ELSEMIX: DJ Clea

Not only is Stockholm home to the interactive Abba museum and the resilient Greta Thunberg, it's also the home of the next guest in ELSE club's mix series, DJ Clea.

For the past decade she's steadily built her reputation as one of the finest DJs in the city becoming known for navigating both the floaty and the euphoric corners of house and breaks. A few years ago she turned her attention to producing, releasing her first record last year on Unknown to the Unknown sub-label Hot Haus Recs. She followed this up with another EP for Study Records that, like her debut, explored the sounds and influences that reign supreme in her sets.

Please introduce yourself… Who are you, where are you and what are you?

I am Clea, a baby alien monkey trapped inside a DJ’s body. I live in Stockholm.

What does your music sound like? Can you draw what you think it sounds like for us (an image from the old internet is acceptable)?

It’s a shiba dog with a third eye, or something.

Where was the mix recorded?

Globe Studio in Stockholm which happens to be the birthplace of Swedish techno.

What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?

On the back of a horse.

What should we be wearing?

Skin tight latex suit, because it’s sexy.

What would be your dream setting to record a mix: Location/system/format?

An emptied Panorama Bar with 20 of my closest friends on the dancefloor.

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

Difficult! This mix is a collection of favourites from last summer. But I guess the biggest favourite would be 12H.5 – Remix by Donato Dozzy, I’ve been listening to that track at least one time a day since it came out.

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

Wow there are so many, but it has to be DJ EZ:s London Boiler Room set. Excellent showmanship.

If you could go back to back with any DJ from throughout history, who would it be and why?

Diplo, 15 years ago when he still had shit to prove.

What was your first DJ set up at home and what is it now?

A pair of CDJ-800s and a Vestax mixer that I borrowed from my friend Adrian (Lux) when I was 16. Nowadays I have two technics and a Xone 23. Vinyls are cute but I’ve always preferred digital music, I just think it’s far superior in so many ways.

What’s more important, the track you start on or the track you end on?

Every track is important! But the last one is the most fun, especially if you’re closing and can go crazy. Never leave anyone untouched.

What were the first and last records you bought?

First: Toni Braxton – Secrets

Last: Dr. C. Stein – Echo Trip

If this mix was an edible thing, what would it taste like?

Liquorice.

If it was an animal what would it be?

A fox, sneaky and beautiful.

One record in your collection that is impossible to mix into anything?

I was going to say Harald Björk – Glimt because it’s the only track in my collection in D#Min but since I am a music magician I can always make keys go together somehow. So I’ll choose Everybody Dance by Chic because of the live drums that change tempo throughout the song.

What was the highlight of your Else set? Or maybe just of the party itself? 

Well I almost fainted during the end of my set so I guess that was an anti-highlight, but afterwards someone dropped a handful of weed in the booth for me so I was alright. The highlight was eating pizza and partying with the club owner Jan and techno producer Hans Berg afterwards. We had so much fun!

Upcoming in the world of DJ Clea…

The world premiere of DJ Clea b2b Kornél Kovács (!) and a release on Ghostly (both on the same day, which is also my favourite Swedish holiday Lucia!) then heading off to Berlin and New York for some DJ stuff. New EP coming this spring on yet another British label. Also planning on getting a dog.

Anything else we need to discuss?

Yes, the future! I don’t believe in astrology but I am very confident that 2020 will be a spiritual and enlightened year at the same time. At least more so than before. I’m looking forward to that.

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