Festival Chat: wAFF at We Are FSTVL

We Are FSTVL returned for their fifth birthday celebrations over the Bank Holiday Weekend 26th–28th May including our Data Transmission Stage, we sent Jack Finnan down to check it out and whilst he was their he caught up with wAFF and chatted to him about his Ibiza residency at Paradise, Festivals, his upcoming release on Desolt, Gaming and more..

So your Hanzz Sup EP came out on vinyl this Monday via Desolat, what was your approach to production for such a big release?

You know what, I don’t actually have any approach to any production at all. I just sit there and make whatever comes to me on the spot. I never think of it, I never plan it and when I do do that it fails a little bit as I’ve already set myself up boundaries before I can even start. So I just tend to sit there and whatever mood I’m in and make whatever, I mean it took me a good couple of months to get everything all together. I’ve made some other stuff but it didn’t work together for the EP, but it worked out great and I’m well happy with it.

Last month you played b2b with Desolat co-founder Loco Dice, who are the other artists that you really look up to?

I mean Loco Dice has always been someone I look up to, so that was just an amazing thing to experience. I’ve always dreamt of playing with Loco Dice, playing alongside him, never mind back-2-back with him. It’s different now because my whole tastes have changed but it always used to be Villalobos, still do love Villalobos, Marco Carola, all them lot. But my tastes are always changing, so now it would be wicked to be able to play alongside people like Ben Klock, Marcel Dettman, that’s the more techno side of stuff. Anyone like (Loco) Dice really, even b2b with Jamie (Jones) would be great, I’m really good friends with Jamie now although I’ve never played properly b2b with him at an actual event, so I’d love to be able to do that.

 If you had the chance to go b2b with anyone (alive or deceased) who would it be and why?

Michael Jackson in his bedroom with loads of kids, it would be well weird.

You’re playing the Paradise stage this Sunday at We Are FSTVL and Hot Creations signed your first ever EP – Rainbows (incl. Jo Johnson), what does Paradise/Hot Creations mean to you as an artist?

To me everybody who is part of Hot Creations are just really wicked people, everyone is full of life, full of colour and everyone’s got their own vibe and their own style to it. I think that’s what Jamie’s done so well with, is that he’s taken on so many different artists that have something really special to them. So as a thing I think it has a special vibe and the people are great, it’s such an amazing family to be part of. I think the energy of it all and the whole idea and the concept behind it just really works.

Looking ahead to the summer over the next few weeks, you’re playing Richy Ahmed’s 432 label launch, the Netherlands, Hungary, Rome, Barcelona, then the Paradise Opening Party at DC-10 and back for Glasto a day or so later. When you do find time to unwind amongst your busy schedule, what kind of things do you like to do?

It’s literally playing computer games, that is all I do, no joke. If I’m not DJing and I’m not making music, I just tend to sit at home and watch films, play games, stuff like that. Literally just be a lazy lifer. Because I travel so much and I play all the time, when I come home if I don’t have to make music, the last thing I want to do is be surrounded by music. I’m a bit of a hermit when I’m at home, I just stay in, I don’t want to go out. I just lie there, I’m a massive computer geek mate, so that to me is my ultimate chilling out time, doing absolutely fuck all, just lying there playing computer games.

Have you got a favourite game at the moment?

I’ve bought all the virtual reality stuff, it’s hard to say, mate, I’ve bought every game that’s possibly out, I’m honestly a right geek.

 Speaking of Ibiza, what’s the most surreal thing you’ve experienced whilst you’ve been out there?

Do you know what, my memory is that bad I don’t think I’d be able to say? But I know that Burning Man is definitely one of the maddest things I’ve ever been to and experienced. Just off the top of my head, I would say being in Burning Man, I don’t even know if I could say some of the stuff in this interview, that I’ve seen. It’s just absolutely crazy. I remember one time, one of the most amazing things I’ve experienced was being in Burning Man and we were outside Robot Heart, which is like a big bus that has a party in the middle of the desert. And Lee Burridge was playing, the sun was rising and there was thousands of people, everyone’s sat on the ground and he did this amazing big long breakdown melodic track. Then all of a sudden, the crowd picked up this disabled woman in a wheelchair and held her above their heads, like thousands of people all cheered for this woman. Then she started crying and then Lee Burridge and everyone in the bus turned the music down, just the whole desert thousands of people cheering for this disabled woman. I remember just having a little moment, you’re completely taken away by it, breathtaking. The scenery, the sunrise, the music and then just where you’re at in the middle of the desert, everyone applauding for this disabled woman giving her all this love. 

We were lucky enough to premiere your recent remix of ‘Give Me’ by De La Swing, which went out on Kaluki Musik last week. And you had the opportunity to go out and tour South America with them earlier on this year, what were some of the highlights of that trip?

I think it’s my biggest fan base there actually, it’s an amazing place to play. The people are so energetic and they feel the music, I think they really connect to the music over there and they’re just great people. Definitely, my favourite place to play, Italy and South America, so I’m going to be there quite a lot actually.

You seem to be going from strength to strength at the moment, what’s next for wAFF?

I’m going to Ibiza now, literally flying out to Ibiza now basically. I played in Zurich last night, flew here to play here like 8AM I had to come and drive here, played We Are FSTVL. They didn’t open the gates ’til 12 so I didn’t get to play to anyone really, apart from the people building the setting. So going to Ibiza now and playing with Richy Ahmed for 432 for a boat party, then I’ve absolutely no idea what I’m doing after that.

Check out our full review of We Are FSTVL here