Photo credits: Kevin Lamseck
Music has always been essential for Djena, French 25-year-old producer and DJ. Since he learned to manipulate his first audio player, he has never stopped listening and discovering sounds, with a never satisfied curiosity. Over the years, music has become a way to express himself, moreover after he got introduced to the underground scene. While still a teenager, he started DJing as a resident in various clubs in Montpellier, his native city situated in Southern France, already claiming a free and singular vision. Very quickly, he also discovered music production, which allowed him to give even more body to his own identity. Since then, Djena practices, experiments and explores every day, making his imagination interact with the power of the digital machines.
Behind his decks, in clubs such as Space (Ibiza), Amnesia (Milan), Club Haus (Milan), DIEZE Warehouse (Montpellier), or major events like Electrobeach Music Festival (Le Barcarès, France) and United (France), Djena fully displays his eclecticism, ignoring the artificial frontiers between styles and alternating between his tracks and those of the artists he admires. Since 2016, with the RAUM team, he has animated his hometown nights, inviting at Dieze Warehouse young talents and more illustrious DJs and producers from the underground scene. Since his debut, he has already shared the turntables with top names such as Luciano, Seth Troxler, Jon Gaiser, Raresh, Valentino Kanzyani, Phil Weeks, Hector, Christian Burkhardt, Citizen Kain, Traumer, Argy, Ernesto Ferreyra, Leo Pol, or Alexi Delano.
Giving him the opportunity to shape his style even more deeply, his studio work has distinguished itself by the richness of his inspirations. Djena has already released notable EPs, including ‘Primary Soul’ at Hermine Records, and ‘Labon, Labrute, Laballe’ at Stamp Records. In early 2019, he also appeared on ‘Inwave Tools Collection Vol.2’, an Inwave Imprint’s VA, with a fine selection of artists. Among his upcoming projects, one can mention a vinyl release, a first Live set that he has worked on for a long time, gigs in the Caribbean islands, and the creation of his own record label. Fully dedicated to his art, Djena has given himself one main goal: he wants his music to be discovered, adopted, and shared by the greatest number of people. An aim as noble as the path he has set himself to achieve it.
We caught up with Djena to talk about his latest musical projects.
Electronic Groove: Hello and welcome to EG. Where are you right now and how have you handled the quarantine?
Djena: Thank you for the welcome words. I’m actually in my hometown, Montpellier in the South of France. For me, the quarantine was more an opportunity than something else… I took it in a good way; in the personal area I’ve found some time to reorganize stuff that I’ve put aside for a long time, administrative papers, and so on… Not a funny thing! Regarding music, I finally finished some tracks that were waiting on the computer. I produced 2 EPs, more or less, that are just waiting to be sent! So I was quite effective during this quarantine.
EG: Is this giving you more time to reflect and do other stuff aside from music, or are you more driven into producing music?
Djena: As I said, it gave me more time to reorganize stuff, It has allowed me to finish some tracks, begin new ones, and work also on side projects. In fact, I’m always producing, almost every day. It does not mean that I do tracks each time I’m in the studio, but still, I improve, test, and try new things. Quarantine gave me time, and this is the most precious thing, to work, think, but also to have some rest in order to be more effective when I go back to work.
EG: How did you get involved with electronic music? Can you share some of your early days’ memories?
Djena: My first contact with electronic music was through my older brothers. Since I can remember, I always think about the days where I was upstairs with my mom looking cartoons on TV while they were in the garage, and in the last floor of the house with friends playing on vinyl and listening to hip hop, techno, house… Especially with one of the older one that was passionate about music, and was one of the first organizers of rave parties in South of France in the 90’s with the association NTC Soundsystem and the label that he created at that time, ‘Freenoize’. He was always on the run, always with friends and music at home, which was not pleasant for my mom. I remember back in 2013 when he was the tour manager of Luciano, told me to come with them to a gig in Malta. At that time I was young and I wasn’t an electronic music fan, I was just a casual music fan that was playing on decks for fun in his room.
When I saw Luciano, playing like he does and seeing the reaction of the crowd, was a night that I will always remember. I was shocked by the mixing technics and the vibe that night. This was something really special, it woke up my curiosity, and after this, I dedicated all my time making music.
EG: How would you define your current sound?
Djena: I’m really an eclectic person, and I think this reflects in my productions. I love ambient and organic things, and more than everything I’m obsessed with rhythm. I try to focus on proposing something new, but for me, it’s not possible to release something that looks like another artist or production that I’ve already heard. I try to focus on details and propose something different, it’s really a motto for me.
It’s true that my rhythm are similar sometimes to what we called microhouse, but it does not mean I’m stuck in this genre. I don’t try to stay in a particular style, but I produce without thinking about what I want to sound like. No matter if it sounds techno, house, ambient whatever… Since I like it, I release it! (or at least I try…), people can consider releasing tracks in the genre they want! Music is also a matter of perspective, so why not?
“Quarantine gave me time, and this is the most precious thing, to work, think, but also to have some rest in order to be more effective when I go back to work”
EG: What have you been working on lately in terms of releases? Can you mention your latest ones?
Djena: I’ve just released a track called ‘Aceed’ in collaboration with Ilyes aka Seyli on the latest vinyl VA ‘From Paris to Berlin’ on Stamp Record Paris, including tracks from Ernesto Ferreyra, SY, and Petit Batou.
I have an EP made with Swann Decamme released in June on Time Has Changed Records. Including 3 original tracks with one remix of Timid Boy. As I said before the lockdown allowed me to finish some new fresh tracks so I got new stuff in my bag that I need to choose what to do with.
Regarding new productions on the way beside my personal project, I actually have a side project with my mate Ruhbarb from the crew RAUM. This new project is called ‘SOM.1′ and we are actually working on an album format that should be ready really soon. Something really different from what we used to do both, even if what we do in our personal projects are already really different.
EG: You mentioned the ‘H2YPE’ EP done in collaboration with Swann Decamme to be out in June via Time Has Changed Records. How many tracks do include and what was the inspiration to produce them?
Djena: The EP included 3 original tracks, with one instrumental version and one remix of Timid Boy. They were produced during summer 2019 at the studio that I’ve at home. Swann came 1 week to enjoy the summer in France, and we‘ve worked on it. The summer is always hot in the south of France, and we have the beach nearby, there is always a feeling of holidays during summer I don’t know if it was the mood, the sun or something else but the inspiration got us and we’ve created 2 fresh tracks that for me sound like summer, beach, tequila… 2 fresh tracks that can fit your day or night time parties for sure!
EG: You’ve talked about the SOM.1 project. Can you tell us more about this?
Djena: The idea was growing for a long time between Ben and myself. In fact, when we started RAUM there was a question about the musical genre that we wanted to do. I was the only one oriented toward house, but there was always a common point between us. We ‘re all doing different musical genres but with a similar atmosphere which created a link between us. Then we ‘ve noticed between Ben and me that we have the same vision on our evolution and particularly on the music that we want to do. Then the question became more present about what do we get if we work together in the studio?
And I should say that we were both surprised about what we produce in the studio, and most importantly we were happy with the work that we were doing. First, we said that we were doing only one track to try… But when we finished we realized that there was more to do, and we are actually working on an album format. This is, by the way, a characteristic that creates magic between us, and brought us happiness when we are in the studio working together.2 different points of view, but highly complementary. We hope to finalize it before July, after it will be the mixing part which is going to take some time, and we will see what to do with the material once we have everything finished. This is the most serious project that I have ever done, I ‘m really happy with it and hope to share it with you all soon!
EG: What is RAUM? Which are the highlights of the brands so far?
Djena: RAUM is an association, but moreover a crew, created in 2015 by our friend Sebastien with Vortac, Ruhbarb, and myself. We are the 3 resident DJs since its beginning. Seb that carries all the parties and finds all the places had made some of the greatest parties in Montpellier and gave us the chance to play with a group of amazing artists including Len Faki, Nastia, Seth Troxler, Sonja Moonear, Jeff Mills, Carl Craig, Dax J, Octave One, Mirko Loko, and more.
We all are close friends, and share our passion around RAUM, we discover and learn from each other each time we play or work together, and I hope we still doing the same in the next 10 years.
Last year we’ve also created a live project with all the RAUM residents. We have tried to perform a 6-hands live, and we are still running this project, but as we do not live in the same area it’s not easy to find time to work all together.
EG: Let’s say the COVID-19 virus is gone, where would you play your first public set and what would be your opening track?
Djena: I think I would play at my current club the DIEZE Warehouse, and open with something very happy and let’s say a “well –being” track in order to forget all this negative ambient with a classic like Soul Capsule – Lady Science (NYC sunrise)
Djena and Swann Decamme ‘H2YPE’ EP is now available via Time Has Change Records. Grab your copy here.
Follow Djena: Facebook | Instagram | Soundcloud
