Q&A With Israeli Born Producer Moscoman Ahead of Dec 23 Euphoria Lantern Set
Originally hailing from Israel, Moscoman, real name Chen Moscovici, has made a name for himself in Berlin's ever competitive electronica scene by, among other things, sprinkling Middle Eastern melodies into genres more familiar to his German comrades, such as techno and house. That unique sound garnered plenty of praise for his first releases in 2013 and he quickly began touring across Europe and North America, settling in Berlin and teaming up with highly regarded label ESP Institute, before founding his own label called Disco Halal.
Beijingers will be able to hear his distinctive beatmaking style for themselves at Lantern on Dec 23 as part of Euphoria for Christmas party. Some of his best work includes the dusty desert flutes that blurt over pit-patting, a funky beat, and killer bassline on his track "Resident Advisor - RA.555." On "Nineteen Eighty-Two," synth lines rattle like xylophones, while congas and tambourines resound over a throbbing techno pulse on "Mexican Cola Bottle Baby," the latter two being highlights from his recent solo LP A Shot In The Light (which you can hear snippets from here). Below this dynamic, worldly DJ tells us more about his background and production process.
Resident Adviser and other outlets have praised your unique sound. But I'm curious to know how you'd describe it.
I play a very eclectic mixture of sounds from across the globe including many Middle Eastern produced or influenced music from Israel, Turkey, North Africa, East Africa, Japan, and the Middle East in general, mixed with a very European house sound, which makes everything very exotic. I love warm music, and this is how I approach it.
What was life like for you in Israel, and why did you move to Germany?
Life in Israel is great, but Berlin was the place to be for me as a musician. It's very central and comfortable. My career took off after I worked my heart out for 18 hours a day, making music and building relationships with people, things I still do today.
What are your fondest memories of working on A Shot in the Light?
One of the best memory of working on the album was mixing it on a Studer board and not believing the sound I could make from my own home production. And, of course, the whole process of signing it to ESP and the relationship I built with Lovefingers while working on it.
What have been some of the most memorable sets you've ever played?
There were so many this year. If I could only pick a few, I would say playing Primavera with my live band, the Life&Death OFF Sonar showcase, and our Life&Death ADE Party. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. Hopefully, I will count the Beijing gig as one of the highlights!
Moscoman will perform at Lantern on Dec 23, 9pm, as part of Euphoria for Christmas, a jam-packed night of sets from Distant Echos, Local Suicide, SHAO, and Kaishandao, as well as VJ accompaniment by Shanghai's Wang Meng. For more information, click here.
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Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
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Photos: Mix Mag
