5 QUESTIONS with Simos Ares

Published: Wed, 12 Oct 2022

We invited the mastermind behind the Athenian label MOREGENRES, Simos Ares, who counts close to 20 years in the role of the DJ and 4-5 years in the role of the producer, to answer some questions about his latest release "No Fish to Die", the label, his philosophy and his view on the scene and rave culture in general.

1) How and when did the idea to create MOREGENRES start?

For me it was quite a difficult decision as I am not known for my extroversion! The idea had been eating at me for many years now, but I already had several projects open, Cannibal Radio, Bside, KAWRS, a very good collaboration with Habeat Records, and once some funds were closed, end of 2020 I was able to start something of my own from start to finish. The truth is I didn't know if the desired output would come out, and I don't know now. I relied on friends to create the label, I got a lot of help and I don't forget these things.
Whenever I was digging, first I would go to the "more genres" section, you find gems there, I would look for the odd ones, for the ones where there was no clear category, that's how the name came out. With a style clearly influenced by my sets, yes techno but..., I wanted to do the same with the label. I want to collect music that I like and put it out.
  
2) What motivated your releases to come out on vinyl in addition to digital? How does that work on a practical level?

In general, digital has made things easier in our lives, and so has in music. It's easy to put out music, easy to sell it, easy to buy it and finally easy to play it. I don't underestimate that at all, that's what I do anyway. But I couldn't think of MOREGENRES without a physical existence, I've been a vinyl enthusiast for years, so it was a one-way road. Cutting vinyl has a high cost and usually you hardly get your money back from the sales. So, we support local labels, all of them! Each disc on MOREGENRES is unique and is engraved one by one (leath cut), so the production costs are even higher, it's too romantic for these days, so that will probably change in the next ones and we'll cut them the classic way. Regardless of how an EP is produced, things get even more difficult with the 2+ years of restrictions (for COVID-19) on entertainment and this was one, maybe the only income for small labels.
    
3) The latest EP is proof of "more genres", with KSTS's electro and your own tracks covering a wide range of styles yet maintaining a uniformity in sound and style. Give us a little bit about it and how this set of tracks was decided to make it onto the album.

KSTS has been a friend for years and 7-8 years ago we used to play together all the time at Astron Bar, I was and still am a big fan. I don't know if it shows or not, in the music part of life I don't think much before I act, supposedly what I do relaxes me and gives me outlets from everyday life, so Konstantinos (KSTS) sent me his tracks, I put two new tracks and another older one (“The System”) which was remixed - mastered and that's how the record came out quickly and simply.

4) Are there any themes you draw inspiration from? What is the process and media you usually use for your productions?

I have a lot of references from the 90s, it was a time that I barely got to live through, but it was my first sounds, my first party images. I'm trying to put all that into my tracks, I still have a long way to go...
Speaking of digital above..., I usually start with the melody in Ableton, sometimes with some boot that comes out randomly, but lately I've been experimenting with volca bass so that's how I start.

5) What is Rave to you?

I don't know what rave is, really. A long time ago I used the word Rave and in my posts etc. I was throwing a rave track into my set and the dancefloor didn't know how to react, it took a while for the sounds to change. Now everything is Rave! At first, I thought it was fly jackets, Fila sneakers and Varibobi (a location close to Athens in which many raves were held during the 90s-2000s). Now I don't know, every era has different symbolism and I'm not from that era, since I am approaching my forties! Anyway, what we mean by rave today in Greece and the scene that supports and lives it, except for some dark spots that abuse the word, is starting stand strong opposed to other European countries, with more and more frequent exports of producers and jockeys.