LAST NIGHT WVB SAVED MY LIFE
LAST NIGHT WVB SAVED MY LIFE
.…. Xtended release's SEVERINE in the latest Walter Van Beirendonck... chats LA’s rave scene, New Year’s resolutions and releases an exclusive mix for H Lorenzo.
.…. Xtended release's SEVERINE in the latest Walter Van Beirendonck... chats LA’s rave scene, New Year’s resolutions and releases an exclusive mix for H Lorenzo.
Interview by Chris Gibson
Interview by Chris Gibson
First things first… who are you?
christiane øyen (she/they). im 26, i'm from long beach california. im first & foremost a raver & dance music obsessive, but in my spare time i dj & produce as séverine & throw parties in la as xtended release.
First things first… who are you?
christiane øyen (she/they). im 26, i'm from long beach california. im first & foremost a raver & dance music obsessive, but in my spare time i dj & produce as séverine & throw parties in la as xtended release.
First things first… who are you?
christiane øyen (she/they). im 26, i'm from long beach california. im first & foremost a raver & dance music obsessive, but in my spare time i dj & produce as séverine & throw parties in la as xtended release.
What is Xtended Release?
xtended release was founded by me & my friend, former member clay (aka dj peer-2-peer) in 2018 for us to create the rave experience we wanted to see in la; a wide variety of sounds, spun by the underrated underground djs we loved locally & abroad, on equitable lineups, for rooms full of queers & freaks from all walks of life who may have felt out of place on other dancefloors, with an explicitly political manifesto prioritizing safety & community guiding our ethos & policies. in the past 3 years i've put on 18 events with many different collaborators (1 in nyc & 2 livestreamed) in tiny bars, warehouses, lots, an alley & even a forest cave, all of which i have beautiful memories of, regardless of the challenges & losses of DIY. beyond that, xr also released a benefit compilation in may 2020 with an all-local lineup, & i hope to host more label releases in the very near future alongside shows.
What is the current state of LA underground rave?
in flux, but there is a lot of potential…..LA partially suffers from a lack of nightlife infrastructure like brooklyn has, which was a problem well before the pandemic, though we make do with our outdoor renegades & dingy bare warehouses that come & go, to rave by any means necessary. but the risks & costs are a real barrier for entry for the next generation of promoters, and also limit the capacity for raves as a tool for mutual aid. it can also be quite clique-y, clout-driven & individualist, but that’s almost to be expected. that said, i've had the pleasure of meeting so many new people this year with the same vested interest in the underground & creating more spaces for the community to thrive in beyond just dancing together; it gives me a lot of hope for this next year & decade that la can have a healthy, symbiotic local scene that rivals nyc, london or berlin but is entirely its own thing.
What is Xtended Release?
xtended release was founded by me & my friend, former member clay (aka dj peer-2-peer) in 2018 for us to create the rave experience we wanted to see in la; a wide variety of sounds, spun by the underrated underground djs we loved locally & abroad, on equitable lineups, for rooms full of queers & freaks from all walks of life who may have felt out of place on other dancefloors, with an explicitly political manifesto prioritizing safety & community guiding our ethos & policies. in the past 3 years i've put on 18 events with many different collaborators (1 in nyc & 2 livestreamed) in tiny bars, warehouses, lots, an alley & even a forest cave, all of which i have beautiful memories of, regardless of the challenges & losses of DIY. beyond that, xr also released a benefit compilation in may 2020 with an all-local lineup, & i hope to host more label releases in the very near future alongside shows.
2021 was ______________
a trial run.
2022 will be ____________
focused, grounding, actualizing.
The best track you heard in 2021_____________
der zyklus - die dammerüng von nanotech (2006)
The worst Track_________________
anything doja cat put out this year.
Your favorite party memory of 2021 ____________
miss parker’s incredible all-trance set to a huge, ECSTATIC crowd in a closed-off alley in the fashion district for my party 100% OFF!! the last rave of a wild, emotional summer & the start of a new era of xr.
What is Xtended Release?
xtended release was founded by me & my friend, former member clay (aka dj peer-2-peer) in 2018 for us to create the rave experience we wanted to see in la; a wide variety of sounds, spun by the underrated underground djs we loved locally & abroad, on equitable lineups, for rooms full of queers & freaks from all walks of life who may have felt out of place on other dancefloors, with an explicitly political manifesto prioritizing safety & community guiding our ethos & policies. in the past 3 years i've put on 18 events with many different collaborators (1 in nyc & 2 livestreamed) in tiny bars, warehouses, lots, an alley & even a forest cave, all of which i have beautiful memories of, regardless of the challenges & losses of DIY. beyond that, xr also released a benefit compilation in may 2020 with an all-local lineup, & i hope to host more label releases in the very near future alongside shows.
What is the current state of LA underground rave?
in flux, but there is a lot of potential…..LA partially suffers from a lack of nightlife infrastructure like brooklyn has, which was a problem well before the pandemic, though we make do with our outdoor renegades & dingy bare warehouses that come & go, to rave by any means necessary. but the risks & costs are a real barrier for entry for the next generation of promoters, and also limit the capacity for raves as a tool for mutual aid. it can also be quite clique-y, clout-driven & individualist, but that’s almost to be expected. that said, i've had the pleasure of meeting so many new people this year with the same vested interest in the underground & creating more spaces for the community to thrive in beyond just dancing together; it gives me a lot of hope for this next year & decade that la can have a healthy, symbiotic local scene that rivals nyc, london or berlin but is entirely its own thing.
What is Xtended Release?
xtended release was founded by me & my friend, former member clay (aka dj peer-2-peer) in 2018 for us to create the rave experience we wanted to see in la; a wide variety of sounds, spun by the underrated underground djs we loved locally & abroad, on equitable lineups, for rooms full of queers & freaks from all walks of life who may have felt out of place on other dancefloors, with an explicitly political manifesto prioritizing safety & community guiding our ethos & policies. in the past 3 years i've put on 18 events with many different collaborators (1 in nyc & 2 livestreamed) in tiny bars, warehouses, lots, an alley & even a forest cave, all of which i have beautiful memories of, regardless of the challenges & losses of DIY. beyond that, xr also released a benefit compilation in may 2020 with an all-local lineup, & i hope to host more label releases in the very near future alongside shows.
2021 was _______
a trial run.
2022 will be _______
focused, grounding, actualizing.
The best track you heard in 2021_______
der zyklus - die dammerüng von nanotech (2006)
The worst Track_______
anything doja cat put out this year.
Your favorite party memory of 2021 _______
miss parker’s incredible all-trance set to a huge, ECSTATIC crowd in a closed-off alley in the fashion district for my party 100% OFF!! the last rave of a wild, emotional summer & the start of a new era of xr.
What is the current state of LA underground rave?
in flux, but there is a lot of potential…..LA partially suffers from a lack of nightlife infrastructure like brooklyn has, which was a problem well before the pandemic, though we make do with our outdoor renegades & dingy bare warehouses that come & go, to rave by any means necessary. but the risks & costs are a real barrier for entry for the next generation of promoters, and also limit the capacity for raves as a tool for mutual aid. it can also be quite clique-y, clout-driven & individualist, but that’s almost to be expected. that said, i've had the pleasure of meeting so many new people this year with the same vested interest in the underground & creating more spaces for the community to thrive in beyond just dancing together; it gives me a lot of hope for this next year & decade that la can have a healthy, symbiotic local scene that rivals nyc, london or berlin but is entirely its own thing.
The color of 2022 is _______
safety orange.
The sound of 2022 is_______
talking shit over blown-out 707s.
The smell of 2022 is_______
jet fuel.
Can you give me 5 outs and 5 Ins
y2k - OUT
$7 tecates - OUT
mysterious artist personas - OUT
boring hardware techno - OUT
gatekeeping - OUT
guitars - IN
microdosing - IN
psytrance - IN
skinny jeans - BACK IN
sincere camp - IN
What is the current state of LA underground rave?
in flux, but there is a lot of potential…..LA partially suffers from a lack of nightlife infrastructure like brooklyn has, which was a problem well before the pandemic, though we make do with our outdoor renegades & dingy bare warehouses that come & go, to rave by any means necessary. but the risks & costs are a real barrier for entry for the next generation of promoters, and also limit the capacity for raves as a tool for mutual aid. it can also be quite clique-y, clout-driven & individualist, but that’s almost to be expected. that said, i've had the pleasure of meeting so many new people this year with the same vested interest in the underground & creating more spaces for the community to thrive in beyond just dancing together; it gives me a lot of hope for this next year & decade that la can have a healthy, symbiotic local scene that rivals nyc, london or berlin but is entirely its own thing.
The color of 2022 is ______
safety orange.
The sound of 2022 is_______
talking shit over blown-out 707s.
The smell of 2022 is_______
jet fuel.
Can you give me 5 outs and 5 Ins
y2k - OUT
$7 tecates - OUT
mysterious artist personas - OUT
boring hardware techno - OUT
gatekeeping - OUT
guitars - IN
microdosing - IN
psytrance - IN
skinny jeans - BACK IN
sincere camp - IN