Paradisco on THF Radio

Mix Series

Paradisco Crew Own Mixes

@imadfromlove
https://facebook.com/imadfromlove
https://instagram.com/imadfromlove

1 . The ratio of songs with vocals is much higher than the ones without, what is your relationship to words, singing and/or human made sounds when you approach a set?

Anyone that’s ever heard me play knows I’m a really big fan of vocals. The main thing that gets me about vocal trax is the meaning; I often play songs that reflect how I feel, or that express something that resonates with me.
It’s rare for me to find a vocal track that I don’t like, but it does happen. In that case I play the instrumental/dub and mix it with another vocal track instead.
 
2. We recognise some songs where samples have been taken from, I am thinking of Juicy from Notorious in particular - are you an avid digger of sample based songs?

Haha, definitely. Growing up on 90s hip hop in the early 2000’s and 2010’s I was schooled by many NY producers who would flip soul, funk, jazz samples left and right. At some point I started to recognize samples and was mindblown when I realized the favourite section of a hip hop track was actually a full song. One of the first records I ever bought was indeed “DeBarge – All This Love '' which was sampled on trax by Biggie, The Wu Tang Clan and AZ.
 
3. Coming back to the current situation, how has the last year been treating you in terms of musical approach?

Since I stopped gigging, I realised there was no big need to keep digging through dance music, and I spent quite a bit of time cleaning out my collection and digging through listening music I was familiar with but didn’t yet own.
 
This led to me falling into a rabbit hole of soul, jazz, funk, latin, soundtrack, reggae, hip hop and so much more. I still actively mixed dance music on a regular basis, but my sets tended to revolve around disco, jazz-funk, electro/electro funk and proto house.

Paradisco 001 // Imad

@martinradio
www.martinradio.com
facebook.com/martinradio1
instagram.com/martinradio1/


1. Can you tell us a bit about what was it that inspired you to start digging vinyl? 

I started getting into vinyl when I fell down the YouTube rabbit hole and found a song I really loved from the album "Zrcadlení / Reflections", I realized I couldn't listen to the full album online anywhere and set out to try and make rare songs more accessible to people online.

2. The German track around 25 minutes in reminded us a bit of Kraftwerk, are you a big fan? And what is your relationship to foreign language vocals?

I've been a huge Kraftwerk fan since I discovered them in high school, and was blown away by the quality of their discography. I used to spend many hours looking through every reference on their Discogs page, which was great practice for finding rare records. Foreign language vocals and music have never bothered me, and I think it helped that I used to listen to a ton of DJ mixes by Justice and the Ed Banger crew, who would always include a wide assortment of tunes.

3. We heard quite a lovely blend of genres in the mix, is there a certain way you sort your collection?

My vinyl collection is currently completely unsorted lol, something I'm in the progress of fixing. I enjoy playing a variety of music, and try to switch up the genre after a block of similar sounding songs, always fun to try and surprise the listener.

Paradisco 004 // Martin Radio

https://www.facebook.com/TheQuietVillagePodcast
https://www.digitiki.com/

1. What is your relationship to the Tiki music genres of Exotica, Hawaiin, Ultra-lounge and so on?

I first encountered Exotica at the quite young age of 5.  My mother had Arthur Lyman's "Bahia" LP.  The cover was so exotic and inviting. When I put the LP on for the first time, it was the title track on side 1 "Bahia" that starts with bass and jungle birds. I was immediately hooked. I played that album every day.  Today, 40+ years later, I still have that same LP. I am also a musician and have studied Latin jazz and fronted my own salsa band for years.  In my late 30s I rediscovered Exotica and picked up the vibraphone.  I was in the original incarnation of Tikiyaki Orchestra and Tiki Joe's Ocean.  I performed at Tiki festivals in both bands and fronted my own bands as well.  I began heavily collecting Exotica LP's in 2000.  It is the LP collecting that opened me to more "traditional" Hawaiian music and ultra-lounge which I just love.  

2. You also run a podcast series called "The Quiet Village Podcast" and have recently put out your 100th recording, can you tell us a bit about how that started? 

Actually, the whole podcast show started as a technical exercise.  I'm a git of a computer geek as well.  I wanted to see if I could technically create a podcast with the RSS feed.  The recording wasn't an issue, as I am also an audio engineer.  The RSS feed programming was the challenge.  It turned out not to be as hard as I thought.  But when planning it, the obvious choice of topic was Exotica and Tiki culture in general.  I never thought I'd see 100 episodes, but here I am and still going.  To be honest, at the time I started the podcast in 2008 there wasn't any Tiki music out there on the internet, except for one guy--Vegas Vic.  I loved his podcast and internet radio station.  He disappeared right before I started mine, so I kinda think that I took up where Vegas Vic left off.

3. There was a Felonious Monk remix of the famous track "Exotica" in your mix, do you have many remixes or covers in your library? And how do you feel about classics being sampled, covered or remixed?

I absolutely love the Felonious Monk remix of "Exotica".  I found it quite by accident on YouTube.  I have a few remixed Exotica tunes, but they are sadly very few and far between.  There is a band called Monster Rally that uses sample mashups of old Exotica and Hawaiian records in many of their tunes.  But to be honest, remixes of Exotica are rare.  I'm a big fan of remixes and mashups. I also love ambient and chill beats as well. To me, Exotica is the ambient-chill of its day.  I really enjoy the creativity of artists who can take something old and make it new.  I hope that more remix artists will look to Exotica.  For me, it's an untapped genre.

One thing I think is important to understand is that Exotica and Tiki bars in the 60's were pure escapists.  Escape from the very modernizing and rapidly changing world that was constantly under the theady of the Cold War.  Tiki bars and the Tiki lifestyle offered a chance to escape all that to a tropical paradise with no cares.  Today, I see the resurgence of Tiki having the same pull for similar reasons.   Especially with the last year+ of events, escaping to a tropical island where it is perpetually sunset, and a bare breasted beauty brings you your mai tai in a hammock on the beach isn't such a bad fantasy to pursue.

While I'm not a DJ in the sense that I try to meld beats together (Exotica rarely lends itself to that type of mixing), I hope you enjoy this little slice of paradise.  I hope it conjures up the same images for you as it does me--dimly lit thatch hut bars with the smell of rum and fresh but bamboo and every drink has a little umbrella in it. Cheers!

Paradisco 006 // Digitiki

SC: https://soundcloud.com/0rlius

1. If we aren’t mistaken, it is your first guest mix - how did you feel while creating and recording it? And how did you record it? 

It is indeed my first guest mix! I felt really focused during the process because first of all, I put myself a bit under pressure, and also because I was always thinking about what I wanted to offer. 
I recorded it in my cellar in Vendée (France), with a DDJ1000; a Rekorbox controller. 

2. The first 20 minutes sounds like what Laurent Garnier would play at Time Warp - do you have a connection to the person/DJ? 

I didn’t think about it but now that you mention it, I can see the similitudes. 
I of course have a certain connection to Laurent Garnier, he’s inspiring in many ways, first of all, he’s one of the biggest techno djs in France, he is also part of the history, with all he did to help the electronic dance music to grow at the beginning, and because his contribution to the scene is still relevant today, even after all these years. 
And I also really appreciate the fact that he still tries to put some political message in his music, I think it’s important and that we need someone like him to do it, because techno is about music of course, but it is also a state of mind, an idea of how the world could be. 

3. Your set evolves from progressive to more techno & breakbeat - what is your style while playing? Does it depend on the crowd? 

It totally depends on the crowd, or the mood I am in. 
I use to play different kinds of sets, from micro house to hardcore and almost everything in between. 

4. Clubs and dance floors, in general, are re-opening - where do your emotions stand in front of that?

It’s like a resurrection, I used to go to these places few times a week, I feel like a year is missing in my life. But since it re-opened, I had the chance to go back to « Macadam », the best club we have where I live, and all the feelings I knew just came back in a few moments, I had a big smile on my face all night long.

5. It’s been a year without dancing, how did you survive that special time and how did it affect your relationship with music?

It was heartbreaking, I would like to say that I found a substitute, but no. This year was endless. My relationship with music was not so much affected, in fact, because of the situation I got more time to practice djing and to produce. It’s maybe the only good point of this year!

Paradisco 005 // Orlius

@djahoy

1. You've thrown in many of your own edits to your mix, what inspires you when editing a track? Would you say you have a personal style that you integrate into your edits?

Making edits is a new thing for me, I just started last year because I am big fan of Italo Disco, Synthy Pop, Disco and other cheesy goldies which usually have parts that I want to take out, and some other that I want to enhance. 
90% of the time that I find edits from other DJs (mostly new ones), they either have way too big kicks or are extremely repetitive with a 3 minutes intro of the same 4 bars loops for example - worst for me is that most of the time they have both. 
Now I do my own edits, they way they work for me - I rarely add any additional production (I also don’t know how to really produce anyway lol) and keep them short while making them DJ Friendly for my live sets.

2. Theres a lovely instrumental break half an hour in that reminded me of the kind of break where the crowd aligns in a euphoric shared moment on the dancefloor. Are there any moments like these that stand out in your memory? Where and when was it?

There are many but if I have to pick three is that one time when Imad (from Paradisco too) played his first time at Sisyphos in Berlin. It was utterly magical to see your mate playing most of the tunes you usually play together for a crowd of hundred(s) - and they were losing it!

The second was in a little wooden hut (same club, 2 years earlier) that could host max 20 people and we were 30 or 40 in there (pre-covid but we’ll get there again). A guy brought a Windows 95 (you know these huge old computers) and was just playing disco tunes without transitions - everyone was losing their shit. There even was the guy from Games of Thrones, the one that got his balls cut - maybe he is still mad for that because he was the only one not smiling in there, the rest of the crowd couldn’t get over "Imagination - Music & Lights" and other classics. Simple pleasures of life!

And finally, one that stands out too was at a festival called Bucht der Träumer by what for me is the best club in Berlin "Rummels Bucht". 
They decided last minute to add a third stage on the beach, it was called the “Pablo Escobar” stage I think, but nobody could understand why, it was a bit of fail theme wise but still a nice one with palm trees and white decors.
Anyway, DJs after DJs were playing sing-along kind of songs, pure 80s Synthy Pop, some rap classic and some old disco songs, everyone was bluffed, I lost track of time and might have stayed there the whole weekend.

3. What kind of music do you listen to when you want to feel healed, at peace, and introspective?

I actually listen to binaural beats when I am in a challenging physical state, when in an emotional challenging one I would rather go for some sing along ones, some nice baseline, some warm feeling of being hugged by some techno or a nice vocal, something like Jocelyn Brown, Hypnotic Tango or some very hidden gems of past times.
My very guilty pleasure is French Pop Music from the 70s, 80s - nothing new under the sun, but god they had some nice tunes. I always have a France Gall & Claude François LP on display at home.

Tracklist:
RSS Disco - Des Taxis Pour Les Galaxies 
Hidemi Ishikawa - Love Comes Quickly (12Inch Version) 
Blue Moderne - Through The Night (Danny Krivit Re-Edit) 
Giada - Maledetta Samba (Captain Edit) 
Dagfest - La Nuit
The Pearls - Groovy Beat 
Chris Rea - Loving You Again (Storken & La Mer Baltique Edit)
Mouissie - Callisto 
Hugh Bullen - Alisand (Moody Captain Dub Edit) 
Duke Boara - Learn To Forget 
Salva Vidas
La Compagnie Créole - La Nuit Des Requins 
Rickster - Night Moves (Night House Mix)
Locomotiv GT - Embertelen Dal (Captain Edit) 
Masarima - Freak Like U (Club Mix)
Trance Wax - Trance 22

Paradisco 002 // Ahoy

@triqi030
facebook.com/triqi030
instagram.com/triqitrix

1) It seems/sounds like you play on records - what is your relationship to vinyl as a medium?
In the past few years I've definitely gotten more intrigued by vinyl as a medium, and I feel like my desire to buy more records and go digging has gone up since the pandemic - maybe just because it was an offline/off screen activity that's exciting and rewarding. I think most vinyl collectors can agree that it’s a passion that is unfortunate for our wallets, but it’s honestly worth every penny. 
I find that owning records creates a personal connection with the music and artists, and there’s a more intimate relationship with the tracks when you actively need to place it on a turntable instead of tapping on a screen or keyboard. Beyond that, I value album art more when I can physically see it on the sleeve, and it’s always fun to explore paper sleeve designs, runout etchings or paper inserts of art, lyrics, artist biographies, promo texts and so on. A personal favorite: Mort Garson’s Plantasia reissue came with a download code printed on paper with real seeds in it – these kinds of experiences are something digital media can never replace.

2) The set really feels like a warm hug from a perfect summer night - how has your summer been, taking into account that dancing in many places was allowed again?
This summer has honestly been surreal! It feels like I’ve been making up for the whole past year of not having club events with attempting to go to everything. I’ve also been meeting loads of new people, which is quite refreshing after hanging out with the same circles during lockdown. Despite the lingering restrictions, I think most people would agree that being on a dance floor again is still very energizing, and I hope indoor spaces of clubs will remain open through the winter.

3) You have a very eclectic selection of tunes and we feel it in this mix, what is your approach to "genres" in music?
It’s pretty difficult to stick to certain genres in mixes. I do generally try my best to keep the mix as a whole flowing from one genre and energy level to the next though. The most challenging part is when I want to move up 20 or 30 bpm from one song to the next – that’s something that probably won’t sound too great, but I’m sure there’s a creative way to make
it happen that I have yet to explore.

Tracklist
- Mica Levi - Vanity
- Fernanda Abreu - Speedracer
- Chrissy - Take Life Easy
- Andrea true connection - More More More
- Karsh Kale - Deepest Blue (Kk's Deepest Brooklyn Mix)
- Grampa - She's Crazy (Mystipsycholix) 
- Lee Marrow - Pain (Dangerous mix) 
- Company B - Spin me around
- Pal Joey - Spend the Night
- Thelma Houston - All of that (Away team club mix)
- Ex-Terrestrial - Urth Man
- Sworn Virgins - 50 dollar bills
- Four Tet - Insect Near Piha Beach

Paradisco 003 // Triqi

https://soundcloud.com/djwithsoul
https://www.facebook.com/djwithsoul/
https://www.instagram.com/djwithsoul/


1) You have some special version(s) of disco classics, are you playing them digitally or on records? How do you approach your very smooth transitions? Via percussion & transition effects?
Sometimes I make my own edits which I tend to make a bit more DJ friendly with a nice drum intro/outro; you know that this disco stuff is often pretty hard to mix - that is why I also only play it digitally, then it is a bit easier to play, but you can mess it up too with CDJs LOL (house music on the other hand I love to play with vinyl). As for transitions: I think the way you make your track selection is key, e.g. if you want to mix a techno track with a disco tune chances are that the transition will sound rubbish. :) Also, I love to make rather short transitions, e.g. by using the filter-cutoff or just opening/closing the faders at a certain point of the track, because IMO often this will have more impact and might sound cleaner which is however not always possible of course.

2) All your songs have vocals (or vocoders) - what is your relationship to singing?
Well-spotted. ;) Don't know why, but I'm a sucker for good vocals - maybe because when I started out as a DJ around 2000 and/or was collecting vinyl, DJ music was becoming very electronic/dark for more than a decade maybe; consequently rather cool vocal tracks were almost not available anymore at that time.

3) Most, if not all, of the tunes you play are coming from the late 70-80s - how do you connect with this golden era?
Basically, many of those tunes I got to know through house music at some point in the 2010s or even later when I realized something like: "damn, that house track is not the original and was already there as a disco tune". So this disco music definitely opened my eyes, and also for other music genres which evolved from there.

4) Some DJs trying to convey a storytelling via the lyrics of the songs put one after the other, do you also have this approach?
Yes, me too - a sort of journey with some peaks and lows throughout the entire mix is something what I often have in mind while mixing; also I love making mixes where the majority of tracks is a bit of the same kind.

Paradisco 007 // DJ With Soul

@hugo-rabier
youtube.com/channel/UCNrcnwvD8sbXwYav8K0AXUQ/playlists

1) You played a lot of songs with Latin-rooted languages (Spanish, Brasilian, French) - is there a "file rouge" to decipher here? 

I love to dig old French, Brazil songs but it's on a « file rouge ». I love them because they are often "guilty pleasures" and easy to dance and sing to.
Old instrumentals are also very good and sometimes fun.

2) We know you as an inspiring digger, and some of us here at Paradisco follow your uploaded gems on a monthly basis - can you tell us a bit more about your digging process?

I’m essentially a web digger because it’s more instantaneous, I appreciate digging in shops, but you can’t always listen to the records there.
Soundcloud & YouTube are gold mines, and you can listen to artist's mixes.
My passion is to discover songs and share them ! Play a track and see people dancing is the best sensation even if i’m not a DJ.
Clubs were re-closed in France, it’s so sad, so eager for better days !

Paradisco 010 // Hugo Rabier

@invernonrevni
instagram.com/invernonrevni/
facebook.com/invernonrevni/

What are moments you can think of that make you want to listen to slow, stripped down music like in your paradisco set? 

In terms of seasons, we are totally in the middle of it at the moment. Fall-Winter. We have this constant vibe of “last rays of light", the day declining and before the street lights will pop. 
This moment when you don’t see super clearly but you can still notice poetry in details.
Just before the darkness.

If there were an event where you could play the genres of music from your paradisco set, what would the setting be like?

A big building with a spacious room and huge windows, from which you can see the day light declining slowly, with some trees around and why not a wind storm. A bit dramatic, a bit cinematographic.
An endless and ephemeral landscape that can disappear if you blink your eyes.
That’s what I picture when I listen to one of the tracks in the set: Monolake (Robert Henke & Gerhard Behles) - Infinite Snow [2009]

Are there any artists in particular that inspire you when it comes to music outside of typical electronic music genres?

I have some names from the Portuguese Fado, like Amália Rodrigues, Carlos do Carmo. Or the biggest Portuguese queer icon António Variações. Luz Casal in Spain.
Also Hamlet Gonashvili called “the Voice of Georgia”, was a soloist singer in choir ensembles and and performer of traditional Georgian music. I love choirs.
Yugoslav dark wave music bands… So many to mention. Impossible to list all of them.

Towards the end of your mix you played the amazing eurodancey track by Sonique - do you often like to incorporate nostalgic tracks in your mixes? What is your relationship with eurodance and trance?

I am a nostalgic person, regarding music. I love the new stuff, because it’s important to re-invent the genres and evolve, but I witnessed the Eurodance, Trance and other movements of the 90’s, first hand. I was a teenager when all of this invaded radios, tv shows… 
Sonique and Massive Attack are both from 1998, the oldest tracks in the set.
That’s kind of a love letter to my younger self.

Paradisco 009 // INVERИO

@smaushaus
www.instagram.com/smau.de

1) We really enjoyed your mix, especially the selection of a few (conscious) Hip Hop classics by Guru, could you perhaps tell us a bit about your connection to Hip Hop?

Like many others, my connection to Hip Hop started when I was around 13 or 14, especially Hip Hop from New York. I really discovered Hip Hop through the album 36 Chambers by the Wu Tang Clan. At some point I found music by Guru and DJ Premier (Gang Starr) and was like WOOOW. The album Moment of Truth is really amazing, especially the lyrics of JFK to LAX, Robin Hood Theory and Moment of Truth, they really influenced me. I actually played two songs from Guru’s album without Premier, they’re called Jazzmatazz. Here Guru worked together with many Soul, Funk and Jazz musicians such as Roy Ayers, Donald Byrd, Lonnie Liston Smith and many more. I would say that the album Jazzmatazz Vol. 2 is my absolute favorite album. Anyone who doesn’t know the album should really listen to it. It’s a masterpiece. Very nice beats and conscious lyrics, different from the sexist and drug glorifying lyrical themes often prevalent in Hip Hop. Furthermore, I dealt extensively with the topic of sampling through Hip Hopa and discovered music genres such as Funk, Soul, Jazz, Jazz-Funk etc


2) How do you go about digging for new records? Do you have any favourite spots? And do you have a preference between 12" albums, 12" singles, 7" singles, compilations, reissues and the Like?

In Berlin there are many cool spots to dig for vinyl. For house music I usually go to OYE Records or Bikini Waxx. For other music genres I don’t have any specific spots. I often go to a random record store and see what I like, usually you’ll find something you like. When I buy music that I really want on vinyl, I check Discogs. I think with House music I really like records where on the track is included in different versions on the  A and B side for example a Classic Vocal Mix, Dub mix etc. Sometimes the tracks have funny names like New York Hustle Mix or something, I’m always happy to see that. For music that I just listen to at home to hang out, I prefer 12” albums. You can just put the record on and let it play.

3) What are your biggest inspirations musically? We'd love to know!

There isn’t a single music inspiration for me. It’s generally the music I listen to every day, all musicians and products, DJ’s and people I speak to music about and listen to. It brings me great joy to be surrounded by these people and for this I’m very grateful.

Thank you to the Paradisco crew to let me be part of your podcast series. I really enjoy it, finally focusing on music genres other than techno and house. In Berlin some of these genres are slightly neglected.

 
Tracklist:
 
Lee John – Mighty Power of Love (Live Mix)
 
Al Hudson – you can do it
 
Chocolate Milk – Hurry Down Sunset
 
Guru – Insert A (Mental Relexation)/Medicine
 
Guru – Feel the Music  
 
Gil Scott-Heron- home ist where the hatred is
 
Vitamin E – Kiss Away
 
Fatback Band – Snake
 
Rose Royce – What You Waitin' for
 
Sidewinder – Stanways Revenge
 
Fatback Band - Can't you see

Paradisco 013 // Smau

@carl-hangschlitt
https://www.instagram.com/carlhang/

1. We are huge fans of (Italo) Disco here at Paradisco, and it was a delight to hear some familiar tracks! It seems that there is a general line of yours to boost a bit the BPM on these tracks, is that correct? Do you care to elaborate? :)

I pushed the BPM of some tracks because i wanted to make a mix that people can dance to in everyday life situations.

And some tracks are extremely danceable in higher BPM ranges for example the two tracks by „Dabeull“ that are in my mix. For this mix i wanted to go with the flow as if I’m in the Club and everybody’s shakin’ ! So I picked songs that i love at the Moment and pushed the BPM of some of them :D

But for the Second half of the mix I chose slower tracks that fit each other BPM wise. So for that Part i did elaborate.

 

2. You seem to play records - could we travel a bit with you while you describe your way around the buying/selection process for your collection?

When I’m in the record store I actually hardly go to other sections than the funk section. And Most of the time it’s Funk from the 80’s that make me spend money, because they are almost always danceable. It started with me thinking what that sound is that G Funk Sampled back in the days and i came across Bands like „Kleeer“, „Parliament/Funkadelic“,

„Mtume“, „Midnight Star“ and so on. That opened a new world for me ! So when I Buy records i actually figure out if i can play them in the Club or i can Sample them :)

3. We hear a lot of tunes from the 80s, what is your relationship to this decade? 

I love to think about the 80’s mostly because of my Mum.

She was in her twenties in the 80’s of West Berlin.

She always tells me those stories of going to Prince’s concert in 86 or Dancing to Grace Jones in the „Jungle“ Club or the beginnings of techno and House music with Bands like „New Order“. And it’s so cool to hear that back in the days there was so many different types of scenes in the City for example the Pop Scene and the the Rockers, the Hip Hoppers, Punkers, Transvestites, Mods and so many others. I want to bring back the vibe of this era by playing the music because Berlin nowadays is Almost only techno scene :(

4. What is your relationship to Hip Hop and the Panke Club?

The first music i was listening to after Kindergarden was Hip Hop. Almost only G Funk and classic West Coast Rap music. That started me off with getting to know all the music i know today actually because Hip Hop for me is pretty much everything ! So it was clear when i started making music on my computer that Hip Hop was the first thing to achieve.

After a couple of years of producing a friend of mine showed me his turntables and how to scratch and mix and i was instantly addicted and had to get me a pair too. Then when i figured out Mixing and scratching i found „Deck2Deck“ on Facebook as an open vinyl Session in Panke. I wrote them if i could come over they Said yes and Boom : I found myself a playground. I had my first DJ experience in the Panke and it gave me so much confidence ! Also i was able to play my Music and make release partys with my friend Joschi for our Project „Hang&Otto“ ! A Lot of good memories ! :)

Paradisco 011 // Hang

@tomkutsche
https://www.instagram.com/tomkutsche_/

1. Lovely selection! We’d love to know what inspired you to start collecting vinyl, and how do you go about buying new music?
 
When I was younger, around 12, I’ve loved to find new Music on Youtube and collect them all in my self-created Playlists over there. After a few months, I dreamed about to could hold all this music in my hands, physically. Because, what will I do when Youtube is shutting down one day? This would be one of my biggest nightmares - so I started with collecting vinyl.
 
To find new jams, Youtube is still a good platform, when you’re in the right algorithm. Instagram is dope for sure, there is so much good stuff posted every day. You just need to save it and come back later if you haven’t the time yet.
 
Most of the Music I buy online I get from Bandcamp. When I watch out for vinyl, there’s nothing better than a Sunday morning at  the flea market.
 
 
2. We heard quite a few familiar voices, do you have any favourite vocalists or groups?
 
There are a lot of boogie or funk records which you can play at a packed floor and the B-Side are perfect for a dinner for two.
 
To give you a list from my favorites it wouldn’t fit in that form but to name a few it’s Luther Vandross, Surface, Loose Ends, The Manhattans and most of the stuff that is produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. It’s that 80’s Slow Jam sound, which is main focused on soulful vocals and smooth arrangements. Some call it Grown ’n Sexy.
 
 
3. Can you tell us a bit about the history of cologne is for lovers and kickin’ up dust?
 
Of course. Before I was a DJ, I was a promoter and I still am. I did a monthly party which goes by the name of  ’The Get Down’. As you can probably guess, it was a 90’s Hip Hop Party mixed with late 70’s Funk & Disco.
After 3 Years of running that monthly night and getting more and more into the nightlife as a teenager, I wanted to start something new. A night where are no musical barriers and where I can also make my own experiences as a DJ.
 
The CIFL night is now running for over 4 Years at different venues in Cologne and started as a Open Air.
Check it out if you’re in town!
Kickin’ up dust was a quick idea which came up last summer to throw a spontaneous party here in Berlin.
After the government turns the Corona regulations a bit down, and we spotted a cool venue, we needed a name for the party. So there it was! But to come to the point, kickin’ up dust is our new baby here in Berlin. Right now in corona time it’s just an irregular mix series where we invite friends & friends from friends. But let’s see what will happen, when clubs are re-opening in a few weeks.
And for those who doesn’t already know, kickin’ up dust is a track by Peven Everett.

Paradisco 012 // Tom Kutsche

https://soundcloud.com/lucia-m-108014126
https://www.instagram.com/lucia.maori

1. Wonderful Intro, seems to be of very emotional importance to you, can you tell us a bit more about it? 

The first two tracks are by Masayoshi Takanaka who’s absolutely amazing. The set also ends with one of his songs to generate the feeling of a full circle experience. I wanted to make the listener feel like they’re going on a journey and thought this album narrating the story of seven rainbow goblins along with Japanese Jazz Fusion, Psychedelic Rock etc. worked perfectly. I love how the very first track slowly transports you into this magical fairytale. 

2. There is a lot of Italo Disco & Synthy Pop tunes in your mix and we love it! - what is your relationship to these sounds? Geil! 

Yess I initially wanted this to be a Funk set, exploring different types of Funk music from a variety of countries, which is why a big part of the set has this funky disco sound. But I figured it would be fun to incorporate more such as Tuareg guitar and African Synth music, along with more classical electronic tunes by including Kraftwerk and Buttechno aha. The percussions and rhythms used in African music can be mixed quite well with electronic music and, having Nigerien roots myself, it was important for me to show that the African music scene is extremely varied and offers a lot more than the Folk or Afrobeat music people most generally think of. 

3. This is a very eclectic set - what was your approach before making it? In which set-up do you picture people listening to your set? 

Thank you ! I’d say curating actually took me the longest because I wasn’t entirely sure of the energy I wanted to bring, even if the funky bit was pretty clear to me. Because I wanted to mix different genres and create an experience with sounds from all over the world, I based myself on that to select tunes that I already wanted to use for a set, which is mostly how it came together ! I focused on the beginning and the end of especially more percussion heavy songs to figure out which  ones fit each other best and the rest naturally went from there. 
I haven’t really thought about the setting people would listen to it, but I mostly wanted it to be a musical journey, which is why I included so many different genres :) 

PROLOGUE - Masayoshi Takanaka
ONCE UPON A SONG - Masayoshi Takanaka
Nata Ni Thlae - Yin Yin 
Tutto va bene quando facciamo l’amore - Alex Rossi 
Hypnotic Tango (Instrumental Version) - My Mine
Geil (Geilomatick Mix 1986) Bruce & Bongo 
Relax Don’t Do It - Joe Suton 
Tour de France (2009 Remaster) - Kraftwerk 
Dubber Funk - Buttechno
Azali (Aroop Roy Edit) - Sammy Massamba, Aroop Roy 
Coffee Cola Song (Young Marco Remix) - Francis Bebey 
Toubouk Ine Chihoussay - Etran de L’Aïr
Orphéon (Ciel Remix) - Lewis OfMan 
Samba Shegitu - Admas
Midnight Rendezvous - CASIOPEA
RAINBOW WAS REBORN - Masayoshi Takanaka

Paradisco 014 // Lucia Maori

@blvsh_collective 
@refugeworldwide


Tracklist:
Spooky - Let Go
Sasha - A Key to Heaven for a Heavenly Trance (Night Dubbing Mix)
Soichi Terada - Rising Sun Up
Nova Black - Aretha Franklin Jump to it (Nova Black Late Night Edit)
Massimiliano Pagliara - Pastarella Al Limoncello 
Jules Etienne - Biscotte 
Paranoid London - Eating Glue (with Mutado Pintado)
Ed Hodge - Zest
Abdul Raeva - Phantasya
Liquid Earth - Scope Zone (Youandewan Remix)
Youandewan - Cauliflower Wing
Bliss Inc. - Transitions
Paramida - French House 2000
Reflex Blue - Solar 
Jpeg.love + DJ Fucks Himself - 1312

Triqi @ Refuge Worldwide - BLVSH Showcase 19/02/2022

Bella Festa Mix Series010 - Ahoy

Next to step up to the BF Mix Series plate is @djahoy ⚓

Ahoy has been putting out some seriously good edit's under his Captain's Edits moniker on Bandcamp now for a while, they tend to end up in most of our sets these days so we're incredibly lucky to have the captain himself put together a mix for us.

This one is really special, come take a cruise with us. 

Bon Voyage 🌊

Ahoy on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/djahoy

Bella Festa Mix Series010 - Ahoy (Captain's Edits)

@siggatunez
https://www.facebook.com/Siggatunez
https://www.instagram.com/siggatunez/
https://www.discogs.com/artist/1198579-Siggatunez

1. Superb selection, may we ask what your relationship is to soul, funk, jazz etc?

Thank You very much! I basically grew up with an access to my fathers funk and soul record collection. I heard all the Motown classics from Marvin Gaye to Stevie Wonder but also listened to Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles really early in my life. Later my interest was caught by some diamnonds from the eastern German/Europa Jazz and Krautrock era that I found in that collection. It was just insane that I had the opportunity to just go to the living room, grab a record and turn on the record player. I am really thankful fort hat.
 
2. We’re big fans of your GOOEY edit series, how did that start?

I started digging edits in 2008 when I began Djing with Vinyl records. At that time I was obsessed with the UK House scene and artists like The Revenge (6th Borough Project) and Ooft! who I was introduced to hat whole editing cosmos by. Since that time i cannot get off it J Another aspect about edits ist hat you can transfer the vibe and athmosphere of he past into the presence and the current club context. My intention is always to find the perfect balance betwenn keeping the original vibe and sound of an original and make it accessible for he modern dancefloors by using todays technical possibilities. In 2020 I‘ve sent my first edits to my friend Oliver Bernstein who runs the Inch By Inch distribution and he instantly came up with the idea to start an edit series…so I was quite lucky and I am really thankful fort he opportunity to just have that platform to express myself in that kind of way. Thank You Oli, I love You!!!
 
3. We also hear that you’ve put together a nice analogue studio over the years, could you tell us how that came to be? Is there anyone in particular who inspired you to dive into that world?

I started producing in 2004 with my brother on a very cheap DAW program and since that time I’ve evolved my techniques constantly. My big dream always was to be able to root all the digital information out of the computer onto an analog mixing desk and work on my music like that. During the time I bought analog gear and instruments but in 2018 I decided to move my studio out of my flat into an external room. This was the perfect time for me to fulfill kind of a lifetime goal and to buy a mixingdesk, a very good 32 channel converter and some very good analog dynamic processors…so there I am now J I really love beeing in the studio and producing own tracks but also work on other artists music and help them out to get the best possible result. I was inspired by the great Andreas Schorpp who sadly passed away last year. I had the chance to mix a whole EP with him together in his insane studio in Karlsruhe. From that moment on I knew I also had to do that. Just a little sideinformation: he was the engineer behind Ame’s amazing superhit „REJ“. 



Grover Washington Jr., Ralph Mc Donald, William Salter-Mr. Magic-Motown
Patti Labelle-It's Alright With Me-Epic
Menahan Street Band-Since Our Last Goodbye-Daptone
Brass Construction-Now Is Tomorrow-United Artists Music
Master-Funk-Lady Voo Doo-DJM Records & Tapes
Rhythm Heritage-Theme From Rocky (Gonna Fly Now)-ABC Records
Prince-Forever In My Life-Paisley Park Recordings
Charles Bradley-Stay Away-Daptone Records
Revelation-Feel It-Handshake Records & Tapes
Nightbirds, Labelle-What Can I Do For You?-Epic
The Two Tons-Can't Do It By Myself-Metronome Musik
D/Troit Soul Sound System-People Need People-Crunchy Frog Records
D.D. Sound-Slow Motion-Baby Records
The Choice Four-Everybody's Got A Story-RCA
Puzzle-Haiku-Motown

Paradisco 015 // Siggatunez

Paradisco's monthly radio session at THF Radio in April. 

This time with the talented LizLagarto for the 1st hour, finishing with a B2B with Ahoy for the last hour.

Find Liz here 👉 https://soundcloud.com/lizzie-lerwill

Enjoooy 💛

Liz Lagarto b2b Ahoy @ THF Radio, 21.04.22

@cracked-a
www.instagram.com/mr.fonk_

1. Thank you for the amazing mix! We heard quite a lot of great new music in your mix and wanted to ask, what are your biggest influences?

Thank you, I‘m glad you like it. My biggest influences as a DJ are definitely clubs I went to and their DJs, that is Stammheim / Kassel with the late great DJ Pierre, Robert Johnson / Offenbach with a lot of underrated boss DJs like Thomas Hammann, Paul David Rollmann and (the of course well known but imho mis-categorized) Ricardo Villalobos. And then Panoramabar obviously with Ryan Elliott, Oracy and my personal hero Boris. 

I gotta say though that this mix does not contain anything new. It entirely consists of Disco tunes from 1976…1980 that are unavailable in digital form and will not be picked up by Shazam. This music would be lost if no one would play it out on vinyl. It's really the aura of a good Club and a dj that understands, nurtures and boosts it that is my biggest influence. That's the essence of a Club. The spirit!


2. Considering your incredible collection, how do you go about the digging process? Is there a particular way you find and organize your records?

I developed various ways of digging. Maybe the most important one is listening to old DJ sets from clubs and DJs I like and pick out the gemstones that really shine. I stopped going to record stores to be frank. The “Discogs pricing scheme” prevents you from making any lucky finds. Some stores wouldn’t even price or clean records so in fact you’re doing their job.

Another digging mode is just digging through my own collection. There’s so much stuff I’ve never played, some I’ve never even listened to, so there’s always a surprise round the corner…

Last thing is, I copy a lot. If one of my guest DJs plays a bomb, I never hesitate to adopt this tune. Most music enthusiast DJs do this. For many of my favorite tunes I remember whom I heard playing this first!


3. We’ve been a big fan of your “Smile For A While” label, with superb releases by Move D, DJ Duke and more, and were wondering, how did that get started?

in 2013 me and a friend heard a lot of nice house tunes on bandcamp that friends of ours from Frankfurt did. There was no way though they could get through to the well known local labels like Perlon, LARJ, etc. Thus we decided to put two four trackers out by ourselves. The rest came just naturally over the years.

Paradisco 016 // Mr. Fonk

@sp-ki
www.instagram.com/dj_spoeki/

1. One of our crew member did edits of 3 of the songs you played - do you also prepare your own edits? 

What a nice coincidence! Not yet at the moment, but who knows, maybe I’ll do edits or producing in general in near future :)

2. "Summer Breeze" are the two words that come to our mind when listening to that blissful mix - what did the summer bring to you in terms of sonic vibes? 

For me, typical summer vibes have a certain, groovy basic sound that brings a piece of lightness with it, often through catchy vocals and percussive instruments. In the house genre, piano and saxophone also convey a light, summery feeling for me, as you can easily hear :)

3. Italo disco, Italo house, Freestyle & Disco - we are pretty sure that nothing is older than 89' here, what is your relationship to these 80's decade?

I would describe the 80's as my favourite music decade. It's super multifaceted, because italo disco and house somehow became popular there and because of that it’s hard to differentiate the genres within a track sometimes and several influences are recognizable. My first records were from the 80's and to this day it hasn't changed much, most of my record collection is from the 80's.


4. The transition are pristine which is super complicated for mixing these genres, what is your little secret?

Thanks! It's not that easy, especially when you play vinyl and when it comes to a complete change of genre. You have to know your tracks very well and to try and practice a lot. Often there are short passages or bridges in the track which suits better for a transition than waiting until the end of the track because not much happens there, the vocals fall silent or similar.

Paradisco 017 // Spöki

BLVSH x HÖR Showcase: Triqi // 28.09.22

@imadfromlove is a music aficionado who enjoys creating sonic journeys with any sounds that resonate with them. Having been greatly inspired by David Mancuso’s philosophy of music as well as Larry Levans residency at the Paradise Garage, they aim to infuse each mix with the power of love. Although able to play everything from Soul, Funk, Disco & Reggae to House, Techno, Electro and Trance, they’re very well known for their soulful, jazzy and uplifting classic House selections.

Feuilleton Podcast 013 mixed by Imad

TRACKLIST
1 - Tornado Wallace - Voices
2 - Prins Thomas - Evig Ung
3 - Jorge Lopez Ruiz - De Mama Candombe
4 - Don kashew - Spinett
5 – Kalidasa - KR1
6 – Riechmann - Wunderbar
7 - Karma de la Luna - Solar Beach
8 - Jack Pattern - Penisola d&#39;Amore
9 - Kanot - Hit &amp; Run
10 - Sangre Voss - Konon 129
11 - Jazzy Bazz - Arkham Anthem
12 - El Signo - Dimensiones Ocultas (Ric Piccolo Edit)
13 – Love Spirit - Burn the Witch (RFX Edit)

LINKS
Soundcloud: @6inti9
Bandcamp: www.bandcamp.com/intizer
Facebook: www.facebook.com/INTI-101937019137401/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/intimighty/

INTERVIEW
Succulent tunes flow in our ears and delightful vibes are surrounding us; could you tell us more about some of your fav’ venues where you can find similar balearic, prog’ and groovy tunes?

Thank you for the compliments. The place that made the biggest impression on me was the Cosmic Gathering in Chemnitz. During this festival I had a real opening of the horizons of Disco, in the broadest sense. Whether it's the melodies, the basslines or the rhythms, each one more catchy than the last. There is also the Lyon label Hard Fist (run by Cornelius Doctor and Tushen Raï) which inspires me a lot in my work. They develop a cosmic/trippy electro atmosphere with sometimes balearic and prog' tunes. There are also some radio stations where I find this type of atmosphere. The one that comes to mind first is LYL Radio, where there’s a very eclectic programming. And finally, there is DIA Radio, on which we are resident with 3 friends under the project Olo Yegussa.

There is a beautiful progression in the energy of your set; we are still cruising by the end of it, but in a more energetical way! How do you approach your mix in general? 

I really want to create stories, adventures through my sets, that's what guides my selection. In general, I like to make progressive and eclectic mixes. Here, I wanted to make a very progressive set starting from an "introspective" universe to go towards a groovy/punchy atmosphere. In my creative process, I think about an overall artistic direction and I set myself a few musical styles that fit the artistic direction to start with. Then I select 5-6 tracks per style and try different combinations to create a musical adventure / odyssey that feels as coherent as possible.

We found that “rolling baselines” were amongst some of the similarities in your track selection; is this something you think about/focus on when picking songs you play? 

Well spotted ! For this set, I wanted to create something groovy overall. I wanted to use these rolling basslines in different atmospheres. This is not always my guideline in the sets I produce but I really like this musical element. With the desire to be eclectic in my musical universe, I often use several guidelines. In general, I like to work on the melodies at the beginning of the set (for a rather mental side) then on the bass lines (for the groovy aspect) in the middle of the set and finally I focus more on the kicks (for a more physical / catchy side)

Paradisco 019 // INTI

@trularisa

1. Great selection! Could you tell us a bit about how your musical journey came to be?

Back in Romania I didn't have so many opportunities to become a DJ, or learn about this craft. Therefore, this process happened slowly - I started off very shy with liqud Drum'n'Bass, then I decided to include more styles I was listening to, such as R'n'B/Hip-hop and its roots Soul, Funk, Disco and even some Jazz. Later, inevitably, my musical horizon became wider and wider, as I fell in love with Reggae, Afrobeat, Zouk, House, Electro and other musical areas I'm still learning about. I must admit, moving to Berlin exposed me to the most enriching experience music-wise so far.

2. We heard a range of genres in your mix and were wondering, what would you say are your biggest inspirations or influences?

This is always a hard one. There are so many I feel it would be unfair to those who I will not mention. Still... I think it evolved with time. 

At first it was Hip-hop legends such as Pete Rock, Mos Def, Queen Latifah, Missy Elliott & more. Around 10 years ago, I got heavily into Dâm-Funk. This led me to discover artists like Fatima, for instance, but mostly it really opened my appetite for more music of the past. That's how I came across Roy Ayers, Gil Scott Heron, Aretha Franklin, Manu Dibango, Fania Records, The Belleville Three and sooo many others. Each musical direction I come across and learn about, has its own legends, influences, and inspiration. I should really mention, at this point, the huge impact Reggae titans such as Sly and Robbie or Dennis Bovell, had on my journey.

3. What's the story behind your Smoothin' Groovin' party series? We'd love to know!

Well, it started in the pandemic as an online radio show/live stream. Although it was something I did mainly for the people back home, it somehow managed to get some attention here in Berlin as well, and soon after when the clubs re-opened, I was offered the chance of doing SG a regular dance at Crack Bellmer. 

From the very beginning, one of the main ideas around the party series is inclusiveness. As I've mentioned, my influences are multiple and I try to make space for each of them. Still, the venue is best known for its electronic music events, so I've concluded the best way to do this series is by finding or building bridges. At some point it might feel as a Paradise Garage selection, sometimes later it might feel like a UK Blues Party vibe, and after that, one might feel the energy of the Detroit's New Dance Show or the hotness of a Colombian Picó Soundsystem. And sooo much more. If you think of interesting ways of bringing all this together without boring or scaring the people off the dancefloor, everything basically goes. That's how I look at it. I always tried to find selectors as openminded/openhearted as I am, and so far it worked each and every time. Besides the parties, SG is back in radio format, broadcasting regularly on Refuge Worldwide.

I guess the best definition could be found in the name itself. Both words have equal significance: "Smoothin" stands for the overall atmosphere and vibe we try to create, while "Groovin" stands for the level of energy we try to attain. So ultimately my dream is to give you some peace of mind, while keeping your body dancing.

Paradisco 018 // Tru:L

For this show, Triqi invited dear friend and underground selector DJ Lu?Lu! as her guest for the second hour. Featuring a solid portion of hip house, funk and other bouncey grooves.

DJ Lu?Lu! and Triqi  @ THF Radio, 26.01.23

@rupertrupertrupert
https://www.instagram.com/rupertdiscodealer/

Full interview: https://paradisco.substack.com/p/021-rupert

1. We absolutely loved your mix! May we ask what your main inspirations are and started collecting and playing music? 

So happy that you loved it! There were two occasions where I had a musical experience that completely blew my little mind. The first one: I heard Kraftwerk’s ‘The Man Machine’. I’d gotten it as a birthday present from my Aunt on my 13th birthday, she’d gifted it to me on the promise “This will change your life.” It actually really did. My Mom had a really thumping stereo system at the time and I remember so clearly just sitting in the middle of our living room, on the floor, being totally annihilated by sounds I’d never heard before. Every music-obsessive has one of these spark-to-gasoline moments that ignites a flame in you, and this was mine. I instantly bought everything they’d ever made and indoctrinated myself with synthesizers. 1978 had never sounded so new, but also never further away. I honestly just stopped consuming anything new. This kick started a so far life-long obsession with digging for music. I was constantly searching for similar music. Eventually I got really into early electronics and minimal wave, which then led to Italo-disco of course, and suddenly and quite by coincidence hit a wall that changed everything again for me: disco and the beginnings of house music. (continued on substack link above)

Tracklist: 
1. Dhar Braxton - Jump Back (Rap)
2. Subject - The Magic, The Moment (Club Mix)
3. Simphonia - You & Me (Dub)
4. Ron Bell & The Masterplan - Pump That Iron
5. Pushé - Don't Take Your Love Away (Club Mix)
6. MSQ II - Too Much
7. Moonfou - Shut Up! 
8. Clausell - Don't Let It Be Crack (Club Mix)
9. Sleeque - One For The Money (Dub)
10. Tia Monae - Don't Keep Me Waiting (Special Club Mix)
11. Dotty Green - Love Situation

Paradisco 021 // Rupert

@maltitzmusic

1 - Time Modem has a song called “welcome to the 90’s” - that’s exactly the feeling we had when listening to your set.  Could you guide through your track selection and impulse you had to go back in time?    

haha.. Interesting that you mentioned this Tune, bc I played it once at PAL Club Hamburg as an opening Track to begin my Set with. I chose the tracks because I want to create some moody Balearic vibe and catch the Sound of the 90s in a housy not so ravey way. So I was thinking about 808 State - Pacific State kind of vibe. With the funny Bird samples from the old E-MU Sampler. 


2 - You also produce, and we saw that there is another track of yours to be soon released on Romain FX's Label. How do you balance your energy between mixing and producing?   



Right now, I am really focused on my productions, but it's always good to find a balance between digging new/old released music and producing. In the winter for me, it's easier to lock inside and work on some productions, because then you have no FOMO :) 


3 - You are very versatile behind the decks, and you like to change genres in the middle of your sets. How do you organise and approach your library to keep an element of surprise and cheekiness when needed? 

Yes, this is the reason why I like to play extended Sets or Closing Sets to guide the people through various genres in electronic music. For me personally, it's really boring to listen to a set which is like 2 hours of the same kind of genre and music.
So I try to combine the different genres and make the people wake up. Some people like it, some people not. But that's the world I think. I do it like I would love to see it more from others. Let's do a party series and call it "the Risky Sets". I think it's also a problem that people want to get booked on special parties where there is just maybe one genre. So if you play music that the booker for example can not easily put in a place, maybe he will not book you. But for me music is more than one kind of music, if it's good people will dance I think.  Upsi now I get lost in answering the first part of your question, I use Rekordbox for organizing my Music and I have a lot of folders with Genres for example and for every gig or set I do a new Folder and put everything inside that I can imagine to play :)

Paradisco 020 // Maltitz

For this session @imadfromlove invited @jean.jez for a b2b session featuring some of their favourite jazzy, soulful and uplifting tracks.

Imad b2b Jean Jez @ THF Radio, 23.03.23

@plattenaffine

1. We saw that you love playing records, and by extension, collecting them. Could you guide us through your preferred way of finding some little gems to share with your audience?

A lot of my records I bought at flea markets or small shops, find them on the street or get them for my birthday :)


2. You are playing a lot in festival and bigger clubs of Berlin and around - how do you manage to connect with the big crowds during your sets?

Good question I never thought about how to do it, I think it just happens through the music, I love my music and I get happy listening to my records and if I am happy the people get happier too, I guess.


3. The tunes that you gracefully played in your set for Paradisco are mostly things from quite a few decades ago; is there any particular time-era that you like the most in the music history of the world?

I love music from the eighties, for me this was just the best time, where a lot of really great music comes from.

Paradisco 022 // Plattenaffine

Triqi and Hripsime @ THF Radio, 08.09.22

@paddy_jennings 
https://www.instagram.com/pat__dj/

Full interview on substack: https://paradisco.substack.com/023-pat

Interview snippet:
- We listened to your set during a Friday in Mid-July while it was raining by a low 20 degrees. When recording this delight, what kind of scenery did you have in mind for you & for the listeners?

I recorded this on a sunny Sunday afternoon into the evening and wanted to convey a warm and serene feeling as I was dreaming of an upcoming trip to the Italian coast. 

- We have been served here with an eclectic palette of genres & groove - how do you dig your tracks in general?

I love all kinds of music and am always looking for new and interesting stuff that I can draw from for whatever I need for the moment. I try to keep it simple and play what I am currently enjoying or feeling at that moment. I also love focusing on one particular style or sound as well sometimes for my radio show on Refuge Worldwide or for gigs. I really enjoy the flexibility to be able to share a wide range of music I enjoy with people whether it's an eclectic mix or one style. I don't believe any artist should be pigeonholed to one style even if that's what they're known for, I think everyone is free to express themselves how they see fit. 

- What is the most important message that you like to convey in your sets? 

I want to convey an unpredictable but fun and easy going vibe with a variety of moods and sounds where anything could be played. I want people to have fun, to hear lots of different styles of music and to be pleasantly surprised about what they hear. 


Tracklist:
Finis Africae - Ceremonia Magica en El Estranque
Khan Jamal - Lovely Afternoon
Beverly Glenn-Copeland - Sunset Village
David Axelrod - Holy Thursday
Jay Richford & Gary Dtevan - Having Fun
Move78 - But What If We're Wrong
Louisa Miller - Share The Love Around 
Zas - I Love My Body 
Costa & Chyps - Detriot City Cats 
Heather B - Takin Mine 
Yo Yo ft Mc Lyte - One For The Cuties
Mama Mystique - Style's I Murder 
Showbiz & AG - Full Scale 
Sault - Foot On Necks

Paradisco 023 // Pat

@kaodi-alum
https://www.instagram.com/koalum/

1. What an amazing mix, thank you so much for that! May we ask how your journey into jazz began?
I definitely grew up listening to a great deal of jazz and classical music: my grandma would have WQXR, NYC's classical music radio station, on at all times in the kitchen; and my mother would go from one Thelonius Monk album to the next in the living room. So I've always been passionate about jazz, even more so when I found out my grandfather -who passed away before I was born, was the biggest jazz fan. His favorite track was Glenn Miller's Moonlight Serenade, which will always hold a special place in my heart. I truly feel like jazz is the one genre capable of making you dance, weep, smile and swoon all in the span of one track.


2. How do you go about discovering new music?
I definitely go through phases: I'll listen to the same mix or playlist for a few consecutive weeks until I'm sick of it and forced to have an intense digging week -which usually involves around 90 open tabs at once at 3AM. I mostly find music through bandcamp, soundcloud, youtube -my personal favorite, and, when i'm lucky, I just wake up to an email from a friend sending me new tracks.


3. What are your thoughts on covers of tracks? We heard a cover we couldn't ID and would be curious to hear how you feel about them!
I absolutely adore covers ahah When I was a teenager, I got obsessed with this music collective called Postmodern Jukebox, that would make jazz covers of top pop hits -a 1950's Doo Wop cover of Miley Cyrus' We Can't Stop or a 1920's Gatsby style cover of Lady Gaga's Bad Romance... I've always found it fascinating when an artist is able to reinterpret a classic in a completely different tone or genre. I would even go as far as to say that a lot of hits we listen to today are actually covers of the original tracks; and especially in jazz, the most known versions of standards are almost always reinterpretations of the original compositions.

Paradisco 025 // Kaodi

We're happy to present our 24th mix by the Berlin-based DJ Planet 8, with elements of dub, disco, future jazz and more.

@planet_8
instagram.com/___planet8/

 1. We heard quite a deep dub influence in the mix, where does that inspiration come from?

For me, dub reflects an aesthetic approach that I like and strive to hear in my mixes. I am also fascinated by the influence that certain production techniques related to dub music had on various dance music genres, making them - in my opinion - more pleasing and interesting.

2. How do you go about digging new music?

I have a meticulous way of wading through obscure labels and artists on discogs.com, hopping from link to link to link (the research process being probably at least partly influenced by my training as a social scientist). Apart from that, I use Soundcloud and Instagram to keep track of current releases. Then I also like to dig for actual records in actual stores, especially when I’m visiting new places.

3. What is your relationship to disco and hip hop? There were a few superb selections we really enjoyed! Thanks for the great mix!

I used to produce hiphop instrumentals for my rapping friends as a teenager, making extensive use of sampling. This, in turn, led me to dig first into jazz, then soul, then funk, and finally disco music. Naturally, my first DJ sets were composed of the more dance-y tunes of these genres. From there, house music wasn’t far. What has always striked me about house - and what I am still looking for in the genre - is a specific approach that reminds me of hiphop: raw, organic, sometimes rough, yet subtle and reduced, combined with a DIY-aesthetic.

Thank you guys so much for the sweet words and the opportunity to showcase some of the music I like!

Tracklist:

Talaboman - Madhouse Dub (feat. Kristian Harborg)
Benjamin Fröhlich - Roundabout (feat. Vilja Larjosto)
Sultan Shakes - Interstellar Love (Young Marco's Trybal Dubb)
RTSAK - The Way They Do (Pender Street Steppers Remix)
hubbabubbaklubb - Mopedbart (Mystic Jungle & Whodamanny Rework)
Michael J Collins - Nothing Wrong To Holding On (Soul Clap Remix)
Uffe - Keep Smiles (Short Dub)
Nelson Of The East - Burning Palm (Fantastic Man Awakening Dub)
Tarjei Nygård - Katapult
Akwaaba & Todd Terje - Bodies (Prins Thomas Orgasmotron Mix)
Noel Nanton - North Of Houston (Dub)
SW. - Untitled C1
Dauwd - La Nota
Ski Oakenfull - Ain't Gonna Justify (A Short Trip To Space Mix)
The Ballistic Brothers - Streets Are Real
The Ballistic Brothers - Blacker (4 The Good Times)
Schmoov! - Destinations

Paradisco 024 // Planet 8

Imad b2b Triqi at Garbicz 2023

@funky-fasching
instagram.com/funkyfasching/
mixcloud.com/FunkyFasching/

We're delighted to present our latest mix and interview by Berlin-based musical explorer and radio show host Funky Fasching! A velvety smooth and soft mix to transport you to a sweeter place for an hour.

For the full interview, check our substack: 

Here is a snippet of the interview:

1) Some very lush strings, chords & saxos delighting our senses all the way through - could you guide us through your thought process while you selected your tracks?

I wanted to make a sweet and sensual mix and thought of a soft pink cloud that takes you away from the freezing cold and gray Berlin winter for an hour.
The trickiest part for me was to find a strong and meaningful opener that would also work as a headline for the whole mix. At first, I had a completely different track in mind. But then I threw all my plans overboard after discovering this great UK underground soul compilation "Just a Touch", which was recently released on the Athens of the North label. When I heard "Passion" by Taffy for the first time, I immediately knew and felt: This is it! It also asks this great and important question: "What would we do without passion?", which invites you to think about who or what makes your life special and what passion means to you personally. After the first track was set, I digged some balearic and r&b records from the mid 80s to early 90s, but also some dream pop and indie pieces with a similar smooth and breezy vibe that fit into the whole mood. And so one thing led to another.

Paradisco 026 // Funky Fasching

Mini Nik @ THF Radio, 02.11.23

@crk_7
1/2 of @servingsuggestions
www.instagram.com/janoschknbl
www.instagram.com/dont.rush.wonk

1: When you play live - what is your fav' set length to express yourself? And why?

Actually as long as possible, time is flying while playing - and that enables me to share as much music as possible. 

 

2: We found two times a winning trio of "Arabian Nights -> Balearic Sunsets -> Breaks" moods/genres. First time at the intro and then from 36mins onwards.
Is that something planned? What are your thoughts about it? 

Really appreciate the careful listening here! The mix is an interpretation of Disco, only playing music from the 80s and 90s, for me THE time in electronic dance music so far. As Disco and Synth Pop were transforming into tripping 90s dance music, you find similarities everywhere! And I wanted to bring flavors from this whole story into the mix. Selecting the tracks was also strongly connected to their tempo and of course to have a certain vibe and VARIETY, which apparently created this mixture and chronology that you are mentioning.

3: Summer is approaching - what are your plans music-wise for 2024?

I never before had more time to associate myself with music, so I also get influenced stronger and find and understand more music than ever before – definitively want to keep up with that! 
Also some things already popping up around here and even in France...aswell as we are planning our next dancemusic event of our Don’t Rush On A Wonk radioshow … so stay tuned :-)

Paradisco 027 // Janosch

curated by @djahoy @imadfromlove @triqi030
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bi-monthly show on @thfradio
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contact: helloparadisco@gmail.com
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