HousePlanet Interview with Bogdan Taran

HousePlanet Interview with Bogdan Taran

15 April, 2008 | 11.33PM

• Section: Music News
• Written by: HousePlanet_dot_DJ

HousePlanet caught up with the most famous Latvian DJ Bogdan Taran, who will be playing at Sensation White Riga this year.

He speaks about his plans, attitude to Sensation White and about music in general.

Tell us about your plans in this year.
- Plans for this year are to release more music on my labels Amber Muse and Amber Digital, which will be launched this June with release of Testpattern tune “Way Beyond”. I also started producing and remixing by myself along with my partner Max Lomov. We just finished remix for Electricano’s new work “Runner”, and you will hear more our works under the name of Taran & Lomov this year.

Are you a resident dj in any clubs?
- I ended up with regular resident DJ work in Riga 4 years ago or so… I was doing residencies in Metro, Dizzi, Nautilus, Dizzi Conference and Depo since I started spinning records in 1997. Then I just swithced to freelance DJ work: travelled a lot across the Baltic states and abroad as well. For the past three years I just had series of events called Inspiration in clubs Essential (one year) and Nautilus (two years). In 2008 I return to Essential with another few Inspiration sessions, first of them will take place coming Saturday, april 19th.

Which equipment do u use?
- I am pretty oldfashioned in this field, so main equipment I use are mixer with fx block, cd decks and turntables. I still use accapellas and effects over the music I pla.

Do you produce music?

- As I already mentioned these days I work with Max Lomov on music production and remixing. My first production experience was in 2000 when together with Latvian band Tune-L we did a song “Tell Me”. And then I returned to it last year, when we did remix for Cristian Paduraru’s “Emotion Comes From Motion”.

What are your current favorite tracks?
- Electronic chart Top 3:
1.  Sebastien Leger – Knights of the Jaguar (Mistakes)
2.  TestPattern – Way Beyond (Magik Johnson Remix) (Amber Digital)
3.  Testpattern a.k.a Max Lomov & ZaZzy – Silver (Amber Digital)
House Chart top 3:
1.  Bobby D’Ambrosio feat Kelli Sae – Love Forever More, Amen (Fabulous & Jones Club Mix) (Soulfuric WMC)
2.  Rubberman - Creep (Raul Rincon Mix) (Subversive)
3.  Beatz Kinetic – Push The Fader (DK Jones Remix) (Duffnote)
You can subscribe to my newsletter with radio tracklistings and charts return on my website, which has new look since the beginning of April at www.dancebox.net .

Who is your favourite dj? Who are your influences in music?
- I still adore Carl Cox, I was huge fan of his since the late 90’s. I like what DJ Sneak do. There’s also one US DJ and producer I used to like musically and technically in the past years - Erick Morillo. But recently I don’t like his music at all, while his technical skills are perfect.

What is the music for you?
- Life, inspiration, profession.

Please describe dance music scene in Latvia or in all Baltic states.
- What I can see from Riga, in 2008 centre of Baltic States’ dance scene moved to here recently. In the beginning it was Tallinn (at the times of Sun Dance Music Festivals), then it was Vilnius with their Nokia Plug-In and Pure Future fests, and now that is definitely Riga. First reason for that is that we have quite different musically guests here in town, secondly, we have guests almost every week, third reason is we run many of big events and festivals and year by year they are getting more quality (Sensation White, Dance Summit, Essential Knockout, Baltic Beach Party in Liepaja etc etc).

How can you comment or describe Sensation White event in Riga last year?
- I’ll tell absolutely honestly: I am not a fan of big people medleys. And I was tuned in sceptic to “Sensation White” in Riga. I changed my mind totally after one hour spent in the Arena Riga. Full respect to organizers of the event, to the crowd following white dress code - that was amazing show with fantastic ambience. Can’t say I liked what DJs played, but that is not most important at “Sensation” events, it’s all bout event itself.

Which tracks will you play on Sensation?
- I am going to play electronic records - from house to techy tunes, which has deep mood and tasty sounds and basses. Not electro and electro house, I get tired of this music.

What was the best gig ever for you?
- There was so many great gigs during the past 11 years of my DJ carreer, so I can’t single out particular set.

Are you planning to visit Estonia in this year?
- Not yet really, I didn’t get any proposals from Estonian promoters to come over and play. Maybe I’ll come over just to meet my friends there and to attend few clubs in town.

Please give a few words for your fans on HousePlanet.
- Have your ears open for any music you hear and try to find something good in it. You will see that the world of good thing is much wider than we used to think.

Thank you!

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• Check out Bogdan Taran on Beatport