Last Saturday, while Dubfire lit up the main stage at Output, a different – but just as impressive – spectacle was taking place in The Panther Room. Hailing from the glorious land of Montreal, Canada, Johnny Trika showed New York showed techno-enthusiasts what he’s made of.
SCI + TEC is widely recognized for harboring and enabling the development of a handful of talented DJ/producers such as WHYT NOISE, Raul Facio, and Maksim Dark. The imprint was founded by internationally renowned DJ – the man who has perfected the craft of creating an exquisite minimal techno track – the one and only Dubfire. His mission in founding SCI + TEC was to reflect his core sound and to discover emerging and established talent, a task which we believe he achieved in the discovery of the main star of this article, Mr. Johnny Trika.
According to this THUMP article, the 22-year old DJ fostered a deep appreciation for the after-hours scene long before trying his hand at production. He was inspired to start creating his own music after witnessing God himself – Carl Cox – perform alongside Nicole Moudaber at the prolific Stereo Nightclub in Chicago in 2011. His career truly started gaining momentum once he caught Dubfire’s eye and earned a slot on his label.
There is a large misconception surrounding the execution of a techno set. Many believe that “anybody can deliver techno”. This, my friends, is not only false but disrespectful to those who have mastered the craft of creating a set that is not only mixed to perfection, but also manages to take the listeners on a journey. It does not “all sound the same” if you actually care to listen. The build-ups are different, the fillers are different, the high-hat placements are different – there are countless ways that distinguish high-quality techno mixes from low-quality ones, but the most important is how effectively it manages to unleash the rhythm that is trapped within you. If you can dance to techno the way you groove along to a disco track, then it is a proper banger. If you’re confined to moving the way you would at a typical big-room EDM performance – eg. continuous “fist-pumping” – then the track has failed to achieve a respectable standing judging by techno standards. The reason I chose to preface with this is to give you a wider perspective on the ingenious nature of Trika’s Panther Room set.
The energy in the room ignited as he took over the decks. He grazed the room with a well-toned assortment of beats and bass-lines that continuously paralleled the crowd’s footsteps. The minimal tech-house nature of his mix paired perfectly with the beams of light reflecting off the over-looming disco ball. His sound created an atmosphere that differed from the one encompassing the main room. He experimented with only original material and made every beat reflect the rhythm of the audience. With more room to dance and an all-around more united crowd, people found it within themselves to move in tandem with Trika’s reverb-filled set.
We’re looking forward to seeing what tricks Mr.Trika has up his sleeve as he continues to gain traction. Check out his latest EP, Day Tripper, below:
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