How long have you been spinning records for?

 I think ive been djing around 8 years, i was originally taught how to cue a record and the basics of the mixer by a family friend when i was around 16-17.

     How did you approach this mix?

 Ive largely been playing parties leaning more towards house lately so with this mix i wanted to head back to my more techno and much deeper sound. I went through my collection to try and find records i may have forgotten and records I'll be more likely to listen to at home rather than play out.

·     Most valued vinyl you own?

 I have a copy of the tetrode sessions, it was the first record i spent over £100 on and I'd always wanted it. I think I bought it as more of a Christmas present to myself than as a record to play out, that being said its seen a fair few gigs. 

·     What do you look for when digging for new records?

 I try mostly to find stuff that I can fit into my mix but has an element of unconventionality to it. I like to push the boundaries on what people might expect to hear from a techno/house set and some of my favourite djs are the guys who will mix in tunes you wouldn't expect to hear on a dance floor. I think it makes it a more memorable and more visceral experience.

·     If you could own any record, what would it be?

 Id like (and will likely buy at some point) a copy of 28,5 on perlon. Its a little 45 they bought out as an anniversary release I think. Both tracks are killer and at the risk of sounding gimmicky I love the fact its 7" 

·     Favorite record store ever visited and why?

 D'n'r in croydon is up there, I've only been once but it has masses of little known ukg, breakbeat and early dubstep tracks. Can easily scour through to find some absolute bargains that will push some boubdaries. Also I saw and heard a few tunes in there from when I was first getting into electronic music, much nostalgia. 

·     Which record labels represent the style that you play?

Palette would be a go to, pretty much every set of mine will have a tejada/leveste tune or something heavily influenced by. Also parallel records, they have a great mix of ambient, electro and techno and all of it is pretty trippy. Their discogs prices are taking a constant hike as well so get them in quick. 

·     What are you plans for the upcoming year?

 Try to throw and play at a few more parties and possibly try and complete a track as I've not finished a piece of music for around 4 or 5 years. Other than that I'd like to do more drawing and try and travel a little more, hopefully before summer is gone for another year.

·     You also have a vinyl only event called Cache, could you tell us more about the concept behind the party?

The concept for me is to bring about music and a crowd of people that aren't seen in the regular spots of Birmingham. We try to push away from the heavily Romanian influenced techno that saturates the city as there is much more to the world of music than one small area. I think we try to encourage our DJ's to be as eclectic in their selection as possible and to be free to play whatever they feel. Birmingham can be lacking of scope at times and for the countries second largest city we are very limited in what we offer in terms of more artistic and experimental music. Also moving forward we are going to focus in on the talent we have locally and push more towards the spaces we use as a medium for creativity. We have also extended the family a little and we hope to have news of a new party within the next couple of months or so.

After the Wax Podcast Series

After The Wax- 002 - Niall

     How long have you been spinning records for?

I started physically collecting records when I was about 20, so about six years ago. DJ’ing came about 2 years later once I had saved up enough pennies for two turntables. I’ve been very poor ever since.

     How did you approach this mix?

I wanted to piece together some of the music that I’ve bought more recently on various trips, including a recent one to Rush Hour in Amsterdam. It’s more of a percussive, slow chugging mix with tastes of Detroit, steadily building with some electro nearer the end. 

     Most valued vinyl you own?

When my Grandfather passed a couple of years ago he left me a collection of really great Jazz records. He loved to play Jazz piano and a lot of memories of him lie within them. When it comes to a record that I like to play out, Nanami Togarashi – Orange Peel never, ever, leaves the bag – it’s a future jazz/ house record that has a strong garage influence and I’d probably cry if I lost it.

     What do you look for when digging for new records?

I’m really open-minded when it comes to records and like to dig for a lot of different stuff. I’m really keen on percussion and for this reason really enjoy a lot of the high energy music that has surfaced from Ghana and Nigeria such as Highlife. As of late I’m really trying to delve into more synth pop – arguably the early sounds of techno. .

 If you could own any record, what would it be?

It would probably have to be something that I came across only recently, Detroit In Effect – R U MARRIED? I could never justify spending the £200+ asking price but for me it’s a really great example of Detroit techno not taking itself too seriously. 

     Favorite record store ever visited and why?

 It’s a toss up between Hard Wax in Berlin and Sounds Of The Universe in Soho, London but I think it has to be Hard Wax, it’s just got this level of prestige and dare I say it, it’s just cool as fuck. The fact that Mark Ernestus from Basic Channel works behind the counter is pretty awesome. Both are incredible. 

     Which record labels represent the style that you play?

Wild Oats, Apron Records, Galdoors, Sistrum, UR & Slow Life. 
     What are you plans for the upcoming year?
 I’ve got a personal project in the pipeline that I can’t yet announce but it’s going to be a very exciting 12 months and interesting for Birmingham’s music scene. Niall and I are to launch another party which will exhibit a different sound to anything on the scene at the moment, so eyes are to be peeled.

     You also have a vinyl only event called Cache, could you tell us more about the concept behind the party?

The concept began some years ago in the dusty rafters of the Bulls Head loft in Moseley. We started Cache in an attempt to bring about music and a crowd of people that aren't often seen in the regular spots of Birmingham and to promote a party with a real ‘up for it crowd’ made up from all backgrounds. We try to push away from the heavily Romanian influenced sound that saturates the city, as there is much more to the world of music than one small area. I think we try to encourage our DJ's to be as eclectic in their selection as possible and I think that has been reflected in our previous bookings with the likes of Shanti Celeste, Florian Kupfer, Steevio & Suzybee (and a handful of the other Freerotation family) as well as Ethyl and Moomin. 
We feel that it’s important to be free to play whatever we feel. Birmingham can feel like its lacking scope at times and for the countries second largest city we seem to be quite limited in what we offer in terms of more artistic and experimental music. Moving forward we plan to focus more on the talent we have closer to home and put the emphasis on the spaces we use as a medium for creativity. We have recently extended the family a little and we hope to announce the news of a new party within the next couple of months or so.

After the wax -002- Christy Lakeman

·     How did you approach this mix?
This mix is the result of my last digging in Berlin some weeks ago. There are new and less new tunes inside it but I tried to tell a story about me through music going from the more micro and deep stuff (that I started also to produce lately) to more chicago and uk house music (that represents my roots and I'll never leave it).

·     Most valued vinyl you own?
I really don't know money values of my records, but for sure there are some old gems that maybe today have more value than others. For my evaluation I think "Lil' Louis - French Kiss", "Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You" (original one sided edition) and some Masters At Work / Nuyorican Soul records I buyed long time ago.
·     If you could own any record, what would it be?
About this I think that my "wantlist" is about of 200 records. But for sure there is a special record that always blow my mind that I really look forward to have: "Peven Everett - Feeling You In And Out" but it is about 150 € on the web market... Maybe I'll go to buy in the future, haha!


.      Which record labels represent the style that you play?
At the moment I'm in love with some labels, some owned by really beautiful people/artists that I had fortune to meet personally, that represent my sound at this moment: Beste Modus / Beste Freunde, Housewax/Rawax, EWax, BlindBox, Blind Vision Records, Beagle Traxx, Trend Records, Politics Of Dancing, Daydream, Downhill and the new WE_R House that deserved a huge first release by The Willers Brothers out in next September. And sure there are a lots of others labels that I always play and support, because I think the most beautiful thing about music is connections with people and sharing that allows you to discover everyday a new sound, track, label that will be a new step for your own sound!

·     What are you plans for the upcoming year?
Well I moved to Rome from Naples 2 years ago and had such good vibes by meeting new people for studio sessions and playing in very nice clubs like Circolo Degli Illuminati and maybe in future I'll move to some other city in Europe to have new good vibes and be well inspired to make always better tracks. Also co-working with some good guys from Rome at SVNTYFRMINSOFF that is Seventyfour Minutes Office, a video-podcast series where we hosted such huge names like the house girl Cinthie, The Willers Brothers, Gauthier DM and some good local artists that we like. At the moment I'm working so hard to put out some more quality tracks on vinyl. Lots of new tracks are ready to be pressed and I'm super happy because hard work is giving me back lots of good things. About next releases I can tell you about my forthcoming split vinyl with Acanalar on Blind Vision Records by Alejo Galvez and a vinyl VA on AES Music from Paris that invited me for a really good showcase last year (owned by my special friend N.O.X. of French Kitchen crew) with such good artists like David Duriez, ARK and Giuseppe Cennamo. 


·     You also produce could you tell us about your set up and how you approach making tracks?

My home set up is really super basic:MacBook Pro with external screen, Yamaha monitors, Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 soundcard, AKAI LPD8 pad controller, KORG VOLCA BASS, M-AUDIO 49 keys usb keyboard and lot of blood on Ableton! I've the fortune to be born in a musicians family, so I started to play guitar with my grandfather when I was like 8/9 years old. That introduced me to music, melodies and chords. I never studied any instruments properly but having a good ear gave me the possibility to play also a little bit of piano. So with lot of vsts I can build tracks with all kind of sounds, from chords to lead and pads, basses exc. I really don't like to use pre-built sounds so I always try to play all sounds in my tracks. Now I'm working with some friends in Rome to build a proper studio with lot of analog stuff, trying to reach a new level of sound. Well good luck to me! :P

After the wax -003- Akyra

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