Written By Marco Bombaci

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The Sydney born duo Max Selby & Netanel Abisedon, better known for their alias Gelassenheit are established DJ/Promoters, working hard to find themselves at the forefront of Australia’s underground music scene since 2017.

The pair quickly discovered their chemistry and have since worked from strength to strength to form a marriage between DJing and promoting, showcasing eclectic sounds of euphoric progressive, deep soulful melodic and percussive deep tech.

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Founders of Dopamine Events, the pair have been running a series of events all around Sydney that showcase some of the best local and international talents. In 2019 the duo has since co-founded a weekly Sunday night affair established as ‘KODE’ in one of Sydney’s longest standing underground nightclubs – Club 77.

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A duo determined to succeed, Gelassenheit plan to release original music in 2020. It’s safe to say this is only the beginning for the boys… 

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You established yourselves in the Sydney underground scene in 2017.  How did forming Gelassenheit come about? And Who/what was your inspiration to start out in the Sydney scene? 

Growing up, we attended the same school one year apart from one another. Never having connected as mates at School, it was only in the later years after graduating high school that we had met through a group of friends we both had in common. We were both in the early days of learning to mix and exploring the new sound of Techno, and it was this common interest that initially sparked us to begin spending more and more time with one another exploring this new medium of Art we had only just started to learn. As we became more and more confident in our abilities as DJ’s we decided that we were going to venture out and start looking for some gigs. By that point we had practiced and learnt so much whilst in each other’s company, it only seemed right for us to continue down this path together. From that day forward Gelassenheit was born. 
 

The pair of you started running your own events back in May 2018 - under the brand; Dopamine events, and earlier this year you established your own Sunday night event named: “Kode” at the legendary Club 77. How did this come about? and Why did you think it was necessary to start your own events in Sydney? 

When we first began in the Sydney DJ scene, we were hungry to get our name out there as we didn’t really know that many promoters or have that many close friends who went to the venues we wanted to play at. We decided that if we wanted to play more in the early days it would be in our best interest to throw our own parties. What stemmed from some garden parties for a bunch of our mates slowly turned into a passion that grew and grew to what it is today and is something we now wish to turn into our full-fledged careers along with DJing and producing. 

 

As for our Kode event hosted weekly at Club 77, established and founded with our close friend Justin Muscat (founder of ALLFRIENDS), we were offered the opportunity to create a new weekly event. Being offered such an amazing opportunity to create a new Sunday experience for those in Sydney, at a club that is so highly respected and has such a rich cultural history, it was a no brainer to get involved and build a new weekly hotspot for all lovers of House and Techno. Since this new event was founded it has really flourished into one of Sydney’s top contenders of weekly run events.

 

Let’s chat about Ibiza earlier this year… What was it like to play on the white isle for the first time? 

Having started exploring this passion for music not so long ago, an opportunity like this to arise was just incredible. Being given the opportunity to play in a foreign country is something we do not take for granted and we made sure to squeeze every drop out of the experience. Ibiza is such an iconic location for all things House and Techno, giving birth to so many of our idols, so it was a surreal experience to say the least and we hope to do it again in the years to come. 

 

You have stated that you want to put out your own music in the first half of 2020. Can you tell us a bit more about the sound you’re going for and what we can expect?  

As 2020 approaches we are becoming more and more eager to start releasing some original music. We have been waiting for the right time to strike as we are honing in on our skills and want to make sure that we are truly proud and content with the first songs we will expose to the public. The sound that you can expect to be hearing from us will be a wide range of Deep Tech and Melodic Techno. 

 

Who are your current favourite artists? And which tracks are on heavy rotation in your sets? 

As we tend to mix a variety of sounds, there are a vast range of songs and artists that we will have on rotation at any one time. We try not to overplay any tracks for a lengthy period as we enjoy playing unique sets each time we perform. However, at the moment we are really enjoying the vibe of artists such as; Ruben Mandolini, Josh Butler, Adriatique, Rafael Cerato, Wurtz, Iberian Muse, Colyn, Audiojack. Some tracks we have been loving at the moment are ARTBAT’s – Return to Oz, Colyn – Amor & Ruben Mandolini – The Organist.

 

Is there a festival around the world that you would really love to play at?

Max: Personally, one event that has always stood out for me as a massive long-term goal is Awakenings event hosted at the Gashouder in Amsterdam. From the first time I watched video footage from this festival I instantly fell in love and knew that this is something in my life that needed to be achieved. The production is nothing short of spectacular and the venue is like nothing I’ve ever seen before.

 

Net: For me, although it’s not really classified as a festival, the first thing that comes to mind is Cercle’s events. The platform in which they allow their DJs and audience to experience something new and fresh every time excites me not just on a DJing level but as a brand. I think for both of us this is something we would like to work towards and emulate in a way, whilst enabling us  the ability to really showcase our variety and capability to take one on a journey mixing through different genres in a free-flowing atmosphere is what it’s all about.

 

As DJ’s and promoters in Sydney, what have been some struggles during the Lockout Law period? And what are you looking forward to when they are lifted on 14th Jan 2020? 

What the lockout laws have done that have had the biggest effect on us as both DJs and promoters are that it limits new partygoers having access to the club. This limits the crowd to the time of lockout. So for our DJ sets, this doesn’t allow a new crowd to view our set as the night goes on, and as promoters, it cuts off the amount of an audience that can gain access to the venue, which has an impact both from a financial standpoint as well as limiting the number of people that can come experience what we have worked hard to put on.

 

When these restrictions are lifted early next year in January, we hope to see more friendly faces circulating around the clubs and various events over the weekends.

 

What’s the one bit of advice you would give to DJ or promoters who are just starting out?

As a newcomer DJ it is often a daunting start when first attempting to get gigs and get your name out there. The best advice we could give from personal experience is to get out there, start attending events you wish to play at and meeting other DJs and promoters. You will find they are like-minded individuals and are great to build relationships and have a chat with. Networking is everything for DJs and taking the gigs you get seriously is vital for longevity. It will get tough at times, but the key is to keep on grinding. Don’t forget to be respectful of everyone you meet along the way!

 

As for promoting it is important to create the best experience for those coming to your events, this includes the line-up you book, lighting, sound, décor and the overall experience being of top quality. If you put love into it, you will get love out of it.

 

What is the next step for Gelassenheit?

As we press on forward, we are planning some big things. We are excited to start releasing new music and working with other successful DJs and promoters to bring some special events and gigs to Sydney’s shores. We will also be branching out to more interstate and overseas gigs to start spreading the Gelassenheit movement, so best watch this space! 

 

And finally, we ask all our guests the same closing question, what's the craziest thing you've seen from behind the decks?

The craziest thing we’ve seen is very hard to pinpoint and I would say it’s more of a collection of things. Seeing people standing in front of the decks completely losing their minds, leaving all notions of space and time behind them is always a sight for sore eyes and always cracks a smile on our faces. The kick-on morning parties tend to give us the best of the show. Stay safe out there people!

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