Almost exactly five years to the day since her critically acclaimed ‘Techno Monkey’ EP first did its damage across packed, sweaty warehouses back in 2016, Berlin-based artiste and Kuukou Records label boss Simina Grigoriu now looks to breathe fresh life into one of the most iconic records in her expansive career discography, as she announces a ‘Techno Monkey’ remix project of colossal proportions.
Over the course of this year, Simina and the Kuukou Records team will be releasing a total of nine remixes of the 2016 original, brought to you by a carefully curated selection of the most exciting names in electronic names, new and old. Out today, the campaign launches with the first star-studded EP, which comes complete with an eclectic trio of contributions from electronic music royalty, Paul Kalkbrenner, American techno maven Camea, and Kuukou Records favorite, Hito.
We caught up with Simina Grigoriu to discuss her 2021 highlights, juggling motherhood with a career in the music industry, and digging a little deeper into the ‘Techno Monkey’ Remixed project.
Electronic Groove: Hey Simina, welcome to Electronic Groove, and thanks for taking the time to chat with us!
Simina Grigoriu: Thank YOU! I love your community and it’s always a pleasure working with you guys!
EG: Despite everything that’s going on in the world, what’s been the highlight of 2021 so far for you?
Simina Grigoriu: Easy! This past February, Paul and I became parents for the second time! Victoria Rosalie Kalkbrenner was born on February 10th, 2021. She’s a little nugget of love and happiness and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be a mommy again. Isabella has wanted a sibling for a long time and I’m super happy to have been able to give her a little sister with whom she can walk through life. I spent the better part of 2020 baking a baby inside me and cooking tracks in the studio, and now I’m SO ready to get back to playing for all of you!
EG: So let’s get down to it. First things first, a huge congratulations on the release of your ‘Techno Monkey Remixed’ album. Can you tell us about this project?
Simina Grigoriu: Thank you! This really is a wish come true. ‘Techno Monkey Remixed’ is an extra special project that is very close to my heart. We will bring out nine remixes across three EPs of my original ‘Techno Monkey’ track from 2016, which also happened to be the inaugural EP for my label, Kuukou Records. It’s not exactly traditional to have nine remixes of a track but I wanted to do something special and see how some of my favorite artists would approach it. Vol.1 (which has just been released) features remixes from Paul Kalkbrenner, Hito, and Camea. Vol. 2 (which is out on July 30th) features Filterheadz, Lilly Palmer, and [ WEX 10 ], and the third and final volume (later this year) will feature Hollen, Skober, and DESNA. I am super excited! I’m very curious to see how the three-part remix album will be received. I hope you like it!
EG: Talk to us about the collaborations on the album. How did you go about choosing the artists?
Simina Grigoriu: I made a list of my favorite artists and started from there. Of course, the list was super long; Just look at how many great artists there are out there. But of course, we had to narrow it down to a select few. My label managers thought I was crazy, even stating that for sales purposes, it might be counter-productive to have so many remixes of just one track, but, in the end, we made it work, and now we have nine stellar collaborations and my passion project has come to life!
“I have high hopes for 2022 and hope we can
find some sense of normalcy soon”
EG: Do you have any other projects on the burner with Kuukou Records right now?
Simina Grigoriu: Of course, we have our regular release schedule, outputting a new EP every six weeks and we’ve already started to work on 2022. We have releases from new as we as established artists. I’m really lucky to work with such great ones, and I am eternally thankful to my label managers, Jens and Marcel at Grise Agency, for running the show. It’s a lot of work and I wouldn’t have a label without them. Time is flying! To find out more, stay tuned to Kuukou!
EG: Let’s talk about your hometown of Berlin. Besides the nightlife which we all know and love, what are some of your favorite things to do in the city?
Simina Grigoriu: Berlin is my home, yes, but it’s not my hometown. I was born in Romania and moved with my family to Toronto when I was three years old. I then transplanted once again at the age of 27 when I met my now-husband. Since I moved here almost 13 years ago, I’ve learned this city inside and out. There is so much more to the city than just the nightlife. There is art everywhere; visible and magical history and culture to be absorbed. It’s never dull and everyone has a place here. The thing I appreciate the most about Berlin is its multiculturalism. I am an immigrant. We ran away from a communist regime and found solace in the city of Toronto, where 95% of the population hail from other cultures. I learned so much about the world just by being around people from other cultures. I’m happy our girls will be exposed to this.
EG: Going back to your formative years, can you share some memories from the days you first started raving / DJing?
Simina Grigoriu: My first days raving and my first days DJing are not one in the same. I was a staple of the Toronto rave scene when I was a teenager. I wasn’t into DJing at the time— I preferred being on the dancefloor with my raga jungle. I got into playing records a few years later when I was working at a bar during university.
EG: Besides your ‘Techno Monkey’ remix project, what does the rest of 2021 have in store for you? Any plans to get back on the road?
Simina Grigoriu: I’ve got lots coming down the pipeline! I just did a remix for Aitor Ronda for Kuukou, as well as one for his ‘Tweezer’ track on ELEVATE, there are the ‘Techno Monkey Remixed’ EP’s which start coming out this month; I have EPs coming out on OFF Recordings, Complexed Records, and Kuukou, and I’ve got remixes coming out Set About (for Juheun), and on Kuukou (for Drumcomplex). That pretty much wraps up the year’s releases.
Regarding gigs, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. I have one—yes, one—gig this summer. I’m playing Mácháč Festival in Prague on August 21st, but other than that, it’s not looking great. I’m so over the bookings and consequent last-minute cancellations. It’s happened so many times this year so I don’t get my hopes up anymore. I’m happy to play but I also feel right being exactly where I am, at home with my babies. I have high hopes for 2022 and hope we can find some sense of normalcy soon.
“I’m very curious to see how the three-part remix album will be received am super excited!”
EG: Looking more long-term, do you have any specific goals for both the label and yourself as an artist over the next few years?
Simina Grigoriu: My goal for Kuukou is to continue to be true to my vision. We get so many demos and I have a hard time deciphering which projects to take on. If I could, I’d give them all a chance and provide a space and platform (especially the smaller artists with little support) to bring out more music. However, this is tricky as we have limited availability and resources, as many small businesses do. I’ve seen a growing trend among digital music labels releasing music as often as once a week. That’s not what we’re really about at Kuukou Records. We release every six weeks and put our entire being into every record, from post-production to final delivery and PR rollout. Since we invest in every artist/record we take on, the A&R process can be a bit tricky. We only have about 10 releases per year so every record we put out will take us in another direction.
EG: Finally, do you have any final words for the Electronic Groove community?
Simina Grigoriu: I’d like to personally thank you for believing in me. I am honored to receive so much love and support from the EG community and I very much look forward to working with you guys again.
EG: Thanks so much, Simina!
Simina Grigoriu: Thanks to YOU so much! You’re freaking amazing!
Simina Grigoriu’s ‘Techno Monkey Remixed Vol. 1’ is out now via Kuukou Records. Grab your copy here.
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