OK party people!!! System Audible collaborated to do the first V-ROC Mix Series for Visao Media, lets just say we are more than delighted to have their 2-part mix exclusively here. The SA collective is continuing to strengthen NY dance culture with a positive outlook. What makes their night life/parties positive? By focusing on what inner city night life needs, and that’s positivity and creativity in all forms. The V-ROC mix they provided, has a soothing deep sound from latin percussion instruments with timeless vocals awakening any sound system. Some keywords to illustrate System Audible: innovation, progression and sense of community. Direct from New York City, our spotlight with System Audible.
System Audible started as a DJ collective/party 3 years ago, originated by Borali and his partner Ron Steiner(Team 1) and were soon joined by Doug Galorenzo and Jeff Vigilante(Team 2). The four organized monthly events all over the city including Pacha, Shelter, Rebel, Element, and Water Taxi Beach. In the past SA have hosted and collaborated with artists such as Danny Tenaglia, Antranig, Burchan, Eric Kupper, Onionz, Ivano Bellini, Timmy Regisford, Silverbull and Stimulus Response to name a few. Recently, SA had success globally in Club Vertigo (Costa Rica), Club Vessel (San Francisco), and Central Park (Florance, Italy).
SA’s goal is to bring good people together with good music to produce a good vibe. Each DJ in System Audible has their own unique style and groove, which makes for musically eclectic nights. System Audible is always conscious of the roots of the Dance music culture. So don’t be surprised to hear anything from Frankie Knuckles to Manu Dibango, or Mr. G to Pink Floyd.
VM: Music is an art form, any other forms of art you love?
Ron: Without a shadow of doubt, the other art form that I love is dance. Especially, dancing to that infectious 4/4 beat that house music provides. There is something hypnotic when those BPM’s hover in the 124-130, which is how I like my house music. Dancing to anything above that, you wont last very long, but in that range we are talking musical bliss of dancing for hours. It allows you to release anything and everything that might stress you. In that moment dancing in the darkness, acting like a child on the floor with all your friends. You’re apart of something, when the whole dance floor becomes ONE. In a time and age when everyone on the train is lost in their own world. Whether its on the phone, texting, listening to their Ipod, no interaction whatsoever with anyone. Having those dance floor moments is something I will always cherish and I will spread the gospel that is House any chance I get!
Why I love New York?…
Ron:Well I was born in Queens, but raised in the Burbs of CT. We would come see grandma & grandpa every weekend when I was young. There was always that magnetism that the city had. I didn’t know what it was but I wanted to be there. It’s the city that never sleeps and being the night owl that I’m it was a perfect fit. “At midnight I really come alive, midnight, my fantasies run wild” From the classic T-connection Midnight, pretty much sums it all up. Pretty much any night, till the wee hours of the morning if I need to I can hop on a subway and go listen to some of the greatest DJs in the world.
When making a mix I will usually outline a few specific genres I want to touch prior to making the mix. I love starting out a mix with a acapella and a twisted spaced out beat. From there I will just let it flow. I have a library of over 20,000 songs to choose from at my fingertips. Some songs will just flow with each other. It might be a couple vocals that will speak to each other. It might be a track that has a element that will remind you of another track. I love to have that free flowing creativity with each of my mixes.
VM: What was the first CD you bought?
Borali: Wow, that’s something I haven’t thought about in a long time….lol. My family and I came to New York in ’88 with 5 suitcases and no money. I didn’t have a CD player until maybe 91. Living in downtown Brooklyn at that time, Hip Hop was life and I was engulfed in it. I was too young to go to clubs but back then, my school would organize block parties and dances in the gym. KRS-ONE and Rob Base came to perform at one of them. That was the first time I saw a Dj set up and I was sold.
The very next day I bought 5 albums that to this day, are still my favorites. LL Cool J – Walking with a Panther, A Tribe Called Quest – The Low End Theory, Cypress Hill – Cypress Hill, Shabba Ranks – As Raw as Ever, and Eric B and Rakim – Paid in full. Two days later, I made my first mix tape. Hitting PLAY or PAUSE at the right time to make the cut. I even remember pressing the Pause button just a little bit during the recording to make a fake scratch sound. Eventually, hip hop lost that certain edge for me and i fell in love with house. But never the less, I still keep that block party/ “mix tape” mentality and incorporate it in my sets and parties.
Why I love New York?…
Borali: I love it for its diversity and accessibility. We have everything here. The people, history, architecture, art, music, food, you name it. Every street has its own story. There is no place in the world that has the same characteristic. At any given time you can have anything you want at any given time. That’s the magic of this city; it constantly builds on itself to create something new and different.
VM: If you could change the world with music how would you do it?
Doug: I think the set we have done provides a good definition of our sound. It is definitely on the the tech-housey/minimalish side. However, it doesn’t lack the soul that all too often minimal does. With tracks from forward thinking producers such as Mathias Kaden, Alex Jones, and Tiger Stripes you can hear the ELEMENTS of house music creeping back into the music. The afore mentioned producers are leading the charge to bring some emotion back into the techy side of things. I believe the music is correcting itself. It swung too far to the bleeps and blops and now the pendulum is coming back the other way. Also in the mix we dropped in a few classic acapellas that defined our club “upbringing”.
My goal is to affect people on an emotional level. If I can make one person who has had a bad week at work or is going through tough times, forget their problems even for an hour or two on the dance floor, then I have changed the world. Our goal and I know speak for the group here is to make people smile. We want our parties to be a sanctuary and emotional release where people know they can come and have fun.
Why I love New York?…
The reason I love NYC is because its like a long term relationship. Cities like Miami and Vegas are great on the surface, but when I dig deeper I find them to lack the soul that NYC does. I also love the NYC attitude. It’s one of acceptance of who you are, and people here have such hectic lives with the pace of NYC, that when they party, they party. People outside of the city have a misconception that we are mean and lack hospitality and that’s categorically false. We just don’t have time for bullshit.
VM: Jeff what is your musical thought process?
Jeff: I would like to think that my thought process and musical flow is as unique as the music I play. My musical taste has evolved so much since I first started DJing. I have begun to be more daring and experimental with my track selection. I use to stick to “safe” tracks or tracks I knew people would dance to because they knew it, heard it before, or it was or it was popular at the time. I think this is a formula that many DJs tend to stick to… and hey, why not? It works! But, it will never get you recognized and you will only blend in with all those who do the same. To dare to be different… AND make it work…. now, that’s a whole another level! This is what I try to keep in mind while buying music and every time I spin, whether it be in front of a crowd or by myself in my room. I try to keep my track selection as new and innovative as possible, yet remain true to house music’s roots.
The set that Doug & I have prepared for the V-ROC Mix, is one that definitely represents where I/we are currently at musically. Yes, it is more of a techy & darker sound – but I don’t label myself as being a techno/minimal DJ, rather, a DJ who plays “quality-music”. That is, if it’s good – house, deep, minimal, electro, techno, etc… it’ll be in the mix.
VM:Who is responsible for your interest in house music?
Jeff: To be honest? I would really have to say that my mother is most responsible for my love of music in general, which was probably instilled in me by her unconsciously through the very passion she exuded for all sorts of genres. Growing up, I was exposed to so many different kinds of music at home – classic rock, older dance music, disco, etc… At an early age I learned to play the drums fairly well and the guitar (sort of). I was even in a few so-called bands at one point in my life that never seemed to pan out. Good thing, because I eventually got my hands on some vinyl and turntables and never looked back since! I guess it was just in my blood to DJ!
Why I love New York?…
Jeff: NYC has been home to so many of the most influential and important pieces of house music history. Between the legendary clubs and the larger-than-life DJs that have resided at them… nothing else compares. I love NYC because of the people. They constantly keep me in check, musically. When you have clubbers that have been in the scene a while, they aren’t easily impressed having lived through The Garage, Twilo, Tunnel, and Vinyl days. My belief is that if you can get a crowd jumpin here… then you can make it anywhere.
VM: Upcoming gigs?
SA: We just got a confirmation for a system audible event at Pacha October 3rd with Sander Klienenburg in the main room.
VM: We would like to thank Indy Bocanegra for making this happen, you bring warmth from the sun for us all to FEEL. Thank you.
Listen: V-ROC Mix_SystemAudible_Ron & Borali_August 2008
[audio:VisaoMedia_SystemAudible_Ron&Borali_Aug2008.mp3]
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Listen: V-ROC Mix_SystemAudible_Doug & Jeff_August
[audio:VisaoMedia_SystemAudible_Jeff&Doug_Aug2008.mp3]
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Links:
www.systemaudiblenyc.com
www.myspace.com/systemaudiblenyc
very nice sounds and tracks in both mixes. I had the pleasure of meeting all four of these guys and respect very much what they do and how they go about it. Hope to bring them to play Montreal, Canada soon!