SAN FARAFINA ➔ EXCLUSIVE MIX
Montreal - based DJ and Moonshine collective member SAN FARAFINA delivers her singular and exclusive mixtape for our community. She blends polyrhythmic tracks, percussive beats, kuduro, Batida and Tarraxinha to refresh your ears and feelings.
Hey, how are you ?
I’m doing good. I’ve temporarily moved out to western Canada to be closer to family after 10yrs of being away so it’s been nice to rediscover my home city.
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You’re a Montreal-based DJ, also part of renowned collective Moonshine. How did you meet the team and how would you define the collective essence ?
I met everyone back before there was a Moonshine, so maybe 2013. Montreal has a cute underground scene but back then I don’t think we really felt like we belonged, or couldn’t really identify with it. So one day Pierre and Hervé told everyone they wanted to throw a party and I worked on the bar. Fast forward to the future and everyone has found their own place within the collective. We all wear different hats, and encourage each other’s growth as well as the growth of the collective. At the heart of Moonshine is really “enjaillement” — celebrating afro diasporic sounds and just having a quality time on the dancefloor.
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Who who would u count as your major influences - in distinct artistic fields - all along the way ?
I’ve gone through so many phases that this has always been a tough question to answer. But, I’m going to say it’s the Missy, Timbaland, Aaliyah era. And Outkast.
Missy Elliot’s Cookbook will always be a big album for me, as well as Outkast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. Also.. Pharrell and the Neptunes.
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Do you have some recurrent personal life motto ?
Perspective is life changing. As is attitude.
Photo @alexisbelhumeur
Photo asst. @raphaelnikiema
Style @lekker_ @linxselby
Beat @mainamilitza
Beat asst. @itzhoffy
“the heart of Moonshine is really “enjaillement” — celebrating afro diasporic sounds and just having a quality time on the dancefloor.”
What is a successful day to you?
I’m pretty simple. An early start, training, a clean apartment, and a good meal.
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I know you’re close to Parisian collective La Créole. Is there some other creative team - from all around the work - that you love ?
Yes, I think that there are so many creative collectives around that I love, it’s hard to list them all. From Nyege Nyege in Uganda to Batekoo in Brazil or Papi Juice in NY.. a lot of creatives have been hustling. The last 5 years have felt like some sort of cultural renaissance and I think that has a lot to do with these very niche or marginalized genres of art being pushed by our tasty and talented peers all over the world — whether they are in collectives or they are solo creatives hustling for the culture.. like Foreigner out in LA.
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“The way that songs and melodies work together to tell a story that precedes language is probably why I’m going to die on the dancefloor.”
Your mix is a frantic while aerial blend of polyrhythmic tracks, percussive beats from all around. We hear alternative music from distinct African cultures; or Kuduro, Batida and Tarraxinha; and great tracks released on Moonshine compilations. Tell me about all this taste and ways of digging tracks..
The way that songs and melodies work together to tell a story that precedes language is probably why I’m going to die on the dancefloor. The last Moonshine mixtape featured some amazing tracks from artists I love, from all over the world. I love that you can have MC Redbul on the same compilation as ZutZut. As for digging.. I spend a lot of time listening to music online.. different platforms for different genres. If I find something I really like I just happily hop down that rabbit hole.
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I read on your twitter a quote that’s really important to me, part of a text of Great British writer Aldous Huxley :“It’s dark because you are trying too hard”, that encourage us to live lightly, to let go of too much serious and weight… which leads me to ask, if there’s book you love and advise us to read :)
If you’re into very imaginative fiction then I’d suggest Haruki Murakami Wind Up Bird Chronicle. It’s my favourite book. The author has an unusual and captivating style of writing and the story is very strange.
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A track to relax ?
M’Du - Siya Jola
What are your wishes and projects for 2022
I’m excited to continue to work on the Zaïre Space Program documentary that we filmed in Congo. I’m also really looking forward to spending some more time in Europe and Congo this year. I hope things can really open up in terms of shows so that opportunities can start flowing back into the music community.
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