The Iranian born and Danish native Nima Gorji is coming to Koh Bali this month. This producer, DJ and label boss of Welt Recordings and NG Trax has 25 years of music under his belt and is now residing in Europe’s Mecca of electronic music – Ibiza. Mr Gorji helped to build up the underground scene in Denmark in the late 90’s and early 2000’s; running nights such as ‘Verydisco’ and being a resident DJ at the famous ‘Rust club’. He has also been a very productive producer, starting off releasing music under the alias Black Powder before moving on and releasing under his own name. With more releases and tours planned ahead of him he is just as integral to the scene as ever before.
Before starting talking about music, let us to ask about your home country. How much habits have you achieved to learn about the colourful Iranian culture? How an Iranian daily routine differs from a European countries’? (In this case, we are thinking about Denmark). Not to mention Ibiza…
I wouldn’t know so much about Iran if I am honest, as I have not been there for 30 years, but surely it is different from European habits or cultures… So, it is hard for me to answer. From the musical perspective I am sure there is an underground culture but it is risky every time to organize something, while compared to Europe, it is really easy to go party, do events. I think us, Europeans take these things for granted.
What got you into DJing?
When I was a teenager I was into making music with my synthesiser and making beats, and as I turned 18 or 19 an older friend of mine got me into playing records and teach me how to mix. Of course I fell in love with it and I continued since then.
Your music career is as long and passionate. But have you ever had breaks in your career?
Well not really, I am always working and there are moments where I have more activity and at another times less, but this is normal and with music or the arts in general, this is a typical momentum when we have moments of creativity and another ones when not. I release my music when I feel it’s ready and when there is a good opportunity that fits with what I want, that’s really about it.
Do you have any musical qualifications?
I have learnt music at a school for 1 year when I was 17, where I played the piano along with some other instruments, so in a way I did get some qualification, but nothing beyond this.
Can you talk a little about your experience with the Moscow music scene versus Denmark versus Ibiza?
In Denmark unfortunately I don’t have any real gigs anymore as the scene has shrunk to a minimum, and for me it’s too focused on being super fashionable and flashy. As for Ibiza, well its Ibiza. Let’s say even if the scene is only 10% underground and 90% super commercial horror shows, we still manage to love it here, and we enjoy more the after party scene going on here.
How was the electronic music scene like in Denmark when you started off? And what has changed since then?
It wasn’t before 2000 the scene started taking off for real. The crowd was small and still divided into each of their own specific genre; either house, techno or trance. There was no club scene either, only the odd raves and parties. I started a Wednesday club night which was one of the first with a full concept of combining both decor and lots of cool deep house, and they were some amazing years. The crowd came from all the different scenes and got together in this club, even though we only played deep house which none of them had listened to before. This club, called Verydisco, was one of the starting points of next level clubbing in Copenhagen and with an uneducated crowd hungry to suck in all these new impressions and sounds. The early years of the electronic scene was, seen from my perspective, magic and full of people listening without prejudice – the best years I enjoyed as a DJ in Copenhagen.
What made you decide to eventually move to Ibiza? Was it purely to benefit your music career?
I was kind of done with my home town and after I closed my club I had to move on. I came to Ibiza to relax and take a break from all the years of being involved in the Copenhagen scene, then I decided to move over there shortly after.
How do you view your experience as a Dj now compared to ten years ago?
My experience is that I am still learning how to deal with constant changes in the scene and that which is happening in music industry, both local and in the world around us, sometimes good, sometimes not.
What are your top 3 essential music gears in your studio?
Korg Electribe ER-1, Roland SH-1 and Roland MC-303.
Can you pick out one or two of the greatest moments in your 25 year long career as a DJ and producer?
Many great moments, but one of them is always going to be the 1st of May party at Club La Mania in Romania and Fusion festival in front of 8000 people.
Do you have any big plans you can let us in on for the next coming year?
I’ve got some good releases on my own and other different labels, as well as tours and gigs… as usual.