Your new EP ‘Za Ria’ is out on vinyl and is releasing 5th July, congrats! Can you tell us more about how it came together?
Since the beginning, we have been creating tracks for our parties and for other projects with artists and soon the idea of producing an album came naturally. This album is a way for us to showcase tracks that best represent our style, blending the music we love with our diverse influences.
The recognised Riccardo Villalobos (as Ric Y Martin) also features as part of the EP on remix duties, what an achievement! How did the collaboration happen?
Indeed, we have been collaborating with Dandy Jack (Martin) for the past four years, and his rich musical influences and background have been incredibly inspiring. We quickly had the idea to reunite the duo, 14 years later, with Ricardo as a tribute to their timeless relevance. We’re incredibly honoured to have Riccardo and Dandyjack (as Ric Y Martin) on remix duties for our EP.
How has being from Switzerland inspired your music and organising parties in your home country?
Being from Switzerland has profoundly inspired our music and the way we organize parties. Geneva, in particular, which is a multicultural city like few others, has a very rich history in the electronic scene that has shaped our approach. Weetamix, where we had our first residency, is a legendary club managed by the same owner, Dimitri, for 30 years. It was a starting point for artists like Sonja Moonear and Luciano, and hosted many renowned names such as Villalobos, Richie Hawtin, Sven Väth, Carl Craig, and Jeff Mills.
This vibrant scene has greatly influenced our sound and our event planning. Today, we draw inspiration from venues like Audio Club, a larger space with two rooms, a spacious outdoor area, and a top-notch sound system, continually improved by Jonathan La Foret. Geneva, despite its small size, boasts a variety of clubs like Motel Campo, L’Usine, and La Gravière. These elements of our home country have been crucial in shaping our musical journey and the events we create.
You both as artists have residencies at Audio Club in Geneva, can you tell us more about the residency and what people can expect from the parties?
Audio Club is a haven for connoisseurs who appreciate music delivered through a unique sound system recently upgraded to “Lamba Labs.” The club fosters a free and creative environment where people can expect an immersive and festive experience, allowing them to disconnect from their daily lives and explore musical innovation.
What were your early inspirations that helped you decide to make electronic music?
Since the age of 10, spending time on the beaches of Ibiza, we’ve been deeply drawn to electronic music. The parties my father organized in Paris also had a significant influence. Meeting Raphael, who shared similar influences, in high school was a pivotal moment. Our shared passion and complementary skills made it easy to progress together.
What are your musical influences from childhood?
Our musical influences have evolved, but from a young age, we were exposed to a variety of musical styles. From classical to eclectic pop, and even French classics like Aznavour, alongside international influences. We’ve always loved House, techno and electronic music while also appreciating the great French classics.
What do you do when equipment goes on strike?
We won’t lie; the rare times it happens, we try to stay calm and turn the situation in our favor, which in the end hypes up the crowd. It’s not always easy, but we’ve learned to handle these situations better since the first time it happened to us.
How do you handle music requests?
It rarely happens because our audience knows exactly what to expect and comes to experience our music. We receive very few specific requests during our sets, as the audience is eager to discover our unique sound.
Is it even possible to argue about musical tastes?
Arguing about musical tastes can be meaningful and enriching, fostering cultural exchange, emotional connection. So far, we have been quite aligned, though we do occasionally challenge each other on musical tastes and the creation of tracks. This process helps us achieve a balanced and thoughtful result. Being a duo allows us to build on each other’s reflections and enrich the debate, always striving for equilibrium.
Which track would run when you moved into your boxing match?
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
Describes your sound to someone who has never heard it before.
Our sound is a blend of rounded Minimal Techno that can evolve into groovy House, creating a dynamic and engaging listening experience. It’s a lively and dynamic blend that constantly evolves, defying easy categorization. We find it challenging to describe our sound precisely because it’s always changing and adapting to the moment. We’re drawn to exploring the contrasts between darker, more atmospheric tones and uplifting, energetic rhythms. This versatility allows us to craft a distinct atmosphere depending on the venue and the timing of our sets.
Do you have any good tour stories from clubs or festivals?
One memorable anecdote involves turning a setback into an opportunity. When the club where we were scheduled to perform got unexpectedly closed just two hours before our party was set to begin, we swiftly relocated all our guests to another venue, Audio Club. This unexpected change made the night incredibly special for us and the dancers! We are especially grateful for the owner’s immediate trust in us, which allowed us to salvage the event and turn it into a memorable experience.
What would you do if you weren’t a musician?
If we weren’t musicians, we might have pursued careers in sports.
Which style of music should have the most followers? And why?
We don’t think any particular style of music should have the most followers. With almost 8 billion people on this planet, there are countless different styles to suit everyone’s tastes. We don’t play just one single style but try to mix all the styles that we like. This diversity allows us to connect with a wider audience and keeps our music dynamic and exciting.
What is the most important musical equipment invention of all time – and why?
The synthesizer is seriously a game-changer in music. It’s wild how it lets musicians create all these amazing sounds that were impossible before. It’s the reason why electronic music and so many other genres took off. Even now, it’s crucial for making music sound top-notch at live shows and in the studio. It’s basically the ultimate tool in music
What would you advise to become a professional?
To become a professional, one must be perseverant and tenacious. Never give up and always believe in your passions.
366 DAYS, the brand run by Geneva-based artists Auguste Safar and Raphael Graham focused on promoting music events, is expanding its horizons and finally debuting as a record label. Aimed at showcasing house, techno, and minimal techno sounds, 366 DAYS welcomes label owners Auguste and Raphael for their inaugural release, „Za Ria.“ On the remix duties? No other than veterans Dandy Jack and Ricardo Villalobos resurrecting their Ric y Martin moniker.
The title track, ‚Za-Ria‘ (A1), provides a glimpse into the young duo’s talent and producer ethos: robust minimal grooves, rolling basslines, modular bleeps and bloops, ritualistic percussions and meticulous sampling — all the necessary ingredients for peak-time shenanigans. ‚Depth’s Drunkenness‘ (A2), on the other hand, follows a somewhat hypnotic path. Its rhythmic structure remains as tight and stomping as the previous track but expands on minimalism. Vocal whispers and synth stabs fill the space, keeping the frequency spectrum exciting and alive. On the flip side, Dandy Jack and Ricardo remix ‚Za-Ria‘ (B1), throwing a 4-by-4 groover into a frenzy of sample mangling in micro/macro proportions. And while granular sampling and modular processing are usually unpredictable tools, here, everything is rhythm, like beautifully organized chaos.
Quickly establishing themselves as some of the most exciting young talents in the Swiss electronic music scene today, Auguste Safar and Raphael Graham, along with their 366 DAYS imprint, are ones to look out for.
