Our next artist has just created an alias called " Abode " and they have recently just slotted themselves a spot @ 2 Degrees Festival very soon, but we will be also talking about one of the creators behind this @Form1Lane or Danny! Danny & I have recently just got ourselves a gig at Cicada Euphoria very soon as well so look out for that! We recently caught up with Danny and he told us everything you need to know about him & abode!
Interview w Danny
Q & A:
Question 1: When did the drive to start mixing and being involved in Dance music be a big thing for you in your life?
A: I think the earliest recollection of being introduced to the dance music scene would honestly be my underage clubbing days (cringe I know) at the old Xe54 in Southbank. I had always surrounded myself with older crowds and it just so happens that mates of mine would be trekking it to Xe most weekends and I just so happen to tag along one time with my very, very subpar fakie. For whatever reason, I always managed to sneak through without being caught and that would eventually turn out to be most weekends, going out with friends clubbing.
One of my best mates (who is now apart of my creative label - Abode) had dabbled in DJing, playing similar sounding tracks as I had heard at Xe and it had always sparked interest in me. To me it sounded so different yet so inviting and addictive, and the more I had exposed myself to electronic dance music, my obsession for it grew. From then, I had nagged him to teach me how to mix and I guess the rest is history!
Question 2: What inspired you to start your brand abode? & Do you have big things planned for the future?
A: I touched on it earlier, but the origins of Abode came from two friends who shared the same passion for electronic music. We were inspired by other local duos in our area such as Handle Soundsystem (shoutout) and we thought to ourselves, why not us? Whilst we worked on our personal alias’s, the joy in digging and finding new music and sharing it to one another was such a different feeling, being able to feed off each other was special.
Fast forward to today, Abode is now made up of 3, with another friend joining us. We really believed that Abode could be so much more than a DJ duo, eventually turning our heads to the clothing game. It’s super, super handy having someone in the team that really knows what they’re doing in terms of designing, allowing us to always ideate and to explore so many creative possibilities that we think matches the electronic scene and looking good at the same time!
In terms of planning for the future, we hope to start running events and parties on top of continuing with our clothing brand. I really think having the skill and execution of running successful events is so vital in our scene because it’s what keeps people like us so connected.
Question 3: Your biggest achievement in the industry for you so far? What are you excited about the most in the future?
A: I’m not too sure if I’ve really achieved much in the time I’ve been involved within the industry. I think in terms of stock standard achievements and goals would have to be playing gigs and being able to connect with like minded people. When it comes to specific gigs, playing at Colour would have to be up there, considering I’ve always looked at Colour as a club that’s so highly regarded and touted as a pure electronic music club. To me, being able to play there is an indication that I’m in the right direction as an artist.
To think about the future as a smaller artist within the industry excites me so much. I have so much to learn and so much to experience with what it takes to be successful and to thrive within the scene. I’m really excited to keep meeting new people, to keep connecting, networking and building myself up. The prospect of playing more gigs, events and parties is always exciting no matter who you are or long you’ve been apart of the industry. Moreover, being a better producer and beginning to utilise hardware excites me also!
Question 4: How excited are you for 2 degrees Festival? Do you roughly know what sort of vibe you will go with?
A: Honestly, the idea of playing and being apart of a festival that’ll host a line up as good and as talented as the one they have hasn’t sunken in for me. I’ve looked up to so many of those acts and to share the same stage as them is a bit of a pinch me moment I must admit.
If I’m not mistaken, I think we (Abode) are slotted in the afternoon so I think the vibe of our set will depend on that, whether we’d choose to go turbo or to slow things down. Judging by the line-up, I personally feel as though a lot of proggy and chuggy sounds will be fairly popular amongst DJ’s, so it might be nice to stray away from that and play something different? Honestly, I’m not too sure just yet, we’re still yet decide!
Question 5: Favourite All time tune?
A: My all-time favourite tune is somewhat left field. It’s – Love on a summer night by The McCrary’s, specifically Andy Kidd’s extended love edit. A funk/soul oldie with a jazzy feel dating all the way back to the 80s I believe! Such good vibes and the crowd always responds well.
Question 6: What is your style, if you could describe it in 5 Words? & why?
A: I describe my style/sets through an abbreviation/rule I’ve made up. It’s the EEA rule, which stands for Energy, Euphoria and Atmosphere. I like to choose and sift through tracks that I believe respond to all three categories, and if I meet all three categories within a set, my job has been done well! The EEA rule doesn’t necessarily have to apply to only trancey and faster genres, but is open to anything, albeit my sound is generally based around quirky, driving basslines with stabby or heavy kicks.
Question 7: What is one piece of advice you can give to those people just starting in the industry?
A: To prioritise networking and communicating with people already within the music scene! Whilst learning the craft of mixing or producing is a big deal, networking and communicating with people is what leads to exposure. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, try to reach out with whoever or wherever, the worst they can say is no.
Question 8: With COVID around in the scene still at the moment, what has been your take on the whole situation?
A: Through out all the lockdowns, I felt as though the most recent one took some toll on me as an ‘artist’ per se. Not being able to go out with friends and seeing live performances had really demotivated me and I was finding it super hard to find inspiration or drive to work on my craft. Due to experiencing these lockdown firsthand (like everyone else), it makes up a lot of the reason why I want to venture into event planning/organisation. To be able to curate something that’s been missing for so long would be amazing and rewarding.
Question 9: Biggest Goal for 2022?
A: Under my own alias, my personal goals would be to dabble into hardware production(s) and try and wrap my head around the bells and whistles that come with it. Ongoing goals are to keep playing gigs and to keep mastering my craft.
As for Abode, it would definitely be to host our own event at a mega location. To be able to have full control of what goes on and curating our own line-up would be such an amazing feeling. Lastly, to further expand our clothing!
You for sure can expect big things from Abode this year after the response by Danny!! Here at Stewi Mag all we try and do is provide those Up & Comers who put the work in with exposure & the best outcome for them on this creative page!
You can also find Danny on all social media platforms below!
SOCIALS:
Instagram: @legoblok
Abode Insta: @abode.dj
Facebook Page: Abode