Since we last spoke to DJ Boris a lot has changed. He has picked up successful gigs at Pacha NYC and Space Miami, put out a CD, which he claims is his best work to date (on a new label, Nervous Records, nonetheless), and expanded his sound geographically, while still maintaining a loyal following in New York City. The DJ has made some big changes, but remains a New York fave since his Crobar days years ago. With a newly released album on the scene and slots at Electric Zoo and Groove Cruise on the horizon, we were excited to check in with DJ Boris to see how his busy schedule has been treating him. Still, we’re even more excited to see where his music will take him from here.
Clubplanet: The last time we got to chat with you was back in 2006. A lot has changed in the past four years… anything particular that stands out to you?
DJ Boris: [Laughs] Where do I begin? When we last spoke I was the resident at Crobar. Well, obviously that’s no longer, so we’ve moved on to Pacha for the last three-and-a-half years, as well as other residencies, including Space Miami. I’ve also played so many different places from South America to all over the States—West Coast, East Coast, Canada—everywhere. I did Believe on Star 69, which came out last year, and then this year, the new Believe in the Music, on Nervous, so I’ve changed labels a few times. I’ve done various productions on Nervous, Stereo; the next single is coming out on Viva, Steve Lawler’s label. I mean, that’s just what I can think of off the top of my head. It’s been a lot, to say the least.
Clubplanet: It sounds like you’ve been traveling around the world a little more than you were four years ago. Even though you’ve gained success globally, you still have such a big following in New York. Why do you think your following has remained so loyal here, and so big here, compared to other places?
DJ Boris: I just try to give the people what they want, and for the masses, for whatever reason, it seems to be working here. I try to break new records, I try to do different stuff, I try to do different events—the right events of course—just to have people come out. I just try to be innovative more with the music and stuff and just keep trucking, so to speak.
Clubplanet: Tell us about the album that just came out.
DJ Boris: It came out on July 20th and I’m actually very, very excited about it. I worked really, really hard on this one. To be honest, I think it’s the best out of all four I’ve done, and I’m not just saying that because it’s a new label, or whatever, I just feel like the track listing is really fresh and innovative, and there’s a lot of unreleased stuff there. A lot of the edits I put on the CD, nobody really has. I’ve got a track with Method Man, which is kind of unheard of—a hip-hop guy going on a dance compilation. Plus the track listing… it’s really all about the track listing. Some of the new stuff that’s on there is, I mean, I think it’s really good. From the reviews I’ve heard, from the label, from pretty much everyone that’s heard it, the response has been really good.
Clubplanet: How did you come up with the theme for the album?
DJ Boris: Actually, there’s a track on there by Celeda and it’s called, “Believe in the Music,” and ironically, it’s coming out on Star 69. We were just throwing different ideas around and we were all just like, “Hey, how about Believe in the Music?” It’s different than just the Believe theme that we went with for the last couple years. We wanted to change it up a little, and plus that track is on the comp, so it just made sense.
Clubplanet: You said the sound on this album is different from your past albums, but how is this one different? How would you describe the sound on this album?
DJ Boris: It’s a double CD, first and foremost. The last one was as well, but the prior couple were not. These days, you have to do a double, because there’s no way you could fit everything you want on one CD, which is equivalent to about fourteen tracks. To me, I kind of wanted to make it like a journey. CD 1 started with more of a house-ier, tribal type sound… groovy stuff. I like to describe [this CD] as the 3 a.m. hour as opposed to CD 2, which is like the 5 a.m. hour—just straight up techno, and harder-edged type stuff. CD 1 is, like I said, the more familiar stuff. It’s a little lighter.
Also, inside the CD case, in the middle jacket, is the calendar for the year of all my dates—that’s another cool thing that we did that was different. The whole marketing, the whole packaging of the CD, when you see it, you’ll see that it’s definitely top notch.
Clubplanet: You don’t really see that in most CDs.
DJ Boris: You don’t see that at all, actually. To be honest, everyone who has seen it has been pretty impressed, because no one’s ever done that really… we’ve investigated, no one’s put their entire schedule for the year in a comp. But it works for everyone’s behalf, including the clubs, because they see that their club is in the calendar. So it’s a good thing, a great thing, actually.
Clubplanet: You were also recently announced as part of the final lineup for Electric Zoo 2010. What’s it like to play a music festival of this size? Are you excited? Nervous? How do you feel?
DJ Boris: I’m actually really excited. It’s a great festival, a great festival for New York, with a lot of great talent. I’m just happy to be a part of it. Last year I didn’t do it because I was away, and this year, I was able to do it, even though I have a crazy schedule for that weekend—from Vegas, to “Electric Zoo,” to Space Miami to the Hamptons on Sunday. As soon as I play my set [at Electric Zoo] I have to go right to the airport. Hopefully, I can catch a little bit of everything, at least some of the guys before me on the main stage. I’m not really sure how much time I’ll have, but I’ll try as best as I can to check everyone out.
Clubplanet: Obviously playing a festival is different than playing just at Space or at Pacha is there anything you’re going to do differently to switch things up? How do you play for a festival audience compared to a regular venue?
DJ Boris: Well, obviously, the time span is a lot shorter. You’re only playing for about two hours at the most on the festivals, depending, of course, on your time slot. But I’m just going to try to like bang it out, and hopefully it works out.
Clubplanet: What’s the “Groove Cruise?” Can you tell us a little about that?
DJ Boris: The Groove Cruise is basically a cruise and it has all sorts of different DJs, and I’ve done it the last couple years out of Miami, but this is the first time that we’re doing it out of New York. The one in Miami usually goes to the Bahamas, and the one in New York is going to Canada. It’s actually a really, really great time. We get a whole bunch of people on a boat, like a big cruise ship, and it’s just a good time. Different parties—on the beach, at the pool, on the deck, inside—just one long party, for three days.
Clubplanet: How would you say that your sound has evolved since you started out? Do you see it going anywhere, I mean, especially after this new album?
DJ Boris: I’m always trying to break new ground, and new music, especially here in New York. I wouldn’t say that I just play techno, or house, or tribal. If it’s good, and I like it, and I feel it, I’m going to play it. It’s not like I’m labeled as a “techno DJ” or a “tribal DJ” or anything like that. I mean, that’s all I can define it as, whatever I feel really. I just try to give the people what they want; that’s really what it is. Hopefully that revolves around whatever I’m playing.