In Tel Aviv leben gefühlt dreiviertel aller Israelis unter 40, der Tourismus boomt, die Schwulenszene ist groß und nicht nur deshalb gilt die Stadt als die toleranteste in ganz Israel. “Hedonistische Partyhauptstadt des Mittleren Ostens” lautet auch ein inoffizieller Titel der Stadt. Ziemlich paradox, denn wie überall in Israel gibt es eine große Kommune (ultra)orthodoxer Juden, die dem Nachtleben nicht all zuviel abgewinnen können. Zudem ist Tel Aviv vom Gazastreifen aus mit Raketen erreichbar – zuletzt schlugen im Ende 2012 einige in Strandnähe ein. Vielleicht feiert man deshalb so hart und enthusiastisch, als ob jede Party die letzte sein könnte?
Dan Joel alias Lt. Dan, 34, lebt und arbeitet schon seit knapp zehn Jahren in dieser von extremen Gegensätzen geprägten Stadt. Geboren und aufgewachsen ist er in Jerusalem und seit er Denken kann ist er dem Nachtleben verbunden. Erst war er aktiv als Promoter, seit vier Jahren ist er auch DJ und so ziemlich jedes Wochenende an den Plattenspielern. Unter dem Namen freaktion veranstaltet er Roof Partys und kuratiert Nächte in verschiedenen Clubs von Tel Aviv wie dem Deli oder Bootleg. Kennengelernt habe ich Dan bei einem Israelbesuch im letzten Jahr, ihm verdanke ich auch einen Gig im legendären Tel Aviver Club The Block. Für Ashore hat er nun einen sonnigen Mix zwischen Electronica und House aufgenommen. Außerdem haben wir über seine Einflüsse als DJ, die Probleme von Underground-Veranstaltungen in Israel und vieles mehr geredet.
Hi Dan! First of all give us a small introduction: How is the electronic music scene in Tel Aviv? Or Israel in general?
There are a lot of Ins & Outs and the general answer is very good, meaning there is a lot awareness for music, whether its for deep house, electro, techno, house, disco &dub/step. You can find a scene for each of those, has its own places & crews – the main action is in Tel Aviv of course, but you have some underground scenes in Jerusalem & Haifa as well. And some open airs and raves in the woods or desert, but they are a bit more progressive & trance related which is – still – VERY successful .
I heard about some troubles in the Tel Aviv club scene. The Block club was closed because of unfounded incrimminations regarding illegal drug selling. Is electronic music (or subculture in general) hard to carry on with in Israel?
Well, if you ask any promoter, club owner, DJ etc. about the local problems in his scene, you will pretty much hear the same answers – the constant battle between the city’s wish to be “clean”, thinking the clubbers & alcohol use ruin the city. But with the last battle of The Block club, every got to understand that the scene here is not as small as we thought, and that we can stand up & shout if needed. A way to avoid public attention are underground parties like the rooftop parties which are some crews doing here in Tel Aviv, and its usually under the radar of the police. It’s a very cool way to enjoy good music in hot summer days & nights, with cool people & cheap alchohol, unlike the clubs scene. The freaktion roof parties are focusing on keeping it small, international & urban & ruff.
Where comes your love for electronic music from? Do you had some key moments?
I had some key moments and one of them was for sure a party with Krafty Kuts in Tel Aviv six years ago. The way he switched between genres, keys, with perfect cutting – incredible! Also the 1st gig with Ivan Smagghe @ Haoman 17 in Tel Aviv. And Maurice Fulton @ The Block, Tel Aviv. Each one of these DJ’s changed something in the way a party appeals to me:
1. Make your set interesting
2. Sound unusual
3. Tell a story
What are your influences?
As a ADDJ (a DJ with ADD), I have a tendency to get bored really quick, so I would say my musical inspiration would any electronica with unconventional sound. May it come from dub, house, techno or punk. Weird sounds are doing it for me.
Are you producing your own weird sounds?
At the moment I’m working on being the DJ I want to be. For now, I don’t have the time or the means to start producing, maybe it will happen one day. For now, its just being a good dj & throw cool parties with good music.
What was your approach to the podcast for Ashore?
In a promo / podcast mix, I try to spice with a little bit of everything I like, but not necessarily from current releases. Each artist on the podcast is a one who keeps the thee points of influence I work by + I follow Ashore for some time now, and I thought about a mix that will capture the things I think this blog & crew gave me. I will always remember the present you gave me on your visit in Israel: An AYBEE record, which slowly but surely changed again the way I perceive my mix.
What’s in the pipeline, what’s coming next?
I have no idea. The nature of the life in Israel is to somehow get carried away by chance, and I work hard on changing that, keep doing my thing and grow as a DJ & promoter. And keep some of my eggs in the real world basket, keep being a copywriter, marketing person, DJ, promoter.
Tracklist
1. Aybee – Ascending
2. Justin Martin – Night Calling
3. Cottam – Dawn Walk (Extended Tool)
4. Aybee – Signals
5. Sei A – You Can Bring (Axel Boman Remix)
6. The Mole – Bleep Blop Robot
7. Tolga Fidan – Double Edge Sword (Sammy Dee Remix)
8. DJ Koze – Don’t Lose Your Mind
9. John Roberts – Fences
10. Barnt – Geffen (Philipp Gorbachev Remix)
11. Abstraxion – Dark Knight (It’s A Fine Line Dunkelblaue Version)
12. Cosmin TRG – Noise Code
13. Wareika – Scene 4
14. Objekt – Shuttered
Fotos
1) & 2) – Roof Party by Sasha Abramovich for Lomography Israel
3) & 4) – Hands in the air & Blue by Natalie Shainholtz
