Dick And Fanny has a chat with DJ Kim Anh
Los Angeles-based DJ, producer, composer and friend Kim Anh broke through as an international DJ in 2006 playing major nightclubs in Paris, London and Berlin. Kim Anh has been the 5-year resident DJ for the critically acclaimed nightclub event Booby Trap!, a disco infused party based in NYC and Los Angeles. We are so pleased that Kim Anh will be playing for DICK AND FANNY’s summer outing on Saturday 20th July at its new permanent home Dance Tunnel. Check out the awesome mix Kim Anh prepared exclusively for us and our interview of her below the mix.
Hi Kim Anh, you’ve been a regular contributor of Dick And Fanny and we are so grateful about that! What have you been working on lately?
The feeling is mutual! I’m really excited to be back.
I’ve been focusing more on production lately. I share part of my time writing and producing with my bandmate for our project Saint Le Roq. This year we released our first EP with a music video for our first single “Other I”.
We have some new remixes and original material that involves collaborations with vocalists and other artists that we are super excited to announce soon. Much of the other time is spent working on my own solo projects. Last year I co-produced a remix for Sam Sparro’s song “Happiness”. The single went to platinum status and hit #1 in Belgium and on the German Dance charts. It was the first time I’d been involved with a project that received that much attention so it was very exciting.
Living in Los Angeles, I’ve also been involved in film scoring and licensing as part of my work.
Tell us, I mean for the unlucky ones who don’t know you yet, how did you start out DJing?
I’ve always had a great interest in music and was involved in music for much of my childhood. I started clubbing at a very young age during the mid 90s and fell in love with so much of the soulful house of the early 90s and late 80s. Growing up on the east coast, I really idolized the DJ’s I was seeing at the clubs during that time: Sasha, Rabbit In the Moon, Keoki, 808 State. New York City Limelight was everything. I had a neighbor at University who would always practice dj’ing and I could hear him practicing through the wall. I finally got the courage to ask him to show me how to do it. It was 1998. I started out mainly playing downtempo, acid jazz, chicago house and drum and bass.
What are your musical influences?
Goodness, so many. Give me a big diva vocal hook and I’m living! I love everything from minimal tech house to a good old fashion funk/soul/rnb tune. Ask anyone, I’m always singing Chaka Khan, Teddy Pendergrass and Gap Band around the house. It really all ties into my obsession with Paradise Garage era dance music. IDM played a huge role in my interest in electronic music and producing electronic music. But if you came over on any given night, you might hear Chet Baker, Cannonball Adderley or even Diamanda Galás playing on the record player.
When did you decide to produce music yourself?
In the early 2000s I was performing one (wo)man shows quite often. Much of my paid work during University came from playing music in local venues. I acquired my first drum machine and production software from a very good friend. I was experimenting with MPCs and sampling. When I finished school I got the most and mundane professional job, but from the money I made I was able to build a makeshift studio area in my room. I started sending my original work to my friends in Los Angeles and New York. It led me to working full time in music and living in Los Angeles.
Is that when you started Saint Le Roq? Can you tell us a bit more about it?
Saint Le Roq started partly by accident and partly after working with Anna (DJ Anon) throwing Booby Trap!, a party we’ve been hosting since 2008. I was asked to score a scene for a movie that was starring Forest Whitaker. The scene involved Forest searching for a call girl in an underground trans nightclub in East Los Angeles — basically the perfect scene. I asked Anna, who is a long time producer, if she would like to score the scene with me. After a couple incarnations, the final song released on the soundtrack was called “Fly With Me.” At the time, we didn’t feel that the song represented the style of music we wanted to be known for. So one day while stuck in traffic we made up the name “Saint Le Roq” to be entered in the film credits. After the film was released, Saint Le Roq became an anonymous entity that was subject to much speculation on chat rooms and blogs. Tens of thousands of downloads of the song were being shared via torrents across the internet and no one knew who we were. Some speculated we were men. So after this we decided to create a website and release new material that we felt reflected our sound more accurately.
Do you have any solo work coming up soon? Can you talk about it or is it too early?
Yes I do and yes it is a little early to talk about … I have so many influences, so my individual sound is always evolving. I’m still going through my catalogue and trying to tie together a body of work that can communicate my message. I was the vocalist for “Other I” so what I can say is that you can expect to hear more vocals from me on my upcoming solo work.
What are your plans this summer on your European tour?
I always look forward to being back in Europe. It feels like a second home to me. This tour I’m kicking off in Copenhagen for a new festival called Henry’s Dream, I’ll be in London of course for an epic return to DAF and then onto Paris and Berlin for a few more DJ dates. When I’m not playing you can find me at the local park or at the museum with a notebook and a Club-Mate.
Thank you Kim Anh, we can’t wait to welcome you again in the Big Smoke.
Peeps, come say hi to Kim Anh and sweat your pants off at Dick And Fanny on Saturday 20 July.
DAFx
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