Levente Takacs aka Ivel Tax is next in line for Hipodrome Podcast Series. Levi is a young dj, producer and label owner from Cluj-Napoca, Romania. He started his producing career some years back, having his debut in 2007. Since then he had the privilege to work or to share releases with artists like Aaron-Carl, Jefferson Velazquez, Steffi or the Dutch duo Jeroen Search & Dimi Angelis and labels like Terpsichore, All Inn or Studio Soulrock.

He is also managing the Green Apple Radio Show, a 2 hours monthly show on Proton Radio and Ensonic Radio, showcasing exclusive mixes from world renown Djs like  Brandon Moeller, Stewart Walker, Robert Dietz, Bazz or Phil Weeks.

In 2009, Levi started his own label Disco Birds focusing on underground house music.

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Please describe your mix. What’s the idea behind it? How it was done and what should we expect?

Well it’s a mix of slow, minimal house and techno tracks! The idea behind it was to give a laidback feel to the set with some dirty slow percussion, you know like a Sunday morning on the beach, nothing to do, while listening to some laidback grooves! It was made on cdjs and recorded live onto my laptop from the mixer!

Do you remember how you entered in contact with electronic music and when you stated to think that you want to be a dj?

I don’t really know a time in the past for sure when I started to enter into the electronic music scene, but I always loved the underground stuff! I started listening to progressive house and  after that I digged deeper into techno music and ended up combining oldschool house with minimal house and techno, is the place where I am still today!
Becoming a dj?, that’s just a hobby I don’t really consider myself a DJ or Producer more like a music lover! Love to play music to the crowd and love to chill out at night in my room making some beats!

Can you describe your music style and what we should expect from you when you are playing.

Hard to say! I guess a combination of house and techno sound with a deeper minimal dirt added to it to make a spicy mashup for the listener! The idea behind the decks is to make the people dance! I cannot say for sure what I will play, but surely I’ll do my best to make that happen!

Name some of your favorite djs/producers and how did they influenced you.

I’m influenced by great music, by the mood I’m in at the time of mixing or producing or by hanging out somewhere in the wild, by life itself, family, friends and so on! I listen a lot to oldies, funk, jazz, classical stuff and ambiental music!

DJ or producer that influenced me the most, for sure its Deep Dish! Deep Dish from the 90s! I love those old remixes they made for artist like: De’Lacy, Joy Cardwell, Prana!
Other producers that I dig: Baby Ford, Link, Sanasol, Carl Craig, Reload, Dj Qu …!

DJs: I like the vibe that Villalobos makes when mixing, his brilliant, others like: Sven, Robert Hood, Arpiar crew, these ones are popping in my mind at the moment!

You are/were a resident at different venues from Cluj. You also had the chance to play with some big names at Club Midi, one of the best Romanian clubs. What do you think about the scene there and what would you change?

This is a hard one! Yes I had the chance to play at some great venues in Cluj Napoca and met new people, music lovers, its great to find people who have something in common with you! The scene is young, the underground needs to grow more, the city has some great venues with real underground DJs, but still needs to grow a lot! Dance music is like a virus!
Dance music lovers look at us like some freaks :)! We are vampires they are humans, but the difference is we only go out at night  and we can make our own sunshine :)!

I would like to change the perception of people, make them more open minded, this way we can explore more parts and beauties of the electronic space!

Do you think there are enough opportunities for talented young djs in Cluj?

Well not so much! For underground house – techno djs is hard, the scene in most clubs and pubs are based on break, dub, dnb and yeah dance music! Midi promotes what it can, but that’s it! Everyone for themselves, that’s the motto!
It would be great to have some agencies that will promote and help young talents, but, there’s a long way to go!

In 2009 you started Disco Birds music label. Please tell us something about the label. What plans do you have with the label?

I only release music that I like on this label and will keep it this way till the end!
Plans for the future?: to have quality techno and house releases, radio shows powered by the label and events promoting our sound!

You have some good releases and collaborations with important artists and labels. What the future holds for you in terms of music production? Do you have some new releases coming out?

I have some offers from labels I cannot say which ones at the moment, because this is not 100%  sure!
It’s a long way to go for me into the future, I’m only at the beginning, learning, doing what I like, what feels right at the moment!

What do you listen to besides electronic music?

I listen a lot to piano music and oldies, I don’t know why but we need to learn more from the past! Some old tracks are just incredible, for me these tracks are immortal and will live for ever!

What do you like do to in your spare time?

Sports: like soccer and tennis, movies (animations, comedies), making music, mixing, camping, doing nothing, hanging out with my friends and the list goes on!

Is there anything else you want to add or to transmit to our followers?

Thank you for the interview, I had fun answering these questions! For the people out there keep the underground livin, keep it real and enjoy the music!

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