To be honest, I think I just like knowing how things work. I was researching perception at the time and was intrigued with record players – particularly, how sound vibrations are converted into electrical signals. I decided to build myself a turntable setup and spent a couple of months compulsively checking gumtree for the cheapest gear around Sydney. From there, I spent a lot of time teaching myself things and exploring.
At that point, I had no intention of playing publically. I was unable to reconcile this feeling of taking up space that I was undeserving of. Luckily, I happened to strike up a conversation with Ayebatonye who was so compassionate and encouraged me to take the first step. No looking back now!
My style has evolved in many ways. The biggest is my movement away from records and towards digital mediums for gigs. There are many positives to purchasing music digitally, though (in my opinion) most importantly, it offers you the opportunity to access music made all around the world that might otherwise be overlooked or lack representation. Further, CDJs are great pieces of equipment and there’s so much you can do with them! Don’t get me wrong, I still love records and record players – however, now I almost exclusively play digital.
There was a period with lots of high intensity, carefree songs. Then, a period where the music being played made me feel a little out of place. For a second there, I forgot that I could get up and change the music any time I wanted. It’s good to be in a place now that feels free.
Aidan (Mantissa) is a dear friend and very talented producer. We first worked together when I sought his help to execute an idea I had. It was for an edit of Spaceman by Babylon Zoo (lol) which I ended up playing at the first Community Chest. After that we spent about a year working on Whip together. There was no serious intention with it - we both had ideas that we wanted to play around with and we really just enjoyed working together. As a collaborative process, I believe we have learnt to communicate well and that our abilities are perfectly complementary. It’s developed into an environment that’s supportive and affords us the opportunity to learn from one another. It really is such a privilege and an honour. Fingers crossed for more finished songs in the future.
Apparent Motion has been running as an online radio show since mid 2019. Its tagline is “high intensity motion” and hot damn I think the show definitely delivers on that. We were happily housed at Nomad Radio in Sydney until the station's unfortunate hiatus this year. Luckily, Skylab Radio offered us a space to move to - an absolute dream come true! For the next few months I’ll be doing the show solo, but next year I’ll be looking to get guest mixes happening again. High intensity motion lives on!!!
Radio aside; funnily enough, neither of the Apparent Motion workshops were specifically targeted towards DJs. The first workshop was a beginners guide to record stores and turntables. The aim there was to have an open discussion about vinyl culture, alleviate anxiety felt by individuals handling records and using turntables, and educate individuals on using a record store as a resource for exploration. The second workshop was on ear health and was run alongside Nectar and After Hour. Ear health is so important but seldom discussed in the music industry. This workshop aimed to educate individuals on the basics of ear health as well as to provide them with free reusable earplugs and ear checks by professionals.
Outside of the Apparent Motion workshops, I did run an intermediate DJing masterclass for MusicNSW last year. Getting to merge my love of teaching and music was really special and that is an experience I will not soon forget. I’ve also had the opportunity to mentor a handful of wonderful people including Niku and Mintox. Doing these things has helped me become a person I am proud to be and I believe this inadvertently motivates me to grow as an artist.
The biggest challenge has been adjusting to a new social climate. The feeling of isolation is a difficult one to manage - regardless of the situation. There’s just something about a group of people gathered together, dancing to music. The synergy! I miss it so, so much.
One of my longest and most significant relationships is the one I’ve had with my own mental health. My 2020 self care routine involves daily meditation, regular exercise, consistent sleep, eating well, minimising alcohol consumption, and seeing a psychologist. It might sound mundane, but doing these things keeps me stable and able to feel happy and grateful.
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