“THERE’S everything from two-step to glitch
hop to disco house on my new album,” says DJ/
producer Mat Zo, whose debut album ‘Damage
Control’ is out this month on Anjunabeats.
“The tempo range is from 70bpm to 150 bpm so it’s
pretty varied.”
Slap-bang in the middle of his Damage Control
world tour, the British DJ/producer’s sets are as
eclectic as his productions. It’s this wide-ranging,
fresh, raw potency that was distilled into last year’s
quirky electro ‘Biopolar EP’ and, more recently,
‘Pyramid Scheme’, featuring Chuck D.
“Noisia have had the biggest impact on my
development as a producer,” says 23-year-old
Mat. “They set the bar for what is possible with
electronic music.”
And after a year of DJ gigs and white-hot album
tasters it seems anything’s possible for this enfant
terrible of electronic music. “I’m most proud of
my album though,” he says. “It’s me stepping
out of my comfort zone.” CLAIRE HUGHES
Have DJs’ fees got out of hand? “No. We get paid to live in airports, airplanes and
hotels half our life without home-cooked meals and to put our bodies under constant
stress with sleep deprivation and hangovers. We DJ for free.” Has dance music
become the new pop? “Pop has always been mostly music for dancing, the only
difference now is instead of people with perms it’s people with computers.” If you
could be any animal what would you be? “A dolphin because it’s so unconcerned
with the prospect of getting eaten that it has time for casual sex.” Should DJs
do ‘heart hands’? “I don’t but if that’s what you like doing, knock yourself out,
literally.” Do DJs have a duty to speak out about drugs? “Not really. It’s not
so much a duty as a good deed. I think parents and teachers need to do more if
anything.” What would be on your fantasy rider? “A koala and caipirinhas served
by Robert DeNiro wearing a sombrero.”
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MAT ZO
From: UK. Style: “I play music for dancing.” Best
known for: “I don’t know!” Tune of
2013: “Daft Punk’s ‘Get Lucky’.” Breakthrough
DJ/producer of 2013: “Botnek.”
DIEGO Miranda has teetered on the edge
of the Top 100 over the past few years, so
this year he’s more than delighted to be
involved.
“It´s another dream achieved and is a
con?rmation and recognition of all my
hard work,” he tells DJ Mag. “But above
all else, it gives me a greater urge to keep
working hard on my music.” Miranda’s
music is laced with up-tempo house-tastic
energy, as big-room tracks such as ‘Ibiza
For Dreams’ and his remake of Underworld’s
‘Born Slippy’ would attest. A resident at
Ushuaia in Ibiza, he also played in Green
Valley, Brazil this year and even found time
to unleash his latest album, ‘Say Yeah’. How
the next 12 months play out is anyone’s
guess, but if they’re as incident-?lled as
the last, it’s safe to say Miranda is in for
a whale of a time. STEPHEN FLYNN
Have DJs’ fees got out of hand? “Not really — it’s just a
standard case of supply and demand. If people are willing
to pay a certain amount, then it’s only natural the artist
will get paid accordingly.” Has dance music become the
new pop? “Yeah, I think so. I used to run a techno label,
but more recently I’ve turned my focus toward commercial
music.” If you could be any animal what would you
be? “A bird, just to taste that feeling of freedom.” Should
DJs do ‘heart hands’? “If they want to, then sure,
why not? It’s about the true power of music and getting
wrapped up in the moment. It’s become a way for DJs to
interact with the public and demonstrate love.” Do DJs
have a duty to speak out about drugs? “One doesn’t
necessarily imply the other, but I think we have some
responsibility because we’re an example to many.” What
would be on your fantasy rider? “I’d have to ?y by
private jet to all my gigs!”
94
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