Bonnie Spacey: The ‘Shine A Light On’ Mix

Music

Bonnie Spacey had her musical light bulb moment after hearing Miss Kittin & The Hacker for the first time.

It was the turn of the millennium and this introduction led her to dive deeper and deeper into electronic music. When she eventually decided to pursue it herself, as a DJ and producer, she began to pair these sounds with another of her formative influences, her intrinsic love of guitars, which was passed down through her guitarist father.

She explores the intersection of these sounds though indie dance, heady techno and dark disco, in both her DJ sets and her own output.

As a space to share her own music and those of likeminded artists, in 2019 she launched Critical Monday, a label dedicated to a club-ready concoction of techno and rock-orientated music. So far she’s welcomed the likes of Curses, Damon Jee, Shubostar, Tony Y Not, Günce Aci and Mala Ika to the imprint, all of whom share her love of these potent sonics.

As she jets off to Mexico on a tour, we locked her in for a mix which travels through whirring, driving wave, indie dance and hypnotic techno.

Ransom Note · Bonnie Spacey: The 'Shine A Light On' Mix

Please introduce yourself… Who are you, where are you and what are you

I’m Bonnie Spacey, French woman living in sunny Marseille 🙂

I’m a DJ and producer of electronic music, more precisely into indie dance and dark disco, even if I don’t like boxes and can go in several directions in my sets. I started mixing in 2015 and I released my first single ‘Don’t’ in 2019.

I’m also the proud and happy founder of the label Critical Monday, which is somewhere between rock and techno, definitely club-oriented, and where I have the chance to work with my favorite artists and release music of many talented producers <3

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)?

As much as I would love to draw something, I think it’s more reasonable if I choose a picture so that is the one!
I believe my music is as feminine as a rose, but on fire as my sets are often quite energetic! Red because I’m obsessed with that color, in fact all the covers of Critical Monday are red…

Where was the mix recorded?

In Berlin, where I’m staying for the month.

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

I would say in a party vibe, surrounded by friends! But hopefully I like to think it could be listened to in every other condition.

What should we be wearing?

Probably a metallic/disco pant or a leather skirt, the two items I like to wear when I am performing. I have quite a collection over the years!

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

I already realized one of my dreams by recording a video mix in a huge warehouse near Barcelona (you can watch it below. But I would love to record one in complete nature, maybe in a jungle surrounded by animals. Let’s see if they like my music!

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

I recently discover that track that I love to play in my sets which is KARPOVICH, Brosso, Jon.K – Madness. I love every aspect of it, the strong kick/bass, the big breaks, the spiritual vocal, the epic synth. I love it ALL.

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

It’s always a horrible choice to pick only one, but I think one of the sets I’ve listened to the most was one of Ivan Smagghe’s recorded at Fever Bilbao in 2012. It comes in two parts, and every time I listen to it, I tell myself the same thing: it hasn’t aged a bit.

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

I have to say the Pachanga Boys as they really had a strong influence on my electronic music taste, and both Superpitcher and Rebolledo are also amazing artists, in every way!

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

The morning I finally decided I needed to start DJing, I went to the pawn shop and I came out with two CDJ 350 by Pioneer and a shitty mixer I can’t even remember the name of. It was pretty nightmarish, but at least it was a good exercise to learn with!

Now I have a comfortable set-up at home, 2 XDJ 1000 and a DJM 900. I also have a technics MK2 but to be honest, I mostly use it to listen to my records.

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

Impossible question to answer as I am equally just as careful in choosing the first and last track. For the first track, I like to choose a striking one, to make quite an impression, like saying Hello! For the last track, I always love to put a song with a warm, happy but nostalgic vibe on it, like saying Goodbye!

What were the first and last records you bought?

Miss Kittin & The Hacker – First album, is probably one of the first records I bought.

Last one is Sarah Wild – Kissing On The Dancefloor, remixed by Zombies In Miami.

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

Something sweet but spicy! Comforting but disruptive!

If it was an animal what would it be?

It has to be a wolf, the name of the banger track I collaborated on with Snyl and Noidor.

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

If it’s impossible to mix with anything, it is probably out of my collection now, and I feel sorry for it 😉

Anything else we need to discuss?

I will be touring Mexico until may 3rd and I’m pretty excited to go back there! I love this country and the people there 🙂

Meanwhile, a lot of music is coming out on different labels, stay tuned!