Dutch DJ Joris Voorn has gotta be one of the headiest head-spinners working the decks these days. In fact, his double-disc Balance 014 mix CD seems to spring straight from an ether all its own. So New Times decided to give the celebrated dance man a chance to bring it all down to the ground where we mere mortals live. Here's how he fielded things. -- John Hood
New Times: If you had to peg your sound to one genre, would you say it's techno, minimal, house or trance?
It's a bit of everything I think, maybe trance the least of them all though haha... I like to work across different genres and combine different elements of all into one sound, or maybe a different sound for each piece of music I work on.
If you had to choose one phrase to define what you do, what would it be?
There are no boundaries!
If you're sound was like an animal, which would it most represent?
A chameleon.
If you were forced to limit a mix set to five tracks, which tracks would you select?
- A:Xus -- "Suit Disappointment"
- Joris Voorn -- "Midori Pt. 5" (Balance 014 Edit)
- Joris Voorn -- "Sweep the Floor"
- Dave Angel -- "Airborne" (Carl Craig Drums Suck Mix)
- I:Cube -- "Supernovac" (Joris Voorn Edit)
If you could share the night with any DJ in the world, who would you choose?
Uhm, share the night? On stage back to you mean? In that case it would be Laurent Garnier for sure. He's a great DJ with a very rich musical history who's been on top of his game for over 20 years now.
If you could bring back one blast from the past, which past would you bring back?
The moment I started to discover electronic music was very special for me, a whole new world of sound. I was listening to all possible genres, unbiased and with fresh ears. I'd like to be able listening to music the same way I did back then, but it's hard when music has become your professional life.
If you could design the sound of the future, what would it look like?
It would look comfortable warm and organic, with lots of colours..
If you could score for any director, living or dead, who would you score for?
I wouldn't mind working with David Lynch, not because I think my sounds necessarily suits his images, but because it would be a great challenge to match my music to his fantastic images.
If you had to recommend just one remix to someone, which would it be?
I pretty much like the remix I did for Robert Babicz, called 'Dark Flower -- Joris Voorn Magnolia Mix'. It's very emotional, and it's crazy how many people have spoke to me about how much they love that track. Everywhere I've played it the last year it was one of the highlights of the night.
If you heard voices in your head, what would they be saying?
It's not good enough!!
If you were spinning in a total eclipse, what would be in the mix?
A beatless mix of quiet sounds, respecting the peacefulness of the eclipse.
If you weren't making music, what would you be doing?
I'd still be in architecture and design, which I gave up to do music full-time.
If you had to choose one BPM, which would it be and why?
126 or 127 is the best BPM for a groovy set of almost any kind of dance music these days. It's the beat at which house sounds funky and uplifting and techno oriented tracks sound deep and driving.
Joris Voorn, at the Sunday School For Degenerates Party at the Ice Palace, Saturday March 28 to Sunday March 29. Others on the bill include Matthew Dear, Marco Carola, and Seth Troxler. Doors open at 10 p.m. Saturday, and tickets cost $50. madeevent.com
