Interview: DJ Klinz ॐ Texas ॐ 903 Bass/Pinealiens/Beatdown Krew

You’ve been heard playing a variety of genres over your 10 years of djing. This summer you’ve played midtempo psyglitch & glitch hop. What current producers do you currently enjoy playing out?

For the last year or two I have been focused on playing psychedelic bass music like PsyGlitch and PsyStep. I have been playing a lot of material from Australian producers like Kalya Scintilla, Mr. Bill, Hypnagog, Barry Koota, and Sun Monx. I am also very inspired by a lot of stateside producers like Bird of Prey, Sixis, Desert Dwellers, Mr. Rogers, Heyoka, and Cheb I Sabbah.

I try and keep a balance between glitchy, world, and psychedelic vibes.

Is this a change from what you like to listen to in your non-djing time?

When I’m not DJing I like to listen to psytrance (Progressive Psy/Full On/Psybreaks) downtempo (Trip Hop/Lounge/Ambient/World) and bass music (Glitch Hop/Trap/DnB).

I heard your going to be playing trap music soon. What do you think of trap music, any tracks stand out to you?

I have only been playing trap for a few months now, it’s really just something I have been dabbling with for local gigs at clubs and bars. It’s a nice middle ground for me and a mainstream audience. It’s still bass music I love combining the tempo of dubstep (without the in your face shrill sounds) and some elements of rap (rolling hi hats and deep bass) that people can really groove to. As far as trap goes I would say some of the top producers right now are Flosstradamus/Diplo/Baauer/Drankenstein/UZ.

Even though it’s been a while for you, do you remember what made you start djing?

I got introduced to electronic music at a pretty early age, 13. I was already collecting a lot of electronic music on vinyl and cd. It seemed the next logical step to start DJing. I was obsessed with the culture and would collect anything that had to with electronic music, books, magazines, movies, flyers. After reading mixing tutorials on the internet and watching a local DJ (Jason Hatfield) mix in my bedroom, by age 16 I was pretty much hooked on DJing. From then on I would buy records at a local shop (The Volume) and hit up shops (Core/Spinmasters/Bills) every time I went to Dallas with family. Started doing house parties at 16 and playing out at local raves by 17.

Right now there is a lot of talk all over the dj world about dj not mixing live, what is your opinion on that type of performance?

It’s 2012 and the world is changing. Technology is changing too and if you don’t keep up it will leave you in the dust. A lot of what you are speaking of probably has to do with the fact most DJs are mixing on laptops now. For some reason people have lost respect for DJs when they make the switch to laptop DJing. It has made DJing accessible to the masses because almost everyone owns a laptop and can afford a cheap DJing program. This is good in some ways but horrible in other ways. It’s like owning a drum kit and saying you are a drummer or a rockstar, just because you own the equipment it doesn’t make you good. Also a lot of producers are DJing their tracks on programs where you can preset your mix or have it arranged ahead of time. This is great for producers who don’t specialize in DJing but want a way to showcase their music in a DJ setting. I have been using a laptop to mix on for the last 6 months and I love it. Do I use the Sync button? No I don’t, its not even very accurate and there are bpm readouts on every program and on cdjs so just quit being a lazy ass and manually adjust your beats like every one else.

Since you’ve played outdoor festivals this summer, how would you compare that to the atmosphere of a single night event? Any preference?

I love playing at festivals. I think it’s great having an entire weekend to pace yourself and be able to hear a wide spectrum of music throughout the event. Also being around artwork and being involved in activities like workshops and ceremonies is awesome. Plus having vendors and being outside and getting to camp out adds to the experience as well. It basically encompasses all of my favorite things into an entire weekend of fun, yes I love festivals I can’t express it enough. I would pick a festival over a club night hands down every time.

Excited about your planned tracks with Murcielago, a producer in Texas. Describe what we can except from this collaboration.

We haven’t sat down and worked on any tracks just yet. Both of us have just been tossing around some ideas on what we would like to do. We have had a few jam sessions with fellow Pinealien producer Psymatik and dabbled with different styles. Hopefully we will be working on some hybrid tracks that incorporate elements of PsyGlitch, DarkPsy, PsyStep, and Psybient.

Any shout outs & thanks.

Yes shout outs to all my crews I’m involved with Pinealiens, 903 Bass, and Beatdown Krew. A lot of love going out to the Atrium Obscurum crew for helping me be involved in the Texas Psy scene. Shouts to Moksha music and Jordan Moondoggy for having me out to Arkansas recently. Respect to DJs and Promoters like SoundShaman / InertG / Banjos to Beats for pushing the PsyBass/Glitch sounds in Texas. Shouts to my family and close friends who have supported me throughout the years and who have kept on believing in me.