Our next guest for our Sundowner. mix series is Berlin based Bulgarian DJ Garo. We ask him some questions about inspiration and his future plans, get to know him better in this interview we had with him.
Ines: Hello Garo, how are you?
Garo: Hello Ines, first I would like to thank you for the invitation to prepare the mix. I am right now at home in Berlin feeling very good actually! I am just a couple of days away from my trip to Bulgaria where I will spend a well-deserved holiday in the sun with friends and family. Lots of exciting things are happening in my life right now and I am very excited about new opportunities. Life is good!
Ines: That’s nice to hear! Where did you grow up and how did it influence your sound?
Garo: Until the age of 10 I grew up in Bulgaria after which my family moved to Germany to a small town in Hessen. That was where I first discovered my interest in music through friends. One of them was a DJ. We used to meet during weekends to listen to him playing records. He recorded his mixes on tapes with artists like FSOL, U96, DJ Hooligan and that music was my first inspiration. I still have the tapes. ☺
Ines: What was your inspiration for the Sundowner podcast?
Garo: Since the beginning of the pandemic finding inspiration has become quite difficult because there is very little to do. So, I took a trip down memory lane to picture the perfect experience of people hanging out outdoors and dancing as the sun goes down and up. That feeling I tried to recreate in the mix.
Ines: We definitely felt the vibe! ☀️
So, what are your preferred methods of browsing music?
Garo: I find online and physical digging to be equally exciting. But I must admit, there is another level of excitement whenever I discover a new record store. In fact, it is something of a ritual for me to visit at least one vinyl shop every time I travel to a new city. Last year before the pandemic I had the chance to visit Cuba and I found rare gems at a flea market in Havana.
Ines: How do you think the current moment will impact the musical scene in the future?
Garo: A lot of artists have moved out from Berlin in the past year which will definitely impact the city’s musical scene. Now new artists have a bigger chance to showcase their music to a wider audience, so I suppose we can expect a restart of the scene with a brand new musical landscape. I think when clubs re-open, people will fall in love with clubbing again and will value artists and clubs even more. I have good feelings about the future.
Ines: What has been one of the most memorable dance floor moments for you and why?
Garo: This is really hard to pick just one. There have been so many. Perhaps, the most memorable ones are from the old Studio EW in Sofia. It had a backyard garden where parties often lasted for 24 hrs. Those times will always remain the ultimate party experiences in my life.
Ines: That sounds really amazing! I can totally imagine it. To finish, I would like to ask you if you have any plans for the future considering the current situation?
Garo: During the never-ending lockdown I used the time to focus on myself. I started studying again. I am also preparing the launch of my own label – DigBig records. The concept behind the label is to present artists from different musical backgrounds, obscure dance-oriented, broken beats, experimental and electro sounds.
A specific event I look forward to this summer is Wake Up Stran-Jah, a really cool boutique festival, taking place on the Bulgarian seaside that I recommend to anyone who is in for an intimate musical experiences off-the-grid. And of course, I hope that nightlife comes back soon in all its glory so we can listen and dance to music together again, also here in Germany. Ines: Thank you so much for your time Garo and we wish you all the best with your new label and lots of fun in your trip to Bulgaria!
Don’t miss Garo this weekend at Wake Up Stran-Jah: wakeupstranjah.com facebook.com/events