modyfier

By: modyfier

Feb 22 2012

Tags: 295, m50, modyfier, process series

Category: process series

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M50

This recording is a full unedited archive of my Friday night set at Masters club in Zagreb.

It was my first time visiting the city, and my first time in Croatia. I had arrived the evening prior and after having a moment to gather my thoughts in the crisp evening after disembarking the flight from Charles DeGaulle, I was met by the crew and driven into the city. I was invited to close out for Brighton at Funk club, when I arrived at the basement space it made an immediate impression on me. Low-arching brick ceilings extended over an enthusiastic crowd, a full house in good spirits, and eagerly taking in a deep and heady selections from Brighton. And if this openness to the subtler parts of the music wasn’t promising enough, I was also warmly welcomed and met many of the people I would end up seeing throughout the rest of my stay in Zagreb. Finishing his set before I went on, Brighton squeezed in my track “Dogs & Flies,” also setting the tone for the weekend, where that turned into a bit of a theme song.

After a little further exploration into the city, we retreated back to the apartment of my new friends Nina and Jakov, who were the consummate hosts for my whole stay. One evening we wandered the main square of the city, another Nina prepared a delectable baked chicken dish, there seemed always to be something interesting to experience.

The next night after Funk was the main event: Freefloating at Masters. The club, apparently so-called because of its proximity to tennis courts, is a hidden treasure. Entering the grounds that misty evening felt like wandering into an abandoned fairgrounds. We then finding our way up the stairs to the second story space, and finally peered inside. The venue struck me as a sea ship elevated in the air with its oblong shape, its dark and massive timber construction and outcropped lookouts above. The sound was full and heavy, with some of the massive speakers suspended in the air, further contributing to a sensation of being adrift. Davor opened the night with slowly churning deep techno, which set the stage for the audio enclosed. My set was a bit unexpected, even by me – I’d planned to play a mixture of digital files and vinyl, but with the setup it was only possible to work from wax. My pre-announced set was 2 hours, but the momentum of the night extended the duration well beyond. Combined with the vinyl limitation this turned into a real exercise in stretching and manipulating a small collection, which provided even more challenge and motivation. Through all this, the audience was energetic, adventurous, and supportive, which comforted me while I stretched to cover some variety of tempos and styles. I met so many friendly, engaging people during and after my set. Brighton cleaned up with a closing performance until about 9am.

Saturday night I played upstairs at Sirup’s Program event with Examine, we tag-teamed throughout the night, overcoming repeated electrical issues early on in the evening to turn out a night of warm, fun house music and acid techno including a heathy dose of classics. Sunday night I was invited to perform alongside Regard Less, Mimi, Rale and Brighton at Masters’ sister-club for their “Together Is Easier” event, a fundraiser for a family in financial distress. By Sunday, many of the faces were familiar friends I’d seen for 2 or 3 of the previous evenings. And Monday morning I rode back out to the airport, contemplative, inspired and energized.

When I was invited back to contribute to Modyfier again, I immediately though of this recording, because to me it represents the process, situation, and surrounding experience impacting and reflecting through a single session.

m50 – process part 295 (free floating) by modyfier