Up next are Austrian / German based Jorkes with a special mix promoting their upcoming Queer Base charity compilation release on self managed label Freeride Millenium. The flamboyant duo have been on our radar for sometime now and we’re delighted to support the coming release. You can read more about their approach to music, parties, inspirations and social justice via the interview below. As a short introduction in their own words….
‘The mix is a colourful bouquet of various songs out on the ‘Freeride Millenium presents Queer Base“ charity compilation such as Massimiliano Pagliara, Benjamin Fröhlich, Sedef Adasi, Modular Project, Cantor that we are going to release on July 30th. It also contains some goodies we thought match the breeze and direction of the journey such as Alinka, Club Tularosa and Ultra Nate. There is also some unreleased stuff inside by us and ROTCIV’
1) Introduce yourself?
We are Max & Jorgo who together form Jorkes and co-curate with Daniel Rajcsanyi our little universe Freeride Millenium. We have known each other since 2012 when we got introduced through mutual friends and were living door to door in Munich and have since travelled the music world either together or by nurturing each others projects. At the moment we hold a residency at the Romantica club in Stuttgart, Germany where we love to sweat and dance with our guests and friends. We currently reside separate from each other in Vienna, Austria and Munich, Germany. Physically separated but emotionally connected.
2) What have been your highlights from the last 12 months?
In macro the democratic movement in Hong Kong against the CCP authoritarianism and oppression, the unfolding civil rights movements around the world against injustice, the uprise in global solidarity and the continuing significant drop in HIV infections among gay men due to the wider spread and prescription of PrEP (Truvada) and the Fridays For Future movement.
3) What do you have lined up for the coming year?
We will have a new EP coming out end of the year on our home planet and have some remixes and compilation songs lined up. All very mysterious at the moment. At Freeride Millenium we also have a ROTCIV vinyl in the pipeline that will come shortly after the Queer Base compilation.
4) Can you tell us more about the story behind the compilation and how it came together?
One of us is a legal councillor at the Queer Base organisation in Vienna. Queer Base supports LGBTIQ+ refugees that arrive in Vienna with social and legal counselling (help through the asylum process and eventual court cases, assist to find housing, community/sporting events, organise HIV/STI testing and mental health counselling, setting up German classes, etc.) With Freeride Millenium we used to hold fundraiser parties for Queer Base in order to support the cause and the aims of the organisation, but due to known reasons the clubs are closed until further notice.
Having the label as a tool to communicate our cause and connect with friends, one thing led to another. As a side note…. let us add that we strongly believe that what makes us as humanity strong and brings us together is the ability and the power to show support and care to the most vulnerable parts of our society and be even more precautious and stand in solidarity in times that seem personally tough to our privileged selves. So with this in our hearts, we reached out to the artists we love and admire and in one way or another had ties with through the label / parties or are basically just friends. Then one thing came with another and the rest is magic. At this point a big thank you to everyone who has thrown in the love, time, sweat and joy to make this happen.
5) Do you have a favourite track in the podcast?
Each song speaks a different language and connects to a different body part, so depending on the emotional setting it differs.
6) What tracks have really stood out for you in the last year and why? (i.e, dancefloor bombs, originality, inspiration)
Massimiliano Pagliara with ‘Avenue Of The Palms’ in the Sunset Mix released on Permanent Vacation has this relaxed erotic vibe combined with nonchalance we are all yearning for.
DJ Bottom from Manchester made a Paris Hilton collage lately called ‘Magic World’ which brought tears to my eyes for its purity and inspiration in empowering.
Delicate Features from St. Petersburg self-released an EP during their artist residency in Tartu, Estonia focusing on their Armenian heritage. The song ‘Setomaa’ from this EP is an outstanding emotional piece that gives the soul a slight push to what paradise can sound like.
Finally, Shiffer with the song ‘Magnum’ is causing lots of troubles on the dance-floors we´ve been to.
7) Who or what are your biggest musical influences?
Jorgo: Michael Jackson, George Michael, Disney, Arthur Russell, Paradise Garage, Michel Baumann (Soulphiction/Jackmate), Prince and the old record collection of my parents consisting everything from Tina Turner to Neue Deutsche Welle, Greek Folk, Madonna to Progressive Rock.
Max: French House and Ed Banger had a huge influence on me. Boys Noize and Daft Punk would be in the same category. At one point Paul Kalkbrenner was very present in my teen years. This somehow gave me the way to more techno vibes.
8) Tell us about 3 DJ’s / Producer’s we may not know but should be looking out for?
Jorgo: My pick would be Amy.G.Dala from Stuttgart who can bang brings it at every party and happens to be a resident at our label-nights. She always has a to-the-point selection. Joe Manning from Manchester is a master producer when it comes to emotions. He goes under the name Souvenir, Los Angeles and Los Porcos, is a member of the transexual boyband Menage a Trois and runs Ocean Recordings. Super Drama from London who lately had a release on our label are just fab in every way and I see them headlining and world touring in the near future.
Max: Shiffer is really one to watch and has really interesting output. Sam Goku would be another pick. Secret Factory from Budapest is sizzling hot.
9) What is your favourite Venue or Festival to play at and why?
Romantica in Stuttgart is always a pleasure as people are really excessive. The sauna party with our HOT crew at the Gay Bear Sauna ‘Apollo’ here in Vienna with Massimiliano Pagliara was really steamy and sleazy last winter, which we hope will be repeated soon and playing the pride party of the feminist collective FFGZ was and always is boiling.
10) Do you have a ritual before you start playing or straight after?
Prosecco before, 5-HTP after and sauna after sleeping.
11) What is your favourite bit of kit?
The SUB37 finds always its way on our productions. We use a lot of the Soundtoys plugins to reach the mix we would like.
12) What is your favourite film score?
Jorgo: Bram Stokers Dracula, Shawshank Redemption, Philadelphia, Logan´s Run, Matrix, La Planète sauvage, Milk would be some picks that spontaneously cross my mind.
Max: Shutter Island
13) What makes you smile?
Jorgo: my dog, my love, friends, myself, music, people, molly, justice
Max: A party with a good sound system, new synthesizers, road trip with good friends into nature