France . Dance music. Oh Ed Banger? Daft Punk? Noisy electro gear? Yeah yeah, but did you know there is actually more to the French scene than those dudes? Dan Ghenacia and his Freak n’Chic crew have been bubbling away over the last decade or so, quietly building a formidable little empire of deep, trippy house music that is as much of an asset to the country’s musical portfolio as the aforementioned.
 
Ghenacia made his name in his native Paris when he started throwing Sunday morning afterparties called Kwality, on a boat moored on the Seine called Le Batofar. It was a unique part of Paris’ clubbing history, and one that soon helped to spread Ghenacia’s name across Europe. When he started his acclaimed label Freak n’Chic back in 2003, it marked the start of the next chapter in his career, and since then the label has brought us fine drugged-up house from the likes of David K, Jamie Jones, DJ Terry and Jose De Divina. His DJ sets are stunning, with regular slots at Circo Loco parties the world over and at all the best house ‘n’ tech spots the world over.
 
This summer is a busy time for Danny boy – he’s got his new Freak n’Chic compilation Eyelights out, and best of all he has started throwing parties on Le Batofar again. They began at the beginning of July, and continue (almost) every Thursday until the end of September. We’ll be checking it out at some point – but for now, let the Freaky one fill you in...
 
Your name and the Freak n’Chic name have both seemed to grow very organically – no overnight success or singular big tracks that brought you success. Are your more of a “good things come to those who wait” kind of guys, or is it just that you have been taking things one step at a time?
 
To be honest, the thing is that I’m a real party animal, I like to DJ, I like to party, I like to have fun, so it took me time to organise all. My career is built on my DJ sets, even if since I created Freak n’Chic I became “bigger”. But there’s no secret… I work hard, trying to produce artists in which I believe and it comes step by step. Now that the label and the booking agency works good, I can focus on producing.
 
Would you describe Freak n’ Chic music as “druggy”? Is it possible to fully understand the music without having taken drugs do you think?
 
I don’t know. I guess with drugs you’ll be more sensitive, but I can not say that our music is un-understandable without drugs. I don’t choose the Freak n’Chic tracks on drugs…ha ha.
 
Do you think there is anything particularly French about Freak n’ Chic music stylistically? How much is your music influenced by French music, culture and surroundings?
 
I’m not really sure that the Freak n’Chic sound represents especially French electronic music. Even if main of our crew is French, we all travel a lot and have different influences. I discover psychedelic house music in San Diego, Shonky lives in Berlin and Jamie Jones is in London. We all spend a lot of time in Ibiza every year and our parties in Paris are still quite underground…
 
Paris is a city that seems quite impenetrable in some ways to many people...what’s your best advice for people trying make friends in the city and find out about really cool parties?
 
Well, it’s true that Paris is not a city as mixed as London or Berlin. Parisian people are special, but once you know them, they are quite cool...ha ha. In our parties there are always some new crews built in the party. I still have some friends who I have met at Kwality afterparties, lots of people are friends since we made parties at Le Zèbre...I guess this summer it will be the same in Freak n’Chic at Batofar. Every Thursday from 7PM on the Terrasse you can have dinner or just chill nearby the river Seine and then party from 10PM till late in the boat…
 
In England, the afterparty culture is pretty big now. Is there much afterhours activity in Paris, and are the authorities cool with it? Were your Kwality parties the first big afterparties in the city?
 
There’s not really afterparty culture in Paris. Authorities are not cool at all, and obviously, since Kwality afterparties there’s no other similar parties. No clubs for that. People sometimes keep on partying in private flats, but it’s a small part of French audience.
 
Outside of Paris – how is the dance music scene in other parts of France?
 
I don’t know. I play very few in other cities. There are some good festivals I guess, like Les Nuits Sonores in Lyon, but I’m not really aware about what’s going on in France…
 
Tell us about the new mix CD Eyelights...what was your aim with it? Just a straight up club mix or something more complex?
 
This compilation is the mirror of the music I like with some exclusive tracks by Shonky, Dyed Soundorom & David K. , some new tracks of the moment and also some “classic” tracks.
 
Who are your current favourite producers? Who do you think we should keep our eyes and ears on over the rest of the year?
 
Without doubt : Dyed Soundorom. He’s hanging up with us since a long time, he worked hard to produce, and it’s been worth it! His track Remote Cocktail is on Top 10 in some major download charts right now...
 
The music industry is going through a very transitional time, with big record companies trying new tactics all the time. What do you make of the big labels giving away music for free? Is it a dangerous move?
 
In a way it’s dangerous, but on the opposite hand it‘s a good promotion for our music, with internet we are known all over the world, it opens new doors.
 
What’s more exciting for you – playing your own track at a club or hearing another DJ play it?
 
Hearing another DJ play it of course!
 
What’s the strangest record you’ve ever played in a club? How did people react?
 
One time I played The Fantasy Track by Bunkalatato and people loved it, I was really surprised!
 
Slower is better when it comes to dance music. Discuss.
 
Totally right … deep house 4 ever!

www.freaknchic.com