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Getting toey with DJ Chlo�
Chloé Harris or DJ Chloé is probably a name most aren’t to familiar with. But as many found out at the recent Proton party at the Winter Music Conference, she oozes talent. She is part of the new style of DJ who doesn’t just play one style, but rather juxtaposes a myriad of styles to create her very own sound. Resident Advisor recently caught up with Chloé and found out a little more about her, what she thought of the WMC and her stalking habits for one Kate Moss.
For those that don’t know you, tell us a little about yourself?
Hi. My name is Chloé. I am a DJ from Seattle. I work at Groovetech and work with Progressive Sounds and have a radio show on Proton Radio. Hehe.
You live in Seattle and have so for the 26 years of your life, what is the scene like in Seattle?
The scene in Seattle is what you make of it I think. For me we don’t have too much going on. We have a big house scene, rave scene, drum n bass scene, as well as a new found techno/electro scene. There’s not too much in progressive music or breaks even. I wish there was more. I would love to see some better DJ’s and producers come through our town. Soon enough I hope.
How did you get involved in doing the sound bytes on the progressive sounds website?
Well.. mmm. That’s a hard question. I have worked with progressive sounds for a while now doing reviews and some interviews. My show on Groovetech was cancelled due to their great idea to close it up and just have London. Sound Bytes became my only outlet for dancey type sounds, and so we have made it what it is now. I try to focus on new songs to give exposure, or put up songs by not so known artists. I like giving an outlet for good songs. It’s very fun, I love it a lot.
You recently got back from the Winter Music Conference in Miami. This is a huge event that just seems to be getting larger and larger every year. What were some of the highlights of the WMC for you?
Hightlights for me. Well. Having DJ Three (who is part of Second Hand Satellites with Sean Cusick) come up to me, and ask me if he could “burden” me with promos was great. It was at the Hallucination party, and it was a great party. I got to hear some of the best tunes I’ve heard in a while. Nice dirty funk. Yum. The party at Maze, on Tuesday which was thrown by Modernism, and Forward Thinking Music was great as well. To see Infusion live was incredible. As well as Greyarea, and some really great DJs. I also loved the Proton party. Those people are so warm, and lovely. And everyone played wicked sets. It was great.
The WMC is great for exposing new talent. As an up and comer, did you hope to gain anything by going to the WMC? What sorts of things did you do to try and promote yourself? And is there any new DJ’s or Live Acts that you saw that people should be watching out for?
I didn’t really go to WMC to promote what I do or myself. I just went there hoping to have a great time, and hear some really great music. If something comes out of it, then very well. I did bring a couple CDs to give out to people. You can get them from my website if you like. One is dancey, and one is mellow. I think people should watch out for Three and Sean Cusick. I think they will take over the world soon. They’ve got some of dirtiest house music we’ve heard in a long time, add some wicked basslines, and tech funk, and electro, and you’ve got their sound. I really enjoyed a lot of the DJs that I saw. Everyone did a great job. I hope big things for Ashley Casselle. Steve Porter and James Zabiela rocked the Shameless party. Jonathan Lisle was great as well. His breaks are lush. There are a lot of others I wished I could have seen, like John Diggers and Sasha, and the Bedrock party, but there’s just not enough time.
While at the WMC you played at the Proton party. How are you involved with Proton Radio? How did the party turn out? Were you happy with how you played?
I got involved with Proton a while back. I think about August is when I started doing shows for them. They asked me to do a downtempo show. Not sure why, but I thought it would be really fun. My show is on every Monday morning. I try to play all sorts of mellow sounds, going from very electro to more organic. The Proton party was great. We had a really good turn out, and every single DJ was brilliant. The Proton people are some of the coolest folks this scene has seen in a long time. I guess I was happy with what I played. I went all over the board. I played electro, house, techno, ambient, noise, mellow breaks, break beats, and some nice downtempo. I hope people liked it. I had a lot of fun, that is for sure.
In very recent times there have been two tragedies in clubs in the USA. One involved a fire and another involved a stampede due to a man opening fire. There is also the war on Iraq which started just as the conference got under way. Did any of these events have an effect on the WMC? Did there appear to be a large police presence? Was security extra tight?
I don’t think it really made a difference. Miami is a strange place. People are everywhere, at all hours of the day and night. Time is irrelevant. As is safety, and driving. People drive all over. And if you are a pedestrian, just go ahead and walk out in the middle of the street. No one will hit you or anything. It’s a funny place. I actually don’t think I really saw any police in any of the clubs.
You have also started to dabble in the production side of things. How has this been going? Have you made many tracks or done many remixes? What kind of programs do you use? Do you enjoy playing your own tracks when you are out?
I have made a few songs, mostly downtempo for my B-side show on Proton. Nothing is released or probably ever will be. But it’s definitely fun to learn production, and to make something out of nothing. I recently started a new dancey song that will be on my promos. It’s pretty techy, but has a nice melody and a driving bassline. It pops into some gritty breaks. I hope people like it. As for equipment, I use Protools, and a lot of hardware. The best thing anyone can have is an MPC2000. It’s brilliant. I love it. I have lots of keyboards as well. I am a bit of a collector. I really am a bit scared of playing my own songs, as I fear what people will say or think about them. But really it’s the only way to learn, and to understand what people want to hear. Try things out, and watch reactions. I really want to make some dancey type sounds and just need to get on it.
The internet and message boards more specifically have become a great way for people to make contacts in other countries and bring together like minded people. You regularly post on a number of message boards, have you found this has helped your exposure? Has it helped you to get more up front music from friends on message boards?
I think it has gained some exposure for me. I have met a lot of people in the industry this way and being so far away from everything in Seattle, it’s really the only way for me to get out there. Meeting a lot of people that way, you meet a lot of upcoming producers, and I have met some really great people. Jacob Todd, who makes breaks, and Evan Marcus makes really nice surreal sounds. Both message board people.
What gigs do you have coming up?
I will be playing in New Orleans with Collette on May 2nd. Let’s hope I do ok.
Are their any Artists or DJ’s that have influenced you over the years? Any albums or tracks even?
Charlie May and his lovely arpeggiators. Luke Chable doing the lush breaks. His sounds are brilliant. Oliver Lieb really showed me trance a long time ago. Sasha was the first DJ that blew my mind. John Digweed for his techy moments. Sean and Three doing their do. There’s tons more but I know that when I turn this in, I’ll remember them all. Blackwatch and David Gardner’s new stuff is tasty. Bluehaze and Blue Room Project are really good up ‘n’ comers. I really also love Funckarma, Lowfish, Arovane, and Abfart Hinwill. They all make some of the most amazing mellow electronics I’ve heard in a long time. Recently have heard some amazing break beat electro styled stuff from a producer and DJ 214. I think he’s going to make some impact this year. His sound is really fresh. There’s tons of outstanding albums and I could go on forever. Autechre – Incunabula changed my life. Skinny Puppy – Last Rights did as well. I am a very old fan of the Cure, and New Order, and lots of 80s new wave and electro bands. I listened to Kraftwerk when I was 5 years old. I also grew up around Pink Floyd, and Jimi Hendrix and other classic type rock music.
What do you like to get up to in your spare time away from the Music?
I pretty much do music all day all night. It sort of encompasses me. I like to watch cheesy funny films from the 80s, and drool at the sight of new songs. I like to wear tutus and dance the cha cha in my room. I also stalk Kate Moss; and some others that I’ll leave out, to protect them. Hehehe.
To find out more about Chloé you can check her newly constructed website at djchloe.com. You can also check out her sound bytes on www.progressive-sounds.com
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Published / Tuesday, 08 April 2003
 3 Comments
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