Podcast #134 - iOÛN [FR]

Virtual Underground

by @ioun photo by www.facebook.com/reflexologiquephotos Interview : Virtual Underground: How did the story of iOÛN begin? iOÛN: The story of iOÛN began almost 3 years ago. First of all passionate about rock and alternative music, it was impregnated with the electro culture both in France (especially in Brittany) but also during its experiences abroad (England, Poland) in clubs and festivals (I am especially at the base a spectator who likes to vibrate thanks to the music). Two of my friends of studies create the association Armen Crew several years ago, that I will join in 2019 first as a volunteer then as a DJ. VU: What are your main inspirations? iOÛN: My inspirations are wide and diverse, I love rock (I also play in a band), alternative music and electronic music and especially the rhythmic sections of the latter. As far as electro is concerned, I'm very attracted by the incisive and percussive sounds of the Prodigy, Djedjotronic, Voiron or Helena Hauff for example. I like to propose sets that will not be only with the same style of sounds all along, I like to vary and bring different phases and ambiances in my sets (mainly electro often coupled with techno, pieces a little bit calmer, also indus or even more broken pieces), to vary the intensities to finally, simply make my audience travel in a journey at the same time dancing, sometimes dark and especially energetic. VU: Can you tell us about your selection and mixing process of the tracks? iOÛN: I do my digging mainly via Youtube by subscribing to many channels that perpetually suggest me new ideas of sound (and also discovery of new artists) and also via Bandcamp which is according to me a great platform to digest and pay the artists. So I pick in my last finds that I buy on Bandcamp but not only, the CD format occupies an important place in my purchases (I don't like to limit myself only to the digital format). Fortunately, there are still some record shops that offer an interesting range of CDs in this genre that is electro in the broad sense (new or second hand). Then I build my sets so that the intensity and the tempo increase in the duration. For the mixing, I use a rather simple and raw technique, I go to the essential while remaining in rhythm (it is the most important for me, it is necessary to stall well! and then I simply make my EQ transfers and I do not loop). VU: What software/hardware did you use for this set? iOÛN: I still use the same equipment as when I started, namely : - A pair of Numark NDX 400 (MP3 + CD) - A Mixars UNO desk - A Reloop Tape recorder Let's say I'm a bit old school but it suits me very well and it makes me work a lot on the rhythmic approach. I don't like to be assisted by a computer software (having two spectrums to manage annoys me more than anything else), once again I prefer to go to the essential and concentrate on the structures of the pieces (by ear) to know when to send the continuation. VU: What are your next projects? iOÛN: I'm planning to start a mix duo with a long time friend in parallel to my band and solo projects and that we start working on it. For the future, I plan to continue to invest myself with Armen Crew (my second family!) to organize events and play for people, it's very exciting for me. I'm also open to all kinds of proposals like online podcasts or participating in events.