But be prepared, it’s in Portuguese!

Obrigado Brasil!

English translate below…

1-) First of all, tell me who is Bogdan Irkük: your music references; how you started producing and when was that; music for a living/living for music? Do you see yourself as a “character”?

I am Bogdan Irkük a.k.a. BULGARI, a.k.a. Steppe Ghost. (It’s actually pronounced Bagdan.) I am child of the Thracian Plain, from generations of steppe riders, who rose up against the Ottoman. I got into producing around -97. Before my life was mess. Also after but not as much. There was always the boogie. Had loads of unfinished stuff. Met Yourhighness and Rollerboy in Munich, released first EP.

2-) How is your set up for production? Analogic stuff? Instruments? Laptops? Tell me please how you deal with these things.

I use a computer machine running Ableton Live, which I love. You can really use it on intuition, try stuff out. Other programs try to mimic real studio, with all the real world limitation, like rigid old ugly Cubase which I used before and hate. I love the Korg Polysix and microKorg, they go into everything. I bought a nice electric bass for the Sally Shapiro remix. It has really ugly 70’s studio style, like wood clearcoat but a bit orange. I love. Apart from that, tambourine. Headphone. Thats it

3-) Disco music: your love for space disco music is such a strong characteristic. How did you get yourself into it? What are the main artists no your musical taste? And what about the new disco wave, how did you get in touch with names like Al Usher, Prins Thomas, etc.?

This has been the stuff that gave me the chills from really early on. The boogie was always there. I don’t see meaning of calling music retro. Culture not so fast. Human not so fast. I make music that builds on the stuff I grew up listening to. That’s all I can do. Those musics created the world I live in. Calling it retro makes it sound like something done for speculate, to steal a cheap point. Not the case. I just go with what makes my hair tingle, and what makes me want to cry. It sounds the way it needs to sound.

Prins Thomas liked the first EP’s and asked me to do a remix for the re-release of Lullaby For Robert. I didn’t need a lot of convince. Prins Thomas is just so inspiring, he can really put them traxx in the right order. It’s all in how a song feels compared to the one before, no? He’ll play some disco jam that gives me a hard-on, then he’ll melt everybodys face off with some trancey banger I thought I hated.

4-) I’m really anxious to hear about Sofia and Bulgaria. How is the disco scene nowadays down there? How much of your music - and also of your image - is really bulgarian?

I live in Stockholm now. Lot of good musics here. Lots of good musics at Tranan. Gay scene is OK but they only listen to kitsch crap! Like I said, I am child of Thracian Plain, my mother always played for me beautiful melancholic Hutsul folk music. If it’s too fast and happy, it don’t make Bogdan happy.

5-) “No shower, lot of after-shave”. One of the most interesting aspects on your profile is the manish interests. Why do you express that as an artist? Is there a direct connection between the gay erotism of early disco and your music?

YES…

6-) Despite the manly stuff, your music is definetelly sexy (”sensual”, in my language). Do you intend your music to be like that? Are you a true romantic man?

It’s very emotional. I can’t help the sexy. People say ‘Oh Bogdan your track is so sexy’, but they make mistake. The Laws Of Physics is not about sex. It’s about ssssssssssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkkkkksssssssssssss. I don’t think I’m romantic. I’m just really easily affected. I sometimes feel like I have not skin. Maybe bad translation.

7-) For your remixes, how do you create your connections: do you get in touch with artists you like and propose them, or people contact you thru labels and etc?

People write to me. Very flattering! But I turn often down. I should turn all stuff down really, because remix usually means I don’t do my own stuff for 3 months. But is nice to feel loved, even on the WWW’s…

8-) Do you play live; are you a DJ as well? If yes, how do you purchase music daily?

I very rarely play live. DJ sometimes. Not always so good! Last week somebody fuck you’d me because the music I play. Sorry man, but if you invite Bogdan, you won’t be getting fucking Black Eyed Peas. No matter how many times you ask…

Yes it’s true! Now you can get my traxx on Spotify, instead of iTunes and Rapidshare!

Try it out here

Yes it’s true, you can now get my traxx on iTunes, instead of Rapidshare!

Try it out here

Prins Thomas asked me to remix Al Usher’s balearic classic ‘Lullaby For Robert’. Thanks for the opportunity hombre! It’s being released on Internasjonal as we speak.

You can listen to a 2 minute snippet here

This is a slow jam mix strictly for love-making. Seductive stuff, yes. But you know that it can also be heartbreaking…

Tracklist:

Captain Mustard - Quiet Move
Joël Fajerman - Incantation
Gonzalez - Gentle Threat
Robert Wyatt - At Last I Am Free
Gwen McCrae - 90% Of Me Is You
Chromatics - In The City (Low Motion Disco Edit)
Turner - You Love Sorrow
John Cale - The Seine At Night
Jacques Brel - Ne Me Quitte Pas

I made a remix for Sally Shapiro, the track is called ‘Miracle’ and it’s being released on Paper Bag and Permanent Vacation on June 19th.

You can listen to it on Myspace, here’s the link

People say nice things about the remix!

Felix Da Housecat!
Popstereo
The Culture Of Me
Surfing On Steam
XLR8R
Rhythmsektion
Wecanbehonest
Discoworkout
Audioporncentral
Discobelle
N.E.W.S.

JOE.ZEE took on the track SWEAT (see earlier post) and gave it some much needed atmospherics. The result is really funky, I’ll be playing this one out for sure.

Listen to SWEAT (JOE.ZEE Remix)

JOE.ZEE on Myspace

Thanks my bruvaz!

Vladi sent me this picture from his studio in Madrid, where we recorded “Early Light On The E80″ and “When I Dream Of New York”

(click for big)

Thank you Bearbaby…

…with Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack

What a classic.

But I always thought it was missing something…

Listen to Where Is The Love (Improved Version)