Photo: Press (Leon)
Marco Carola’s Music On Ibiza wouldn’t have become one of the island’s strongest brand without the help of his faithful friends. On Friday, July 6th, Leon will – along Detroit legende Derrick May, and Marco Faraone – once more step up to the decks of the infamous Amnesia. For the Italian DJ, this means coming home – he is Music On Ibiza’s most regular guest after all. For Groove, Leon recorded an exclusive mix to get you in the mood for this weekend’s Music On experience.
Your key influences are Danny Tenaglia, Todd Terry and Laurent Garnier. What drew you to their sound and what lessons have you learnt from them as a DJ?
Exactly, they were my idols alongside many others who came later! Danny Tenaglia taught me that a great DJ must be eclectic, he taught me mixing and creativity, playing with vocals and loops in my DJ sets and he taught me that playing so many hours is the best way to express yourself. Laurent Garnier taught me humility, simplicity, the great power of techno and the knowledge of electronic culture. Todd Terry has been a symbol of house music for me. I have always loved his productions, how he works the loops and the samples in the tracks. In many of my releases, I was inspired by him.
As a producer, you’ve been active for almost a decade now. How would you describe the changes in your sound in those years?
It’s a good question. In the past my life was different, I could stay in the studio for hours and even finish two tracks at day, but since I have a full schedule and I also have a child, I do not have much time to make music now. It often happens in planes, or in hotels between gigs, and it is not the same thing… it is difficult to find the right inspiration, the right sound!
Before I was very raw, I had a dirtier sound, more housey… then I had a very dubby style, and now I cannot define my sound, there are a lot of influences. I just try to do what I like most, and to always be very active.
You’ve been a long-time member of the Music On family. How did you first get on board and what makes your connection with them so special?
I was lucky to work with Marco Carola and Luca Piccolo a few years before they started Music On. Both of them liked my sound, so it was easy to join the big family. For me it is an honour, they are fantastic and they made me grow a lot year after year. Now I’m one of the resident DJs, the one with the most dates in the season and even today between Marco and me, there is a great musical and personal connection.
This year, you will play several gigs at Amnesia during the Music On Ibiza season. What is your secret to keeping things interesting for your audience?
The secret is to always surprise your crowd, to always do great musical research and amaze them with old, classic tunes. I like to play long sets, ranging from minimal to house… groovy, powerful and sexy.
What was the idea behind your exclusive Music On Ibiza mix for Groove?
Ohhh…it’s always hard to make a good choice for a good podcast. I started with something minimal and finished with something more tech house, very exclusive!!!
Stream: Leon – Music On Ibiza Mix
Music On Ibiza
July 6, 2018
Line-up: Marco Carola, Derrick May, Leon, Marco Faraone
Amnesia
Carretera Ibiza a San Antonio
07816 Ibiza
Spanien
