Forget about Statistics and Popular Genres with Dj WYRO

www.tramplin.pro/
www.wyromusic.com/

Welcome back to Koh Phangan, how do you like it here?
I love it, nothing bothers me here, except for the mosquitoes. It’s a lovely island with lovely people, weather and parties, everything is lovely.

So what kind of scene do you come from in Russia?
I’d say it’s the underground House to Techno scene. For the first ten years I was dedicated to making intelligent Drum and Bass, LTJ Bukem style, atmospheric stuff but for the last few years it’s been only Deep and Tech House, and Techno.

What got you into djing?
I guess for everyone the answer is the same, it’s the love of music and the desire to share it with people.

When I started making music a friend showed me the software, I did this for two years. Then I got curious about what would happen if I played it to people so I started djing and making parties in Saint-Petersburg.

So how did you learn?
I’m a little bit ashamed of telling you this, but I actually was learning in the club! I started playing Tuesday evening sessions to almost no people, but there still were some, and they were hurt by my first DJ sets I think.

I was studying, I mixed badly, I never went to DJ school so never practised before but I did some dance and guitar classes as a kid, I think this helped me learn pretty fast.

Now I run my own DJ and music production school in St Petersburg, so I tell students to practice at the studio and THEN go play in a club, (laughs) the opposite to what I did.

So you were dropped in the deep end a bit, do you think this has helped with your confidence?
I think I was confident from the beginning, from childhood, if I wasn’t then I would not go and play without knowing how to play in the first place. You may say I dropped myself in the deep end and all my life I have been like this.

Even if I know nothing I just start doing it, I think going in the deep end is one of best ways to go forward. That is how I made my school and my career at Kazantip Republic (I am a minister there now, but few years ago I also just came to the Kazantip office looking for any work without knowing what’s going on there).

You are playing Night Nature on the 12th of February, what have you heard about it?
Well I’ve already checked the location, I met with Naq and saw the place but have not been to the party at night yet. In the daytime it looks exciting, it’s in the middle of the jungle and the DJ booth looks like some sort of cyberpunk spider.

All of the decoration looks sick, when I was a kid and would listen to The Prodigy and watch ‘Voodoo People’ I was dreaming about this kind of party. The music I play represents technology in a way and we will have the atmosphere of the jungle around, this combination really turns me on.

What kind of dancefloor do you like to build?
To be honest I love smaller more intimate dancefloors where I can see people's faces and smell them (laughs). Playing festivals is also nice but I like to be in touch with the crowd.

I really like to play for individuals who are not going to the party just to get wasted. People who know the music, who are enthusiastic about Deep Tech House not just loud pop sounds, that’s my favourite kind of dancefloor. But regular drunkards can also be pretty awesome sometimes.

What do you get up to on Koh Phangan in your free time?
Mostly eating, that’s my favourite thing. Also snorkeling at Koh Mah beach. Discovering new parts of the island every day with my girlfriend and going to new parties seven days per week. There is a lot of events on the island which is great.

What would you say to aspiring DJs and producers?
First of all, forget about statistics, forget about popular genres and do the thing you really love and really believe in and then you will find your crowd.

You need to repeatedly and insistently do what you love, then you’ll get the people, you’ll get the contacts, the money, the pleasure, whatever you want you’ll get it, but you need to be a bit persistent and stay true to what you respect and love.

Cool, so what are your main projects for this year?
Since I have finally got my school to work in a good way and since I finally opened the new one in Moscow, I’ve decided to dedicate as much time as possible to my own music.

I have started to sing and write lyrics and I’m making a live set in which I will create music on the go and sing to it. So this is project number one definitely.

Also I’m looking forward to having as many gigs as possible, there was a period in my life where I had a lot, every weekend I would fly around Russia and Europe but because of the school I had to put this on pause. Now I’m feeling I should get back to this life, Koh Phangan has helped already as I played Half Moon and I’m going to play in many other places in Asia. My main dream is coming true this year!

Awesome, so what is your life philosophy?
First of all I guess we all have doubts and it’s much better to work, to do something than to sit and boil those doubts in our head.

Secondly, you have to think for the future and not just about money. My main goal is to get as free as possible, in all aspects of life. I want to travel, to try different things and that costs money and it costs time, to build that you need to think upfront and build something that will provide for you and something that will not make you it’s slave. It’s tricky, but if you put yourself to it, then you’ll get a chance to become really free.