DTLA Records head honcho Redux Saints claims this week's Mix Of the Week with his live set recorded at Misfit Masquerade: A Mystikal Affair. Keep reading to find out more about his latest release on the Toolroom Ibiza Compilations 2019, the concept behind DTLA and get some tips and tricks if you're an aspiring producer!
For those unaware of the brand, what is the concept behind DTLA?
Deep Tech Los Angeles is based on the concept of the wave of changing music in the Southern California area.
The change is reflective of the metamorphism of mainstream music being played in clubs to underground house music; whether it be Techno, Tech House, Deep Tech, and starting to see some sprouts of Progressive House.
This transformation has been taking place over the past several years, and we’ve also correlated the change of the downtown Los Angeles area to the change of the music. If you weren’t aware the downtown areas has been going through some massive redevelopment over the past several years. Deep Tech Los Angeles is same acronym as Down Town Los Angles (DTLA).
The brand itself is now a record label, investment, event and merchandise company.
Your latest release is on the Toolroom Ibiza Compilations 2019 release, how did this opportunity first come around?
Mr. Oz (Ozdemir Isleyici) and I met at my Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) gig last year. We hit it off so well that we decided to keep in touch after the event which lead to us working multiple collaboration projects.
As we submitted a few of our projects to Toolroom, it came back that the track “The Power” was the best fit for their compilation.
Your collaboration with Mr. Oz for the Toolroom release has been fantastic, are there any other artists you want to or will be working with in the near future?
There are several artists really digging right now. Two guys I almost always drop in my sets are SAVE AS and DONT BLINK.
Love to do collabs with them.
It's clear that Tech House is making a massive impression in the states, for anyone that hasn't been to LA, tell us the importance of the territory, when it comes to specialist dance music?
A lot of fresh producers are coming out of California right now. I believe it has to do a little with the abundance of proper music schools as well as the influences here.
We're typically a bit behind what comes out of Europe, so I think now is the right time to be making strides in underground house scene.
Where are your favorite cities and countries to tour or play?
Amsterdam, Mexico, UK rank up there for me. Seeing a lot more opportunities coming up to add to that list. I’m leaving for Spain next week to play in Barcelona.
What are your 5 tips and tricks for aspiring producers and future label heads to get themselves out of the bedroom and into the studio/office?
I sometimes mix my tracks into my master chain.
I love soundtoys and outputs Movement plugins to change up any sample or sound.
My Moog Sub 37 is usually the anchor of my basslines.
Don’t be afraid to say no to gigs you don’t feel are going to do anything for you.
Promotions ranks second to your music as most important items to focus on.
You’ve just been on Christian Homan’s RTE Radio Show shared with Dimitri From Paris, and have a regular DTLA Show on Frisky Radio. Please tell us your current top 5 tracks in your box.
Deep Tech Los Angeles on Frisky Radio show is every third Thursday of every month. DTLA showcases a lot of music from the Los Angeles area as well as other track I’m dropping in my sets.
Chris Hartwig – Bang the Groove [Formatik]
DON’T BLINK – TO THE BEAT [Country Club Disco]
Marco Lys – Raving [Circus Recordings]
SAVE AS (US) – One more [Repopulate Mars]
Redux Saints – The Power [Toolroom]
Will you be attending IMS and what are your thoughts on the Ibiza scene?
Yes, I will be attending IMS this year.
I think Ibiza is like that goal that everyone one here in the US has to play at. Hoping to have many opportunities to play there in the future.
Where can our listeners find you throughout the summer?
Besides cooking up some new beats in the studio, I’ll be Djing throughout the US in cities such Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Honolulu, and many more.