DJ Holographic: The Ransom Note Mix

This mix demonstrates her prowess on the decks as she weaves and wanders between elements of jackin’ House through to Techno. All laced with euphoric elements and samples throughout.

Listen and read the interview below:

Who are you, where are you, and what are you?

I’m Ariel Corley, also known as DJ Holographic. I was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and I am a producer, DJ, and, I guess, spiritual healer. I’ve been DJing for about 15-16 years.

What does your music sound like? Can you draw what you think it sounds like for us (an image from the old internet is acceptable)?

How my music sounds as a DJ is not the same as my production. DJing, I would say, is definitely a lot of vocal house, definitely deeper cuts, very groovy, and very sexual. I’ve been playing Carry Nation, Shaun J. Wright, and Alinka recently. I sound like Detroit, but being around such amazing producers, I also sound like my friends.

When it comes to production, I sound very raw, healing, and growing. It’s a very vulnerable sound but very simple. I don’t want to try to sound crazy right now because I’m still finding my sound.

Where was the mix recorded?

This set was mixed right after Egyptian Lover at a Festival in Munster called Docklands Festival. I was very honored to play after him. He’s definitely one of my favorite producers and DJs and an energetically pleasing person. And to have him say my name on the mic right before I played, I felt very blessed by the music gods.

What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?

I would say in your kitchen. If you can’t play quality music in your kitchen, if you can’t get down to it while you’re cooking or cleaning or whatever you do, then it’s not a good mix. You can have some bangers on the dance floor, and you can look sexy and all these things, but if it doesn’t sound good in your kitchen, by yourself, or with a loved one you’re cooking with, it’s not really a good mix. So I would say the kitchen is the best place.

What should we be wearing?

If you wanted to wear something, I would say something flowy maybe. I know in my kitchen, depending on who I’m cooking for—usually for myself or for my lover/my partner—I don’t wear too many clothes. Just enough to make sure that if you splash anything on you that you can clean it off.

What would be your dream setting to record a mix: Location/system/format?

I always want to record more when I’m live than when I’m at home. I’m not home enough to really even get to practice as much as I used to, but I definitely like performing out and about, especially at clubs. I would say my favorite time is around 2 a.m. It can be anywhere in the world, but just after 2. I like to play house, disco, techno, especially the Detroit vibes.

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

I would say my favorite song in my mix, is the track that I made, “Taurus.” I have a Taurus moon, so performing this song makes me very happy. It really fills my heart.

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

I don’t have many favourites because I really like being in the moment, and that’s hard to do with listening to long mixes.

If you could go back to back with any DJ from throughout history, who would it be and why?

If I could go back to back with any DJ throughout history, one of them would be Ken Collier. He was a legend in Detroit. He performed a lot at Club Heaven. It was way before my time. But the reason we have a lot of the legends that we have today from Detroit is because of him and the freedom that he was able to bring to that dancefloor. I only hear stories about him, and I would love to have played with him or just be a witness to watch him perform. Another would be Frankie Knuckles. I was DJing when he was still alive, but I wasn’t able to be around his graces at that time yet. Then last is The Wizard, aka Jeff Mills. With all three of these guys it’s really testing your DJ skills. I have to see that’s really pushing DJing to the limit and the craft it can be.

What was your first DJ set up at home and what is it now?

My first setups.. I had so many in the beginning, and they were all shit. I don’t even want to get down to the details. They were just all bad. For one example, the mixer had it was a Rane or something, and it would just have a high and a low—no mids or nothing. It was awful. And then I had belt-driven turntables that I didn’t know when I bought them. You can’t really mix or do anything off of them, so I got screwed over. So, trust me, it was the worst. And what I have now isn’t bad, but I definitely need new CDJs. I have Technich 1200s at my house. They do a fantastic job, and then the mixer I have, I think, is still a 900, which isn’t bad, and the same is true for the CDJs. I think they’re just the basic 2000s, but I definitely need an upgrade soon but they do the job.

What’s more important, the track you start on or the track you end on?

I feel like neither. You should let go of the idea of what you’re going to start with. Also, the in-between parts make the biggest difference in the mix, not the beginning and the end.

What were the first and last records you bought?

The first record I ever bought, I think, was from the show The Monkees from the 60s. It was a really old show. I bought it because it used to be on TV late at night. The last record I bought was from JMSN, and I bought most of the discography. I went to one of the concerts in Detroit and bought all their stuff. Definitely one of my favorite producers right now.

If this mix was an edible thing, what would it taste like?

If this mix was edible, it would have felt like cotton candy to me or maybe one of those Sour Patch Kids—something sweet but something sour.

If it was an animal what would it be?

A unicorn.

One record in your collection that is impossible to mix into anything?

You can really mix into anything, so I wouldn’t say I have anything that’s impossible to mix into. You just gotta figure it out, just like anything else.

Upcoming in the world of DJ Holographic..? … Anything else we need to discuss?

I have a huge summer tour that’s happening. I’m gonna be in Europe most of the summer up until September. Every month, I have a song coming out. For every zodiac season for the month, I will have a new release, which will be on the upcoming album, House In The Dark, on my label Through The Veil.