Buzzin Electronic Music

Magda - Minimal Techno DJ & Artist

Magda Chojnacka was born in Zywiec in Poland and moved in 1986, age of eleven, with her parents to Detroit in the United States. There she soon found a taste for Detroit Techno music.

Today, Magda is one of the most well respected techno DJ’s known mainly for her DJ sets and remixes as well as her brilliant 72 track 2006 mix CD She’s a Dancing Machine released on Richie Hawtin’s Berlin-based M_nus label.

Among her own releases are 48 Crack In Your Bass, Staring Contest and The Black Room, all on M_nus.  She has released remixes for the likes of Louderbach, Hearthrob, Troy Pierce and Butane.

This week Buzzin Electronic Music was fortunate enough to interview Magda ahead of Saturday’s Contakt Gig at the Brixton Academy in London.

Did living in the United States have an influence on your music tastes / interest?

Yes of course. I grew up in Detroit and that’s where most of my influences come from. It’s a dark, industrial, and difficult place to grow up but that’s what makes it special. The energy is raw and it comes through the music. i think there is a very unique sensitivity that comes from that kind of environment.

Was it always your intention to be an artist and a DJ?

Definitely not. I studied art and graphic design my whole life and that was my sole intention until I discovered this strange and wonderful Detroit subculture.

Seems like you devote more time to remixing & playing live rather than releasing your own work.  Is this something that may change?

Yes I hope so. That’s what I would like. I have some tracks coming out in the fall on Minus which I used on my mix for Fabric and I hope to get going in the studio more often.

Before techno and other genres of, what is now known as ‘dance music’, which bands or artists do you feel were most influential?

I love bands like ESG, Tones On Tail, and lots of post-punk because it has a very funky edge to it. In later years many dance compilations and remixes came out and highlighted this sound such as “disco not disco”. Also, some of the tracks by Yello, because they cross various genres. Prince has a huge influence on dance music, as well. He is really a true pioneer.

Over the past 15-20 years techno music has changed. As far as you are concerned, is there a ‘golden time’ for techno music?

Music is always changing and evolving. To me, the golden years’as a whole were in the late 1980’s / early 1990’s in Detroit and Chicago. Now I think all the different genres of dance music experience their own golden years’ at different times. They each get their time to shine because people like change. You need that to stay interested.

Do you have a favourite genre or sub-genre of music you like to play in your DJ sets and also play at home?

I have a soft spot in my heart for obscure electro/disco and at home, I listen to many different things from indie to ambient to electronica. Last night I was listening to Brian Eno’s Mistaken Memories Of Medieval Manhattan and Thom Yorke.

What is the most surprising remix request you’ve ever had?

Depeche Mode. I felt so honoured and quite surprised.

How is the forthcoming Contakt gig going to be different for you than if it were one of your own DJ nights?

Contakt is a whole different concept. You are taken out of the spotlight and become part of a collective, so you really need to think about what you can contribute for it to make sense as a whole. It’s quite exciting to improvise like that and play off each other but also difficult to contain everything enough so it doesn’t become a big chaotic mess.

What projects do you have planned for the rest of 2009 and 2010?

I’m focusing more on items and things. We have some strong releases coming up and I want to build a good momentum. The rest of my time I will be in the studio working on music. I am also working with an artist on an installation/ sound project for 2009.

Magda will join Richie Hawtin and other artists from the m_nus label on Saturday 26th September at The Brixton Academy for the Contakt Special, where a massive custom LED lighting installation will be rigged across the main stage, state-of-the-art surround sound will be especially customised to fit the Brixton Academy, and the main hall will have a full dance-floor fitted.

This ground-breaking show is back for one night only worldwide at London’s O2 Academy Brixton. It’s the only chance to catch M_nus this year in the UK and will be Richie Hawtin’s only London club show until 2010.

Visit Magda’s official MySpace page.