But before we get into the interview let’s look back at who NTO is and his latest releases.

NTO was drawn to music from an early age when he started playing guitar. At the age of 18 he became a regular at a couple of legendary clubs in the South of France when German minimal techno was at the top of the music pyramid. These club experiences inspired NTO to take a stab at music production and after a mandatory DJ phase and some impactful collaborations, Anthony began a solo career.

One of his latest releases is a track called “Invisible“. The music video focuses on a story of a single protagonist going through life feeling painfully invisible until he meets, you guessed it, a woman. Despite the romantic undertones of this story the song and the music video tackle a range of serious issues and evoke a wide range of emotions. When speaking about the release NTO shared:

“This track is for all those who already felt « Invisible » in the eyes of the world. The whole atmosphere is inspired by the idea of a dropout, introverted teenager who is unconsciously looking for this one person who will make him feel « visible », true to himself, alive.”

Earlier this spring NTO released a piano version of “Invisible” – a collaboration with French pianist Sofiane Pamart. “This collaboration came from a desire to go further with Invisible and explore multiple versions,” NTO shared with the release announcement. “I wanted the core of this track to be supported by one main instrument. As I truly admire Sofiane Pamart’s work, it was obvious I had to ask him to make an alternative version, where he could tell his story of Invisible, at the crossroads of our two universes”. The result is an equally powerful rendition of the track.

The latest remix (out today, April 14) is by one of NTO’s favorite artists, legendary German producer Paul Kalkbrenner: “Kalkbrenner is one of the artists who inspired me to become a producer when I first started making music 15 years ago,” NTO commented, “So remixing a track, which means a lot to me, is a priceless gift! The original track combines an evolutive narrative story and a dancefloor beat. Paul Kalkbrenner adds the characteristic color and production that gave him the title of melodic techno icon”.

Kateryna Topol: Hello Anthony and thank you for chatting with us, how is 2021 treating you so far?

NTO: Thank you for the invitation!

To be honest, 2020 was tough, that’s for sure, but this 2021 is quite different. I’m still missing the concerts big time but I can smell change is gonna come, there’s something in the air…

Really, I already consider myself very lucky for this energy around my album with the participation of Meute on “Zig Zag,” the video clip accompanying my last single “Invisible” and the collab with Sofiane Pamart who did me a big honor and so many other surprises I can’t talk to you about so far…I’ve been working so hard on my album and there are so many beautiful things ahead, the release of my album in September…well, I choose to be optimistic

KT: Same here, cheers to optimism. Ok, so your romance with music started at an early age, but at which point did you decide this can and will be your career?

NTO: I really consider Passion is the key. It has to start with passion, I remember when I was 17, completely absorbed for an insane amount of hours in front of my computer, driven by the magic of it … back then, if someone had told me this would become a career, I would have shit my pants ahaha …but you know, you feel deep inside of you the urge to tell your story and music is your only medium of communication so you try harder and harder ’till more and more people show you they understand your language…I’m very lucky to be doing this!

KT: Haha, that’s great. You are currently working on a new album, how is that coming along?

NTO: I have reached a very good point in my life. I’m surrounded by the greatest team and I never felt so inspired and free to produce. The timing was right and it was evidence I was ready for an album.

There’s beautiful energy around this project…Great artists I admire came along to participate as well as film producers since I’ve always wanted to link my melodies to images, I’m really happy about this…We have so many ideas, these collaborations are so inspiring for me…

I can’t wait to present all the surprises we got in store!

Image: NTO with Sofiane Pamart. Photo by Diego Crutzen

KT: Let’s talk about “Invisible” – what a powerful video! What was the inspiration behind it?

NTO: When I first started to draw the contours of the track “Invisible” on my keyboard, I had a very precise idea in mind. It would humbly try to speak for those who feel voiceless, misunderstood, and invisible in the eye of the world…I may have felt this way at a certain time of my life but I know we all do at times. At first, I pictured a little boy who would unconsciously look for someone who truly sees him and considers him…Then, of course, everyone can imagine his own story, I like that idea…

KT: How did the story and collaboration with Jean Charles Charavin, the director for the “Invisible” music video, come about? 

NTO: The track was built on a narrative pattern so it felt very instinctive for the great JC Chauvin to imagine the scenario. We started to work with Incendie Films and very naturally, JC invited me into his world and we started to collaborate very closely together on this in order to develop the original idea. I’m just very impressed and thrilled by the work they all put on this project given that, to me, the video clip completely sublimates the original track.

It was the first time for me on a professional cinema set and I can tell you it was a blast!

KT: Very exciting. And speaking of exciting, you are entering a new chapter of your career, the press release mentioned letting the instincts you cannot control speak aloud – what brought on this adventure, was it a particular moment or growing over time?

NTO: It really felt like the planets were aligned for me [smiles]

I needed to express some deeper feelings hidden inside of me, maybe things I didn’t allow myself to explore before and it definitely felt so good… Everything started to roll naturally but I also have to thank my killer team who truly encouraged me to fulfill myself…I feel like I owe them a lot and they gave me the strength to contemplate the album project…life is often about meeting the right people you know…

KT: For sure. You’ve done some performances with the Cercle – can you talk about that experience?

NTO: I love the crew of Cercle, first because they simply are very nice people and then, because they always make me do crazy things, only they have the secret. I played 3 times for them: under the concord, on top of the Saint Jacques tower in Paris, and recently, in the mountains of Les Dents du Midi, right in the middle of le Lac de Soi, altitude 2500 meters! And every time it’s been unique and unforgettable for me, like a timeless moment in addition to a human adventure. The dents du midi session gave birth to a track « Lac de Soi » released on their label.

Image: NTO and Paul Kalkbrenner. Photo by Thibaud Robiolle.

KT. Let’s talk about what you listen to, in the past you’ve said Paul Kalkbrenner is the “biggest music crush of all time” but what are you listening to these days – sticking to the legends or exploring new talent?

NTO: It’s actually very important for me to do both. I always enjoy an old good classic (all musical genres included ) but at the same time, I’m very attentive and receptive to what the evolution of music offers lately. There is so much creativity in the air these days, it’s obviously enriching!

KT: Very true. How do you find the electronic music scene in Europe right now, compared to when you were growing up?

NTO: Electro music has always had its roots in the underground but I feel like it is more and more democratized in the sense that there are so many different electros now, so many new passionate producers…

It’s very vast and vibrant. I really think the electro scene is just fine and dandy, including in France.

KT: Haha, I love that – fine and dandy. What are your plans and goals for the rest of the year?

NTO: I have an album to finish, so the rest of the year is going to be pretty exciting for me. I really do hope we’re gonna see the end of this all global pandemic situation and that everyone will eventually be able to have a little peace of mind…I miss playing live music so much, feeling the vibrant energy of the crowd…fingers crossed it will soon be possible again, hopefully, this Summer, maybe September…

The post Interview: NTO speaking to changes in his music, latest release and new album appeared first on Quip Magazine.

NDSM Wharf is an open public space, formerly a shipyard, located on the banks of the River IJ. The space is home to a vibrant community of artists, live performance venues, bars, and restaurants covering the ground larger than ten football fields. For today, NDSM is transformed into the ADE oasis with a relaxation area, hot tubs, a large record market, multiple fire pits, and DIY horses and tigers on wheels (which you can sit on while your BFF attempts to drag it across the park) and it’s all free.

Near the entry in the open-air food hall area is a wall of token ATM’s which you need for all food and drinks and the precious reusable drink cup. The token system is slightly confusing but some reading and basic math will get you through just fine. The hangover (as a physical state) is celebrated at the Amsterdam Dance Event so most of the “stages are covered to protect your tired eyes from the throbbing“ headache you may be still dealing with. The smallest party is in what I’m guessing is the Treehouse: a tiny hotbox hut with a curtain door seeping smoke clouds through every single crack.

The Barn programming kicked off at noon with Pablo Discobar Soundsystem, mixing some really “old shit with the sounds of modern disco” and Mahabe137. By 4 pm Tenzers (Vincent and Siemen Tenzers brothers), the Barn is a hot room packed with people, swaying, two-stepping, and full force dancing to house and techno illuminated by the moving strobe lights. Tenzers’ very special recipe to blending house and techno (Detroit and Chicago) with subtle hints of jazz, funk, and soul (sampled from often rare and exotic records) is a much-needed treat this afternoon.

Further into the park is an open dance area, near an oddly shaped tower, alien crash site, craft beer stand, and a couple of hot tubs to the side (both very much in use). At the front is a small but funky stage occupied by Radio De Koperen Hond, hosted by Into The Woods festival (regulars at NDSM). De Koperen Hond stage is visibly the most happening and energetic area in the park, people in all sorts of dress and undress, are dancing in the cold to an eclectic mix of house, techno, and disco (try Magazine 60 “Don Quichotte (No Están Aquí)” to get into the mood).

The best place to see the sunset, however, is from the A’DAM Tower, at the Loft with 360 views on the water. The event is another party hosted by Audio Obscura featuring the German grandmaster Sven Väth, spinning records out of milk crates. The dance floor side of the Loft is incredibly hot, everyone wants to be closer to Sven and many people in attendance are friends and family, welcoming us into their circle with open arms (quite literally). With over three decades of experience, Sven Väth has had a great impact on the advance and evolution of electronic music. Väth is known for hosting inclusive, welcoming parties that promote positivity that dance music can bring and this party is no different – there is a visible sense of community clearly inspired by the producer’s charismatic personality. As I post up by the speaker, trying to sneak in a few shots, Väth throws me a smile (top photo) before returning to his milk crate in search of the next record (to get a sense of his flavor listen to “Dein Schweiss”).

***

In retrospective, we were barely able to scratch the surface of ADE. With over 1,000 events across 200 locations, it is humanly impossible to not get FOMO but you can’t win them all (someone once told me about missing out on a show). This year’s edition of the festival brought together 400,000 visitors from across 150 countries and we are happy to say we tried our best to share the event through these brief highlights.

Mark your calendars, ADE 2020 is the 25th-anniversary edition and will take place from the 21st to 25th of October.

The post Closing out ADE with the Hangover and Sven Väth Loft party appeared first on Quip Magazine.

Now, back to our regular music programming.

The first highlight for ADE By Night this Friday evening is an intimate pre-dinner listening party at the Nes 118 mansion with Deezer, the French online music streaming service. For this evening, a.k.a. the Barbershop, Deezer’s global dance, electronic, and alternative music editor Robin Wilms selected a small collection of unreleased albums: “Jdid” by Acid Arab, “Thirst” by Sebastian (about time!), “Balance” by Armin van Buuren, “Yearnite for the Infinite” by Max Cooper, “Magdalene” by FKA Twigs, and a few others. This unique space has a bit of a steampunk vibe, with retro furnishings and grey/green undertones. As we sip on cocktails, unrushed, listening to these great unreleased tunes, some people are sitting back in barber chairs, getting styled by Amsterdam’s best.

A quick tram ride from Amsterdam Central Station is the main concert hall for contemporary classical music, called Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ. Up a bridge that hangs over the water pass, around the corner, through the lower deck is the Sudbeat x The Soundgarden day party. Dutch DJ and producer Dimitri, the innovator of hi-tech-soul (Detroit sound-infused techno) who started spinning way back in 1987, is playing all day in the Bimhuis area, a round-shaped room with cascading low steps. Back down on the sunny indoor Deck with sweeping views on the water, is Amsterdam-based Miss Melera, playing her flavor of melodic techno to a packed room of dancers, basking in the sunlight.

The rooms and levels in Muziekgebouw are unusually situated across the mixed building levels, some can only be accessed by one staircase, others by another, and across the balcony, overlooking the Deck, is a small Chappel where Sudbeat X The Soundgarden artists from across the globe are taking turns. At around 5 pm Gustin, the resident DJ and promoter for Nick Warren’s The Soundgarden Ibiza, stepped up to the tables spreading his unique blend of pumping, tech-prog, funk-fuelled house music. Many of these producers have been around for decades, defining the electronic music genre and building the foundation for what we are listening to today, so it’s quite special to be here, watching the masters effortlessly do their thing.

Further inland and later into the night an obscenely large group of people are gathering in the Scheepsbouwloods’ warehouse space for a DGTL all-nighter. Known for throwing some of the best parties and festivals around the world Amsterdam-based DGTL is one of many organizations putting an effort into making a sustainable impact on the global festival landscape. When purchasing a drink an extra euro is charged for a reusable plastic cup which you can then commit to for the rest of the night, a system used during many events at ADE. Losing a cup would cost you a euro more per drink while ending the night with one will earn you a recycling token, what it could be used for, however, we never figured out.

The venue is split into two rooms: a smaller one that looked like an oversized shipping container, out of which jam-packed dancers are spilling all the way into the food court-type area, and the big room, which has its own bar, a perpetually sticky floor, cool lights, and TV’s hung under the sealing. The mid-programming treat is Orbital, an electronic dance music brother duo (Phil and Paul Hartnoll) from England (cover image). Orbital have been around since the 80s and have an extensively impressive resume. The duo is known for their memorable live shows which – much like today – feature a creative imagery showcase and live improvisation by the DJs. Fittingly to the day’s green motif Orbital begun the set with “There Will Come a Time” which opens with a monologue by professor Brian Cox (English physicist): ‘There are few certainties in science, but one fact of which we can all be certain is that one day we will die. Our atoms won’t disappear, they will return to the Earth.’ – one of many environmentally and politically-charged songs we hear tonight.

Just around the corner Amsterdam’s smallest festival, aptly named Festifest, teams up with Berlin’s Wilde Renate crew for a wild ADE dance party at the Noorderlicht Café. As we approach the venue its greenhouse-style shape greets us with warm lights and a casual outdoor sitting area, a few brave souls relaxing around a fire pit. The coat check is outside and the inside is hot like an Arabian desert, packed wall to wall on the main floor. The balcony has a much more relaxed vibe with a handful of people laying back on the couches, a couple quite literally napping, and a small group of people dancing in the circle.

“Beer please.” The bartender nods in acknowledgment as if he just scanned me for tasting notes and read my mind. I hand over my recycling token (given to me by security at the entrance), he hands over a pint of lager. Looking over the balcony ledge the energy around the DJ is infectious and you cannot help but dance as well. Taking us into the sunrise are Kornél Kovács, PEAK & SWIFT, Johannes Albert, Alison Swing, and SHMLSS, casually spinning a mix of house and techno, mixing in their particular takes on tracks like Wiley’s “Boasty,” Robin S’ “Show Me Love,” classics like Mr Fingers “Can You Feel It” and even “Ghostbusters.”

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One of Thursday’s highlights is ADE Live, a festival-curated showcase focusing on the best of up-and-coming electronic acts for the sole purpose of discovering the hidden gems. Tonight the Live showcase takes place at the Melkweg (Dutch for Milky Way), a multi-level cultural and music venue in the heart of Amsterdam’s nightlife square, just off the Lijnbaansgracht canal (doesn’t that just roll off the tongue?).

Feeling a bit more at home we find our way into the venue. Step 1: locate lockers, put away the warm stuff. Step 2: get a beer. Step 3: find a good vantage point.

Upstairs UK’s Catching Flies (real name George King) is patiently warming up the room. King’s music takes inspiration in a variety of genres from jazz and soul, to house and electronica. Since entering the music scene Catching Flies toured as support for Bonobo and played shows with the likes of ODESZA and Submotion Orchestra. His music is melodic, fluid, with minimal vocals, and some tracks, like “Stay Forever,” are visibly reminiscent of early Odessa, while his remix of “Mt. Wolf’s “Life Size Ghosts” creates an almost religious experience.

Somewhere downstairs, in a slightly larger room called the Oz, UK-based Grammy-winning producer and composer William Phillips is gathering the new arrivals: “Hello Amsterdam, my name is Tourist.” A few cheers passed through the crowd. Tourist’s newest album Wild is dropping tomorrow (October 18th) via Monday Records so the timing of this show is quite opportunistic. In Phillips’ own words Wild is an album in which he tried to “set aside self-doubts” thus producing in a much more liberating way. The album, played out almost in full during the show, features sampled vocals, gentle emotive piano lines, and deep arpeggios that encompass the room in its entirety as the melodies grow louder and more pronounced (check out “Elixir” and “Bunny”).

Overlapping the Tourist set, in the biggest room across the hallway, is Apparat (real name Sascha Ring) and his very atmospheric 4-piece band. Thin, angled fluorescent lights hung across the stage, blinking, creating an incredibly moody atmosphere while Apparat is working through his latest studio album LP5. Playing a mix of string instruments, singing, and occasionally interacting with the band (who were also skilled in a variety of instruments), Sascha showcased his unique flavor of melancholic techno and deep orchestral pop ballads, taking the audience on a journey packed with dark fragmented twists and dramatic turns (press play for “Dawan” and “Caronte”).

Amsterdam proper is not a particularly large city and can be easily walked but a quick tram can take you across town to the Central Station with a lot less precipitation. Here, between the trains, buses, and ferries, down a wide staircase into a large, low ceiling room, is Lil’ Amsterdam, which by all definition feels like an underground nightclub. It is dark, hot AF, smells funny, and you need tokens for everything including the bathroom (entry into which earns you another stamp on the already marked up arm).

Step 1: locate lockers, put away the wet stuff. Step 2: buy tokens, hydrate. Step 3: gently find my way to the front of the stage and put those fancy earplugs to work (one must not forget the good advice of public messaging: protect your ears).

This evening’s programming at Lil’ Amsterdam is brought to us by Audio Obscura, an event organization “born out of love for underground electronic music” on a mission to bring people together in the most iconic historical venues of the world. Through the packed dancing crowd, at the back of the dance floor area, is the German house pioneer Danilo Plessow, aka Motor City Drum Ensemble (MCDE). Inspired by the sounds of Detroit and Chicago house, MCDE spins soul-infused house and techno. Danilo is visibly comfortable on stage: this deck is his home, these people are his people (even if they followed someone in they are fans now), and this inadequately sound-proofed room is a perfect space for the beats to bounce of (“Raw Cuts #3” is a great flavor sample).

Unlike many other festivals around the world, here in Amsterdam, the headliners seemed to go on early at club night events. Admittedly, early still means 1, 2 or 3 am but given that the parties go on till sunrise one can certainly appreciate that their favorite musicians are on at the time of night when you can still form complex sentences, leaving just enough time for a healthy nap before starting it all over again.

The post On the melodic side of electronic: Tourist, Catching Flies, Apparat and Motor City Drum Ensemble at ADE appeared first on Quip Magazine.

But navigating Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) can be an overwhelming experience. One can be completely aware of the fact that there are twenty-five hundred artists participating, and still be perplexed and overwhelmed by the logistics and scheduling whilst navigating the countless canals of the city. The program published on the ADE website is quite detailed, but missing a couple of essential pieces: set times and a digital venue map. Having only start and end times of each individual showcase (each lasting anywhere between 4 and 10 hours), first day of the festival is spent frantically trying to figure out the inner workings of, well, everything – locations, times, entry logistics, transit options (is Uber faster than walking? Short answer: No).

A glass of wine at one of the networking events will ease the stress of planning and smooth the transition into the night which, for this team, begun at the W Amsterdam with BROBOT, an American house music label founded by DJ and Producer Junior Sanchez. BROBOT artist range is quite eclectic and the team showcased that spectacular variety tonight with the likes of Blaqwell, Hiroko Yamamura, Todd Terry, and Junior Sanchez himself (to name a few) on the decks. The room is packed with a relaxed crowd, sprawling on abstract lounge seats drinking Red Bull and Heineken, while a smaller group is crowding by the DJ forming a mini dance pit. BROBOT crew walked us into the night with a wide range of remixes, from Missy Elliott’s “I’m Really Hot” to Moska’s “This Is House,” naturally sprinkled with some disco.

This all doesn’t seem so hard any more, but that could be the second (third?) Red Bull talking.

Somewhere between the canals a yellow ADE flag pole calls attention to Feijoa, a small corner bar with a spillover patio where a loud crowd is cooling down while smoking cigarets, leaning on shaky patio tables, and spilling beer on the ground. Some music could be heard through the door which, each time it opens is promptly shut by the bouncer who, in a very similar fashion, shut the door behind us, thus pushing us both into the mosh pit that the entire bar seemed to have become. On the decks: Germany’s Rauschhaus followed by Soul Button, from Plaisirs Sonores Records. Packed like sardines, leaning on walls, performing acrobatics while reaching for the bar, and fanning themselves while dancing people in this room were boiling in contagiously euphoric energy.

Many of city’s concert venues’ programming is split in two parts: evening showcase and club night. Paradiso, arguably one of the best live music spots in Amsterdam, was one of such venues and was promptly cleared out after ADE Live for a club night event featuring Hayden James on his Between Us tour. After a brief wait in the club entry line, the tail end of the lineup was let in just in time for Hayden James, who was already bathing in applause and cheerful shouts.

To most people, at least in North America, Hayden is an up-and-coming producer who makes melodic summer house (following in the footsteps of Flume, his fellow Future Classic artist). This evening, however, we got to see a whole new side of Hayden James – darker, heavier, deeper house side that raised the temperature all the way through to the back of the balcony with bangers like Duke Dumont’s “Red Light Green Light” and Hayden James originals. Hayden’s stage is in part a performance floor, wrapping around him like a glowing marquee box. Two long-legged dancers walked out just behind him, whipping their long skirts while energized, young crowd continued to cheer almost non-stop through the night.

Walking across the venue a mixed cloud of smoke and stage fog drifts down the hallways like a settling storm – there are covered heated smoking rooms, but not everyone chooses to obey the privileges of such conveniences. Club nights like these draw a younger crowd and, naturally, a lot of tourists. People (wrongly so) treat Amsterdam as a sin city, where you can let your freak flag fly and try all things new because here, in the city of red lights, it is okay. But while Amsterdam admittedly is a very liberal city and has been so for many decades, the truth is, locals are very calm and classy about their cannabis (and other drug) intake and a lot of prohibitive rules are still at play when it comes to public consumption. All throughout the city and festival grounds “Celebrate Safe” posters are taped to the walls, doors, and even displayed in bus shelters: think for yourself, care about others; don’t push your limits, take your time to chill, protect your ears, always have safe sex. “Pace yourself: eat, sleep, rave.” I’ve never read that statement in the context of safe partying guidelines before, but it makes sense. Although, Fat Boy Slim probably didn’t think he wrote a timeless party motto back in 2013, whatever the context might be.

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Chicago born, LA-based, Lee Foss drew a large and early crowd to the park for his 5 pm set. Wearing a retro zip up and short shorts, Lee immediately took us a little back into the past. Throughout his set Lee played tracks from his highly claimed release Alchemy, older releases, collaborations, and a series of fun remixes from MGMT to Destiny’s Child. His unique mix of sultry, druggy tech-house vibrations with a disco-inspired flare were welcomed by the crowd with enthusiastic dance moves.

On the smaller stage Detroit’s Nitin Kalyan, better known as just Nitin, took the stage for his 5:30 pm set. The stage area, while loose at the front, was packed quite tightly all the way to the walkway. Over the last decade or so Nitin made Toronto home so his fan base is rooted quite deeply in the Six and showed up to share the love this afternoon in high energy and Kalyan did not disappoint.

For unknown reasons Guti was unfortunately not able to perform so Toronto’s Demuir took his place. With a handful of solid collaborations behind his belt (Cassy, Carlo Lio, DJ Sneak) Demuir is also known for his “prolific DJ sets” and this evening’s set was a great example of that. Right after, the main stage welcomed UK duo Dusky to the stage at quarter to eight. The duo are very calm and collected behind the decks, not showing much emotion or movement, but the music rattled through the festival grounds with a bang.

Down the road George FitzGerald stepped up for his nearly two-hour-long set. The stage was repeatedly enveloped with thick fog (see our Instagram story) creating a surreal environment for a good half of the audience. Being completely blinded by the white cloud people were dancing with their eyes closed in psychedelic bliss, while George calmly worked his way through his playlist. The tracks from All That Must Be and Fading Love cross over well to dancefloor music while staying true to their deep, all-encompassing nature that makes you want to turn up the volume in your headphones while pounding life.

The event wrapped up on a high note when Hot Since 82 turned the party into the late-night house music party that is was craving to be. What RA called “visceral, grandstanding house music” comes to life in full color on stage. The night felt particularly dark and we all felt like guests on a live edition Pete Tong’s Essential Mixes episode, dancing, sweating, drinking cold beers, and hoping summer never ends.

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