They have been a pillar of the dance community for well over a decade but in the past five years, very few have had the same powerful influence and impact on dance music as Radio Soulwax. Be it writing a smash album then remixing it with a live band as Soulwax or tearing apart festivals with their legendary 2manydj mash ups, Radio Soulwax has become a household name to anyone that loves electronic music.
The Radio Soulwax name has lent itself to festivals as hosts of stages, radio stations (including a May 2011, week long hijacking of Triple-J evenings), and an annual European Christmas mini-festival tour featuring both Soulwax and 2manydjs, as well as a variety of friends and collaborators on one stage, aptly named, SOULWAXMAS.
Despite the fact that it was an interview with founding member David Dewale that inspired this theme, it is their latest endeavour that brings them into the limelight of this series. The 2manydjs Under the Covers Live DJ set has touched down in Australia twice now and anyone who has seen it can attest to the simple means of literally bringing the music to life.
Rather than just playing any song that tickles their fancy, the Belgian duo pushed themselves to find songs they love with album artwork that they love. With the help of animators, they would bring the album to life through animation and mix the visual aspect live with the music.
They’ve since pushed the bounds further by launching their Radio Soulwax web radio channel / smart phone app which is set to have 24, one-hour long mixes, focused on a particular theme. If you haven’t checked it out yet, it is pretty fucking awesome. The only thing lacking is the magic of the live show which is what we came to discuss.
For something that sounds so simple and is animated ever so simply (in visualization, not process), it makes for one hell of a live set and provides a fresh take on what a DJ can do with the technology available.
