Sada se njujorška legenda Harry Romero dočepao trake i izvrnuo ga u komad propulzivne, pumpajuće house muzike. Romerove vještine se probijaju kroz traku dok on odaje počast originalovom statusu klasika.

“Poker Flat konzistentno objavljuje kvalitetnu muzike preko dva desetljeća”, kaže Romero. “Jedna od traka koje su se meni izdvojile iz njegova kataloga je Landsky i ‘1000 Miles’. Pa kad me Steve pitao jesam li spreman napraviti remiks, moj je odgovor bio jednostavno da. Vrlo sam zadovoljan time kako je ispao moj mix i jedva čekam da ga čujete.”

S Harryjem razgovaramo o procesu remiksiranja, o tome što bi muzička industrija trebala raditi u podršku pokreta Black Lives Matter i o mnogo drugih stvari.

Što ti najviše nedostaje iz klubova i prostora za živu muziku u ovim trenucima?

Nedostaje mi povezanost s ljudima. Nedostaje mi vidjeti ih kako su dirnuti onim što čuju. Nedostaje mi komična strana svega, odnosno gledanje ljudi. Jer nekad zaista vidiš zabavne i lude stvari. Nedostaje mi čuti svoj novi materijal na glasnom zvučnom sistemu. Uglavnom volim ono na čemu radim u studiju testirati u klubu, nema boljeg istraživanja. 

Ibiza ove sezone očito doživljava veliki udarac. Da se prisjetimo sretnijih vremena, možeš li nam reći nešto o svojem najpamtljivijem iskustvu na Bijelom otoku, za pultom ili drugdje?

Čovječe, te večeri Subliminal Wednesday u Pachi su bile zaista posebne. Bio sam rezident ondje mnogo godina i gledati prostoriju kako se puni do 1 u noći i raste je nešto čega ću se zauvijek sjećati. Uzbuđenje koje sam osjećao znajući kako ću svirati u tom klubu je nešto što mi je drago sjećanje. A tek after-partyji… Majko moja!

Pročitali smo da si u nedavnom intervjuu rekao da voliš brisati granice između housea i techna. Je li to svjesna odluka kada ulaziš u studio? Ili je to nešto čemu instinktivno naginješ?

Volio bih da sebi mogu pripisati tu važnost da te granice brišem s namjerom, ali to je zapravo moj prirodni način slušanja i stvaranja. To ne znači da ne planiram namjerno stvoriti nešto tvrđe ili nekad nešto s više duše, ali granice onoga što je house i onoga što je techno su ionako generalno dosta propusne.

Tech house i techno posljednjih su godina zagospodarili klubovima. Bi li volio da se vrati vrijeme kada je fokus više bio na vokalima i melodijama? Ili je borba protiv trendova i progresije u biti beskorisna?

Ne mislim da želim čuti više jednoga ili drugoga. Želim čuti kvalitetnu muziku koja me zamisli, raspleše, usreći ili naljuti… Trendovi su kratkoročni, ali kvalitetna umjetnost traje vječno.

Reci nam nešto o svome remiksu Martina Landskog, jesi li poznavao originalnu traku?

Svirao sam original kada je prvotno izašao. Volim original i najteži dio remiksiranja mi je bila želja da napravim nešto što će moći stajati samostalno, a istodobno odavati respekt originalu. Mislim da sam u tome uspio, a najbolje je što mi je Martin poslao poruku i dao svoj blagoslov. Neovisno o tome koliko si u igri, uvijek želiš dobiti blagoslov i poštovanje originalnog autora.

Kada nešto remiksiraš, slušaš li original često? Ili to potencijalno predstavlja problem ako se trudiš napraviti vlastitu verziju?

Dovoljno puta slušam dionicu u kojoj pronađem svoju ideju i to je to. Jednom kad u svojoj glavi pronađem smjer u kojem želim ići, onda krećem punom parom. Mogu se vratiti originalu i poslušati ga da vidim jesam li u pravom tonalitetu i slično…

Pokret Black Lives Matter posljednjih je tjedana svima na usnama. Što misliš što bi muzička scena, elektronička scena posebno, trebala raditi u znak podrške?

Sjajno pitanje. Vrlo je važno da publika zna i razumije odakle ova muzika dolazi i tko su njezini začinjavci. Svi bismo morali pokazati respekt onima koji to zaslužuju. Mnogi od nas zarađuju od ove muzike i trebali bismo neprestano zahvaljivati onima koji su nam utabali putove. Doista to čvrsto osjećam. Na mnogim festivalima sviraju uvijek jedna te ista imena, a nema pionira crne boje kože. To vrijedi i za techno i za house. To se mora promijeniti.

Mimo housea, koje si izvođače najviše slušao ove godine?

To su The Weeknd i Halsey. Jako volim retro ’80’s vibru koju ima The Weeknd, a mislim da je Halsey kul izvođačica s jako svijetlom budućnošću.

Što još imaš u planu sljedećih mjeseci?

Imao sam zgusnut raspored i bio sam zaposlen i bez turneja. Upravo sam objavio EP na Subliminalu, prilično je vruć i bio mi je gušt ponovno raditi sa starom ekipom. Na Positivi sam izbacio remiks Joy Cluba. Uskoro dolazi kolaboracija s Weissom nazvana “Where Do We Go?”, početkom srpnja na Islandu. Uza sve to radim na svojoj etiketi, Bambossi, čiji se posao vraća u srpnju klupskim miksom trake “Romeo” Basement Jaxxa. Ima papren omot!

Za kraj, da možeš remiksirati bilo koju traku, koja bi to bila?

Hmmm… Cyndi Lauper, “Time After Time”.

Harry Romero [SC | TW | FB]

Now the NY legend Harry Romero has got his hands on the original and twisted it into a slice of streamlined, pumping house music. Romero’s skills shine through while paying respect to the original’s classic status.

“Poker Flat has been consistently releasing quality music for over 2 decades.”, says Romero. “One of the tracks that really stood out for me from their catalog was Landsky’s ‘1000 Miles’. So when Steve reached out to see if I was up for doing a remix it was a simple yes. I am so happy how my mix came out and can’t wait for you all to hear it!”

Here we speak to him about his remix process, what the music industry should be doing to support the black lives matter movement and more.

What do you miss most about clubs and live music venues at the moment?

I miss the connection with the people. I miss watching them be affected by what they’re hearing. I miss the comical side of it as well i.e. people watching. You really see some funny and crazy things sometimes. I also miss hearing my new material on a loud system. I usually like to test out what I am working on in the studio in the club, there’s no better research.

Ibiza is obviously suffering a huge hit this season. To remind us of happier times, can you tell us about one of your most memorable white isle experiences, either behind the decks or elsewhere?

Man, those Subliminal Wednesday nights at Pacha were something really special. I was a resident there for many years and to watch that room fill up by 1am and build it was something I will always remember. The excitement I felt knowing that I was going to play that room and that party is something I hold dearly as a fond memory. And the after-parties. Mama Mia.

We read in a recent interview you said you like to blur the lines between house and techno… is that a conscious decision when you go into the studio? Or is that the kind of music that you just naturally gravitate towards?

I wish I could give myself the credit of saying I blur the lines on purpose but it’s really my natural way of listening and creating. That’s not to say I don’t purposely go in to create something a little tougher or perhaps something more soulful, but someway or another the lines are generally blurred between what’s house and what’s techno.

Tech house and techno has come to really dominate clubs over the last few years… would you like to see a return to a time where there was more focus on vocals or melodies? Or is battling against trends and progression essentially fruitless?

I don’t think I want to hear more of this or that. I want to hear quality music that makes me think, dance, happy, and angry. Trends are short-lived but quality art lasts forever.

With your remix of Martin Landsky… were you familiar with the original record?

I played the original when it was first out. I love the original and the hardest part of remixing this was to create something that stood on its own two feet and simultaneously paid homage to the original. I feel I achieved that and the best part is when Martin messaged me and gave it his blessing. it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in the game you still want the respect and blessing of the original artist.

When you’re doing a remix, do you tend to listen to the original much? Or does that potentially present problems if you’re trying to make the new version your own?

I listen enough to where my idea for what I want to create is sparked. That’s pretty much to the extent of how long and much I will listen to the original. once I hear in my head the direction I want to go then it’s full steam ahead. I might go back and listen to the original to make sure I’m in the proper key etc.

The black lives matter movement has become a huge talking point in the last few weeks… what do you think the music scene, and electronic music scene in general, should be doing to support it?

Great question. It’s very important for the public to know and understand where this music comes from and who are the originators. We should all give credit where credit is due. Many of us make our livelihoods from this music and we should constantly give thanks to those that paved the way for us. I feel really strongly about this. I see a lot of the festival line-ups are the same few people and are not including the black originators. This goes for Techno and House music. This needs to change.

Outside of house music, which artists have you been listening to a lot so far this year?

The Weeknd and Halsey. I really like the 80’s throwback vibe of the Weekend and I think Halsey is a dope artist with a long future ahead of her.

What else do you have coming up over the next few months?

I’ve already had a busy release schedule which has kept me busy even without touring, I’ve just released an EP on Subliminal which is pretty hot and it’s great to be working with my old crew again, I’ve also just dropped a remix of Joy Club on Positiva. Coming up though is a slamming collaboration I’ve done with Weiss called ‘Where Do We Go?’. It’s gonna be out at the beginning of July, on Island. Plus I’m working on my own imprint, the Bambossa label which is going to resume in July with a full-length club mix of ‘Romeo’ by Basement Jaxx and some saucy new artwork.

Finally, if you could pick one record to remix, what would it be and why?

Hmm… Cyndi Lauper ‘Time after Time’

Harry Romero [SC | TW | FB]

Proslavivši svoju dvadesetu obljetnicu 2019. godine, etiketa Poker Flat je ovaj impresivni jubilej obilježila serijom remiksa najslavnijih izdanja nevjerojatnog popisa talentiranih izvođača, a sljedećih će mjeseci uslijediti i brojni slavljenički eventi. Zapravo, serija je bila toliko opsežna da se nekoliko izdanja prebacilo i u tekuću 2020. Posljednja dva su zapanjujući remiksi Steveove vlastite trake “Loverboy” – jednog od prvih izdanja Poker Flata – od strane Acid Paulija i dvojca Catz ‘n Dogz.

Uhvatili smo Stevea kako bismo diskutirali o remiksima i seriji izdanja te novoj etiketi Sublease Records.

Bok, Steve, hvala na razgovoru. Kako si dosad zadovoljan 2020. godinom?

Prilično je dobro, bio sam na turneji, skijao sam, penjao se i napokon uspio uhvatiti nekoliko dana u studiju.

Lani si proslavio dvadeset godina Poker Flata. Pretpostavljam da je nemoguće izdvojiti najvažnije trenutke, ali što ti znači činjenica kako je etiketa i danas još itekako aktivna i plodna?

Znači mi mnogo, na početku zaista nismo očekivali kako ćemo opstati dvadeset godina, ali osjećaj je sjajan, a i u posljednje se vrijeme čini kako se naša konzistentnost isplaćuje. Primili smo mnoštvo nevjerojatnih demoa izvođača s našeg područja kroz posljednjih nekoliko godina. Mislim da smo muzički upravo na još jednom vrhuncu.

Je li bilo trenutaka kada ti se možda činilo da nećete biti u stanju nastaviti?

Zapravo smo imali dosta sreće sa sustavom koji smo složili. Imali smo nekoliko vrlo snažnih momenata, ali nikada nismo ludovali s troškovima pa smo uspijevali izdržati i u trenucima kada stvari ne bi išle glatko.

Jednom si bio rekao kako s Poker Flatom izvođačima želiš pružiti dom a da ne potpisujete ekskluzivne ugovore. Znači li to da imaš neuobičajeno mnogo povjerenja u ljude s kojima radite?

Pa i ne, ja jednostavno mislim kako nema smisla nekoga potpisivati ekskluzivno. Ako je izvođač sretan s našim radom, nastavit će nam slati snimke; a ako je nesretan, vjerojatno će nam početi slati sranja kako bi ispunio ugovorne obaveze. Također, danas je vrlo korisno da izvođači objavljuju i na drugim platformama. To pomaže u njihovom rastu, a onda profitiramo i mi.

I Acid Pauli i Catz n Dogz su nedavno objavili svoje remikse tvojeg singla “Loverboy”. Je li i nakon sveg ovog vremena čudno vidjeti kako drugi izvođači doživljavaju tvoj rad?

Ma ja to obožavam. Posebno u ovakvim slučajevima jer ta dva remiksa su nevjerojatna. Pogotovo što je ta stvar dosta teška za remiksiranje jer ima malo pamtljivih momenata, ali su iznimno pamtljivi. Oba remiksa su sjajna: nekako ostaju vjerna originalu, ali dodaju nešto što on ipak nema. Zahvalan sam na takvim apdejtima.

Novi remiksi su dio tekuće serije. Možeš li nam reći što slijedi?

Mislim da je sljedeći na redu Martin Landsky, i to “1000 Miles” Harryja Romera, ali još je mnogo toga u planu. Pratite nas i dalje.

Reci nam nešto o svojoj novoj etiketi Sublease. Zašto je upravo sada bio pravi trenutak za njezino pokretanje te po čemu se razlikuje od Poker Flata?

Počeo sam svirati dosta minimala i deep-techa, što sam počeo i promovirati pa mi je dosta ljudi poslalo svoje demoe. Trake su bile toliko dobre da sam ih naprosto morao objaviti, ali se nisu uklapale u stil Poker Flata pa smo pokrenuli podetiketu. Osjetio sam da je dobar trenutak za nešto novo. Zaista mislim da je pravo vrijeme za okretanje prema modernijem, minimalnom houseu i technu primjerenom DJ-ima za vrtnju. To su stvari koje super sjedaju u miks, lebde i nemaju velika podizanja.

Nedavno si tvitnuo kako rast cijena nekretnina i zemljišta u Berlinu postaje sve veći problem. Kako misliš da će se to odraziti na scenu i što se može napraviti u borbi protiv toga?

Mislim da mi ne možemo učiniti ništa. Jednostavno više nema dovoljno prostora, zbog dolazaka ljudi iz drugih gradova i država. Također postoji velika potreba startupa i drugih tvrtki za uredskim prostorima jer svi oni misle da moraju biti u Berlinu, a izgleda da im nije problem plaćati 30 eura rente po kvadratu. To će definitivno utjecati na sve umjetnike – već se mnogo fotografa, slikara i muzičkih producenata moralo odseliti iz mnoštva prostora jer se mali ateljei i studiji transformiraju u goleme poslovne prostore. Berlin više jednostavno nema mjesta gdje se mogu prebaciti, a gotovo su sva područja već eksplodirala s cijenama. Tako da sam siguran da će se mnogi umjetnici odseliti u druge gradove, a slično će se dogoditi i mnogim klubovima, restoranima i drugim biznisima. Osjećaj ovog grada će se uvelike promijeniti.

Što te još uvijek uzbuđuje na elektroničkoj muzičkoj sceni?

Muzika sama. Ali i dijeljenje iskustava s drugim ljudima. Povezivati se s publikom tijekom DJ seta je neprocjenjivo.

Gdje možemo uhvatiti tvoje nastupe u nadolazećim mjesecima?

U različitim državama Europe, ali i u SAD-u te u Južnoj Americi.

Hvala, Steve – nadamo se da ćete nastaviti raditi još barem 20 godina!

Hvala puno

Read the English version HERE.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2019, Poker Flat have marked this impressive milestone with a series of remixes of some of its most iconic releases from an incredible array of talented artists, alongside a number of anniversary events over the coming months. In fact the series was so extensive that many of the releases have spilled over into 2020, with the latest a pair of stunning remixes of Steve’s own ‘Loverboy’ – one of the first tracks ever releases on Poker Flat – by Acid Pauli and Catz ‘n Dogz.

Here, we caught up with Steve to discuss the remixes, the series in general and new label Sublease Records.

Hi Steve, thanks for talking to us. How’s your 2020 been so far?

Pretty good, I’ve been touring, skiing, bouldering, and finally managed to spend some days in the studio.

Last year you celebrated 20 years of Poker Flat. I guess it’s impossible for you to pick out highlights from all that time, but what does the label still being around and thriving today mean to you?

It means a lot, I don’t think we’ve expected to be around for more than 20 years when we first started, but it’s a great feeling, and lately our consistence seem to pay off. We’ve received so many amazing demos, by area artists over the past few years. I think musically we are definitely at another peak right now.

Were there ever any moments in your history when it looked like you wouldn’t be able to continue?

We’ve been quite lucky with the set up we’re having. We had very strong moments, but we never went crazy on expenses, so we managed to cope with the not so strong moments easily.

You’ve said previously that with Poker Flat, you want to give artists a home without signing them exclusively. Does that mean that you have to put a lot of trust in the people you work with on the label?

No, I simply think there is no point of signing someone exclusively. If the artist is happy with our work, they’ll keep sending stuff, if they’re unhappy, they’d probably send shitty music to fulfil their contract. Also nowadays, it can be very helpful if an artist releases on other platforms as well. It will help her/him grow, and that will also get back to us.

Acid Pauli and Catz ‘n Dogz have both just put out new remixes of you single ‘Loverboy’. Even after all this time, is it strange to hear other artists do their takes on a record of yours?

No, I love it. Especially in this case, they are both amazing remixes. And it is definitely a difficult one to remix, since it has so few, but at the same time very memorable elements. Both remixes are great: they stay somehow close to the original, but add something, that the original doesn’t have. I’m very grateful for these updates.

The new remixes are part of an ongoing series… can you tell us about what’s coming up next?

I think the next one is Martin Landsky – ‘1000 Miles’ by Harry Romero, but there is plenty more in the pipeline. Stay tuned.

Tell us about your new label, Sublease. Why was the timing right for you to launch it, and how does it differ from Poker Flat?

I started to play lot of this rather minimal, deep tech tunes. And I also charted this kind of stuff, so people started to connect with me and sent over demos. The tracks were so good, that I had to release them, but they didn’t really fit on Poker Flat, so we decided to start a new sub-label. I felt it was a good time for something new, I really feel that there is a growing movement towards modern, DJ friendly minimal house & techno. Stuff that works great in a mix, that floats and doesn’t have big build ups.

I saw you tweet recently that the rising property prices in Berlin is really becoming a problem. How do you think it will effect the scene, and what can be done to combat it?

I don’t think there is anything that we can do about it: there are simply not enough spaces anymore, due to the influx from other cities/countries. And there is a big need for huge office spacers from start-ups, and other companies who think that they need to be here. And they don’t seem to have a problem to pay 30€ per square-meter. It will definitely effect artists of all types, I’ve already seen photographers, painters, and music producers having to move out of places, because a bunch of small units was being transformed into huge office spaces. Berlin doesn’t have that many areas to switch to. Almost all areas are already overpriced. So I am sure that many artists will move to other cities instead. Actually the same thing will happen with many clubs, as well as restaurants and all other businesses. So it will change the feel of the city in a big way.

What still excites you about the electronic music scene?

It’s the music itself. But it’s also about sharing experiences with people. Being able to connect with a crowd through a DJ set is priceless.

Where can we catch you playing over the coming months?

In various countries in Europe, as well as in the United States, and in South America.

Thanks Steve – here’s to another 20 years!

Thanks a lot

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