Page 10 - Zone Magazine Issue 021

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M usician, producer, DJ and electronic music enthusiast alike, Sakis Berlin aka Dee Jay Groove hails out of Greece, Lamia. When not performing, he spends his time in the studio creating his own music. Having spent many years playing at all of the major local night clubs in Berlin & Europe, holding multiple residencies, DJing special events and promoting his own shows, Sakis has had a lot of time to develop his sound. For him, it’s all about mood and a deep, hypnotic Groove - electronic sound... playing those tracks that get you tapping your feet and nodding your head. Don’t be surprised when you suddenly find yourself dancing. “For me, it’s all about the groove that makes you keep
dancing.” Tetractys derives straight out from the Tech House scene. He have also his own label "Upside Down Records in Berlin". He has played in Berlin including: Hoppetosse-Mein Haus am See-Cosmic Kaspar and also in Europe Paris : Rex club, Prague : Mecca club, Amsterdam : The box,Budapest:Otkert and many more. Has many albums in his collection first with his old artist name "Dee Jay Groove",albums like: Let me feel, Caldera ,Lost, Summer is back and many more and the album that was 4th position in top 10 electro house albums on Beatport "I cant stop dreaming" for 3 weeks. His first album with the new artist name "Tetractys" you can find it on Beatport: Paris Underground where he was inspired from his last trip in Paris. He has had somewhat success with 2 albums : Deep & Hard was in Top 100 Electro, House albums on Beatport for 2 weeks -best position 36, The album “Summer is Back” also in top 100 Electro. House albums on beatport - best position 39 for 2 weeks. The album : I cant stop dreaming was in top 10 - 4th position for 3 weeks “Let me feel” gained massive support from DJ Paul Saywer and Krafted Records.
Who is DJ Tetractys? Tell us
about your youth, and how you
got involved in music?
I was born in Athens and I grow up in a small city called Lamia, in Greece. From 8 years old I was inspired from great DJ's like Frankie Knuckles, Danny Tenaglia, Carl Cox, Larry Levan, Fatboy Slim and many more. At the age of 14 I started experimenting with various programs and so I started with music production as a hobby. I was trying to resemble the sounds of my favorite artists. In 2009 I made the decision to go abroad and chase my dreams in Berlin, the city of electronic music, with the artist name 'Dee Jay Groove' Which I change later to 'Tetractys'. I started playing in some bars and clubs and started to realise what level electronic music has reached. Different clubs with different kinds of music and people. This is Berlin.
Vinyl, Digital or CD’s and why?
There’s something wonderful about buying records. It’s the type of experience that is sadly lost on the iTunes and Spotify generation. It’s the type of experience where you show up and spend hours upon hours aimlessly looking for music. When you collect vinyl, you’re not just buying music. You’re making an investment you can sell on a rainy day, or even pass down to your children.To be honest I use digital because digital audio quality is clearly superior to vinyl. CD's have a better signal-to-noise ratio (i.e. there is less interference from hissing, turntable rumble, etc.), better stereo channel separation, and have no variation in playback speed.
Favourite club to play? why?
Very difficult question. Many will have said this, my dream and many other artists have is to play in one of the best clubs in Europe, Berghain. I have played in Hoppetose, Mein Haus am See, Cosmic Kaspar and many more in Berlin and Europe. Berlin's Berghain is famed for it's groundbreaking sounds and X-rated sights, but the club is also a test case for how tourism and gentrification are threatening Europe's party capital, which attracts
many of the world's most respected DJ's. The building is enormous. The main Berghain dance floor, which focuses on hard techno.The cult of the club, which takes it's name from the adjacent neighborhoods of Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain is perfect. Home is where Berghain is.
Festivals, or small clubs? why?
This is a dillema. It is one of the broadest problems facing dance music today. DJ fees have risen much faster than inflation, meaning an artist's fee often doesn't equate to their draw on the door.
Club events are typically much smaller and don’t have the same atmosphere as a rave or festival. Although some club event tickets can go for just as much as a rave or festival, it typically depends on the venue, how early you get your tickets, and which DJ is playing. When deciding whether you want to attend a rave, festival, or club event, ask yourself this: What do you want out of your night? If you’re a huge fan of an artist and just want to see them play, a club event is a great place to get a quick fix of your favorite DJs!
If you’re looking for an experience to remember and love dressing up for an event, it’s probably a festival or rave you’ll want to attend. And lastly, if you’re hoping for a more intimate environment than a festival, but don’t like the vibes of a club event, your best bet is to find out where the next rave party will be in your area. So I choose festivals!!!
Short or long sets? why?
If you play a long set, chances are your venue will be next to empty at some point, usually the beginning as you’re warming things up. This is your chance to programme the tunes you’re not sure about, you want to hear on a big system, that break a bit of ground, or are less known than your peak-time tunes. A short set is gone in a flash. Playing a long set means you can get over dips and ride the waves when they come. Sometimes you only hit your stride after a couple of hours. I have played from time to time up to 4 hours which sometimes becomes tedious. I think the best is up to 2 hours.