Gratitude. Belonging. Collaboration. Flow state. Scintillating crowd energy. Much mud. Moist air. Fire and Water. Masculine and Feminine.

These are a few words that come to mind when I think back to my Sunday Mass set at Swing Fling, from 2-4pm on the last day of Kiwiburn 2023.

Many thanks to all the pious and devout dancers who brought their palpable energy to a very special rendition of the Sunday Mass, as well as all the nuns at Swing Fling serving pancakes, mimosas and/or spanks to those who confessed their transgressions on (or off) the paddock. Gary Boomshanker certainly got excited, letting off a burst of flames with every spank.

It turns out that sleep deprivation, a splitting headache and the sweltering heat inside Swing Fling's dome on a sunny afternoon after days of rain make a great recipe for entering flow state while DJing! I've had the best time feeding off the energy, dance moves and smiles from the crowd, playing one of my most enjoyable sets in a long time. Originally I was only supposed to play an hour but when the next DJ didn't show up I was actually stoked that I could continue tapping into flow state and weaving more songs. I ended on one song that I chose specifically as a way of showing my gratitude to Swing Fling and the larger burn community: Belong by Viken Arman. There is something truly tangible about the sense of belonging I feel with the radiant humans of Swing Fling, both at my first burn and this time, being actually part of the camp.

I got even more emotional when my friend Dani from Wānaka started drumming along to my tunes - something that I'd always dreamed of someone doing during a set. Next time we should try and get the drumming amplified and recorded, too!

In closing, I'd like to share a massive insight I had at this burn: the music I like to play (and dance to) is usually more feminine than masculine, which sustains the positive valence of a dancefloor and of the dancers, and keeps spirits uplifted. This may sound straightforward, but there's something in the simple clarity I gleaned from this that is very wholesome and satisfying.

Kia ora!

Photo credit goes to Piet (the man behind Swing Fling and Gary's creator), with extra kudos to the consenting models M & M (Mickey and Minnie)

Sunday Mass @ Swing Fling | Kiwiburn 2023

German-born David Juno discovered electronic music in Jena before moving to New Zealand. Melody and organic sounds are at the core of the music he is passionate about, through different tempos and moods within the 4/4 realm of house and downtempo. David Juno concocts harmonious brews that enthrall listeners at large and small gatherings; clandestine woodland rendezvous; thundering, pitch-black basement blowouts, light-speed gigs aboard gleaming spaceships, and even interdimensional celestial soirées. He's a regular at XCHC and core member of Mary Hush. David Juno is a sonic conduit - his sets create atmospheric journeys that connect audiences through sonic storytelling, ranging from dark, spacious soundscapes to bright, energetic peaks that capture the full spectrum of human emotion and experience - with all the nuances in between.

2024
Abracadabra at Ponderosa Ranch - March - Waihi, NZ
Shipwrecked Festival - February - Te Arai, NZ

2023
Rhythm & Alps Festival Yumm Zone - December - Cardrona, NZ
Summer Technical
Mary Hush VI: The Holographic Hotel - May - Christchurch, NZ
Relish Festival - March - Waimate, NZ
Splore Festival @ Lucky Star - February - Tapapakanga, NZ
Kiwiburn @ Swing Fling, Paradox, Devour & Delight - January - Hunterville, NZ

2022
Splitfest - September - Temple Basin, NZ

2021
Mary Hush presents Simulation '75 - Dec 18 - Christchurch, NZ
Super Sounds w/ Harry Charles and Laminar - Aug 6 - Christchurch, NZ
Abracadabra Festival - July 23-25 - Waihi, NZ
Mary Hush Presents: Night Dive to Neptune - May 1 - Christchurch, NZ
Omnishakti Festival - Feb 28 - Takaka Hill, NZ
Shipwrecked Festival - Feb 14 - Te Arai, NZ
Kiwiburn - Swing Fling and Paradox - Hunterville, NZ
Flux First Birthday (with Beacon Bloom) - Jan 16 - Christchurch, NZ

2020
Slow Motion 01 - Dec 4 - Christchurch, NZ
XCHC: The Underworld - Oct 31 - Christchurch, NZ
Mary Hush Presents: Slow Boat to Centauri - Jul 25 - Christchurch, NZ
XCHC: Where the Wild Things Are - Jul 17 - Christchurch, NZ
Mary Hush Presents: Aftergloom Delight - Jan 17 - Christchurch, NZ

2019
Something Else Festival - Nov 15 - Lake Sumner Park, NZ


Header photo by Lukas Vacha during my set at Shipwrecked 2021

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