LAMP Weekly Mix #93 feat. Cooper Saver

LAMP Weekly Mix #93 feat. Cooper Saver

One of the most influential stalwarts in LA's underground scene Cooper Saver brings his sounds to our ‪#‎weeklymix‬ series. Weaving a collection of soundscapes and ethereal sounds the purveyor of Far Away delivers a superb mix for us this week. MR PUZL got the opportunity to talk shop with him and learn more about his incredible Far Away project below.MR PUZL: Firstly, welcome to our LAMP Guest Mix series! What can you tell us about the mix you've prepared and some of the tracks you've chosen?Cooper Saver: Thanks for having me. I pretty much just hit the record button and went for it without any real plans. I decided to do this on the one rainy day we had last week, so I guess that influenced some of the selections. MP: Early on in your career, you had the opportunity to work with and write about a host of bands. Did the idea of editorial writing play into your mind when you were younger, DJing house parties for friends and making playlists? Was there a moment that you realized that being a musician just made sense and you wanted to pursue it?CS: Yes, definitely. Being the huge nerd that I am, the thought of picking the brains of the artists behind my favorite records was something that always excited me. I've never lost love for writing - I go crazy without it. Seeing people react to the music I was choosing and then being able to talk to the people who made it was such a cool thing. Especially being so young without the slightest bit of jadedness...not that I'm salty or anything, but you know what I mean. I was so fresh and fan mode. I went full on Nardwuar on everyone who agreed to letting me interview them. The things I've learned from talking to people I admire that have affected me as a DJ...that's priceless. Both of these paths, musician & DJ and writer feed each other and go hand in hand - even though I'm writing less these days. I would never drop one for the other. There definitely was a moment when I did realize that playing records would eventually take over and be my main focus but I can't say when that happened. A blessing and a curse!MP: Do you ever revisit some of those monthly playlists that you made in high school?CS: Haha, sometimes old friends will send them to me all like "dude, remember this!" and it's always super funny. I can't say I'm embarrassed by many of those mixtapes - a lot of them hold some of my earliest and most fundamental inspirations. I think it's important to remember these things and not act too cool about it. A few of my favorite records in middle school and high school are still my favorites today.MP: Your tracks, mixes and performances reflect a very eclectic taste in music. Artists often talk about a style or message they want to project or convey to their audience. Do you feel inclined to do that or do you prefer your listeners to come up with their own interpretations?CS: That's all up to the listener - I'm just doing what I like to do. None of my favorite DJs stick to one sound 24/7. That's no way to live!MP: Your first Far Away event took place at the Short Stop and from there it has grown organically and exponentially. It retains the sincerity and modesty of a underground event but attracts some of the industry's biggest names. Where do you find the balance between its success and providing your audience with something unique each time?CS: For me, it hasn't really changed much since the first one. I'm still nervous and it's still special. In regards to balance - there really isn't any. Success to me is simply being able to provide the artists and dancers with an authentic experience without the restrictions and attitude of a typical night out at a club. And I'm really really happy that I've been able to do that over the last few years. But yeah, bringing in whoever I feel like having has always been the main idea and if a ton of people come and feel it, then that's success for me. If I wanted to make a ton of money and get super famous I'd be doing something completely different - there is none of that here. I don't feel any pressure to change my bookings in regards to the growth of Far Away. I still feel like I'm rolling the dice every month wondering if the people share the same love as I do for certain artists that I bring to LA. That's a real concern a lot of the time around here, but somebody has to do it. I'm extremely lucky that some of the scene's biggest heroes want to come play and return every year, but people shouldn't forget that these smaller names that I also bring out are often just as talented and amazing. MP: Beyond events, Far Away exists in other mediums, such as a radio platform, label and mix series. How would you describe this project to someone for the first time?CS: This will always be hard to explain to someone for the first time, so I'll keep it short and sweet. Monthly radio show on Dublab in Los Angeles. Mix series featuring previous party guests and friends. Cassette project. Label. Basically whatever I feel like doing with it can happen...we'll see how it goes. I don't know what I'm doing, man. I think it has a certain vibe or sound though, which is nice. I hope people pick up on that. MP: As you've grown and experienced what the music profession has to offer are there moments where things seem to just flow together for your own endeavors? Does that energy propel you in a certain direction or do you take more of a reflective stance and push forward with something more calculated and planned out?CS: This is a great question. I overthink most things in life - you can ask any of my close friends, I'm sure they'll tell you they're sick of me asking for their two cents on everything. Reflection is crucial though, especially in music and art. Certain things like events and booking require a ton of planning and those decisions are usually quite calculated. Everything else, though, is left up in the air. It's important to leave a ton of space for things to just go how they should. I don't know, life is weird. You can't make too many plans - the best shit happens when you aren't expecting anything and you just go with the flow. Or everything goes terribly wrong. I'm down to ride it out and see.MP: I was listening to your Live set from Paratrance, what a ride! You've mentioned that you prefer more intimate settings when performing. How do you translate and connect with your audience on larger scale productions? Without sacrificing your artistic integrity, do you pre-emptively curate sets and tracklists to reflect those situations?CS: Oh man it's so strange to be separated from everyone else. Having the ability to connect is everything, as cheesy as it sounds. I don't plan much ahead of anything unless there's a special theme or something to the night. I'm playing what I feel is appropriate and hoping for the best, regardless of the size of the party or level of production. If I'm like, on some stage and far from everyone on the floor, then I'll just try to look like I'm having fun so that they actually dance instead of staring at me waiting for something - those situations can be awkward but it's my job to make it fun so that's what I'll do. Compromising my taste is completely out of the question. I'm bringing this bag of records and some stuff on a flashdrive, and this is what I'm gonna play. If it fails, then that sucks hahaha. MP: We're looking forward to your next show with Jacques Renault! Are there any other upcoming events, releases etc that you'd like to share with our audience?CS: This party with Jacques is the final one for the year! I'm taking the next few months off from parties, but there's some stuff in the works for 2016 that I'm stoked on. I won't ruin any surprises. In the meantime though, you can check out a new label called Distant Works that I started with one of my best friends Daniel T. The next Far Away cassette comes out in a few weeks and it's a collaboration with Comeme mixed by Matias Agyauo - it's an amazing set! Apart from that, some old stuff. I'll be touring most of November and laying low through the holidays so keep your ears to the streets in the new year for more parties. Peace!

Tracklist

1. Khidja - Looki (Africaine 808 live dub)2. Speed Painters - Nothing To Wear3. Cos/Mes - DFG4. Jr Seaton - Wavy Savvy (Gatto Fritto remix)5. Marius Vareid - Vallefaret (Blackbelt Andersen remix)6. Blackbelt Andersen - Langniappe7. Mudd - Mimpi Manis8. The Central Executives - Highroads9. No Stress Express - Runaway Bay (Location 141 remix)10. Vakula - Ring of Night (Andre Lodemann remix)11. Bobby Boomerang - Uncharted WatersListen to more from Cooper Saver below:Enjoy,LAMP