The BPM Festival 5th. Annual Edition
December 30, 2011 – January 8, 2012
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Younan Music Label Showcase
Saturday January 7, 2012 @ La Santanera
1 – Tell us about yourself.
SY- I’m Saeed Younan, Professionally DJing & touring since 1998. Voted one of America’s top 50 best DJ’s, 3 Years in a row. Lunched the successful label Younan Music, in 2004.
PK – I’m Kaveh from Pleasurekraft and I live eat and breathe music regardless of genre or image.
2 – How was 2011 for you?
SY – One of the best years yet (for my label & myself). Touring non-stop, producing music with some of my favorite artists, and signing some amazing tracks on Younan Music.
PK – Amazing – so crazy to think it has been only 1 year of touring and some of the gigs have been in venues that people dream about playing at.
3- What’s your favorite thing about a festival, over a normal club night?
SY – Festivals (similar to The BPM Fest.) has an energy to it, that doesn’t compare to a regular club night. The vibe escalates and the craziness at an all-time high. I can really feed off the energy during a festival dj set.
PK – Depends on the festival! J But generally speaking the sheer size and scope of festivals and that there are constantly parties going on and you get to run into your peers just walking down the street is very cool.
4 – Have you got any new productions that you will be testing out at BPM?
SY – Yes, I just signed D-formation, Wally Lopez, Craig Pettigrew, Rainer Weichhold, Nick Olivetti, Patrick M, David Lara and few others, to Younan Music. We’ll be testing those out, during the Younan Music Showcase on Jan 7th.
PK – Yep – some great remixes that some artists have done of our tracks that wont be out yet – and our newest track we have done (an original) which Green Velvet did the vocals for!
5 – Have you edited any tracks specifically for the festival?
SY – I do all my editing on the fly, during performance. I’ll be looping and editing live with 2 CDJ’s and 2 internal decks on Traktor Pro. (4 Decks total). You’ll definitely hear some elements that you’ll recognize, during the set.
PK – Yeah a couple – but I had to test them out first hehe – but when you hear the vocal hook from Junior Jack’s e-Samba – you will know
6- Have you attended the BPM Festival before? If so, where does it rank among the other big festivals that you have been too?
SY – I played last year, and it was one of the best festivals I’ve been fortunate to play at. Not only is it a great festival, it’s by far one of the best to network at, as well.
PK – No this is my first time attending – and so psyched to be playing at it at the same time!
7 – What sort of vibe will you be trying to create? Not setting candles and aromatherapy oils, I hope. LOL
SY – haha…no candles or oils here…I’ll let the people bring their own. (Just kidding).
I like to create a sexy vibe. Pleasurekraft and I are going to do a B2B set. So we’ll probably start off with some house and kicking it up to tech-house/techno as the night progress. This is the first time Kaveh and I play back 2 back. So, it’s definitely going to be a special night for us and for the people on the dance floor. We also got the very talented DJ (ADDY) opening up the main room. With great music on the terrace by Germano Kuerten, Doc Brown, and opening set by Tara Brooks. It’s going to be an amazing night/day.
PK – What’s wrong with candles and aromatherapy? Lol Some oiuja boards, maybe some wheatgrass shots etc. No but seriously – I have no idea – I have never been so I want to get there and scope it out, see what its like and then take it from there.
8- Any artists to watch for in 2012?
SY – Dformation, Mendo, Oscar L, and Paco Maroto are doing some amazing stuff right now. Also really feeling the stuff coming out on labels like Kenpo, Bitten, Saved Music, Ole Music, and of course Younan Music.
PK – Mike Vale, Belocca, Jesse Perez, Tom Flynn
9 – Will you be checking out any other DJ’s sets, while at the festival? (if so who?)
SY – I missed Loco Dice last year, because I had to fly out for a gig. But I made sure to take the full week off and enjoy all the DJ’s this year, especially the Desolat and Saved labels showcase.
PK – Well unfortunately I don’t arrive until the day before the festival ends – but if Nic Fanciulli is playing anywhere – I will have to go.
10 – What’s next after the BPM festival?
SY – We are launching the YOUNAN MUSIC TOUR early 2012. Showcasing myself, Paolo Mojo, David Herrero, Baggi Begovic, Hector Couto, Carlos Fauvrelle, DJ Addy, and DJ Wady. I’m also in the studio working on new tracks with Dj Chus, Oscar G, and Funkerman. Also remixing tracks by Wally Lopez, and D-formation.
Lot’s of fun projects tour dates in the coming months. Stay tuned!
PK – A little tour in South America followed by some more Mexico dates (my fav country in the world to play in!) – then finishing it off in LA for Monday night social before heading over to Europe again.
