[interview] with Mizoo (TimeGate 2015 highlight)

Dear readers,

today we are chatting with our friend Mizoo from Swizterland. Dj since the far 1992(!), he plays in mainstages and chill rooms all around Europe. His favourite genres are ambient / downtempo / electronica / progressive / psy-trance and Techno. Moreover Mizoo makes a part of Biolive Production, Ultimae & Moonloop records, as well as Onefeelmusic.

We decided to contact him now, in order to get fresh information about TimeGate New Year event. Since 2002 Biolive was organizing this event on NYE in Swizterland. We will also discuss development of the ambient and psy trance music in Switzerland.

Interview taken in the end of november by Gagarin Project.

Hi Mizoo! Thank you so much for finding time to speak with us.

Hello. Thanx to you, too.

We haven’t see you since the beginning of the summer. What’s new in your life?

I have a new job since September 2014. For 15 years already I’m a social worker. From the beginning of the summer 2014, in terms of music, I had 4 gigs in France, 1 gig in Germany and 3 gigs in Switzerland. I played a lot of hours of different styles of electronic music (dub, techno, downtempo, ambient, progressive, psy-trance). I’m also at home with my children and my wife and my 3 cats.

Sounds great! Tell us a bit about BioLive! How old is this organisation and what is it about (for those who never heard about it)? What’s its concept?

Biolive exists since 2002. It’s a non-profit cultural association in Switzerland ! The concept is to offer a mega-show with psychedelic electronic music, massive deco & show and massive video mapping for the NYE.

You were at the beginning of the festival creation, tell us about this event, what idea lies behind it?

I was not there in the beginning of this festival. Biolive produces TimeGate since 2002.
I’m in Biolive since 2006. The idea is to provide the relax, fun, dream in a psychedelic bubble with different styles of electronic music.

Ah, ok. New Year is a transitional period, people celebrate the old year and make plans for the future. What is the tradition to celebrate new year in Switzerland, is it a family event? What is usually the atmosphere at TimeGate?

It’s a cool & crazy atmosphere with a lot of people (over 2’000). I don’t know what people think about but they mostly might think of the present moment … like in every festival i guess ….

What about people who come? Are they mostly local or do you have many foreign visitors?

Over 60% of people come from France, Germany, Italy and other countries. The rest come from different parts of Switzerland.

How different will be this year TimeGate from Last years?

After 10 editions of Timegate festival, we decided to have a break this 2014 year… Well no! We’ve changed our mind. For the night of December 31, 2014, we propose an edition called Timegate 2015 – Symbiosis. One night with a main floor (progressive & psy-trance) and a parallel floor (downtempo, progressive, techno, deep trance). We bring a whole new visual project at the front stage edition that was never seen before.

Looking forward! Tell us a bit about Parallel floor, what kind of vibe you will give to the place, is it more an alternative stage, second dance floor or a chill out area?

The parallel floor is for deep electronic music such as ambient, dub techno, downtempo, deep trance, progressive house, psy chill. It’s like a club for 350 people with a bar, minimal deco, mapping, smoking area, food area. People are between 30 and 50 years. It’s more like a family… i like this floor because we can have time to speak about a lot of things…

BioLive had always strong downtempo lineup. Which artist are you looking for to listen this year?

Biolive has a global line up. i don’t think it’s a strong downtempo line up…. For this edition, for the first time in Swizterland we have: Astropilot (live) and ManMachine (live). Moreover we have: beat bizarre, gagarin project & runa (parallel floor). For the main floor: zen mechanics, zentura, sub6, dj boom shankar, nerso, kokmok, d-root. We have a lot of swiss artists for the parallel floor, as well. I will close the main floor on the 1st of January from noon till 2 pm / 3 pm….

That looks very promising! So let’s switch the discussion to musical events in Switzerland. Do you often have psytrance/psychill events around the country?

We have too much parties/festivalz in Switzerland…. Sometimes, there are over 10 parties the same weekend.

Oh! What’s the role of chill out music at the psy-events? Is it demanded? Will you certainly find the chill out stage at the psy-trance party/festival?

Chill out is a special area where people can talk quietly. For me one chill out is a place of discovery of different kinds of music, a place to have rest and look at, for instance, the pretty floating leaves in your chai. Sometimes I’m very surprised to find out that chill out zones are not comfortable. Sometimes they are seen like kind of addition… I’ve even seen the chill outs near the garbage bins or the toilets. I’m for the qualitative chill out.

What kind of psychedelic genres are the most popular? Does anybody try to organise full “chill” events?

It’s difficult to give an answer to this question because all electronic psychedelic music styles are appreciated in Switzerland. It depends on the region, people, season.

Thank you for sharing this interesting information, tell us a bit about yourself. What are your main musical influences these days? What music do you listen at home, in a car ?

I’m a true music lover since my childhood, I’m Dj since 1992. I discovered electronic music in 1988 and joined Ultimae records in 2007. I offer, through a various genres of mixes, a subtle combination of ambient, electronica, downtempo, deep tech-house & psychedelic progressive trance, blended with some movie excerpts. I compiled 4 releases for the “TimeGate NYE festival” in Switzerland and “Greenosophy” for Ultimae records.

At home and in my car, i listen a lot of ambient, deep house, dub techno. My influences are : Future sound of London, Moby, Son Kite, Biosphere, Aes Dana, Pink Floyd, Perfect stranger,Ssven Väth, Richie Hawtin, Zolod, Dick Trevor, Zen mechanics, Tristan, Loud.

What are the other music event projects that your are involved in now?

Since 2011, my friends and I tried to present an edition called “Des poésies_soniques”. Its concept is a sound travel mixed with ambient, electronica, deep house, psy chill music, video projections and reading of philosophical texts. We’ve already had 3 sessions. The last edition was held on 15 November 2014 in a cinema in Lausanne, Switzerland.

In 2012 you released Greenosophy compilation, actually i think it was at this moment that i started to follow your musical journey. Tell us more about it : where did the idea come from, how long did it take you? What did you learn from this experience?

The inspiration to create Greenosphy compilation came from 2 outdoor Greenosophy parties in Swizterland during the summer of 2009 & 2010 and the energy from the audience. The inspiration came as well from: Yves Blanc @ La planète bleue, films by A.-G. Inarritu, Steven Soderbergh, Cliff Martinez. With support of Aes Dana and Mahiane I learnt a lot from this compilation. There will be new Greenosophy edition.. Maybe in 2015 or 2016.

Thank you so much for your time with us, it was very interesting conversation indeed! Would you like to wish something to our readers in view of the upcoming holidays and new Year?

Thanx to you, too! I hope you will enjoy the whole of our festival, take care of yourself, happy new year.

More info http://www.biolive.ch/website/timegate-2015-symbiosis/

Listen to Mizoo works https://soundcloud.com/mizoo