- Three sizzling hours from the mind behind one of the world's best labels, Kalahari Oyster Cult.
- We'd be lying if we said we weren't smitten with more or less everything Kalahari Oyster Cult has released since 2017. You can chart the label's strike rate through the omnipresence of its sound on contemporary dance floors: bright, pacy thumpers with earworm hooks, lysergic sound design and tricksy drum programming to catch you off guard.
Alternately, glance over the label alumni and you'll see what we mean: Sansibar, Roza Terenzi, Interplanetary Criminal, Furious Frank, D. Tiffany, Olsvangèr, Spray, Fantastic Man, Maara, Priori, Helium, SW., Reptant, Cleveland, Liquid Earth—the list goes on.
All of which makes Rey Colino (AKA Colin Volvert), who also co-helms the One Eye Witness distro, something of a discrete powerbroker in the modern club scene. He's a slick DJ with a sharp ear, trusted with moments of outsized importance, like the coveted closing slot of Taiwan's Organik Festival. So when we were tipped to the existence of that recording—a set Volvert considers to be perhaps the best he's ever played—our ears pricked up.
And that's what you'll hear in full on this week's RA Podcast: three transportive hours, laid down in April on Taiwan's north coast. Volvert locks in with multiple shades of his record bag, alongside over a dozen new and upcoming Kalahari releases—some so fresh, the ink on the deal is barely even dry. It's a deep, deliriously effective trip.
What have you been up to recently?
I recently fell in a wormhole of '90s French rap, expanding my LP collection while revisiting classics. I'm having an absolute blast.
How and where was the mix recorded?
Taiwan, at Organik Festival. Sea, sunset, iode, professional DJs all around, a candid crowd: scenes I will never forget.
You called this set one where "everything fell into place." What made the experience so memorable?
After seven weeks of touring across ten countries in two continents, this set was the culmination of the journey. My bag, which travelled with me from place to place, became progressively fuller. This set is constituted of mostly unreleased tracks (at the time), plus a mix of old and new records. Each gig added something special, and I got to shape the storyline of this final set as I went along. Instead of preparing in the comfort of my home, I embraced the spontaneity of playing live in clubs, testing out some tracks for the first time.
Each crowd, with their energy and reactions, played a crucial role in shaping this final set of the tour. The feedback from every gig helped confirm the tracks that made it in. Ultimately, it's all thanks to the Organik dancers. Despite their exhaustion, they stayed engaged and passionate. They were also very knowledgeable. They're the reason we do this.
There's a bunch of brand new and forthcoming Kalahari cuts within. What catches your ear about a record and lets you know it could be a fit for the label?
It all begins with a gut feeling, followed by a lot of hard work and close communication with the artist. The label's curation is deeply connected to my DJing. Both A&R and DJing fuel each other in a complementary way, creating a dynamic exchange. My role at One Eye Witness also gives me a broader view of the current electronic music landscape, which (hopefully) helps position the label ahead of the curve—and maybe even surprise people along the way!
Any ambitions or plans for where Kalahari goes in 2025 and beyond?
I hope to continue enjoying this uncompromised freedom in curation, which is only possible thanks to the support of our followers. I can't thank them enough for their involvement with the label. The schedule is action-packed and I couldn't be more proud of the artists involved and the music to be released.
TracklistNabile DJ Project - Moonlight (Gamma Mix)
Tim Duysen - Interludium (2020 Edit)
Dylan Forbes - Resoblaster
Dan Morris & Shylock - Bahdatu (Chris Fortier & Kolo Edit)
Dylan Forbes - In Tongues
Blu:sh - Temptations and Distractions [Forthcoming*]
DJ Sebass - Hopping
JUAAN - ??? [Forthcoming*]
Hazed - Disconnected Long Distance Mix
Jump Source - Tonearm Extender
Dave Brennan - Sex On The Bleep
Lagares - HWLSD69.1
Avus - Breeder Of Psychosis (Smithmonger Remix)
Kepler - Zone
Christopher Ledger - Time To Groove
Furious Frank - Raving Lunatic
Dashiell - ??? [Forthcoming]
Luca Lozano + Mr Ho - Clock U
Diego Infanzon - Bye Bye
??? - ???
Dashiell - ??? [Forthcoming]
JUAAN - ??? [Forthcoming*]
E.B.E. - Please Don't Stop It
Sonido Lasser Drakar - Flesh
Furious Frank - Porcelain Beach
Cosmonaut & JJ Fortune - Mysterio
Inner Lakes - Dark Energy
Frank Kusserow - Out of Steel
JS-CL - Blunderbuss
Frank Kusserow - Ghostel
??? - ??? [Forthcoming*]
Construct - The Strange And Unusual
Graeme L - Firefly
Eoin DJ - Ode To Beachball [Forthcoming]
Club Winston - OK feat. Taigen Kawabe
Dashiell - Speakerphone
Luca Lozano - RE-MIX!
Sonic Sound - The Hungarian Thing
Maruwa - ??? [Forthcoming]
Robert Dietz - ??? [Forthcoming]
Ayu - Point Nemo
Blu:sh - What Do Dreams Mean [Forthcoming*]
Denyl Brook - Sonic Boom
JAIA - Out Of Control
Trax Unit - Eterno (Original Mix)
??? - ???
Alfred Czital & Ayu - Talk to Me [Forthcoming*]
Barker - Look How I Hard I Have Tried (Christopher Ledger Remix)
Alfred Czital & Ayu - Talk to Me [Forthcoming*]
* = Forthcoming on Kalahari Oyster Cult
Photo: Natalie Jurrjens