Erol Alkan is a prolific figure in the electronic dance music industry as a DJ renowned for his eclectic remixes.
With a lengthy career of filling dancefloors across the globe, Alkan is no stranger to the festival scene and is set to bring something fresh to the Gold Coast’s very own Summafieldayze.
“Without wanting to sound predictable, all of my festival tours in Australia have been great fun. You’re touring with a lot of people, many of which you kind of know and have a relationship with already. Kind of like a big party with a lot of friends really,” Alkan says.
Not one to be pigeonholed to a particular genre, Alkan’s style is always on the move. “My style always changes and develops, it needs to. I look for music that I want to play and enjoy playing; I try to keep it as fresh as I can. Many of the records that I play have some particular type of energy or are just records that I feel are really good.
“I am not a DJ that has a particular kind of sound, I don’t think; I can’t really explain what kind of genre I am. When I first started DJing I never started with a career in mind. I just wanted to play records that I knew my friends liked hearing and that was it really.”
Punters at Erol’s Summafieldayze set can expect to be treated to new sounds, particularly from artists on Alkan’s record label, Phantasy Sound.
“Connan Mockasin just over the road from you guys in New Zealand is becoming really good and has been really big in my DJ sets for the last year or so.”
Alkan’s undeniable passion for unearthing different artists and obscure tracks to play in his sets are what he believes keep them interesting.
“A part of dance music has become mainstream, but there are parts of it that are still really interesting. Make sure you get to your festivals early and check out the people who play earlier on in the day. There are always some really good artists that you may not have heard before that you might miss out on if you are just going along to catch the headliners.”
Erol Alkan plays Summafieldayze at The Spit, Gold Coast, Saturday Jan. 5. summafieldayze.com
