Here we have a very special installment of The Hipodrome Of Music podcast series, featuring a guy that I was hunting for a long time to get it on Hipodrome. Iulian Cazan aka Jay Bliss is one of the persons and djs that had a great influence on my evolution in the electronic music, opening my mind to new musical horizons when moving to Sibiu 8 years ago.

Since then, Iuli has moved from being one of Romania’s youngest dj talents to one of the most respected Romanian producers and djs, with releases on labels like Diynamic, Hudd Traxx, Fear of Flying, All Inn and 20:20 Vision and collaborations with fellow Romania starlets Mihai Popoviciu, Petre Inspirescu and international artist like Och, Markus Homm and Skudge. Also he had shows all around Europe, from UK and Spain to Germany, Holland and Russia.

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Please describe your mix. What’s the idea behind it? What was the process of creation and what should we expect when listening to it?

It’s all ambiental and dub techno. I’m a big fan of the genre and it’s been at least 5 years since i did an entire dub techno mix, so i thought the platform is also right for this mix.

You are one of Romania’s veteran djs, playing for almost 15 years now. Do you remember how you first started and how you entered in contact with electronic music for the first time?

I got in contact with electronic music about 5 years before i started mixing like most of the people from Romania at  that time, with tapes copied and then copied again and then again before the internet was widely available. Then in 2000 i started organizing raves and realized that mixing is not such a big deal, so i started my adventure as an artist.

What were your main influences back than, what djs/producers/bands inspired you?

Right in the beginning there were the hardcore bands and producers, then I had a few years listening to drum’n’bass, goa trance, breakbeat, hard techno until I discovered Detroit techno and that was the point I knew what I was looking for.

What about now, after so many years, what gets you excited about the electronic music?

Probably that it’s a never ending process in learning new stuff, discovering old and new labels and artists, and in the past years of course producing. I still spend sometimes 14 to 16 hours in front of the computer browsing for music or trying to get that right sound for a track I’m working on.

You were a resident at the infamous club Chill-Out from Sibiu. Unfortunately the club closed its doors some years ago. Do you feel nostalgic about that period?

Yes! It’s very different now traveling with gigs, but I sure miss the Wednesdays when I was playing sometimes 8 hours sets and all my friends were there. I still wonder how everybody was able to work or go to classes on Thursdays, cause I don’t know anybody who left sober in the morning.

You don’t like to make compromises regarding you musical selection in your sets. Has this been an issue for you until now?

Yes, many times, but that’s only the promoters’ fault. They should do their homework better before they book someone.

What do you think about djs/producers that make compromises in order to be in trend?

Whatever makes them happy …

You had your share of traveling around the world, so you can make a good comparison Romania and the rest. What do you think about out electronic music scene? Have we developed a healthy scene?

We have developed a nice scene and still developing, but we’re still very far away until we’ll have the diversity other countries have.

What do you feel we are missing here, in Sibiu in particular and in Romania, in general?

Sibiu is a too small city to have a scene. I think Bucharest is the only city where you can have a good party. There are some good parties now and then around the country, but it’s not like if you want to go out on every friday and saturday you’ll find a party.

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?

My next release is a split EP with OCH on his own label, Autoreplay. It should be out in about a week. Then I have a record made with Pagal and Mihai Popoviciu coming out in September, including a nice remix from Daze Maxim. Also in autumn there is another record coming out, made with Markus Homm last summer. And finally, also in autumn the first release of my label, Stomping Grounds will be out including tracks from OCH, Egal 3, Alin Crihan and myself. It’s going to be vinyl only, limited pressing.

There are 2 secret side projects, one already got signed and will be out on vinyl only in semptember, but if i tell you the names it won’t be a secret anymore 🙂

I think music is occupying a lot of your time, producing, djing and promoting. What else do you like to do, any unusual hobbies?

Sleeping and eating 🙂

What do you listen to besides electronic music?

Usually chilled out music like Boards Of Canada, Burial, … and jazz.

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

Press play and relax 😉