24H VINYLE with Music Is My Sanctuary, 1st Marathon of Its Kind, Back at SAT

Genres and styles : Bass House / Bass Music / Caribbean / Dancehall / Drum & Bass / Electronic / Electropicalia / Jazz / jazz groove / Reggae / Soul Jazz / Soul/R&B

Additional Information

It’s said to be the world’s first music marathon dedicated to vinyl culture and DJing. Since 2011, Lexis has led the destiny of 24H VINYLE, and the event returns to the SAT in the context of MTL’s Nuit Blanche. On the move since 2011, and a steadfast defender of this medium that has survived the test of time. Put forward by Music Is My Sanctuary under the direction of Lexis, this authentic 24-hour non-stop marathon brings together vinyl-savvy DJs, if only for this very special occasion. No less than 17 DJs were invited to spread their science to the delight of night owls, from jazz to hip-hop, disco and the heavy trends of electronic music. To find out more about this free event, PAN M 360 contacted Lexis, who answered our questions.

PAN M 360: 24 heures vinyles would be “the world’s first music marathon dedicated to vinyl culture and DJing”. Wow, bravo! Are there any other comparable events?

Lexis: For several years now, there have been parties all over the world dedicated to vinyl in “vinyl only” mode, but generally they’re parties that last 5 to 7 hours. Certainly, the idea of doing this for a whole day was a strong concept when I launched it in 2011, but what gives the event its richness is the “marathon” aspect, i.e. DJs and musical styles taking turns and collaborating.

PAN M 360: How do you think vinyl culture has changed in recent years?

Lexis: It’s really evolved a lot, both for people who buy and listen to records at home and for DJs who play them in their sets. What’s really inspiring is that the vinyl renaissance has proved that it’s here to stay for stores, labels, DJs, and music lovers.

PAN M 360: How has the formula you developed evolved over time?

Lexis: When I launched this event in my home studio, the emphasis was more on online distribution. Then, slowly, I wanted to bring it to life in public places, to make it travel to different cities to explore their vinyl culture. For the past few years, the focus has been on the live experience and the combination with the record fair, while the streaming portion has become secondary.

PAN M 360: Your wide-ranging musical culture means that you’re always able to come up with new ideas. Can we have a sneak preview of this Saturday-Sunday edition? What styles and types of production do you plan to put forward?

Lexis: I always adapt the program according to the particularities of the venue and the times of each DJ. This edition is divided into two parts: Saturday night in the main hall is obviously more club/dancefloor oriented, ranging from disco to techno and house. Sunday’s portion is ever more eclectic, ranging from jazz to hip-hop, soul, and reggae, and concludes with a natural crescendo for the final hours of the marathon.

PAN M 360: Vinyl is a subculture that has lasted and will last, whatever its detractors think. Why do you think this is the case?

Lexis: I think vinyl has its raison d’être and deserves its place, just as digital platforms do. It shouldn’t necessarily be one or the other. There are sides to vinyl that we love and sides that piss us off too! 🙂 It’s heavy, it takes up space, it’s expensive, and so on.

PAN M 360: Technological advances are making digital recordings more intelligible. Has vinyl also seen advances in this direction? Better cartridges? Better pressings? Tell us about it!

Lexis: Production, listening and performance standards with vinyl have been relatively unchanged since the 80s, which is quite fascinating! The turntable of choice for DJing (Technics SL-1200) has been the same for 40 years now. Sure, there have been small improvements in sound systems, mixers, and cartridges, but in general, the standards have survived.

PAN M 360: What are the advantages for a producer today of relying on vinyl as a distribution medium?

Lexis: Obviously for the quality of the sound, but also for the artistic possibilities of the object and to create a more tangible link.