For most of us the biggest New Year’s Eve dilemma is not whether to party, but which party to go to. Many choose to attend the ridiculously large stadium extravaganzas, packed to the hilt with international stars and easily recognizable due to the equally ridiculously large entry fee that accompanies them.
Others amongst us opt for smaller affairs – An intimate venue, high quality music, the company of good friends and less of an impact on the wallet. It’s not a huge list of requirements, but in years gone past that type of event has sometimes been remarkably hard to find. This year, however, FANG’s New Years Eve party, with Microworld headlining, fits the bill perfectly.
It’s been less than a year since ex-Canberran residents, DJ Ben Henderson and Promoter Kath Taylor, decided to relocate their popular club night to its new home at LOOP in Melbourne, so it’s only apt that they’ve invited fellow ex-canberran Philip McGarva (a.k.a Microworld) along to help kick off the New Year in style.
McGarva was born in Scotland and moved to Australia at a very young age. Music was always a part of his life, but it wasn’t until he was in his late teens that he started listening to techno. “I started listening to techno around 1988.” He explains. “I loved Elements by Psyche, Strings of Life by Rhythim is Rhythim, Pacific by 808 State and house like Marshall Jefferson, Mr Fingers and Farley Jackmaster Funk. I was also listening to P-Funk, Kraftwerk, YMO, Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa and Fela Kuti. When I moved out of home I shared a house with some friends who all liked different kinds of music and going to underground dance parties.”
Inspired by the work of many of the artists listed above, McGarva started to experiment with producing. It wasn’t long before he began releasing those experimentations. “A couple of my first attempts were released on compilation CDs here between 1992 and 1994 and I assisted the late DJ / producer Robert Racic (Severed Heads / Boxcar / New Order) with his remix of In the Neighbourhood by Sisters Underground. In 1996 I moved to Canberra and had more time to spend on music and I spent a long time listening to music and experimenting with playing and programming.”
One gets the impression that McGarva didn’t really immerse himself him in the Canberra scene but spent most of his time working alone in his studio. It’s an approach which obviously paid off when his next release brought him to the attention of record label Transmat and countless DJs around the world. “My first 12” Signals / Smile was released by Transmat in May 1999.” McGarva recalls to me, “It was single of the month in UK dance music magazine Mixmag and received excellent reviews in all other major magazines including Muzik and Jockey Slut. It has also been licensed to Defected Records (UK) for the Ministry of Sound Sessions 11 Roger Sanchez mix CD and Boxed Records (UK) for the Global Underground 017 Danny Tenaglia London mix CD.”
Since the release of Signals / Smile McGarva has spent a great deal of his time trying to polish his production skills – A practice which, although he loves it thoroughly, he’s quick to admit doesn’t always come easily. “Recently I have been trying to improve my skills in writing, programming, engineering, recording and production as well as upgrading my home studio.” He explains. “Although making music is still often difficult and time consuming for me, I realize that it is the one thing that I have more interest in and insight into than anything else, and that it will probably continue to dominate my life.”
It’s that interest and insight which makes a Microworld set so engaging. Due to his vast musical knowledge the playing of quality music, unlike producing, is something which comes naturally. “I just play music that I really like.” He tells me during our interview. “I have pretty diverse tastes and I play stuff that is some kind of representation of who I am musically. I like to play stuff that people might not be familiar with and that will touch them in some way, whether it’s a funky track that makes them feel good or something a little deeper or more introspective that might make them feel something different. It’s also about just playing good music and not the generic stuff that you might hear elsewhere.”
This New Year’s Eve there will be more club-nights and parties to choose from than you could poke an overrated international DJ at. Some of them will be truly special, some of them will be passably average and some of them will be thoroughly awful. So when you’re making your New Year’s Eve plans don’t forget to consider FANG at LOOP, an evening which Philip McGarva guarantees will be “all special.”
Microworld headlines Fang on NYE in Melbourne. Check ITM whatson for more details.
