Darren Christian came to Poland for two gigs arranged by frUcTi. First one took place in Klatka Club in Warsaw on 30th of May, another one in Cube club in Gdynia. And this is where I took my opportunity to speak with Darren.

He came to the club after 11 pm and did't look tired because of yesterday's gig. After a short club tour we went backstage equipped with refreshing drinks. He didn't like vodka and blackcurrant mix at all...

Sound Revolt: So how did it all start? Your journey with music?
Darren Christian: I started djing, when I was maybe 19 or 20. Then I bought my decks and managed to progress into smaller clubs in London. Luckyly a good friend of mine, Telise and her boyfriend Tall Paul was tied with into the new club in London called The Gallery. They were looking for new DJ so I gave them a tape and they liked my music and said "Come down to a club and play". So it basically begun from there. The Galerry is the best club in London and probably one of the best in whole UK. It was very much a case of luck that I knew these people. To be honest, you have to be connected, you must know someone - that's how things work in life.

Sound Revolt: You live in The UK but you travel a lot...
Darren Christian: Travelling is very good, especially comming to new places. It's my first time here in Poland, you know. It's very important to travel as The UK dance scene at the moment is not as good as what it was maybe 4-5 years ago. In places like Eastern Europe the club scene is still growing. It can be quite tiring but when you get to the club and you see the people you seem to forget about it.

Sound Revolt: What is so special in Croatia and Slovenia?
Darren Christian: These countries are very important to me. I've been djing for 5 years now and I've done some very big things and I got this year plans. The main one is Valkana Beach festival for 10.000 people. This year is playing me, Seb Fontaine and Sister Bliss on the progressive stage and Sven Vath and Richie Hawtin on techno stage, so they have all the big, big names. It's very similiar as in Poland. It's all very new, people get very excited about going to clubs...

Sound Revolt: But you don't want to say people in England got bored with going to clubs?
Darren Christian: I think they have! The young people that are comming through now need to fill the place of the older people who got married and having kids. But they are more to RnB and hip-hop 'cause that's what they see on MTV. The older people fed up paying lots of money to go and see DJs. They turned to pubs, drinks, having dance and may go home maybe 1 or 2 o'clock. The whole dance scene is very unstable.

Sound Revolt: So you liked the party in Klatka yesterday?
Darren Christian: Very much! I know many big festivals going on in June so people are saving their money. But the ones who came seemed to have a good time and I had a very good time too. I'm looking for tonight - it looks like a very good club (Cube). Soundsystem here looks fine.

Sound Revolt: What is more exciting, playing at big festivals or in small clubs.
Darren Christian: There's much more pressure on big festivals, but in smaller clubs you can interact with people. For me playing in such places for 400-500 people is a good way to expose. For festivals it's good for your reputation to be seen playing in these places.

Sound Revolt: You're also known as a good producer. Did producing start naturally in your career?
Darren Christian: Basically to be successful in The UK at the moment you need to be producing records. When you're not - people won't book you. They want to see what music you're making first. And if you got very good track or a list of tracks you made before, people who come to clubs can say they are here because of music you've made. Then someone who doesn't make records is... I enjoy working in a studio and it's very important part of what I do.

Sound Revolt: I know your tracks and they are really good and you sound like it was necessairy to start producing... Was it?
Darren Christian: No, no, it was a natural thing to do. I work for record label and they pushed me to work in a studio. I was quite late working in a studio comparing to DJ world. I was 27-28 but that's when everything started for me.

Sound Revolt: And you produce only for Duty Free Records?
Darren Christian: No, I work for the label so anything I make they get first option. But some of the stuff I make, 'cause I make anything from progressive, treat trance... Maybe not all my stuff could be suitable for the label so we will search for other places. My first place to go with a record will be the label, and then, if they like it - good, if not - going somewhere else.

Sound Revolt: How would you describe your style? Is it progressive or progressive trance?
Darren Christian: I play very different in Europe comparing to what I play back in The UK. In Europe I play much more techy, much more progressive, in The UK it's much more trance orientated. I enjoy playing in Europe, bacause here you can build your set. UK people want to hear fast trance from the beginning. Progressive in The UK has died, so when I come to Europe I play a bit different which may be quite confusing for some people.

Sound Revolt: What is trance? Vocal tracks?
Darren Christian: No, no, no. Just lots of drops and maybe a little bit quicker as well.

Sound Revolt: And progressive? Some people say Tiesto plays prog.
Darren Christian: No way. If you are someone like Tiesto you can play what you want, because people come to listen to you. They respect if he plays techno, trance, progressive. For my position I have to play what the crowd want. Tiesto plays much more techno sort of things now.

Sound Revolt: And your productions? How would you describe them?
Darren Christian: In a production, when you're going to the studio you start and you got the idea where you wanna go but 9 times in a 10 you just end up going with the direction which sounds right. And so you finish the track, it could start maybe progressive but ends up a little more trance. You can't go into the studio saying I'm gonna make this one particular sound because these things develop during the day.

Sound Revolt: What are you going to play tonight?
Darren Christian: Tonight it's gonna probably be much more tech-house, progressive. Maybe some sort of not quite trance progressive, but maybe a little bit more melodic. Should be good.

Sound Revolt: Will be. Thanks for your time, Darren.
Darren Christian: No problemo.

The End

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