Steve Angello has revealed that he intends to move away from playing festivals and big room events to focus on underground clubs. The former Swedish House Mafia member made the announcement in an interview with Mixmag, in which he criticized the overall scene for being festival-driven:
 

“It irritates me. I grew up a DJ and a club head, and I used to come over [to the UK] with Eric Prydz like 15 years ago. And I used to play all these little rooms in Brighton, Leeds, Manchester, Glasgow and it was such a great club scene for me to come up in because you learn so much, but I feel like that’s all been forgotten. Nobody is paying their dues in the clubs.”

 
And it’s not just a personal move — Angello is encouraging the younger artists on his label Size Records to do the same:
 

“I’m trying to push the artists on my label to become more club-orientated. Some of them think I’m evil! We have an artist right now that’s getting really big and is being offered lots of festivals and I said ‘Listen, your next tour is a club tour’ and he was like ‘F#ck that I don’t want to do a club tour’ and I was like ‘You’ve got to. We’ll do it small. 150 people, great soundsystem, no LEDs, just back to basics.’ Now he’s actually getting more excited about because it’s something different!”

 
Angello also expressed concern about the rapid growth that the American scene is experiencing, a sentiment that other influential DJs have voiced in recent years:
 

“In America they’re trying to get licenses for 600 dance festivals next year … I just saw the papers the other week, and I was shocked. It’s f#cking horrendous. The things that people are planning to do next year might destroy the whole scene in America.”

 
Mixmag’s interview also addresses Angello’s monthly residency at LiFE in SLS Las Vegas, which he’s currently locked into. According to the magazine, “Angello insisted that he was drawn to LiFE because of it’s intentions to support the underground artists, and the space itself suited his vision of what his future performances will feel like.”
 
Related: Swedish House Mafia’s Steve Angello Says Dance Music All Sounds the Same

 
In a recent interview with Australia website news.com.au, former Swedish House Mafia member Steve Angello expressed his displeasure with the current state of dance music and discussed his upcoming solo album. The world renowned DJ, who is credited for helping make the genre mainstream, believes many artists lack creativity and that dance music will die if it doesn’t change course:
 

“The demand for electronic music is still there but the artists need to step up their game and try different things. It all sounds the same. That is what is eventually going to kill the scene, because people are not going to be able to tell who has done what.”

 
Angello also praised Daft Punk and artists from the past for “owning” their sound:
 

“Chic had their own sound, Stevie Wonder had [his] own sound, Michael Jackson had his own sound. That’s what is missing today. You have to create your own sound. Daft Punk owned their sound. Dance people should get inspired by that, jump in the studio and create their signature sound and not just repeat what’s already out there.”

 
The Greek-born DJ is working on a solution though. When asked about his upcoming solo album which is due in 2014, Angello offered insight into how it’s different from his previous work:
 

“It’s not an attempt to create pop or hit songs, it’s straight music. This has been something I’ve wanted to do my whole life but I’ve never had the guts to do it. I risk everything to be creative. I feel it’s time for change in my career.”

 
Speaking on the sound he’s creating, Angello said:
 

“I miss bands like Pink Floyd. I miss all of those synth experimental trips. I’ve gone a little indie with this album. It’s very minimal in production, I hold back a lot.”

 
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