Ogazón lefter Amsterdam for Berlin and had a talk with Playful Magazine about inspiration, record digging and how she's preparing for a set.
You’ve said you’ve always been surrounded by music and that The Rolling Stones, Beatles
and The Doors were among the music that was played in your home when growing up.
How did you go from there to electronic music?
"When I was younger, I was surrounded by all genres of music namely jazz, funk, rock, pop and everything that was being played on the radio at that time. It’s really when I started buying my own CDs and vinyls, that I took a plunge into music and started discovering artists and labels. The Doors, Beatles, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix etc were the records you could find at flea markets, names that everyone recognised so indeed I did have a tendency to lean towards the record bins that held records of artists whose name I’d recognise.
It’s only after I became a bit older and more independent, when I went to my first festivals
abroad that I got in touch with electronic music and instantly fell in love with it. I knew from an
early moment onwards that this would become a deep passion of mine."
Amsterdam and Berlin are two cities that have a big impact on your life and musical
journey. How would you compare them both?
"Amsterdam will always be close to my heart. This is where I truly immersed myself in electronic music and where I’ve met incredible people who have had an important role in my life and a major impact on my career. This is also where I learned how to DJ, where I started to play my first parties and where I started developing my style and identity as an artist.
After a few years in Amsterdam, I felt like my artistic development was put on hold- I just didn’t
feel as inspired anymore. I am not sure whether that was linked to the city or if it was just my
life situation at that precise moment, but I did feel the urge to move to Berlin to absorb
everything Berlin has to offer, explore, gain new inputs and develop my artistic journey. I think it was the best decision I’ve ever made."
What would you say is the best about each city?
"It’s funny because Amsterdam and Berlin are kinda similar in some ways but so different in
others. The best thing about Amsterdam is that it is rather small compared to Berlin, you have a good overview of what’s happening in and around the city and once you’re in the scene, it’s easy to find your way around it and get to know the people in it."
"Berlin is different in that way, it’s huge, there’s so many niches, communities and collectives
that it’s impossible to keep track of. I find it very interesting as it feels like there is so much to
explore. Berlin feels more free in my opinion- I feel like I can really be myself without being as
judged."
As a vinyl DJ, what is your record digging process?
"My favorite way of digging is going to physical record stores, taking a few hours in a day and
digging myself through entire crates of second hand records. This obviously requires a lot of
time and patience, as you often listen to a few hundred records to find one or two gems, if
you’re lucky!"
"The most efficient way to dig remains Discogs; I have a few buyers who I’ve bought records
from in the past and who often renew their items. I return to their profiles, listen to their new
additions and buy a couple of records from them. I love being in touch with private collectors
and getting records from them. It really gives a feeling of community, connecting with the
buyer, talking about music. Passing the records that you love along to someone else who likes them just as much and will take good care of them. Connecting through music, that’s what I love most about this job."
A very wide question, but what inspires you?
"Uff, that’s a really wide question indeed! I think the reason why I started DJing myself is that I have always been so fascinated about the energy flows on the dance floors. How clubbing unites people from all backgrounds and music becomes the common denominator- like a guide through the night."
"Body movement, lightening, vibrations, shadows- these are all elements which captivate and
truly inspire me. But I obviously also get inspiration from the environments outside the club context- I feel like my eye is attracted to shapes, patterns, shadows, lines which is often found in architecture but also to reflections, organic movement, warm colors and shapes often found in nature."
As a raver yourself. What makes a set a good set?
"I think nowadays, when music is more accessible than ever, the selection of tracks is the
dominant feature for me to stand out as a DJ. Vinyl inevitably requires a certain level of
preparation, but beyond that I place a lot of emphasis on diverse, specific and thoughtful
selections with the goal of stirring emotions in both the crowd and myself, and creating a
space where new memories can be formed. However, I can only achieve this by always leaving some room for improvisation. Over time, you develop the sensitivity to recognize such moods and adapt to them during a set, which for me ultimately characterizes the uniqueness of a DJ."
What are you cooking for Panorama Bar this weekend?
"What I love about Berghain/Panorama Bar, is that the standard DJ slot is 4 hours. You can do
so much in four hours. I always like to tell a story with my music, take the audience on a
musical journey with me. Depending on the running order, who plays before and after and the
time of the set, I adapt. Since this is quite a prime time slot (16:00-20:00 Sunday afternoon) I
was thinking of starting off with a banger to keep the energy up and grasp the audience’s
attention to then slowly cool down again and build the set up from there. I dug a lot of old
school 90’s UK and US House and tech-y, sexy, bassline heavy records which I had planned
to play at the beginning of the set to gradually develop into an a bit more upbeat, classic Pano
House set."
"I just heard that I might play at the garden which once again will have an impact on
my set since the setting is different- in that case I’ll play some more jolly, disco-infused summer tunes. I let the weather decide what I’ll play this weekend- either way, I can’t wait!"