Vibe brothers
in the studio, DJ booth and life, Apollonia have cultivated a creative synergy
that sees them connect and work as one artist. Seamlessly weaving through house
and techno, their sets are a hypnotic
experience; three different minds, bodies and souls intuitively working together,
focusing on their shared musical passion: grooves to make your body move.
“We don’t play
like a usual back to back - where you can recognize who is playing what - we
have a unity, much like that of a band… There is a point
when we have played together after three or four hours and we no longer feel
the time… it’s almost meditation.”
What they describe as a
meeting of “black music and white soul” (inspired by the pioneering work of the
trio’s hero, Prince), they have showcased their electric back2back2back sessions,
where they play at least five hours or more, at Panorama Bar in Berlin, DC10 in
Ibiza and of course, fabric in London.
Apollonia formed officially
in 2012, although the trio have been friends and working together for more than
a decade. Originally meeting at Ghenacia’s revered Parisian Sunday morning
afterhours, ‘Kwality’, held on a boat in Paris, Dyed and Shonky released their
first EPs on Ghenacia’s former imprint, Freak n’ Chic, a label which encouraged
new talent to grow and reach from the echelons on France. After the label’s
demise in 2011, the logical progression for the Parisians was to start a joint
musical venture, and here Apollonia began - both the band aspect and as a record
label, to release their own productions and those of carefully chosen
contemporaries.
It’s an unmistakable energy
Apollonia have brought to creating fabric 70, which was completed
over an intense six-week lock down period in the trio’s Berlin studio earlier
this year.
“The mix is a reflection about of our culture and how
we play, and it's a really good mirror of who we are and what we do, mixing the
old school stuff that fits in really well at the moment, with some brand new
music.”
The mix includes fresh cuts
from the likes of The Mole on his new Maybe Tomorrow imprint, Dyed Soundorom’s
buzzing re-rub of Daze Maxim’s ‘Farbfilm’ (a recent addition to the Apollonia
catalogue), two new Apollonia releases from the boys themselves, made
especially for the mix – ‘Trinidad’ - smooth deep house that incorporates the
male spoken word and ‘Visa Americain’, a swirling, trippy excursion packed full
of multi-layered drums and fizzy sonic effects, both due out on Apollonia later
this year.
Reaching back to the 1990s,
the atmospheric pads of Nail’s ‘I’ve Been There’ is included from 1997, the
uplifting summery grooves of Mood 2 Swing feat. John Ciafone ‘Ohh’ from 1996 and Callisto’s ‘Need Ur Love’ – a track close to the
hearts of Dan, Dyed and Shonky - concludes the mix, standing as a solemn homage
to the DJ/producer who sadly recently passed.
“Released in 1997, ‘Need
Ur Love’ is a track Dan used to play a lot at the Kwality parties back when we
all met. We almost forgot about it… but when we heard the sad news about
Callisto we were reminded of it again – naturally we wanted to give a tribute.”
It
proved a challenge to license, but they finally pulled it off, and what’s more
hold plans to re-press it on the label later this year.
True to Apollonia form, fabric 70 is also a work with its share
of twists and turns – the deftly talented trio knowing pleasure comes from
contrasts and thus the energy levels are constantly manipulated up and down
with masterful precision – the energy and intensity of their live performances
injected into the mix. Always focused on the groove…
Tracklist
01 El Prevost feat. D.Ham - Allez Ally [Third
Ear]
02 Trus'me - Nards (Ryan Elliott Remix)
[Prime Numbers]
03 Apollonia - Trinidad [Apollonia]
04 The Mole - Bleep Blop Robot [Maybe
Tomorrow]
05 Nail - I've Been There [DiY]
06 Daze Maxim - Farbfilm (Dyed Soundorom
Remix) [Apollonia]
07 Funk E - Masa de Fatza [Kurbits]
08 Eduardo De La Calle - The Guy From Hackney
[Appian Sounds]
09 Mood II Swing feat. John Ciafone - Ohh
[Strictly Rhythm]
10 DeWalta & Frieder Klaris -
Fromsidetoside [Vakant]
11 Mazi - Scene Shifter [Gourmet]
12 Môme - Control (Tevo Howard Remix) [Fragil
Musique]
13 Apollonia - Visa Americain [Apollonia]
14 Philipp Boston - Night Chime [BTAIM]
15 Masomenos / Ark / Cabanne - Bronze
Septembre [WTM]
16 Grimes Adhesif - Fearless Fun [Curle /
N.E.W.S.]
17 Callisto - Need Ur Love (Stalactite Mix)
[Guidance]
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