Middle East.
Besides creating a safe space during the festival, the rash decision to bar cis-men doesnât address the root of the problem: sexual assault education.
According to a 2013 report by the United Nations, rapes and sexual assaults are a direct result of sexual entitlement, seeking of entertainment (who knew) and as a punishment. These are the areas where men need to be educated.
Take the hashtag #MeToo. It was extremely powerful for men to see the amount of sexual harassment and assault stories that it caused several of themâin my very own communityâto self-analyze and really look at what is happening around them.
Men do not need to be told that the only way women can be kept safe is through segregation. They need to understand the consequences of their actions from an early age; they need to be taught about consent by their guardians, parents, teachers, and peers. They need to be taught the importance of basic human decency, respect, and love. And most importantly, they should lead by example to influence their male counterparts.
While Statement Festival may solve the assault issue in the short-term, it wonât help solve anything long-term. It reinforces the ideas that men and women cannot live in unison, and that all men are sexual offenders, even if they arenât. It does not present innocent men the opportunity to teach their male counterparts how to respect women and how to be conscious of their actions. After all, donât we want to be as inclusive as we aim to be included and treated fairly?
VH1’s Supersonic Festival Brings Techno to Goa, India
The VH1 Supersonic Festival hits Goa, India this December with a surprisingly heavy lineup of underground electronic music. Taking place December 27th through the 30th on one of the spectacular beaches of Goa, Supersonic Festival aims to provide a complete electronic music experience for the enthusiastic audience.
Headliners such as Axwell, Disclosure, and Nervo will undoubtedly attract the masses, but kudos to Supersonic for curating a well thought-out lineup of techno mainstays such as Drumcode power couple, Adam Beyer and Ida Engberg, Indiaâs home-town hero, Arjun Vagale, as well as Joris Voorn, Nic Fanciulli, Luigi Madonna, Paul Ritch, and Bart Skils.
The three-day festival bash will be an exciting way for many to end 2015, and start the New Year on a memorable note.
For tickets and more information, visit the Supersonic Festival Official Website
Q&A with Aardy – The Rising Talent from India
“Musical influence comes in abundance. It could be from attending a friendâs gig, or just after Iâve concluded one of my own. Itâs about feeling good from inside” – Aardy
Thereâs a rising pool of talent coming from Asia and itâs surrounding territories these days. One artist who is emerging on the global techno scene is Indian born and bred artist, Aardy. He has a knack for bringing dark melodic techno to the table, and itâs landed him appearances at major events throughout Asia as well as Sonar in Barcelona and ADE in Amsterdam.
His sound caught the attention of Octopus Recordings boss, Sian, and as a result Aardy will be releasing his forthcoming EP Volte Face on the new imprint, Hydrozoa. Following a similar ethos as Octopus, Hydrozoa is focused on blistering techno rhythms with tinges of brooding melody that are sure to resonate well with global audiences.
As Hydrozoaâs principle artist, Aardy is coming out of the gate strong with Volte Face. The title track takes on a deep burning atmosphere locking in the dance floor for the long haul with an engulfing low end. Chasm takes a refreshingly hypnotic path while still maintaining itâs dark dance floor roots. The EP is completed with the final track, Vacuum. A rolling groover that, like a vacuum, will suck everything into itâs path.
Enjoy the previews of Volte Face EP below, and check the exclusive Q&A with Aardy to learn more about the rising Indian talent.
Release Information
Release Date: September 14, 2015
Label: Hydrozoa
Available on: Beatport
Aardy: Facebook | Soundcloud
Hydrozoa: Facebook | Beatport | SoundcloudÂ
Q&A with Aardy
Can you tell us a little about yourself? How did you gravitate towards techno?
Hello! I am of Indian origin, born and raised in Hyderabad, in a close knit South Indian family.
As a DJ I started very young in the mid 90s, playing friendâs parties or just about anywhere I could get my hands on the mixer. Back then, there was not much exposure & hardly or no money. Having held residencies at clubs later on, I used to play whatever was asked, from the days of retro, hip-hop, or Electro. I also played a lot of progressive house, which is probably why I still have the love for melody. Having done all that, there was this never dying hunger for more. Like I was always in search of something missing from within. Thatâs when I got my ears on to the deeper side, and it all changed.
A
re you currently living in India?
Yes, I live in Hyderabad, India.
In what ways do you draw your musical influence from your surroundings?
Musical influence comes in abundance. It could be from attending a friendâs gig, or just after Iâve concluded one of my own. Itâs about feeling good from inside. Could be a little sound from the corner of a street or a joke that you just shared with a bunch of friends, which instigates ideas! Influence also comes from some of the artists I have been following; from the international to the many friends I have within the industry around here. The drive comes from being true to yourself and having an open mind.
“Volte Face” will be coming out on Sianâs new label, Hydrozoa Records. What was the process like when recording this EP? Â
Honestly, when I was putting these tracks together, I didnât have an EP in mind. I didnât even know if it was going to be signed. There have been some tunes Iâve put together before but havenât had the guts to make others listen. The track Vacuum on the EP was the first one I finished. I liked it and sent the demo over. After I got some great feedback, I went on to complete the other 2 unfinished tunes. Hope itâs listened & liked ;)
What’s your studio space like in India?Â
Itâs a tiny space, very basic at the moment, nothing fancy at all. Â I work on FL Studio 11 Producers Edition or Cubase, depends on whatâs going for me on that day. Also, I use the NI Kontakt, routing it through FL Studio, EHX Deluxe Memory boy, a pair of Yamaha HS80M studio monitors, AIAIAI TMA-1 Studio headphones etc.
What are some of your favorite pieces of gear?
Iâll shortly start upgrading. There is always lots that you want around you, but for now I have my eyes on the Moog Sub37 and also looking to use the Adam A7 Monitors.
Do you have a âgo-toâ piece of equipment or plug-in that you used for âVolte Faceâ
The VSTs  I use are Sylenth, Minimoog, Massive, Z3ta Plus and Harmor. For Volte Face it was the Minimoog and Sylenth.
We understand that you play frequently in Asia! Cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Bangkok, etcâŠCan you comment on where the electronic music scene stands in places like that?
Although itâs small at the moment in Asia, there are many promoters now believing in what everyone calls, âThe Underground.â There has been this influx of some great International acts touring Asia in the recent years. 2015 has seen some big names already. Itâs still an intimate affair, but well on its way to explode. There are also a few festivals & showcase events that are gaining huge popularity and in turn, contributing to the cause. Bangkok is special for me, more of my second home. Itâs always great fun to be there and playing for a crowd, which is so responsive. The scene there has picked up at a steady and solid pace & I must also mention, its being well nurtured. Shanghai & Hong Kong are not very far behind and Asia is already on its way to making massive noise in the coming years. There are some amazing producers building their way up from Asia now too.
What are some of your favorite venues in those cities?
Aardy at GLOW, Bangkok
Arkham, Lola & Amber in Shanghai are a must-see if you are there. Lantern in Beijing holds the fort for techno and my most favorite is Glow in Bangkok.
Can you share with us some things youâre looking forward to the rest of this year?
I have a few gigs within India. October & November seems exciting with a Southeast tour most likely. December is a great season in Goa, so hopefully I should be there too and if things go as planned, you might see me at The BPM Festival. I have just about started writing the next EP too, and itâs always exciting to see how that shapes up.
For you, whatâs the best part about techno?
Its not just techno or the sub genres, but about the sounds that you relate yourself with. I enjoy playing some powerful techno, as much as I enjoy playing a very melodic, hypnotic or emotional DJ set. The same goes with my production, it will revolve around keeping it rich, minimal, being subtle and absorbing in spite of sounding dark or propulsive. The aim is to be as expressive as possible. For example many would not call Chasm on the EP to be a proper Techno track compared to the other two, but thatâs the way it goes!
The process of finding âthe best partâ is never ending and thatâs probably the best part :)
Thank you so much for taking the time! All the best, Aardy!Â
