Darius Syrossian talks about sampling, Moxy Muzik, his landmark tracks & Ibiza

A DJ since the 90’s Darius Syrossian has put in the long hard hours to make his way to the very top of the electronic music world. A renowned producer, incredible DJ and party host he has become a firm favourite all over the globe. Darius is currently in the midst of a whirlwind Ibiza summer schedule where he’s a resident for Defected at Ushuaïa as well as appearing at Solid Grooves at DC10, Paradise at Amnesia, Abode and Space Ibiza at Eden.

Thankfully he has also managed to line up some seriously hot releases and has just released one of the hype singles of the summer with another electronic music legend Mark Knight and James Hurr, titled I got all this love it samples Disco classic Let’s all Chant and has been creating scenes on the white isle already this summer. You can check it below and grab it HERE

I spoke to Darius about I got all this love, his summer ahead, his journey in electronic music, Moxy Musik, his own landmark tracks and lots more. Check it all below and please give this one a share where you can and help us spread the love x

Hi Darius,

Thanks for talking to Le Visiteur today,

Where are you today and what are you up to?

Just leaving Ibiza. We had my Moxy Muzik party last night on the island. It was packed, which was great. I’ll be back next week to play Ushuaia for Defected.

You are renowned as a DJ and producer who aims to keep the real soul of house music alive both in your DJ sets and via your releases. What were your first encounters with house music, and why do you think it became such an integral part of your DNA?

I started going to illegal raves at 16, dancing from the moment we arrived to the moment the party stopped. We would then go to service stations where a sound system would be booming out of the back of a van in the car park, and I’d be dancing the whole time. For me, the music meant more than just the social aspect. From an early age, I connected with the music in a way that I knew it had to be a big part of my life.

What were some of the first house records that really captured your imagination?

Carl Craig’s Paperclip People “Throw”
I remember hearing this for the first time and thinking, “Wow, what the hell is this?” It was life-changing. I was constantly searching for more music in a similar vein.

Any music from Armand Van Helden, DJ Sneak, Kenny Dope & Louie Vega, and Ian Pooley. I could give so many examples of tracks by these guys that were life-changing!

You worked in a record shop for 14 years. How instrumental was that in making the right contacts to build your own career?

Working in a record shop set me up to be a DJ who can easily cut across many genres in a set. If you are around music 9 to 5 every day, selling everything from jazz to funk, disco, garage, house, and techno, your knowledge of music from all these genres becomes very good. You come across music you didn’t know you liked, which has helped me be a dynamic DJ, not just playing one genre. It’s probably the reason I’ve stuck around for so long at a decent level.

Where was your first gig? What are your memories of that period when you were making your first steps into DJing?

I was at Bradford University, and there was a party run by some travelers called Brethren. They held parties in the Windsor Baths, an old Victorian swimming pool. The first track I ever played out was the Daft Punk Remix of Chemical Brothers in 1996. From the moment I did that mix, I knew this was something I wanted to do forever.

You have now become established as one of the most successful DJs on the international scene today. What advice would you give to DJ/Producers who are just starting out about what is required to make a career in electronic music?

The best advice I can give is to play from the heart and don’t try to sound like the latest fad. Everyone else is doing that too, and even if you make a track that is successful in sales, there will already be an artist credited for the biggest track in that sound. So be original, make music for yourself, and play music for yourself. If something is authentic and genuine, it shows, and that’s how you will win genuine fans.

You have a real passion for long 3-hour+ DJ sets. How important do you think it is to allow a DJ to build a proper set rather than the one-hour on/off b2b sets that have become commonplace at festivals and clubs over the last decade?

With long sets, you can tell a story and take it on a journey that you KNOW is going to work. With short one-hour sets, there is no continuity, and the flow isn’t right. The problem now is that some kids don’t know any better. Some who go out more bothered about seeing DJs whose videos have gone viral, just to get a video of them too, rather than seeing DJs whose music they like. It’s actually bonkers! But I guess we have TikTok to thank for that, haha.

You launched your own label/party concept, Moxy Muzik, back in 2019. What is the ethos of Moxy, and how pleased are you with how it has blown up over the last five years?

Beatport did a feature on the label recently, saying how much it has been smashing it, which is great. If you look on Beatstats, we are right up there as a label, not just in one or two genres but several, such as Jackin House, Garage, Minimal, Tech House, and House itself. With Moxy, I’m not just getting established artists; I also champion upcoming artists. If the music is good, that’s all that matters. The secret is to have the best A&R team to make sure you don’t miss any gems.

You have become a real Ibiza regular, holding down some of the biggest gigs on the island. What is it that you love about the White Island that has led you to make it such a key part of your annual touring?

Ibiza made its name on hedonism. People work hard all year to go there to let loose and have the time of their lives. The gigs you do there have people on the dancefloor who are really up for it, which as a DJ is the best thing. It’s also a beautiful island, not just good for partying. I’m playing on the island 15 times this summer.

What events do you have coming up in Ibiza in 2024?

I’m a monthly resident at Ushuaia for Defected, and I’m also playing for Solid Grooves at DC10, Paradise at Amnesia, some parties for Abode, Space Ibiza at Eden, and a couple of my own Moxy Muzik parties.

As a producer, if you had to pick three Darius Syrossian tracks that are truly quintessential to your sound and musical ethos, what would they be?

WHOSE THE DOUCHE

I still get asked to play this, and it’s about 12 years old. The second-hand vinyl on Discogs goes for silly money. I’d say it perfectly describes my sound: driving, with energy but also a strong emphasis on groove and a driving bassline, along with some old-school-style vocal samples.

DANZER

I like to sometimes make things with a heavy disco vibe, but something that you can still play at a packed-out festival stage. I gave this to Jamie Jones as soon as I finished it, and he played it before I even got to. I saw a video of this absolutely blowing apart the main stage at a festival.

LUIS CONTE

Crazy that this is 15 years old, but this was one of the first records that helped me break through. At the time, heavy percussive stuff was big, and DC10 was dominating Ibiza. I wanted to do something with this tribal sound but also add my driving energy.

RUSHING

When minimal became all the rage, I thought to myself, I love the drums and the groove on these tracks, but there are hardly any with a full vocal. Jamie and I wanted to do something like this, and the outcome was exactly what we wanted.

Your latest track is a collaboration with another electronic legend, Mark Knight, and studio wizard James Hurr, titled I Got All This Love. Based around a sample from the disco gem Let’s All Chant, it’s looking like being one of the tracks of the summer. How did it all come about, and what can you tell us about it?

Mark and I made a track during lockdown, which absolutely blew up when it was released just as things returned to normal. Mark is a superb guy, and it was fun working with him on the last track, so we decided to do another.

James and Mark had the basis of a track, and then I got involved, sampled Let’s All Chant, and worked it into the track along with some other touches. It worked really well, and we were able to clear the sample, so it turned out great.

This was your first time releasing on Toolroom. What was it like working with Mark and the team at the label?

Yes, and Mark is a legend. I played for him in Miami a couple of years ago at his Toolroom pool parties at the National Hotel. They have a great vibe, showing how well he has kept himself at the top for so long.

Please can you give us some tips for this summer in Ibiza, a place to eat, and a place to relax?

Great places to stay and eat, it doesn’t get any better than Atzaro. To relax, there is no better place. Amante is also nice to eat and it’s on the beach, out of the way. Another good place to eat is Casa Maca, which has a great view of Dalt Vila and the food is out of this world.

What else does the musical future hold for you, Darius? Do you have any other big releases in the pipeline or gigs that we should be looking out for?

Next month I have a release which is a collaboration with EVE, the rapper who is a Grammy winner and a global megastar. I had to go into Sony HQ in London the other week to do content for promo and a photo shoot with her, but she is totally down to earth.

The track is called “Satisfaction” and comes out on Ministry on June 21st, powered by Sony. I also have an EP coming out on Jamie Jones’ Hot Creations label in July and a collab track with DJ Sneak on my own Moxy Muzik label, which comes with a Todd Edwards remix too.

Thanks, Darius. Good luck with I Got All This Love and have an amazing time in Ibiza this summer.

Thank you, all the best to you guys also, and thank you for having me.

For more info on Darius Syrossian please check:

Darius Syrossian Facebook
Darius Syrossian Instagram
Darius Syrossian Twitter/X

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Tags: Darius Syrossian, mark knight, Moxy Musik, toolroom