Additional Information
French-based in Montreal, KORVN is a committed emerging techno DJ and producer, as evidenced by his multiple collaborations with the Montreal techno activist label MFC Records. After a first participation in the compilation Strangers In their Own World (2021) whose objective was to raise awareness of civil rights and homelessness, KORVN reveals the extent of its talent with a first EP, Tidal Waves, which reminds us of the climate emergency we face. All proceeds will be donated to the David Suzuki Foundation of Canada.
Techno music has often been associated with activism, particularly in its ability to bring together diverse communities and promote progressive ideas. The roots of techno music go back to the black countercultures of the 1980s, carried by artists’ collectives like Underground Resistance (Detroit), defining themselves as “A movement that wants change through a sonic revolution” (our translation, excerpt from their manifesto ).
Although it has become globalized and commercialized (sometimes excessively), techno music has remained a means for artists to convey political and social messages relating to the fight against discrimination, the promotion of equality and opposition. to oppression. Techno music festivals such as the Detroit Electronic Music Festival and Berlin’s Love Parade have also served as platforms for peaceful protests and advocacy for minority rights.
Today, techno music continues to inspire activism, and vice versa. She is a source of inspiration for young and old generations of committed DJs and producers who seek to promote social change and justice. KORVN is one of them.
Photo credit: Flore Boubila
PAN M 360: You have already collaborated on the first MFC Records compilation in 2021, so you have a history with this label. Can you tell us more about this?
KORVN: I can’t not mention MFC without mentioning my friendship with Camille Bernard alias BitterCaress who is the mother of MFC Records. We met five years ago when I joined the OCTOV collective to organize events, and for which I am now a resident DJ. We’ve always had a bit of the same musical interests, we got into music at the same time, it inspires me a lot and one thing leading to another, after participating in the label’s first VA, playing for the podcast Mixing For A Cause, she gave me the chance to do my own project, my first EP.
PAN M 360: With your EP Tidal Waves, you decided to raise awareness of the climate emergency, why?
KORVN: It’s a subject that takes up space but is also sometimes difficult to put forward because there are so many other serious things going on. There, it is sure that we are going through difficult times, we cannot deny the other socio-political issues in the world with the war in Ukraine for example. However, I think that global warming is a problem that is just as global and that will necessarily generate other situations of instability because of climate refugees, resource problems, loss of biodiversity and for these reasons it is important to continue to express oneself on this subject. It’s also close to my heart personally, because I’m part of a generation that has a lot of eco-anxiety and that asks itself a lot of questions about the future, pessimisticly.
PAN M 360: How does this thought translate conceptually into the EP?
KORVN: I thought about the EP songs with this vision on the environment. The EP is called Tidal Waves which refers to the rising waters we are already facing. The environment is not just biodiversity, it’s also the people who will be uprooted from their culture, who will have to leave their environment, as is the case for example in Panama. “I’m Dying” is yet another call from the planet which is quite equivocal. “Second Skin” is the idea that the planet is a living organism that will eventually recover, even if we no longer exist to see it, so it’s a bit of a revival.
PAN M 360: You have chosen to donate the profits to the David Suzuki Foundation, can you tell me more?
KORVN: There are many foundations and organizations working for the environmental cause. I would say that it is not that it is better than the others but first of all, it is a Canadian foundation. I found it important to be close to what is happening a little more locally. I also like their vision, they are based on the idea of empowering people to do things on their scale, it’s an interesting approach.
PAN M 360: On a daily basis, how are you committed to the fight against global warming?
KORVN: I eat less and less meat and I pay attention as much as possible to the origin of the products I consume, even if it is not easy because it is expensive. I bring my gourd as much as possible with me. These are small gestures. As a DJ, I participate in the eco-rider initiative launched by Bye Bye Plastic which aims to promote the accountability of event organizers, for example to limit single-use plastics. In my rider , through my requests, I can encourage good practices. And above all, I talk about it around me, I make it a subject of discussion.
PAN M 360: Can you introduce us to the artists with whom you collaborate on this EP?
KORVN: I’m really happy to have been able to collaborate with Lucas so URUBU, Aisha and Lifka, they are all artists that are close to my heart. URUBU is an artist and a producer whom I respect enormously and with whom it is really a pleasure to collaborate. We’ve worked together before and the track on the EP comes from a draft track we did for our first collaboration, it’s been there for a long time. Lifka is a German artist that I greatly appreciate. What I find cool is it’s not exactly the same style of techno, but I’m a very eclectic person, even in my DJ sets and suddenly I’m quite happy that he wanted to reclaim his this track and take it completely elsewhere. And Aisha that I discovered during my creative process and that I haven’t stopped following ever since. She’s a rising artist whose slightly psychic touch I love. It’s one of the things that have always made me trip, I had discovered a little electronic music with the teufs in France and the shrink was part of the evenings that I rubbed shoulders with. These sounds have always appealed to me and I’m very happy that it’s on the EP, even if I hadn’t anticipated it.
MORE INFO ON EP LAUNCH EVENT – April 21, 2023 at Newspeak. $1 per ticket will be donated to the David Suzuki Foundation.
BUY THE EP . All proceeds from MFC004 music sales will go to the David Suzuki Foundation.
