Project Description
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Interview with
DJ SAMER
(3rd September 2021)
Interview by Dave Bruce
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About DJ SAMER
With 20 years of experience at the forefront of the underground scene, DJ Samer is to progressive house what strawberries are to cream – utterly essential. His label, Pangea Recordings, continueS to build on his legacy, being charted and played continuously by the scene’s elite DJs. Over the years, Samer has performed at some of the best parties on the planet; from ULTRA Music Festival’s flagship event in Miami with Deadmau5, Sasha and John Digweed, to Love Fest in San Francisco and beyond. These days, Samer is concentrating more on his original productions and writing music under his own name. He has signed solo outings and remixes on very well-respected international labels such as Spundae Music, Baroque Records, Compatible Music, Stripped, Old SQL and many more. Samer’s podcast – Pangea Recordings Podcast – has aided him in pushing his sound to a worldwide audience with thousands of devoted and faithful listeners. It is safe to say that Samer is still one of America’s most exciting DJs and producers.
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Have you always wanted to be a producer? When did you get the DJ / production bug?
I always knew I wanted to be involved in music in some way, but it didn’t cement in any form until I saw some of the best musical acts in the world at Simon’s club in Gainesville, Florida in the late 90s. Little did I know when I went to college there, I would be walking into an underground Mecca of groundbreaking and forward moving music. It was there that I got to see Sasha and Digweed for the first time, the super group Deee-light, Danny Tenaglia, and many other iconic DJs and performers. I came to know the owner Simon, amazing person, and he allowed me to sit in the DJ booth and watch them play and perform, it was quite an incredible experience. The bug has been in me since then and it’s never left and I am 42 years old right now!
How would you describe your sound? Why do you think people resonate with your music?
As a person, I really try to work on having an energetic and carefree attitude and I think it translates in my music and mixing. People just love to let go and for some reason I’m able to give them that when they hear me play. I want to let go too, so I understand! For me it was about educating myself on different styles of music and performers and making sure that I’ve developed my own ear so that when people come to hear me play, I can figure out how to take them on a ride and make them dance and have fun.
Which artist’s music and/or performance, past or present, inspires you today?
I’m still inspired by Sasha and John Digweed the most, as they always develop and evolve but stay true to their underground sound. They’ve been there since the beginning and it looks like they’ll be there at the end because they figured out how to stay relevant in times when it is easy to be irrelevant. This is not only a musical skill but also a business one and it is a hard balance to strike, but they seem to have done that. Can you think of how many DJs have come and go while these guys are still performing and packing venues? Always playing what they want to play, and what they like, it’s quite inspiring. Its also not easy as you get older and have a family.
Your new single, ‘Diaspora’ recently dropped on John Digweed’s illustrious Bedrock Records! Describe its origin and evolution.
Diaspora is about being forced to go from one place to the other and then having to fit into that place. It means different things to different people but in the end we are all connected by some sort of Diaspora if you think about it. For some, it’s easy to become melancholy or depressed in that position, so I hope the record gives people hope and that there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.
Is there an EP or Album on the drawing board?
I believe there are remixes in the works.
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Any tours or events coming up soon? What are you looking forward to, and what can the fans expect?
My luck as a producer is gaining a huge audience at a time when most nightclubs are closed! If we thought it was difficult before COVID to get a gig, imagine how difficult it’s going to be now LOL. On a more serious note, hopefully we will start to put some things together. Perhaps I’ll give Mr. Digweed a little nudge :)
If you could perform with any music artist, dead or alive, who would you choose? And why?
Come on, you know I’m going to say Sasha and Digweed. It’s a dream of mind that I’m not going to stop working on until I’ve accomplished it!
You’ve accomplished so much, having been in the scene for quite a long time. Do you have any long-term aspirations as a producer that you’ve yet to achieve?
No, I learned a long time ago that you need to be happy independent of any of the things that happens to you in music if you want to have a good life. In fact, I believe that being happy is a prerequisite to anything happening to you in music, because it won’t come out into your music until you are.
What is the best thing about performing to a live audience? What’s been the career highlight so far?
The best thing about performing live to an audience is THE ENERGY of the crowd. I feel it. It’s there to mold if you are honed in on it. Absolutely the highlight of my career would be playing at the Love Parade in San Francisco in their early 2000s in front of 100,000 people. It was absolutely amazing and a life changing experience.
Finally, a few questions for some quick answers –
FAVOURITE:
Album – GU Ibiza
Artist – Charlie May
Movie – Glory
Place to visit – the beach
Venue to play – Space, Miami
Food – Italian
Drink – Margarita “Skinny”
Person in History – Abraham Lincoln.
Tattoo – (If you don’t have one, what would you get?) I don’t, and I wouldn’t!
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Follow DJ SAMER
Facebook – Website – Instagram – Twitter
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AMNPLIFY – DB
Press Release 9th July 2021 (below)
DJ SAMER
shares intoxicating new single
‘DIASPORA’
Out Now
on BEDROCK RECORDS
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John Digweed’s Bedrock Records has delivered a stream of standout music in 2021, proving that the creativity of its artists has been flourishing during this difficult time. A tastemaker imprint determined to channel only the most authentic perspectives from across the dance music spectrum, the imprint continues to champion timeless music from truly skilled artists. Following his inclusion in Digweed’s esteemed Quattro compilation with ‘Free Your Mind’, Samer returns to the label to deliver his new single ‘Diaspora’ — out now across all streaming platforms, including the Bedrock Bandcamp page.
STREAM/PURCHASE: DJ SAMER ‘DIASPORA’
Worthy to stand alone as a single, ‘Diaspora’ is a masterclass in refined progressive house, serving flawless percussion and intoxicating dark undertones. Hypnotic in its effect, the cut is founded on serene soundscapes and subtle instrumentation, with injections of acid-tinged synth-work giving the track its true authentic identity. The cut dips and peaks throughout its 7-minute run-time, with intelligent layering adding a depth of sound that’s hard to come by; a testament to Samer’s obvious experience and technical prowess.
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