“I’M working on a new EP that will come out
soon and I have a new worldwide management
that is making me feel very motivated and
ready to take on the world,” Skazi tells DJ Mag
when asked about his highlights of the year so
far. He’s also been working hard on a new live
act that will incorporate mixing his trademark
dynamic rock and trance sounds together.
A DJ and producer with more than 14 years of
experience, Skazi is excited that the scene has
reached its massive size. “I feel that it reached
a size that no one could imagine before. The
virus of EDM is everywhere.” Last year he was
busy shooting a documentary-style reality
show called Connected. This year he hit the
Israel music channel with his talk show, Skazi
TV. How will you thank your fans for voting for
you? “I’m going to release a free download
Skazi mix for them and let them enjoy my latest
works for free.” HELENE STOKES
85
SKAZI
RE
ENTRY
From: Israel. Style: “Psy-trance with rock motives.” Best
known for: “Skazing.” Tune of 2013: “Knife Party
‘LRAD’.” Breakthrough DJ/producer of 2013: “Zedd.”
86
JUST to confuse us, the Norwegian hardstyle
duo — made up of Kenth Kvien and Marcus Nordii
— moved from their previous home in Holland
to Belgium, earlier this year, after the release of
last year’s loud-and-mighty ‘Norwegian Lullaby’,
laced with vocals from Lene Kokai.
“There was no hardstyle scene in Norway so we
had to move,” says Kenth. “Everyone in Norway
travels to either Belgium or Holland to go raving,
so it made sense.”
The pair met in 2003, at a party where they were
both DJing. They started going to hardstyle
raves together but it was their mutual passion
for Manami Matsumae’s music — he composed
the soundtrack for 1980s NES computer game
series Mega Man — that drove them to produce
together. After years at it, in 2012 they released
their debut album ‘Time To Shine’.
“A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into that,”
says Kenth. “We still play a lot of the tracks in
our sets.”
This year they’ve rocked crowds at mega raves
The Qontinent and Reverze. “We played to
19,000 people at Reverze,” says Kenth. “It was
awesome.” CLAIRE HUGHES
?13
DA TWEEKAZ
From: Norway. Style: “Happy, euphoric, but still hard-hitting
beats.” Best known for: “Full Power Performances.” Tune Of
2013: “Chain Reaction ‘The Record Breaking’.” Breakthrough
DJ/producer of 2013: “Hard Driver.”
126 djmag.com
Have DJs’ fees got out of hand? “Each one earns his size. I am
happy with mine.” Has dance music become the new pop? “EDM
is pop! It’s on MTV, it’s on radio so totally yes, and it’s a good thing.
This way the electronic virus spreads faster and that’s what all
producers want.” If you could be any animal what would you
be? “Lion. Breed all day, rest when I feel like it and remain undisputed king of all the animals.” Should DJs do ‘heart hands’? “I don’t
see anything wrong about it. The crowd does it to the DJ, so it’s the
feedback from the DJ to the crowd. You need to give some in order to
get some.” Do DJs have a duty to speak out about drugs? “Each
DJ who feels he can in?uence his fans on this matter, should!” What
would be on your fantasy rider? “Portal studio with Xbox online
connected… and a Cacadu parrot that repeats dirty lines.”
Have DJs’ fees got out of hand? “If you’re able to attract thousands
of people, it’s fair to be paid well.” Has dance music become the new
pop? “Yes, but it’s not a bad thing.” If you could be any animal what
would you be? Marcus: “A salmon. I love swimming upstream.”Kenth:
“A cat, so I could sleep all day and have people hand me food and cuddles.” Should DJs do ‘heart hands’? “Why not?! Haha.” Do DJs have
a duty to speak out about drugs? “We don’t talk about drugs, touch
them, use them or want anything to do with them.” What would be on
your fantasy rider? “Steak with fries and béarnaise sauce, two bottles
of Grey Goose vodka.Unlimited supply of Red Bull. Cake. De?nitely cake.
And a bouncy castle.”