Hans SHC is the new dj addition to Macedonian drum and bass crew D2. Started of in a Dj workshop where he showed high interest and fast-pace learning. After several years and gigs later, Hans SHC upgraded his technical skills with scratching. He is also know for his great musical selection. SUB decided to ask him several questions.
Sub: What got your interest in
becoming a Dj?
Hans: I was surrounded by music
since I was a kid and music had a lot of influence while I was growing up so I
was always intrigued by how it was made and how it was presented. In my teens I
was listening to a lot of hip-hop and a big aspect of that music was DJing. So
when I started to get to know Drum and Bass as music, the interest for DJing
sort of transferred into that also, seeing as DJing is a big aspect of DnB
also. As time passed by I was more and more intrigued by the aspect of DJing
and I kind of felt it was the natural way for things to go. A real opportunity
opened up for me when I joined the first DJ workshop that Hypertech and Darko
Stepic held. That’s where I really got into turntablism and started getting
serious about being a DJ.
Sub: What have changed for you
these couple of years since you have started spinning vinyl?
Hans: A lot. It’s way more
different when you just listen to music and when you try to present it in a way
of mixing. When you DJ you have to keep the energy up, especially in fast paced
music like Drum and Bass so you get to see the songs differently. A song that
sounds nice when you listen it home doesn’t necessary mean it will sound good
when you play it in a club and vice versa. So a whole new aspect of listening
to music opened to me.
Sub: What types of music do you
like listen and spin, and who are your favorite producers?
Hans: When I’m home and I’m
listening to music I don’t really stick to one genre. I enjoy hip-hop, disco,
funk, soul, stuff that deliver that old Motown sound. Since I started spinning
my taste in DnB has changed a lot. In the beginning I was into a lot of
atmospheric, liquid funk, jump up. But that changed since I started playing at
venues. It’s not that I don’t play that music anymore but I do it more rarely.
Right now I play a more techy sound of DnB and also I have big love for amens
and breaks, because that’s the music that really gets the crowd going. Lately I
try and push some abstract hip hop and footwork into my sets and I think it
sounds nice combined with DnB. I try to do something interesting every time I
play and see how the crowd reacts. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it
doesn’t.
Some of my favorite DnB producers
are Break, Enei, DJ Marky, RoyGreen & Protone, Lenzman, Jubei, BTK, Optiv,
DLR, Emperor, Phil Tangent, Calibre, Ivy Lab, Chroma, Stealth, Jazzatron,
Maztek, Need For Mirrors. I love the sound that labels like Critical, Symmetry,
EXIT, ProgRAM and Metalheadz put out.
Sub: In your progress as DJ you
have picked up a scratching skill, rare skill barely used by drum and bass djs
in Macedonia. From where did you picked up the love for scratch?
Hans: Scratching is something I
started doing as of late and I hope I’ll get better and better. One of my
biggest inspirations is DJ Marky and I consider him a real Don in the ways of
DJing. His technical abilities are something which I aspire to reach one day
and also I love his whole concept of scratching to DnB. It inspired me to try
and see how I can develop my own style of scratching. I also saw DJs Oky Doky
and Drazi Drags scratching at our resident parties “4Decks Extravaganza” and
that really helped me to get better.
Sub: A certain change was noticed
in your sets. You have started playing tunes highly pitched, which (again) is
not usual for most of the drum and bass djs in Macedonia. Is it a new
trademark?
Hans: It’s something that I
haven’t really paid attention to really. I guess when you go out in front of a
crowd that expects to party to fast sounding beats you try and push it as far
as you can.
Sub: Are you satisfied with the
current state of the drum and bass scene in Macedonia?
Hans: Things can always be
better. I’ve been doing this on a more professional level for almost 5 years now
and back when I started I think the scene was better. It’s up to us, the DJs to
keep things going and get more people to fall in love with the sound. We try to
book guests that people will want to hear and present music that they will
like. It’s hard sometimes when you see how little people appreciate the effort
that you put in, but at the same time it inspires you to get things going
again.
Sub: Your favorite DJ gig by now?
Hans: It was in 2012 when I
played at the Broken Balkanz Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria and it was a back to
back set by Calyx & Teebee. They had 6 decks, 2 mixers and sounded
absolutely perfect. It’s something that I keep telling people about to this
day.
Sub: What can be found in your
vinyl collection, and what is the last purchase you have made?
Hans: I got some new stuff from
Good Looking, the Jazz’n LP, I got couple of EPs from Stealth on ProgRAM, Hello
World EP from Emperor & Mefjus on Critical, also something from Frek4nc,
Octane & DLR and Random Movement. The latest was Boys/Jelly Bean from Need
For Mirros on Zoltar, Stealth’s Alliance EP on ProgRAM, and Mindscape – Gene
Labs (Optiv & BTK Remix) / Truth Hurts (Maztek Remix) on Commercial
Suicide.
Sub: Where can people see you
play?
Hans: I’m part of the usual
Saturday resident rotation at Kapan An and my next gig will be alongside High
Roll and the legendary Grooverider and DJ SS on the 23rd (Friday) at
Kapan An. If you liked the mix make sure you come to that party, because
there’s more where that came from!
by D.S.
