They’re the masters of ceremony at any good party and without them things just wouldn’t take off. Ramona Depares speaks to four DJs whose distinctive styles keep the dance floors buzzing.

Danjeli

Mixing everything from folk to metal with his blend of electronica.

How did you get into DJing?

I was doing music (composing and producing), as I do now, and started doing live electronic sets at the age of 17. I still do this now, but when you have to play live sets each week, things become a bit repetitive (especially on a small island).

So now I get to play what I listen to, which is usually a mix of what my girlfriend suggests and music I discover as a result of being a compulsive music buyer. I mix it in the same way I do in a live set: I just use the sound and the basis of a track, tear it up to pieces, adding all sorts of drum patterns and sounds to it, while looping the parts I like and beat-matching the tracks together.

Describe your crowd.

Nowadays, my crowd is likely to be between 17 and 40 years old. They typically like to party hard and are all in for the music, and that’s why I love them. I admire most of them for being both hard ravers and successful people outside the club, and always enjoy having a good chat with them. So I would say they’re the hyper nerds. You’ll find these guys at Liquid Club, Playground, Razzett L-Aħmar, a Brikkuni gig, and mostly odd places where odd parties are held.

Favourite artist/track from your genre?

I like Aphex Twin a real lot, so I would have said WindowLicker 10 years ago. But he’s sort of retired now. Currently, I’m obsessed with Amon Tobin; he designs sound to perfection and mixes it with jazzy/dark melodies. Check out his ISAM show on You Tube.

Your biggest event/best memory?

I don’t have a good memory when it comes to events. But I guess the Pudina Christmas Party at Liquid Club last year was a highlight. And there was the Funeral Party for Halloween last week, which is still fresh in my mind as one of the best nights I can remember. From further back in the past, Owen Jay’s Electronic Garden was quite a bender. I remember Brian James, Owen himself, Duo Blank... all taking part. Real techno, real fun.

One thing that always gets the crowd going?

Whatever gets me going has to get them going. So really, if I’m having the time of my life, they’ll have fun.

What is the fastest way to empty a dance floor, and has it ever happened to you? If so, how do you remedy?

Being the wrong DJ for the night. So let’s say Derrick May, one of my favourite techno DJs, will empty the dance floor if playing at a wedding party after the Big Band Brothers would have been playing.

This happens to a lot of DJs. Recently DJ Shadow was booed off the stage as the crowd wanted to listen to commercial music in a club in Miami. There’s a good video of it online.

Yes, it has happened to me, and you suffer. The remedy is learning to say no if you think you won’t fit in an event. But I guess you have to learn that the hard way.

Chris Radium

Electro swing, electro, breakz and anything that falls in between.

How did you get into DJing?

Funnily enough I started out as a producer, producing techno and electro tracks, and playing live Pa. Then, thanks to a friend of mine, I got into underground hip hop... and from there I opened myself up to a lot of other musical styles, mainly breakbeat-oriented music. Listening to, and enjoying all these different styles of music, I started DJing and incorporating a lot of different genres in my sets.

Describe your crowd.

Normally my crowd ranges from 18 to 40 years old, depending on where I am playing and what. I’d say they are typically the Coach and Horses, Liquid, Razzett L-Aħmar and Coconut crowd.

Favourite artist/track from your genre?

Loads, but when I play Swing Bop by Der Dritte Raum and CatGroove by Parov Stelar, I always end up shaking my booty.

Your biggest event/best memory?

It was probably 2005, while playing a warming-up, live PA set for DJ Assault with my ex-group Septic Youths at Liquid Club. We were almost done when one of the organisers came to tell me that I had to extend the set as the DJ was going to be an hour late.

Having prepared a one-hour live set, I told him that we were nearly finished. His reply was: “Don’t worry, the crowd is going absolutely crazy for your set so start all over again.” So instead of the intended one-hour, we ended up playing for two-and-a-half hours, improvising and mishmashing tracks that ranged from Blur to U2 to Quiet Riot and Judas Priest, and even some pounding techno beats. One awesome memory!

One thing that always gets the crowd going?

Mash-ups. I always loved to mix different genres, so I tend to incorporate electronic music, hip hop and nu-metal, funky house and Italo-disco and more catchy riffs and vocals from well-known tracks. When you surprise people and fit in a guitar riff, or a vocal loop, and butcher it to fit into what you are playing it always drives the crowd crazy.

What is the fastest way to empty a dance floor and has it ever happened to you? If so, how do you remedy?

Well, if you want people to enjoy your sets you have to be in perfect harmony with the crowd. Build a connection with them and work them as you build the set. You have to take them on a roller coaster of good vibes. Fail to do that, and you lose them.

Michael Bugeja

From pop and rock to ska, reggae and alternative.

How did you get into DJing?

I started out as a radio DJ on Radio 1 Live back in the early 1990s. Within the year, I was one of the resident DJs at the legendary Coconut Grove. I actually don’t have a particular genre of music; my taste in music is quite varied. I grew up on pop and rock, embraced ska and reggae in my early teens (and still love them to bits) and then got well into the alternative music scene that rose from punk’s ashes in the early 1980s. Over the years, I’ve also developed a taste for metal, folk and electronic music and I suppose my radio shows reflect this eclectic taste of mine.

Describe your crowd.

I can’t say I have a particular crowd; it really depends on the event I’m playing at. But I can’t not mention my sets at Coconut Grove, which usually included anything from indie to heavy metal via the odd pop tune, electronica, hip hop and tons of rock.

Favourite artist/track from your genre?

I have favourite artists in every genre, but overall I’d say Al Stewart, an artist whose music I only get to play on my radio shows and very rarely in my DJ sets, unless it’s Homesongs night down at Coach and Horses.

Your biggest event/best memory?

I don’t really have a particular favourite event, but it would probably be the Transmission indie night I played down at Lo Squero, which turned out to be an amazing party. There’s also the Dusty Vinyl boat party, where I played a mixed set of acid jazz, funk and big beat.

One thing that always gets the crowd going?

I’m not sure what gets the crowd going – if I did I’d be a famous DJ, I suppose. There are the obvious hits of course, but sometimes you can put on a tune and it kicks things off just like that, out of the blue, then you have to think fast.

What’s the fastest way to empty a dance floor and has it ever happened to you? If so, how do you remedy?

In this day and age, it’s usually the urge for a smoke that empties the dance floor, not the music. I’m sure it’s happened to every DJ, and the only way to remedy is to bring them back with a killer tune.

DJ Ruby

Underground, electronic dance music, not limited to one style.

How did you get into DJing?

Twenty-one years ago when I started out, there was no dance scene at all, so I guess I’m the only DJ that stayed on top of the league since those days. Back then, it was a huge struggle to make people understand electronic dance music, so I had no other option but to play all genres, including wedding music, to get gigs. Gradually, I started to feed people electronic dance music and, two decades later, here I am.

Describe your crowd.

My crowd is spread over three generations, from teens to people in their 20s to a more mature crowd in their late 30s. Dance music is everywhere now, so I can be everywhere from clubs to festivals, private parties to radio, wedding after-parties.

Favourite artist/track from your genre?

My favourite act is called Sphongle and it’s not really music for clubs, but it’s still considered electronic. Mainstream people won’t appreciate their music. I like to joke that you have to be some kind of an alien to do so.

Your biggest event/best memory?

Transmission and Timewarp in Prague, Jacksons in Tampa, Florida, Isle of MTV in Malta, Roxy in Sydney… the list can go on and on.

One thing that always gets the crowd going?

Basslines. A bassline is the low frequency, groove sound in a tune. Clubbers simply love basslines.

What’s the fastest way to empty a dance floor and has it ever happened to you? If so, how do you remedy?

Music stops for whatever reason. Nothing kills the vibe faster than the police showing up, for instance. The remedy? Easy! Turn the sound back on and everyone goes nuts.