TRAX.229 : Fourmï Rouz crosses the oceans in 1 hour of breakbeat and off-kilter house

Translated from French by Stéphane Huët

You may not have had enough time, money or the opportunity to travel this summer. So we’re inviting you to dive right away in an hour of sonic waves and haunting atmospheres.

Logeshen Moorgan aka Fourmï Rouz is a Mauritian globetrotter who unveils a psychedelic mix that makes us drift between tropical and tribal world, lounge eroticism and sharp breakbeat. Trax wanted to have a better understanding of his very dense and unexpectedly wide universe, so we asked him a few questions about the podcast, his background and the state of the Mauritian scene.

How did you make this mix?

Like many other musicians, I spend a lot of time digging and discovering tunes. I select those I like and, as it’s often the case when I am in Mauritius, I went to the electrocaine studio – the brand new mastering studio of Mauritius – to record this mix.

Did you want to represent a particular scene in this mix?

I don’t want to depict any particular scene. I have various influences and I rather propose the music I like and that I’m currently listing to at this particular moment. You’ll find, in this mix, Multi Culti’s world-electro, Stroom’s synthwave, 90’s breakbeat or the latest afro/tribal heat from my DJ sets.

Can you tell me more about your musical background?

I’ve always been passionate about music. During four enriching years, I was in touch with the London scene, record dealers, various nightclubs and festivals, and my roommates who were all musicians. That’s when I started as a DJ. Professionally speaking, it’s been two years since I started. I gained confidence thanks to the Lithuanian scene. It’s in this country where I lived after my studies that I was given the first opportunities as a DJ. It’s an honour since Vilnius has one of the most eclectic club culture in Europe. There are regular acts such as Ivan Smagghe, Red Axes, Hugo Capablanca, Dixon, Daniel Avery, Motor City Drum Ensemble, and so on. But the Manfredas’ monthly party, ‘Smala’, is the most prominent event of the Baltic capital. I then played in South East Asia and since I came back to Mauritius for personal reasons, I’ve been more active in Réunion Island and on the web with mixtapes at The Ransom Note or Ninja Tune’s Solid Steel.

Tell us about the scene in Mauritius.

Small, but dynamic. It takes a lot of energy and investment to set up a cultural event. Unlike France, there is no structured or subsidized network. Private individuals animate the scene on different levels. Without them, there wouldn’t be much. It’s so nice to see festivals put together and enduring, like Kaz’Out or PORLWI. Let’s hope it will continue like this. The dominant genre in electronic music is the dark / progressive techno.

Are you solicited to perform in Mauritius and elsewhere? Is it easy to go on tour when you live on an island?

Honestly, it’s not. Europeans and Americans don’t identify the Indian Ocean. It’s far. It’s very expensive to travel. I also know Reunion Island, Mauritius’ “sister island” as we call it here. Reunion Island is an overseas department of France while Mauritius is an independent republic. But some constraints remain the same for artists, like the distance from major networks. The scene is quite small. But I hope that it changes a little. Artists like La Basse Tropicale are placing the region on the musical map by unearthing compilations on Strut and Sofrito.

Tracklist

1. June11 – White Bird [STROOM ]
2. Mori Ra – Water [Berceuse Heroique]
3. Alien Alien – Bella L’estate (Naduve Remix) [Malka Tuti]
4. Seb Wildblood – :~^[Omena]
5. Sombrero Galaxy – The Edge Of Space  [Second Circle]
6. Dj Normal 4 & Bufiman – Wind Spell (Bufi Energy Mix) [Aiwo Rec.]
7. Telephones – DTMF (Call Super Remix) [Running Back]
8. Black Merlin – Wave [Island Of The Gods]
9. Unknown – Unknown
10. Nicola Cruz – Tzantza (Simple Symmetry Remix) [Multi Culti]
11. Mop Mop – The Barber (Kalbata Remix) [Agogo Records]
12. Young Wolf – Kabuki (Ritual Version) [Themes For Great Cities]
13. Fantastic Man – Ode To A Dream [Fine Choice Records]
14. Anton Klint & Edvin E – Conga Liver [Tryck & Ton]
15. DJ Fett Burger – Pub 18 [Sex Tags UFO]
16. June11- A peaceful Vale  [STROOM ]