BiGiE
March 30th, 2005, 09:31 AM
MAZEN Al Maskati plans to become the first Bahraini to release a house music single in the UK this summer.
The house music DJ, better known as DJ Mazen, expects to press the final version of his single Silver Media at the end of May.
He started work on the track in the UK last October with his friend, fellow DJ and music producer Pete Doyle.
Work on the single is now almost complete and it will be released in the UK on his own record label Analogue Soul.
"As a DJ you play someone else's tracks, but it is nice to make your own tracks as well," DJ Mazen told the GDN.
"It is always a goal to produce your own music. It is the dream of any DJ - that way you can say this is your experience of music.
"This is the way I experience music and project it onto the record. It is an amazing feeling to have your own thing."
The dance single is described as "electro", which is a style of music that originated back in the 1980s.
Its influences can be traced back to German technopop legends Kraftwerk and French producer Jean-Michel Jarre.
"Electro is a sound from the 80s like Yazz and Kraftwerk, but it has been modified to today's beats," said DJ Mazen, who has been spinning discs for the past five years.
"Lots of clubbers are big on it in Europe and people might recognise samples from the 80s that they grew up with."
Once it is released, the idea is to push Silver Media to other DJs playing in clubs, as well as distributors in Europe and the US.
There are also plans to promote the track through radio stations and DJs in the region.
"We'll try to get the record more out there, let people listen to it and see what kind of response we get," said DJ Mazen.
The long-term goal is to sign up other artists and release their tracks on the Analogue Soul label.
However, although DJ Mazen spent 14 years in the US - where he studied and worked as a promoter - he left it relatively late to get behind the decks himself.
"I played behind the decks now and then, but nothing serious," he said.
"Then I came back to Bahrain in 2000 and felt that the dance scene was relatively small.
"There were a few people doing a couple of things, but it needed to be developed.
"I teamed up with some local DJs, like DJ Salah, and started doing events outside clubs and the scene has picked up since then.
"Dance culture is not part of our culture the same way it is in the US or Europe, but it is growing at a steady rate."
DJ Mazen is also pushing forward with plans to stage a major dance music event in Dubai next year.
It is expected to take place over three days in October 2006 and bring together professionals from all corners of the music industry - such as lighting specialists, music equipment experts, DJs, producers and club owners.
"It will help people in the region understand how the music industry works," said DJ Mazen.
"Venue owners in the region open a business, run it for two or three months and then venues start to go down because the owners do not have much experience in the entertainment industry.
"The event in Dubai will put the Middle East on the map in terms of electronic music and a lot of knowledge will be passed around.
"Hopefully it will encourage more local talent to get into producing and DJing."
DJ Mazen can be found playing at Zoe's, in Adliya, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and every other Thursday.
For more information or to find out about forthcoming events visit his website at www.analoguesoul.com
The house music DJ, better known as DJ Mazen, expects to press the final version of his single Silver Media at the end of May.
He started work on the track in the UK last October with his friend, fellow DJ and music producer Pete Doyle.
Work on the single is now almost complete and it will be released in the UK on his own record label Analogue Soul.
"As a DJ you play someone else's tracks, but it is nice to make your own tracks as well," DJ Mazen told the GDN.
"It is always a goal to produce your own music. It is the dream of any DJ - that way you can say this is your experience of music.
"This is the way I experience music and project it onto the record. It is an amazing feeling to have your own thing."
The dance single is described as "electro", which is a style of music that originated back in the 1980s.
Its influences can be traced back to German technopop legends Kraftwerk and French producer Jean-Michel Jarre.
"Electro is a sound from the 80s like Yazz and Kraftwerk, but it has been modified to today's beats," said DJ Mazen, who has been spinning discs for the past five years.
"Lots of clubbers are big on it in Europe and people might recognise samples from the 80s that they grew up with."
Once it is released, the idea is to push Silver Media to other DJs playing in clubs, as well as distributors in Europe and the US.
There are also plans to promote the track through radio stations and DJs in the region.
"We'll try to get the record more out there, let people listen to it and see what kind of response we get," said DJ Mazen.
The long-term goal is to sign up other artists and release their tracks on the Analogue Soul label.
However, although DJ Mazen spent 14 years in the US - where he studied and worked as a promoter - he left it relatively late to get behind the decks himself.
"I played behind the decks now and then, but nothing serious," he said.
"Then I came back to Bahrain in 2000 and felt that the dance scene was relatively small.
"There were a few people doing a couple of things, but it needed to be developed.
"I teamed up with some local DJs, like DJ Salah, and started doing events outside clubs and the scene has picked up since then.
"Dance culture is not part of our culture the same way it is in the US or Europe, but it is growing at a steady rate."
DJ Mazen is also pushing forward with plans to stage a major dance music event in Dubai next year.
It is expected to take place over three days in October 2006 and bring together professionals from all corners of the music industry - such as lighting specialists, music equipment experts, DJs, producers and club owners.
"It will help people in the region understand how the music industry works," said DJ Mazen.
"Venue owners in the region open a business, run it for two or three months and then venues start to go down because the owners do not have much experience in the entertainment industry.
"The event in Dubai will put the Middle East on the map in terms of electronic music and a lot of knowledge will be passed around.
"Hopefully it will encourage more local talent to get into producing and DJing."
DJ Mazen can be found playing at Zoe's, in Adliya, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and every other Thursday.
For more information or to find out about forthcoming events visit his website at www.analoguesoul.com