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Features
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| Introducing NEM3SI$’s new label Infinite Resistance! | | Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’! | | Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases! | | Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme! | | Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works. | | Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain! | | Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September! | | NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases! | | Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup! | | Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast! | | Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music! | | SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023! | | The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023! | | NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music! | | Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project | | The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22! | | A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden | | Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma | | Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino | | New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik! | | PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records! | | Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters! |
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BeatNik — Liquid Records’ nose-fluting interloper hits Halcyon for his album launch party
Reported by Tara
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Submitted 17-05-10 06:55
At the grand old age of 22, Nikolai Cedraeus aka BeatNik has already achieved more in his musical career than many DJs and producers twice his age, with gigs at festivals like Glade and Waveform, releases on Nano, Liquid and John 00 Fleming’s ‘Psy Trance Euphoria 2’ on Ministry of Sound and sets in Europe and Brazil. But he’s actually been making music longer than most, having started studying classical music when he was four and producing his first tracks over 10 years ago. He’s just released ‘The Function Creep EP’, and will reach a landmark this Friday night at Halcyon @ 02’s Matter, where he’s playing alongside Infected Mushroom and celebrating the launch of his first album, ‘Interloper’: totally apt when, as we learned, it was Infected’s ‘Mush Mushi’ that got him into psytrance in the first place . . .
Hi Beatnik, thanks for taking some time out to answer a few questions when I’m sure you’d rather be making music.
No problem - it’s always good to let the ears have a rest.
First up, I have to ask: Why the name ‘BeatNik’? Aren’t you a wee bit young to be a part of the Beat Generation? Have you ever read any Jack Kerouac?
Well, to start with I thought of the name when I was 15; BeatNik essentially being a portmanteau of ‘beat’ - which is what I make, and ‘Nik’ - my name! It also happened to refer to the pre-hippy era rebellious stereotype, but with an intellectual edge which I felt was quite apt for the music I make. I am probably just a tad too young to be part of the Beat Generation, but none-the-less I have read some Kerouac (as well as a spot of Burroughs and Ginsberg), and without trying to sound too intellectual I do quite like applying a bit of the type of literary iconoclasm they pioneered to my music. Basically writing trance with a cheeky difference - not like much else out there!
You’ve studied classical music from the age of four and have played loads of different instruments including classical and jazz piano, the bassoon, violin, drums, recorder and even the Latin-style nose-flute: was that all something you consciously decided to do, or due to any kind of family influence? Why the nose-flute? Do you ever play any instruments on your tracks now?
To be honest, it was part family, and part conscious decision. Firstly my family in general has always been musical. My father was a blues guitarist in his youth and my grandfather was a true audiophile and collected musical instruments - and whilst an amazing self-taught pianist, he always regretted not having had lessons when he was younger. I think this partly influenced my mother into giving me piano lessons. The rest of it was mostly my own choice; I always loved the sound of the bassoon (for example the Grandfather’s theme in Peter and the Wolf) and so began playing that once my lungs were big enough! The rest I played, as I had a music scholarship at school and got lessons for free, simply because they were available and I wanted to learn!
Unfortunately you have managed to find a slight bending of the truth on my part with regards to the nose-flute! I added that to one of my biographies as a small joke (and a nerdy reference to a failed musical instrument from the Ernie comic strips). I have often been asked about it and have replied with various made up stories: “It offers a delicate sound like a cross between a piccolo and a kazoo,” etc. It is unfortunately not actually true that I played the nose-flute. Although I’ve heard it’s a very beautiful instrument . . . Now I tend not to play instruments live in my own psytrance music (although I do compose the melodic aspects of the music using a piano). However I have very often lamented the fact that I do not have a pop-up symphony orchestra ready to record in the corner of my studio.
Your music has been described as: “An offering of musical genius composed with delicate brilliance over the top of a smashing bassline and hard thumping kick, a synergy of both the beauty and the beast.” How would you describe it to someone who’s never heard it before?
I would probably describe it as: Diverse, but cohesive; from cheeky electro-edged dancefloor thumpers to epic filmic brain-mangling stompers - distinctly UK, yet totally cosmopolitan.
That’s what I’d ideally say. But probably when put on the spot in conversation I’d stumble and totally fail saying something like: “It’s erm . . . bouncy and err . . . squelchy and plingy?!”
When I first saw you play ay the Synergy Project in 2006 I was amazed to later discover that was in fact your first live set. How long had you been DJing since before you played out? And when did you first start playing live sets?
I had been DJing (starting on vinyl) since I was 13, so about five years before I played at Synergy. Live sets I had to learn quite quickly on the other hand! It was a big surprise and honour for me to get to play at the Synergy Project for my first Live and I still owe Liquid Ross for having the guts to put me on the lineup considering my inexperience. In any case, I’ve never been so nervous in my life as the hour before the set.
Who or what has inspired you musically growing up? And now?
My musical inspirations have ranged from the obscure to the embarrassing. As a youngster I listened to pretty much everything. But what I was most inspired by was probably classical music and Buddy Holly. The older I got the more into dance-music I became - horribly I went through an early teenage phase of loving ’90s Eurotrance and dance-pop. Eventually though I was led onto the right path by some older friends and discovered the Prodigy, drum n bass in general and early Infected Mushroom. ‘Mush Mushi’ (from ‘Classical Mushroom’) was the first psytrance track I had ever heard and I fell immediately in love with the depth and the musical complexity of it. Although, embarrassingly my first reaction to hearing this new and amazing music was: “Wow! This is like Eurotrance - but much much better.” Now I find inspiration mostly from non-psytrance music. Film music and sound design are hugely inspiring to me - particularly the composer John Powell, and the sound designs of Eric Aadahl. I also find dubstep, as such a new genre that’s increasingly finding its feet, often filled with creativity. I also admit to finding commercial dance music and pop inspiring, not necessarily for musical content, but for the quality of production.
At 22 you’ve already achieved more than many electronic music artists achieve in entire careers; you’ve had tracks on major psy labels like Nano, Liquid and John 00 Fleming’s ‘Psy Trance Euphoria 2’ compilation on Ministry of Sound, you’ve played at some awesome festivals like Glade and Waveform and toured Brazil and Europe. Is it possible to narrow it down and say what the highlights have been for you so far? And given what you’ve done already, what else is there that you’d really like to do?
Oooh . . . that’s a tough question. But, I can think of a few particular moments. Of course my first live set at the Synergy Project is a moment I will never forget. I was the most nervous I have ever been in my life and this was enhanced as I found myself pranked by a certain bunch of mischievous blighters who told me that my equipment wasn’t likely to work. In any case from the first moment when I stepped up on stage, and began to play the first track of the set all my nerves completely disappeared and everything made sense. Having wanted to play my music to a crowd of people since I first started making electronic music, once I found myself there I thought, “F*ck it - I’m here now so might as well enjoy it!” I still do, I feel thankful for every set I play!
Also playing the Origin Stage at the Glade Festival in 2008, when the sound system briefly shut down during my set. I scrabbled frantically on the mixer, and checked all my circuits to make sure it wasn’t a piece of my equipment that was messing up. But then I looked up and saw a crowd of happy people cheering, “Rewind!” The first time I’ve ever had that, or wanted to do that in a psytrance live set. So I began from the top of the track and the cheer as it dropped was an incredible buzz.
Lastly, playing from a Mayan pyramid shaped stage built on a beach on an island in the middle of the Tocantins River in Brazil as people were dancing from the beach onward into the water was an amazing sight. This was at Festival Fora do Tempo in 2008. What I’d really like to do is to be able to score for, then hire and record, a full symphony orchestra, and make an album that is a true organic/electronic composite.
Producing electronic music is very different to learning an instrument. In what way do you think your classical training has helped you to produce such musically diverse tracks as ‘Poison Tree’ or ‘Assets and Liabilities’?
I feel that classical training teaches you how to listen acutely to music, even if this may end up being an unconscious process. For example, those particular tracks you refer to might feel diverse because they contain certain musical information in them that translates to the listener as darker or lighter, or more melodic or less melodic. Even though both tracks have the same innate rhythms, I feel it’s the ability to truly hear and analyse the musical and timbral aspects of the music you want to write in your head and translate that into the sounds that come out from your studio monitors that is aided with a classical background.
Out of all the kinds of dance music around, why did you choose psy trance to produce and perform when there is obviously more fame and fortune to be gained from other styles?
I feel that psytrance gives me the space to both make the sound designs I love, as well as giving me musical freedom. Furthermore it still takes the top spot for being the music I find most fun to dance to. I do write other, non-psytrance, music as well - which hopefully this album will give you a small taste of too.
You’re celebrating the launch of your first album ‘Interloper’ at Halycon @Matter on Friday 21 May. Given that you’ve actually been producing music for over a decade and had your first release on Nano in 2005, you’re hardly an interloper in the psy trance scene! Have you been working on it long? Is there a theme or concept behind it, or are all the tracks individual and unique?
Whilst all the tracks are definitely individual and unique, there is a concept that arches through the album. The word ‘Interloper’ means a few things: firstly, an intruder or gatecrasher, but secondly also someone who introduces himself into professional or social scenes where he doesn’t belong. This is partly a small joke at the fact that I still feel like a bit of a charlatan when I perform alongside, for example, artists such as Infected Mushroom. But also more because I felt the urge to push my music away from the safe confines of full-on trance into brasher territory; rather than the music being simply DJ food, or album filler I wanted the music to verge on eliciting some real audience responses, perhaps even venturing into Marmite territory (either you love it or hate it - although, of course, I want more people to love it than not!).
In essence I wanted to make an album that was distinctly different from much of the psytrance being released at the moment. Not just for the sake of being different, but because I felt inspiration-wise that I wanted to go down less trodden paths. It is still an album with tracks aimed at the dancefloor (the best place to listen to trance in my opinion!), but with multiple influences and hopefully a depth of musical texture throughout. There are also some slower non-trance tracks there that bring the full album story together.
Your album is being released on Liquid Records. How did you first hook up with Ross and the Liquid Crew?
It involved a tractor, an escaped gerbil and a nunnery . . . I can’t really say more as I think the gerbil’s still looking for us.
Matter has one of the best sound systems in the world and you’re playing alongside some of the top names in psy trance like Infected Mushroom, Talamasca, Atmos, Dejavoo and of course Liquid Ross. You must be pretty damn excited about it! I for one can’t wait to hear your new album on the Matter system! If someone who doesn’t know you is reading this, why should they come to Matter next Friday night?
I really am ridiculously excited about it. All I’d say as to why people should come to Matter next Friday is this: The best club in the UK, the most exciting dance music in the world and the friendliest most up-for-it crowd you’re likely to find. Why on earth would you not go?
Finally, if any of your fans see you near the bar, what should they get you?
A double Disaronno mixed with a measure of scotch . . . On the rocks of course!
*Due to circumstances beyond the control of the organisers this event will now take place at The Fridge, Brixton and not at Matter as previously advertised*
Photos and artwork courtesy of Nikolai Cedraeus, Vickie Parker, Matthew Cameron-Wilton and Edward Wise. Not to be used without permission.
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Halcyon @ The Fridge *VENUE CHANGE*
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On:
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Friday 21st May 2010
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At:
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The Fridge [map]
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From:
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22:00 - 06:00
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Cost:
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£15 / £18
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Ticket Info:
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LIMITED FROM HTTP://WWW.ACCESSALLAREAS.ORG
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Buy Online:
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Click here to buy tickets
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More:
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Halcyon sold out in November, Halcyon sold out in March!
And if the rumours are true it looks like Halcyon May will be
another sell out for all you lucky Halcyon ticket holders!
Headlining our May event we welcome back the unmissable
Infected Mushroom, who will be performing as the full live
band playing a full 2 hour LIVE showcase. If you did not see
these guys at our event in November then this your chance to
see the number 1 psychedelic band in the world!
Talamasca will be making his hotly anticipated debut at
Halcyon. Talamasca is one of the most requested live acts at
all big psy festivals such as full-moon festival, Samothraki or
Boom festival in Europe, Eclipse, the biggest electronic
festival in Canada, Chemical sound festival in Rio, Goa sound
festival in Mexico, Fuji festival in Japan, and he will be now
touching down from France on the legendary main stage at
Halcyon.
Following in the theme of Halcyon events where we like to
build a musical journey showcasing the very best of all kinds
of psy we are proud to announce another debut in the form of
the massive progressive psy act ATMOS from Sweden. Under
this trademark, Atmos has released 4 albums, loads of
singles and has made countless appearances on compilations
but more important - his music has been embraced, played
and loved by such a broad spectrum of people, ranging from
the top 10 djs to aspiring bedroom djs all over the world. He
has also been touring all over the world covering every single
major festival and event for well over 12 years. His sense for
merging rhythm programming with delicate strings into a
well-produced groovy sound is guaranteed to make everyone
get down to the dance floor and that has made him an
instalment to count on…
In rooms 2 special guests Braindrop..
Braindrop bring their Bass, Joy, Fun and Happiness ethos to
Halcyon for the first time ever. Combining bass-heavy rave
music and circus performance in one mindblowing multi-
sensory mash-up, over the last 4 years the Braindrop crew
have built up a huge following and a legacy of ridiculously
epic parties held at some of London’s top raving arenas!
They debut at Halcyon with a devastating yet diverse line-up
headed and masterminded by The McMash Clan - spanning
dubstep, bassline, d’n’b, techno, electro, jungle, hardcore and
lots more. Expect festival style fun, lots of bass and good
vibes all night long"
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Flyer:
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Region:
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London
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Music:
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Psy Trance.
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DJ's:
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INFECTED MUSHROOM LIVE
TALAMASCA LIVE
ATMOS
DEJAVOO LIVE
Beatnik LIVE
LIQUID ROSS
LIBRA 9
Andy Force B2B MATT LORRAINE
BRAINDROP
The McMash Clan
FLUX PAVILION ft MC BK Razey
SCAMP (Life 4 Land)
CELLADORE
CHARLIE CUTTA
BASS 6
MIXCLOUD DJ COMPETITION WINNER
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Other Features By Tara:
Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast!
Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project
A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden
Telling Cosmic Tales with DJ Strophoria
Tom Psylicious aka EarthAlien takes 50 Spins Around the Sun: Raising Awareness Through the Power of Music
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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Comments:
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From: Kamora on 17th May 2010 13:22.07
So young and so talented, loviing 'Scissor hands' amongst his others.
Top read Tara, good work indeed.
From: jFrantik on 17th May 2010 20:28.34
Legend! This dude rocks.. Talented as they come!
From: Tara on 19th May 2010 13:10.12
Thanx  And big congratulations to Nik for getting to No. 1 on Beatport with 'The Function Creep EP'! Can't wait to hear it on Matter's sound system on Friday night! 
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