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WIP Project Feature Profile - Mintox


Bexx, DJ, Perth, WIP Project

Boorloo - Perth

DJ, PRODUCER

HOUSE, TECHNO, TRANCE

 

Describe your past year in one sentence...


An absolute whirlwind of change and opportunities.


How did you end up as a part of the music industry?


I have community radio to thank for starting in music - I used to practice mixing at Eora (Sydney) station FBi Radio when I started volunteering and presenting there in 2019. Over the course of the rest of the year I started to get more gigs and a residency on Nomad Radio, and then continued playing out and volunteering at Edinburgh’s EH-FM over a short stint in Scotland at the start of last year. Now I’m based in Boorloo (Perth), playing out and about and on RTRFM regularly, as well as doing lots of other music industry associated things.


Tell us about your sound...


Gee, a tough question! I’ve always prided myself on being pretty genre averse with regards to the music I consume and play, and it often shifts according to the places and moods I find myself in. Over Boorloo (Perth) summer I found myself playing a lot of warm, 90’s proggy house and contemporary trance inspired by the weather and euphoric party-capital-of-the-world atmosphere, and when I was in the UK I explored a lot more moody, percussive, bass-oriented tracks - to match the gloom of Scottish winter! My ultimate goal with my sound is otherworldly escapism, in whatever capacity or genre feels right for me at the time, no holds barred. As for production - that’s for me to know, and you to find out (hopefully in the not too distant future)!


I’ve always prided myself on being pretty genre averse with regards to the music I consume and play, and it often shifts according to the places and moods I find myself in.

Do you have any new work coming out that you'd like to tell us about?


To sum it up, lots! I’m super stoked to be playing my first warehouse party with Naarm (Melbourne) based DJ Merve in a couple of weeks time - beyond ticking that off the bucket list, I definitely have a number of mixes I’ve been sitting on for a while, with one for Eora-based collective Douglas Street due to launch shortly. Nomad Radio will be kicking off again in the near future too, so I’m looking forward to sharing predominantly Boorloo-based artistry with the wider Australian music community there. Additionally, my friend Kailyn Crabbe (who I happened to meet through the WIP Facebook group!) and I are starting a new collective called Club Jewelz, based entirely around the premise of making our dance music communities more inclusive, accessible and diverse, through a series of workshops, networks and resources. Our launch party and fundraiser is on April 7th at The Bird with some amazing local talent - we’d love to see and meet any WIPpers there!



What’s the last really fun thing you did?


Not to toot my own horn too loudly, but I am exceptionally good at having fun - so it’s hard for me to isolate one standout thing! I think the last most fun thing I did in recent memory was a weekend trip away to Walpole (roughly 5 hours south of Boorloo) for a birthday bush doof - being in the middle of a gorgeous, isolated natural landscape with an intimate crew of music-loving friends made for many special moments, both fun and reflective.


How do you practice self-care?


I definitely burn out super quickly by taking on too much, so teaching myself the ability to take a step back is a huge priority. I’ve also started to journal a lot more recently to unpack my everyday life and emotions - doing this without setting myself any expectations to do it on a regular schedule or with a goal in mind has been really beneficial for my mental health. Often I find myself coming up with solutions to problems I didn’t even know I had or was ignoring. Would recommend!


What’s your favourite record at the moment?


I’m a huge fan of Berlin-based label Radiant Love, and they recently released their second International Women’s Day compilation. Not only does every song go unreasonably hard, but all proceeds are being put towards charities working with queer people of colour, refugees and trans sex workers in Berlin. Using your money to support causes and communities you believe in is a super-easy way we can all positively impact our industry.




What are your predictions for the future of dance music and the industry?


It’s really hard to predict the future trajectory of our industry in light of COVID, but there’s definitely a couple of things I’d like to see change. It goes without saying at this point that diversity is still not a priority for a lot of promoters, but there’s more to that conversation than just changing or curating a lineup. A really important conversation that has come up here in Boorloo is that diversity does not always equal inclusion - we also need to be conscious of our unconscious biases and tokenism, and work to process these both individually and alongside other members of our community. It also is a really good idea to look and think outside your immediate echo chamber when doing this reflection. Not everyone has the same perspectives on and experiences with diversity, and this needs to be valued and taken into account.


Secondly, I think whilst we’re at a point where we’re starting to acknowledge the importance of self-care and mental health support in the industry, I feel as if there is more to be done to help artists (and dancers too!) engage in the scene in a more positive and healthy way. Contemporary dance music culture is especially steeped in hedonism and excess, and if people either don’t know how to navigate this safely or don’t have a strong support network surrounding them, it can have damaging consequences. I’d like to see the further development of and increased access to professional support networks and resources - Facebook groups such as the WIP Community are a great starting point!


Diversity is still not a priority for a lot of promoters, but there’s more to that conversation than just changing or curating a lineup...we also need to be conscious of our unconscious biases and tokenism

What's the best part about being in the music industry?


I’ve really loved the relationships that have emerged through my foray into music. Whether it’s being able to support by being a front left punter at each other’s shows, being internet friends across the world, meeting new people in the smokers at a gig, or even just that connection with listeners broadcasting over radio is so special to me.


Check out Mintox's WIP Profile Page for more!






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