Local artist profile: Wil Barrett

How did you get into djing?

My interest in music, and electronic music in particular, started from a pretty young age when I got my ears around some early Chemical Brothers and Fat Boy Slim. Holy moly was that mind-expanding!

I was always into music, watching Rage every weekend, collecting mix CDs, and I was particularly intrigued at how music could be curated for different spaces to create a specific atmosphere.

That interest carried through into my teenage years, and during my first year at university, I bought a set of integrated CD decks with my housemate.

I think they cost $1500, which was an insane amount of cash for us at the time.

We learned by trial and error, mostly error, playing at house parties and recording mixes.

I eventually drew up the courage to take some of those mixes into a small nightclub on Sydney Road called My Aeon, which was still quite new at the time.

The owner gave me my first proper gig playing at the start of the night to about a dozen people ,including my girlfriend and uni pals.

The sound system was a kerbillion times more powerful than anything I’d ever played on, and the feeling was unbelievable!

I played a few more random gigs, before eventually being paired up with a group of lads for a monthly night that we called In Tech, Out Tech.

The four of us formed a really strong bond and we played some kicking parties at My Aeon, and a few other venues around Melbourne including La Di Da. And I’ve pretty much been dJing ever since.

 

What do you say to people who believe djing is just “pressing play”?

I say it’s a totally reasonable assumption, because while there are many different types of djing and performing, fundamentally you are just playing records. You’re not playing a complex instrument, you’re not singing from a song sheet, and you’re not trying to play in time with a band.

But while you aren’t playing a traditional instrument, you are still creating music.

Where it starts to get more interesting is in the ability to combine multiple records into one continuous mix, where the listener isn’t totally aware of where one track ends, and where the next track starts.

Technically, that isn’t a difficult thing to do – if you have ears and rhythm, you can understand tempo and the concept of beat-matching two tracks.

And if you have an understanding of melody and harmony, you can learn how to EQ and determine what tracks work together, and what doesn’t.

Where it goes to the next level is when you approach a mix not just as a random collection of classic hits and dance floor bangers, but as a holistic journey.

A journey that starts somewhere and finishes somewhere perhaps completely different, with peaks and troughs in between, with tracks that complement each other, that enhance each other.

Anyone can just pick their favourite songs and put them on a playlist, but there’s a genuine skill involved in being able to read the mood of a crowd and harness that collective energy, to then use that to consciously build tension and release that tension in a way that’s engaging for the listeners over the course of the whole night.

It’s taken me a long time to be able to determine the moments during a set where the music should be in the background, and when it should come to the fore.

 

What do you think is more important in djing – technical ability or track selection?

Track selection without a doubt. You can be the most technically gifted DJ in the world, but if you’re not reading the crowd, then technical abilities aren’t going to get you very far.

Can you describe your Djing style? What kind of genres do you like to feature?

I’d say I’m a fairly traditional house DJ.

I can’t scratch and I’m ropey with sampling and looping, though I prefer to concentrate on track selection and progression.

In general, I like to keep things simple with nice long continuous mixes.

Having two tracks play at the same time for two to three minutes, without anyone knowing, makes me so happy!

I love playing upbeat funky house, deep house and the more emotive sides of techno, though I also get a real kick out of playing disco and funk.

Ideally I’ll weave all of those together into a single set over three to five hours. The longer the better!

 

Which electronic artists inspire you and why?

I’ve been listening to a load of Jonas Rathsman and Patrice Bäumel over the past couple of years.

Both are amazingly talented DJs and producers that delve into the deeper side of house and techno, and they seem to have this amazing knack of unloading some kind of sample or track partway through a mix that totally takes you by surprise.

When I listen to those mixes over and over again, I’ve started to recognise that the first hour of the mix has basically been one big build-up to that single point, which is what makes it so powerful and engaging.

Like, it’s a great track on its own, but in the context of the mix, it’s just delivered to you on a whole other level. I absolutely love that.

 

What are some highlights or fond memories you have from your career?

An early highlight was the time my housemate and I went into Bar Open on Brunswick Street after playing at a pal’s 21st birthday.

We had our decks with us, and we’d had enough beers that we managed to convince the bar manager that we were supposed to be djing that night.

It seemed to work, because she took us upstairs, got us plugged in to the sound system, and we played to a full room for an hour before we got told off by the real manager. I’ll never forget that pirate gig!

More recently I played a gig at Handle Bar on a Sunday afternoon for the Queen’s Birthday.

It ended up being stupendously busy, and I played for nine hours straight, which outside of some house parties, is the longest set I’ve played. I was absolutely knackered, but it was so much fun!

 

How has your djing been affected by COVID?

Lockdowns have obviously had a huge impact on the hospitality and entertainment sector, so with bars and pubs shut, opportunities to DJ have been drastically reduced over the past 18 months.

I’ve continued playing tunes at home, but it’s not the same. While that has been a total bummer and I’ve missed it incredibly, djing for me isn’t a full-time job.

It’s something I love doing as a part time hobby, so the impact on me has been minuscule compared to the people whose livelihoods depend on venues being open and full with patrons.

 

What gigs do you have on the horizon?

I tend to play a couple of nights a month at Handle Bar in town, though we’re also going to be pushing some Sunday sessions once spring kicks into gear.

While I really enjoy the party energy on a Friday and Saturday night, I’m keen to explore a groovier vibe on a Sunday arvo, and hopefully curate a space where folks can come enjoy some of that more downtempo deep house.