“The experience of being exposed to unfamiliar music can often be inspiring and enlightening, My choices in selecting materials address this belief”
Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself – interests, past experiences?
Roei wv: I began my musical experience as a child pianist. As a teenager I was enchanted by electronic music and technological advances, and began experimenting in with my home computer. Later on, as the need to develop my technical and theoretical skills rose, I studied music production at Muzik School college in Tel-Aviv. Ever since, I’ve been involved in a number of various projects; such as producing original music in various styles and genres. In addition I produced scores for theater and student film soundtracks.
In the last five years I have had the chance to gain experience DJing due to the support of my dear colleague and friend Eran Sirjohn. Under the alias Agochic we played in various venues and hosted local and international DJs in a weekly line at Haifa, Based on our mutual understanding of underground music.
Q: How did your education at Muzik college influence you?
Roei wv: The time in college was great and I was exposed to very creative and talented people whom I learned a lot from. It was important to me to broadly and thoroughly explore the rich world of music production. Two tracks; Sunday Trip and Thursday Theme I produced were launched in the ‘Selected Works Compilations by ‘Muzik’.
My education was a good starting point to an ongoing process of expanding my knowledge; deepen my understanding, refining my technical skills, and shaping my vision and esthetic references.
Q: How is Haifa regarding the underground electronic music scene?
Roei wv: There is a small but very loyal group of individuals that are really into observing the underground scene and developing it. I truly believe that a meaningful underground scene can and should become more popular and appreciated around here.
Q: Are you currently working on an album, involved in projects and new materials?
Roei wv: I recently finished working on an EP with a young artist that came to me with a special request to make cover versions to his favorite songs. That work was quite challenging because I had to act as a producer, sound designer, arranger and mixer. But the biggest challenge was to translate the verbal understanding into musical structures which we both agreed on. Besides that I tutor young producers in DJing and creating their own stuff. And in the background there are upcoming original musical projects of my own that are just waiting for the right timing to be released.
Q: Is it true that in order to become a dominant part of the scene, one should toe the line with common sound, trends or whim of promoters?
Roei wv: I believe that it’s important to be aware of many variables in order to relate to the crowd you’re playing for and address them. There must be endless ways to do that, and doing so is the magic and art of playing live. I play music which I would have enjoyed listening to and that is suits the situation. It happens not to be quite mainstream oriented. The experience of being exposed to unfamiliar music can often be inspiring and enlightening. My choices in selecting materials address this belief.
Q: Did you encounter a conflict between club owners’ dictations or crowd expectations for a certain kind of entertainment and your unique style and preferences?
Roei wv: There is a subtle balance between communicating something personal and authentic and remaining relevant. It’s fascinating to be able to push towards the edges and be more experimental, as long as the crowd is interested in joining me. Those places in which one gets lost, where time and space are experienced in a totally different and fresh ways are my compass, as they shape the perception and make way for spiritual processes to take place. After all, the good thing in being lost is the option of being found. I tend to push towards these areas. When I go too far there are great tools for putting us back on track. Whatever that means.
Q: In the past, physical format such DJ Kicks and Global Underground are given the tone and found out who is the next big name in the worldwide scene.
Is it true that since the network availability, blogs and podcasts sprung up, there is no guideline and an agreed approach about what is quality & who call the shots?
Roei wv: Like most things it has both up and downs sides. I’m really thankful for the growing availability of music these days. It allows us to get exposed to a verity of artists, scenes, events and music from all over the world. I believe in a sharing approach to music. Just like any other great art – it should be belong and accessible for everyone how seeks it rather than being latent.
From the other hand, the vast verity of musical information led to the point that it’s harder to focus on delicate nuances. I try not to look at things in a comparative manner, which is better or worse. There is always a matter of personal taste and preferences alongside the unique situation that it accurse. For example, something could be perceived as unsuitable in one situation but can glow in a different context. at that point, the role of the dj kicks in with operating the machines and playing tracks that will deliver the soul out. I find it fascinating, challenging and very rewording artistically when it happens. From my humble point of view, this element makes a significant difference in the general music flow as the crowed reacts to it too.
Q: Do you feel that the mix is more of a demonstration of your mixing prowess or a showcase of the tunes that it’s made up of?
Roei wv: I guess it can be some of both. But what makes a great mix is its energetic flow regardless of the tracks it’s made of. It’s just like expressing something genuine – it doesn’t matter with what or how you express it.
Q: What can we expect from you in this coming year?
Roei wv: I’ll continue with my passion to create and explore energetic flows with music. Hope that some of my recent projects will be released this way or another pretty soon. In the mean time I wish to continue DJing and sharing some of the awesome music around me. Visit Roei wv
