Waze & Odyssey Interview

Since joining force back in 2011, Waze & Odyssey (aka ex-Radio Slave man Serge Santiago and Firas Waez) have been bringing their update of classic US house – inspired by the likes of Todd Terry and Moodymann – to dance floors across the world. From extended sets at Panorama Bar to touring the US, they've ridden the current house renaissance to the top. Their latest release on their own W&O Street Tracks, 'No One Knowz', is a driving vocal led belter that's bound to make an appearance during their set at Circus on September 23rd, when they join Solardo and Yousef.

While on the road across America, we caught up with Frias for an update on their current state of play...

You've just embarked on a tour of America. Given the obvious influence of classic US house, how does your sound go down there now? What have been your favourite places to play?

There's a great scene over here, you just have to dig a little bit. I think we weren't aware of how good it is over here until we'd actually been over to a few gigs and got to check it out. The mainstream perception in the UK is that is perhaps EDM heavy in the USA when in fact there are some great clubs, scenes and groups of people doing stuff in different cities whether it be Los Angeles, SF, New York, Chicago, Miami; Not to mention their neighbour Canada and the cities like Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto etc. It feels in a good place in the USA generally.

Will you dig for records while you're out there or are you strictly digital these days?

One hundred percent, there's a place in Brooklyn called 'The Thing' and that's an Aladdin's Cave of gems: every record is $2, it's dusty as hell and you have to be patient, but it's a great experience and takes you back to before Discogs was ramping up prices for everyone. Digital is easier for touring, there's no denying we both love and started with vinyl, but practicality and sound systems means we're more likely to play off USB.

What else do you have coming on W&O Street Tracks? Are there any new artists joining the crew?

We have some really great music coming up in autumn which we're really excited about. Pedram is an amazing artist from Sheffield you'll definitely be hearing more from, top guy and makes some cracking music. His release isn't a conventional club banger and that's what we love about Street Tracks, it affords us the opportunity to sign records that don't have to be out and out club fodder. Street Tracks is for the day, for pre-club, club, after the club. After that we have an EP from Citizenn, he's returning to the label for the third time with a real killer release that shows his own brand of magic; we have an 'Autumn Sampler' featuring Mella Dee, Felipe Gordon, Deep Space Orchestra and My Cat Snoop and finally an EP from Cozzy D. We're currently working on 2017 and have some really interesting music in the pipeline that we're excited to share.

Berghain has become the holy grail of clubs to play. When did you play there and what was your experience there like? Had you ever been as a clubber and faced their infamous bar staff?

We've done it five times now across the course of a couple of years. Panorama Bar really was one of the first European clubs to ever book us, it was one of our first gigs. It's hard to put into words but really it's such a unique and brilliant place. For us as DJs it's a real challenge, it's a real pleasure, we will dig all year for our sets there; having no phones in there is really conducive to a good party, everyone is connected to the people in the room and connected to the DJ in the room; the lack of a smoking ban also helps to keep the dance floor in momentum, plus the crowd has to be one of the most clued up on the planet, you can really take it to places you can't sometimes take it, playing records you never get to play. There's no denying we were incredibly nervous on our first gig, but we've got to enjoy it a little more as time has gone on. We'd love to do eight hours in there and fully go for it. That'd be a dream.

It's also an incredibly well run and efficient place, they really take care of you, everyone is super cool and the staff and team behind it are second to none. There's a lot of heart and soul invested in that club. It transcends being just a club in many ways. We've been there as clubbers and loved it, you often catch lots of DJs in there on their nights off or when they're in town and that says a lot.

What's next for W&O?

Heads down and cracking on! We've got some more music coming in autumn beyond 'No One Knowz', which comes out on our Street Tracks imprint soon. We're busy with gigs and have some plans in the pipeline for some other bits, but otherwise we're busy working on music, the label and working out our release schedule and the artists we're putting out. We're off around the UK in Autumn doing a select few small, intimate venues. We wanted to strip it right back to when we were first gigging and there's nothing better than being in a small sweaty club playing house music on an autumnal evening.

Can you tell us three tracks that give a flavour of what you'll play at Egg.

Midland - 'Final Credits'  

Kenny Hawkes - 'Sleaze Walking (Mise A Jour 2004)'

Shit Robot - 'Where It's At (feat Reggie Watts) (Johnny Aux remix)'