Full Circle Digital Magazine August 2013 | Page 54

M U S I C • VA N N E S S A H O L I D AY • E L E C T R O N I C D A N C E S C E N E

Breaking through the Electronic Dance Music Scene.

Vanessa Holiday

Vanessa Holliday, established Capetonian DJ and one of the few female producers in South Africa, presents her first Extended Play (EP) release, “Deep Layers,” available on Beatport & ITunes from the 12th of July 2013. “Deep Layers” is inspired by her cavernous love and passion for electronic dance music and deeply incorporates the many layers of her creative expression. “Deep Layers” represents the very essence of what music means to Vanessa. “Music is an extension of myself, my emotions, my personality and my soul,” she says. Side A of Vanessa’s EP features “Berlin Strasse”. This track was inspired by her love for Berlin after her first visit to the city, fascination of the diversity of the people and especially the underground music scene. Lo-fi analog drums from the basement with sine blips dropping down create this moody atmospheric track. It is infused with subtle 5th chord tech progressions, over laced with vocals, synth stabs and lush pads from the backyards of Berlin. Side B features “Black Beauty”, another heartfelt track by Vanessa layered with dark, deep and sophisticated sonic textures combined with a groovy guitar riff. Vanessa is constantly pushing boundaries, experimenting with special transformational and vibrational frequencies to create her own distinctive sound that truly resonates positively with humanity. She offers music that in its purist form, expresses freedom, truth, love and the expansion of consciousness. Willing to always learn more and further develop her production talents while journeying into the magical layers of music, she completed her Advanced Music Production Diploma with the Soul Candi Institute of Music and visits the Red Bull Music Studios in Cape Town, where she can constantly improve her skills as she believes that you can

never know too much in the world of production. “You learn something new every day,” she says. With her fingers in a world of soulful and deep melodic music-making, Vanessa is signed to Heads & Tails Record Label, by far one of the most established deep/nu-disco house labels in South Africa. Vanessa has been DJing for almost ten years, growing from club and festival performer, to radio presenter, savvy businesswoman and producer, taking her love for sublime beats on the journey. With roots in vinyl and playing progressive trance, Vanessa is one of the first female performers to sustain the ever-changing scene, exploring sounds, technology, dancing, singing, fashion and even piano lessons, as an intrinsic part of her creative expression. Today, her music is inspired by a fresher house sound, still influenced with a seductive, melodic undertone and generously applied with a passion for Apple Mac and Traktor precision. She favours a blend of euphoria, femininity and finesse and indulges the productions of Alex Niggemann, Audiofly, Maya Jane Coles, Los Suruba, Dinky, Deniz Kurtel & Maceo Plex among others. Vanessa currently hosts “The Underground Radio show”– “you are what you listen to” on 2oceansvibe radio with cohost Kirsti every Monday night from 8pm-10pm. Be sure to catch her EP releases on Beatport & ITunes, as well as her album release later this year.

To listen to her tracks visit her soundcloud page

FULL CIRCLE DIGITAL MAGAZINE AUGUST 2013