DJ Mag December 2019 (North America) - digital

CULTURE WARS

Support. Organize. Sustain. As DVS1 launches his new S.O.S. initiative — based around changing the conversation within electronic music to further focus on the art and less on the business — we catch up with the Michigan-born, Berlin-based techno enigma about where he feels the scene is going and what needs to change. For a lot of us, his words around commerciality replacing culture may ring true and although we can’t go backwards, those who inherit our scene deserve to see it from all sides. Read his thoughts from page 22. Yet another side of our vibrant scene is the iconic A Club Called Rhonda, its unofficial motto of “passion, pleasure, possibility” summing it up better than we ever could. We talk to Team Rhonda about how their community-driven local party became an unrivalled global event. 

Elsewhere, New York native Eli Escobar talks about his love for the city and how the death of his label partner led him to self-release his new album ‘Last Summer’. Fellow N.Y.C. producer Baltra gives his ‘Ted’ talk from page 76, while we find out how Nora En Pure has kept her organic sound despite ascendance to mainstage dominance from page 68. Also, we remember Patrick Cowley, Ninja Tune native Romare breaks down his live setup, we explore videogames’ impact on electronic music, look back on this year’s ADE and much more! This is also my last editor’s letter, as the excellent Bruce Tantum will be taking over from next issue! You can still find me on the email across the page. Thanks! 

DECLAN MCGLYNN 

Editor, DJ Mag North America