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Whether you went out last weekend to check out an uber geeky beat magician or a depressingly awesome indie rock band, we all know there’s always some serious musical talents rocking around the Dam. You might not recognize them all yet, but don’t worry, you will soon. In this series of interviews we talk to remarkable artists about their music and their inspirations.
Last weekend, a special party took place at Amsterdam’s finest night club Trouw. It was the anniversary of a DJ marriage that has only been growing for the last 15 years, unlike most marriages nowadays. Edwin Oosterwal and Joris Voorn have been having fun with their label Rejected for 15 years and managed to turn it into one of our country’s most prominent house and techno labels. For this special occasion, we talked to Edwin Oosterwal about the accomplishment.
To start off easy, who is Edwin Oosterwal, what does he do and what does he sound like?
“Edwin Oosterwal is a DJ/Producer living in Amsterdam who loves music, especially house and techno. Together with Joris Voorn I run the labels Green and Rejected.”
What is Rejected? How did it come to life and evolve, and what’s its future?
“Rejected is a record label releasing music for the dance floor. Joris and I started the label about 5 years ago and it’s been very successful. We also used to perform as Rejected and make music together, but that project is on the back burner. In the future we hope to release more great music. Our next release is an EP by Carlo Lio and Coyu with a remix by myself. Next to this we hope to do more great parties like last Saturday’s Rejected anniversary at Trouw!”
Can you define the sound and vibe of Rejected in one or two songs?
“We don’t like to stick to one sound but Deetron’s Starblazer, our latest release, is a perfect example of the Rejected vibe. It’s a track that rocks the dance floor and that people will remember the next day.”
You celebrated the 15th anniversary of Rejected this Saturday, how was it?
“The party was awesome! Definitely one of our best nights. Joris and I celebrated the fact that we have been DJing together for 15 years by playing some our favourite records from those 15 years. And the crowd loved it.”
Hypothetically, if you could invite any DJ in the world to headline for this party, who would that be?
“Derrick May has always been a big inspiration to me. He’s one of the reasons I started DJing almost 20 years ago. So I would definitely like to invite him for one of our parties. His
sets can be so energetic. Back in the days I would listen to his mix-tapes over and over again.”
In the 15 years you’ve been doing this, what would you say has been your biggest accomplishment?
“Being able to do music full time. That’s a dream come true!”
Any upcoming DJ/producers we should start looking out for?
“There’s a lot of good music coming out but some of my favourites are Skudge, DVS1 and this kid from Rotterdam called ROD.”
Finally, what does the future look like for Edwin Oosterwal?
“Music, music and more music! I just finished a few remixes and I am really looking forward to focussing on my own music again in my new studio. Next to that we are working on some great new releases for Green and Rejected and we’re doing a night during the ADE at Studio 80 together with Diynamic which should be a lot of fun!”
Listen to some of the tracks that rocked Oosterwal’s sets over the past 15 years:
Edwin Oosterwal’s 15 Years Rejected Behind The Decks Mix by Edwin Oosterwal
Featured image by Eva Maria
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