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Features Introducing NEM3SI$’s new label Infinite Resistance! Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’! Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases! Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme! Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works. Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain! Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September! NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases! Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup! Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast! Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music! SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023! The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023! NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music! Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22! A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik! PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records! Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters!

Jimmy Ponzio talks Sesso Reported by Wub / Submitted 20-05-09 15:52 Not many people have had the once in a lifetime chance to work with the legendary Subliminal Records, let alone work at Subliminal. So would any ordinary person just walk away to kick start their own label and go head to head? Maybe not but then maybe Jimmy Ponzio is no ordinary guy. HarderFaster sent new contributor Wub for a session with the new Sesso Records boss. What was behind the decision to leave Subliminal? Subliminal was a great springboard to launch my career. I am so glad that I decided to join Erick's team, even if it was only for a short while. It gave me instant credibility amongst my peers and allowed me to watch and learn from the best. The problem was that I felt Erick had become so much bigger than the label, that new guys like me would get lost. Instead of Subliminal Sessions parties all over the world, clubs would simply book Erick. I loved the old Subliminal. It was a sound...a brand...a movement. Leaving was easy. Staying would've been hard. Was it all intimidating working with Morillo et al? Honestly, Hell Yeah! You first instinct is to try and deliver a sound that will please him and that takes away from your ability to honestly create your own sound. Only after I thought Erick didn't like the record is when Ruanne Emmenes and myself let our creativity show through. Five months later, Erick calls me direct and asks if he can put the track on Sessions 10 and sign me to a three single commitment. He had never heard the track until someone he trusted sent it to him the day before! What tips did you pick up, both in terms of production and also record label management? Where do I start! Harry Romero taught me the basics, as well as the valuable lesson "Production is only 20 percent talent. It's 80 percent work ethic. So get your ass in the studio and the creative thoughts will come out". Watching Erick taught me to be persistent, work hard, and entertain the crowd. They pay good money to hear you play. Give them a show! Lastly, my favourite lesson came from Alex Alicea of Who Da Funk. He helped me realize that I shouldn't take any shit from anyone in the industry. He made sure I didn't listen to the “Sub Haters” and focused on spring boarding from the opportunity. Alex also put me up on EMMS years ago, before I knew the value of an experienced PR firm. I owe everything I know to these guys, not to mention all the stuff I picked watching how they've moved on. What sort of sound & vibe are you hoping to bring to the table with Sesso Records? Sesso will simple be a label that offers “Something For Everyone.” I'd like to bridge the genre mess and simply put out "Good House .” You can tell by the 1st release, Out Of My Mind, that we will be versatile. One version is a happy, jumpy radio track. The other is thick and chunky. Yet, I produced both. The MEAD Remix is co-produced by Ruanne Emmenes ( Moody Engineer ) and myself (Angry DJ). Will there be any friendly rivalry between Sesso and Subliminal? Hope So! That means I'm doing something right! Honestly, Subliminal created what I would like Sesso to become. I can only hope that I end up as successful as Sub has. You knew that when you saw the subliminal logo on the wall at the store or on a flyer for a party, that it was going to be worth the listen. How are you going to find the balancing act between DJ, producer and label manager? It will be hard at first, but I will be making sure that I don't attempt to grow faster than the tracks allow us to grow. I will do my best to make sure I don't micro-manage as we accumulate staff. Although, I will make sure that nothing goes to press without my approval. I have the best PR firm in the game behind me and, so far, the advice has all worked out. I am also in the process of negotiating a behind the scenes operation to handle the day to day aspects of the label. We're just waiting for the proper distribution deal. Will it also mean you approach your promo mixes in a different way, focusing more on your labels roster as well as your own productions? I don't want to be the guy whose entire mix set is his own sh!t! That drives me crazy! Obviously, my tracks will be in the mixes, but they will be surrounded by other hot tracks from around the world. Given the current global economic situation, how do the challenges facing a fledgling independent record label differ from even a year ago? With the transition to digital, the cost to release a track has dropped drastically. For instance, monies I would've spent on vinyl and CD pressings can be redirected to publicity and marketing, which I feel is just as important to the label's success as is the tracks that are released. Actually, I feel two things that don't suffer too much with the economy are music and booze. You dance and drink when your celebrating or when you're trying to forget about something. As long as we DJs don't price ourselves out of the market, people will be able to afford to come, hence exposing our sound. Will you be making Sesso mainly vinyl based as a result, or else opting for the cheaper digital formats? I will be pressing limited amounts of vinyl for most releases and digital for all. Can you give us a run down of what's a standard 24hrs in the life of Jimmy Ponzio? Haha! It may take 24 hours to answer! I wake up. Feed my one year old and my four year old breakfast. ( I am Daddy Daycare! ). When Aidan takes a morning nap and Anthony is chilling in the playroom, I handle the overseas business and PR part of my day, since you guys are hours ahead. Then we all have lunch. After that, during their afternoon nap, I handle the US part of the business day. Then wifey comes home from work and we enjoy whatever I cooked up that day! ( I can get down in the kitchen!) Next, Karina takes over the boys and I get to focus on making beats, recording vocals, or searching for new artists out on the town. Basically, I'm always working! Is there anyone you’ve turned down the opportunity to work with, be it in a joint production or remix capacity? I'm pretty open to working with just about anyone, especially since my musical tastes vary so much. I actually turned down the opportunity to produce one of the Jennifer Hudson – Spotlight remixes. I would've had to put Out Of My Mind on the back burner and miss out on having Phoenix be the vocalist, since she was heading back to the UK - and we all know she won a Grammy for that album! Was there ever a particular point in your life when dance music ‘made sense’ to you for the first time? Actually, there was. When Louie Vega and Barbara Tucker used to host the Sound Factory Bar in NYC, I really found myself understanding the control that the DJ had and the energy that was developed by proper programming. Plus, you could go in the basement and check out Hippie Torrales playing the filthiest classics you've ever heard flawlessly. Seeing the people, including myself, sweating, dancing, and smiling all night, is what did it for me. Can you give us a run down of tunes that are doing the damage for you right now? Leave It All Behind - Original Mix Can't Get Enough 2009 - Henrik B Mix Gypsy - Laidback Luke Remix Life Goes On - Richard Grey, Erick Morillo, Jose Nunez, and Shawnee Rotterdam City of Love - Axwell Re-Edit They're all different, but I like them all. Coming away from the world of music for a second, who would you have at your fantasy dinner party and why? I'm going to have to go with Giani Versace, Stevie Wonder, Pele, and Abraham Lincoln This way, I would leave with the chance to pick the brains of the best that ever did it. What's your ideal non music related activity? Spending time with my sons. And finally, how would you like the rest of 2009 to pan out for you? I'm hoping that Sesso's releases do well and that I can have the opportunity to collaborate with other producers so my sound and ideas can be broadcasted to the global audience. Lastly, I want to set up a crazy 2010 for Jimmy Ponzio, the DJ/Producer, and Sesso Recordings, the label. Photos courtesy of EMMS. Not to be reproduced without permission. Share this :: : : : Follow HarderFaster :: Other Features By Wub: Kissy Sell Out goes Global The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable. Comments:

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