Shlomi Aber: Beaming live from Sankeys

Israel’s Shlomi Aber cut his teeth during the explosion of minimal and techno in the middle of the noughties, with his beautifully realised productions like Freakside really anchoring down as anthems of the underground scene. Since then he’s worked consistently to build his profile as an enduring DJ/producer; and this is on display with Shlomi Aber live from Sankeys Ibiza.

Aber’s rock-solid profile has seen him release work on stables as broad as Ovum, Cocoon, Desolat and Cadenza, though his primary focus in the past few years has been his own Be As One imprint.

With Shlomi Aber live from Sankeys Ibiza,he’s delivered a rollicking, and extremely tightly programmed 70-minute mix of stripped-back house and techno. While it was primarily inspired by his performances at the famed White Isle haven of underground, it’s just as much a showcase of the quality releases from his Be As One label.

“As a DJ, I am all for the ‘rolling’ elements in my sets; the bass,” Aber told I Voice, talking about the rather powering vibe of the mix. “The drums and the deep funky grooves. I’m not really thinking of any commercial aspect when I am dealing with music, that takes the fun and the soul out of a project. This mix reflects what you could expect from a Shlomi Aber set.”

I Voice finds out more about what went into getting the compilation together.

Congratulations on your new compilation, it’s a very tight release indeed. Do you feel it’s something that represents you strongly as a DJ/producer?It was an interesting project to compile, as I had to select a full lineup of unreleased tracks. It makes the work process much more interesting, yet it’s harder to represent yourself as you don't have the same variety in selecting tracks from the general market. Yet I managed to pick the best 14 tracks, which have been massive for me in the past months during my shows, taken out of hundreds of great cuts from many talented artists.

Tell us a little bit about when the mix was recorded.Actually, the mix was recorded live with 3 decks and FX, though it was actually at indoor studios, as within the 70 minutes I was aiming to expand through different types of musical environments and influences; which is impossible to do in a club in such a short set. The mix itself goes from groovier and deeper moods, into a more techno-oriented ending. That usually happens in longer sets; playing these specific cuts to a live audience wouldn't allow the same effect.

Sankeys Ibiza is a club that has really enjoyed a reinvigoration over the past year, in terms of both popularity and creative direction. What’s your involvement with the club?The owner David has been a really close friend of mine for many years, since I used to play for him at Sankeys in Manchester. The Ibiza club is being run by some really enthusiastic and professional young people, who keep pushing it to new limits. The genesis for this project actually came after last year’s fantastic closing party for the club, in the sun and by the pool at David’s villa.

Tell us how things are going with Be As One in the current environment. It seems there’s plenty of great music about, though lots of challenges on the business side of things.I have been collaborating with different labels lately including Desolat, Cadenza and others, but the main core of my work will always remain with my Be As One imprint. We’re always pushing our boundaries to new levels, both musically as well as a general imprint that involve parties, an agency and branding. The main challenge is to both keep in touch with the shrinking vinyl market, as well as adjusting into the new era, which is all about branding and showcases.

You really had a lot of success in your early years, and tracks like Freakside were very much anthems of the house and techno scene during that time. It seems like the focus over the past 3-4 years has been more on the consistency of your profile as an enduring DJ/producer. Tell us in your own words what the past few years have been like.The scene has completely changed over the past few years, and the market is overflowing too with too many DJs, and it’s important to have your own identity in order to stand out...The scene has completely changed over the past few years, and the market is overflowing too with too many DJs, and it’s important to have your own identity in order to stand out. My latest releases like The Doopler, Foolish Games, Mancha and We Don't Fit have been best sellers and definitely made their impact.

The difference from old days, and releases like Freakside, is the music used to get the proper respect, while these days there’s hundreds digital releases per day, and the music has become a drop in the ocean that washes away quickly. It used to be all about the music, and the artistic way of thinking.

Now to be a DJ, you need to create a personal identity in order to have a career, and as much as the personal identity is important, it’s still a ‘music’ scene at the end of the day. Therefore as a rule, I won’t be buying into this new ‘moustaches and pink shirts’ agenda. Our followers we always remain our followers, and they are there because of our music and not because of our colors.

Your background in classic music training seems to be behind a certain musicality and ‘soul’ that’s always been present in your music. How important is this to your identity as an artist? And do you ever find this ‘soul’ to be lacking in electronic music at all?I grew up musically influenced by the first round of the old Detroit legends. You can call that music "soulful" because of its musical production, but I call it soul because it was actually produced with the soul.

No money or ego was involved back then, and some of them didn't even mention their names on the vinyl or tapes. They cared only about the actual music. Today everyone is just making music to put their name out there, which is sad. There is no actual quality control anymore. If the old "soulful" way of making music is an eutectic French bistro in a shaded Parisian corner, then the new way is McDonalds.

Shlomi Aber Live from Sankeys Ibiza
Release: 15.07.2013
Win Copies Here

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