Two soul sisters connected by a different beat –Jazz Bossa Nova musician and singer Isabelle Antena who dabbles in DJ remixes and DJ Axailes Solar – are creating a fusion of electronic music under their project ‘Antena Solar’. Now as they prepare to take the ‘Young, Posh and Loaded’ on a spin at the threeday electronic music festival of the same name in Goa, they speak of the collective experiences in the industry which have shaped their music.
“Our main aim is to make people dance,” aver this French duo. Their USP is to take a song that is not dance floor music and turn it into a techno number. “It’s not a remix, but it’s a cover,” they clarify. “We write in our own Antena-Solar way,
which is constantly evolving. Our music is not only a blend of the history of music we have been exposed to during the years, but is organic in
sound as well,” reveal the DJs. Together they have worked on three projects – ‘Poyaga Sisters’ (1992), ‘Toujours du Soleil’ (2006) and ‘In Reverse Mood’ (2013).
Playing in sync, they are an unlikely pair of DJs
who literally make people sweat on the dance
floor once they start. Unlikely because Isabelle, a
grandmother to boot, is a jazz Bossa Nova singer
and musician who has been on the music circuit
for over 34 years with over 30 albums. “Bossa Nova
is what I love doing and have produced around 12
albums, but alongside I have also been producing
electronic dance music,” shares Isabelle, who
experienced first success when her Bossa Nova
numbers were remixed with EDM in 1982. ‘Camino
del sol’ and later ‘Nothing to lose’ are fine examples
of this fusion.
Credited with making techno and house music
popular in Goa, Axailes confesses to being a ‘party
beast’ who just loved to dance and organise events.
“I never thought I could DJ or even sing, but Isabel
helped me direct my talent.” Her groove on the
dance floor is self-admittedly ‘funky, funny and
naughty with a ‘fat’ beat’. On the music scene for
over two decades in India and abroad, Axailes has
made Goa home for the past 15 years and works
under the brand name Liquid Sky.
Working feverishly in an improvised studio,
the DJs are setting up the base sound for their
forthcoming gig this weekend. “For the festival we
have developed the set ‘Boarding Pass’. Isabelle is
making is proper disco-funk set – ‘new things with
an old sound’ mix where she will also be singing and
playing. From here we will flow seamlessly into the
next part with my music,” says Axailes.
