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Episode 2 comes from San Francisco-based DJ and curator DJ Tips, a key figure behind the event series and label Club Moniker. Known for his hazy, rhythmic layers and explorations of left-field experimental dance music, DJ Tips also serves as a resident for Hyper K, a monthly radio show and event series on SutroFM. This mix delivers a lush, psychedelic dreamscape of atmospheric techno, acid, and industrial, reflecting his signature sound.
https://soundcloud.com/tips_tk
https://www.instagram.com/tips.tk_/
https://www.instagram.com/club.moniker/
Full tracklist and interview -> https://blog.silvaelectronics.net/774520160438648832/se-podcast-2-dj-tips
Excerpt:
"Tell us about the mix you've recorded for us."
I recorded this in my living room with a xone92 and 3 xdj's. I mainly focused on atmospheric techno with a few acid and industrial elements. The only intent was to build toward a few higher energy tracks with a smooth, moving, and playful groove. Everything else came together nicely on the fly.
The theme of this mix is my usual MO: a hazy, psychedelic, and mysterious dreamscape within lush, natural terrain (forest, mountains, etc.) I also wanted to evoke recently gained confidence playing on bigger sound systems and gigs out of my hometown.
"Can you walk us through your creative process when approaching a new mix?"
I spend a lot of time browsing bandcamp via labels, and then I listen to my bookmarks while commuting. I've only recently started using rekordbox to organize tracks. I group them together based on key detect with some attention to genre, energy level, and rhythm. That's about it. The rest was improvisational. I enjoy layering with 3+ decks on the spot when I catch phrases that speak to me.
“Layering with 3 decks on the spot is quite a skill. How do you decide which tracks to layer, and how does this element help shape your sound?”
I prepare based on how I feel about a collection of tracks in an environment. I have a lot of important feelings for music paired with scenery in the Bay Area. Moving through landscapes and interiors while listening to tracks leaves impressions of details like tone, intensity, rhythm, phrasing, etc.
Sometimes certain details stick with me, which leads me to tracks that have commonalities (or polarities depending on how chaotic I feel). I add a few tracks for tonal/rhythmic bridging, which leaves me with a body of elements and phrases for flexible layering. At a certain point, I just try to have fun juggling with whatever I bring to the decks. Looping helps ground me when I’m completely aimless.
“Could you tell us more about your involvement with Club Moniker? How did you connect with the crew, and what excites you most about working with them as an event series and label?”
I started Club Moniker a few years ago with a group of friends that I admire musically. We have a wide range of tastes which leads to unpredictable hilarity. We’re very much a “what if” kind of a crew which is exciting to me. That’s probably why we don’t have a distinct association with genre because we’re interested in many forms of expression. Obviously this leads to many tribulations, but I like the fact that it’s hard for us to conform to something indefinitely. The event series and label is a reflection of that.
“What are your upcoming projects or collaborations?”
A few shows coming up in San Francisco, incl:
2/8 - Squish x Club Moniker - livwutang all night @ UGSF
2/22 - Club Moniker x Hyper K - Piezo @ Yerba Buena