RW040

Hey there,

This morning I woke up suddenly at 5 a.m. because I realized I had completely forgotten about the newsletter. I came down with an illness on Monday and ended up losing my entire routine. I did manage to write on Wednesday, but putting the newsletter together felt like too much at that point. So, apologies for the delay, and I hope you don’t mind.

This week, a familiar section is making a return: On the Horizon. There are a few upcoming releases that are definitely worth keeping in mind. That’s why today’s structure will follow this order.

But first, let’s begin as usual, as follows:

1. Recent Cuts - Fresh vinyl and digital releases worth checking out.

2. Essential Oldschool - Records from the 90s and early 2000s that still matter today.

3. On the Horizon - Upcoming releases to keep an eye on.

4. Behind the Booth - Personal stories, lessons, and perspectives from life as a DJ.
   

1. Recent Cuts - Fresh vinyl and digital releases worth checking out.

2. Essential Oldschool - Records from the 90s and early 2000s that still matter today.

3. On the Horizon - Upcoming releases to keep an eye on.

4. Behind the Booth - Personal stories, lessons, and perspectives from life as a DJ.

Guys, you know how it is, there are so many stories to tell from a DJ’s life. But you also know that in the past I’ve mentioned how this section can feel a bit too one-sided, coming only from my own perspective. So one evening at Mono in Dortmund, I talked about this with Kai-Uwe Müller.

He doesn’t actually think the section is egocentric at all and believes people genuinely enjoy reading a specific perspective. Still, it kept lingering in my mind. That’s why I thought it could be interesting, and honestly more fun, to bring more voices into this section, and maybe others as well, to open things up for broader perspectives and more stories.

So during our conversation, I asked Kai-Uwe if he’d be up for sharing one of his own stories. And who is Kai-Uwe Müller? I’m more than happy to tell you, with full-on fanboy energy. KUM, as I like to call him, has been a DJ since around 1992 and is one of my inspirations. Not only does he have amazing stories and a deep history within the scene, but he was also one of the founders of one of the biggest electronic music magazines: Raveline.

Alongside Frontpage, it was one of the most important publications in Germany, maybe even across Austria and Switzerland (I’m not sure), practically flying off the shelves at kiosks. KUM is still active as a DJ to this day, and not just me, but even people in their early twenties hang on to every word he says. I could honestly listen to him for hours.

He’s simply a genuine, down-to-earth guy from the Ruhr area who has stayed true to electronic music and really knows “wo der Frosch die Locken hat” (a German saying meaning he truly knows what’s going on and how things really work).

So, I’ll hand things over to KUM now:

“DJing isn't rocket science.

Anyone browsing social media today and looking into DJing will be bombarded with information, misinformation, jokes, nonsense, sexism, bad taste in music, and, most of all, profanity and banality.

The internet is overflowing with reels, stories, and videos from DJs, DJ influencers, aspiring DJs, and influencers who are becoming DJs or explaining how influencers become DJs and then DJ influencers. These are people who want to tell you how and where you're supposedly headed. Often, this reveals a profound lack of knowledge, coupled with inflated egos and a completely distorted view of what DJing is really about.

Extravagant clothes and bare skin aren't essential, but to each their own. Things get unpleasant when the self-proclaimed DJ guru downs four Jägermeisters in a row behind the decks, performs a double somersault followed by a Rittberger jump, and then dives into the crowd. All this while screaming nonstop into a microphone.

That has nothing to do with DJing; it reminds me more of people who, without any real skills or know-how, are drawn to the limelight and, once there, regularly ruin the fun and maybe even the entire evening.

I HATE these kinds of DJs. It's not like this breed only emerged in the last 5-6 years; they've been around much longer. But social media ensures that this particular form of "performance" gets a lot of attention, creating an image that has little to do with what's actually happening on the dance floor and behind the decks. Unless... well, unless the audience is staging themselves the way they've seen it on Instagram and in TikTok videos. Then everyone jerks around in unison, staring blankly, while the DJ, in the camera's focus, stages himself as an underground god and the center of the universe. This kind of viral manipulation and simulation of parties regularly leaves me feeling bewildered. When 30 costumed techno idiots are jumping around in an industrial hall, monotonous techno blares, and it's all choreographed down to the last detail, every lighting effect seemingly planned, then it really has nothing to do with what the music is supposed to evoke: joy, freedom, ecstasy, liberation. Because how liberated is someone who knows exactly where to dance to grab their 15 seconds of fame?

Empathy, a spirit of experimentation, a hopefully broad musical background, and a repertoire that embraces flexibility and genre blending as a challenge and a goal, not a nightmare, are essential for DJs. And a little humility doesn't hurt either. That doesn't mean there can't be any action behind the DJ booth. But first and foremost, it's always about the music and how the music captivates the crowd, gets them dancing. Because at a party, everything revolves around the guests and the music. And you're a good DJ when you take people on a journey with your music. You're fully immersed in your task of evoking something with every single track, becoming part of the audience on the dance floor yourself. That's what makes it so much fun, the merging of dancers and the DJ. It's about the moment, every single moment. Because remember: anyone who already knows what they'll be dancing to tomorrow will likely search in vain for that moment in the whirlwind of their own expectations.

And next time, complaining will continue.”

Today’s edition was efficient and straight to the point, without too much extra fluff. I’d be really interested to hear what you think. Would you like more stories, or do you find it refreshing when releases are described in just two or three sentences? Feel free to let me know.

And don’t forget: keep sending me your favorite track or record. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be the one curating the next pick in the Community section.

Simply reply to this email or comment here with a link to your favorite E.P.

Catch you next week! Be ready to drop the needle on my next picks.

Keep it spinning,
Robin Tasi @ Recycling Wax