We’re In Focus on the sounds ASTRAL WAVES make on radiOzora, and it’s paired with a Prophet interview, for that one-of-a-kind audioillustrated experience.

What were some of the events or experiences that set you off on this journey?

I started the Astral Waves project in the mid 2000s at some point to diverge from my already known nickname ‘DJ Zen’, which I realized too many people had already taken as a name for their own projects. I also had some ambient and dub music and compilations released as DJ Zen before that. So I wanted to push a modern psychedelic chillout sound, tribal and not commercial at all.

How was your alter ego born?

In the ’90s here in Quebec many psy/goa DJ’s had a short 3-4 letter name such as DJ Tib, Seb, Tal, Yaz, Erik, etc… I was surprised that ‘Zen’ was not already taken and so I took it and had it printed on a flyer for my first official gig in ’97. To me ‘Zen’ was the perfect name as I always liked to play ambient/new age/chillout music. I also played goatrance and psytrance back in the days, but when minimal trance hit the scene in the 2000s, I kept ‘Zen’ to play chillout and found a new name: ‘Astral Waves’. That one was intended to launch a new project of mine, creating downtempo/tribal/psychill with the first version of Propellerheads ‘Reason’ and Acid software at that time.

Who have your greatest teachers been, your greatest inspirations?

Life in general, my son, love, nature and, fortunately, friends and close musician friends Some DJ friends too from Quebec/Montreal/Ottawa/Toronto. Too many to list here but they know who they are if they read this. I also love quotes for inspiration and people surely remember that I used quotes from famous people to illustrate the feeling of a new Altar Records album back in the day within the old Altar website with dedicated pages for each release.. also I like to watch a great movie, documentary or to read a good book. I find many ideas for writing a piece of music from these. And lastly, my greatest teacher and inspirational living being on earth is Kaya, the Dream Master from UCM.

Musically speaking, who has had the greatest influence on your musical soundscapes?

Hallucinogen back in the days… That was the first goatrance CD I bought, then I really got mind-blown by the psychill album TIP ‘Mystical Experiences’ that I bought in cassette format at the FNAC store in Avignon, France in early ’95. So many DJ’s and live acts I heard at parties and festivals and the music from Jean-Michel Jarre, Vangelis, Steve Roach and Patrick Bernard to name a few. I also like to host Altar artists at home for a few days during the festival season and we use to share tips and tricks to make psychill music while we compose together. I remember also a good friend (can I name him? sharing with me many tips and 2 CD-Rs of production samples from Astrix and Rastaliens with included Cubase projects in the early 2000s. I think at that time I decided to switch making music with Cubase. My encounter with Asura, Aes Dana (and many Ultimae artists) in the beginning of the 2000s also enriched my life and still inspire me today. Ultimae has a very polished and mature sound. I also love to watch Cubase Artists Sessions on Youtube and lately the Solar Fields session has blown me away! Watch it if you are a Cubase user

How has your sound, your taste in music developed throughout the years?

At a young age I liked electronic music most of all because of the feeling of freedom and creativity it brought to my mind. Then I spent 5 years with metal, playing guitar, bass in a band. I believe it was the rebel in me in my teenage days… Then I met a super-girlfriend who has DJ friends back from Goa, India. The rest is history! So I’ve been following the releases of the goatrance and psychill scene throughout the years since 1994.

Nowadays, there’s a constant flow of electronic music derived from psytrance and psychill everyday… and the mystical and magical of the beginnings has disappeared. But still there are gems out there and I rejoice for this. In the early ’90s, only the most privileged artists could buy computers and synths and gear to make goatrance and techno/electronic music. Having a studio at that time was exceptional and extremely expensive.

How about those mind-blowing, life-changing experiences that have shaped you and your sound?

Certainly the discovery that dreams can be interconnected to real life and therefore explained, and have a meaning in order to help and improve one’s everyday life. All my life, and specifically in the 90’s, I had many dreams that happened for real years after. Lucky that I have been writing them all in a book since 1990 until now. I can relate to what I was living and experiencing now and therefore can have a better understanding of my life path. The dream I had when I was listening to the Universe in a pair of headphones was mind-blowing.

Which one of your releases/tracks are the most characteristic of your sounds or stand the closest to you for some reason?

The most recent ones and the collaboration with Patrick Bernard “The Believer”. You can hear them in the radiOzora exclusive mix. I’ll provide you a track-list. I keep improving every day, therefore I’m working hard to get the closest as possible to the sound I’d like to produce at the moment I’m working on it. Usually it lasts for a year with a theme. I had a brand new tribal album produced in 2017 but still unreleased “La Danse du Chaman” (Shaman’s Dance) to which I’m feeling very close to.

What projects are you involved in? (Or would love to experiment with?)

I’m involved in so many! But I’m excited to release an album with Patrick or to play live again with him chanting over of my DJ set. He has a fabulous voice, clear and deep as I like it. A new Astral Waves & AEolia meditative album, La Danse du Chaman, a ‘Remixes’ album with new and old stuff up to date, and ‘Angelique’ a follow-up to the 4 previous releases: https://astralwaves.bandcamp.com/ I really like to experiment with other artists in the studio as well when I have time or to have internet collaborations.

Who do you think are the most cutting-edge newest sound makers in the scene? Who are your newest discoveries?

Speaking of psychill/downtempo/progressive chill, last year, Profondita by Hudur Shrim blew me away, his ex-pal Mobitex also has it all, and for the beginning of 2018, the new ‘World of Duality’ album by Akshan has a unique sound. I do not listen to psytrance much, but there’s still some artists I follow, such as Voyager, Perfect Stranger, Suduaya psytrance, Ajja, Ticon, Protoculture… So I haven’t found any ‘cutting-edge’ newest psytrance sound maker yet. I focus on psychill mainly. But I like to hear good psytrance sets at festivals sometimes, it keeps me entertained and never bored.

Lump Records from Chile has a nice sound, I love their ‘tribal/ethnic’ approach. I also discovered Bedouin and Rey & Kjavik… nice music, in a different style but matching my taste. I used to buy music mainly from Bandcamp and Beatport and I buy the things I’d play in a set or to support an artist. Btw, you may follow my collection if you like at: https://bandcamp.com/Dj_Zen

Which artists remain the ultimate classics for you in the scene (or in music generally)?

All the classic artists from the beginning of goatrance history: Astral Projection, Deedrah, TIP, MWNN, Transwave, Electric Universe, Shpongle and so on… I do not listen to a lot nowadays, but I’d be happy to be on a dancefloor in an outdoor festival listening to their musical stories

Otherwise, as I like to get stuck in the chillout area, my all-time classics are Asura, Aes Dana, Shpongle, Solar Fields, CBL, Entheogenic, Vibrasphere, Desert Dwellers…

Scene at home?

Scene in Canada in general is small but alive. Commercial events on the West Coast got much more party-people while in the Quebec area psy and chill events usually hit 500-1500 people at maximum for an outdoor event during summertime. Some exception stands for Eclipse Festival, hitting at least 2500-3000 people. I really like the scene here, it is very friendly and open-minded. Every artist coming from abroad to play at a festival here likes it very much and can’t wait to come back!

Most memorable gigs, experiences?

1996: ‘Made in Trance’ in centre Pompidou at Paris with Miranda, Transwave and Etnica and ‘The Experience’ with Goa Gil in Quebec in ’96. Natura from 1999 until 2002 and so many other festivals… Every party I attended was quite magical in some way… Maybe it is my state of mind.

What do you think about our scene (psychedelic gatherings and community) and their role in our lives, if any:)?

It’s like a family, a good way to meet with great minds, learn and share a healthy way of life, staying open-minded, enjoying lots of different kinds of arts, learning from others, learning respect and the respect of differences. We are really lucky to live in our era and it is our concern to always do our best to keep it kicking and alive. Fortunately, the scene is free and doesn’t belong to anyone, everyone can bring something to share with others, to keep it continuously growing and keep it fresh. Our role is to maintain it the proper way, with a great vision for the future and our children.

What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve faced so far as an artist or producer? How about the moments that you felt were the greatest rewards so far?

In the beginning, without money to buy gear or a good sound-card, starting very low with basics was a painful but great experience because when I’m still purchasing a piece of gear, like I did recently with the NI Komplete Kontrol, I deeply appreciate it every moment I sit down in the studio, as I worked hard to get my hands on it. Also when I’m just talking with friends or people and they say they appreciate Altar Records, or some of my sets… or sets from Altar artists performing live or what the psytrance scene brings for good in their lives.

Musically speaking what is still on your bucket list? If it wasn’t this, what would it be?

I’m still creating lots of tribal down-tempo music nowadays. Ethnic-oriented with influences from Africa, Australia and, of course, South and North America. Next is to make a new
project, deep, techno-oriented. I’m also looking forward to releasing good music along with Altar Records artists and starting a new series of compilations.

What are your other passions in life?

Well, I wake up between 5 and 6 a.m. every day, 7/7, to work in the studio. Preparing releases for Altar, making artwork, etc, and making music for the Astral Waves project. I have a happy life with ups and downs as many because computer work, even if it’s really creative and endless, is quite static. So, when I can, I get out, walk, enjoy nature or read a book. I’m passionate about dreams and their meanings. I also like to build my computer the way I like it. In general, life is my passion, there’s so much out there to discover and experience that I’d love to have days that last 48 hours;)

What are you working on at present? What are you looking forward to the most?

I’m currently participating in a remix contest for School of Sound, Switzerland, and I have also finished 2 remixes for Elea’s new remixes album, 2 brand new tracks for the new Astral Waves album and I’m in the final stages of mastering for the new Akshan album “World of Duality” due in March on Altar Records. I’m preparing a DJ and live set for Tribal Gathering in Panama in March 2018, and something I’m looking forward to as well is playing in Europe in the summer of 2018 or 2020, depending on the answer from organizers.

I hope you enjoy the mix!
Gabriel.