The Sundowner. Mix #14 comes from London based record digger Loa Szala, creator of Medusa Bloom and resident DJ of Alien Communications. Get to know Loa better in this interview we had with her and do not miss the chance to catch her on the dance floor, a rising star to keep our eyes on.
Ines: Hi Loa, how are you?
Loa: I’m very well thank you, finally fully recovered from that very bad flu. So funny that Zoom with you and Moses the other day, everyone was super sick in bed, tissues and all the good stuff, haha!
Ines: yeah haha that was funny, so hard not to get sick in these weird times…but happy to hear you are fully recovered. So, tell me where did you grow up and how did that influence your sound?
Loa: I grew up in Brzeg, a small city in Poland, but my electronic music self grew elsewhere. There, people are mostly into rock and reggae rather than electronic music. As a little girl, I ended up journeying as a ballroom dancer, taking part in competitions dancing to cha-cha, samba and waltz. Dancing, but not quite clubbing either.
It was only until quite late in life when I was living in Tokyo that the real journey and passion for discovering electronic music began. I quickly fell in love with house and techno, dug my first records, had my first clubbing experiences, which ultimately led to the creation of my event, Medusa Bloom, where now I was having the chance to meet and get to know all these amazing artists in person! Saudades…
Ines: If you had to name your top 3 DJs inspirations, who would they be and why?
Loa: Laurine – that vibe… the happiness with which she plays is one that only a pure and wide open-hearted person can have.
Lutz – 101 masterclass technique of playing records!
Dj Masda – selection that really resonates with me.
Ines: What’s you’re creative process when recording a podcast?
Loa: Firstly, I go through all the shelves and search for records that pop out with some sort of a reference that could come across interesting, then I go online and start searching for new stuff. Not that easy to explain, but if I see freshly arrived records that I’m really really obsessed about and haven’t heard too many times, then this brings me a lot of excitement that I can channel into the mix.
I try different arrangements and produce a few recordings, listen back and go deeper into cherry-picking the best combinations that in a way speak to each other and go back to rearranging again. The loop continues until I can finally feel it and then I go on to record the final version.
I find that recording a podcast can be quite a soul-destroying process at times haha.. it takes a lot from me. It brings out some sort of obsessiveness while facing some weaknesses of mine, but I do see it and understand that this is a perfect recipe for improving my technique and getting to know my music and myself better.
Ines: Well, let me tell you that we really enjoy your podcast from beginning to end, beautiful storytelling and amazing tracks! Now let’s travel back in time a little bit and tell us what was your best moment at the Sundowner party?
Loa: The best moment was when all my dear friends arrived. It was a stressful day considering it was my CDV debut so it felt so amazing to have them in front of me to calm my nerves and connect through my selection and dance.
Ines: Is there anything you would like to change or promote in the music industry?
Loa: Of course, there is always the aspect of equality that has been at the forefront of many interviews and conversations. I think a lot has been done but still lots to be achieved. In terms of promoting, definitely a healthier lifestyle for people working full-time in electronic music.
Ines: Any projects or releases we should look out for?
Loa: Next year is already looking very promising, I’ve got some great events planned as a resident for Alien Communications.
Ines: Tell me a track that reminds you of your childhood?
Loa: It’s weird, but I remember this song so well from my dance classes dancing the Viennese waltz to it.
Ines: If your record bag would have a personality, how would it be?
Loa: Elegant and fun but can be a badass when needed.
Ines: Thank you so much for your time Loa, we are very looking forward to the future and what it will bring to you, and can’t wait to catch you on the dance floor again!
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