Hybrid label and collective, New York.
Cultivated Sound is a hybrid between a collective and label in Brooklyn, New York. We are focusing on showcasing artists locally and internationally. Our mission is constantly evolving as we strive to integrate programs with collaborators and residents. To cultivate music as sound and introduce new music breaking genres.
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CULTIVATED SOUND
CSS067: Tolga Baklacioglu[Vinyl Set]
Text. Chamberlain Zhang
CULTIVATED SOUND 067.
How did you get into techno and DJing in general?
Tolga: It was in 2002. I was playing electric guitar in a Blues band called “Harlot Money” before that. Music have been always in my life since I was 11 years old. After listening to lots of thrash and death metal, I moved through rock, blues, and jazz phases naturally. Around 2000, I had grown interest in electronic music and began clubbing. In 2002, after I started to work as a research assistant at the university, I bought a pair of used Technics SL1210 which I still have and an old mixer. I had no dj or producer friends around me and there was no social media or youtube to watch any tutorial videos. I found a few online articles and learnt beatmatching by myself. Then I started to collect vinyl ordering from Juno every week. I recorded some mixes and showed them to a few djs I met in The Club 20, Ankara. Then I started djing at the local clubs in Ankara, mostly as a resident dj in clubs like Drop, The Club 20, Locus Solus, etc.
Can you tell us about your ideas for this mix? What were you thinking about when you recorded this set?
Tolga: It was just before my travel to Berlin recently. I was just thinking of recording something sincere, dark, and playful at the same time. I remember I was really bored of seeing some fake artists on social media those days. I just wanted to record a set for myself to listen too.
What does “listening” mean to you as a performer and also a music collector?
Tolga: Listening means 60 percent of music production process to me. I spent around 30 years of my life to learn how to listen to music properly. This provides the biggest inspiration in my music. I try to search for inspiration and influence in music itself rather than collecting new hardware synths. Listening means making better music arrangements and also finding interesting samples to cut on vinyl as well. In another aspect, listening in djing mode and producer mode can be totally different to me.
What does vinyl mean to you? How do you manage your collection when you’re preparing a gig? Do you know what you will play before a gig?
Tolga: Vinyl means everything to me since I play 100% vinyl only sets. It is not kind of an obsession or snobbery. It is just the way I learnt djing when I began.
In a dj case or two, I categorize the vinyl such as some starter kind of vinyl for the set. These can be some drone/noise kind of stuff or some interesting hypnotic vocal tracks, then some vinyl to be played as building up the set and some killer/bangers. There are also some vinyl to provide variety and maybe a change in style; another category including banger vinyl again and emotional stuff, etc. I put them in no particular order or no plan of tracklisting, but only create some rough categories. I never know what I will play before a gig. It all depends on that moment.
Tolga: Listening means 60 percent of music production process to me. I spent around 30 years of my life to learn how to listen to music properly. This provides the biggest inspiration in my music. I try to search for inspiration and influence in music itself rather than collecting new hardware synths. Listening means making better music arrangements and also finding interesting samples to cut on vinyl as well. In another aspect, listening in djing mode and producer mode can be totally different to me.
What does vinyl mean to you? How do you manage your collection when you’re preparing a gig? Do you know what you will play before a gig?
Tolga: Vinyl means everything to me since I play 100% vinyl only sets. It is not kind of an obsession or snobbery. It is just the way I learnt djing when I began.
In a dj case or two, I categorize the vinyl such as some starter kind of vinyl for the set. These can be some drone/noise kind of stuff or some interesting hypnotic vocal tracks, then some vinyl to be played as building up the set and some killer/bangers. There are also some vinyl to provide variety and maybe a change in style; another category including banger vinyl again and emotional stuff, etc. I put them in no particular order or no plan of tracklisting, but only create some rough categories. I never know what I will play before a gig. It all depends on that moment.
You start the set with an interesting noise track. What is the intention of using this track? What does it mean to you?
Tolga: I had no intention. It was just what I felt at that moment.
The most memorable dj gig in your career?
Tolga: My Tresor gig in 2015 is one of my most memorable dj gigs I can say. Every artist was making a soundcheck and the sound guy asked me if I want to make a soundcheck as well. I said ok then began to play vinyl after another. Then I turned to the guy and asked when I could begin my set and he said that people were already inside and I had already began. I didn’t feel stressful until the moment he told me that. But I think playing long sets during my residencies helped me a lot. I played 4 hours at Tresor and the reaction was amazing.
TOLGA BAKLACIOGLU PRODUCER & VINYL DJ
BASED IN TURKEY
VENT is a vinyl only label. It is built upon the love of raw and unpretentious techno. With a widespread group of artists under its wings, VENT is taking the same thoughts from different people in different parts of the world and thus gathering the cognates of a contemporary techno vision.
Release on Labels:
VENT, Labrynth, Trau-ma, One Instrument, Android Muziq, Lebensfreude, Archipel Musique, Augsmatic Diaspore, Industrial Techno United, Resopal Schallware, Kalimari, Park Recordings, Goodnight Moon Recordings, Multi Vitamins, Psycle Records, Living Records.
Tolga Baklacioglu - Altered State (Album) (Industrial Techno United) - Listen here ︎
[VENT019] Tolga Baklacioglu & Ezgi Irem Mutlu - Repentless (Anastasia Kristensen, Julia Govor Remix) -
Listen here ︎
VENT, Labrynth, Trau-ma, One Instrument, Android Muziq, Lebensfreude, Archipel Musique, Augsmatic Diaspore, Industrial Techno United, Resopal Schallware, Kalimari, Park Recordings, Goodnight Moon Recordings, Multi Vitamins, Psycle Records, Living Records.
Tolga Baklacioglu - Altered State (Album) (Industrial Techno United) - Listen here ︎
[VENT019] Tolga Baklacioglu & Ezgi Irem Mutlu - Repentless (Anastasia Kristensen, Julia Govor Remix) -
Listen here ︎
02042020.