Diversity's given Tiga valuable perspective

03/06/2010

“I have a love-hate relationship with the studio.”
- Tiga, on the ups and downs.

“The more strange or peculiar things you accumulate in your life, especially if you do head into an artistic career, usually end up to your benefit because you get a slightly different perspective.”

- Tiga, on inspiration, creativity and perspective.

“Spending time in Goa in the late 70s and early 80s gave me a very deep and natural connection with dance parties and drug cultures, and it always just seemed quite normal to me.”
- Tiga, on his history with the dance scene.

June 3, 2010. By Jordana Borensztajn.

Even the greatest love affairs have their ups and downs. Take DJ/producer Tiga, for example. In between his intense love for music, his innate connection to the dance world and his strong instincts for knowing what makes club goers move, there’s still room for plenty of frustration.

“I just got some new equipment in my studio. I should be happy – I could be happy – but I have a love-hate relationship with the studio,” Tiga James Sontag explains, from his Montreal home.

“I really like coming up with ideas, finding inspiration; that moment when something really connects and the excitement with everything that goes along with that – but that’s not always the case in the studio. Often times you lose yourself in the machines and they take over and you get frustrated, but right now I’m feeling OK.”

Tiga, best known for his remixes of the Scissor Sisters' "Comfortably Numb" and Felix da Housecat's "Madame Hollywood" has been thrashing around the dance scene for close to decade. In fact, Tiga was getting his hands dirty with electro beats long before electronic music became a permanent fixture on mainstream music charts, as it is today.

Check out the music video for Tiga's "What You Need"

While music lovers across the globe are currently undergoing electro-transitions, Tiga believes the real move toward dance happened much earlier in the global music calendar. “The shift happened so long ago that I don’t really remember the battle being fought – I just remember it being won,” he says.

“Most of the time, at least for me, I’m preaching to the converted. Dance culture is completely mainstream and party culture is completely the norm and dance music is completely accepted. I guess it feels good. I myself never feel like I’m part of the mainstream. I always feel like I have a bit of a struggle,” he explains.

“My guiding principle has always been to do things that I really love. I do things that move me and excite me musically. If it makes me dance and excited, and makes me want to play for my friends, then usually that’s good enough for me. I guess you’re really relying on your own personality. You’re relying on the fact that your fingerprint is different and if you stay true to it, it will materialise.”

There’s no denying Tiga’s touch is different to most. According to his theory, the more varied experiences you have as a child, the more you’ll appreciate and understand the world around you when you’re older. Tiga says spending time in Goa when he was really young had fundamental imprints on the journey he’s taken to reach this point.

“What it’s done to me as a musician is secondary to what it’s done to me as a person,” Tiga explains. “It’s given me perspective…. As a child, anything that makes you different and sets you apart usually ends up, when you’re older, being a positive thing. The more strange or peculiar things you accumulate in your life, especially if you do head into an artistic career, usually end up to your benefit because you get a slightly different perspective,” he says.

“I really like dance music that’s high energy and I think spending time in Goa in the late 70s and early 80s gave me a very deep and natural connection with dance parties and drug cultures, and it always just seemed quite normal to me.”

With plans to hit Aussie fans on this year’s rocking Winter Sound System bill, Tiga says he’s counting down because the land Down Under is one of his favourite places to visit. “I’m very excited... I usually end up going to Australia once a year and it’s just fun. I always have fun there. It’s a place where the crowds are up for it and the people are excited.”

We Love Sounds Sydney ticketing info:
Saturday 12 June - Hordern Pavilion & Entertainment Quarter, Sydney. Tickets from Ticketek.

Sydney line up:
Underworld
Crookers
Laidback Luke
Markus Schulz
Tiga
Felix da Housecat
Steve Aoki
M.A.N.D.Y.
Zombie Nation
Seth Troxler
Gareth Emery
Proxy
Joachim Garraud
Ellen Allien
The Revenge
Thomas Von Party
Paul Ritch
Sonicc
Roger Shah
Sound Pellegrino Thermal Team
Felix Cartal

Winter Sound System Brisbane ticketing info:
Sunday June 13 (Queen's Birthday weekend) - Doomben Racecourse
$69+bf available from Ticketek www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849

Brisbane line up:
Crookers
Markis Schulz
Steve Aoki
Tiga
Laidback Luke
Felix da Housecat
Gareth Emery
Joachim Garraud (Space Invaders live show)
M.A.N.D.Y. (live)
The Proxy (live)
Zombie Nation (live)
Roger Shah
Angelli & Nelson
Thomas Von Party
Fexli Cartel
Sonic C
Rob Roy (live)

Winter Sound System Melbourne ticketing info:
Sunday June 13 (Queen's Birthday weekend) - Melbourne Park (Rod Laver Arena, Hisense Arena and surrounds)
$89+bf from Ticketek www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849

Melbourne line up:
Underworld (live)
Crookers
Markis Schulz
Steve Aoki
Tiga
Laidback Luke
Felix da Housecat
Gareth Emery
Joachim Garraud (Space Invaders live show)
M.A.N.D.Y. (live)
The Proxy (live)
Zombie Nation (live)
Roger Shah
Angelli & Nelson
Thomas Von Party
Fexli Cartel
Sonic C
Rob Roy (live)