Deep rave positivity direct from NYC!
Locking in next with a banging mix of hi-energy hypnotics from the Brooklyn rave specialist and all night party professor deep creep! Cutting her teeth throwing wild DIY after-hours parties in Austin before landing in NYC three years ago, The Lot Radio resident and host of the killer Pipipi mix series soundtracks a sunny NYC summer of quarantine with some ‘super-posi’ rave nostalgia, weaving deep trance cuts, gritty breaks and big late night techno euphorics!
Hey Sasha, we’re connecting here at a pretty intense time for your city and the world more broadly. I know it has been an emotionally taxing few months for everyone over in NYC, how have you been getting through it all and are things starting to ease over there yet?
Whew yes, what a crazy 6 months it has been — truly a summer I will never forget! While I miss the classic NYC summer feelings (esp club oriented ones) it has been a unique shift that brings a lot of different things into perspective. It’s been amazing to witness the activism in NYC with BLM & see the community come together to aid and support each other.
Also, this is the first time in ~6 years that I’ve ridden my bike regularly and it feels amazing to experience Brooklyn in this way. I have officially turned in my DJ card to be a beach bum. I’m trying to savor this last bit of summer that I can spend outdoors with friends before we’re trapped inside for what might be a depressing winter.
I read that you used to throw some killer underground techno raves in Mexican restaurants and art galleries back in Austin before moving to NYC, tell us a bit more about that and what are some of your favourite memories from those days?
Ahh those were the days!! I could fit an entire sound system with lights into my 15-yo Honda Civic and build an after-hours club in my friend Robert’s family’s Tex-Mex restaurant.
One time I blew up 100 balloons by myself in 100+ degree weather for an install. Even though Austin didn’t have great clubs for us to play, they had (and still have) amazing talent. I am forever inspired by witnessing Texas heads slay (Bill Converse, Sam De La Rosa & Convextion to name some). We also had an amazing slew of traveling artists come play our parties (Xosar, Willie Burns, Trax, Beau Wanzer…). It was pure bliss & I miss the scrappy DIY affordability of it all. (It’s hella expensive to throw raves in NYC lol)
One of the best memories is my friend Katie trying to convince everyone to drive to the beach after a rave (5 hr drive) which led to us breaking into Barton Springs (a public pool) to skinny dip — cowboy hats and all.
You’ve been hosting the Pipipi mix series for a couple of years now while throwing parties under the name in around New York with like minded guests. Tell us about the idea behind the series and where might you like to take things in the future when we can all party again?
Pipipi started as a music sharing Facebook group with a few friends that eventually grew to 500+ members. More recently, it has bloomed into a mix series and platform to showcase budding new talent.
In the interviews, I wanted to ask silly questions and maintain a sense of freedom from the world of business techno that can be serious and predictable.
I’m not sure what the future holds but I am really excited to see what happens in the scene here in NYC. The last three years or so that I’ve been here have inspired me deeply. I hope our city’s big clubs book artists from smaller US cities that have sick DIY movements such as Richmond, Kansas City, Philly, and Austin.
Tell us about your collaboration with Pascäal, I know you’ve been playing together a bit and have a hardcore / rave project on the go as well, how did that all come about?
He is my sweet, partner and now 24/7 quarantine buddy. We used to throw parties in Austin together and made the big move to NYC 3 years back. While Pascäal aka Peter is lightyears ahead of me production-wise… we are in the slow process of making the first P.U.R.E. ep. Endlessly grateful for his expertise and patience!
What can you tell us about this mix? Any special tracks you would like to mention?
This was recorded at the beginning of quarantine — it’s my take on a super-posi rave experience in the sun. I have been obsessed with the ‘days go by’ track since I was a kid. I finally found a lit remix of it and it’s been my track of the summer : )