AZARAKH - VOLUME 6

Letter from the Editor:

My journey into electronic music appreciation and underground raving begins with a 10,000 pound hammer. Because of those sounds becoming compellingly familiar, I began going out to dance at underground parties, transitioning slowly from Industrial/Punk Rocker and volunteer at Gilman St., in Berkeley to full on Techno loving raver willing to haul stereo equipment to literally nowhere and dance all night. At nineteen, I was already a union Bridge Builder/Piledriver, and employed as a structural steel welder and budding materials scientist. At work, all I heard was the hammering of pile in a steady $4/4$ beat, with its' single piston engine generating fabulous polyrhythms from all parts and so loud: the impact, the sound of the reverberations, and then the bass of standing 5 feet away while the hammer was running.

To this day - I am a fan of hard hitting music that not only touches my soul, but moves it. Sometimes to places of memory, yes, even uncomfortable ones. In that moment I dance it out, with the music, and the dancefloor. I believe movement of energy through the physical form IS life. Time and space become fluid and dance with us as we leave space in between the notes to allow the presence of the divine, and the unknown. Connection to the self comes from this.

The progression of dance music in the Bay Area became something around the millennium that was truly unique. There were specific people heading up our scene in a layering of collectives who threw parties, and groups who practiced radical self-governance. In the local scene, a few people were known to play especially specific subgenres, and they really educated my ears. Downtempo, Ambient, Trip-hop, Dance Industrial, Tech House, and other genres were what I was immersed in at that time. The people felt seminal, and the music, well, stuff of legend, literally.

One reason I started this zine Azarakh, is the sheer number of mind-blowing, amazing DJ's that I know here in the Bay Area. I find them usually to be extremely attuned in their hearing. As in they usually are either classically trained acoustic musicians, and/or multi-instrumentalists, and even some sound engineers. All in addition to their being DJs and producers. In truth, I collect DJs and their sets, in the way DJs collect records (and other electronic media).

In this issue, we introduce Sairé. She is a SF Bay Area Producer, and DJ, who joins Azarakh as an editor, photographer, and author. Please enjoy reading her introductory article in this volume, and get to know her, and her worldview better.

In this edition of Azarakh, we travel farther afield than ever before, and present to you an artist weaving together music and culture from the other side of the world. For this issue, I spent time interviewing Makossiri from Berlin. Originally from Kenya, they are hardcore and are also an Afrofuturetech producer and DJ. They make some of the most original sets, and sounds, that I have heard - voice and percussion which is literally out of this world and propels me into a 'the future is now, creative and visionary space.

And because of that, and for other details outlined in the Electric corner column, I ended up going down a rabbit hole with the music gathering called the Boozedrome Compo, in Helsinki, Finland, which is held annually. In this issue, in my column Electric Corner, which is where I give a brief survey of my new obsession: Amigacore. Yes, music made on 1990's Amiga's. I even was able to get an interview with Ricky Martin, one of the promoters.

Azarakh has been defined as having a finger on the pulse of underground music culture. We want to be a part of something greater and enhance a meaningful curious life. Modern times can be both frustrating and confusing, I hope Azarakh can be a beacon of lightness and interest for anyone who reads a copy.

Welcome to the first print edition, and 6th volume of Azarakh the zine.

~ Aryana Farsai, Editor/Publisher

MAKOSSIRI

Listening to Makossiri's Hardcore Techno sets, I was immediately drawn to the fantastic intense levels they sustain. High energy without going over the edge, poised perfectly between a multitude of genres with unique polyrhythms and time signatures - their way of layering music is no ordinary sound.

With great production work, and excellent craftsmanship on the decks, Makossiri's music unifies and echoes my love of harder sounds, and combines this with interesting and freakin' fast electronic dance music, hardcore, dark techno, noise, and the industrial genres all melding seamlessly together in a symphony of polyrhythmic sound.

In this interview, I aim to cultivate a sense of curiosity about Makossiri, and for readers to learn about their journey through life, culture, and music.

What is your name, and/or DJ Handle, and how did you come to choose it?

M: My name is Makossiri, which is a Luo word from the tribe I come from in Kenya. It means 'one who comes from the Ossiri family. I chose this name to connect with and honor my heritage and also as a reminder for me to keep myself rooted in my identity as an African.

You live in Berlin now, but where did you grow up? And if more than one place, where were your formative musical appreciation years?

I spent most of my childhood in Nakuru, Kenya. During my teenage years, my family moved between places like Nairobi and Homa Bay. These places exposed me to diverse musical styles and cultures but my most formative musical years were undoubtedly in Nakuru, where I sang in the kids' church choir which was where my love for music began to take shape.

One of my fondest childhood memories from that time is my brother and I cutting out sections of my dad's Sunday newspaper that featured lyrics from the week's top charts. These were mainly pop songs from Kenya, South Africa and the States. We'd stick these cutouts into notebooks to create our own songbooks and then we would both compete with each to see who could sing or rap the songs better. It was pure joy and creativity, a kind of music education in its own right.

As a DJ what type of vibe do you like to imagine creating for people on the dancefloor?

M: I like to tap into the vibe of an event before I step behind the decks, feeling out the crowd and the energy in the room. Once I have that, the first track is everything. It sets the tone and creates a path for the whole set. From there, it's just about letting the music flow and finding the right moments to shift the energy.

~MAKOSSIRI

You spoke in an interview where you mentioned that you hold personally, and creatively use, the process of envisioning a better life, and future for people. Afrofuturetech & Life: How does music help people envision, and also create, a better future?

M: Music has a unique power to help people envision and create a better future. For me, Afrofuturetech embodies the idea that we are already living in the future that was once imagined by previous generations of Afrofuturists. Through DJing, I witness firsthand how music can reshape how we perceive the world and our place within it. It has the ability to alter neural pathways, which can help people engage with the present moment while also creating space for imagining new possibilities.

Each person's vision of the future is different and music allows them to connect with that vision in profound ways. I see Afrofuturetech not just as a sound but as a continuous evolution of a cultural movement that builds on the work of those who came before us, filling in gaps and creating the structures that are needed for progress.

"I learnt a long time ago that my art is my soul's remedy first before it serves the masses. I'm currently in the phase of experimenting, learning, growing and unifying all the different aspects of me that I have developed all through the years,evolving into the musician I was always meant to be. I believe that I can be whoever I want to be in this world and that's the greatest gift I can give to both myself and the world around me."

In my work, I also focus on empowering others to establish themselves, whether it's through their own creative endeavors or by supporting them in their growth. Music plays a huge role in this process because it's unpredictable and fluid. People might discover a song today or it could resonate with them years down the line. The beauty of music is that it has the potential to shape the future in ways we can't always foresee but can always be a part of.

How does your relationship to your subconscious inform your creative process and journey?

M: My subconscious plays a key role in my creative process because I'm very in tune with my emotions and the energies around me. Being highly sensitive means that I naturally pick up on subtle shifts in my environment and this influences how and what I create. For example, when I first moved to Europe, it was challenging to stay connected to myself and my creativity but I learned that stepping outside of my comfort zone is often essential for growth. This relationship with my subconscious drives me to keep experimenting, even when the process feels chaotic.

In music creation, I often start with an intuitive idea, most of the time a drum pattern or just a sound or a feeling and then allow it to evolve through continuous experimentation. This open-ended approach means I rely heavily on my instincts, which are shaped by my subconscious awareness.

When I'm building DJ sets, I focus on expressing my individuality and inspiring others. I believe that being in touch with your subconscious helps you fight for personal freedom, creatively and personally. It's that connection to my inner self that guides not only my music but also my broader creative journey.

Now, I read that you are also the designer of the Nyadungu, (a unique instrument that uses a microtonal and non-traditional tuning system). Can you tell us more about this instrument and maybe a bit about how you developed it?

M. Yes, I would love to talk about the Nyadungu in the context of building something for future generations. The idea for this instrument started when I was in university in Kenya, studying drama and theater with a minor in music. Part of my coursework involved learning the Nyatiti, an eight-stringed traditional instrument from my tribe, the Luo of Kenya. At that point in my life, I hadn't been exposed to electronic or experimental music. But as I practiced with the Nyatiti, I began to feel limited by its tonal range and flexibility. I had ideas for more experimental music, but I didn't know how to translate those ideas into something practical at the time.

When I dropped out of school, I stopped playing the Nyatiti, but the idea of doing something more with it never really left me. It stayed in the back of my mind, as if waiting for the right moment to resurface. That moment came years later, after I moved to Uganda. One day, while sitting on a balcony at an event space, I saw a musician playing an instrument called the Adungu, a harp-like instrument from the Acholi and Alur people of Uganda, who are part of the larger Luo-speaking community in East Africa. The way he played it was unlike anything I had seen before, he managed to use it across different genres, making it incredibly versatile. This inspired me deeply and I thought, "What if I could do something similar with the Nyatiti?" That was when the idea of blending the two instruments began to take shape.

I realized that by adding extra strings and modifying the design of the Nyatiti, I could expand its tonal range and create something that allowed for more experimentation. However, it was still just an idea at that point I didn't have the technical skills to build it myself.

Fast forward a few years later, when I attended a festival where I met a musician and instrument maker named Olith Ratego. He was not only skilled in traditional instrument design but also had experience with electronic music. I shared my concept with him, and he immediately understood what I wanted to achieve. Together, we worked on designing the instrument, and that's how the Nyadungu was born-a hybrid of the Nyatiti and the Adungu, incorporating elements of both traditional and modern music.

One of the most unique aspects of the Nyadungu is that it uses a microtonal and non-traditional tuning system. This means it doesn't conform to the standard tuning of Western instruments, allowing it to produce more complex and nuanced soundscapes. With its expanded range of strings and non-traditional tuning, it opens up possibilities for exploring everything from folk to experimental genres, including electronic and noise music, in entirely new ways. For me, creating the Nyadungu wasn't about making a new instrument,it was about blending tradition with innovation, preserving something ancient while reimagining it for future generations. It's a way of keeping our cultural heritage alive while pushing the boundaries of what music can be. I hope it inspires other artists and musicians to think beyond what's familiar and experiment with new ideas, just as I did.

Do you have any track you have produced available on the internet that we can listen to, and hear Nyandugu?

M: https://soundcloud.com/makossiri/makossiri-x-monrhea-nyadungu-trip-ft-raia

And in addition to being a DJ, and instrument designer, you "call the music i make afrofuture tech". What brought you to deciding to push the creative envelope, and go into music production?

I started producing music around 2016 then dropped it and picked it up more seriously in 2020 after I started DJing. What drew me to music production was the freedom it offered to create something entirely my own, and then to be able to share that with others.

Would you tell us what hardware and equipment that you enjoy using in your production work?

M: I like Ableton for arrangement and composition. Akai MK-3, with Ableton Push.

Would you have any current projects or music releases that you would like to direct our readers to?

M: Yes, here is a link to my second ep https://makossiri.bandcamp.com/album/pepea-afro-futuretech-vol-1

In your academic writing, you have given voice to honoring Detroit's creative role in creating, and defining, Techno from its inception. And how the influence of Detroit in Techno extends far earlier, and far beyond, the Detroit Techno sound. Can you speak on this, and expand what you are doing regarding it, for our readers?

M: Detroit's creative role in the birth and evolution of Techno is profound. It's not just about the iconic "Detroit Techno sound" but about the city's influence on the global music culture that continues to resonate today. In my academic writing, I've focused on honoring Detroit's contributions by exploring how its socio-political environment, industrial legacy and creative resilience shaped a genre that was far ahead of its time. Detroit Techno emerged as a response to the city's unique struggles, but its impact extended well beyond its origins, influencing electronic music scenes across the globe including Berlin's. This is a history that is usually ignored or not spoken about enough.

Currently, I'm working on amplifying these narratives, especially as discussions around Techno's cultural heritage gain attention, such as Berlin's UNESCO recognition efforts. While Berlin is often seen as the heart of Techno today, it's crucial to acknowledge that its scene wouldn't exist without Detroit's foundation. My goal is to ensure that Detroit's story remains central to any conversation about the genre's global significance.

Through my writing and creative work, I aim to highlight the continuity of this influence and celebrate the artists and communities that built this movement. It's about preserving history while encouraging new generations to understand and respect the roots of what they're creating and experiencing today.

Thank you so much for the interview here at Azarakh today, it was fun getting to know a bit about you, and your work.

~ Aryana Farsai

Makossiri Links:

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/makossiri

Booking & Contact: bookingmakossiri@gmail.com

2nd EP - https://makossiri.bandcamp.com/album/pepea-afro-futuretech-vol-1

MADE BY A HUMAN - set by Makossiri on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/makossiri/made-by-a-human

Nyadungu music: https://soundcloud.com/makossiri/makossiri-x-monrhea-nyadungu-trip-ft-raia

Sententia 87 on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/sententiaelectronica/sententia-87-makossiri

Here is the linked academic article Makossiri wrote for the BIMM: https://blog.bimm.co.uk/berlin-techno-unesco-recognition

And another article about the Black origins of Techno: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-battle-over-technos-origins

ISOLATOR

Isolator is a local duo who enjoys playing Techno, Minimal Tech, and Tech House. They play live online as a duo project Isolator, on Twitch.tv (Isolatorsf - Twitch). For the show, they have a long format interview for an hour or so, then that guest DJ plays a set and the show finishes with a set by one, or both, of them after that. Claire Evans-White and Peter B. Clarke, welcome and thank you to the both of you for granting Azarakh this interview. I'm a huge fan of the Isolator format and content! I thought I'd like to help spread the word about your project so the world can get to know a bit more about this project and the duo that create it.

What is your name, DJ handle, and how long have you been playing out at clubs and/or parties?

C: DJ Clairity and 27 years.

P: Solo >> “Peter Clarke” (14 years) — and as half of the “Isolator” Duo (7 years).

Where did you grow up?

C: North Bay.

P: Eastern Oregon

How long have you been DJing, and what brought you to it?

C: 27 years. I got into it from going to raves in the late 90s. I've always been into playing instruments and collecting music so it seemed like the right move.

P: In clubs for 14 years, but I dabbled for a few years before that. Got into DJing in middle school via mix series such as DJ Kicks and Fabric.

What genre(s) do you choose to play and focus on with your DJing, and how did you decide on that one?

C: I started playing hard techno then minimal techno and now crunchy Euro tech house. I got into techno after I went to a multi room party that was all techno. I was hooked after that.

P: I tend to live mostly within House and Techno. I prefer groovier / smoother stuff, sometimes it’s fun to get rough though.

What genres would you say are your 'strong suits'? Is it the same or different from genres that you enjoy playing right now?

C: Minimal techno, tech house, Detroit techno

P: For non dance music, downtempo and jazz.

If you have a passion for the genres you are exploring currently (to listen to or to play out), which are those? Who are your current fave artists and/or producers in this genre, and why?

C: Gaiser (Soundcloud - Gaiser) is my all time favorite in the genre I play. I like his style. He plays techno, with a bit of a bass heavy groove, and not too close to house music.

P: Getting more into IDM over the years.

What got you motivated and involved to become a livestream DJ?

C: The pandemic.

P: Been playing around with streaming since I was in middle school. The pandemic lit a match under me to get better at it.

You both got into Live Streaming around the pandemic. Was it always something you wanted to do? Or was it a sudden decision to stream because there were no, or just a few or no, other opportunities to play during the Covid shutdown?

C: Yeah basically the pandemic happened and we were like “we need to do something”. And immediately we are like “We have to do something or we will go crazy.”

P: Yeah we were all cooped up but since so many people were streaming, we made our format with an hour long interview as an introduction to the guest DJ for that show. Versus a broadcast where the DJ has a microphone and will talk over the music. I’ve always dabbled with streaming ever since I had an internet connection. Lockdown actually pushed me into streaming as my full time job. Since we are all locked up with nowhere to go, Claire and I made the quick decision to start a weekly stream. To stand out from all the other DJ streams, we went with a format that included an interview before each set to introduce the DJ and provide some context.

C: It’s really fun to meet in person and learn about people on a deeper level.

P: The stream has introduced me to people I really may not have met otherwise.

C: Even people out of the Bay Area

P: And if they are not in the Bay currently, the DJ’s always have some connection to this area.

What is your favorite type of media to collect music on, and why?

C: Online websites such as Beatport and Juno. I find it to be easier to deal with.

P: While I do enjoy the experience of physical media, lossless audio files make the most sense at the end of the day.

OK now we will switch to your project: How did Isolator SF start, what was the impetus?

C: When I was finishing Pulse Generator, we just started DJing together, and then we had some tag team action then we decided to play as a duo.

P: Claire and I always love getting together for a good jam session. After a few years we decided to form an official name for getting booked. We compiled a large list of technical/musical words, and both landed on Isolator. The name comes from isolation of sound, not being locked up during a pandemic. ;)

Do you two find that because of your connections and overlapping interests that it naturally drew you two to work together?

C: We had so much in common musically, and I think we have made our own style, so I know as an individual that our sets are pretty different.

P: Yes, we hold a bit more structure when we play together. Alone I play pretty freeform. Our vision and direction as a duo is different, it keeps flowing in a direction we both enjoy. Claire was booked for MNML:-FUN and I started attending Pulse Generator. So the cross-pollination was there from the beginning. And also yes, because having both thrown our own nights at Underground SF (Underground SF: UGSF), and Vinyl Dreams (Vinyl Dreams), we definitely have an overlap of friends. We enjoy the same sonic elements that get the dancefloor moving.

Tell us about the inspiration you both had to throw a club night called OnSet recently at Underground SF, in San Francisco. We heard it went well, any plans for the future? If so please tell us a little more about your goals for OnSet, and what artists you are looking to book?

C: It was the desire to do something in real life, it had just been too long.

P: Interestingly, our first few events were at Vinyl Dreams, then it made sense for us to start an actual regular club night. Previously I ran a night with Zita Molnar and Dan Turner called MNML:FUN. I also did a weekly happy hour for a few years with Steve Fabus, Steve Kuzmic, Eli Wilkie, Scott Carrelli, Jonathan Hart, and James Trout. Also I want to give a shout out to Randy Mariani who was a part of the duo GhostSkript with me.

Can you tell us a bit more about some of the projects that each of you have worked on before that inspired you to do a club night together?

C: I have thrown a lot of different club nights, definitely thought Pulse Generator would take off more. Then there was Ghostship, then there was a sense of loss and it didn’t work out. I am at the point now where I want to bring it again.

P: The only night I did was in addition to MNML:FUN, I just feel the pandemic changed things so drastically. I had a crew of players, people that in the pre-COVID era were. WISH, I miss WISH, I would do random one off house nights there. I do think it's nice to see new events starting to get out there again. In the new year I want to support more local DJ’s and promoters. You can only keep up online for so long. I do think that promotion is going back underground, and away from social media. For me our most memorable gig was playing a Mioli party right before lockdown. Packed room full of many characters, little did we know what was coming a week later.

What has been one of your most memorable performances so far? What made it stand out?

C: There have been a lot of those for me, I mean I have been DJing for 27 years, so, I have played at big venues, and I have had pretty good crowds. About a year ago I played at the DNA Lounge (DNA Lounge), and that place IS a venue with a strong connection to younger people. At OnSet we also had younger people in the crowd, and their faces were exciting to see on the dancefloor.

P: For me, our most memorable gig was playing a Mioli party right before lockdown. Packed room full of many characters, little did we know what was coming a week later. There is a really interesting when larger than life people,

What percentage of music you play DJ sets from is vinyl?

C: 20%

P: 30%

How do you discover new music? On the internet or in real life at events, clubs, etc.?

C: Both

P: Both

On what websites do you discover new music?

C: Soundcloud, Beatport, and Juno

P: Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Juno, and Youtube

What is the approximate breakdown of your complete music collection by media type? (Example: 40% vinyl only, 25% vinyl and digital, 20% digital, 5% cassette, 5% CD and 5% other)

C: 20% vinyl, 40% CD, 40% digital

P: 60% digital, 30% vinyl, 9% CDs, 1% cassette

When playing a set, at what point do you depart from your pre-determined set tracklist? Or do you tend to stick to playing the songs you anticipated to play, as if it is a story to be played through to its finale?

C: It is totally crowd dependent, if people seem to be digging it or NOT liking it, that will make me change course. When people are dancing I will adapt to what they seem to enjoy dancing to.

P: When practicing for a particular gig, we tend to come up with a batch of tunes that we know work together. I tend to drop in a few new tracks on the day of the gig, to keep things interesting. Recalibrating during a set to realign with the energy in the room, then keep building that energy.

Now, before this interview I had a few questions, and your answers to one of those questions intrigued me and I want to expand further in our interview. Now, you both have Techno as the overlap, and specifically Claire you said you like to play Minimal Tech, Tech House, and Detroit Techno, whereas Peter you said House and Techno. Do you tend to morph from one sub-genre to the next within a particular set? Or do you like each set to have one overall cohesive feel to the music in terms of playing within the sub-genre. Another way to say it is, when do each of you like to stay true to style, and when, if ever, do you like to play other genres mixed into a set?

C: I usually stick with one genre within a set. When Peter and I play I will morph my style into tech-house because Peter likes to house it up a bit.

P: For Isolator I lean more into the “Techno” side of things. However, I always end up dipping my toes into some form of house. For a personal set, I go all over the place. If I do House, Claire tends to refer to it as “Swampy” - a good example might be deep resonant basslines. Obviously, I won’t drop vocal house, so I definitely try to stay within our lanes. But if it is a personal set longer than a couple of hours, then I will ramp the mix up to dance music tempo over the course of an hour or so. So if it's a longer set I can explore more genres. That is something I want to focus on more in the future,to get around to organizing my digital and physical library into an ordered state, where I can easily spend my time on being creative.

C: It is super hard to organize it all! There are so many formats. I just went through my CD’s and it was a huge project.

Peter you have said sometimes you like to play smoother, groovier dance music BUT occasionally play it rough, and whereas Claire, you referred to your alternate departure from minimal tech and tech house, to be delving into the crunchy sounds. What do those terms rough and crunchy mean to each of you?

C: Well crunchy, means heavy bass, kind of distorted, with muffled vocals and that kind of stuff.

And starting with those descriptions, rough, or crunchy - I would love to hear more from you both about what types of producers or performers that you think are producing those edgeworthy sounds, that don’t fit squarely in the genre of minimal tech or tech house.

C: Gaiser (https://soundcloud.com/gaiser_official), but I have been playing Ambivalent (https://ra.co/dj/ambivalent), NeuroAct (https://soundcloud.com/gastuzeine-records/neuro-act-tronic) too. Just those guys, who are growing and changing as well over time. It is hard to find music I really like, a lot of people are making out of control anthem breaks right now.

P: In elementary school I’d always come home and listen to an Acid Jazz station on Windows Media Player. I remember one song in particular, Good & Bad by Povo, was always in rotation. This introduced me to artists such as De-Phazz, Jazzanova, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Thievery Corporation, and AIR. Once I was in high school I’d also start getting into more traditional artists such as Miles Davis, Gene Harris, Chick Corea, Milt Jackson, and Thelonious Monk.

How do you maintain your creativity and passion for DJing over the years?

C: Sometimes it is hard to keep the passion alive that is in this music. It is harder to get motivated by newer stuff, gigs keep me positive and looking to newer releases. I definitely like OnSet for that, self-motivation is the key. Working with Peter is really helpful to get around a corner.

P: For me, it is not a solo journey, that feedback and inspiration and loop keeps going. Speaking of that, if I can tie my music into another art form, like my photography. Both of them would feed each other. One of the most important habits is to always have a space with gear ready to go. The moment I need to start moving things around or plugging in cables, it’s too late, the moment has passed.

What do you think makes a DJ successful beyond just technical skills? And how do you both define a successful DJ? I mean do you have specific goals you want to attain with playing music for people?

C: Well I think that being a successful DJ is to know your music, so if you have to pivot during a set you are not going to be thrown off. Playing for the dancers, and the vibe - not just hearing snippets of a track and throwing it in there for a set. As far as being successful, you have to social media, and support other people’s nights. You have to let people see your face.

P: A successful DJ is someone who is kind, patient, and always thirsty for growth. I personally feel like I’ve just scratched the surface. My only goals are to keep an open mind, and practice on a more regular schedule. It is so easy to get success and once you have it your whole life changes. I am jaded about the music industry, there is a lot of toxic energy and greed. The successful DJ’s don’t fall into those traps. Then success can be whatever you want it to be.

C: That’s a good point, so you can’t let success go to your head. I have seen it, lure people in and become manipulated.

What do you think the future of DJing and electronic music looks like in terms of innovation and audience experience? And where do you see yourselves in it?

C: To do a successful night again, to get gigs again. I am just being super realistic, I would like to play a couple dancefloors.

P: Same, to get back into a regular cadence with the stream, and club nights. For me, it has gone back to the foundational work. I think as virtual parties on the internet evolve, I see some technologies taking off. I think that it provides an alternative. Everyone loves to complain about the sync button. By the end of the day, I don’t care what tech is being used. I do think someone into DJing for the long run should be familiar with all formats. As cringe as it might sound, I do think Algoriddim’s Djay app for the Vision Pro is a glimpse into something new.

Where do you see yourselves artistically and with your Isolator SF Project in the coming years, what are some hopes and dreams for the project and yourselves?

C: I want to focus on getting more gigs.

P: I look forward to getting back into a regular cadence for the Isolator & Friends stream. And of course, more gigs in 2025!

What are your visions of the future of your DJing? Any specific goals you are working towards, either personally, or within any community affiliations that you would like to share with us?

C: To hopefully keep doing events.

P: Definitely not following a linear path. These days I really enjoy playing music at a friend’s place, with the occasional (small) gig here and there.

Where can people listen, and buy, more of your music? And if you want to say, what is your booking availability & contact info?

C: Stream on Soundcloud. And I’m totally available to book gigs. Email: clairity27@gmail.com.

P: Hoping to start recording more regular mixes on my SoundCloud. Soundcloud - Peter Clarke

Do you have any other PSA's or upcoming gigs to tell us about?

C: Hopefully a stream on Isolator & Friends

P: Excited to get back into a groove with the Isolator & Friends stream. Hopefully another onset date soon. ;)

Do either of you have any closing comments?

P: Thank you for having us! I look forward to seeing Isolator grow, and all the creative projects that will accompany our journey.

Well thank you both for the interview today, I know you are open to being booked for DJ gigs, so I am including your contact info at the end of this interview article. Azarakh thanks you for your time and energy in joining us here today. We wish you well in all of your individual and collaborative efforts.

~ Aryana Farsai

Isolator Interview Links:

Isolator Twitch.tv - https://www.twitch.tv/isolatorsf

Soundcloud Mix for Azarakh & the world: https://soundcloud.com/isolatorsf/012625-studio-mix

OnSet Live 8/30/24 - https://soundcloud.com/isolatorsf/83024-onset-mix

Claire’s Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/clairity

Peter’s Soundcloud - http://soundcloud.com/peterbclarke

Ambivalent - https://ra.co/dj/ambivalent

NeuroAct - https://soundcloud.com/gastuzeine-records/neuro-act-tronic

Gaiser - https://soundcloud.com/gaiser_official

Underground SF - https://undergroundsf.com/

Vinyl Dreams - https://vinyldreamssf.com/

DNA Lounge - https://www.dnalounge.com/

Brian Behlendorf

Thank you for being interviewed by Azarakh, we appreciate your time, and your entire approach to sharing your most beloved music with other listeners as a DJ. I can remember from the earliest chill rooms in the late nineties, where you were a staple DJ, and where I was a consistent and avid chill roomer, often to the extent of (gasp) dancing!

Your balearic yet beautiful sets have a way of wanting me to listen to them time and again with their way of winding down musical side streets and alleys, back roads and crossroads to nowhere in particular, where the music carries me away in a story of beauty, and peace.

I often found this a pleasant offset to my passion for harder sounds, dark techno, jungle, and industrial dance music. In this issue of Azarakh, I would like to delve into some of the aether surrounding music and the power it has to help us transcend life’s traumas. To live freer and happier, having met with our shadow selves in a dark club or warehouse, dancing with the dark.

First, can you tell us a little about yourself, and why you DJ? What do you get out of it?

B: I like playing the music I have played since high school, I love music and I love sharing music. And especially the Ah-Ha moments, and something that opens a door that causes a person’s mind to expand.to open. And secondly, everyone needs a creative pursuit, some people are lucky to meld this with a day job, but for myself DJing is that action of creativity I want to have in my life.

How long have you been DJing?

B: Since 1988. What started as just making mixtapes for friends turned into somehow being the one to drag a big sound system out to my high school's outdoor courtyard every Friday lunch and playing a 35 minute set for a rather demanding, varied, and eclectic audience: other high school kids, teachers, and administrators. As much as I tried to expose them to the glory of the KLF and 808 State, I deferred to Guns n Roses and DJ Rob Base. But even back then I was starting to buy early electronic and acid-house tracks and put on a few house parties with friends playing dance music at a more appropriate hour.

What genre(s) do you choose to play and focus on with your DJing, and how did you decide on that one (or those)?

B: Ambient, dub, and dub techno kind of form the core of my interests, with occasional forays in folktronica, weird 80's and 90's b-sides, spoken word, and other adjacent subgenres feeding in. I love dancing to other's sets - I just prefer to focus on tone, contrast, theme, and elements of surprise rather than on beat-matching or keeping a dance floor packed by playing the hits.

And what do you hope people will take away from your sets?

B: I hope they come away tickled in some way, having heard something that sparks joy for them. Whether it is melody or texture, something that gives a jolt. I am not a fan of background music, and this might be different than other ambient DJs but I want to engage people even with beatless music in my sets.

When you began to create moods and vibes from your sets, what did you feel about the power of the music to play to a person, and influence them in a meaningful way?

B: It is really in the moment, you want to think about the group as a collective entity that you are playing to. And I think a lot about who that audience is, and I want my set to meet them where they are at in their evening. I will play a completely different set for one set time than I would play for an early sunrise set at the same party.

The flow of the music you play is so fluid, and goes through zones of beautiful transition, and has polyrhythms that amaze and delight. You always seem to know when to bring in a new voice or a classic favorite track: When you tune in, how do you find that place within yourself to choose the music, do you feel that you flow to it, or it flows to you and through you to us?

B: When I put together a set, it is a mix of new music I have vs. popularly known chillroom tracks or earworms (catchy tunes that stay in your mind long after you have heard them, and often with a unique sound or composition that really stands out), and be songs from 30 years ago. Or, what I feel is fun is to play newer versions of older more well known tracks and versions. Or B-sides of older more well known artists, along with their new works which may be lesser known.

Sometimes, I sit in my collection and do a random journey through it to make a list of music that I would like to play at some point. That might give me 8 hours of music, then I will whittle the songs down to usually having twice the amount of music to play for a specific set length.

Usually the set involves songs that contrast each other, while others flow seamlessly into each other. What is a good place in the track that is a good fade in. Not a lot of time spent on beat-matching. Cue more like a radio station might, how to. As I also have listened to a track, identified a distinctive part of the music, and then will be heard to play that segment before bringing in the whole track, about 5 minutes before. Bringing out the obvious and unique parts of a song and through this process enabling the listener with a sense of what is upcoming in my set.

Some events were remote or in hard to access regions. And to set up and simply play music to a few others, then happily pack it all up and go home. What gave you that energy and drive?

B: Well I want to put the DJ into perspective, the party is and should be about the music and the dancers or deep listening participants. I feel that the person who carries the speaker is just as important to the event and community as the DJ is. I also like to celebrate being part of the community, by preparing the party and cleaning up afterwards. It's not about the DJ, it's about the dancers, and volunteers that make the event happen.

One of the ethos for underground events is to leave the space cleaner than how it was found, and for clubs and venues, the goal is to be allowed to come back, so cleaning up is equally important in those places as well. The whole process start to finish is about enabling the dancer, and participating in the experience and helping to facilitate it. I also want to include the person in the lawn chair who is not dancing, and that this person is also there enjoying the music as well, through deep listening instead of through movement.

Now we get into the music, and this issue is about the subconscious, and how moving to harder (or stranger) music is part of a cathartic release of energy from the individual. Even though the music you choose to play out often has softer than harder tones, it still has a profound impact on the psyche, and on me, personally. I would like to know how intentional it is for you: What do you think about this energy, and its release through dance, movement or simply deep listening?

B: In the early 90’s, a subset of the dance music genre called Intelligent Dance Music, and the term IDM was coined to describe thoughtful music that was also danceable. And it was a sincere effort to make dance music that could move the body and brain. I like the term tickle because it gives a light-hearted sense of weightlessness. To me, the music I play should also be about conscious engagement with the brain, and even perhaps to memory by bringing old familiar classic tracks out again. That is why I like to involve older tracks to the mixes I make.

Contrasting textures, a spoken word on top of ambient, demands the brain to be flexible and plastic, able to move on from one thought train to the next. That to me is what IDM is about, breaking down mental barriers and affecting one’s thoughts by allowing them to flow freely.

I have love for technology, and am not one who fears what electronic music brings to the world.

What do you think that listening to this type of music can do for the person’s state of mind, or their physical health, for example?

B: As far as health benefits I think the body and mind are one, so playing music that elevates the mind, will have a similar effect on the body. If I were a trance DJ I might argue that a highly aerobic dance is what I would hope to get out of the crowd. But since I play ambient most of the time, I hope that by tripping the brain into new forms of thought I can encourage people, body and mind, to flow more freely from one state of consciousness to the next.

Totally switching back to a techie track now: What software do you use to put your sets together?

B: The Linux-based DJ program I use is "Mixxx", so not sure if it was what you meant above. My primary archive for music is Plex, and sometimes I'll be listening to things throughout the year and add something to a playlist; likewise with another Linux-based audio player called Quod Libet (Quod Libet). But when I'm sitting down to put a stack of music together for a set, it'll be by setting up a playlist or crate in Mixxx, and then exporting the files over to a USB stick. I refuse to use a Windows or Mac for this so I can't use Rekordbox, and due to its closed proprietary system I can't use other tools to generate waveforms and cue points. But I'd rather suffer for my art than compromise!

Can you describe some of the challenges to using entirely open source when DJing or purchasing music?

B: When it comes to purchasing, there is no limitation there. Even if I was on Mac or Windows, I wouldn’t use proprietary players that are embedded in the OS where my own music could later be removed. So on the open source DJing side - Mixxx is able to be versatile, and if I was a beat matching as my style, then it would be much more difficult for me than it is. I tend not to travel with a laptop - so I like a USB stick and a place to plug that in to play my set. The challenge is one of getting my data to match what is a playable version on my USB stick to match to the equipment at hand, the mixer and sound system size in general. That just means I usually have the same song on the stick, and they will have different file types and bitrates.

Since Plex is my archive and music and media collection server, I tend to use it casually, and build running lists of songs that I would like to play, over time. Then Mixxx is used to whittle down my group of tracks from, say 8 hrs, into a 2 hour set. Then, I will be making sure the tracks are 24 bit FLAC (best) or 24 bit WAV, so I will usually also put the 16 bit rate, or if an MP3 is the only option of player at least I will have files that play on that equipment.

How have you sidestepped or surmounted some of those challenges?

B: So open source is not a barrier to buying and organizing music.

What is your favorite type of media to collect music on and with, and will you tell us why?

B: I still love CDs. There's still something very sci-fi about a shiny plastic and metal platter, about the (in theory) precision of 1s and 0s, and the size which allowed for a lot of portability. Of course I buy much more on band camp and bleep and other places these days and perhaps even more vinyl recently than CD; but CDs still have about 200 feet of shelf space in my house and that'll probably remain that way for eternity.

Now, we at Azarakh asked you to put together a list of your top chill room anthems for the late 90’s, and that list can be found online as well as in this volume 6 of Azarakh. Would you like to talk more about those songs and why you chose them?

B: The chillroom anthem was a trip down knowledge and memory lane. I wanted to put some well known tracks, but also some tracks that are not known but still characteristic of what you would hear from those artists as their definitive sound.

One question this list brings to mind is - how has your music taste evolved over the time since the first years playing chillrooms, until now?

B: I think when I started the definition of what could be played in the chillroom, was largely a narrow scope. These days I pull from a much wider pool. So I also curate my sets so they are tailored to the time of day or night that my set will be heard. The energy of the same event in the same year will shift through energy phases during the course of the party. I try to be aware of that shift.

And throughout the year at different parties, it is a point of pride for myself to play tracks not played in a previous set. I like challenging myself to play different tracks. I want my music not to be overly challenging, without pandering, while still being experimental.

If you have a passion for the genre(s) you are exploring currently (to listen to or to play out), which are those? And who are your current fave artists and/or producers in this genre, and why?

B: I'm tempted to put together a set of jazz / bossa nova covers of 80s-90s-2000s music, a la Nouvelle Vague, but keeping it feeling fun for the audience and diverse in texture could be a challenge. Also it's been awhile since I've played something truly beatless, like a 3am Chillits set, but I think I'll try that next time I get to play Chillits even if it's like 2pm in the afternoon.

What are you listening to right now?

B: Actually last night, it was the Doomed channel on SomaFM (SomaFM - Doomed). Then as I was following Back to Mine - basically a mixtape series put together by different artists. The one I was listening to was put together by Lamb.

What got you motivated, and involved, to become a livestream DJ?

B: It was during the pandemic, and we decided to do a virtual Chillits, so I figured out how to get both Mixxx and OBS Studio working on Linux, and figured out how to have fun with it. Now I want to do more.

And are there any producers or artists you want to mention to our audience?

B: Hania Rani - A modern pianist who has been releasing excellent music for about 8 years.

Are there any upcoming events you want to shout out? Are you playing anywhere soon?

B: That is a good question, I am always open to playing somewhere new. Campouts are great, but I want to make sure I don’t fall into a rut and play too often to the same types of people, or at the same events. Hope to play on a future Amiant Mafia stream on Sunday night, and I hope to play out at new places too.

What are your visions of the future of your DJing? Any specific goals you are working towards, either personally, or within any community affiliations that you would like to share with us?

B: I want to keep it fun for me and bearable for listeners. I do want to livestream more. Gotta make the time commitment to practice and set curation, but also just gotta commit.

Is there anything you would like the readers of Azarakh to know about you in general, or that you want to communicate to our readers at large?

B: I would like them to know about the movie Between the Beats, a Bay Area 90’s rave music documentary. Martin O’Brian worked on this movie for so long, so I am really glad it has made it to the big screen. I think it really captures a moment in time really well.

Where can people listen, and buy, more of your music? And if you want to say, what is your booking availability & contact info?

I have no way currently that people can buy set recordings or merch; and aside from the one set so far on Soundcloud and a number posted to http://cloudfactory.org I have no organized online presence. If you want to book me just email me - brian@behlendorf.com.

Thank you for taking the time to meet with us today, we look forward to sharing your interview with our readership of Azarakh.

~ Aryana Farsai

Brian Behlendorf Interview Links:

Behlendorf Mix - Chillits, 2023 - https://www.mixcloud.com/brianbehlendorf/brianb-chillits-2023/

Booking: brian@behlendorf.com

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/brian-behlendorf/live-chillits-2023

Cloudfactory: http://cloudfactory.org

Mixcloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/brianbehlendorf/brianb-chillits-2023/

OOS Music Reader - Quod Libet - A Music Library / Editor / Player — Quod LibetQuod Libet: https://quodlibet.readthedocs.io/

Between the Beats article in DJMag: https://djmag.com/news/90s-rave-scene-san-francisco-explored-new-documentary-between-beats

Chillroom Anthems of the 1990’s SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7g4oSpAuy2nAQE8fbZh7e2

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLL2plXIXxT3Qd05JEVmHhMH9BmO9fgeou

(See other article in this zine for the full artist and song list)

Sairé's Intro

Enjoy reading this piece while listening to this playlist if you like: https://soundcloud.com/sairesaire/sets/azarakh

My name is Desirée Donaville, I go by Dez, Desi, or by my artist name Sairé (pronounced sigh-ray). Born in Berkeley, grew up all over due to military family upbringing. My introduction to electronic music stemmed from my parents initially. Growing up my siblings and I heard all sorts of genres of music at home and family gatherings. I loved everything I heard usually, and eventually realized that I just loved experiencing new music wherever I went. My childhood sounded like 60s & 70s oldies, Blondie, Prince, Chaka Khan, Teena Marie, Neneh Cherry, New Edition, Michael Jackson and so on.

My dad joined the Army in the mid 80s. We were stationed first in Monterey, then three years in Gelnhausen Germany, and after our overseas tour we were in Kansas in the early 90s for another three years. During the Gulf War my dad was deployed overseas. I remember when he came back from deployment, he shared some items from his time away with my siblings and I. He brought us MRE’s, which we thought were so cool at that age, and showed us some cassettes, which I believe the military issued them. The cassette cases were made of this bulky, hard, and dense plastic or rubber. I’m assuming it was to protect the cassettes from the heat, sand and other elements. I remember being attracted to it just because it looked so different. I love odd and unusual things I’ve come to find out. I like to find the beauty in such things. He brought back a few different genres of music in that collection, and I had my faves which I played over and over again. Something I still do, depending on how the song makes me feel, and whatever mood I’m in. I think a couple of the tracks that I loved were KLF - 3AM Eternal, and Adventures of Stevie V - Dirty Cash (Money Talks). I wish I had a copy of those cassettes to show you all, and have as a keepsake item. Even trying to find a photo online was making my eyes cross, I will find a copy one day, I just need to.

After our stay in Kansas we moved abroad to Germany again, this time in Darmstadt. My brother and I, teens then, just 13 months apart, would smile and laugh everytime we heard the untz, untz, untz of Techno from the Straße when we played outside. Not laughing to make fun of anything, but more out of love. I thought it was cool. I wanted to hear more because I didn’t really remember hearing it anywhere else. I feel I was exposed to a wide variety of international music living in Europe. Sometimes we heard music that didn’t hit the States yet. I loved it all. All the music that I considered weird and different, mostly from hearing it on TV, radio, and music my family played.

My parents had a large movie and music collection as well. I think all of us were, and still are I guess, music, film, and theater freaks or fanatics. I have another memory of one of my siblings who always had their headphones on with their little walkman, always. My mom would require her dance sessions every now and then, and all of us had to entertain ourselves in our rooms as we heard all the stomps coming from the other room. Sometimes we stayed together, listening to our own music dancing together, wondering what moves she was doing at the same time. I found out only a few years ago that my dad DJ’ed, or perhaps he can be considered a selector, during his time off from the military. One CD all of us were obsessed with with at that time was ACEN’s Trip II The Moon. I remember great moments of all of us dancing to that album. The feeling that we all felt listening and dancing to that album was somewhat liberating.

Fast forward a bit to about 2013, I am working in SF at this fashion ecommerce startup. I made some cool friends that I love. Some who eventually introduced me to the electronic underground scene. I remember feeling like, “where has all of this been?” Growing up I went through so many music phases: Rap, Hip Hop, Reggaeton, Salsa, Bachata, Cumbia, Alternative, Indie, Classical, Rock, International and so on. I still go through these phases, I’ve been getting into Jazz and Classical Indian music lately. Some of my friends were in bands playing in the city and the east bay. I was always out enjoying life, music, art, food, and meaningful connections. From 2013 on, I felt I was meeting people in this special world where, I don’t know, everything just felt better to me. I felt comfortable, everyone could be themselves, it was and still is all love. I am happy and grateful that I found it the way that I did. I also felt that I was becoming more comfortable with dancing in public. Overcoming a fear of mine that I had since I was young, and probably overcoming a few other personal fears in that period. I never really liked attention, I still feel the same really. I know I have a different background compared to a lot of people, especially my peers, music wise. I am aware that I am having my own unique experience in this life, and should not compare. I am grateful for every experience, good or bad.

I went to the usual spots back then with friends, I was listening to music everyday, most of the day at times it seemed. One of my favorite sets that I would listen to often was Martin Stimming’s 4D Full Set which was performed live in an advanced spatial sound system, creating a binaural experience where the music moves around you three dimensionally. I wish I could experience something like that one day, I know that would feel amazing. If I could perform live one day in a similar space even better, that would be amazing. If you haven’t heard it, please listen. I recommend listening to it with headphones, as Stimming suggested. I enjoyed listening to that set so many times over the years. So much that I somehow at one point when I was feeling down about a few things, attached certain emotions to several different points in the set, which eventually made it too difficult to listen to at times. My fault, I did it to myself, but I fixed it, I can still listen to it again, trauma free. I am laughing over here by the way. But yea, it was a fave, and led me down a path that I guess changed everything.

Stimming was performing live at Monarch, I believe it was in July 2015. He was amazing as usual, and I remember that night I was able to check out that cool room that some people may know about. I hope it still has that vintage oil rain lamp. My great-grandma had one of those, I always thought that lamp was cool, a pain to clean sometimes though. Stimming was in the room after his set with a bunch of others, with some of my friends as well. One of my friends said I should talk to him, and and let him know how his music makes me feel, so I did. He was so sweet, and it felt natural talking to him. I doubt he remembers me, but I have never forgotten that moment. He said something to me that changed everything.

After I had told him how his music, and the 4D set in particular made me feel, he asked me if I ever thought about producing music. I was in a small shock after he said that, eyes probably wide open looking like a deer, but no, at the time I don’t think I had ever thought about it. I think maybe I played around on some computer program many years before and thought it was fun, but it did not stick. Probably because I did not know what I was doing. I have had friends tell me I should DJ in the past, because they liked the playlists I would make, mostly for work. It was like something snapped in me after he mentioned that, and I was like, you know what I should. I think the next day I downloaded Ableton and started teaching myself how to produce music.

Over time I bought some equipment from friends, like an audio interface. Eventually saved up enough to buy my first synth, a Korg Minilogue. Met a cool friend who helped in store with that, you know who you are, thank you again. I made great connections with people just by talking about music, sharing and listening to music together, giving feedback, receiving feedback, having jam sessions, collabing on music together, and so much more. It has been great learning together and from one another. Around 2015 through 2016 I was starting to feel that I wanted to move to Berlin. I lived in Germany twice before and have been back a couple times afterwards to visit friends. I also served in the Army from 2000 to 2004, and some of my friends still lived overseas. I desired to go back and experience living on my own as an adult in Germany. Do all the fun stuff like my parents did when we lived there before. Everything I did for a good year was to prepare me for moving, and hopefully staying in Germany if things worked out. Living in Berlin was a movie for real, a series, I learned a lot there. I created a lot of music as well and eventually self released an album on Bandcamp. I know it is definitely experimental. Putting it out was something I wanted for myself. I think every time I travel I learn something different about myself, I love it. Hopefully I get a chance to write about that experience, or if you see me and want to know, just ask. I am usually pretty reserved, not so much shy anymore, just quiet at times. I am nice, and anyone can talk to me about anything really.

So today, where am I and what’s my plan? I just recently moved back to the Bay, yeeeee! I am so happy to be back. I missed so many people, places, and the food! I know things are not perfect, but I still love the Bay. I came back because I felt like it was time, there are a lot of projects I want to do, especially collaborations with other people. I want to become more involved in the community. There are so many experiences I see for myself and I am making all that happen. I also want to help do the same for others.

Let’s connect if you are feeling the same. I am pretty silly most of the time, my humor is dark, I have a lot of talents, but don’t really consider myself a master at all of them, yet. There’s always room for improvement right? I am into photography, I recently got back into painting. I went to school for fashion design, and one of the projects on my list is making clothing, and may be accessories for myself and friends. It might evolve into something else, we will see. My music style right now, I feel I am leaning into more of the darker, heavier, somewhat industrial side of Techno. Mostly because I am feeling a lot more confident in some of my productions, as I am continuously learning. That style is also my preference usually when listening to Techno, but really it all depends on my mood. I feel like it would be wonderful to create music and experiences for others that can be life changing in a good way. I would love to produce music that can maybe open up people’s minds, hearts, and feel more connected together as we are dancing together. Music is powerful, it’s a beautiful thing, and I wish it could solve our toughest problems somehow. Wishful thinking maybe, but imagine how beautiful it could be. I always joke that I wish we could have combat dancing versus actual combat to fight these ridiculous wars, Breakin’ style :).

I can not finish this without saying that I believe that we all deserve a chance to be here, and that no one is better than anyone else. Our time here is finite, and sharing and spreading love and beauty is best. I think we’ve had enough of hate, destruction, selfishness, and greed. It’s exhausting and it’s damaging globally, mentally, physically, spiritually, I really don’t need to say all this, we all feel it right? This is also part of a repeating pattern I notice, and hope more people see as well. I don’t know how we can continue to live this way, but we have to figure something out somehow. I am trying to find my part in all of this. I have felt that I could do it somehow by moving back. That connection was missing before while being away for the last few years. The last track I have added to the playlist is my track ntkA from Black Techno Matters Liber8 v2: N3W P4RAD1GM (linked at the end of this essay) released June of this year. I believe this track deserves its own piece of writing. Hopefully I can write about that in the future, I may write a post about it in more detail on my socials, or even here soon. I feel it is time. The track was inspired by another track titled Monajat by Akram Abdulfattah, a Palestinian-American violinist, music composer, and producer. I have a strong love for Classical music, and have for the longest time wanted to incorporate it into my sets and productions. I discovered Akram from going down one of my usual rabbit holes digging for music, and knew I had to create something that included samples from one of his pieces. It all seemed like divine timing. ntkA has been described as noisy, in a loving way, and I agree, but yes that was one of my intentions. I believe I am still trying to put into words how I felt when I created that track, how I felt before, how I have felt after, my creation process, and so on, soon.

I hope someone out there has enjoyed learning a little bit more about me, in this somewhat immersive experience I tried to create.

All Love, Free Palestine, Free Congo, Free Sudan, Free All Oppressed People, and Human Rights For All!

~ Sairé

Sairé Soundcloud

Sairé's Essay Playlist

Black Techno Matters Compilation

Dancing with the Shadow Self: The transformative power of techno

As Carl Jung describes mankind’s unknown and hidden self as the Shadow. This Shadow is at play in the music of dark techno. People around the world gravitate to the mysterious deep bass tones, syncopation with atmospheric and undulating polyrhythms in Dark Techno. Hidden emotions emerge in dance, movements that allow somatic release. Depths of past experiences, which are held in the body, release through movement and sound vibrations.

Binding our awareness to the four on the floor time signature, the beating and rhythms of man and nature put together. Creating safe spaces and trust bonds for each other strengthens our real-world emotional ties. Acting in accordance with a non-violent approach, people can often let emotional issues arise for them while they dance, knowing that however jagged or frenetic their movements may be, that it is ok, to dance the dance with oneself. This permissiveness within a social context allows people to engage on a level they choose within the community, and this active freedom for self-expression supported by others IS a foundational and healing element of those people who listen to that music.

It is vital to consider any healing through dance is NOT an isolated event, separately felt by each individual. The opposite is in fact true, that people come together to create communities which reflect their specific musical interests. Then, they work hard to stay in touch with people who have similar tastes, and outlooks on music and its enjoyment. In this way the healing is a shared one that is accessible to all and shaped by social engagement on any level.

It is no small coincidence to me that the punk and industrial close knit friendships and communities come FROM a culture of struggle, and attaining personal freedom of expression. Also true is that the electronica noise communities, locally like the S.P.A.Z. (Semi-Permanent Autonomous Zone) collective in San Francisco (https://www.spaz.org/), an offshoot of the national, and international communities as well, are extremely welcoming to new listeners. Overall, it is generally agreed that these folks are some of the nicest people in any scene. This is brought up because even within genres like hard techno, there are sub genres for the faster and harder music within that style.

The contrast between the hard grinding charged sounds of music next to the kindness and generosity of the people - is a true example of how much will change when individuals confront their shadow and dance with it, integrating a deeper awareness of themselves in context with the world around them.

The Shadow in Music - Music's Power: Resonant frequencies in the bass and mids are utilized in percussive polyrhythms and harmonic patterns. Waves of sound, and energy, transmitted into lighting arrays often accompany the music when dancing out so one could say the lighting combined with sound is what stimulates the system, and gets a whole body moving. Dance has been utilized as a form of somatic therapy for as long as it has been practiced, and longer if you consider most celebratory traditional dances have an element of cathartic energy release.

Specific patterns, tonal ranges, rhythms and sound bytes, all have a particular signature and effect in the physical body. I realize, for example, that by swinging my arms wildly at times when I dance, that I enjoy a freedom of spirit, and my thoughts become lighter in what I can only regard as a healing exercise. The movement itself brings the clarity of thought to me.

Moving in time to rhythms faster than the natural BPM of the heart gets a person’s blood moving. Extension of arms and legs in rhythmic movements addresses circulation, and promotes health in that way. However, subtly, fired off in the consciousness OR intuitively are patterns of movements to the music, and these have imperceptible changes in the body.

These movements create a flow of energy around the body. Now after seeing, hearing, and feeling the music consciously, there is also an unconscious appreciation as well. When some people dance, the dance carries them away - with others, almost imperceptible gesticulations or bobbing heads is the expression of movement.

Whatever the movements are, even if there are no visual movements, sound, being a vibration, moves through matter regardless, and those energy changes may be felt as a lightness in the step, a buoyancy. Or maybe the next time there is a life stress, fight or flight reactivity doesn’t come into play so quickly. What the effects are of unconscious connection to the music is rarely understood in the moment, or even after. Music is a source of great mystery, and in that, is like the subconscious itself. Musicians make their own dance with their ID, the subconscious body we all carry regardless of our own awareness of it.

When we sublimate certain desires and behaviors they become repressed, and without proper intention can have a behavioral effect on us, regressing us into past patterns of action or thought. When provided a space to enact feelings like, rage, anger, fear, regret - all coming across in the pantomime of energetic dance, we integrate and understand those emotions in a way that is formative. And it is informative to the self-awareness of each person.

Doing this can not only release ingrained trauma responses, but elevate the mood and the psychological benefits of feeling better are generally agreed upon by most people, so a safe assertion is that by listening and dancing to music that makes us feel better, we are engaging in a healthy cycle of titration of the old stuck somatic energy, and allowing the movements to free us up for more complete and aware engagement, whether internally or externally.

Industrial and Darker Forms of Music - Raw, Chaotic Sounds: Often industrial, urban, and machine sounds are part of the music, and with whatever effect the artist intends, there is also an unintended side effect of the music mirroring states of stress, and tension. This is done through sound such as: grinding, throbbing, screeching, ascending, crackling, to just to name a few various sounds. As distinctive as a radio’s squelch, the attenuation of specific producers leaves an indelible print on the music itself. Design, quality manufacturing and equipment, are all factors in addition to acoustics. By having the impetus to dance, one can release the agony of mistakes that were made in the past, and move gracefully into a future of more poise and confidence, having literally “shaken off their blues”.

There is a bowing effect, when the feelings inside have a sound outside that makes you feel like moving, there is a profound benefit to releasing stagnant energy. It is somewhat magnetic, somewhat magical, because energy and essence moving in time to music is cathartic, and helps us move past times that have been a challenge.

Releasing the mechanisms of control in our own psyche through dance, letting go of a worldview long enough to open up and perceive life a little differently than before. Dance is a game of balance, as we have heard it said “Dancing is falling over repeatedly but catching yourself each time” This freeing up of the conscious mind of having to direct movement, can free the person to allow some perception of sensations without judging or critically observing through conscious inquiry. The more one lets go of the need to direct and control the motions of the dance itself, the more cathartic the emotional release.

Embracing Shadow Self through Music - Consorting with the Shadow: When we meet ourselves in the darkness of the dance, we are hyperconscious - easily able to discern beat patterns, and isolate arms and limbs in a flagellation dance of whiplash wild energy. The frenetic forms of motion are spectacular to observe, when you feel free to dance how you want to, with no rigid choreography or partner pairings, it is exhilarating.

When we are without words, the thoughts have not coalesced into words. When we do not have the language used to describe one’s connection to the subconscious, dance becomes the vocabulary of expression, and a language in itself.

When emotions and feelings are too nebulous to form a thought there is a pre-verbal state, dance can work out emotions and feelings BEFORE they bridge the nebulous feelings into something a mind can process as conscious thought.

Integrating awareness is a vague conceptualization of the mysterious and deep somatic process that the mind and body undergo during this process. The hardness of the music can remove conscious thought. Finding it hard to think, the body goes into parasympathetic ‘sensing’ mode, or rather, relaxing into the hindbrain and just allowing one’s body to move in rhythmic sonic frenzy or in moderation depending on one's mood.

Integration Process via Sound and Movement - Dancing with the Shadow: When we dance we align ourselves within a long human tradition of letting go of a sense of control, and allowing mystery to take shape in our lives. This humbling feat, again, interpreted through dance, is a challenge to appreciate without the ego getting in the way.

Consciousness seeks to claim authority of everything in a person’s self-awareness. However, to allow for the unknowable deep dark waters of the ID to co-exist within oneself, that is the true challenge of living holistically that many people miss holding the balance of. In the dance, giving of oneself to their intuitive self-expression of movement, IS the only thing connecting us to that shadow self, we are working to bridge a synaptic gap that will not be fired through conscious action, only though release, release of control, and letting the music flow over you like a wave.

And just as with the ocean, there are many kinds of waves, and here likening dark and hard techno as a way of saying, go to the pacific ocean and enjoy getting pummeled in the sonic surf.

Healing in All Areas of the Self - Holistic Healing: With music, and harder sounds - one could surmise the healing power of the sound waves moving through a body, and being impactful not only consciously but subconsciously as well. Translate that into movement and you have a perfect synergetic circle of motion, sound (and light) vibrations, and moving energy through one’s body. The effect is NO conscious thought needs to be given to the process, in fact, the less is better. Just moving, without rhyme or reason, can be as equally healing as moving in orchestrated precise pop locking, for example. Dance in any and all forms is thought to be therapeutic, not merely by western therapists, but also in many cultures around the world. They value and hold dance as a sacred act, often considered to be a direct connection to something greater than the self, some might articulate it as universal consciousness, other people who identify as animists, would say dance is an expression of all life, and in merely living, we are dancing through the world of matter and creation. They would say breath is life, and to breathe rhythmically with body movement is to synchronize and harmonize with the patterns in nature and the world around us. In this way many people, even atheists, believe in the holistic healing potential even without any connotation to specific belief and spiritual/faith systems.

The holy trinity of mind, body, spirit is considered to be integrating in the methods described at the beginning of this article, titrating, and pendulating. At Azarakh, the notion is held that any dancing movement, without forethought, is a conduit to connect oneself directly to the divine, and acts as an intentional form of prayer, where the act and not the content or words determine the value of the experience. We believe that when a person loses themselves in dance, that their state of mind, during and after the experience, brought together by the ritual of movement, is providing the individual healing experience.

Self-healing has an effect of releasing stagnant energy from old traumas, those energetic forms get released back into the atmosphere. In the past, connecting to process this was considered part of most traditional cultures, either in spiritual ceremony, or celebratory dance. People of all cultures have evolved to dance it out, at any time of the day, or night.

Being a genuine person means understanding yourself on a deeper level. I hope this conversational article has been food for thought, for you and our readers, to continue in that dance upon the pathways of life, embodying love everlasting.

~ Aryana Farsai

Electronic Corner

Having gone on a journey of self-inquiry and discovery, one thing led to another and I found: Makossiri, and when I found Makossiri’s HÖR Berlin set online, I kinda flipped out, danced it out and listened to their set a million and one times over the past few months, it is so compelling: (https://soundcloud.com/bananapuddingrecords/femmedecks-x-hoer-berlin-08-3), which is a knock-yer-socks-off kinda set, and right up my Electronic Ally.

To me, Makossiri’s music feels composed, and intentionally sonically dense. And also a conversation between elements, rhythms and instruments. I find this to be more rare in electronic music outside of the ambient and now Euro-dub genres, than were these patterns to be played in say, an orchestra or tribal traditional drum circles. But that is what I think though, that MAKOSSIRI has an EP out, and off it the song Pepea is my new fave song, and of all the high production value tracks, it really stood out in the HÖR Berlin set MAKOSSIRI did for FEMME DECKS. I mean like along with the bass drum and other elements, it is Hardcore that is really balanced and listenable. Each time I listen, I hear new polyrhythms to understand how they affect the nuances of the way the instruments work together. To say it is tribal is simplistic, in reality MAKOSSIRI takes tradition and evolves it as a living, breathing artform, and for the curious, go read a featured article in this zine, where I get to interview them. That was fun!

I guess I can let it be known that my goal for Azarakh in 2025 is to continue to have local talent featured but also to highlight at least one person, from out of the region in residence currently. I intend on doing this to provide some perspective to our current worldview and more truly be globally minded and join a cadre of committed citizens of the world. People make the world a better place through the creation of, and the appreciation of, electronic music.

Nowadays, some electronic music has an orchestral way, and even classically trained musicians are making it. And as a whole to me it conveys the interplay between sounds, timing, and instruments. This reminds us humans that we create the world at the same time, we are in creation, an actively evolving consciousness and matter combination. Or in the words of Bruce Willis in one of the most iconic Sci-Fi Hollywood Blockbusters of all time, The Fifth Element, ‘I am a meat popsicle.’

I think about music like most things, a layering of things. In order to create a full experience, awareness and perception, for me, I see life as it comes, in waves, and the layering of experiences, sounds, actions, anything. Each instrument or voice is a layer, like a channel is the way I guess a sound engineer or producer would say. I have a 3D mind map of the vibrations the sounds make when I hear them, and in my visualization I can see colors and waves of light in different spectrums. Never tried before to articulate HOW I envision music, but there you have it, I create a mental 'picture' of what the sound makes me feel and see in my inner eye.

I hope that conveys some of the admiration I have for the DJ's interviewed in Azarakh, my love of music, and my passion for listening to it deeply, with or without lasers.

Boozedrome, I will go into this now, what it is, and how I began researching it by going down the rabbit hole of a lifetime. My childhood was spent on old computers, which back then, were new to the public market. I grew up with all kinds of computer hardware and technology, playing games by loading them onto a unix mainframe the way other kids turn on a tv.

Which is to say, WHY, I went bonkers to find out there is a global community of people who focus on music made with archaic computing technology, but the efficiant use of file space and programming software to make it - people who do this are in the Demoscene, and the pinnacle of these festival/gatherings is Assembly in Helsinki, Finland. Outside of this, in the hills outside of town, is the Boozedrome Compo. Boozedrome features Tracker Music, and has a RIDICULOUSLY low file size for songs that are submitted, like 2 MB!!!! Yes, you read that right, for a song up to 3 minutes long and up to eight channels, no more, at least not on the most common software tools and hardware mods for old Amiga's, even Commodore. Impressive to say the least. A blast from the past in hardware, fresh to my ears and amazing in its complexity and musical dexterity, oh and with TONS of decay and messed up sound effects that sound lovely to my ear. Oh and the samples are fun, funny, and totally quirky.

Made using Amiga’s and Tracker software, Amigacore is my new fave genre. Is a technological and older processing technology that still sounds up to the (bpm) minute. The people who coagulate around this type of music are part of a Demoscene, a community of graphic visual artists who make demo’s for abstract art generated on the same old computers, and have file size restrictions based on old hardware. “The demoscene shares deep ties with tracker music and the hardcore music genre, especially in how they push the boundaries of audio production and innovation in underground communities”, as defined online. Few people know of my decade spent in tech, and childhood raised in and around computer labs. My mom is a graphic and visual artist/photographer who not only paid her way through grad school doing photography, but was also a single parent with a young kid in tow (me). She literally took me everywhere, and also managed to be a politically minded person with a way of working that utilized her keen eye for using tech efficiently and presenting the world with an amazing and creative output Some images of her original Amiga-created art are included with this article. Needless to say, my mother commands respect, as her keen insight is rapier sharp.

Files at the time she made them were so large on the late eighties’ Amiga computers - that there was no way to save and store the working files for these pictures, so the photos you see are all that remain. And now they have come full circle and are digital again after being printed then scanned, lol. On that note, I have been computer savvy my whole life so this Amigacore, it is everything I want from my music today, because it is old, and new at the same time. Because I never really explored Noisecore or Gabber, and it is a current curiosity of mine seen through the lens of the Demoscene and Amigacore, is in my idea the next step of my musical journey, which is to learn more about this Protracker and its’ use. By making music utilizing old hardware and software, one embodies all the ‘flavor’ of the past and creatively applies it to the current moment.

The brain, or at least mine, moves me to want to travel the musical world, and go to places like Boozedrome, who’s in? Well you are in luck! They are having a virtual Boozedrome this coming February, online on their You Tube website, go here for details. February 22, 2025, at 2 PM EEST (3 AM PST). Go here for details: https://www.youtube.com/@dekadencedemo

What is Tracker music and why is it so ridiculously awesome you ask? WELL! It is brilliant because file sizes are ridiculously small and that plus the efficient use of both sounds and storage space plus ways to modulate sounds using the most basic of computer programs. In other words, geekery for the likes of me, and about .01% of techno lovers world-wide. The definition of the software: “'ProTracker' is a popular music tracker to sequence music on a Commodore Amiga machine.”

Helsinki, Finland - Boozedrome VII, here on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1L_623Plq-I. And also recorded by the Internet Podcast ‘Electric Byways’ (shout out to fellow hardcore lover Tuomas!) His participant’s view of the Boozedrome VII Compo is here: https://youtu.be/xx8baFvbr2M.

I love these places where types of music that are unique and out of the public eye have evolved into a fascinating subgenre of old people who remember the tech the first time around, and younger folks who have a sincere appreciation for electronic hardware from past era’s, even, (gasp!) from the dawn of personal computing. There, artists, fans, and producers gather, and compare (sound;) notes. Then they have a contest for the best song!

Originally, the Makossiri x Electric Byway interview (YouTube: https://youtu.com/m4wS5HUY5-k) led me to a Finnish festival in the hills outside their annual computer arts conference in Helsinki annually. Now this group of hardcore and gabber lovers relish on old school technology and a whopping 8 channels of sound from samples or files, and make tracks built out on old hardware such as the Amiga 500 and 1200.

Speaking of old technology, my fave new Amigacore music producer KONEY makes a song called OLD TECHNOLOGY. He is from Venice, Italy, and is kind enough to put this awesome track on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZFSq4OjZIYI so you can see the Tracker software running on an old Amiga computer AND he gives away his music online: http://www.koney.org/content-13/downloads.html. Check him out at http://www.koney.org/.

Stay tuned for more Amiga related news in my life as I set out to delve deep into this genre. For the absolute dork, here is the Ultimate Amiga Computer Talk: rahra: The Ultimate Amiga 500 TalkYouTube · media.ccc.de Dec 27, 2015.

And also for the deep-diver who wants to learn ProTracker or an emulator on Mac or PC or even on original hardware, a tutorial: https://youtu.be/S1yE2qL8UcY. And the ProTracker Emulator Software: ProTracker 2 (v2.3D) clone16-bits.org https://16-bits.org › … or the web version online, Bassoon Tracker! http://www.stef.be/bassoontracker/

I will state that in older goth, synthwave, industrial, and punk - all had similar ethos, of pain and suffering seen through the lens of music that has subtle or shocking impact. Strong sounds, heavy bass, loud music full of softer soothing sounds offset by chaos. That is how I would describe hardcore to the uninitiated, and you have to be into polyrhythms to enjoy it.

Ayouni, and Ishkur, Sairé and Sylon - each add to the discussion of Darkwave and Dark Techno: Ayouni’s Soundcloud artist’s profile: https://on.soundcloud.com/UckEteb5uUxTxzYp8. And Ishkur (yes of Ishkur’s Guide to Electronic Music - https://music.ishkur.com/) is also on the train to Darkville, with his mix Darkwave Depression here: darkwave-depression (Mixcloud). Sairé’s Dark and Dirty Techno set here: https://on.soundcloud.com/AjCNiJ2AbcrPmVkg8. Sylon - Hard hitting music by a German producer. Intense and moody - with melodic and minimal within atmospheric techno: https://soundcloud.com/user-806830881

~Aryana Farsai

Interview - Ricky Martin (Boozedrome, AMIGACORE)

Having recently discovered AMIGACORE as a genre, I was struck by the magnificent musicality exhibited in the Demoscene at Boozedrome, and have since joined their Discord. It didn’t take long for me to inquire of one of the promoters/organizers of that festival to do an Azarakh interview. This is the result:

Where are you from and what drew you to AMIGACORE as a music style of production that you wanted to focus on?

I'm from Finland. I used to listen to a lot of Dutch and German hardcore compilations (Thunderdome and Terrordrome in particular) when I grew up, because they were cheap and plentiful in local record stores. Since I was already into computers and making music, it quickly went to "hey, I could do this too".

Where do you live, and where did you grow up?

I live in Helsinki. I've lived in the south of Finland all my life.

How many other people are in your daily life on average who belong to the Hardcore enthusiasts community in your region?

I can't really claim to be in any hardcore scene. More that I've been in, and around the demoscene, for close to thirty years now. And I still chat with a couple dozen people online practically daily.

How long have most of you known each other?

A lot of my friends participate in the Boozedrome thing in various ways, and we've all known each other for 25+ years now.

Do you travel to festivals and help produce any for the AMIGACORE genre?

Apart from Boozedrome, not really. I'm a family man in my early forties, so time and energy tends to be limited. Maybe if someone asked. :)

Outside of Boozedrome, what are your own personal projects named?

I use the nicknames Ricky Martin and Ylvaes in the demoscene groups Dekadence and Jumalauta, respectively. I also play drums in a crossover thrash band called Discreant. I mostly use my real name now. I also used to release acid techno as Ghetto B-Boyz, which is a name I've now retired for being too embarrassing. (I came up with it when I was 15 years old) To be honest, my main outlet recently has been demo soundtracks.

You are a producer, what are some links to your music, and where can we listen to it online or via a download?

Nothing's ever up to date, but here are a few things:

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/superjohan

Personal Bandcamp: https://superjohan.bandcamp.com/

Discreant: https://discreant.bandcamp.com/

Demozoo page: https://demozoo.org/sceners/3041/

What software do you use to make your tracks?

For "proper" music, Ableton Live. On Atari ST, Maxymiser. My workflow for Amiga MODs is a little convoluted, because I grew up using PCs and I don't like ProTracker's mouse-driven workflow. Hence, I make the songs as S3Ms in Impulse Tracker, then I save them as MODs in Scream Tracker 3, and then I verify that they sound right with ProTracker. It's a pain in the ass but my Impulse Tracker muscle memory is very strong.

What hardware do you run? And do you also use emulators for any aspect of your work, and if so which ones?

I've recently been producing a bunch (as of yet unreleased) stuff using the Elektron Octatrack, along with a couple Behringer TD-3s and a Roland TR-6S. It's way less immediate and Octatrack is basically Ableton Live on hard mode, but it's more fun than just clicking around with a mouse. You could probably count 8bitbubsy's ProTracker clone as an emulator: https://16-bits.org/pt2.php Here's a dirty little Boozedrome secret (and a possible scoop): every single Boozedrome has been recorded using the ProTracker clone, not a real Amiga. It's that good. One exception to this though: Boozedrome Winter will be recorded from a real Amiga because of the very specific rules we set up for that edition.

Will Boozedrome Winter 2025 festival be online? What is that link?

Yeah, it's going to be online only. It's held in February, which is way too cold to do anything like the usual Boozedrome event! It's on Youtube, and that link will be over at https://boozedrome.com/2025winter.

Will you also have an audio live call or other chat to join on say, Discord? If so, what is that link?

It's going to be set up as a "premiere" on Youtube, which means that the page will have a chat. We'll also be chatting on the Jumalauta Discord, which is at https://discord.com/invite/bZAuetBhcf. There's a separate channel for Boozedrome talk.

Do you have any other events coming up that you would like to share the link and information for?

Dekadence is organizing a demoparty in May called 68k Inside, which may or may not have some Boozedrome-related activities! (https://68k-inside.party/)

Where in the world would you want to travel to attend, or play (music festivals)?

Just on a personal level, I'd like to travel to Japan, for both music and computer nerdery. I don't really like festivals that much; I prefer a loud, sweaty, dark club.

Who do you want to name drop that inspires you in the scene, and/or who do you like to listen to?

When it comes to direct genre influences, it's all pretty old, to be honest. Stuff like Nasenbluten, E De Cologne, and Explore Toi. It's good to listen to a variety of music. I tend to prefer either extreme and/or experimental music, such as Rotten Sound, Oval, Pan Sonic, Napalm Death, Snd, Emptyset, Ryoji Ikeda, just to name a few "big" names.

Would you have anything further to say to fellow techno and hardcore lovers worldwide?

Stay Amigacore!

Thank you for this interview, and we look forward to Boozedrome Compo, February 22, 2025!

~ Aryana Farsai

Ricky Martin Interview Links:

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/superjohan

Personal Bandcamp: https://superjohan.bandcamp.com/

Discreant: https://discreant.bandcamp.com/

Demozoo page: https://demozoo.org/sceners/3041/

Boozedrome: https://boozedrome.com/2025winter/index.html

Decadence Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dekadencedemo

68K Inside: https://68k-inside.party/

Jumalauta Discord: https://discord.com/invite/bZAuetBhcf

Boozedrome Winter: https://boozedrome.com/2025winter