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Nina Kraviz (Rekids, Underground Quality) @ ENTER. Sake, Space - Ibiza (25.07.2013)
An unfortunate subject of the ‘Female DJ’ debate, Kraviz is an interesting character in relation to feminism. Known to address the issue herself, she constantly underlines the unprocessed nature of her expressions of femininity and simultaneous reluctance to ‘butch up’ in a continually male-driven profession – ideas synonymous with third-wave feminist arguments endorsing choice and highlighting, amongst other things, that you don’t have to be ‘unfeminine’ to rely on principle notions of gender equality. These same ideas come into contention with issues such as cosmetic surgery, promiscuity and, say, doing interviews in bathtubs. A couple of months ago, Resident Advisor released the first of their Between The Beats series. Intended to document the events in between the world’s most celebrated DJs’ moments in the spotlight, the subject of their first piece was Kraviz. From being a relatively unanticipated addition to RA’s extensive catalogue of media, it became the biggest talking-point in world dance music. The video offers an intriguing insight into a profession that is as increasingly sensationalised as it is desired. There’s no denying the role of international DJ, as sought-after and financially prolific as it can be, is a lonely and rootless pursuit of success and gratification. Kraviz seems at pain, throughout, to stress how fortunate she feels to be in her position.
She speaks endlessly about the joys of DJing, of how she feels she fulfills her role. But one scene stole the comments inches. The bath scene in question rapidly caused internet furore, as numerous DJs dipped their toe in. Greg Wilson penned an extensive, and eloquent, piece on the intricacies of Kraviz’s feminine ‘curse’, whilst TEED shared a video of an equally glorious frolic in the tub. Maceo Plex unfavourably accused her of ‘blatant uses of sexuality and superficiality’. The issue fanned the perishing flames of an outdated dichotomy that increasingly sells women short, with those involved commonly disregarding autonomy, instead focusing on misused attention on either side of the debate between vulnerability and venality.
Kraviz’s anger at being elevated to a sexual symbol then instantaneously demonised for expressing her coveted femininity is understandable. In her personal defence, she stressed the raw nature of a creative persona which remains embroiled with her personality and appearance, whilst she revels in the tactile nature of vinyl and her own sensual nature; in the DJ set as an interactive, communal experience between room and selector. But as the water slid down the plughole it reformed as the most fervent debate in the rapidly popularising world of ‘underground’ dance music.
From humble beginnings to the top of the DJ game, it’s been a lengthy and intriguing path. Kraviz grew up near Irkutsk, a Siberian city with an unforgiving climate, in a home where jazz, blues and pop music constantly filled the air, before moving to Moscow in the late 90s to pursue her training as a dentist while juggling frontwoman duties with electronic band MySpaceRocket as well as performing under her own name. An RBMA success story, she was picked up for the Melbourne instalment in 2006, and subsequently met individuals who changed the course of her career: Greg Wilson, a constant mentor, and Matt Edwards (Radio Slave), a career-long associate. Edwards’s Rekids label became her home, and in 2012 she released her self-titled artist album through the imprint.
The album in question showcases a producer/songwriter wholly at ease with the requisite nuances and sympathetic balance of an effective full length. Warm deep house tracks mingle with atmospheric, ambient pop songs, frequently defined by distinctive, seductive vocals which are at points robotic, as on single Ghetto Kraviz, or on gorgeous closer Fire, multi-tracked and riddled with humanity. Beats are often emaciated and minimal, memories of rhythms which flicker and bubble through smoky atmospherics. Meanwhile, Kraviz’s increasingly techno-oriented DJ sets have become hugely revered, exploring a compulsive adoration of mystic acid house, mesmerising crowds as she labours to carve a niche in that ever-saturated market.
While the bathtub affair continues to naggingly follow the Kraviz name – and doubtless add a zero onto her DJ fee in the process – we meet her in a London hotel to find an utterly affable and charming individual, as passionate about her music as she’s ever been. As she joins us she’s slightly bleary and an hour late having played a secretsundaze party the previous night. She speaks as she performs, frank and unrestrained. We share a cab to the photography studio, where she shows herself to be a total natural in front of the camera, free from inhibition, pulling faces and seemingly unhindered by any contexts. It was a pleasure to get to know Nina Kraviz the individual, beyond the fabrications, the mist and the myth.
http://soundcloud.com/evil_concussion/2013-07-25-nina-kraviz-rekids
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☆ ☆ ☆ T R A C K L I S T I N G ☆ ☆ ☆
01.) ID - ID
02.) Orlando Voorn - Balanced: Troublesshooter (1st Mix)
03.) Baby Ford & The Ifach Collective - 24 Hr
04.) ID - ID
05.) ID - ID
06.) Dustin Zahn - Forward Unto Dawn
07.) ID - ID
08.) ID - ID
09.) Stanislav Tolkachev - Like A Cat's Shadow
10.) Etapp Kyle - Drama
11.) Sleeparchive - 1
12.) Shifted - The Cold Light
13.) ROD - Acid Track [Unreleased]
14.) Mike Parker - Mnajdra (Shifted RMX)
15.) ID - ID
16.) Richie Hawtin - 003
17.) ID - ID
18.) Rødhåd - Patient Zero
19.) ID - ID
: .ılı.——Volume——.ılı.
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☮☮☮ Please note: this is her FULL Set !!! I had seen the last days many bad versions (ranging from incomplete until chopped skipped recordings) All who have downloaded something like that could delate it now. Here is the best Version you can ever get [recorded live from Space Ibiza with a Tascam DR-40] ☮☮☮
