“Some artists get more slices of the pie than they can eat…unless they have a very large appetite, but wouldn’t that be unhealthy?”
Listening to Vox supreme is like entering a new atmosphere… elevated by soft and trance-like sampling we are lured into a sound that gracefully evolves into hefty kicks and hypnotic bass lines. You may be familiar with the Hague-based DJ from club nights at De School or RADION, but he has also graced the decks internationally at Atlas Electronic in Marrakesh and Waking Life in Portugal. Running his own label and events organisation traumgarten, Lounes (Aka Vox supreme) utilises this platform as a space to forge collaborations with emerging artists, celebrating their unique sounds and identities through parties held across Amsterdam. We spoke with Lounes, discussing the importance of crowd interaction and how headliners with an unhealthy desire for the the spotlight need to learn to share the pie! Read below for the full interview 😉
How are you today?
A bit overwhelmed and sad by the current state of this realm to be honest.
That’s understandable. To start things off, how do you describe your DJ style?
Hectic at times haha. But always bringing it back to serenity for balance. Just enough to make it make sense, but then taking it in different directions that dismiss all of that. I like to create narratives that symbolise the otherworldliness of things, playing with expectations, not only that of the crowd in front of me, but also of my own. As a person who loves to be surprised and in awe (being all like: “what the F*** did I just experience?!) by other artists’ performances, that is something that’s very important for me to give back when I’m playing.
Nice! What’s your main source of inspiration?
M-U-S-I-C
What do you like to do before your set to get in the mood?
I like to get a taste of the night and the crowd’s vibe, so whenever I can I come early to get as much of the story as I can.
Which other DJ’s or music artists inspire you the most?
DjRUM, Crystallmess, Objekt, ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U, Amnesia Scanner, mad miran, upsammy, Zohar, and of course The Prodigy, to name a few…
How does your work interact with the communities you’re in?
I am someone who likes to get everyone involved. With my label and multidisciplinary platform traumgarten, I strive to collaborate with talented artists that I feel deserve to be in the spotlight.
Dream b2b/collab?
Dream b2b (at this point): DjRUM & ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U
dream collab: Frank Ocean <3
If you could change anything about the industry what would it be?
How much of it revolves around social media. Quantity over quality. The necessity of ‘headliners’, the fact that some artists get more slices of the pie than they can eat (unless they have a very large appetite, but wouldn’t that be unhealthy?), leaving less of it for local artists and communities to thrive and express themselves.
Sharing is caring! What is your biggest accomplishment thus far?
Still getting those butterflies in my stomach before gigs :p But closing the Kiosk Radio stage at Horst Festival and Säule in Berghain/Panorama Bar, as well as playing Dekmantel Festival and Selectors were milestones for me this year.
What is your favourite song at the moment?
Little Dark Age by Astrophysics & Hatsune Miku. I have been ending a couple of my sets in the past months with this track, playing something fast and heavy before it and then breaking it all down into this.
What makes someone in the crowd stand out to you?
When they are fully immersed and moving their bodies in ways they didn’t know they could before. When we are able to inspire each other through music and vibes. Fundamentally, it’s all about interaction between crowd and artist, where both are equally important.
What advice would you give young DJs trying to break into the industry?
Find and nurture your own sound, don’t look too much at what other people are doing. Believe in yourself, stay motivated, play hard, loosen up, and don’t forget to enjoy :)))
What are you manifesting for 2024?
Most importantly, a free Palestine. Other than that, bonding with a lot of people over music and deepening as well as nurturing my relationships. Crossing some more festivals and clubs off my list, worldwide. The 6 year anniversary and club tour of traumgarten. More collabs with amazing artists on the label and merchandise. It’s coming!!!
Nice! Thanks so much for speaking with me today, I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you 🙂
