There hasn’t been a more exciting time to catch up with Australia’s number one DJ. With award nominations, new album releases, hi-tech, digitally downloadable radio shows and a worldwide tour on the cards, tyDi steps us through a year that’s shaping up to be like no other.
“As of lately I’ve been very excited about DJing because I have so much material. Since launching this new radio show, Global Soundsystem, I’ve been getting hundreds of promos a week. These are tracks from DJs and producers from around the world who’re writing music in their bedrooms and sending it through to me to play on the show. It’s really exciting and has opened up my sets. I’ve now got this huge selection of diverse music that I never would have known about otherwise.”
Global Soundsystem has marked a new era in the way DJs will be delivering their music to fans. Received in the form of an iTunes podcast, listeners subscribe to the Global Soundsystem website and have tyDi’s show downloaded to their computer each week. But Friday 5 March will see something extra added to the mix. Ravers who attend Brisbane’s The Met nightclub are there to see the launch of tyDi’s very first live-to-air recording.
“The set is going to be recorded live to a laptop and then used for a future episode of Global Soundsystem. It’s cool, and it puts a bit of pressure on me too because what I’m playing to the crowd I’m also playing with my radio show in mind.”
But undeniably the most exciting thing coming up for this world renowned DJ is the International Dance Music Awards, Winter Music Conference in Miami. In the running for the category of ‘Break-Through DJ’, tyDi finds he can’t help but take a step back and admire just how surreal the whole thing is.
“My dream has always been to go over to the Winter Music Conference and have a good time. When I got the news that I’d been nominated for ‘Break-Through DJ’, you know, I still don’t really believe it. It’s cool to be nominated. I don’t really have any expectations but it’s going to be great to go over there and just have a really good time in Miami.”
Up against five other contestants who’re ranked as some of the biggest names in dance music is all it takes to understand just how high the caliber of the competition is. With over one million people having voted in 2009, tyDi believes it will all come down to the fans, and who’s fans support their the DJ the most.
“I’m just satisfied to be nominated amongst those names, that’s pretty cool for me. I think there’s quite a broad range of nominees in this category. There’s a guy called Gui Boratto that plays a lot deeper and a lot more minimal than I do. Then there’s Boys Noize and Joris Voorn, who’re more of a techno act. Definitely quite a broad range of selection here … which is good! I guess when the committee at IDMA decide the nominees they probably look for different acts in different genres.”
While the end of March will see end of the IDMA conference, it certainly won’t see the end of tyDi’s exciting plans for 2010.
“I’m going to let slip some breaking news. When I get back from Miami I’m going to be putting together the new Ministry of Sound ‘Trance Nation’ CD. Then I’ll be doing a big tour for it. Australia won’t miss out on me, I’ll be doing a big tour of Australia for it. But then I’m going back over to Europe, the plan is to play in both Europe and the States this year. Lots of travelling!”
Perhaps even more newsworthy though is that in-between all this travelling tyDi is going to put as much time as he can into finishing off a new album. Coming out at the end of the year, his second album aims to build on the first (‘Look Closer’, 2009), with his love for technical engineering and production taking on a new and inspiring second wind.
“I’m very excited about this new album. I’ve rediscovered my passion for producing music. It’s not that I ever really lost it, but I’m more excited than ever because I think I’ve really found my niche, my style at the moment. So… expect a pretty big album at the end of the year.”
When he was fresh out of high school tyDi enrolled in the study of Music Technology at Queensland’s Conservatorium of Music, so it’s not surprising he hones the skills to be able to produce an album all by himself. But what’s perhaps more inspiring and definitely a tell-tale sign that he’s committed to his art is how strongly tyDi believes in personally getting behind the engineering.
“I actually have a passion for the technicality of engineering. It really is a fine-tuned art. It’s very complicated in the way you engineer a track, with a lot of thought process and logic going into it. I’m just as passionate about that as I am about music. I like to be totally in control of my songs right down to the final stages, then I just get someone right at the end, a mastering engineer, to bring it up to the right level and give it a bit of compression. But it’s going to be all me for this new album, completely all me.”
Even with all these projects in the works tyDi’s confident he’ll be able to feed Brisbane it’s long overdue dosage of live performance. Tentative plans have been set to perform at least three or four times a year at The Met, keeping his live podcasts for Global Soundsystem going.
“I’m looking forward to coming back to Brisbane. I’ve been neglecting it for a while and I’ve been touring a lot, playing in a lot of other cities and other countries. It’s cool to come back and to do a three hour set… it’s very exciting and special to me.”
Thanks to tyDi and his managment they have been kind enough for us to have a free track to download!! Grab it below everyone!!
‘Fine Print’ (tyDi remix) – Nadia Ali
comes out from there never ever lets us here in Australia Down! In saying that anything that comes out of Boys Noize Records doesnt let us down! The last time this night was at monastery the crowd was still begging for it on the dancefloor at 5am and I am sure that this week will be no diffrent! Plenty on that night so get in early to beat all the lines!!
Projuice 