When I am preparing for an extended set it’s important to know what time of the day it will be and what time during the party it will be, and whether I’ll be coming to warm-up for Mahico or closing the party. If there is a really big journey aspect to the set, I’ll want to make sure I have the right tracks to link up the different parts of the journey to ensure that people are not getting too tired but they are still interested - this is the most important part. You can’t necessarily play big tracks for four hours and keep people there the whole time. I think they really need to have time to sit with different emotions and different feelings and be able to leave, to go outside and rest and come back. I don’t feel the need to try and hold everyone there the whole time but give them the space to move. There is quite a lot of preparation that goes into it. I’m really excited for the next one.
Artistically and musically, it really allows you to go all over the place. For anyone that has seen me play in the past, I feel like my style is quite diverse and I like to play music from many different cultures, styles and genres - not just dance music but music from all over the world. I really love the idea of playing for 4 hours and being able to play a lot of Latin music, African music and maybe some Disco or some more four-on-the-floor music, even some ambient moments. It really gives you the opportunity to play a lot of music that you don't always get to play which is really exciting.
The crowd is equally as important. I feel like building a relationship over time is essential, building trust, especially in a long set. Having quieter moments and maybe those moments that the crowd usually doesn't think that they need, those moments of rest, to build that trust with them - that they know you are going to take them to a place at some point, that you are following a clear narrative or journey. Even if the set is not planned, it’s about trusting the self as well, that you are going to get there. It’s really important to have that relationship with the crowd and to build the trust for them to continue and stay there with you.
Pacing myself physically and mentally… I have never really thought of that idea before but I feel like it turns into a kind of a void, or space, when you're DJing. I feel like sometimes if the party is not feeling right or you’re not feeling right - or something is not right - an hour could feel like five hours. As always with Mahico it's such an amazing vibe that I feel like even when I have played for 3 hours, time just kind of evaporates and 3 hours could feel like 20 minutes! It actually tends to be after playing that I feel it physically and mentally. It’s a lot of energy to be taking on and the aftercare for me is probably the most important part. That usually involves being at the beach or being in nature or also not talking so much and just being with myself. It’s really important to me. When you’re in the moment, the time disappears really quickly.
You can expect to hear a lot of new music I have been gathering whilst being away in Europe and Central and South America and also a real journey, a real movement through lots of different genres. I feel very excited to share a lot of new music, also music I have created. It's going to be a really really beautiful night and I can't wait. It feels like coming home.
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