Interview with RSlane

 

Where are you, are you in lockdown?

 

I’m locked down in my house in Algiers. Here it’s Ramadan, a spiritual month for self reflection, awakening and renewal, combined with the lockdown. It allows me to focus on the important things in my life, such as family and music without any unnecessary distractions.

 

How did you first get into dance music in Algeria? What parties and DJs?

 

The first dance track that I listened to when I was young was crystal waters gypsy woman, and it marked me forever. It was at the Rais Hamidou Club, played by our legend Dj Chafik.

 

How hard was it to get records, decks and so on bought?

 

The record decks are available either vinyl or cd. The thing is we don’t have a record store yet, so we buy them on our trips to Europe. But sometimes we can find some rare pearls here from funk to disco and especially african music

 

What is the scene in Algeria like – are there clubs, bars, record shops? Young people into the dancing?

 

The local scene is great. It is constantly developing, there isn’t a specialised club yet it remains generalist, but every time we organise raves it’s full. There are bars, but as I said earlier no record shops yet unfortunately . But the Algerian youth love to move on 4/4.

 

What sounds are popular? What is the biggest genre?

 

The biggest genre is Rai music, it’s born here. If you know Cheb Khaled or Cheb Mami who are great figures of it. About the parties I noticed that people love electronic music : from house classics to Romanian groove from tech to techno its all about 4/4.

 

How much does the landscape, weather and nature of Algeria influence your music?

 

Diversity … we have multiple types of weather and different landscapes and nature. It can only push you to open up to different things and not focus or block on a single thing it’s a chance!

 

Tell us about your EP on your label Duck It – what inspired it?

 

My first EP is a mixture of my life experience, from my beginnings at the age of 16 on turntables until now. There are drums in breakbeat, deep, acid and minimal sounds just Duck IT.

 

 

It’s the first electronic music label in Algeria no? That must make you proud for sure?

 

Exactly this is the very first. I am proud of it because it is an opportunity for us local dj’s to open up to the international scene.

 

What gear did you use to make it? Are you interested in the how and the tools etc?

 

It’s like cooking 🙂 a mixture of different spices, a spicy Mfb Tanzabar with a soft Nord lead A1 and an Analog4 for salting, all on Ableton barbecue 🙂

 

What else have you got coming up?

 

Each month an EP will be released. The next one will be for May 30th it will be 100% breakbeat, a delight!

 

What hopes, goals and dreams do you have for 2020 and beyond?

 

That we can dance like before with no worries 🙂 I hope it’s not just a dream!

RSlane EP “Echoes from Algiers” released on Duck it Records is out now

Grab it here

 

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