DJs Brandon (Sciarrotta) and Ethan (Moya) believe the paradigm of indie electro music is shifting. The days when the genre consisted of a small, pretentious group of know-it-all technophiles have disappeared. Now crowd satisfaction is the new MO. "Dance music is going through a total makeover," Ethan says. "The velvet-rope-at-the-club thing isn’t what it’s about anymore. It’s more rugged and punk rock, and much more welcoming." In many ways, music is at its most democratic when a DJ makes set list adjustments on the fly. Leaving their egos at the door, Brandon and Ethan scan the crowd carefully, seeing what reaction the crowd is having to their tunes, which are a mishmash of live edits, remixes, small samples and a cappella vocals laced over dance tracks from around the planet. "We just see how it’s going," Brandon explains. "It depends on where we’re playing, what kind of people come out and things like that. We never really know what we’re going to play." The duo relishes the opportunity for improvisation. Both have played in bands before, but each recognizes a DJ’s ability to change things up in a hurry is what sets these performances apart. "There’s much more crowd interaction and the need to anticipate what the crowd wants," Ethan says. "A DJ is able to react to that much more than a regular band, and a good one is always learning better ways to do it." Brandon and Ethan’s sonic pallet is ever-expanding. The more they hear, the more they can incorporate into the next show and the better chance there is their tracks will meet receptive ears. "We’re trying really hard to play the best dance music we can get a hold of," Ethan says. "We get the great songs from New York, Los Angeles, London and Paris and bring them to Albuquerque."After a year of performing at house parties, clubs and bars, Brandon is leaving Albuquerque for Portland. The parting seems bittersweet, but Brandon is leaving the door open for a potential return. "I won’t be back for a while," he admits. "But I love Albuquerque and I have a lot of friends here. I’ll definitely miss it."As for Ethan, who has no intentions of leaving, he’ll continue to play around town and perfect his production skills. "I’m really glad for him that he’s moving," Ethan says. "It’s a little sad, but the last show will be a good end." This Saturday, Dec. 22, at Burt’s Tiki Lounge is your last chance to see DJs Brandon and Ethan do their thing together. You’ll also have a chance to snag the duo’s new double CD for what Ethan promises will be "a super cheap price." The Booty Green and DJs Paul and Evan will take part in the send-off as well.
For more dance fuel, visit Brandon and Ethan's MySpace at: myspace.com/shutthefuckupandtrance.
