´The political situation in Poland is honestly very bad if it goes about LGBT+ communities. We even have a few small towns which are LGBT+ free zones as our country is very catholic and puts the family in the first place. Fortunately, the scene is very open for everyone, no matter what gender or sexual orientation someone has. As all is kept underground, persecution has no place.´
Still fresh in our minds are memories from The Meaning of Rave's 48hr marathon event outside Poznan, definitely one of the highlights of the narrowed techno scene of Summer 2020. We are happy to have TMOR founder Veronique´s set for our newly launched series, NCOUNTERS Invites.
Veronique delivered a full banging, flat-out set, while putting on an impressive line up including DJKAOS11 aka Hector Oaks, Keepsakes, Tham and Echoes of October. The set invites you to journey back to this magical weekend in Las Palace, a brief respite from this year's relentless disorientiation.
We also had the chance to get some intimate answers from Veronique about her inspirations and observations on the scene, as well as the challenges, opportunities and motives behind the TMOR community.
NCOUNTERS: In which city did you grow up? How did you form your early musical aesthetics and how did they evolve?
Veronique: I was growing up mainly in Wroclaw (Poland). After high school I moved to Warsaw as I got a job in a good confectionery (I was a pastry chef before all of this xd). In the capital city I realized that this type of techno, which I used to know from Wroclaw is not the one I like the most! I fell in love with the harder, bit faster sounds. Dax J, I Hate Models were the ones who were impressing me with higher bpms in their sets. I remember my second Audioriver Festival, where Dax J was closing one stage on the hillock. The sun was rising and everyone was raving at 138bpm. It was already a lot in 2017. When I moved to Poznan, not so long after the festival, I needed a break from working so many hours 6 days per week. I started helping with organizing events and festivals. Also my first gigs were happening around then. In the beginning of Autumn I got pregnant and instead of slowing down with the start of 2018 I started creating The Meaning Of Rave, while in the 5th month of pregnancy I played on the first edition with Under Black Helmet and HAT-R, but on the second and third no.
The third one was with Hector Oaks, Trym and CRDN. From the very beginning the main goal was to show as much as possible abroad artists, plus me and some local DJs or our residents. Also the purpose was to show interesting projects like Ismus, Demain Kollective or SYNOID (25/09 ^^).
With time we were playing faster and faster. Faster than the others, but now it really seems that the “fast family” has grown since last year. Playing fast is kinda popular now. For many it has to be fast, dynamic and groovy to put them in the trance. Hard kick and wild percs add only more spice to this mixture - which gives us a perfect rave with insane dancers.
Photo by Malwina Lubienska
´With time we were playing faster and faster. Faster than the others, but now it really seems that the “fast family” has grown since last year. Playing fast is kinda popular now. For many it has to be fast, dynamic and groovy to put them in the trance. Hard kick and wild percs add only more spice to this mixture - which gives us a perfect rave with insane dancers.´
What are your observations of your local scene? Do you see any effects of the political situation on the scene in Poland?
The political situation in Poland is honestly very bad if it goes about LGBT+ communities. We even have a few small towns which are LGBT+ free zones as our country is very catholic and puts the family in the first place.
The government and a lot of parochial people think that family equals marriage of men and women ONLY plus kids.
There are also a lot of teenagers who are different and are suffering every day, because other kids are not accepting them, because of our system.
Fortunately, the scene is very open for everyone, no matter what gender or sexual orientation someone has. As all is kept underground, persecution has no place.
Photo by Helena Majewska, TMOR 48H X Las Palace
What are the challenges/opportunities that you go through in your local scene? Can you point out some problems and things that you want to change?
I think the main concern was “random” people at the parties. Having a good vibe depends on them a bit. We were really lucky to have from the very first party only those who really like fast & hard dancing without limits till the late morning hours. It was a test for us with our 48hours festival and making no event on Facebook and we have made it! There was not a single “random” person. Everyone was there with one goal - to rave to the boundaries.
The second problem in my opinion is local DJs. They are important, but seeing the same names in the lineups in Poland all the time is boring!!! But some people tell me the opposite, that I do not support the local scene at all, while booking more abroad names.
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Photo by Malwina Lubienska
´I think the main concern was “random” people at the parties. Having a good vibe depends on them a bit. We were really lucky to have from the very first party only those who really like fast & hard dancing without limits till the late morning hours. It was a test for us with our 48hours festival and making no event on Facebook and we have made it! There was not a single “random” person. Everyone was there with one goal - to rave to the boundaries.´
What are the social, political and aesthetical ideas and motives behind The Meaning Of Rave?
This what happened on The Meaning Of Rave 48h in Las Palace was my small dream. Creating the community has started sometime before, but it was the festival which was the cherry on the cake. I swear to God, never in my life I met so many truth, honest and kind people. We are all waiting now to meet again on 25/09, to experience this unique energy and connection with all dancers. We have huge respect for each participant, we do care about every single one and it always comes back. :)
Photo by Helena Majewska, TMOR 48H X Las Palace
What is the source of inspiration for you? How do you locate your art and artistic perspective of yours?
This is a difficult question as I cannot point to anything that is an inspiration to me. Everything we have created as TMOR was our original ideas based on the market and people’s needs. The main point was always being original, doing something no one else is doing. Moving to me and my art - playing stuff I like, even if they are cheesy sometimes, creating a lot of storytelling in my sets, which I am always trying to harmonically prepare in order to use 3 cdjs to the maximum.
Photo by Helena Majewska, TMOR 48H X Las Palace
What are your individual plans and for the Meaning of Rave?
I put myself after TMOR and my kid, so there is not much time for my special plans, but definitely more podcasts and releases. About the project and label itself we are planning soon our hoodies, socks and if all will work out the vinyl release. The closest one is the third compilation on a 16 GB USB card with names like: MOTH, Felicie, Don Woezik, EAS, DAHRYL or 6EJOU to name only a few. Except for this a lot of good events of course.
Editor: Erol Görür
Graphic Layout: Can Hatunoglu
Mastering: Phoebe Twigg
NCOUNTERS, Berlin (2020)