Monthly newspaper and online publication targeting 18 to 35 year olds. The ultimate guide to the hottest parties, going out and having fun. Music, fashion, film, travel, festivals, technology, comedy, and parties! London, Barcelona, Miami and Ibiza.
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/667501
"Hey Darius, how's it going? How's 2016 been so far? Great, I've been working in the studio like a workaholic, and the new Do Not Sleep label has started with a bang, and had some great gigs in Europe and the UK, so couldn't be any better really. Do Not Sleep has been such an amazing success, from the Ibiza parties to a record label, a radio show coming in the spring, a residency at Studio 338, and stages at Eastern Electrics and We Are FSTVL this summer. Is there one aspect that you're most proud of? The fact that myself and the other three members behind the scenes have worked so well as a team, it's made it so much more enjoyable when you graft hard for something together and you get the results. Neil Evans, Lisa and Bones are fantastic to work with and everything from the label and radio show that is about to launch, as well as the party itself, it's all been a big team effort. What's next for Do Not Sleep? Where can you take it from here? Well we are literally on the verge of announcing something HUGE for Ibiza 2016, I can't say anything at the moment but watch this space. And I am very, very excited with the launch of Do Not Sleep Radio, which is going to be syndicated to over 30 different countries on FM radio, and also on iTunes and SoundCloud too. Has building your own brand changed your outlook on the industry? No not really, I always only ever do this for the love of it. We have turned down some very big money things to do some quite commercial things, but that's not why we do this, there is a fine balance in being professional but also staying to true to why you do this. Do Not Sleep will never be a big corporate brand. We will still do very small DNS parties in select small clubs that are proper underground venues, as well as the big festivals. Also the big $ offers to go play super clubs in China, because we are well known in Ibiza will get and have been getting a straight "no thanks", and that won't change. You've made it very clear that the releases on Do Not Sleep label will all be available on both vinyl and digital – why is that so important to you? Well I spent 14 years working in a vinyl record shop, I think to be a serious label, you have to release on vinyl too, stay true to the art of DJing. Of course we will release digital too, but I personally want to have the music we release in physical format for many different reasons, one of them being it will be good to look back when I'm 90 and show my grandkids the records haha! You started out working in record shops way back when, so what's the best record shop in the world? Ahhh it's hard to say. It's a shame so many have closed down, but I have to say Phonica Records in London is great, also Rush Hour Records in Amsterdam too. Where's your favourite place to party in the UK? It's really hard to say, haha what a question! I have to say though I do have a soft spot for Manchester, remember I'm originally a Yorkshire lad and only recently moved to Manchester, but for years and years I've been DJing in Manchester and also used to go clubbing in Manchester when i was younger too. It has always had great connection with the acid house culture and remember in the UK, it is the place where it kickstarted it all along with London, and still to this day has a great vibe. So I'd say Manchester is one of them, but there are lots of places both up north and down south, and also Scotland and Ireland too. Tell us something funny about you that nobody knows. Years ago when I had only just started to make a name internationally and not many people knew my music yet, myself and Daniel Dubb from Toronto had finished playing a rooftop at a club in Miami called Nocturnal. Next door it was Space Miami and it was sold out with a huge queue about a mile long, we were a bit merry and decided to try blag ourselves in. So I said "if you grab your records and confidently walk up to the entrance past the queue they will step aside and let us in", we were just fooling around, except the guys on the door were like, "hey guys welcome!" It was Miami WMC so there were loads of DJs playing, he mistook me for Tony Rohr and him for Alexi Delano. We got taken to a table, they brought us pretty much everything, and even at the bar where we were introduced to the girl to look after us, she was giving us free drinks and saying "oh you guys were so amazing!" Haha! Then we noticed the real Alexi Delano and Tony Rohr were about to appear so we quickly got out of there. If you are reading this Space Miami, I won't lie, I haven't laugh that hard in a long time. I don't think id be able to get away with that now though. What song or piece of music changed your life? Ah I could name at least 20 pieces of music, from as early as the 80s when I was a kid and heard Grandmaster Flash – 'White Lines' or Talking Heads - 'Once In A Lifetime', or when I heard electronic music like Human League or New Order, but I'm gonna say the first time I heard Joey Beltram - 'Energy Flash', I was like, "OK RIGHT! We can listen to this rave stuff and it doesn't have to be all happy anthemic stuff, it can be darker and hypnotic and music for the soul too! And still be rave music!" I was only 17 and gone to my first outdoor raves and this music wasn't all over the place like it is now, in fact there wasn't even any Internet yet. Haha, I'm showing my age now." ISSUE 86 / 20016 33 Darius Syrossian had an absolutely massive 2015 creating Do Not Sleep out of his split with Sankeys and have it be one of the biggest success stories of the summer. Now Do Not Sleep has expanded to a label, a festival stage, a radio show and a residency at Studio 338, which kicks off this weekend. We caught up with the main man to hear how he did it all and what he's got in store for 2016. "I think to be a serious label, you have to release on vinyl too, stay true to the art of DJing" follow @DariusSyrossian HOUSE Christina Dean | Guestlist