What happens when your passion for vinyl records goes beyond the regular crate digging as a weekend activity, to slowly transform into a lifestyle? By all means, you get yourself a job at a record shop. This is probably the reason why we had the pleasure of working with Dragoș Ilici for a couple of years at Misbits Record Shop, right after his return in Bucharest from a long period spent into the Scandinavian lands. Dragoș was like the fish in the ocean at our place, talking with the same contagious enthusiasm about minimal house records as well as downtempo, dub or pure electro ones. Mix this with a strong presence behind the decks, always connected with the dance floor in front of him, and you’ll understand why he is now one of Club Guesthouse resident DJs.
He recently teamed up with Jay Bliss on a V.A. released at Stomping Grounds, to show some great potential when it comes to production. Until we’ll get our hands on Dragoș Ilici’s first solo record, we had a quick chat with him about what it means to have a love affair with your record collection.
What is your daily routine as a record digger?
Mainly going through the ever-growing number of discogs tabs open in my browser, and also all other shops and platforms I check music on.
Do you “hunt” only for what falls into the house & techno genre or do you go beyond?
Beyond. I want to listen to and experience music regardless of any rational aspect that tries to define it. It’s a form of self-expression, which I prefer to feel rather than rationalize, hence genres are not so important to me when discovering music.
What do you prefer: searching through used records crates at flea markets around Europe or going for the fresh releases section in your favourite shops?
I prefer searching through used records, wherever I go, but also the new stuff. Even though i usually find the new releases online, with the amount of records coming out nowadays it’s impossible for me to keep track of everything, so there can always be a surprise.
Speaking of which, make us a super short list of record shops you plan to visit in the near future, shops you haven’t visited yet.
Amoeba Records, Technique Tokyo
If you were to pick an artist and buy all the discography on vinyl, who would that artist be?
Meat Beat Manifesto
Are there any records you carry in your DJ bag at every single gig you’re playing?
Yes, some tools like acapellas, beatless stuff, spoken word, locked grooves.
Is it any different a warmup set as a resident DJ as opposed to an opening set at some random party?
Yes, every gig, every single situation is different, but there’s lots of advantages a residency should bring: being part of a team, trust and familiarity, knowledge of the soundsystem, the dj booth, the room, the crowd, the dynamics of the party. All these aspects, along others, impact the way I play.
What’s so special about Misbits Record Shop, that people keep returning, again and again?
I return because it’s the only record shop in Bucharest where I can always find at least one record that I like, and because it’s a welcoming and cozy place which I want to support.
Last record you spent quite a lot of money on
I never really buy expensive records, but I spent around 100 euros on this box set comprising of 3 double 12” each with unique artwork, a small booklet and some stickers, which is a very good price for what you get
