Danny Daze is Daniel Gomez, a studio nerd and DJ with a taste for Detroit techno and italo disco. Raised in Miami, Florida, Daze is influenced by his Cuban culture, which gives him the Latin influence heard in some of his music and DJ sets. After a successful year hitting international charts with his tracks Fall Away From Love & Your Everything, the man will be making his Amsterdam debut this Friday at De Nachtdivisie XL. We asked him some questions in advance. finaly
Daniel, you seem to have gained some serious recognition over the past year!
“This past year has been pretty damn crazy. Never would I have dreamed about travelling close to 200k miles in a year.”
According to you, who is Danny Daze and what does he sound like?
“I have no clue! Haha! I’m constantly changing. I always try and steer away from what people “expect” though. All that’s constant with my sound is what I’m influenced by which is Detroit techno/electro and Miami bass.”
You’ve never actually played in Amsterdam before, are you looking forward to your Amsterdam debut?
Yes extremely. Been wanting to go to Amsterdam for the last 10 years. It’s gonna be fresh!
Besides your upcoming gig, do you have any particular connection with Amsterdam?
“I’m really obsessed with a lot of artist from around this neck of the woods actually. Guys like I-F, Alden Tyrell, Dexter & Legowelt have been really big influences in what I do.”
You’ve managed to hit the charts over the past year after releasing on labels such as Hot Creations and Ellum. You’ve also gotten to tour through Australia recently. Do you prefer to spend time in the studio or on tour?
“I wish I could produce on the road but I can’t. I really can’t lay down my ideas while on the road. There needs to be loads of time management in order to not go nuts. I find myself going nuts once a week! It’s getting to be too much travelling for me. Definitely need a month off to sit in the studio. My ideal thing would be to travel two weeks and go in the studio for two weeks.”
How would you explain the recent explosion of deep house and nu-disco around the world? Do you think it’s here to stay for a while, or is it a hipster/hype thing?
“It’s a revolving door to be honest. None of us can forget that guys like Murk (Oscar G & Ralph Falcon) were making this music 20 years ago. I really can’t say where the ‘trend’ is going next. Everything goes away and comes back around and some point.”
What was your latest genius discovery that you can share (artist or track)?
“I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”
Any colleague DJ/producers you can specifically appreciate or relate to?
“There’s so much good talent out there. I’ve been really digging a lot of the Ilija Rudman, Todd Terje, Richard Bartz stuff… Then you have guys like Maceo Plex who are on another planet of their own basically.”
What are your plans for 2012 and the near future? Where are you taking Danny Daze next?
“I’ll be releasing a couple more singles then possibly an artist album. Really looking forward to putting out an artist album to really be able to express myself through those 80 mins on a CD.”
Lastly, for any aspiring electronic producers out there craving for a career like yours: what advice do you have for them if they want to make it in the ‘dance’ industry?
“That’s a good one. Some people make it through luck, some make it through association, some make it for having raw talent. The only thing I know is you need to stay humble, work hard & pay respect to the people who’ve been there waaaaaay before you. As an artist you definitely need to have your own sound and not try to sound like another artist you like. Taking a risk is the quickest way to get noticed.”
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