Stavroz was formed in 2011 by IJsbrand & Gert, both DJ’s and sound engineers looking for a way to channel their musical antics. Soon thereafter, Maxim & Pieter joined on live shows and in the studio.
Their first vinyl on Délicieuse Records was picked up on international blogs, resulting in the N°1 position on the Hype Machine and was chosen vinyl of the month by the German ‘Faze Magazine’.
Their intimate live set and unique DJ sets were quickly picked up, sending them on regular trips abroad. Only to return home for some FIFA and their weekly show on Belgian National alternative radio ‘Studio Brussel’ where they display an uncanny ability to combine the old with the new and the East with the West.
We had the chance to chat with Stavroz before their gig at Elements Music & Art Festival that will be taking place on May 24th-27th, 2019. For more info and tickets click here.
Electronic Groove: Hey guys, thanks for your time today. What is the ideal setting to hear a Stavroz set? How would you describe your sound in three words?
Stavroz: Thanks for the invite. The ideal setting would be anywhere you need it, beach, forest, parks, clubs… We sound relaxing yet disturbing, but also solid of course.
EG: You’ll be playing deep within the woods at Elements. Does playing in nature add to the Stavroz live experience?
Stavroz: For the sake of imagination, nothing gets better than the woods. The cozy feeling, protection by the canopy above, fresh air and stumbling over molehills – to the beat.
“What we enjoy about playing live is how dependent we are on one another”
EG: What’s your favorite thing when performing live as a group? What about when you perform a DJ set?
Stavroz: What we enjoy about playing live is how dependent we are on one another. If one link in the system is unavailable, the show doesn’t work. That makes it challenging, but also very rewarding. We also try to have fun and make sure that the crowd is feeling the same way. We’ve been playing live together for about 6 years now, after a while it all starts to feel natural. We can read the tiniest hints from each other’s face or body language and know how to proceed in our gig. We have the privilege to do what we love, so we enjoy every minute of it.
The DJ sets feel very different, instead of only our songs to choose from (like the live shows), we now get to choose to play whatever we like. But not everyone likes exactly what we like… The challenge is new on every DJ show because you simply have to change tactics every time. What you play in Greece might go down easier there, than for example, in the UK.
EG: What’s the balance between using instruments to record vs. samples/presets? Does it vary by track?
Stavroz: It varies. Sometimes there is a little drum machine playing and we jam on top of that. Sometimes we have a chord progression and a melody and we try to build a song out of that. Sometimes there is nothing and five minutes later everything. So there is no main approach.
EG: What’s your approach to remixing a track? Does everyone in Stavroz contribute elements?
Stavroz: It depends as well. When all of us agree to remix we give it a shot and ideas can come from everyone in the group. The best idea then gets continued, or we stop our attempt if there is no idea that really reaches all of us.
EG: What’s in store for the rest of 2019? When can we expect new music?
Stavroz: We’ve got quite some new music ready and on the shelf, we’re trying to put it out just after summer. In the meantime, we’ll play a lot of shows, party, and get a tan…
Follow Stavroz: Facebook | SoundCloud | Instagram
Elements Music & Art Festival will take place on May 24th-27th, 2019. For more info and tickets click here.
