Locking in for yet another spotlight on one of the Big Apple’s unsung heroes: Wilki. Justin, originally from Atlanta, has slowly made his way north, after stops in Washington D.C. to call NYC his home and bring his unique vision to New York’s club life.

The consummate host/DJ, Wilki provides an air of inclusion and comfort to his “Easy” events that are hosted all over the city. His mix series, WNDRMNTS, is an exploration into his deep crates and eclectic tastes and we’re super stoked to have him contribute an exclusive mix to us here for Hometown Heroes.

Strap in for 70 minutes of Wilki and let’s go! Dig our interview with the man below:

Interview with Wilki

– rider
Davey Schacherl
Contributing Editor

Jozef K strides into 2020 with his long awaited debut album on the iconic Nite Grooves label. Entitled Battle, it is a confident and comprehensive 10 track affair that showcases his emotive, unique and meticulous sound.

Jozef K is a very real talent with a unique sound – combining melodic house elements with futuristic soundscapes, Chicago house and early U.K. rave/jungle nostalgia. All drawing from the same emotive palette. He has been releasing music in such a manner for years now, garnering constant high-profile press support and DJ backing from major tastemakers who reach for his tracks. The single from this album Ladies & Gentlemen We Are In Descent, exemplifying this with personal support from prominent underground figures – DJ Seinfeld, Laurent Garner, Nina Kraviz, Brame & Hamo, Levon Vincent, Lauren Flax and many more.

In 2020, he will offer his most accomplished release schedule to date across labels such as Rawax, Sasha’s Last Night On Earth, Lossless, Constant Circles, new atmospheric jungle material under his Bluematter alias and a collaboration with Tin Man. In the midst of all that, however, is this masterfully crafted 10 track debut album on Nite Grooves, the long running and legendary US label. This ambitious full length is further expansion into his unique sound; a roller coaster of emotions through house, ambient and jungle. [Stay tuned for a huge post-album release announcement too, arguably his biggest yet.]

Restriction opens the album with deeply immersive ambience, soft drums and muffled spoken words, hinting at the excitement that is to come. Inhale/Exhale is a dreamy, lo-fi house trip. Indigo Isabelline follows with pure, hypnotic deep house bliss, utilising dusty drums and ethereal pads. Track 4 – Tokyo Harmonic Sequence, is an expertly stripped back deep techno cut featuring haunting vocals, brooding bassline and atmospheric soundscape textures.

After the rave nostalgic feeling of L-O-V-E, with its warehouse breakbeats and far-sighted chords, heavily coveted album single Ladies & Gentlemen We Are In Descent is an ethereal, acid track perfect for a sunrise moment. The smooth and seductively deep atmospheres continue onto the cavernous, hard hitting T.2.A.T.D.before an all out jungle assault via Caught A Glimpse Now It Haunts Me, combining breakbeats, sirens and Reese bassline to maximum effect. This track would not be out of place on a Bluematter record. Penultimate track, Golden Galaxies Made Of Light is an otherworldly, pensive, ambient moment, guiding the listener into the stunning, emotive closer Sunrise MCR, which is Jozef’s way of bringing this masterful record home to his beloved city.

A standout debut album from a unique producer.

Tracklisting:
1) Restriction
2) Inhale/Exhale
3) Indigo Isabelline
4) Tokyo Harmonic Sequence
5) L-O-V-E
6) Ladies & Gentlemen We Are In Descent
7) T.2.A.T.D.
8) Caught A Glimpse Now It Haunts Me
9) Golden Galaxies Made Of Light
10) Sunrise MCR

For more content and updates, follow Jozef K on:

www.instagram.com/jozef_k_dj/
www.facebook.com/DJJozefK/
soundcloud.com/jozef-k

ELROW REVEALS FULL LINEUP FOR ROWSATTACKS! APRIL 18 FEATURING NYC HOUSE LEGENDS VICTOR CALDERONE AND TODD TERRY

VICTOR CALDERONE TO PLAY A SPECIAL OPEN-TO-CLOSE BIRTHDAY MARATHON SET AND TODD TERRY PLAYS CLASSICS HOUSE SET

FIRST NYC RESIDENCY DATE OF 2020 AND PART OF ELROW’S FIRST EVER FIVE-CITY NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

AVANT GARDNER – APRIL 18 – DOORS OPEN AT 7PM -6AM

TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE

Follow elrow:
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“art and music extravaganza … a roaming celebration that is part Cirque du Soleil, part Alice In Wonderland.” – The New York Times

‘the leading adult clubbing brand’ – NPR

Lineup in alphabetical order: Andrea Oliva, Bastian Bux, Chelina Manuhutu, Dennis Cruz, Dennis Ferrer, Francisco Allendes, Michael Bibi (New York debut), Matthias Tanzmann, Sosa, Todd Terry, Toni Varga, plus Victor Calderone’s Birthday, Benny Soto & Mike Nervous, KY William b2b Christian Bistany + one more guest TBA

After an incredible 2019 with back to back sold out shows at Avant Gardner, #1 global roaming event brand elrow announces their lineup for RowsAttacks!, their first NYC residency of 2020 as part of their five city North American tour, offering a mothership worth of a party. Returning to the famed and acclaimed Avant Gardner on April 18th, RowsAttacks! will offer three stages to blast off to and is preparing an otherworldly space for elrow revelers to explore and inhabit. The event’s theme is a classic take and call back to the absurdism of 1950’s pop sci-fi culture.

For the lineup, all aliens in attendance will be spoiled with an epic open-to-close marathon birthday set from New York’s legendary house DJ, Victor Calderone. Victor will be DJing in “The Shed” a warehouse that will be converted into another world solely for this event and is sure to be a spectacle in true elrow fashion. With “The Shed” located right across the street from Mirage, fans will be able to spacewalk back and forth with ease. “It’s been a great pleasure and honor to continue to work with the Elrow brand,” says Victor. “ I’m really excited for the upcoming NYC show where I’ll be celebrating my birthday with an open to close set.” Firmly at the top among the world’s most prolific DJs and producers, Victor’s birthday bash will be a multisensory extravaganza featuring elrow’s signature mix of far-out performers and space age art installations.

Along with Calderone, music history maker, mover, and booty shaker Todd “Todd The God” Terry will be “housing” attendees all night long with one of his infamous classic house sets. “Can’t wait to bring my house classics set to Elrow for my Mirage debut in my hometown of Brooklyn,” says Todd. “I played elrow Festival in Tenerife over the summer and was blown away by the production level!”

In addition to these two heavyweights, a bevvy of global artists will be making the intergalactic journey to NYC: from Chile, Francisco Allendes; The Netherlands, Chelina Manuhutu; and UK’s Michael Bibi who will be making his New York debut plus many of New York’s own. One would be hard pressed to find a more diverse lineup anywhere in the world.

RowsAttacks! is one of the must attend events for the modern party goer who should be prepared for the most iconic theme to date from elrow. It’s the most anticipated theme that North American fans have been asking for. Michael Julian, Head of elrow North America adds, “People always told me that I must be from outer space so can’t wait to put my Martian suit on and party with all the other aliens!”

As one of the most sought after experiential events in the world, elrow’s strength comes from its reputation, with NPR calling it, ‘the leading adult clubbing brand’. Since its 2016 U.S. debut in NYC which attracted 800 attendees, elrow has steadily expanded its footprint in the United States, growing in notoriety and reputation. It now attracts more than 5,000 revelers per show as it heads into its fifth year of its New York residency. The New York Times gave praise, calling it an “art and music extravaganza … a roaming celebration that is part Cirque du Soleil, part Alice In Wonderland.” elrow hosts the globe’s craziest parties to attend right now with North American residencies in New York and Las Vegas.

ROWSATTACKS! NORTH AMERICA TOUR
MORE INFO TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON

New York: April 18th | Chicago: May 2nd | Montreal: May 15th

Media Praise From:
“The Médicis of raving” -THE GUARDIAN
“An immersive, multi-sensory experience for thousands of people.” -NEW YORK TIMES
“A Worldwide sensation… arguably one of the most popular global parties currently.” -FORBES
“A themed ‘happening’ … a premium on the entire clubbing experience.” -VARIETY
“One of the most successful and outlandish party brands around the world.” -BILLBOARD
“Legendary” -MIXMAG
“The world’s most popular clubbing brand.” -RESIDENT ADVISOR
“A Colorful, Musical Circus” -BIZBASH

About elrow:
elrow was conceived in 2010 by Cruz and Juan Arnau, the sixth generation of entrepreneurs of the Arnau Family, who also founded the Monegros Festival and the legendary Club Florida 135 in Fraga, Aragón. In 2017, elrow entered into an investment and partnership agreement with Superstruct Entertainment, a live entertainment platform backed by Providence Equity Partners. elrow is the umbrella brand of a series of fully immersive, themed shows, which have become a global point of reference in the field of circus-inspired parties thanks to its perfect mix of the best electronic music with unimaginable scenarios, frenzied performances and outlandish characters.

Hailed as the number one party in Ibiza, elrow also holds lauded residencies in Madrid, London, Dubai and Amsterdam. Additionally, the mighty elrowTown traveling festival has expanded to four cities, including Antwerp, Amsterdam, Edinburgh and London throughout 2019. elrow has consistently broken attendance records with over 2 million people attending 134 shows hosted across 65 cities in 33 international territories.

elrow has taken the world by storm with the wildest and most hilariously over-the-top environments at their shows, a huge factor in their meteoric growth from a small Spanish party headquartered in Barcelona to a global entertainment powerhouse that’s now won over 80 cities in 6 continents with worldwide residencies.

1. Hey Ataxia, how are you guys today?

Better than yesterday, unclear what tomorrow brings, so quite possibly the best yet.

2. Firstly, can you talk to us about some of your influences. We know about your connection to the Detroit scene and the massive part that plays in your music, but are there any particular artists that have inspired you along the way, from Detroit and beyond?

A lot of our song names are stolen from punk band lyrics. Punk shaped our earliest leanings as musicians, so it is still and will always be a lifeline through our journey.

Particular artists that come to mind are Juan Atkins, Carl Craig, Richie Hawtin, Magda & Minx from the immediate area. Globally we take notes from a huge range of acts…Larry Heard, Aphex Twin, Modeselektor, Konrad Black, Dewalta, Mr. G, & outside of the electronica sphere itʼs all over the map, Radiohead, Sadé, Pink Floyd, CAN, Tribe, ETID, Fugazi, Paul Simon, The Clash.

“NYC stretched us. Our imaginations. Our realities. Itʼs a fascinating place, but there is no place like home…Detroit!”

3. We also believe that you were based in New York for a while, did this influenced your sound?

We lived in NYC for a period of time. Our years there encouraged us to reach into the roots of our own musical heritage. We are influenced mostly by Detroit DJs, producers and bands.

New York embraced Detroit music so wholeheartedly, that we felt an even further sense of honor for being from such a wellspring of precedent setting creativity.

The intensity of the crowds there did grow the urgency in our sound. The bpm picked up quite a bit as did the directness of the music.

Change, like moving cities, will grow your perspective, no matter what the result was you were hoping to achieve. NYC stretched us. Our imaginations. Our realities. Itʼs a fascinating place, but there is no place like home…Detroit!

4. Was there a defining moment that made you want to produce music together as Ataxia?

There was. It was when we quit our punk bands because lugging shit around for no money seemed like a waste of time then. Now that weʼre doing basically the same thing with techno, we are always looking to quit and move on to new territories…probably going to start a punk band.

“Despite our best efforts, itʼs a band, all said and done.”

5. And how do you work together as a pair, who does what?

Both of us are the drummer. We do a lot of live jamming and improving. This is where the meat and potatoes for our tracks come from, organic jam sessions. Lots of drum machines, sequencers & synths. We take turns on most aspects of the creative process. Despite our best efforts, itʼs a band, all said and done.

6. Your ‘Experience Island Earthʼ drops on Play It Say It on the 12th July and will be your fourth release on the label. How did your relationship with the the label begin?

Our good friend and PISI founder Seth Troxler used a flash drive of ours at Output (R.I.P.) one night with some of our music on it. It was totally out of the blue. He dropped some of the music and people were actually taking their clothes off. It was next level bizarre.

A few weeks later, Ted got a VM with Seth doing an acapella of the main riff in “Afternoon Acid”, saying heʼd like to sign it, which became part of the “The Acid EP”, our first venture on Play It Say It. Catalogue #009.

Since then weʼve contributed “The Supertouch EP”, catalogue #18, the “Rave Oddities EP”, catalogue #024, and now “Experience Island Earth”, catalogue #041.

7. What was the inspiration for this latest release?

Summertime raving.

“There is no greater joy in record producing than holding a new piece of wax with your music on it.”

8. Rickerʼs we believe you run the vinyl focused My Baby Records which has seen music from with the likes of Eddie C, Delano Smith and more. Whatʼs the background story behind the label and why did you choose to centre it around vinyl?

The label was founded by Rickers & Mister Joshooa, our TV Lounge daddy. Krisko took on the role as chief communicator, managing the backend of the biz.

The focus is to push wax with Detroit crew on the cuts with remixes from friends of ours from around the world. Detroit DJs play vinyl, and the producers here are urgent for their music to be on a tangible, finished product.

We refuse to short change that feel good experience for the people who trust us with their music. There is no greater joy in record producing than holding a new piece of wax with your music on it.

9. Thanks for taking the time to talk to us! What can we expect from Ataxia in the future?

The future is something we often fantasize about but can never truly master or specialize in. Time travel isnʼt mainstream yet so until then, we will see you around the pool

Follow Ataxia’s Socials
Facebook / SoundCloud / RA

Following the announcement of “El Bowsque Encantado” as the theme for the launch of its 2019 NYC residency on February 23 at Avant Gardner, elrow reveals the full lineup for its biggest indoor fiesta in North America.

Providing the soundtrack to this edition of the world’s wildest immersive party experience will be Paco Osuna, Victor Calderone, Audiojack, Bastian Bux, Charles Meyer, Detlef, Joeski, Mathias Kaden, special guest Matthias Tanzmann, Miss Jennifer, Sante, Toni Varga, and Westend. The spectacular roster of 13 DJ superstars will throw down transcendent house and techno sets in two rooms for more than ten hours, making this one of elrow’s largest, longest, and most unforgettable events to date. Representing Spain, Germany, Greece, the UK, and the US, the international lineup is a direct reflection of elrow’s global aesthetic that attracts hedonistic revelers from all ends of the earth to its one-of-a-kind extravaganzas.

Featuring madcap theatrical and aerial performances amidst exuberant decorations and outlandish costumes, “El Bowsque Encantado” will transport party-goers into an enchanted forest. In this otherworldly dimension, the wildest parts of your subconscious are brought to life, rendering you giddy and delirious. Attendees will interact with magical exotic creatures and mysterious beasts that roam the mystical surroundings where a myriad of pixies, fairies and elves will be riding sunbeams through the dense foliage of the trees and giant toadstools. Unicorns fleetingly emerge from the dappled shade as butterflies float from one brightly coloured blossom to another in a parallel universe.

Fueled by a gathering of the city’s most colorful characters united in the spirit of going on an adventure, transcending race, gender, nationality, politics, and musical genres, elrow lends an opportunity for New Yorkers of all kinds to come together, abandon their inhibitions, discover new experiences, and get lost in magical moments.  elrow stands as a testament to the idea of what nightclubbing and city life can be.