Interview by Joe Leonard-Walters | Edited by Passion Dzenga
Launching in 2021, Echobox has been forging a path for community radio by showcasing the diverse characters and concepts that surround them. In this feature, we will be looking into a few of the broadcasts that you can tune into so get locked in and don’t touch that dial.
YoungWoman's XTRADIOL is a meditation into the sound of transess & the transness of sound. Alma & her guests will try to figure out how our sounds and the sounds of others shape our lives. You can catch up with this show now on Echobox Radio.
Can you give us some insight into your show? Why was it important to do something so personal?
As a being in transition myself, I'm well aware that my origins could be degradable and my future ephemeral & how archiving in my community might be (un)intentionally overlooked. While the internet is rich with visual content of my girls (and boys), even from way back, I feel we're lacking a bit of that oral history (at least where I come from), and more specifically, our relationship to music beyond nightlife. So it’s become important for me to document (and also celebrate) our sonic experience as trans people and see if I can find common threads between myself and my guests.
The format of the show is quite simple: my guest and I often start with the sounds and music that have impacted them from childhood until now, and then we look at how that features in their daily life and work, as well as how they relate to their own sounds and the identity of the people whose sounds they enjoy. We usually end with the central question of the show: does transness have a sound? If yes, is it a sound that we can easily identify? My absolute favorite part is asking them about sounds/music that they don't like. I'm also trying to see if there's a common thread there—are there sounds that aren't trans-friendly?
If you could host anyone on the show, who would they be?
Where do I even start? Lyra Pramuk is definitely up there, as she’s had a considerable impact on how I approach making music. Introspekt has been on my list for a long time, but I can't keep track of where she is. There is also TTristana, who’s an amazing DJ and producer, and Thelia, who has made probably one of my favorite mixes of all time. I also think of all the artists with whom I’ve briefly worked and am now eager to pick their brains, like Mama Yha Yha and Slim Soledad.
Is your DJing as personal as your radio show? What goes into a Youngwoman set?I would like to think it is! From very early on, I’ve noticed that people only appreciate it when I play what I actually want to play and not what I think they want me to play. I’ve decided to stick to that, regardless of how my taste changes. My sets are often me trying to chase down a ball of energy and see where it leads, then playing it to the audience to see if they’ll take the same path or maybe a different one. It’s always so heartwarming when you lock in with people on the dance floor because that’s when you know they get what you’re about. To me, music has always been about explaining something that you don’t know how to explain otherwise.
That’s why a lot goes into a YoungWoman set: bass, breakbeat, heresy, drum and bass, Latin club, Arabic sounds, ambient music—trans. I’m reaching out within all these genres to explain where I’m coming from and where I’m going. It’s definitely an earful, but I think people like it, and it inspires me to dig even deeper.
Los Angeles is going from strength to strength - what's next for the collective?Our journey as a collective has been very heartwarming, and I’m deeply grateful that the curatorial efforts we’ve put in have translated into the most fun events and have been well received. Now that we’ve established ourselves as party girls, we want to commit to our mission of nurturing trans talent. So expect wholesome gatherings for the rest of the year, and who knows, maybe we’re already scheming for a big comeback!
5RVZ's Beats, Rhymes & Life is a global hip-hop journey, exploring the underground. Reminiscing the golden era and celebrating the local scene with guests & rising talents: expect DJ mixes to insightful conversations, blending beats and stories. You can catch up with this show now on Echobox Radio.
Where do you draw inspiration from for your Echobox show? Why is the connection to hip-hop so important?
I’m a hip-hop kid at heart, it’s had a profound influence on me, from how I dress, to how I walk, talk and act. Especially during my formative teenage years, I feel like I learnt a lot about life through this music. As much as I can, I like to highlight the importance of hip-hop and the undeniable (massive) influence it has had on modern music, art, fashion and culture. The art of DJing—blending two records together—traces its roots to Hip-Hop, and without it, the evolution of dance music (my second love) would be unrecognizable.
Do you have a favourite moment/episode of your show? Why was it so good?
The Panjabi Special is probably my favourite episode so far. Like me, many Panjabi artists – producers and singers - are deeply influenced by hip-hop music, and it’s incredible to see how far this fusion between traditional music and hip-hop has come. When I was a teenager, there were only a handful of artists pushing this sound, now it’s almost evolved into its own sub-genre. It’s amazing to see, and even more amazing to be able to showcase it on my show. I’m excited to do another episode of it, hopefully in 2025. Stay tuned!
Congrats on the new release! You released on Kinetic, a London label, how do you find the difference between your native London and the scene here in Amsterdam? Thanks! I’m really happy with the project, it feels like a very authentic reflection of me. The perfect combination of sounds I love and grew up around; techno, drum&bass, jungle, grime, dubstep, hip-hop – all woven together in an abstract minimalist style.
London will always be home, and I'm a London boy through 'n' through, but ever since my first visit to Amsterdam in 2013 I was always drawn to the vibe here and the “scene” - we used to drive from London just to go to De School or for Dekmantel. The 24-hour club licenses, fewer sound restrictions (the music is noticeably louder here), non-aggressive door security and the ability to let my guard down, without having to worry something might kick-off at any moment - the whole experience is just a lot more relaxed and enjoyable.
Do you find you take a different approach when playing on the radio vs in a club?
Yes, completely different, most notably, the genres of music I play in both scenarios are worlds apart, but I try to connect the dots between them. I have a hip-hop show, but I wouldn’t consider myself a hip-hop DJ. My club sound is a lot more experimental, usually between 140-170 bpm, aimed at forward-thinking dance-floors, sprinkled with a dash of Grime or UK Drill for good measure. I’m drawn to deep, bass-heavy, swampy, meditative music, tunes I can layer and create a journey out of – so you can expect a 5RVZ club set to be an immersive experience.
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