Interview - Dimitri Monev
Follow your heart. You become what you listen to
The audio series of DJ mix sets called Roomania released the fourth episode of the season called "Cave of hands'' on SoundCloud. ”Cave of hands'' symbolizes the time distance of live club events, where raised hands were synonymous with good fun. In the new episode you will listen to Dimitri Monev from Bulgaria.
Dimitri Monev is one of the front runners of the new wave of electronic music artists from Bulgaria. His style stands out on the electronic music scene. A combination of minimalistic sounds, house vocals and hip-hop breaks is part of his palette available for making noise on a disco podium. He is also active as a producer who has released a great number of productions for well-known labels.
Roomania: Hello Dimitri. As one of our favorite producers, It is an honor to have you on “Roomania”. How are you and how are you spending this extended lockdown period?
Hello Roomania, nice talking to you. It’s my pleasure to answer your questions. As many other artists in my sphere of activity I had a calm year as well. We are living in a crazy time now. A lot of dreams were destroyed, but I see people finding ways to get better and succeed with music. The industry has taken a turn for the better. The one thing I miss most is clubbing, but I’m sure we will all dance together soon.
Roomania: In our podcasts we promote a sound which is complicated in its simplicity. That’s the sound of “rominimal”. How did you connect with this kind of music?
This will probably sound cliche, but my rominimal influence came from my very first time attending “Sunwaves Festival” in Romania in 2009. I also shared the same vision for this kind of music with a small group from my city.
Roomania: The well-known Romanian DJ “Herodot” , played your edit of ”Nas feat. Lauryn Hill - If I Ruled The World”. That’s how we discovered you. It's also one of our most played tracks in the past year. How did you go from idea to realization?
That’s true! I made this edit in 2017, but it really took off in the beginning of 2019 when Herodot played it regularly. I never expected such attention for this one, but a lot of people were talking about this edit and were playing it all over the world. The idea came out of nowhere - usually it’s some old track that I liked in my childhood.
Roomania: What was the track that got you into the production of old-school hip-hop beats?
It’s hard to pinpoint a single hip-hop song when there are so many, but I really like “The Notorious BIG”, “Wu-Tang Clan”, “Outkast”, “Cash Money” and many more.
Roomania: No need to say this, but surely you’ve been producing music during this period. What does 2021 hold for you? Any lined-up releases that you can share with us?
In times like these I focus mostly on improving myself and I can say without a doubt that I’ve worked a lot for 2021. I began the year with a track release for “TIED” (Chicago), for their huge “Isolation” compilation, where a lot of good friends and producers were involved. My latest releases include a couple of edits for “coast2coast” VA and “Retrospect”:
Next up, an EP for a French Label, a remix by an interesting artist (TBA) and a few Various Artists.
Roomania: We’re sure that with all this “extra” time at your disposal, you’ve listened to tons of old stuff. Is there any name that particularly got your attention or old gems that brought back special memories?
There are so many, but I brought back some old memories by spinning a few tracks in this “Roomania” mix: “DJ Jaz – Skyler” (2010) и “Chris Pascoe – Eco Acid Dub” (2006).
Roomania: Can you remember some of the first records you bought? Where did you buy your music?
I remember some of the first ones I got and I was ecstatic to have them: “Loco Dice – Pimp Jackson is Talkin’ Now” (12inch Limited Edition) and “Davide Squillace – It’s All About Toe” [Adagio].
Roomania: What’s the thing you miss the most about being unable to DJ /perform in clubs during this pandemic period?
I miss hanging out with my friends, meeting new friends, the DJ booth, sharing good vibes, traveling - the regular things. I am positive that it’s all coming back (fingers crossed).
Roomania: Do you have any favorite venue or festival that you feel very connected to?
With as many clubs as there are in the world it’s hard to single out any one place, but some of my favorite places where I feel “connected” are “DC 10” (Ibiza), “Kristal” (Bucharest), “Hearts & Treehouse” (Miami), “Halcyon and Public Works” (San Francisco), “TBA” (Brooklyn).. If we are talking in terms of festivals“Sunwaves” (Mamaia).
Roomania: Someone who has never listened to electronic music before, comes to your party and shows interest in your music. What would you recommend as an introduction to the world of electronic music?
I would tell them to follow their heart and to avoid stereotypes. You become what you listen to.
Roomania: Finally, how would you describe your mix for "Roomania"? Why should fans hear this mix?
It’s a mixture of micro-minimal grooves accompanied by pumped-up old-school vibes that bring more dynamic to it. I think anyone who listens to it could find his own new favorite tune here.
Thank you for being a part of “Roomania“.Hopefully you can perform live soon in front of the Macedonian audience.
author:
Aleksandar Mitrik
Editor in chief
author:
Aleksandar Samardjiski
Editor in chief