Label: HOM-Mega

[Insejn]

Label: HOM-Mega

Date: 06-28-00

By: Chaitu

 

Q: Ok, to start off with, when and how did the HOMMEGA galaxy come into existence?

A: HOMmega Productions was established on October/1997 by me and my best friend Meir Cohen who is the sponsor of the label.

We spent a few months on all the permits and "gave birth" to the first HOMmega CD - the first Full On compilation. Soon after we Joined Moshe Keinan(a.k.a Xerox) as our third partner and studio manager and moved our headquarters from main city - Tel Aviv to peaceful village - Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, located 10 minted drive from Tel Aviv.

 

Q: Can you give me a brief history of the growth of your label over the last few years? And can you describe the type of trance, or better yet;- intelligent electronic music that you favour releasing ?

A: HOMmega started as a small label producing compilations and supporting it's only act - Xerox & Freeman.

Today our line up includes: Xerox/Freeman/Psy Sex/Yahel/Luminus/BLT/Green House Effect(a.k.a Sandman)/Psy craft...

HOMmega CD's are distributed now days to : U.S.A, UK, Japan, Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Greece, Brazil, South Africa, Ibiza, Hungary, Australia, Canada, Portugal...and of course Israel.

I am a very open minded DJ and I like releasing every thing that I find to my taste. No matter what style!

 

Q: HOMMEGA's latest compilation Israeliens 2 was the perfect crossover between Israelien and European trance and was more melodic than the the first of the series. Also recently the new Luminus was released and I believe the label soon plan to release 'Hommega's first club trance compilation'..... many feel that these releases might well be 'too fluffy' and not as 'intelligent' as the older more fullon hommega stuff..I think its a new dimension of electronic music which is not confined to only the pyschedelic aspect...What do you make of this situation ?

A: Israeli Psychedelic Trance is HOMmega's first and main style BUT we cannot ignore that people no longer commit themselves to one stream of music. The new millennium is an electronic one and people like listening to all sorts of Electro Tunes.

From Ibiza Chill-Out to Chemical Brothers. As we intend to extend our catalogue this year, it was a natural decision to expand our variety and not to release every month a new Psy Trance CD which will only compete against it's former release.

 

Q: Hommega Productions organises parties in Israel and worldwide. Is that correct and which is the most successful party that you have ever done ?

A: HOMmega is not organizing the parties but it's true that we are involved in many productions world wide.

To name A few...Mini Boom Festival in Portugal(M.F.G, Xerox & Freeman, Psy Sex, Passenger, DJ Eyal...)

Millennium Party in New York(Astral Projection, Space Cat, Oforia, Xerox, Chakra, SUN Project, Atmos, Deedrah...)

Next project - Moon Rain Festival in Hungary - 14-17/7/2000 (Infected Mushroom, Psy Sex, Yahel, Sandman, Diablo, Power Source, DJ Eyal, Absolum, DJ Mael...).

As far as domestic parties are concerned, my best party was at 1997 with Tsuyoshi where I played a 6 hours set and he proffered to stay and miss his flight home because he was so happy with the music & the surprise of " hearing an incredible set of high quality tunes that he never heard before " (His own words - Most flattering).

 

Q: As a DJ, what kind of set do you prefer to play and which artists/tracks have you got a strong penchant for at the moment ?

A: Well, as I try to play as much Israeli Tracks as I can, I would say that I fit best in the morning. But don't mistake me for a "fluffer"! I play European sets where ever I know it's more appreciated.

My Euro-favorites include : Juno Reactor, Tim Schuldt, Hallucinogen, 3D-vision stuff, Bamboo Forest...

My ISRA-team is : Xerox & Freeman/Maskalin, Infected Mushroom, Psy Sex, Yahel, Psy Craft...

 

Q: What do you think about 'the current trance scene' in Israel and worldwide ? Do you feel that commercialisation is a good way of keeping the authorities out and at the same time bringing in more income for artists/labels, or will the movement always be 'underground'?

A: I think the days of the "underground" are over in Israel. Trance music has left it's mark here since 1990. Today you can hear trance music in Israel on all Radio stations, Public Events, Weddings & Car stereos. It's quite far from being the main trend but know that the largest event is Israel was a 40,000 people demonstration in the middle of Tel Aviv(with permits) - " Give Trance A Chance ! ". Six hours of 3 track sets from the likes of Xerox& Freeman, Mystica, Oforia, Space Cat, Har El, Chakra & Edi Mis, Astral Projection. All this Isra-sound was transmitted into 6 Turbo sound systems. Imagine the energy !!! There is no doubt that an artist should try his luck on different styles of music since Psy Trance is more of a "Spiritual"" interest then an economical one. Today a trance artist has to invest all his album profits(advance & royalties) on keeping up with technology, Buying new equipment and he can never have money left for a living.

 

Q: Israel is know for its very melodic, full on, psychedelic kicking trance. Can you name me your all time favourite albums that have come from your country?

A: Astral Projection : Trust In Trance 3

Chakra & Edi Mis : The Promised Land

MFG : New Kind Of World

Infected Mushroom : The Gathering

Xerox & Freeman : Human Race

 

Q: The recent collaboration with Passenger under the name 'Emuna' was a club trance act enriched with caressing melodies but with a modern kick. Are you currently producing any more music, and if so, is it going to incorporate the more darker and psychedelic elements or will it still be a 'club trance experience' ?

A: Emuna is a Club music project. It's members are me and Guy Zukrel(Passenger, M.F.G).

This album is very "user friendly" and does not stand in the same line with the other HOMmega releases.

We are hosting a lot of artists in our studio and we enjoy "experimenting" all kinds of "intelligent dance floor music". Today I am very busy with producing and have less time for creating.

 

Q: And lastly, what can we expect from Hommega Productions in the future ? Do you have any killer artist album/compilations in the pipelines which will soon surface to kill us all:) ?

A: HOMmega releases for the rest of 2000 are :

 

* U.F.S 2 - " Psychological Disorder "(Future Prophecy, Psy Sex, Infected Mushroom, Gorlation Corporation, BLT & Psy Craft, Space Cat, Maskalin, Sinister Funk and Oforia...)

 

* A new series of journey compilations served by Israel's finest(Vol.1 by Xerox - new tracks from... Xerox & Freeman vs. Liquid Metal, Xerox feat. Passenger, Maskalin, Psy Craft, Infected Mushroom, BLT, + some gems from Double Dragon, Spirallianz, Element, Purple & Lunar)

 

* Yahel's second album - " Waves of Sound "

 

* Clubber - The official Israeli Deep Trance & Club Trax compilation(2XCD) (Domestic, Freeze(a.k.a Psy Sex), Future Prophecy, Yahel & I.zen, Infected Mushroom, Sleeper(a.k.a Jaia), Asura, Sinister Funk, Green House Effect, DJ Goblin, Xerox, Emuna, Trivia, Xerox feat. Duvdev and more...)

 

* BLT's second album - " Presence "

 

* Psy Craft's (a.k.a Cybel) debut album

 

* Green House Effect's (a.k.a Sandman) debut album

 

* Mental Orange - Debut Ambient album - the Israeli Shpongle(?)

 

* " Mystic Moments " - The first Israeli Ambient compilation (Oforia, Psy Sex, BLT, Members of Wah vs. Space Cat, Mental Orange...)

( Hot from the press... )

 

A psychedelic Trance compilation is being compiled for a big label in the U.S.A - KINETIC(distributed by WARNER Bros.) New & unreleased tracks from Kox-Box, Total Eclipse, GMS, X-Dream, Infected Mushroom, Oforia, Yahel, Psy Craft...) Release Date - September 2000. First Edition - 50,000 copies(!!!).