Get to know: Regal

We caught up with ACIDBOY® ahead of his appearance on our NYE party alongside Charlotte de Witte, Luigi Madonna and more...

There are plenty of reasons you might have come across the producer Regal this year. Currently based in Madrid and of Italian and Spanish heritage, he’s travelled the globe with a residency at Tbilisi’s renowned Khidi club, launched his own label Involve Records, and caused a bit of controversy after sharing his opinion online about the state of today’s techno scene. 

Aside from a hectic lifestyle and provoking a few techno critics, what’s made Regal a name to remember is his unquestionable production skills and a slew of tunes which catapulted him onto the global electronic scene. 

As a consistent producer, tracks like ‘Repeat’ and ‘Acid is the Answer’ [Involve Records] marked his breakthrough but more recently, his collaboration with Amelie Lens ‘Involve 020’ on his own imprint further marked a turning point his career. Regal will be joining us for the first time at the club for probably the most significant date on our calendar, New Year's Eve, alongside Charlotte de Witte, Luigi Madonna and more. Ahead of the night, we had a chat about his Khidi residency, taking his parents out clubbing and the highlights of his journey so far… 

A few weeks ago, you brought your parents to Khidi in Georgia where you have a residency. How was the night and what do your parents think of techno in general? 

The night was awesome, it's always a pleasure and very much fun to play at Khidi. As you said this time I brought my parents and it was their first techno party ever. I think both them and me were really surprised. They loved the atmosphere, even if it was totally different from what they were expecting. They didn't want to stay in the backstage, instead, they spent almost the whole night on the dancefloor. And I was surprised because I wasn't expecting them to stay in a techno club for four hours! 

Georgia has had quite a tumultuous relationship with dance music in the last few months. On one hand, clubs like Khidi and Bassiani are booking hugely renowned artists and on the other, music culture is met with disdain by figures in law and politics. How has the whole experience of playing in Georgia been for you since becoming a resident at Khidi? 

To be honest it was super special since the first moment. The rave spirit and the essence of freedom is the same as it was in the beginning. I would say that now after all what happened, these values have even been reinforced! Clubbing is now both part of a ritual and a political movement. I'm very proud to somehow be part of this resistance and be a Khidi resident since the early days of the club. 

Looking at the electronic scene closer to home here in Europe, there was a bit of controversy when you stated ‘the rap era will end we need to be there to make techno music the new mainstream music.’ Do you still think this is the case? 

I think we're all conscious about the big change happening in techno music right now. The amount of people consuming techno has increased exponentially, we see it in the number of parties and festivals going on, the number of DJs playing techno and also how in some mainstream festivals there suddenly are techno stages. The demand for techno is higher than ever before. I know that there are a lot of people who are against this expansion and want to keep techno underground, but they don't realise that techno already stopped being 'underground' some years ago and now it's getting bigger and bigger.

I don't think that techno should become mainstream. On the contrary, I think that the mainstream has to find the right way into techno, and that's what we're here for. Now that the genre is getting this much exposure, we got the chance to show the people how great it is. Isn't it better to have young people growing up to good techno music than growing up to bad techno music? 

Considering you’ll be playing on our NYE bill, what have been the highlights for you both personally and professionally over the last 12 months? 

This year has been pretty intense for me, it has been a year full of changes and learning. I'd highlight my collab EP with Amelie Lens which has received a lot of support from the people and also strengthened our friendship. 

Also my last EP 'Still Raving' was a very special release for me, not only because of the great acclaim it won and the alternative promotion strategy we chose (like the plane in Amster-dam during ADE) but also because of the strong message it contains. 

You’ll be joining Charlotte de Witte on the night who is another promising producer in the field of techno. Who else has caught your attention from the new wave of talent who has emerged into the limelight this year? 

There are a lot of new faces doing good stuff and getting big very fast. Nowadays social media is a very helpful tool for new people to show and spread their talent. There are some newcomers who I think will stand out very soon like Alignment from Berlin, Blicz from Paris or Roll Dann from Madrid. Keep an eye on these guys! 

What’s next for you on the horizon? 

As I said there are many changes going on in my career at the moment, but something is sure: I will keep doing the music I love, I will continue collaborating with the artists I like and I will try to leave my footprint in the electronic music scene in the best way I can. 

Leave us with a track that epitomises where you are currently at in your sonic career? 

Alignment – The Same Error (Involve Records

Get Tickets to EGG LDN NYE: Charlotte de Witte, Luigi Madonna, Regal, Tobi Neumann, Manu Gonzalez, Warboy Here