Brazilian vibes courtesy of Yellow Island Records main man and Balamii reseident Flávio Albino aka Albin. We had a great chat and Flavio recorded another great moody addition to the evergrowing guest mix archive, thanks again!
Hello Flavio, thanks for taking the time to make a mix for DR! Can you introduce yourself briefly?
Hello everyone, first of all thanks Timo for inviting me to this interview. I'm better known as Albin, I'm from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and I've been sharing music with people since I understood myself as a human being.
What’s keeping you busy currently - you’re a DJ, a radio host and co-run the Yellow Island imprint?
There is a lot going on, from bad and difficult days to deal with because of social isolation and with our worst government here in Brazil. But good things have also happened too, we are getting nice results with the work I do with my friend Norus on Yellow Island and in my career as an artist. I have focused more on managing the label at the moment, making new connections and meeting new artists.
Now with a Sub-label called 'Astral Therapy', we will explore more the sounds we like, it will be a channel to share deeper sounds, ambient and not so focused on the dance floor.
Some weeks ago I presented a new experimental audiovisual project alongside the communication studio and designer .KRW on Public Records TV (NYC), a project that I also intend to continue and explore with my friends experimental video and music.
In addition I am part of a new collective here in Brazil called Anexo, where we bring together people from different states and different groups to help each other during the pandemic, exchange experiences and create innovative projects within the Brazilian scene, the collective was born in the middle of the pandemic with a fundraising campaign to help artists affected by not being able to exercise their functions because of social isolation.
The collective recently participated in a fundraising campaign with NSNS Magazine and Rinse France for artists from Latin America highlighting some essential local actors from the different music scenes, our collective contributed 6 hours of audiovisual curated by my friend Kenya20HZ, from Rio de Janeiro.
What drove you to electronic music and DJ’ing, and how did you get started?
I was born surrounded by music and art all my life, with the influence of his father who is an MPB guitarist, other family members who had an indirect relationship with music and the street. I grew up playing drums, listening to Steve B, DJ Marlboro, DJ Patife, a lot of Rap, Hiphop & R&B, wherever I went at friends, baile and family parties. As I grew up, I listened to all different types of music.
I studied at an artistic and cultural foundation, learned to play the drums, guitar and a little keyboard.
Time goes by so fast, I started to like electronic music when I was 13/14 yo, at 15 I was still in college when I went to rave parties on the weekend with some friends and talked about the experience to my classmates the other day of school on Monday, that was fun!
I started DJing at the age of 17/18, where I started to contribute to the psytrance parties I attended, and since then it's one of the things I most enjoy doing in my life.
I had great contact with so many different types of music and some production techniques.
What was the first record or a song that made a lasting impression on you?
I think there are so many… In my childhood I loved listening to Miami Bass, and it was always an immense joy when I listened to the Shavonne track - So Tell Me, Tell Me (1989).
At that time the most fun was doing the steps accompanying the music together with friends.
Can you tell us about your debut as a DJ?
Hmm… about my history as a DJ. I started DJing at parties around 2011, I learned playing in the old Pioneer CDJ 200 and Mixer Behringer VMX 200 playing psytrance. I even have a closet full of cds that I recorded to play at the time.
I loved spending the weekend in the middle of the forests and farms here in Minas Gerais playing with friends. Then I migrated to the music club when I got older attending clubs in my city and in Sao Paulo, moving entirely the vibe from farms to clubs and sheds abandoned and the street.
Since 2015, I participated in some collectives in Brazil promoting events on the streets, occupying the urban space, reframing its use and giving space to people who did not have access to the club or parties because of the money, because the clubs were stuck to formulas and DJs that play for a commercialized audience. So we try to create and activate spaces that are not conventional.
Did DJing eventually turn your attention into releasing music or was it always there right from the beginning?
I always wanted to listen to my music recorded on something, like from a K7 tape or a CD. I always cared a lot about sharing music with other people and then growing up in the midst of all this technological evolution, I can do that today through various platforms. I can mention SoundCloud and BandCamp where artists are able to create their platforms to publicize everything they are doing and receiving fairly for the art they do.
Yellow Island Records is a label you run with Nørus - tell us about your vision for the label and what’s in the pipeline?
We strongly believe in the DIY mindset, which instigates the desire to self-release music in the first place, so Yellow Island was created so that we can release the sound we like to hear at home and on the dancefloor, the sounds made by us and the friends we met on our journey.
We were tired of not receiving any comments or feedback on the material sent. So, we took things for ourselves, and we've been doing it ever since! Stubbornly, freely, passionately, but not without struggles.
Felipe and I as well as partners have become great friends, lots of fun and lots of ideas every time we are together. We were in the middle of our first tour in Europe and had to return to Brazil because the pandemic, one of our plans for the future is to return when possible and be able to play in more events.
Name 5 tracks or releases that’s currently on heavy rotation at Yellow Island HQ?
Of course!
Nørus - Untitled B
Etari - Less Words, More Looking At The Sky (See Other Remix )
Shea McGilvray - Rest Stop
Bad_Mix - Noise Bass
Kessler - Pandemonium
Moodrich - Never Miss The Water
Yellow Island is also a show on Balamii radio and you’re involved in hosting another one, State of Mind, on IPR. Who’s involved and what’s the story behind the shows?
I always released a lot of mixes, and I met IPR about 4 years ago, and made contact with Jordan the boss, since then I was invited to be a resident. I spent a year there inviting several names like Paul P (Lobster Theremin), dMIT.RY (Neo Violence), Slim Steve (Nerang, Juicy Traxx), BADSISTA and many more.
After some time, I had to stop because I was overwhelmed by working in a formal job that consumed me, so Lexi aka Etari, part of the fam, said she wanted to take control to record the mixes for the show, and then I brought this space to Yellow Island and we gave a new name to the 'State of Mind' where we do curating me and her.
The show at Balamii works in a different way, and is curated by all the crew.
Let’s talk about Brazil. What’s the scene like?
The LGBT scene has represented with big resistance, fighting for its personal identity in a collective and political revolution, talking about race, sexuality and gender with different personalities.
The scene in Brazil is very eclectic and full of diversity. I had the opportunity to get to know it, living in the cities of Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. All these places that I lived, I saw people who love art that they do, and people open to learn new things, the exchange and learning here has been really cool.
Btw, in all parts of the world there is the famous fight of egos and closed groups. It's so boring! But the scene here is increasingly collaborative and is growing. Although we do not have easy access to new electronic music equipment and hardware, the scene is full of talented artists who are striving to make music with what they have.
Can you name a few local acts that you follow closely?
For sure! Here we have a lot, but I'm going to name a few people that I believe a lot.
When I lived in Porto Alegre in the south of Brazil some years ago, I met Tabu and Mare aka Eram, a super talented couple that is worth keeping an eye on, they have a label called Zona Exp., if you still don't know about it you should listen to their releases.
I also have some friends in Brasília who are doing a great job, Data Assault and Rassan, who run 'Nice & Deadly' record label.
I have a friendly relationship with everyone and we help each other by exchanging experiences and knowledge.
So the mix, can you tell us a little something about that?
In this mix I tried to bring a little of my influences. From an introspective sound to freak tunes, deep and mental sound, strolling through the styles I like to play. A little bit of my recent research and what I've been enjoying listening to.
Many thanks Flavio, anything else?
I'm glad to do this interview and I want to tell everyone to keep making music.
Making electronic music is a political act and we are going through a very oppressive time around the world. We will be resistance!
I hope to soon be able to DJ again and exchange experiences on the dance floor with y'all. Much love <3 xx
* Whoever wants to talk to us the email is: yellowislandrecords@gmail.com
playlist
1. Rival Consoles - Recovery (Vessels Remix)
2. Carmel & Salomo - Forrest at Nigth
3. Client_03 - Am I Reaching You?
4. AQXDM - Requiem
5. Dissolved - Transmigration into lodine
6. Thys - Unmoved Mover
7. VVV - Wild Violet
8. BLNDR - Tropicana
9. Eams - Baile
10. Monokle & AL-90 - Dome
11. DJ Chupacabra - Chandone
12. Pyramid of Knowledge - Purple Room
13. Lewi Boome - Your Soul
14. Port Royal - Tallinn (bvdub's 46 Pieces Of Estonia)
DJ profile
Albin
Location: Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Yellow Island Records | Soundcloud
Flavio Albino aka Albin lived surrounded by music for his entire life. A multi-instrumentalist, he started producing parties and contributing to the scene since 2011. He collaborated and played with Brazilian collectives such as MASTERplano, 101Ø, Arruaça and Goma Rec.
In 2015 he made his first release as a music producer on the Brazilian label F.O.K. (FingersonkeysRecords). Recently he has co-run the record label Yellow Island where he has gained prominence for his achievements.
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