Starting your own label is never easy and we like to support worthwhile, underground ventures in the world of electronic music, especially when they place the artistic quality of their output over huge commercial success. One such entrepreneur is Berlin-based Julie Marghilano. Julie is the woman behind new imprint Sol Asylum which looks to build on the success of a series of parties of the same name in the German capital.
Julie has proven her drive and passion over the years as a producer, DJ and host and since arriving in Europe in 1995 from her native Nevada, a love for more eclectic music has forged a bond with long time friends and fellow DJs Miss Jools and Patrice Meiner which has given rise to the concept of Sol Asylum. Despite landing in Italy, since 2008 Julie has made Berlin her home because of a love for the artistic freedom and community that the city continues to nurture and Berlin has certainly been a major influence in this project that is a fusion of visual art and music.
The first release on Sol Asylum was featured on TNG earlier this week and we’re proud to give Julie and Sol Asylum this platform, a label that will surely be a source of great things to come. Julie’s story is not only interesting but also inspirational as it’s an artistic journey that has plotted a course through a world where so often quantity, money and men have dominated. So we always love to see ventures like Julie and Sol Asylum where art and expression is the goal. A talented violinist, Julie is also big into sound design and uses her violin to craft all kinds of sounds for her productions, even basslines, and these tracks have seen support from the likes of Luciano and Loco Dice. We caught up with Berlin’s wonder woman.
TNG: Hi Julie, thanks for chatting to us! We hope you’re well and that everything is up and running smoothly at Sol Asylum.
JM: Thank you for having me and for your interest in Sol Asylum. Let’s just say I could not have imagined a better start of the year!
TNG: First let’s get a bit of background for those out of the loop. You were born in the dizzying lights of Las Vegas, what were your dreams as a young girl?
JM: It is a bit of a strange city to be born into but to be honest, I think it is just like every other suburban town in America except everything is open 24 hours. My father was a musician and my mother was a singer so it was very natural for me to aspire to learn an instrument.
TNG: You picked up the violin at an early age and continue to incorporate it into your music and performances, managing to mix strings into 21st century electronic music.
How do classical instruments translate into the world of electronic music production – do you think the idea of using organic sounds over synthesised sounds is fading?
JM: I think most electronic producers can’t be bothered to use a classical instrument to make an electric sounding bass etc. because there are already machines that make something very similar. I am fascinated with sound design so for me, it’s more of a science project and a challenge for myself and my music.
TNG: But do you think in say 200 years, kids will be picking up a violin or going straight for a Mac Book and Logic?
JM: To be honest, I hope that kids will still be picking up instruments in 200 years in school. I heard that a lot of schools don’t offer this anymore and it is a real injustice. I love electronic music but I think it is very important to learn the basics of music especially at an early age. Music is a very powerful universal language.
TNG: I heard you said that you were always fascinated by European culture and you came over in ’95. Which came first, techno or the migration?
JM: definitely migration, I didn’t really get into techno until I came to Europe.
TNG: How did you get into throwing the Sol Asylum parties?
JM: I started Sol Asylum in the summer of 2011 as an open air day party because to be honest, I don’t like many clubs here in the summer and I am pretty picky about music. My main goal was and still is to make a party where you can enjoy the music for 12 hours straight. Unfortunately, the weather is a big risk here in the summer. In fact, I had to postpone my last open air party in 2011 three times for the rain so you can imagine why I changed the concept to an indoor event!
TNG: Imagine trying it here in Manchester! Okay so let’s talk about the label. It’s great to see more women now taking centre stage in the booth and in the studio, do you think as a woman it made it more difficult for you to start a label?
JM: It takes a lot of work to put a label together especially a vinyl label and I think it is very important to have a family or team. I feel very blessed to have my Sol Asylum collaborators Miss Jools and Patrice Meiner, as well as Dsan Powell [graphics], Stephanie Sholtz [artwork], Matty Penticof [social media] and all the friends and artists that are supporting us. I don’t think it has to do with gender but how much motivation you have inside of you.
TNG: What barriers, if any, have you faced in trying to get Sol Asylum off the ground and how have you got around them?
JM: one barrier has been money but sometimes you have to take a risk in life if you really believe in something, even if it will put you in debt.
TNG: The label is set to be a fusion between visual art and music, how will we be seeing that take shape?
JM: I hope that a worldwide audience will already appreciate the special hand drawn art on our covers and of course, we are dedicated as a record label, as well as a party, to provide a unique auditive and visual journey. We will have a very talented VJ Named Rodrigo Diaz who will be doing our visuals at our label launch party on the 24th of January at Prince Charles in Berlin . This will be a perfect example of this combo.
TNG: We are primarily a music website after all, so what can we expect from Sol Asylum from a musical point of view?
JM: Sol Asylum’s musical concept is a melting pot, ranging from experimental, deep house to forward thinking intelligent techno. However, our main focus is to keep an open minded vision of quality underground music.
TNG: Julie thank you very much for sharing with us, we wish you all the best with Sol Asylum and in general.
JM: Thank you! wishing the same for you and your website. Love and respect always!
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/117689384″ params=”color=ff6600&auto_play=false&show_artwork=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
