LAS Vegas’ EDM scene is big business these
days, and one such pairing who’ve really
bene?ted from Sin City is DJs From Mars. The
duo, comprising of Max Aqualice and Luca
Ventafunk, enjoy a special and reciprocal
relationship with the city, with their
longstanding residency at Vegas’ globally
renowned Hard Rock Cafe the epitome of the
fact.
“It feels like shit is just getting serious,”
they giddily tell DJ Mag. “We’ve been
touring and releasing music for over four
years, but entering the DJ Mag Top 100 is
like a graduation. Now, when people ask us
what we do, we can ?nally tell them we’re
DJs — and prove it!” STEPHEN FLYNN
95
NEW
ENTRY
DJS FROM MARS
From: Italy. Style: “Alien electro/bastard pop.” Best known
for: “Mash-ups/bootlegs/remixes/rock ‘n’ roll.” Tune of
2013: “Snoop Lion ‘No Guns Allowed’.” Breakthrough DJ/
producer of 2013: “Daddy’s Groove.”
96
2013 has mainly been about production for Matt
Darey. The long time producer of main room prog
sounds ?nally decided the time was right to make
his debut album, ‘Blossom & Decay’. As well as
that, he also turned out his ?rst remix in years
after making his name with them in the ‘90s
before focusing on his own material.
“I wanted to start remixing again cos I kinda miss
it,” he says. “But I’m being very selective. I love
rock bands so it was a good place to start with 30
Seconds to Mars.”
In the wake of the debut album, Darey has been
exploring a new sound and has fallen in love with
lots of contemporary deep house. “I started off
in a guitar band, then made drum & bass, then
big house in 1993, then breakbeat, then trance
and progressive. I’m taking all this production
experience and putting it all into the melting
pot, so to speak.”
As well as lots more remixes, a second album
and more touring ahead, Matt continues
to do his weekly Nocturnal Sunrise podcast
each week and recently passed the 400
episodes mark... a fair commitment for
someone as busy as him. KRISTAN J CARYL
RE
ENTRY
MATT DAREY
From: UK. Style: “Prog and big room style/the deeper side of electronic
beats.” Best known for: “Nocturnal radio show.”
Tune of 2013: “All deep house and mainly new artists.” Breakthrough
DJ/producer of 2013: “I love so many new deep house artists!”
134 djmag.com
Have DJs’ fees got out of hand? “It’s just the market. If
soccer matches have 100,000 people paying for a ticket,
they can make big money. It’s nothing strange — it’s just
economics.” Has dance music become the new pop? “EDM
is everywhere now. You work/study all week, and when the
weekend comes, you want to forget about everything and just
dance. That’s the vibe in the air these days...” If you could
be any animal what would you be? “A platypus! They swim,
but they can walk. They’re mammals, but they lay eggs. They
look like a duck, but also like a rat. They’re de?nitely the animal projection of what we try to do with music: contamination.” Should DJs do “heart hands”? “It’s so clichèd.” Do
DJs have a duty to speak out about drugs? “It’s the parents and politicians who should speak to the kids. DJs are just
entertainers — it’s sad that artists are expected to shoulder
responsibilities that society can’t handle.” What would be
on your fantasy rider? “A friendly backstage panda, a sushi
buffet, local live bands to jam with, a beachside location —
and at least two days off in every city we play!”
Have DJs’ fees got out of hand? “I guess the commercial pop end of ‘EDM’
is so popular now, clearly into the realms of the pop artist ?lling massive
venues, and big fees come with the territory.“ Has dance music become the
new pop? “For sure, just the commercial end of it, simply cos it’s crossing
over into the mainstream pop charts.” If you could be any animal what
would you be? “I guess party animals have the most fun.” Should DJs do
“heart hands”? “Guilty! Ha, been a while though, kinda feels a bit wrong
nowadays.” Do DJs have a duty to speak out about drugs? “Yeah, at a time
when dance music has exploded like never before, more kids are doin’ drugs
for the ?rst time and it’s so easy for them to lose perspective, and some let it
get out of control.” What would be on your fantasy rider? “All I need is a
good after party and I’m set, low maintenance!”