Andi Dill started his music career with ‘The Battle Of the Grapes’ at Natural Groove. Currently he holds a residency at Truth upstairs floor. His deep respect, passion and love for music has earned him a place on the bill for Ice - The Rebirth and this is what he had to say to us...

So Andi, how have you evolved as a DJ since your days at Natural Groove and what’s your sound at the moment?
Nice question, I'd have to say I've evolved in different areas since the Natural Groove days. Mainly relating to my sound, as well as my overall musical skills and abilities. My sound now, compared to the mainstream and commercially inclined electro days of Natural Groove, is more what I'd call cerebral, thought provoking and musical. The so-called genre as classified by the industry would range from MINIMAL HOUSE (but not the typical Minimal you hear everywhere, but rather that which is deeper and more melodic) right through to DETROIT TECHNO. But for me it's just TECHNO, and I feel it's more than just a 'genre'... TECHNO is an art, a mindset and a way of life. If one can really and truly understand TECHNO, one can understand oneself. As I always like to say... "be True TO the Music.. and be True BECAUSE of the Music!"

Do you think a DJ needs to make sacrifices, such as maybe saying no to the more mainstream gigs to stay true to your sound?
DEFINATELY! I live by this principle and having done it since the beginning I had to sacrifice a lot in terms of visibility and getting my name out there. But I feel that one's love for the music is more important than chasing the gig and besides you're not showing who you really are by taking them anyway. I feel that musical Integrity is supremely important, especially if you want to be taken seriously as an artist.

Since jumping into the dance scene what’s been your most memorable moment?
For me the most memorable experience would have to be the gig I did in Cape Town with Killer Robot @ Fiction. It was an incredible honour to headline the event and I really commend the professional way in which it was handled from posters right through to sound.The venue is really personal and the crowd refreshingly competent musically. It was a great night with an awesome vibe! Big props to Ivan and Bruno for what they have done and continue to do for the dance scene in SA!

You have worked with many of the top DJ's on the dance circuit, who of those have been most influential to you personally?
In terms of SA DJ's I'd say Karmi, Ivan & Bruno. They understand the underground movement intricately and have an incredible passion for it. These traits have influenced me hugely.

What does music do for you personally and as a DJ delivering that experience to others?
For me music is everything. Music teaches me things everyday, about myself, about others, about life. My life or any life with no music would not be a life. It’s hard to explain but music is so much more than what people think it is. When DJing I am always trying to show this to people through a journey of sound. I know it sounds like a cliché but it truly is that an attempt at catching you and letting you into my world.

Your bio says you work closely with Ryan Sullivan, what are you busy with and what can people look out for in the near future?
I've been working with Ryan on a few things and plan on working with several other producers in the future. At the moment however my attention is mainly on the DJ and performance side of things. I'm working really hard at perfecting those skills and making every performance count. This includes incorporating more production elements such as live edits to tracks using effects (such as looping, beatmashing, etc) and creating my own versions of existing songs whilst playing. Then the natural progression from that is back into the studio. As many people know I believe in the craft of DJing and it's become increasingly annoying seeing an abundance of so-called DJ'’s emerging with no real skill or passion. They seem to qualify as such yet their only real talent is having a credit card and an adsl line. That's when they actually 'pay' for the tracks, which are usually sourced from a 'top ten' list of the nearest download site. So many people learn to mix on cd’s, which isn't very difficult and requires very little musical skill, and then call themselves DJ’s. To me it’s much more than that. I grew up playing vinyl and still do, using traktor scratch as well as hard-sourced vinyl, the sourcing of which is an art and a journey in itself!

In your opinion, what is the status of the dance scene in SA at the moment and where to you think its heading?
I think that the status of the S.A scene is not very elevated at all. Lets face it, compared to the sounds and quality of events held overseas we are nowhere. But over the last 4 months or so I've indeed seen the direction change for the better and I see a positive future for South Africa. A lot of DJ’s in my genre are growing leaps and bounds including myself and are starting to work together which I believe is the key. Through working together, nights such as MUNICH have been started with great ambition for a change. With the ICE party you can see there are people dedicated to improving the dance scene. And hence positive times lie ahead!!

Playing at a Nick Warren gig is a huge achievement, what does it mean to you?
It is indeed a huge thing and means a lot to me and I see it as a privilege. But at the same time I believe I have the skills, passion and track record to be there which I intend proving through my performance.