DJ Kristian - Psychedelic Trance Star from Gibraltar via Wales
Reported by HarderFaster
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Submitted 29-04-05 20:11
DJ Kristian is synonymous with psychedelic trance in London and is fast making a name for himself across the planet. Originally from Gibraltar, Kristian arrived in the UK in the late 90s to study and was soon switched onto the sounds of psychedelic trance through friends. As is often the case, it was only a matter of time before he caught the DJ bug and decided to make a name for himself here in the UK.
In the 3 years he’s been DJ’ing he’s mixed 3 albums, become resident for one of the UK’s leading psy trance events (Psygate), signed to one of the UK’s leading psy trance labels, started his own party (Chichime) and played psychedelic events and festivals across the globe. Harderfaster had a chat with him as he prepares for the Psychedelic Academy 2 at Brixton Academy...
So without further waffle, here's the low-down..
It's without a doubt you're one of the hardest working London psy trance DJs on the scene. What do you feel has been the key to your success?
I see it as:
Firstly, I have always tried to play what the crowd wants, there are many different genres in the actual scene itself and I like most of them, it sometimes feels tempting to specialise in one,but in the end improvise and adaptation has been the key for me.
Secondly, having Chichime on a monthly basis exposed me regularly to the London crowds and London is a place that has people partying from all over, so the word does get around.
Then when I joined Transient I compiled 3 cds for them. This gave me the international exposure.
Also the Psygate residency is another key factor, Enrico’s network is second to none. I really love when he does the Se1 and I do a middle of the night set where I can play night time sounds and then I do the closing set where i can play my favorite style. Out of all the ones I like the morning sound, where I can play anything from Silicon Sound to Astrix
You initially moved to the UK from Gibraltar to study, was it also your intention to become a DJ, if not what dragged you into this life?
When I came to the UK (Wales) in 95 to study, I was already coming from a party scene in the south of Spain 93/94. In Wales i started going to Megadog and Perfecto Parties and was blown away. My friends from Gibraltar were living in London at time, all in rock bands like One Minute Silence and Breed 77 making it big, but they were into the dance scene as well. I had told them how good the parties in Wales where and they said, "Come down to London and check the parties here cos they are even better, the music is amazing, it’s called psy trance." After that I moved to London and was going to psy trance parties every weekend non stop. Still there was no intention of being a DJ until we formed the 1st Chichime parties at The Cock Tavern In Euston in 1999. Then I never looked back.
DJ Kristian surveys the party.
What drew you particularly to the psy trance as opposed to other forms of dance music?
I was blown away by the vibe as a punter at places like the Fridge and Tyssen Street, nights like Escape From Samsara, Otherworld, Return to the Source and Science Fiction. They all played psy trance and the vibes were awesome.
Would you describe yourself as a purist?
Well, if you mean purist with the music I would say no as Kristian I only play psy trance, but i love prog/tribal/tec/electro house and breaks and Dj that music as K.V.for Erase Records.
What is the current state of psychedelic trance in the UK?
At the moment there are loads of parties all over the country and nights like Psygate are drawing 3000 people at all their events, this is just as good or even better than most other nights in other scenes. As far as the music is concerned, there is a very healthy crop of producers and djs springing up, adding to the already established veterans.
Psy trance is breaking into the mainstream, with a lot of attention drawn onto artists such as Astrix and Infected Mushroom, do you feel this is a positive direction for the scene to be heading?
Yes i believe so, the quality is very high and I believe these people deserve the exposure, it would be selfish to hide it from the rest of the world. Commercialism is not always bad or cheesy. I mean you have a band like Pink Floyd they are big and not naff but then you have Britney Spears and that is S**t, so it’s a good thing.
Last time I caught you DJ'ing at Chichime at the beginning of this year it seems like a lot of the sounds you were playing were creeping more towards hard dance (in style and arrangement). Is this an indication that psy trance is looking for more main stream appeal?
Well some of the Israeli producers can sound a bit like hard dance when it comes to the melodies but the arrangements and production are definitely unique, even the basslines, tricks and effects are different. No, I think this is just a coincidence in Israel as there has never been a hard dance scene and they have always loved their melodies.
Psychedelic imagery forms a large part of Kristian's front room.
Apart from the two parties you are resident for, what are the best UK trance parties at present?
There are many, 666 and Divinorum V Tribe Of Frog in Bristol, 180 in Brighton, Kulu in Bradford, Alpha Wave in Plymouth, Bubble and Stereo Chemistry in Birmingham, Planet Zogg in Sheffield, Baraka in Oxford, Kamaflage in Leicester, Freak Club, Fairy Tales, Atlantis and Kundalini and Atomic Energy in London.
Last summer saw a rise in the number of psy-squat parties in London, sometimes with many taking place on the same weekend, Over the last few months police intervention has seen the number of squat parties drop dramatically. What effect has this had on the scene?
Not just in psy trance but in everything, London has always been somewhere where the underground has thrived. It’s a shame because the squat party scene has always been a breeding ground for up and coming talent, especially for UK-based producer acts like Error Corrective, Compressor, Voice Of Cod, Evp, M Klome and Kalimamboh who have all developed themselves at these parties. We need them to continue so that acts such as this can carry on breaking through.
Some of the best parties I've been to recently have been outdoor psychedelic festivals both in the UK and beyond and it amazes me that psychedelic DJs and live acts want to cross over into the mainstream dance scene circles. Why is this?
It could be a variety of reasons: Security for the long term, prestige (media coverage, T.V.), the chance to move into new pastures such as film scores or collaborations with major names. The amount of connections to be made in the big scenes are endless.
Who are your favourite producers at the moment?
A long list for sure. Astrix, Eskimo, Dynamo, Triptych, Silicon Sound, Pop Stream, Space Cat, Rinkadink, Aphid Moon, Dick Trevor, Vibra, Hydrophonic, Dark Soho, Fortu, Dino Psaras and X noise to name but a few!
What is your favourite country to play so far?
That’s a difficult one... Japan was awesome in every sense of the word! Also The Republic of Ireland (Neutronix @ Red Box) was top notch and Switzerland. Germany is very efficient and has well organised parties. My first gig in Turkey on a New Year’s eve with 2000 people was mind blowing, especially at midnight. An outdoor party in Slovakia also sticks to my mind. Oh and how could I forget The Frog Family party in Paris in an awesome venue filled to the brim and a party in the kibbutz in Israel a few years ago!
You also play breaks under the name 'K.V'. What drew you to this scene?
Well i dont really play a full breaks set, Ilike to mix breaks into some prog, tech house, tribal house. But producers like Meat Katie, Dylan Rymes, Lee Coombes and Etnostone drew me into playing some breaks.
Rocking Psygate.
What influences you when you produce?
I produce together with Kalimamboh (Franchesco), a London based Italian psy trance Dj. We go under the name Deja Voo. Our influences are very wide, Fran likes stuff like Korn, Metalica, Daft Punk, BK and Manga. Whilst i am really digging back 20 years into my collection and listening to a lot to Depeche Mode, Gary Numan, Ultravox, Talk Talk, Georgio Moroder, Jean Michel Jarre, Rush, Yes and Pink Floyd. We really dig a lot of the stuff like Oliver Klien, Peter Gun, Luis Paris, Infusion, Fluke, Casa Flava, Tim Healy and Pilvan And Zimbardo. Nathan Fake's Out House is one of our major inspirations at the moment.
You've been a resident at Antiworld for many years now, which is without a doubt one of the UK's leading 'underground' events. What is the future for this party?
A global network would be fantastic. Antiworld making parties all over the world would be the next step. Enrico is working very hard and always seeking new pastures and ideas.
Having conquered the London scene as well as playing at many of the big global psy parties this summer, what is the next step for you?
The live act Deja Voo. We are not 100% ready yet still working on our sound but i am very confident that our ideas (Hooks arrangements) kick major ass and are also original due to our open mind with music. I would also like to dj in other events, always playing psy trance in all its forms.
And finally, tell us something non psy trance/ DJ related about Kristian that we don't know..
I am a history buff, especially about World War 1 and World War 2. I also like watching
history related films and documentaries!
Thanks very much for your time!
DJ Kristian is resident for Psygate & Chichime. You can catch him at all Antiworld events including the Psychedelic Academy on May 1st, or under his ‘K.V’ guise at Chichime on Sat May 7th @ Mass and at Stama Records label night on Sat May 6th at Psy Dream Temple. Other forthcoming dates include Oxford on May 11th.
All photos courtesy of DJ Kristian.
"Psychedelic Academy 002"
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On:
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Sunday 1st May 2005
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At:
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Brixton Academy [map]
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From:
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9pm to 6am
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Cost:
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www.antiworld.net
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Website:
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www.antiworld.net
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Ticket Info:
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Ticket Outlets:
Special Offers:
The Ticket price for this event will go up towards the date of the show.
Tickets on sale now...so please do not leave it to late:
From 10 March 2005 to 20 March 2005 = £ 18 + B/f
From 21 March 2005 to 01 April 2005 = £ 20 + B/f
From 01 April 2005 to 15 April 2005 = £ 22 + B/f
From 16 April 2005 to 01 May 2005 = £ 25 + B/f
General Group Offer: 1 Free Ticket Every 10 Sold!!! (only at the office 02083658918)
More @ The Doors...
Offers Available Until Stock Last.
Purchasing advance tickets will enable you to claim a £ 1 discount on the purchase of the 'Psychedelic Academy' double CD
mixed by Astrix, available from all good record stores from May the 9th. As an exclusive preview CDs signed by Astrix will
be available at the Brixton Academy merchandise outlet on the night.
Please retain your ticket stub to claim your money off discount. Only available from selected retailers. Only one ticket stub redeemable per purchase.
Please note we do not charge the booking fee in the Office = Direct Line = +44(0)2083658918
All the usual ticket outlets in UK...
Antiworld Box Office [London N15] 02083658918 [No Booking Fee],
Mamma Maria [Everywhere] 07813684399,
Fabry [Camden Town] 07904167916,
Ticket Master [24 Hours] 08700600100,
Swear [Camden] 02074857182,
Cyberdog [Camden] 02074822842,
Psychedelic Dream Temple [Camden] 02072678528,
Access All Areas [Camden Town] 02072678320,
Banging Tunes [London] 02073235303,
Banging Tunes [Brighton] 01273571605,
Illegal Records [Brighton] 01273623454,
Mad Records [Covent Garden] 02074390707,
Stargreen Box Office {Argyll Street} 02077348932,
Eukateck Records [Covent Garden] 02072408060,
Silverback Records [City] 02074049456,
UDM [Enfield] 02083665422,
The Record Box [Gants Hill] 02085516358,
Wax City [Croydon] 02086809621,
Graffiti [Reading] 01189500123,
Streetwise [Cambridge] 01223300496,
Dance 2 Records [Guildford] 01483451002,
Avid Records [Oxford] 01865243741,
Massive Records [Oxford] 01865250476,
Destiny [Bournemouth] 01202467486,
Hands On Records [Portsmouth] 02392755750,
Vinyl Rhythm [Southend] 01702436893,
Pure Vinyl [Eastbourne] 01323732020,
Phat Trax [Milton Keynes] 01908314006,
Spin a Disc [Northampton] 01604631144,
Trip to Records [Southampton] 02380223982,
Richard Records [Canterbury] 01227452260,
Rocket [Rochester] 01634817848,
Jack Records [Sheffield] 01142767093,
Spectrum Music [Folkestone] 01303253878,
Vince [Midlands] 07976382466,
Please call 02083658918 for more outlets for this special party.
Tickets On Line:
www.antiworld.net
www.accessallareas.org
www.ticketweb.co.uk
www.ticketmaster.co.uk
www.therecordbox.com
www.e-listlondon.com
www.stargreen.com
More Info:
Enrico : 0044 (0) 7940 527 867 (North London)
Maria : 0044 (0) 7813 684 399 (All Areas)
***: Subject To Licence; ***: Line Up Subject To Change!
www.antiworld.net
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Buy Online:
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Click here to buy tickets
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More:
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Attractions:
4500 Capacity London SW2!!
9 Hr Of Non Stop Music!!
4 Rooms Of Music!!
1 Venue!!
Headliners From :
Israel, Germany, Italy, UK, Holland, Brazil, Gibraltar, Russia!!!
Music Stiles:
Hard Uplifting Trance & Acid
Progressive & Full On Psychedelic Trance
Techno
Tek House
London Hard & Acid Techno
Hard House & Hard Dance
House
Electro
Funky Brazilian Beats
Chill-Out
Bars, Stalls, Decors, Lasers, Sound Systems, Visuals & The Full Antiworld Production.
Performers: Kwalilox & Headfunk Pyro Circus & Steph!!!
“BE INSPIRED”….
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Flyer:
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 - 
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Region:
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London
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Music:
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Hard Trance. Tech Trance. Psy Trance. Nu NRG. Hi NRG. House. Deep House. Funky House. Hard House. Prog House. Tribal House. Acid Techno. Funky Techno. Techno.
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DJ's:
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The Main Stage:
Psygate In Collaboration With HOMmega Production Present:
"Knocking On Heaven's Doors"
Feat: Psychedelic Academy CD 002 Launch Mixed By Astrix!
Vlad Vs Green Vapor
(Psygate/Destroyers/Russia)
Kristian Vs Simo
(Psygate/Phantasm Records/Alchemy Records/Gibraltar/Italy)
Eduardo
(Neurobiotic/Sonica 2005 Festival/Italy)
Eyal Yankovich Dj Set
(HOMmega Production/Israel)
Sub6 (Live) Feat.Jah-Nathan
(HOMmega Production/Israel)
Astrix (Live)
(HOMmega Production/Israel)
Astrix Dj Set
(HOMmega Production/Israel)
Infected Mushroom (Live) Feat The Israeli Guitarist – Erez Netz!
(HOMmega Production/Israel)
Dali (Live)
(HOMmega Production/Israel)
Second Floor: "The Foyer"
Antiworld Vs Discipline And Teknoworld Vs Technoelement (Austria):
Hard Trance, Dance & Techno!!!
DJ Centurian Vs Neil Pepi
(Antiworld/The Alliance)
Phil Able Vs Grazer
(Antiworld/Cyberdog)
Eduardo Herrera Vs Matt Handy
(Antiworld/Hands On)
Ross Vs Moon
(Antiworld/Discipline)
Simon Eve
(Antiworld/Recharge)
Jackie The Misfit
(Antiworld/Chemical Warfare)
Sterling Moss
(Raceway Recordings/3 Decks & Effects & 909!)
Dj Van Bass Vs Dj Rasheed Wallace
(Teknoworld International Residents - Austria)
Animatek Vs Gas
(Teknoworld/Acid Park/Techno Element)
Chris Liberator VS D.a.v.e The Drummer
4 Decks & 2 Mixers!!!
(Teknoworld/London)
Third Floor:"The Vip Bar"
Introducing:
"Electro"
In Collaboration With Neon!
Electro, Electroclash, Electrotrance!!!
Alexander Robotnick
(Hot Banana - Hot Elephant Music, Italy)
Toogood
(Fesh)
PANIC
(Slimelight, Synthetic Culture, Electronics Anonymous, Stunners, Neon)
AKTARUS
(Stunners, Neon)
Gordon V
(Neon)
Choronzon
(Kaos, Mix Up)
Bradley
(Kaos)
Fourth Floor: "The Chill Out"
In Collaboration With Clockwork Prism!
Line Up:
The Residents:
Mandie More Vs Jonty
Xtensa Vs Green Al
Greg Prism Vs Nautilus
The International Special Guests:
Dj Stefan x
(Frankfurt/M./Cocoonclub/Earesistible Musik) Germany
Dj Frank*n
(Galerie 7/UFO Cocoon club) Germany
Dj Nanda
Chillosophy Music | Interchill Records (Chile-Sweden)
Dj Nova
(Ultimae Rec./Fairy Tales) Italy/UK
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