This weekend the Ghost Soundsystem is bringing Propa to Neck of the Woods with two nights of epic six hour DJ sets. You might’ve experienced the Ghost System down here already at Ok Listen - a call back to the loud abandon of early 90s rave culture featuring a diverse range of house and techno DJs. Propa parties however give one DJ the space to play one 6 hour long set. The concept is still somewhat an embrace of the past, recalling a time when NZ clubs could stay open till the sun came up and DJs weren’t restricted to a 2 hour set. Dylan C is playing Saturday night but Wellington’s Benny Salvador is kicking off the Propa/Ghost takeover on Friday night with his own 6 hour journey. We caught up with Benny to talk about his new EP and record label, his recent decision to leave school to focus on music and what playing a 6 hour set on a big rig like the Ghost means to him.
Kia ora Benny Salvador! First off - what are you looking forward to about having a six hour set to yourself?
I follow a lot of DJs like Theo Parrish and Mr Scruff who will ONLY play for 5 or 6 hours. It’s quite a standard overseas. And I find myself really enjoying those sets. It gives you a chance to really expand the music and get to all the parts you wouldn’t usually hit and just fully tell a story.
You can get into it a lot more, create more ups and downs. It’s better for both the crowd and DJ.
You said in another interview that you try to put dancers first and think about how they’ll relate to what you’re creating or playing. It’s a rare skill being able to actually pick up on the vibe on a dance floor and play to that. How do you get that right?
I feel like I’ve spent enough time on dance floors … and also just watching. You can see a lot more of the dance floor from the DJ booth. You can pick up on the energy in the room and know what they want.
You make it sound so simple and yet a lot of DJs can’t get that right.
I think that’s partly because a lot of DJs just end up getting way too drunk (laughs). And I don’t want to name any names but some DJs don’t play to the crowd because they’re too busy playing to themselves.
Did you make your most recent EP ‘Wat Shu’ during lockdown?
Yeah I sort of finished it up and decided to start the label over lockdown.
What inspired you to start your own record label?
I tend to sit on things I’m working on for a while but I realised I could just release it myself.
It also means I don’t have that excuse of “a record label might not like this song”... I can just put it out. You don’t have to care what other people think as much. If I believe in it I can release it.
So, you produced Wat Shu yourself?
Yeah, I was working with my Uncle Riki (Ed: that’s Riki Gooch to the rest of us) a lot, who’s my mentor, my musical teacher. He’s been my helping hand as far as pushing me in the right direction. He taught me how to use Abelton when I was quite young and got me into making beats. It’s quite a science so it was quite helpful having someone who’s so good at it….
You’ve got some amazing musicians on that EP - Riki Gooch, Dan Hayles, Sam Lindsay, Lucien Johnson and it’s all mixed by Mu. That’s a lot of really talented uncles.
I’m very lucky! And really lucky all those uncles actually want to work with me. And they’ve just had far more time playing than I have.
So how did you ensure your own Benny Salvador sound when there are all these heavyweights in the studio?
It’s hard when you’re creating music by yourself, or with 2 or 3 people even, to be like, oh that’s a “sound”. I was definitely taking a lot of influence from all my favourite Detroit techno producers but when you have other musicians come play you get hot off the sound. Like, ok this sounds great!
It sounds like it’s way more of an unconscious thing.
Yeah, you don’t really think of it like that. Or you only think about it deep down… It’s funny sometimes my mum walks down to the studio and she says it’s like I’m totally zoned out. She’s like “you’re all mouth breathing, so wide-eyed”. She says I’ll come up after a few hours and just want some toast or something” (laughs)
I don’t go to school anymore so that’s all I do now.
When did you leave school?
I dropped out this year (2020). I didn’t have that much hope in getting through school online. I knew I’d just be making beats anyway so I thought ok, maybe it’s time I just started releasing music and focusing my energy there. Luckily my dad couldn’t really tell me off for trying to be a muso.
You already mentioned the science of beat making so you’re probably learning more doing this…
I feel like I’m using my brain a lot more. I think I’m way more capable to learn when I’m doing it at my own speed. Especially because I was playing gigs so, getting home at 3AM and then spending six hours making beats and then trying to go to school in the morning… Not the most healthy lifestyle.
Photo: Dylan Biscuit
Have you played on the Ghost before?
Yeah at Catacombs in the Winter Gardens. It was great. Also like, if you’re playing on a system like that it’s a great time to check all the beats you’ve been making at home. Make sure they all sound good. Until you get onto a system like that and you’re like “woah that sounds really good!” or “that needs some work”.
And then you add a couple hundred bodies to the room….
If people are moving to it, that always makes you feel quite good about it. Like, alright sweet at least it makes people dance.
Come experience all this for yourself this Friday. Tickets and more info : https://www.facebook.com/events/411027603646563