Sidney Charles: "The mix between vinyl and CD give me the excitement and it’s more fun"
Born in Hamburg but based in Berlin, he made his debut in Ibiza this season at Sankeys, an experience that he greatly appreciates, leaving the door open to a possible residency next year.
Located in the highest positions in the list of Resident Advisor's Top 100 Most Charted Artists in 2013 and nominated in the category "Newcomer" of the DJ Awards 2014, his progression seems as fast as powerful.
His music, far from being categorized as strict German underground, is open to new influences and more danceable sounds that manage to move the dance floor wherever he goes. "I’m really happy with the current development. More people are getting familiar with the underground side of the house music. I think lot of people say they hate EDM, but we have to be grateful to this style because thanks to that more people get into this sounds and then experience the other side of the music. We can’t say I don’t like that, we have to experience it. Negativity just attracts more negativity", says Sidney Charles. Don’t miss this charismatic deejay and producer at his last session in Ibiza tonight at the closing party of Tribal Sessions in Sankeys.
You have been nominated as a “Newcomer” for the DJ Awards 2014. How do you feel about it?
Sidney Charles.- I feel very honored because there are so many deejays out there and all of them have a special ability in what they are doing and the competition is quite tough. I wasn’t really too excited to be honest because I think most of the names nominated deserve to win the prize in this category.
How did you start in this big world of electronic music?
I started DJing when I was 16 but it wasn’t house music. It was more like funk, hip hop, breakbeats. I was more into scratching and stuff like this. After playing in my home town for quite a while, I think the first step was when a friend of my mother gave me a lot of old vinyls of house music, really danceable with more emotions. It wasn’t tied in one topic. It was with lots of hip hop influences and this I think was the first time I was getting into it and then all develop from there.
This summer in Ibiza, you have been playing at the party Tribal Sessions in Sankeys. How was this experience?
Very very good! I have to say I was never been in the island before so the whole island was a new experience for me. Especially Sankeys is very underground, it isn’t necessary Ibiza kind of sound. There are also a lot of Detroit, Chicago influences. I was feeling very happy to be in between these legends to be able to play there as a very young artist. For me every night was really special, for the crowd… unforgettable for me!
How do you feel the crowd in Ibiza compare with other countries you have been playing as UK or Germany?
I think Ibiza is special because of the mixer of people. You have people from all over the world coming here. Every year the best deejays of the world came here to play. It’s something about this island you can’t really explain. It’s something you feel when you live here. I read there is some magnetic energy in this island and I’m agree with this. After a couple of months living here I can say it’s something magical about this place.
Which one do you think is the capital of electronic music right now?
I think over the summer it gets spread (Ibiza is really important) but in the winter time I will definitely say it is Berlin. Not only because of the clubs, but also because of deejays who live there. When you live there, in the street or the coffees every day you can meet people from the industry. There is a very artistic vibe. That makes Berlin a very artistic city concerning to electronic music. If you are there, you feel very inspired by the rest of the people.
How do you define you style?
I would say it’s house music. It’s very into Chicago and Detroit influences but I don’t want to put it too much in a cupper. I always like to experiment with modern sounds. I still have my red line. It’s basically like jackin house music, very danceable.
You use to play with vinyls. Do you think it is better?
I wouldn’t say it’s better. Everyone has its preferences… mine is mix some vinyls because I started with it and I just don’t want to miss it. There are lot of tracks I can’t get on vinyls so I’m still playing with CD’s. For me the mix between both give me the excitement and it’s more fun.
What’s coming up for you this winter?
I’m going back to Berlin and at the moment I’m working in an album compilation project. There are some tracks on it that I want to finish at the end of January. This is something in which I want to work over the next months. It will be release in Avotre, this is the label which I’m doing with Sante. During the winter I basically produce a lot, spending time on the studio, touring Australia, Korea, China, South America and North America.
Will you come back to Ibiza next summer? Some residence on mind?
I hope! But… it’s not sure yet.