Ummet Ozcan: 我并未感到疫情后的中国电音场景有太大变化

三年疫情的电子音乐领域，看似平静实则暗流涌动：有的陷入泥沼停滞不前， 有的反噬旧事物企图榨干最后一点时代红利，还有有的产生了“异变”从而脱 胎换骨…

在信息聚变的当下，新的潮流正在形成，所谓的 music generation 也明显切 入了对自我新陈代谢的关键期，置身其中的音乐人如何进一步明确自己的打法， 就显得尤为关键，并且我们一定会随着时间的推移看到他们所做抉择的意义。

为此，我们短暂回溯疫情前的 EDM 年代，找来一位其中的很有代表性的人 物——Ummet Ozcan(乌梅)，想听听他对当下和自己的看法。今年的他没有 选择继续参加 DJ Mag 百大评选，现在也是他度过“几近失聪”的生涯险境后 的一场重生，或许我们能从他的身上得到一些承上启下的线索。

▎Mixmag China = M

▎Ummet Ozcan = U

01
痴迷中国音乐文化的乌梅

M：最近你发布了新歌《Ryu》，它的做法其实跟粉丝对你的印象有很大不同，想知道你是怎么考虑的，这是否意味着你正投身于一段创作方向的转型期？

Recently, you released a new track titled “Ryu.” It’s much different from what fans are used to know you. Could you share how you think behind this and does it signify that you are currently undergoing a period of creative transformation?

U：《Ryu》的确有点儿不同，但考虑到我一直以来都追求多元化的创作方式，实质区别其实不是很大。就风格而言，我在自己喜欢的东西中能够灵活自如，也正是这样的多样性使我保持灵感。此外，突破界限能为我带来快乐，所以我热衷尝试新的东西。

Indeed Ryu is a bit different, but not so much considering I have always have had a diversified approach to my productions. Style wise I am quite flexible in what I like and I use this variety to stay inspired. Also it is fun to push the boundaries so I keep experimenting with new stuff.

M：我们发觉你已有多首歌曲采用了呼麦，并且完全是你亲自录制，嘴巴是否已经晋升成为了你的演出利器？

We’ve noticed that you have incorporated throat singing (Khoomei) into several of your productions, and you personally recorded these voices. Has this unique vocal technique become a ‘silver bullet’ in your performances?

U：当我还是个孩子的时候，我就发现自己会呼麦技巧，直到最近我才尝试在自己的作品融入它。我第一次在制作中使用呼麦是写《Xanadu》这首歌的时候，它成为了其中的驱动力，效果非常好。现场呼麦现在也成为我演出的一大亮点，这种DJ之外的即兴表演让现场更加有趣，我的粉丝也感到享受其中，所以我肯定会继续保持这一特色。

When I was a kid I found out that I can do Khoomei and until recently I had never used it in my productions. With the production of  ‘Xanadu’ I’ve used it for the first time and it became the driving force which worked very well. To perform throat singing live is a great addition to my DJ sets, it’s big fun to do extra’s and my fans are very pleased with it, so for now I will definitely continue to throat sing during my sets.

M：我们是否可以姑且认为你正在形式属于自己的一套live-set配置？而当前最完整的现场演出配置，将包含多少种乐器呢？

Can we assume that you are in the process of establishing your own live-set pattern? And In your most complete setup to date, how many different types of musical instruments will be included?

U：无论是古老的还是新兴的，有许多富有魅力的乐器都会在录音室或现场演出中使用。比如中国的葫芦丝，它是我最喜爱的乐器之一，只要正确使用，它就拥有令人陶醉的声音。我想向观众展示这些出色的乐器，并将其作为一种演奏元素融入DJ set。对我来说，对这个领域的探索同样令我感到兴奋，因为它为我的现场提供了一种动态的，更有方向性的补充。

There are so much intriguing instruments, both old and new, that can be used in the studio or during live sessions. Take for instance the Chinese Hulusi flute which is a real favorite of mine, it sounds mesmerizing if used in the right way. I want to show these great instruments to the audience and use it as a live element in my shows. It is very exciting for me as well as it is a new direction and dynamic addition to being a Dj.

02
迎合一时之风，不是他想要的

M：你怎样看待如今已是黄昏的Bigroom，你认为自己能达到如今的影响力是否很大程度上得益于这种EDM风格？

How do you view the current state of the Bigroom genre, which seems to be on the decline? Do you believe that your visibility today is largely due to your involvement in this EDM style?

U：音乐流派兴衰起落是不可避免的，而且这是一件好事。我们需要不断进步，保持新鲜、保持动力。Bigroom 是一个稳固建立起的流派，所以如果你是它的爱好者，仍然有很多内容可以找到。但随着时间的推移，新的东西会出现，并吸引新的粉丝。我的粉丝群体已经大大增加了，其中甚至有很多从未听过我早前音乐的人，所以我想我曾对EDM的涉猎并不是现在使我更显眼的原因。当然，我在早年间建立的坚实基础也帮助我触达更广泛的听众 (比如Trance和Bigroom)。

Music genres come and go, it is inevitable and that’s a good thing. We need progression to keep everything fresh and exciting. Bigroom is a genre that has established firmly, so if you are fan of this genre there is still plenty to find. But as time progresses new stuff will emerge and will attract new fans. My fan community has increased quite a lot with people who never used to listen to my older tracks, so I guess my involvement with EDM doesn’t necessarily mean that I am visible because of that. Of course a solid background which I have built during my previous years helps me to reach out to a bigger audience.

M：当年为什么选择舍弃Trance，投身于EDM？

What led you to transition from Trance to EDM back in the day?

U：不断重复自己所做的总会引起厌倦，因此为了保持灵感，我需要尝试其他风格或新的音乐视角。整个转变过程显得相当自然而有机，并且处于持续不断的进行中，对我来说这是极好的方式。

To repeat yourself constantly typically lead to boredom, so to keep inspired I need to experiment with other styles or new musical points of view. This whole process runs quite organically and is ongoing and that works for me quite well.

M：那么，你怎样评价如今具有争议性的Future Rave？它是否会对主流舞曲的发展进步起到更积极的影响？

So, how would you assess the controversial style “future rave”? Do you think it could have a more positive impact on the advancement of mainstream dance music?

U：显然 Future Rave 是对多种旧有风格做的重新融合，我认为它是一个很棒的子流派，时间会告诉我们它会对电子音乐的发展产生何种影响。 舞曲音乐流派种类繁多，但我喜欢跳出固化思维，不愿做某个可能转瞬即逝的特定风格的迎合者。

Future Rave is based on a blend of older styles and is in my opinion a great sub-genre, time will tell what the impact will be on the progression of electronic music.  The list of genres in dance music is endless but I like to think out of the box and not be an adapt of a certain style that might be in fashion for a short while..

03
Studio 是忘我的自然栖息地

M：在你迄今的制作生涯中，你最喜欢的个人作品是？

Throughout your production career, which personal work of yours do you cherish the most?

U：我从小就在玩音乐，但当我发布了《Timewave Zero》后，情况突然变得正经起来。这首歌迅速被许多我崇拜的DJ注意到，这算是某种认可，也表明我在追求音乐事业时走对了道路。《Timewave Zero》为我的制作人和DJ生涯铺平了道路，因此这支曲目在我心中有着特殊的地位。

I have been making music from my childhood, but it became more serious when I released ‘Timewave Zero’, it was instantly picked up by a lot of Dj’s that I admired, so that was some kind of recognition and signaled that I was on the right track by pursuing a career in music. Timewave Zero paved the way for me a producer and Dj, so it has a special place in my heart.

M：你是否曾在某段时间遭受过非议？如果有刻骨铭心的记忆，不妨分享一下当时你是如何摆脱困扰的？

Have you ever faced criticism during a certain period of time? If there’s a memorable experience, feel free to share how you managed to overcome that negativity.

U：你不可能取悦所有人，每个人都有权发表意见，所以如果你不喜欢我在做什么或者我的外表，我并不介意。外界的负面情绪是让我比较敏感的东西，我不想经常阅读负面评论，因为它不能给我带来快乐。我选择自己的道路，不允许有毒的人或意见让我心烦意乱。

You can’t please them all, everyone is entitled to have an opinion, so if you don’t like what I am doing or the way I look, that’s fine with me. Negativity is something I am allergic with and I tend to not read negative comments at all as it doesn’t bring me joy. I choose my own path and don’t allow toxic people or opinions to upset me.

M：根据你的演出体验，疫情前后的中国EDM环境是否让你感到变化，还是说仍在保持相对停滞？一定要讲真话哦~

Based on your performance experiences, have you noticed any changes in the Chinese EDM scene before and after the pandemic? Is it evolving or still relatively stagnant? We hope to know your genuine thoughts.

U：实话说，我并未注意到有很大变化，我能感受到与疫情之前相同的能量。停滞可能意味着没有进步，肯定还不至于如此，我的中国粉丝非常喜欢我新出的音乐，这意味着他们心态开放，场景的发展肯定暗中存在着。

I have noticed not so much changes to be honest, I can feel the same energy as before the pandemic. Stagnant would imply that there is no progress, but that’s not the case, my Chinese fans have welcomed my new music very much and that means that they are openminded and evolvement of the scene is there for sure!

M：你是一位注重创作的DJ，除了你的演出精彩片段，我们能看到最多的就是关于你与自己的studio、乐器度过的时光。你如何在密集的演出和大量的创作中找到平衡，不让自己丢掉节奏？

As a DJ who values creativity, apart from your captivating performances, we often see glimpses of your time spent in the studio with instruments. How do you strike a balance between intense performances and extensive creative work, without losing your rhythm?

U：我待在工作室的时间非常随意而自然，我完全能以一种积极的方式达到忘我状态，这是我的自然栖息地，从来都不像朝九晚五的上班。现场演出也是如此，我把它看作是工作室状态的延伸，因为那是我在人群面前检验自己新想法的地方。巡演结束后，我休息了几天放松一下，但很快又回到了工作室。这是一个重复的事情，但感觉也是有机的。

My studio time feels very natural, I can really lose myself there in a positive way, it’s my natural habitat and it never feels like a 9-5 job. The same goes for doing the live sets which is more or less an extension of the studio work as it is the place to test new ideas in front of a crowd. After a tour I take a few days off to unwind but find myself in my studio quite quickly again. It’s a repetitive thing which feels organic.

04
树立自我

M：未来有什么短期想要实现的目标吗？什么样的结果能够满足你对自己新的价值实现？

Do you have any short-term goals you’d like to achieve in the near future? What kind of outcomes would satisfy your pursuit of new personal accomplishments?

U：如果有一天能为一部故事片配乐那就太棒了。我喜欢这些可以让电影超越一切的音景或沉浸式旋律。看看汉斯季默对电影配乐的驾驭吧，好得让人窒息，可望而不可及…不过我坚信个人成长的轨迹，我宁愿去追寻属于自己独有的价值实现。

It would be great to one day do the score for a feature film. I like these soundscapes or driving melodies that can elevate a movie beyond anything. Just listen to the Hans Zimmer’s contribution to film music. It’s breathtakingly good.. I’d rather keep the pursuit of my personal accomplishments to myself, but I firmly believe in personal growth.