- Two hours of trance bombs, old and new.
- Katie Campbell, the artist better known as Roza Terenzi, moved from Melbourne to Berlin in March; within a few weeks, Germany was in lockdown. Not the ideal start to a new chapter. Still, there have been silver linings: Campbell released her debut album in April, set up a studio with fellow artists CCL and D.Tiffany, and, earlier this month, launched a record label. These wins cap off a whirlwind couple of years for the young Australian, whose move to Europe reflects her journey from buzzy local favourite to breakout star. She is particularly loved for her nifty mixing skills and warehouse-ready blend of breaks, electro, techno, house and trance.
Campbell also found time these past few months to record RA.756. The mix, which clocks in at nearly two hours, screams peak time, with a heavy focus on the classy trance bombs that dominated her sets pre-pandemic. Some tracks are decades old—Adamski, D:Ream, Triple S and Power Circle all feature—and some are unreleased exclusives by Campbell and her friends, out soon on her new label, Step Ball Chain. Regardless of era, all the music shares the same playful quality that runs through everything Campbell does as Roza Terenzi, from her music and DJ sets to her tweets. It's what makes her such a fun and compelling artist.
What have you been up to recently?
Not a lot as I'm in the second wave lockdown in Berlin—same as everybody. But there is definitely a silver lining, having the time to start our new studio with D. Tiffany and CCL, working on my label Step Ball Chain, making music, cooking, airbrushing, painting silk, printing lino.
How and where was the mix recorded?
It was recorded at my friend George's apartment on a Sunday eve using two XDJ-700s and an Ecler Nuo 2.0.
Can you tell us about the idea behind the mix?
I wanted to showcase a bunch of recent and forthcoming music from myself, friends and collaborations... And weave them into some older music I have been playing this year. Basically emulating a high-energy club style set featuring as much personal music as possible, while also keeping a more steady energy... As often in mixes or sets I go all over the place.
In the last two years or so, your DJ sets (and productions), including this mix, have started to incorporate a lot more trance and trance-influenced techno. Where did this interest come from? How did it develop?
Probably from finding better trance-inspired music that incorporates many things I like in dance music: a lightness despite faster speed, progressive driving rhythm, sensual, playful, dreamy... I think it's not too far from a lot of the early '90s IDM and downtempo music I love, just recontextualized into a club setting and with more bass. I'm always drawn to the balance between sounding organic and tech.
You just started your own label. Can you tell us about it?
It's called Step Ball Chain. Mainly, I wanted an outlet for my own music, special collaborations and friends' projects. I don't want to be pouring out tonnes of music each year, but just keep it as a special place to reflect on a certain period of time with things going on that are personally meaningful. I also want to work with visual art and people around me who inspire me, collaborating on the record art and future design projects.
What are you up to next?
Trying to stay happy and healthy, just keeping up the balance between feeling productive and satisfied. I'm really excited to finally have a studio space, so definitely jamming and collaborating, working on more visual art and finalizing things for the next release on the label by Tapestry Of Sound.
TracklistPower Circle - A Little Love A Little Life (Trancing Remix)
Danny Tenaglia feat. Teena Mar - Baby Do You Feel Me (Tilt's Falling Over Club Dub)
Solar Suite - Still Life
Roza Terenzi feat. Helen K - ??? (unreleased)
??? (unreleased)
Motion Blue - Scream
Maara - Goddess Within (Give It To Me Daddy (unreleased)
Pillow Queen feat. Ruin - Tunnel Vision (Forthcoming)
??? (Roza Deep Heat Mix) (Forthcoming)
Voices Of Kwan - Ya Yae Ya Yo Yo Yo (Original Mix)
Triple S - Keep Your Head (Klubbheads Mix)
Lisene - Psy-Ops
D:Ream - The Power (Of All The Love In The World)(Flammable's Esexx Mix)
Adamski & Transformer 2 - Sleeping With An Angel (Euro Mix)
Roza Terenzi - ??? (Unreleased)
Roza Terenzi - Cosmology (Forthcoming)
Tapestry Of Sound - ??? (Forthcoming)
Drop Out pt 5 - Plastic
Jimmy Batt - Utopia
Vinyl Blair - Dope (Green's Gold Mix)
Ruff Driverz - Waiting For The Sun (Heliotropic Mix)
Tapestry Of Sound - ??? (Forthcoming)
Hyber. Nation - Visual Imagination
Delicate Essence - You've Been Warned (Forthcoming)
Roza Terenzi - Stylish Tantrum (Forthcoming)
Tapestry Of Sound - ??? (Forthcoming)
Healion - About Breathing (Forthcoming)
Flux Delay - Kyting