№ 128 - DJ Brom

Since 2019 he has run together with his friends Jondo and Friday Dunard the label Spa Recordings, with whom EDWIN has just recently released a limited T-shirt alongside the release of Xzavier Stone, DJ Plead, Phillip Jondo - BISQU EP. Musically bred in legendary stylistically free-style music bars like long-closed icon Stecken, he started throwing events in 2009, while djing out in public since 2011, sharing until today the decks with the likes of DJ Plead, O-Wells, Jondo, Objekt, Pearson Sounds, Actress, OKO DJ and many more.

For EDWIN MUSIC CHANNEL he created a deep storytelling mix, juggling with all those amen breaks, digi-dub spheres, Balearic transcendence, and melodic edgy electronics, featuring tunes by western Australian producer lovefear, mysterious user703918785 and his “Suki Girlz” drill, upcoming French artist Realitycheck, and dub leaning producer Gulls from Portland, Oregon.  Truly a transportive journey, that as always gets accompanied by a conversation with our host. Read below what DJ Brom told us about the contemporary music scene in Cologne, his musical upbringing, the future of his label Spa Recordings and what places to go to in his hometown.

Q. Hello Kieran, can you introduce yourself a bit to our readers? What is your first musical memory? What is your musical background? 

A. When I was a child my dad used to work as a cab driver and I remember listening to BFBS and Massive Attack CDs in the taxi or on the way to holidays in the family car. I wasn’t that interested in learning an instrument first, but that changed after I started DJing and became more familiar with gear. Years later Friday Dunard and I began improvised live sessions in my kitchen and produced music for the initial SPA release. 

Q. When did you start to DJ? And what were your early passions and influences? 

A. I think around 2011 I started DJing in public after two years of organizing events and practicing in a local barbershop where they had 2 Technics MK2. Early influences were definitely soundtracks from video games like Silent Hill II or Need for Speed and later on the music played at Stecken, a former basement venue in Cologne, where local DJs shared the decks with Detroit legends. 

Q. You've been DJing for almost a decade now. How did your DJ style change over time? 
 
A. Yeah, I just realized this while sitting on this interview. I think it’s hard to say how my style changed. It’s still constantly changing. Lately, I come back to tracks that I found years ago, maybe because I’m getting older and therefore nostalgic. I like both, the attentive listening event and the ecstatic club night and enjoy playing with these different settings.

Q. What are some tracks that currently get the most rewinds? 

A. Joreng Boi - Closed Circle (hundert)

Q. How do you stay on top of all the new music being made right now? 

A. I mostly dig on the www or listen to radio shows. I Wish had more time for that. 

Q. What about your other alias France 98. When do you use it? What does it stand for? 

A. In the beginning, the France 98 alias was created for more contemporary and experimental music but over time the styles merged, and I can’t see a big difference anymore. The name comes from the famous 98 World Cup in France which I remember quite well and that shaped me aesthetically. 

Q. Since 2018 you've been part of Spa Recordings along with Jondo and Friday Dunard. Can you tell us something about the label’s philosophy and future plans? 

A. Luckily Sarah San and luxxuryproblems joined the team in the meantime and we got some extra input. I don’t think we have a strict philosophy, but I would say it’s important for us to have a close relationship with our artists and friends. We’ve tried to become more reliable during the last year as it was sometimes not so easy to handle the label work while each of us has at least one day job. That being said there are already some releases in the pipeline for this year which I’m really looking forward to.

Q. How did you select the tracks for your EDWIN MUSIC CHANNEL mix? 

A. Listened to some James Ferraro ‚ Suki Girlz‘ type shit for inspiration and found a forgotten USB. 

Q. You are based in Cologne. How is the music scene there? Any new musicians, DJs, or musical developments the world should look out for?
 
A. Cologne faces the same problems as most European cities like gentrification and less free/affordable spaces for experiments. But I’m happy that people are holding up the flag. Shout out to Gold+Beton, Exyno radio + events, Reihe M, Brutalism live series, Brückenmusik, NICA, Illusion, Safe Space Records, Baumusik, Neu, Kaputt +++ 

Q. Are you still throwing parties? What’s their soul and when is the next one? 

A. We are hosting a live show on August 23 together with ‚Hallen kalk‘ (Köln) and playing a label night at Wuppertal’s ‚Open Ground‘ on September 7th. More TBA. 

Q. What are your favourite places to play/hang out in Cologne? 
 
A. Nadia Bistro, Brücke zum Herkulesberg, Giga Center, Jaki Klub, Lommerzheim, Ebertplatz - it’s a wild combination ;) 

Q. What is your idea of happiness? 

A. Being healthy around friends and cats.

N°128 - DJ Brom Tracklist: 

Ströer Duo - Abendprogramm  
Lurka - Scanners 2002  
lovefear - Habitation 
Yves De Mey - Bleak Comfort  
Tal Egg - Grass Nap 
Special Guest DJ - Makeout Dub  
Realitycheck - Elipsis  
user703918785 - SUKI _ GIRLZ _ 10  
Proc Fiskal - Hello Boss 
Hathor & Sotus - Still One (Eusebeia's Revival Mix)  
Franck Vigroux - Styx 
lovefear - fur 
4kFairyFantasy - playbub carti 
Lasvegas - Your Neighborhood 1 
Gulls - Mixer Test 
Sully - Assembly 2 
Dinamarca - A.M.A.B. feat. Gnucci (Original Mix)  
Richard Browne- Graass Cyaat Refix

Photography - Thomas Lambertz