With her ‘Confiscate / Elucidate’ EP dropping on her Kuukou imprint last month, we asked Simina Grigoriu about her Top Tracks.
What’s the first record you ever bought?
Johnny Dangerous – ‘Problem # 13 (Beat That Bitch With A Bat)’, on Hourglass Records from 1992. I found this record in a shop in Toronto when I was 16 or so and bought it immediately. It was the first vinyl I’d ever purchased and I’d added it to my parents’ record collection. That did not go down well. The record is great. The track name and message, not so much.
The first time you remember hearing electronic music?
I was in dance class at age 8/9 and the teacher used a SNAP! song for our routine. We also danced to C&C Music Factory. At the time, I was very into Technotronic because they were on the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles soundtrack (a pink cassette which I still have). Then, about a year later, after the Romanian Revolution, we visited the country (I’d been living in Canada since I was 3) and I bought a bootleg Prodigy CD off the street. It was ‘The Experience’. I quickly became obsessed with The Prodigy and it wasn’t long until my room was full of their posters. Sorry Mom. I know you didn’t understand the music, or me, at the time 🙂
Your favourite ever record?
This is an impossible question. I’ve thought about it a million times in the past and just now for another 10 min. Impossible for me to answer. Sorry.
The guaranteed floor-filler?
Sezer Uysal – ‘Apastron’ (Pig&Dan Remix).
The guilty pleasure?
Gigi D’Agostino – ‘I’ll Fly With You’ (L’Amour Toujours).
The last track of the night?
Extrawelt – ‘8000’.
The best chillout record?
Anything Bob Marley. I don’t usually listen to chillout nor do I know about any chillout artists. If I want to “chill out”, it’s righteous reggae all the way.
The record everyone loves but you hate?
Pharell – ‘Happy’.
The best record for a family party?
Dire Straits – ‘Brothers In Arms’ or Paul Kalkbrenner – ‘Self’.
The soundtrack to a lazy Sunday afternoon?
No Doubt – ‘Tragic Kingdom’ or Sublime – ’40 oz. to Freedom’.
The worst record you’ve ever heard?
I blocked it out. There were some terrible ones but I don’t think I bothered remembering the name or the artist. I probably just ran away.
The record you’re proudest of?
‘Broken Royals / Fallen Guards’ on ELEVATE but I also LOOOOVE my remix for Paul Kalkbrenner’s “Kleines Bubu” (a track he named after me and I also sing on the remix—with heavy reverb cause I’m not a singer!). I am also very proud of my tracks ‘Edge Of The World’ and ‘Techno Monkey’ from my label, Kuukou. Those are my two favs of mine.
The future classic?
Hmmm… probably Adam Beyer & Bark Skils – ‘Your Mind’ on Drumcode.
This track smashed the 2018 festival season and got played out really quickly but I love it and the hook is incredible so I would say this one.
Confiscate / Elucidate is available to buy.