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BEN: Will the influence of Berlin start to fade in 2009?
SPENCER: To be honest, I very much doubt it. The city has the government and economic and artistic climate to support creativity. Artists from all over Europe are moving there in their droves and I completely see why.
DJ DEEP: I don't know. I hope that more creativity appear in various other places but I can't predict. The only thing I know is music works in cycles and it's possible that the so-called 'Berlin moment will fade. I don't know what's coming and going, I'm like a radar, I follow the good records in the record stores. I don't care where they're coming from but, judging by how I feel today, there are not so many good songs or what people call "soulful". I hear whack covers of 1993 MAW songs but nothing moving or original or modern when it comes to songs.
BEN: The 'gospel' vocal has no place in the modern sound of tech-house perhaps. We can all see the rise and rise of influence of places like Slovenia, Romania and Ukraine, and together with Berlin they are music's driving force right now.
SPENCER: Yes, clubbing in the summer will be big on the Black Sea Coast.
BEN: Do you think that Eastern Europe's strength will drive out House music's gospel and soul roots for ever?
DJ DEEP: Not so sure about that. I can see someone like Dennis Ferrer inventing a nice hybrid.
SPENCER: I think the more soulful and gospel side of House music has played a huge part in it's own demise in the way that it has refused to adapt. I think it may come back to the fore but IF it does it will be led by people like Dixon and Dennis Ferrer not Bob Sinclar and Ron Carroll.
BEN: I think maybe one problem is tha the traditions of gospel and soul have no foothold in these new places, unlike America where they were the bedrock for Disco and House.
DJ DEEP: Very true. The problem with Eastern Europe is there are no roots in House. House's roots are black, no matter what, so yes, the soulful sound appeals more to Americans.
BEN: What about the old House sound that mixed black Disco with white European synth pop and Kraftwerk. That was a mixture, surely ...
DJ DEEP: I know, that's what I don't understand. Adonis does not work in Eastern Europe or Derrick May or any of the classic House. There is no culture of House.
BEN: Maybe's it's just that House is really just the dancefloor expression of people's needs. In the late 70's/80's in America those needs were different to today's European floors. Tougher techno flavours speak to the European crowds. It tells their story more.
SPENCER: Exactly. Their points of reference are completely different, and these people want to let loose at the weekend and they're not gonna do that to a New Jersey based diva singing about how much she loves the Baby Jesus!
DJ DEEP: Maybe that should be my new job then. Go and preach classic House in Bulgaria!
BEN: Excellent!
BEN: New faces for 2009?
SPENCER: Boola and Dan Dreij
DJ DEEP: Ben Klock
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