Currently one of Europe’s finest house producers, British DJ Burnski (James Burnham) has a number of impressive releases under his belt (the disco-ey/techy/deep house bomb Malibu was one of the biggest tunes at Ibiza last year). He has a nomination for Best Breakthrough DJ in DJ Mag’s recent “Best of British” awards, and he’s been a resident at Leeds’ legendary Back to Basics club night since he was 20.
Besides being a frequent guest at cutting-edge European venues such as Fabric in London, Watergate in Berlin and The Loft in Barcelona, Burnski also tours in Australia and Asia this year. We caught up with him ahead of his Taipei debut tonight.
The Vinyl Word: You started producing and deejaying at a young age. Did you always want to be a DJ/producer?
Photo Courtesy of Air london
Burnski: I knew from about 14 years old this is what I wanted to do. I started off deejaying and then went on to producing. I started producing at 16.
VW: Not everyone understands house music. How did you get into it?
Burnski: I started listening to BBC Radio 1 when I was about 14 and got totally hooked on the Friday and Saturday night shows. It used to get me so excited. I would record it every single week — Friday, Saturday, and also the essential mix on Sunday morning. I really was just obsessed and ever since then have had the same excitement about music.
VW: Are you still spinning vinyl?
Burnski: I was playing vinyl and CDs up until this year, and have recently changed to Traktor. Playing records and carrying them every weekend is really hard. I have had a really busy year, so I decided to make the change recently and am really enjoying it.
VW: Tell us a bit about your residency at Back to Basics. What’s it like playing there compared with playing at other parties?
Burnski: Back to Basics is great, I have a lot of friends there and it really inspires me each time I play. I get a lot of ideas for music from playing there, and it has a great bunch of resident DJs. I think each gig is different there, and I have had some amazing nights in the club.
VW: As someone who’s young and successful in the competitive music business, what advice do you have for other aspiring DJs or producers?
Burnski: Do what you want, play what you like and make what gets you excited.
■ Burnski spins at the Bass Kitchen anniversary party in Taipei, and it should definitely be on your to-do list if you’ve been longing for a big, “non-trance” party. (It’s about time.) Tonight from 10pm to 4:30am at Pulse (Luxy), 5F, 201, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段201號5樓). Tickets are NT$700, which includes two drinks. Visit www.luxy-taipei.com for details
That US assistance was a model for Taiwan’s spectacular development success was early recognized by policymakers and analysts. In a report to the US Congress for the fiscal year 1962, former President John F. Kennedy noted Taiwan’s “rapid economic growth,” was “producing a substantial net gain in living.” Kennedy had a stake in Taiwan’s achievements and the US’ official development assistance (ODA) in general: In September 1961, his entreaty to make the 1960s a “decade of development,” and an accompanying proposal for dedicated legislation to this end, had been formalized by congressional passage of the Foreign Assistance Act. Two
Despite the intense sunshine, we were hardly breaking a sweat as we cruised along the flat, dedicated bike lane, well protected from the heat by a canopy of trees. The electric assist on the bikes likely made a difference, too. Far removed from the bustle and noise of the Taichung traffic, we admired the serene rural scenery, making our way over rivers, alongside rice paddies and through pear orchards. Our route for the day covered two bike paths that connect in Fengyuan District (豐原) and are best done together. The Hou-Feng Bike Path (后豐鐵馬道) runs southward from Houli District (后里) while the
March 31 to April 6 On May 13, 1950, National Taiwan University Hospital otolaryngologist Su You-peng (蘇友鵬) was summoned to the director’s office. He thought someone had complained about him practicing the violin at night, but when he entered the room, he knew something was terribly wrong. He saw several burly men who appeared to be government secret agents, and three other resident doctors: internist Hsu Chiang (許強), dermatologist Hu Pao-chen (胡寶珍) and ophthalmologist Hu Hsin-lin (胡鑫麟). They were handcuffed, herded onto two jeeps and taken to the Secrecy Bureau (保密局) for questioning. Su was still in his doctor’s robes at
Mirror mirror on the wall, what’s the fairest Disney live-action remake of them all? Wait, mirror. Hold on a second. Maybe choosing from the likes of Alice in Wonderland (2010), Mulan (2020) and The Lion King (2019) isn’t such a good idea. Mirror, on second thought, what’s on Netflix? Even the most devoted fans would have to acknowledge that these have not been the most illustrious illustrations of Disney magic. At their best (Pete’s Dragon? Cinderella?) they breathe life into old classics that could use a little updating. At their worst, well, blue Will Smith. Given the rapacious rate of remakes in modern
RSS