- 130 to 170 BPM in 60 minutes.
- In some ways, Cici's story is a typical one, but in other ways, it's something of a dream. The Irish artist became involved in music professionally at college in Dublin, where her interest in metal led her to crossover electronic bands like Justice, which led her down to the usual path towards the big-name techno DJs and artists. Before she knew it, she was living in Ibiza, where she took odd jobs until scraping together a living as a DJ, ending up playing at venues like Pikes—not a bad place to end up after moving to the White Isle on a whim.
While her Ibiza sets often see her playing Balearic music for the sunset, this RA Podcast represents the side of her you'd see in a big techno room (or festival). Not that it's exactly techno, per se. It starts at 130 BPM with inventive rhythms from artists like Ciel, Shcuro, Ryan Elliott and ItaloJohnson, before rocketing into drum & bass and footwork territory for a rousing finale. (Seriously, that Sicknote & Justice track that closes it out is the business.) But it's one of those mixes that's so smooth and measured that you barely notice the transition, 40 BPM traversed with poise and confidence.
What have you been up to recently?
I've been living in Ibiza the past six weeks, playing regular downtempo gigs in some beautiful locations and making a lot of mixes and tracks, hiding out here until the clubs open back in the UK!
How and where was the mix recorded?
It was recorded old-school style in my bedroom in Ibiza on the XDJ-XZ unit I flew over!
Can you tell us about the idea behind the mix?
I wanted it to reflect where I am in this present moment, what I'm vibing off of musically and also how the different styles merge. The mix goes from 130 to 170 BPM, mixing dubby deep house to twisted breakbeats, techno, electro & drum and bass. Even though the styles and tempos change I feel the same vibe is carried throughout.
You've talked a lot about Ibiza and how you "found yourself" there. Can you explain a little about your history with Ibiza, what it means to you and how it has shaped your DJing?
I moved to Ibiza when I was 21 with no real plan (although I was in the last round for a job as a club reviewer for RA ;) ). I had been here before for holidays and, of course, became completely infatuated with the island and the lifestyle. It was time to leave the small scene in Dublin and throw myself into the middle of what I was passionate about which was dance music and clubbing!
I worked for all the big clubs as a dancer first before landing my first residency at Space for Kehakuma in 2013—the rest is pretty much history. I would say it definitely shaped my DJing in a sense I really saw the relationship between the DJs and the crowd and how they interact in symbiotic unison, how important it is to engage with the people in front of you and play for them, not just yourself.
You mentioned waiting for clubs to open back up in the UK—do you find you play differently in the UK than you would in Ibiza?
I feel I play differently everywhere and tailor my sets as I have many different tastes within electronic music. For sure I wouldn't be playing a Pikes Balearic set in fabric or vice versa!
What are you up to next?
I have my debut EP coming out on Warehouse Music this week which I'm really excited about and also a bunch of amazing shows lined up in the UK in the coming months, for example, supporting Nina Kraviz at fabric and playing before Sama' Abdulhadi and Amelie Lens at Junction 2!