Adam Ten is the founder of the ‘Dov Gummy’ collective alongside his DJ partners Roni Amitai and Sheimus K. A fresh techno community-based in Tel-Aviv, aiming to color the dark underground world. The three of them produce particular events in unusual locations around the city. He is also co-founder and partner in the event ‘Terra’, a well-known production of nature party’s in the underground scene in Israel.
We had the chance to talk with Adam as they prepare for the second anniversary of his ‘Dov Gummy’ collective.
Electronic Groove: Hi Adam, it’s a pleasure to chat with you. To get things started what can you share about your beginnings as a DJ and your involvement with dance music?
Adam Ten: Sure! I come from a family with music background so for me music was always there. I started Djing at the age of 18, exploring different types and a variety of music genres, mainly psychedelic stuff at the beginning, later groovier and elegant dance music.
Two years ago I found the collective ‘Dov Gummy’ (Gummy Bear translated into English) alongside me and my DJ partners, Roni Amitai and Sheimus K. Together we’re producing particular events in some unusual locations around the city of Tel-Aviv.
Electronic Groove: You’re a regular at Breakfast Club, known as one of the best underground clubs in Tel-Aviv. How did you get their attention and what can you tell us about the place?
Adam Ten: The Breakfast Club it’s open until very late so every time I was finished playing at some bars or just wanted to dance in the middle of the night – the Breakfast was the perfect place to go. The dancefloor is really dark and powerful and I like it because you can dance alone and fully devote yourself to the DJ and the music.
At the beginning, I was playing there mainly with my local crew ‘Dov Gummy’. We did some really nice parties hosting Hyenah, Toto Chiavetta, Naduve, Jenia Tarsol and other local heroes. At the moment I’m also part of the Wednesday’s residents team.
Electronic Groove: What is the meaning of being a resident? How is it different from your eyes?
Adam Ten: First, I really like it because every night I’m playing at different spots. It’s really important to understand what it means to play a warm-up and also to see how that’s affecting the whole night. Also to close areas is really unique because you can take it to a different direction and be riskier with the music that you’re playing. In overall terms force you to dig deeper with your music selection and that is exactly when you find the “gems tracks” that can make the whole difference.
“Two years ago I found the collective ‘Dov Gummy’ (Gummy Bear translated into English) alongside me and my DJ partners, Roni Amitai and Sheimus K”
Electronic Groove: You’ve played in a few open-air parties and some small outdoor festivals now, how does it compare to the club experience?
Adam Ten: As a young man the main thing I did was going to nature parties every week so it feels completely natural for me. For years I’ve been dancing in underground parties and it helped me to deeply understand what it means to be part of the dancefloor and the big impact you have as a DJ when you’re playing at open-air parties.
I also really like it because the weather and location (it can be at the beach, the desert or the forest) have a huge impact on the party energy. The open spaces can make some people feel comfortable to be completely themselves, and the music experience gets to be more spiritual for them. People have an open mind and open ears during open-air parties.
Electronic Groove: What’s the current scene in Tel Aviv like? how big is it?
Adam Ten: Tel-Aviv scene is pretty amazing, people that live here have a unique approach and a limitless enthusiasm which makes it one of the most exciting places on earth.
Every day you can find a good place to dance (if you like to) or just sitting in a bar listening to quality DJ’s and artists.
On the weekends there are big parties at the main clubs with DJ’s from abroad and on Saturdays usually there are some good open air and after parties going on. At the end, there is always something going on somewhere.
This year the scene got bigger as techno and house music is now part of the mainstream productions as well. Sometimes it feels weird when you’re playing to a crowd that not necessarily is listening and dancing to the music.
Electronic Groove: Are you also involved in music production?
Adam Ten: Yes. I have been DJing in the last year as it feels the right thing to do for me and I can do it for hours. Now, after I quit my day job I’m working hard on some original stuff to be released in 2018.
Electronic Groove: What DJ’s and artists have inspired you most to do what you do? and how they do it?
Adam Ten: I see myself as a DJ before than an artist so basically what inspires me is to hear an amazing DJ set. It isn’t an easy task, to find the right way to play all types of music but make it sound like you’re the one who’s playing it. For example, 2 DJ’s can play the same track, but the presentation of the track, the mixing part, the tracks that they played before and the time of the night is going to determine how the track will be herded exactly on that moment.
It’s a really inspiring for me to see and feel it on other DJ’s sets and then try doing it in my own way. From that perspective, I can say that I really enjoyed listening and dancing this year to Job Jobse, Hunee, Dixon and The Drifter. Also, there is A LOT of amazing Israelis artist and DJ’s like Yotam Avni, Asaf Samuel, Jenia Tarsol and Moscoman.
Electronic Groove: how do you prepare yourself for a gig? what would be the perfect way to do it?
Adam Ten: I would say that I’m searching for new music between 2-3 times a week for a couple of hours, so this is the actually the main thing. Besides that, I always keep re-organizing my USB sticks, deleting some tracks that I think I should not play anymore or adding some new (or old) tracks that I’m feeling at the moment.
This is actually the fun part of DJ’s for me, Reinventing myself for every single night, changing my music directions in small steps but still keeping it fresh.
The perfect preparation is when you’re playing in a club and you look at the dance floor and you know by feeling what would be the next track and the impact it will have on the dancefloor, but the track should be fresh (or unique) and not something that everyone is playing and familiar, because then, you’re going for the easy way and you’re not pushing your limits as I believe DJ’s should do.
“I see myself as a DJ before than an artist so basically what inspires me is to hear an amazing DJ set”
Electronic Groove: Can you give us 3 examples of your current favorite tracks?
Adam Ten: It’s a difficult question as there is too many and it’s changing almost every week. but let me choose 3.
‘Pipe Dreams’ by Tom Demac – I found it really powerful to play after some big techno tunes when the dancefloor need some “air”.
‘Forana’ by Radio Slave – A Unique track that let you go out of the box completely before going into the next step of the night.
‘Mora Minn ( Eli Nissan & Jenia Tarsol Remix)’ by The Dying Seconds – great remix with amazing groove, one’s that can stuck in your head when you’re finish the night and leaving the party.
Electronic Groove: Living mainly at night can be not easy when you doing it for a long period , how do manage to live like this and having the same passion for it every single time?
Adam Ten: It’s not easy but it worth it because when you do play at the right party for the right place with the right people – magic is truly happening.
It also important to do a lot of ‘self-work’. I found out that doing yoga and meditation can help you resist temptations and focus only on the important thing in the nightlife – the music.
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