AM: 'Alpine Swift' recently dropped. What was its inspiration?
DJ DREZ: My literal travels, my mind travels, my family and my art. I realized how often I am on a plane, train or in a car. Starring out of a window. Meditating or imagining. Always in flight to create and do what I love, which is make and share music. My art. Traveling has been a big part of my career and journey, with pockets of touching down here and there. I wondered if there was a bird like that, always in flight and Alpine Swift came to mind. Did you know that bird can fly for hours, days, and months, while sleeping, and eating mid-flight. Its not by choice for me, but part of the unglamorous road I have to walk in order to do what I love to do and make a living. Now can you imagine what that feels like sometimes? Can you imagine what that might sound like? Alpine Swift.
AM: What other artists have you worked with and do you have a genre you like to work in?
DJ DREZ: I love working with my wife Marti Nikko. She is an amazing singer and we released an album last year called Dreaming in Sanskrit which is a sweet, boomin' mantra album supported by hip hop and reggae beats. It's really something special. We have already started working on its follow-up. I also work with many MCs, singers and some super fresh musicians. I really enjoy collaborating with others.
AM: What's your favorite music to listen to?
DJ DREZ: Thats difficult to answer. That's like asking which child do you love more. I love what I love, especially what is really done well. I don’t worry about boundaries and categories so much. If it sounds good, is well made and moves me then I can listen to it. I do come across music that sometimes isn't for me, but I can appreciate i because it's well done. No matter what, it has to have soul.
AM: With your busy schedule (solo projects, collaborations) of being a family man, working with a number of artists and sought after organizations, how do you stay grounded and balanced?
DJ DREZ: Yoga, mantra, breath, good nourishing food and great yummy sex! Those are all super important. I wouldn’t be able to work it at this level without those practices supporting me.
AM: When you're not working - what do you when you have time for yourself?
DJ DREZ: I try to spend my off-time with my family and in nature. I nurture them and they also nurture me. It's one of the reasons i do what I do. They inspire me to be the best me. Nature supports these qualities too, helping me to feel the earth under my feet. To be in quiet when I am alone and with them. I even hear my son differently in nature. So we try and take many nature walks and spend a lot of my off time at the beach or hiking up our mountain. Included in this are practices of yoga, mantra, breath, good nourishing food and great yummy sex!
1. Sound Ambassador - Anahata Ether
2. Bombay Dub Orchestra - Dust (Pigment of Your Imagination Mix)
3. Marti Nikko - I Am Love {Plum Mood edit)
4. Sound Ambassador - Anahata
5. Moby - Memory Gospel
6. Bonobo - Terrapin
7. DJ Drez - Light Me Up
8. Trevor Hall - Who Ya Gonna Turn To
9. DJ Drez - Sugar Drop 77
10. Domonic Dean Breaux - Morning
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