Balance Selections 217: Habischman

Habischman likes to tell musical stories that bring back memories, whether real or imagined. To do so, the Iran born, London based artist draws on the beauty and blessings of life, the ups and downs of the every day, and puts them into his own cinematic soundtracks that encourage you to get lost in your own feelings.

He is a master at establishing a simple yet seductive techno groove then embellishing it with complex melodies and lush synth arrangements that provide plenty of drama. This combination of big drums, spaced out motifs and subtle but spine-tingling vocals lend his tracks an impressive sense of grandeur that has landed him on labels like SCI+TEC, Knee Deep In Sound, and Moda Black.

Balance Selections 217: Habischman

Tracklisting

1. Senses (545) Intro
2. Dubfire – Dust & Gas
3. Paul Kalkbrenner – Peet
4. Echonomist – Planeless Sky
5. Habischman – A Dream Within a Dream (Aera remix)
6. Adana Twins – How Far can we Go
7. Jonathan Kaspar – Last Romance
8. Chemi feat. Dr. Trax
9. Marcan Liav – Woodwick (Habischman 545 remix)
10. Inigo Kennedy – Skyway
11. Manuel Tur – 121 BPM
12. Coloray – Polarity
13. Isaac Tichauer – Higher Level (Bicep remix)

Balance Selections Q+A

Name: Iman Habibi Shad
Location: London, UK
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Alias/Producer name: Habischman
Labels affiliated with: Senses, Sci+Tec, Knee Deep In Sound

My last 3 releases:

Habischman – Behind Four Walls

Habischman – A Dream Within A Dream (Edu Imbernon)

Habischman – Morse

What music did you listen to as a child?

I grew up listening to all kinds of music including traditional Persian music. My dad used to sing and record at home and I would use his mic and tape machines to record my voice. I loved listening and dancing to Michael Jackson’s music.

When was the first time that you realised that you liked electronic music?

I got a pair of Denon Turntables and started to learn beat-matching. I would use any record to practice as we didn’t have any record stores in Iran. My sister got me a bunch of Deep House records from Dubai, and I realised I was more into electronic music than any other genre.

When was the first time you saw a DJ in a club?!

I saw Danny Tenaglia & Plump DJs in Dubai for the first time. It was a great experience and I loved listening to some proper underground music on those loud systems. It was this club called Trilogy. Great memories.

Which producers/artists/acts inspire you?

I listen to so many different artists and there are lots of great producers and acts who I enjoy listening to. I get inspired by listening to different sections of a track by different artists. Movies and art also inspire me a lot. My favourite artists are Moby, Trentemoller, and Tangerine Dream.

What was the last album that you downloaded/bought?

Alex Banks – Projections

A friend of mine from Iran recommended this album to me and I really like the hypnotic sound designs

What is your current production and DJ set up like?

I’m currently testing out Traktor pro with 4 decks. I love having control over the music that I play and it gives me such great freedom to test out new things and create a journey. I can add loops and ideas from other tracks and create new grooves which is interesting to me.

What releases do you have on the horizon?

I discovered this great singer Miila Mor on Beatlift, a platform I’m building with my co-founders and we have finished 3 tracks. The first track is called Evolving and will be released on Dubfire’s Sci+Tec. I also finished a remix for Marcan Liav on Stripped Recordings, which I included in this mix and another EP that will come out on my Senses label.

Where can we hear you perform?

I’m currently working on a concept party that I can’t share info about yet. I’m recording some creativity boost workshops at the moment and mainly in the studio finishing more tracks. I’ll be back on the road after summer.

Tell us more about the podcast you made for Balance?

I recorded the set in Ableton Live just the way I perform on Traktor. I layered different tracks with different grooves and made a special intro track for this set. I try to create a journey with a long and smooth build- up and some energy changes throughout the mix that would keep the listeners hooked till the end of the set. My vision is to recreate the same vibe similar to the way I play live.

My Recommendations

The top track in my DJ wallet currently is

Pariah – Caterpillar