C1 - Small in Size big in Stature.

I had the privilege of sharing a beer with Sirwan Rahman, better known as DJ C1 in a pub in Balmain when he was last in Australia. I must admit it only took a few sips of the amber liquid, a few wise cracks and a couple of laughs to realize that there is a lot more to C1 than meets the eye. Comparable to his small frame, is his larger than life personality and more than that, his growing statue in the world of techno music. It was for this reason only, that I was quick to tag the man with the nick name of "Mighty Mouse."

When you look at what C1 crams into a year it is easy to understand why he is considered one of the hardest working DJ's going around. Besides playing gigs all over Europe and South America, he co-owns and runs the record label "Intec Records" with his good mate Carl Cox and somehow and somewhere in between all this fun and frivolity he has managed to release his first mix CD - "Shifting Gears".

"Shifting Gears" is not only C1 first CD release but it is also the first CD release on Intec Records, which comes as a bit of a surprise when you consider the stack of quality 12 inches that have been released in the 3 years the label has been around. What is even more surprising is the sheer catchiness of this CD, when you consider it to be a purely techno release. It is amazing the versatility of where, when and how it can be listened to and enjoyed. Within the first 48 hours of having it, I had whipped it out at boozy party and filled the dance floor (aka. lounge room) and 12 hours later played it a little softer in the bedroom to an equally receptive audience. That may not be considered all that big a deal for a commercial dance album, but when you consider that a lot of quality techno CD's can't really be played anywhere else but a club, "Shifting Gears" versatility amplifies both the Djing talents of C1 and the quality of the track selection and thought process that has gone in to making it.

The purpose of this article is to delve a little deeper into the personality of C1, to find out lot more about Intec Records, and of course pick and prod the man about his first CD release.

TranZfusion: So before we get on to the CD the word on the street is that you actually got Jeff Mills to dance during one of your sets, is this really true-

C1: Yeah he comes to our Intec parties at Sonar whenever he can and he was there this year having a good time.

TranZfusion: No offence to Mr. Mills, but that boy doesn't look like much of a groover, are you sure he was dancing- Are there any other witnesses-

C1: I can't say I saw it myself but other people did. He's a very big supporter of the label and what we do, a very cool guy for whom I have the utmost respect.

TranZfusion: On a slightly more serious note, "Shifting Gears" has arrived and I must admit I like it lot. But what does C1 think of the CD- Is it everything you imagined-

C1: I'm pleased with it, though I didn't want to listen to it for a while after I'd finished it! You can easily go over the top and lose perspective if you listen to your work too much. When I did go back to it a few weeks later I thought it really represents me which, good or bad, is what a mix cd should be.

TranZfusion: "Shifting Gears" has a bit different feel to it than other techno albums. How would you describe the style of music that you play-

C1: The title was something I thought about carefully and that tells you a lot. I like to move around within a set, house, techno, disco etc but also different moods within that. I don't go for any particular genre it's just the REAL way to DJ as far as I'm concerned, you know, to play a variety within your tastes and create something with an engaging flow.

TranZfusion: I have heard the terms Intelligent and Funky techno used when describing this new era of soulful techno. Are these just buzz words, or can you see a distinct genre starting to appear-

C1: They are buzz words an Tags

• C1
• Intec