Photo Credit: Josh Renaut
London based Momo is an incredibly talented DJ on the rise, we first caught wind of her through her brilliant Balamii Radio show. We were lucky enough to get a few words!
Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with us, can you tell us a bit about how you got into music and Djing?
I really started getting into electronic music whilst I was studying in Brighton – I decided I wanted to learn to mix, then began playing on a couple of local radio stations, and getting warm up slots at a few of my friend’s parties. I had so much fun playing at those, they gave me a lot of confidence and opened up a lot of new opportunities for me. After about a year and a half I was made a resident at Patterns – the programmers have been so supportive there and have really allowed me to hone and develop my sound without restriction (shouts to Neil!), and I’ve been able to play on the same lineups as some really incredible artists such as Batu, Peach, and Shanti Celeste.
You seem to have had a show on Balamii for some time? How did the show come about and what do you try and do when putting together a show? How does it differ for you compared with DJing at a club in terms of your preparation etc?
So I started my Balamii show last summer when I moved back home to South London. The show has allowed me to take a much more holistic approach to music, I’m not just selecting tracks for a 90 minute dance music set, now I’m able to focus on other sounds that don’t necessarily fit a club setting. Preparing for my shows is a really cathartic process for me, it gives me a focus point which I need sometimes when I’m feeling abit directionless.
I play a lot of ambient, experimental and lo-fi pop on my shows – and I’ve really enjoyed the curatorial element of having guests on with me too who have each brought something so different to the table and inspired me in different ways, and I’m looking forward to more of that in the future.
You were involved with helping set up this years MODE festival. For those who don’t know what MODE is, do you mind telling us what it is? And what it was like being a part of?
MODE is an annual event series that focuses on experimental music, with a different artist taking the role of curator each year. Last year we had Laurel Halo, and prior to that it was Ryuichi Sakamoto. The events are held in unique spaces across London, this year we had access to a derelict warehouse block in the middle of Soho that had never been used as a venue before. Events like this are so important and necessary in a time where creative spaces are being squeezed out of existence – it created a space for discussion and collaboration, and we’re talking about next year’s MODE becoming even more interdisciplinary. We’ve got ambitious plans for MODE 2020 which will be announced this month so keep an eye out.
Who are some artists and tracks you’re really digging at the moment and why?
D. Strange, Angel-Ho, Berika, Credit 00. They’re all making really interesting boundary-pushing music at the moment. D. Strange’s music I’ve been listening to a lot recently, it’s really pared back but a very addictive sound.
What are your plans for the end of 2019 and early 2020?
I’ve got a few bookings lined up which I’ll be able to share very soon, continuing to curate my radio show, and of course getting things ready for the next MODE series.
As we are at the beginning of a new year – do you have any particular highlights from 2019?
Sharing a lineup with Or:la and Batu in September. It was a big step up for me to be playing before such esteemed artists, I really wanted to make sure I was playing tracks that really resonated with me, even if it was a bit unexpected for the club environment. I actually just unearthed the recording of that set which I’ll be putting up for listen-again soon. It’s funny to think I was so nervous for that set at the time, and now I just want to do it all over again.
You’ve been kind enough to put a mix together for us, what was your process behind the mix?
For this one I wanted to challenge myself and create a heavier, harder-hitting mix than I would usually do. This one is very high-energy from the beginning with lots of quick turns and shifts, lots of acid and rolling drums – I created it with a late night party set in mind, hope you enjoy!